Monday, June 27, 2011

Hope this pushes through...

I have a potential upcoming project that will be really exciting... Still in the works/negotiations...

I hope this pushes through!!!

I got severa l offers in the past but it just couldn't be done because of conflict of interest. But now, hoping for the best and praying that this project pushes through. Please pray for me?  It will change things! :) Let's just put it that way.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Adventures of TIN TIN

I remember reading HergĂ©'s "The Adventures of Tin Tin" growing up. That and Udzero's "Asterix". But I'd like to tell you about Tin Tin. I read the books and I watched the cartoons right after school on GMA 7. It was shown on cable later on. It was fantastic adventure show. He was a journalist but was sort of like a detective. It had an international feel to it! He'd go to all these different places in the world. 


Anyway, I got this a couple of years ago in National Book Store and it's awesome!!! Everything in one collection!!! :)




There's a Steven Spielberg produced movie coming soon!!! If you're a fan of Tin Tin, this is a MUST HAVE!!! It's a masterpiece!!! You know how Americans love Superhero Comics? Well, this a European comic and this is there thing!!! Check it out!!! If you like adventure, different cultures, espionage, suspense, mystery, and fun rolled into one, TINTIN will do it!!!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Spicy Food

Mahilig ka ba sa maanghang? As in super anghang?

Growing up, I was never a fan of spicy food. It was just plain torture to the tongue... But after a while, I was looking for it. But not the super spicy food.

There are some spicy food I can tolerate. Of course Wasabi is the easiest since it's just a momentary spice. But let me list down what I can handle.

1. Buffalo Wings from Chili's, Friday's, and Buffalo Wings and Things.
2. KFC's Zinger and Hot & Crispy Chicken
3. Tom yum soup, to some extent
4. Kebab
5. Spicy Tuna salad from Sumo Sam, Sugi, and Omakase.

But I found a new spicy goodness in another restaurant called TORO (The Fort, 4th Ave cor 26th, back of the MINI Cooper showroom) This was in the form of their signature Volcano Roll.


Now this one was SPICY! It was a isuhpaysee meatahballah! It's your sushi roll with salmon and tempura batter bits with this sweetish/spicy mayo. Man, it burned my mouth! Be sure to have softdrinks! But I kinda liked it! No, I really did like it!

Ask me to eat a whole piece of sili? PASS!

I'll only look for spicy food when I crave for the 5 things I listed. But apart from that, pass...

What about you? :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Long Distance

Have you ever been or are you in a long distance relationship? Is it within the country or is your loved one abroad?

When my Mom's family were living in exile as political refugees in Boston, my Dad had to deal with that. Mind you that there was no internet nor Skype nor text messaging. Life was hard back then. But they still ended up together.

Relationships should never be a one way thing. That's why it's called a relationship right? Anyway, it takes 2 to tango as they say. But nothing's perfect. You have to work at it. I think most of the time, we take things for granted. You'll never realize what's important until it's gone. But why wait for it to happen? You have to work at it.

Why am I writing about this? Well, I have friends who are in long distance relationships. They worked at it and they're going strong. No matter how far that loved one is, I think what's important is that the love is still there. Yes you cannot physically touch that person but there are compromises right? It's a give and take thing. But here's my two cents. Never give up on a loved one... "Kung gusto, maraming paraan. Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan."

Faith and Love... that's what you need I believe.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Congrats Bruins!!! Go BEANTOWN!!!


With the Celtics losing to the Heat in the semis in the NBA Playoffs, I got really sad... It was tough how we lost Rondo's left arm in Game 3... 

The Red Sox are doing pretty well but the season's far from over... 

If you follow this blog, you may know pretty well that I love Boston. My family lived there as political refugees from 1980-1983 and I was raised as a Celtics fan, Red Sox fan, Patriots fan, and a Bruins fan. I remember in grade school I always wore a Bruins cap. (I liked the Mighty Ducks movies when I was a kid, but I liked the Bruins as a team) I even have this 12 inch figure of the greatest Bruin of them all, Number 4, Bobby Orr!

A couple of days ago, the Stanley Cup finals ended with a GAME 7! Yep, series tied at 3 a piece! The Vancouver Canucks vs. The Boston Bruins. Boston hasn't won the cup since 1972 and Vancouver has never won in their 40years in the NHL. 

Luckily, TIM THOMAS (seen below), and playoff MVP, gave a shutout to the Canucks on Canadian ice. 4-0 in favor of the Bruins! Thomas had 37 saves! He received the Conn Smythe trophy right after. (In the NHL, the MVP is not for the regular season but for the entire playoffs) The 37 year old goalie gave an awesome performance Beantown will never ever forget!





Captain Zdeno Chara (below) was the first to get the Stanley Cup since he's the team captain. Just look at the joy in his face...


But more importantly, Beantown is now TITLETOWN. The Bruins were the least favored team since Terry Francona and his Red Sox have 2 World Series titles under their belts, Bill Bellichick and the Pats have 3 Superbowls, and Doc Rivers and MY Celtics got Banner 18 back in 2008. The "Teddy Bears" as the haters like to say were the only ones without a title. Last year, Claude Julien and the Bruins had a 3-0 lead in a best of 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers... They were the 1st team in NHL history to lose a 7 game series with a commanding 3-0 lead. But now, they have the cup and became the 1st team in history to win 3 Game 7s in a playoff season. 


Rookie Brad Manchard (below) scored 2 goals in Game 7 and put the icing on the cake with the 4th and final goal in the 3rd period. That was the dagger!



CONGRATS TO THE BOSTON BRUINS!!! We're happy in the family!!! Another one for BEANTOWN!!! 

But after all the celebration, the picture below made me smile! :) Good job Celtics!!!


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The X-MEN franchise is back!

The following article was intended for my Yahoo! Blog but since there was already an X-MEN review, I was told that I can put this on my own blog instead. Didn't want my thoughts to go to waste so I'm sharing this with you :)




Seeing Brett Ratner’s X-MEN: The Last Stand was such a huge disappointment for me. How the whole Bryan Singer X-MEN franchise go down the drain was difficult. It was a bad movie with a bad story. It could have been better. Way better. Initially, Matthew Vaughn who directed “Kick-Ass” was supposed to direct the third installment of Singer’s franchise. For some reason, he left and we got Ratner. 

But fret not, I saw X-MEN: First Class twice in a span of 4 days and thank God Matthew Vaughn came back to finish his “unfinished business”. X-MEN: First Class brings in a whole new light to the mutants we all love! This is a much different take as there aren’t that many grand special effects. What Vaughn did was craft an amazing story with awesome character development.  I still can’t get over the fact how Magneto was such a badass and Professor X was actually suave with the ladies. Think of this X-Men movie as Mutants meets James Bond. Yup, it’s exactly like a spy movie!

To tell the story in a a couple of sentences without spoiling, it’s about the origins of Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr on how they came to be Professor X and Magneto respectively. James McAvoy who plays Charles and Michael Fassbender who plays Erik are the people who bring life to the movie. Mind you, that both of them are the heroes of the movie and the acting I superb! Fassbender does it a little bit better though. Basically, Kevin Bacon who plays Sebastian Shaw aka “The Black King” in the comics is the leader of the Hellfire Club and is hell-bent on ruling the world. He believes that the mutants are the homosuperior and to make his dream into reality, he plots World War 3 by manipulating the US government and Russian officials to fight one another. 

The best thing about the movie is how Vaughn manages to develop Charles and Erik. The way their story was crafted was perfect! We see Charles having a privileged life and has a positive outlook and we get to see how Erik’s was the total opposite. Magneto’s story is the more interesting part of the movie as his inner struggle makes him turn out to be the fallen hero. But you know what? Magneto has a point and Charles does have a point at the same time! Their story is made of gold! My favorite lines – Charles says “We have to be the better men…” but Erik goes “But we already are!”

First Class also displays an impressive ensemble cast. Jennifer Lawrence plays Raven Darkholmme or Mystique and she’s probably the character that plays the biggest supportive role. (Mind you, she will be the lead in “The Hunger Games”) January Jones from “Mad Men” plays Emma Frost or The White Queen and is the right hand of Sebastian Shaw. Rose Byrne from “Troy” plays Agent Moira MacTaggert of the CIA is the one after Shaw and seeks help from Xavier. Other notable mutants that appear are Alex Summers or “Havok”, Sean Cassidy or “Banshee”, and Hank McCoy or “Beast”. Though not all get to play key roles, the audience will still be thankful since we get to see the Mutants do their thing and show off their powers. 

X-MEN: First Class gives us an awesome story and it is an awesome movie. My only complaints being the purist that I am… Why weren’t Moira and Banshee Scottish??? I wanted those accents… But either way, it was still a good X-Men movie. I think it’s better than “X-Men” and definitely way better than “The Last Stand”. I’d say it’s just a few notches below “X2”. You have to go see this movie since it gives us a fresh new take on the mutants of Marvel Comics. Oh, don’t bother waiting for a bonus scene after the end credits because there isn’t any… 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Cinema Courtesy: No commentary please

Today I watched Super 8. I could have enjoyed it 100% but nope. I didn't enjoy it fully. The movie was excellent and awesome don't get me wrong. It was the people in the back. There was a group of guys who kept on making side comments. I could hear every word... Ugh... I HATE SIDE COMMENTARY! Jonty had a much horrifying time as he was nearer the "commentators". Misha didn't like it as well. 

I'm not the type of person who would look back and talk to them. I'm not confrontational. But if that were a Spider-Man movie... You better pray I'm not in front of you...

Anyway, to those who say a lot of side comments in movies. Please, just keep quiet... Or at least whisper? It's common courtesy to the people around you. If we did like commentary, we would have just bought a frikkin DVD... 

Sigh... There, I had to let that out. So please, when you're in the cinemas, be courteous to whisper when you give comments. 

Because of this, the "premiere" cinemas like Eastwood's Ultra 7 is so tempting. It's a small price to pay for peace and quiet.

Sheboygan Hotdogs from ELBERT'S

I have a new favorite place in Power Plant.  ELBERT'S located in the basement floor of Power Plant mall offers awesome cheesesteaks, burgers, and the best fries in the Philippines. But new on their menu are the SHEBOYGAN HOTDOGS!!! All-Beef!!!


The dogs come in three flavors. There's a chili dog (which I haven't tried), a Chicago Dog that has mustard, raw onions, and relish, and my favorite New York dog that has mustard, sauerkraut, and onion sauce. The Sheboygans are all-beef so expect a really tasty sandwich. The bread is also pretty good since it's crispy and chewy at the same time. I've had the Sheboygan for 2 days in a row. Yes. It's that awesome! You have to go to Power Plant to try these goodies though. It's only available there. It's 180 bucks if you're curious about the price.

Of course I need to show my favorite fries in the Philippines... I'm telling you! The fries from Elbert's are frikkin awesome!!! Masarap talaga!!!


If you happen to be in Power Plant, try Elbert's. I suggest you try the cheesesteaks first since it's their specialty! If you're on a date, half and half should be fine. Share half a cheesesteak and half a New York Hotdog. :)

If you tried it already, what do you think? :) Am I right or am I right? :)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Rain... Rain...

The Rainy Season has arrived and it's that time of the year again where traffic is worse than the usual, skies are gloomy, water in the shower is colder, internet slows down and it's much harder to get out of bed...

But there are things that I like about the rainy season. I always look at the bright side of things. One is that it's awesome to be hugged by someone when it's cold. I thank Misha for that. Another is that drinking warm drinks taste so much better. Hot cocoa, warm milk, and my favorite... Coffee! A cup of Joe tastes so damn good when it's raining... Whether it be Nescafé Classic plain black, or with sugar, or with coffee-mate, the coffee is just perfect! Love it when it rains! The other thing is that it's easier to sleep at night! Sunday nights are usually difficult, but when the sound of the water droplets hitting the ground is present... It's quite soothing! Right?

In life, you gotta look at the bright side of things. You have to avoid the negativity and pessimism. Like the saying goes... When life throws lemons at you, go make Lemonade. :) The Rainy Season has its good parts too! Try to look for it. If you just woke up, go have some Coffee! :) 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Sugi's Awesome Chicken!!!

I love Japanese food!!! But there's a "Filipinized" Japanese restaurant which I love dearly. Sugi in Greenhills has super awesome Japanese food. :) My family and I have eaten there numerous times! It's a family favorite!

Anyway, do you have a habit of ordering just one thing in a particular restaurant since you just love it? Here's an example. Ever since I tried the Chicken Kuwayage of Sugi, never ordered anything else for my main course. It's always been that! The head waitress in the Greenhills branch Tina knows it already whenever we eat there. It's a constant order. I actually converted Jonty and Misha into Chicken Kuwayage fans.


What is Chicken Kuwayage? It's not Teriyaki style but it's "Barbecue-ish" and has a sweetish/spicy taste! It's boneless chicken / crispy-crunchy goodness rolled in one awesome package! Trust me on this one! You can't go wrong with this! It doesn't come with Gohan though. So be sure to order that side of rice! But it does come with the Sugi Potato Salad. It's pretty good too!

The next time you think of Japanese food, go to Sugi and order their Chicken Kuwayage!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Crepes!

Forgive me but I need to ask... is it pronounced as "krayps" or "kreps"? Hahaha!

I haven't been blogging about food so here's a food entry for those looking for new places to eat.

Anyway, Misha and I have been into these crepes lately. We've eaten at Cafe Breton (The Podium) and La Creperie (Eastwood Mall). Both restaurants have excellent service and the crepes come to your table really fast after ordering. Both also have a good ambience and friendly staff. Other than crepes, they also have omelettes and breakfast food but you really have to go there for the dessert crepes. 

I'll start with Cafe Breton. This place is an institution and I often order the Adam and Eve Crepe. I love the Apples and Cinnamon flavor with the Ice Cream. The crepe is pretty good actually. It's a bit chewy and that's how I like it! Top it off with Vanilla Ice Cream where the hot and cold meet! It's excellent!



The other one is the Nutella-Banana Crepe which Misha absolutely loves. Fans of the beloved chocolate spread will die after tasting this. I thought it was pretty tasty! I think this would be more for the die-hard chocolate spread fans. A bit too sweet in my honest opinion.


Now on to La Creperie!

The place actually serves shakes from "Big Chill"... It seems like they're sister companies. :)

Anyway, this one caught my attention so i had to order it. It's a  double chocolate brownie crepe with Vanilla Ice Cream. Imagine a chocolate flavored crepe. That's one. Inside there's warm, soft, and moist brownies. Outside there's Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate syrup! Damn son! How can you go wrong with that??? Mind you this is an indulgent crepe. It's a treat. Once in a blue moon lang dapat. But it's awesome!


Since I'm after "balance", I'd recommend the Adam and Eve from Cafe Breton. The Apples and Cinnamon really go well with the Vanilla Ice Cream. If you ever crave for the crepes, check these places out!



Sunday, June 5, 2011

Fulfilling the Dream...

This is it!!!

I'm finally finally going to fulfill my dream!!! I AM GOING TO SAN DIEGO TO ATTEND THE COMIC-CON!!! HUH-FRIKKIN-ZAH!!!


This trip has been years in the making and I hope and pray that it pushes through. (knocks on wood and crosses fingers)

Jonty and I are going and we are EXCITED! Really! Our tickets got confirmed thanks to the help of a friend that we owe BIG TIME! 

I'm sorry but this is the geek in me talking. I'll finally get to see the writers and artists I longed to see! Pinoys like Whilce Portacio and Alex Nino will be there. I'll also meet up with my bud Philip Tan who works for DC Comics. I'm wishing I get to meet the greats like Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane. But the person I'm thankful who confirmed to attend is Jonathan Hickman. He's gonna be bigger in a few more years. The man is a genius! I'm sad that Bendis won't go but it's ok. SDCC is already worth it!

There'll be panels but the crucial ones I have to attend are the following. The Avengers panel, The Amazing Spider-Man panel, and The Dark Knight Rises panel. (Cool huh? :) ) hehehe. I'm excited! :) Robert Downey Jr. Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson and Joss Whedon together! Whatuuuuuupppp??? :)

Comic-Con will also be the venue for the 2011 Eisner Awards and please do me a favor? Please pray for our very own Gerry Alanguilan who is nominated for his work on Elmer. :) There are also other Pinoys nominated so please pray for them. I'm sorry to put emphasis on Sir Gerry but he' been one of my idols. He's a good man! He deserves the Eisner. :)

I'll also be covering this for Yahoo! Philippines. Since they got me to be their comic book blogger, I gotta cover it!!! :) It'll be awesome!!! Mark the dates!!! July 21-24, San Diego!!!