incessant rambling

I totally blame my new Asus Transformer tablet.  i haven't been writing (writing with effort, not just to get something in my blog) seriously for the past few months and as a result i have a esfektakular (this is another story,  a person i know, and many of you probably don't know,  refuses to pronounce "spectacular" properly) pile of pictures and stories that make up my fabulous life. I have been practically travelling every weekend, throw in a trip to Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau, mixed in with local Cebu travel to Camotes, Tabogon, Danao and Barili. I also managed to insert some travel time to Bacolod where i rediscovered the beauty of Bago City's waterfalls. Camotes was specially fun as i spent a weekend exploring spooky caves, gorgeous beaches and lakes with my very dear friends. Last weekend alone I was in Manila to visit family and see friends, had a mega humongous burger in the Sunday Legazpi Weekend Market, oblivious to the raving of ...

i find it a bit interesting that just when a person is about to board a plane for a any destination they would call a "native" to ask what they can do in the place. and if you got here because you googled "things to do in bacolod" then you're one of the rare trip planners who want their day jam-packed with activities. click to enlarge and keep open in another tab. this is THE guide Cebu City is my adopted home. Originally though, my root are from Negros Occidental and it is inevitable that people automatically assume I lived in Bacolod City. Furthermore, they also assume that I am an expert in everything Bacolod - never mind that i haven't lived in the city for close to 22 years. as a favor for my colleagues, friends and strangers that are on the lookout for things to do in bacolod, i've compiled a list of things to do complete with maps and directions. ready? first of all, book yourself an early flight, a really early flight so you get to do ...

i've lived most of my life in bacolod city, and like most bacolodnons, we take the places around the area for granted. in my most recent trip to bacolod i made it a point to visit the ruins in talisay city, an old mansion gutted by americans to prevent the haponese to use it as a base. despite the fire, the structure retained its foundation which is a testament to the quality of material used to build this grand structure. nowadays, the landscaped garden and restaurant nestled within the place make it an ideal place to visit for a nice afternoon, and if you're a photography addict like me... well then, it's an orgasmic experience. and since this place has spawned more blog entry that you can count on your hands, i'll spare you the narrative and read more about the ruins here . enjoy enjoy enjoy :)

despite the fact that travel, exotic places and hotels seem to be part of my rather nomadic life, my interest remain the same: the search for delicious food. it doesn't have to be something new. it doesn't have to be something grand. it can be an old recipe. it can be a staple dish served right on the streets with the street smoke lending it the extra flavor. here's an ilonggo take on the pinakbet, an ilocos original. pinakbet is the filipino version of the french ratatouille or mixed vegetables sans the stewed tomatoes. the ilocos original uses the traditional ginisa method to quickly stir fry garlic, onions, tomatoes with pieces of pork fat then throw in ampalaya, okra, talong, string beans, kalabasa and season with ginamos made from hipon to give it flavor. the ilonggo version adds ginamos and minced ginger during the stir fry process for a more fragrant dish. when the pork fat starts to caramelize lower the heat then layer the vegetables with the kalabasa at the bottom ...

a quickie here. went to bacolod december 1 and flew back december 2. was invited to attend the forum hosted by the job placement office and alumni relations office of university of st. la salle in bacolod. part of the balik la salle program for alumni to share with graduating students real world experience. well sort of. hmmmm, i now have a better understanding of the infamous beauty and brainless contenstant janina san miguel. it was hard fielding questions from students. pang miss universe. in any case, i had a cheap thrill being on stage. never mind that the hosts look like they're more nervous compared to the guests. i've been on stages and talked to audiences that number in the hundreds and thousands. but this one is particularly good. you see, not so many people know that i never went up to get my diploma in De La Salle University. i didn't get to attend my own graduation as i was working already. when they handed over the certificate of appreciation i just pretended ...

okay, AJ thinks I am obsessed with food. hindi naman ano. slight lang. in any case, since i am slightly obsessed with food, i am posting some of the food pics i got from my most recent trip to bacolod. pasensya if after you go through this post you feel any slight rumbling in the pit of your stomach. any indecent threats posted in my comments section will be dealt with slightly este severely. deep fried soft shell crab on top of linquine with a sauce made from chopped mussel ala aoili (garlic dearie). verdict? the soft shell crab is not fresh or they used stale frying oil. to save the taste i requested for olive oil, a bit of chili flakes and parmesan - pasta alfredo, balay 21, lacson st. bacolod city. lamb on curry rice. surprisingly tasty, soft lamb tapa pieces fried topped a bed of delicately flavored rice and accented with strips of aubergine (talong aka eggplant) fried in olive oil. - balay 21 pesto pasta in cafe bobs, bacolod. don't order this one. blaaaaand. adobo nga green...

i had some errands to do in bacolod last monday (october 12) and i met up with a couple of friends who were hosting me for the evening. i didn't realize that when they offered to have me in their home it meant they are going to camp out in the sala and me have their bedroom instead. call that filipino hospitality. incidentally, we had dinner in manokan sa bacolod and lito ordered oysters aside from the usual inasal na manok (grilled chicken). i swear he had this uh, interesting grin on his face when he ordered the oysters. on the other hand, inday had this scared wide-eyed-about-to-be-devoured look in her eyes. hmmmm. if you find yourself in bacolod, head off to the reclamation area near SM and look for Manokan sa Bacolod. It's an old landmark where rows of stalls offering practically the same inasal na manok vie for patrons. i remembered the place to be a bit more crowded but majority of the stalls had empty tables. they have increased prices as well, chicken petso (breast)...

it is said that most catholics go to church at the very least, twice in their lifetime: christening and internment ; everything in the middle is optional, even weddings. i got the chance to visit Lupit Church in Bacolod City for a wedding ceremony. i met the groom-to-be the previous day and got my first and last hello with the bride during the required ritual of having each table go up the stage where the couple sat for a photo op. i ignored the bride's blank look that said : uh, who is this again? which means that i am exempted from guilty feelings of walking out the ceremony and having a look around the lot. Lupit church is uncommon as it features a belfry that sits on top of the entrance to the church, it's massive pointed tower stretching to the skies in what you can probably imagine to be a direct antenna to heaven. it was hard crouching low and getting a perspective shot to get the whole front fit in the camera lens. (click on read.more) stepping back would have meant unw...

tarzan would have found a second home in bacolod city. g-string, spear and a club are perfect accessories in forest park. this green patch in the middle of bacolod city is a perfect getaway from civilization to reconnect with nature. winding paths, man-made lakes, bridges over streams and green spots litter around the 30 acre property that's filled with green living things. and i don't mean the Hulk. the property is actually a residential development but the owners have decided that 70% of the property should remain green with very few choice lots for residents. i am guessing that the Sy's are not part of this development, otherwise the only green thing you'd see would be the fake potted plants that dot any of the SM mall properties. this is definitely going to be part of my must-visit-places in bacolod in every trip.

renovations were ongoing when i checked in sugarland hotel. to realize that your happity-feeling-good feeling is the result of thinner paint fumes is a disappointment. and here i thought i am naturally a jolly-bee person in stark contrast to the expressionless receptionists that must have had too much botox. loved the square pool that is flanked by hotel rooms overlooking the space. felt like an oversized tub if you ask me. then again, orca and free willy are distant relatives so it must have been just me. that aside, aesthetic changes to the hotel included repainting jobs that used browns and whites throughout gave it a sleeker look and opened spaces that otherwise would have felt narrow. or the perfect color combination for a monastery. the restaurant space called "Twist" featured interesting light fixtures that looked like floating UFOs overhead. cozy and sufficient but nothing spectacular. don't get me started on the food. bleeeh! (imagine me sticking out my tongue, s...

the breakfast buffet in Sugarland Hotel is nothing spectacular. to prove a point that life sometimes does a poor imitation of art, i did some food photography that transformed the most mundane dish to something sumptuous. (click on read.more) glazed sweetened ham, ham and cheese sandwich in wheat bread, omelet and beef tapa (beef jerky). dentures and beef tapa don't go well. for the additional price of Php 200 you can avail of the breakfast buffet. My suggestion is to simply get the room and take the breakfast value meal in jollibee: cheaper, better and you don't end up with the guilty feeling of eating your year's supply of omelet in one sitting. better yet, get a cab and head off to bob's cafe in lacson. the coffee, pastries, sandwiches, panini, pasta are all excellent. The Sugarland Hotel www.sugarlandhotel.com Address: Araneta St., Singcang, Bacolod City, Philippines Tel. No. 6334 / 435.2690 to 99 Fax. No 6334 / 435.2645 Email: contact@sugarlandhotel.com