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