Internet vs. internet

* photo from brandwatch.com

In this day and age, new words are coined almost daily.  Every kid seems to master the art of short-cutting words, to my utter chagrin.  When I read news feeds, it almost seems like I get unfamiliar terms every week.  Recently, some newspapers started de-capitalizing the word "Internet" and it just doesn't seem right.  The "Internet" should be capitalized since we refer to the global interconnection of computers, as differentiated from an "internet" which denotes a mere interconnection of two or more computers.  However, it seems that linguistic change always follows human nature--why spend more effort when you get the same results in less?  Ah yes, times change, and change happens very fast.

Cavs

Coming back from a 3-1 deficit, the Cavs have made history in one of the sweetest championships ever.  Long title drought.  Underdog.  Lebron James, once vilified for The Decision, continues the march and ultimately makes good on his promise.  It's a story of several years of hardship, the indomitable human spirit, and the joy of redemption.  Three cheers!

*photo from USA Today

H. I. D.

Monique and I were looking for burger places in the Fairview area when we came across HID Burgers.  My first thought was how "high intensity discharge" headlights could be associated with burgers.  It turns out that HID stands for Healthy and Irresistibly Delicious Burgers.  You can have chicken or beef patties, all reasonably priced at the P100 to P200 range.  Quite delicious, we had one and a half burgers each!  One of the standout features is that the bread they use is pan de sal, rather than the usual burger bun.   This makes the burger feel like a home-made burger rather than a commercial one.

Phonak

We found a good way to address Kong Kong's hearing loss.  Phonak, a Swiss manufacturer of hearing aids, has the Bolero model, which suits him just fine.  I think he now has a clearer appreciation of higher sound frequencies and can better follow the conversation on his favorite cable TV programs.   Such a happy revelation; we should have gotten this 20 years ago!

Bataan Death March

Coming home from our overnight vacation in Morong, we passed some markers dedicated to the war heroes that perished in the infamous Bataan Death March.  In April 1942, the Japanese forced some 80,000 Philippine and American soldiers to march from Mariveles in Bataan to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac via San Fernando, Pampanga.  Around 10,000 perished.  This atrocity was later adjudged to be a Japanese war crime.

In the words of my uncle Jay, "the blood-drenched crosses were strewn all over the place, a mute testimony to the orgy of horrors committed by the yellow sons of Nippon..."

It is good to revisit the past, so the sins may never be repeated.

Rest in peace, defenders of our shores.

Westwind

It was a long drive to Morong, took us around 5 hours to get there through Subic Bay.  Our destination was Westwind Beach Resort which my colleagues found from one of the travel websites.  Our group spent something like P2,000 per head for an overnight outing; this budget included 2 meals for the duration of the stay.  Accommodations and food were pretty basic, but the warmth of the staff made our stay very enjoyable.

Our room had 4 bunk beds and two pull out beds for a total of six beds, each good for 2 people.  In theory, the 24 m2 room could take up to 12 people, but that would have been really cramped.  Luckily we only had 7 men packed in the room, which was doable, since we only slept for around 4-5 hours.

The infinity pool wasn't big but good enough for the group.  We did a lot of night swimming, and the mini jacuzzi area was a big hit with the ladies.  The beauty of the place though is the beach--fine grey sand, very clean, devoid of rocks and debris, clear waters, gently sloping to around 5 feet deep.  I was quite amazed that something like this was just at the northern tip of the Manila Bay.  Maybe I'll be back with the family!

El Tesoro Turrones

Vicky, on the other hand, got some El Tesoro De Cebu Turrones from her friends.  We were lucky to get the cashew flavor.  Next time I fly to Cebu, I'll buy some of the ones made with pili nuts to see how it tastes like.   

Marsha's Delicacies

On the one hand, Becca received some bibingka goodies from her friends from Ilocos--Marsha's Delicacies makes delightful stuff!

Fleur de Lys

Vicky, Monique and I were wondering where we could find a good dessert place along Tomas Morato.  We had just finished a hearty Peruvian meal, and our mouths were longing for something sweet.  We drove around the area for a few minutes and stumbled upon Fleur De Lys, and we were delighted to find parking space right at its doorstep.

I was very happy with the carrot cake, but it was the Florentines that really made my day! The chocolate covering melts like butter, and the crisp cookies are a joy to devour.  Really.

It's a specialty bakeshop that also serves light meals.  Prices are very reasonable.  Next time, I'll make it a point to try their savory dishes.  Tables at the ground floor are al fresco, and if you prefer air-conditioning, you have to step up to the second floor.

Daimos

While Daimos didn't get as much screen time as Voltes V, I must admit I got a kick about the anime, specially because of the background story line of the romance between earthling Richard and alien Erica, who suffers from amnesia.  It was magnificent scene when Erica first lets her wings appear, to the surprise of her suitor, Richard!  Nice one there... 

Chef's Noodles

We're quite happy with the Fairview Terraces Mall.  Ever since SM Fairview started its expansion plans, that mall has been overflowing with customers that the shopping experience has turned out to be quite stressful.  Fairview Terraces has a laid-back feel, aisles are wider (more space for Gwammy's wheelchair), and shopkeepers are very customer oriented.

With Monique and Andi in tow, I chose to have a quick lunch at Chef's Noodles, a Korean restaurant beside the chapel of Fairview Terraces.  Gwammy was hungry and ordered a chicken sandwich while the rest were still strolling around the nearby boutiques.

We started off with some buchu saeu twigim (okoy-like fritter crisps) which were really good.  Our food attendant suggested trying the bulchobap (fire sushi), which was served with a twist--the raw Wagyu beef slices are seared table-side via blowtorch, and that was an interesting procedure to watch.

Their fusion style was evident in the carbonara, in which rice sticks were used as the pasta.  I read from their menu that the fasting selling item was their Chef Guksoo (beef noodle soup) and we were not disappointed with the taste and presentation.  The bibimbop and fried chicken that we ordered were not bad, but didn't stand out though.

We finished with a rice dough dessert, topped with chocolate and sesame seeds, the name of which escapes me now (yes, getting old and forgetful).  The meal wasn't bad at all, at some P400 per person.

Cape Cookies Rusks

This is one of the more expensive rusks on the market.  Becca picked some Cape Cookies Rusks at the local grocery--complete with honey & figs...quite yummy!

Snitz

I had to get something at the Fairview Terraces Mall, and by 8pm, my tummy was grumbly. I was about to leave when a new restaurant sign, Snitz, caught my eye.  My guess is that the name is a play on schnitzel, which figures prominently in their menu.  The ladies at the counter told me that the restaurant is owned by the same group that runs the Buffet 101 chain.  I had a chicken sandwich that was not bad around P100, but still uneventful.  Not so many people eating at the time, and I wondered if the place was making any money at all.

Apo ni Lola

More stuff from Davao, this time from Deena, who just completed her week long work stint at one of the popular resorts in the area.  Apo ni Lola has some candies that will make you recall fond memories of the durian capital of the Philippines!

Knight Rider

Before David Hasselhoff donned the red swimming trunks, he portrayed Michael Knight, the dashing crime fighter of Knight Rider.  His partner?  Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT), an artificial intelligence dressed as a Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am.  Didn't you enjoy the dancing red light too?

Cafe Churro

My friends introduced me to a P55 churros con helado combination at Cafe Churro at the food level of the One Corporate Center along Julia Vargas Avenue at the Ortigas Center. Their churros is nicely done, crispy on the outside and slightly moist on the inside, served piping hot atop a scoop of vanilla ice cream and mango bits.  Awesome!

Chapel of the Holy Family (Fairview Terraces)

It's a simple chapel at the Fairview Terraces Mall in Quezon City, the Chapel of the Holy Family.  It gets full on weekends so make sure to be early to ensure seating space.

Nanay Choleng's Muron

This time, Vicky bought some of Nanay Choleng's Muron from Cagayan de Oro. This suman is blended with either chocolate or ube and is not as sweet as those found in other provinces.  You have to eat it while fresh though; if it stays too long in the refrigerator, the roll hardens and just doesn't carry the same punch.

Malagos Cheese

Vicky came home from Davao with some Ricotta cheese from Malagos Farms.  Wonderful!  I'm glad that local enterprises are starting to make yummy stuff!

Beogram 4000

It was the toast of its time.  My Beogram 4000 turntable from Bang & Olufsen was one of the top-end linear or tangential track players, and the crisp beauty of vinyl music was never as pronounced as when it would play.  Operating it was like a dream come true.  It was first introduced in 1972, and was so gorgeously designed that the space age look was the envy of a lot of vinyl purists.  I loved it so much that even when CD music started to overtake vinyl, I continued to use it.  I went so far as to request friends from Hong Kong to purchase MMC (Moving Micro Cross) needle cartridges for me, just to keep it going.  Alas, I switched it on last week and it no longer works.  Such a devastating loss to my hi-fi collection, just when vinyl is starting to make a comeback!

Tuan Tuan

Monique and I couldn't resist the call of the now famous Tuan Tuan Chinese brasserie. Conceptualized by the Lugang group, this restaurant is an offshoot of the Mui Garden restaurant in Hong Kong.  We have been passing by this restaurant since late 2015, and it seemed that the long waiting lines outside were indicative of good food.  Last week, we walked into their SM Megamall branch at around 3pm, and were lucky to find a good spot for our late lunch.

Interiors are dressed up quite differently from your usual Chinese restaurant.  The place is like a French brasserie, and the impression you get is that it's a mix of post-war Europe and Hong Kong of the 1960s.  We started off with pork buns which were soft and delicious, not too sweet for me to go a-ranting!

The beef curry was excellent.  Meat was soft and the taste was just right.  The halibut noodle soup was also a delight--mixed in were some dumplings and siao long bao.  The chicken, however, was quite like ordinary, done in fast-food teriyaki style.  Food attendants are well-trained and very courteous.  You have to prepare at least some P800 per person to enjoy the restaurant though, which is quite a heap for regular day eating.