Creamline

 

Caotina

 

 

La Taqueria Del Chupacabra

 

The lunch choice at the Podium Mall last Wednesday was either a repeat of Korean food or another visit to the Corner Market.  Since I had not explored the fast-food area of the mall, I elected to join my friend and we found ourselves having a burrito each at La Taqueria Del Chupacabra.  Now Chupacabras are mythical reptilian (or wolf-like, depending on where your tale originates from) creatures that are like goat vampires, and South American folklore has it that once in a while, they would turn their ire onto naughty children.  What a devilish thought!  I wonder what the stall owners were thinking of when they named the taqueria...

 

Pricing is pretty reasonable at less than P300 for a beef burrito, and the taste was good.  Service was quick, but then again, the food court didn't have much patrons because quarantine protocols are still in place.

 

Sir Roger Penrose

 

(* photo from wikipedia.com)

I was very pleased to learn that Sir Roger Penrose received half of the 2020 Nobel prize for his 1964 paper showing that black holes are a natural and inescapable consequence of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.  This Oxford mathematician is such a accomplished intellectual, and if you view him on YouTube, you will simply admire his down-to-earth and humble attitude in life.

I find myself in agreement with his views on cosmology.  In college, I could never understand why infinity was treated with such disdain by mathematicians and physicists.  Something was wrong with your calculations if infinity came into the picture.  That was the textbook response which I was never comfortable with.

Listening to his ideas gave me much clarity.   If you see him give lectures with his very colorful hand-drawn presentations, you will find that the explanations are very easy to grasp, and his arguments are very logical.

His contributions to geometry include the discovery of visually challenging Penrose triangles and lovely patterns of Penrose tiles.  And while I don't even begin to understand his ideas on Twistor theory, I know that this is a possible tool to understand quantum gravity.  His ideas on consciousness and the how biology has a quantum side has influenced my own thinking of how "I am" taps into infinite possibilities of a non-linear, non-causal moment.

Thank you, Sir Roger, for re-energizing my understand of the way things work!

The Dolomite Maneuver

They actually built it, that white-sand beach along Dewey Boulevard, right beside the US Embassy.  So that's what crushed dolomite looks like... I just hope that it doesn't wash out into the open sea... 

1975 Old Fashioned Burgers

Easy-to-order anytime you want a burger fix; they responded in a few minutes.  1975 Old Fashioned Burgers is based in Marikina though, so it's best to make a little leeway for the delivery guy (our order arrived in an hour and 15 minutes).  Patty has enough juices without being too sloppy.   Overflowing in cheese (as you can see in the picture above).  Reasonably priced too!

Taste & Tell

I understand from Monique that Taste & Tell has taken the Metro by storm.  Sushi bakes have been the "in" delivery dish since the early days of the quarantine, and we've tried a few of the popularly-priced offerings in the market.  This, however, is the king of sushi bakes, premium quality but reasonably-priced.  You just need half a teaspoonful on top of your nori flakes, and the flavor is guaranteed to burst onto your palate!

Scallop, salmon, unagi, kani, steak... ooh la la... The pans arrived hot, which meant that the delivery was perfectly timed... We dove right in, and our merienda was a total success!

And the amazing part is that the group also makes one of the richest inutak desserts in town!  For those who are not familiar with this Pinoy delicacy, this is a rice flan cooked in coconut milk, often served in big family gatherings and town fiestas.

Riesen

Dell's (Times Plaza)

Saikoro Steak

This has a buttery tinge to the palate.  Cubed Saikoro steak is an easy-to-cook quick fix when you are craving for some wagyu, but know that you can't eat a whole fatty slab.  Wagyu is undoubtedly welcome, but for those watching cholesterol levels, or for those who are overwhelmed after four slices--this is the best way to go.  Monique was lucky enough as her good friend sent over a pack of this delicious treat, and the rest of the clan was even luckier to partake of the pan-fried version.  And the best part?  The feast was cooked in just under 10 minutes!  Nothing fancy, just salt and pepper for seasoning.  We let the meat speak for itself!

B'lue

Juju Eats

SM Keppel Podium West Tower

Nila's Puto Binan

Zott

Sean Connery

* photo from collider.com

"Bond.  James Bond."

Sean Connery

(25 August 1930 - 31 October 2020)

Chocoloco

Mitsuyado Ramen Shokudo

Monique and I were lucky to visit Mitsuyado Ramen Shokudo when the Top of the Glo was still vibrant with mall-rats prior to the quarantine period.  You can watch the staff create your bowl of steaming-hot ramen right in front of you, and because the interiors of the restaurant are designed to give the "street" vibe, the experience brought to mind memories of eateries around the chilly alleys in Dotonbori.

The menu is pretty simple and straightforward, and the service staff are pretty quick to dish out the orders.  The soup is flavorful but I had wanted more slices of pork.  A meal for two would set you back for around P800 which is pretty reasonable.

Vizco's

The strawberries make trips to Baguio something to look forward to.  Monique read something about the popular Vizco's strawberry shortcake and ordered one the very next day.  While the glazing is a tad too sweet for my taste, I must say the overall effect is very satisfying.

Vinacafe

Char Express

The Autumn Leaves

 

It's a haunting song that I can listen to over and over again.  When I was young, I first heard the version of Doris Day, followed by the version of Nat King Cole.  I was up on You Tube playing  several versions of the song the other night, and it was only then that I learned that the English lyrics (Johnny Mercer) are not the direct translation of the original French lyrics (Jacques Prevert).  And as I read the direct translation, I realized just how deeply emotional and heart-wrenching the song actually was.  While I had heard the original French version many years ago, I had always assumed that the French lyrics (which I could not understand) were directly translated into English.

I probably watched around 25 versions of the song in YouTube, and here are the top 10 vocal versions of the song that I consider my favorites:

1.    Yves Montand

2.    Eric Clapton

3.    Paula Cole

4.    Edith Piaf

5.    Matt Monro

6.    Bobby Darin

7.    Perry Como

8.    Tony Bennett

9.    Caterina Valente

        10.    Andy Williams