Razon's of Guagua SM Fairview

For the longest time, I have heard about Razon's and its famous halo-halo but it was only this evening that I got to taste the real deal.

By this time in the Christmas holiday I'm already bankrupt. Loaded are my children who are enjoying the spoils of the season! Anyway, it's rewarding to see their happy faces when they opened their gifts and counted their cash. So for the remainder of the holidays I'm the beneficiary of their Christmas earnings! Of course my wife's got the family coffers so she also comes as another benefactor. Such is what happened tonight when she treated me to a late merienda at the newly opened Razon's of Guagua at SM Fairview.

We shared an order of pancit luglog, dinuguan, and halo-halo. The dinuguan sans the puto (out of stock at that time) tasted ordinary---but MAN, the pancit luglog and the halo-halo blew my mind away!

The pancit luglog had an al dente texture to it coupled by a rich thick sauce with a distinctly chicharon taste. Razon's had me on my first mouthful! And the halo-halo...for a concoction made of just a handful of "halo" (3 to be exact: saging na saba, shredded macapuno, and leche flan) it truly is a dessert made in heaven! The flaked ice gives it a creamy texture and with the milk added it is almost ice cream-like. Dayap rind gives it a touch of sweetness but not too much. It was simply perfect!

I'm definitely coming back for more! Next on my Razon's adventure---Sizzling Bulalo and Sizzling Sisig! Makan ta na!

Ellen Adarna: FHM Autograph Signing, Robinson's Galleria

Right place. Right time. And my trusty camera at hand. That's what exactly happened this evening when I was in the vicinity of Robinson's Galleria and chanced upon the autograph signing of December FHM cover girl Ellen Adarna.

Hosted by Magic 89.9 deejay Sam YG of the Boy's Night Out, the Robinson's Galleria Movieworld was lined with Ellen fanatics clutching their copy of FHM's December issue and waiting avidly to have them personalized. I already bought my copy a couple of days back so I was just one of the UZIS (usiseros) milling around to catch a glimpse of this mythical bird and hopefully capture a couple of good photos.

There were a couple of ladies in the crowd but most were made up of males---BATMANs(batang maniacs) as Sam YG would describe them! Testosterone filled the air and restless gesticulation conveyed the excitement of seeing Ellen who was already 30 minutes late for the occasion. But the wait was worth it. Whatever aches and discomfort the waiting crowed endured was forgotten as her stunning beauty climbed up the podium in a short black dress showcasing her porcelain white legs! You could actually hear the collective thumping of heartbeats with each passing minute as the BATMANS got more excited! Man, it was literally getting hot in that crowd! Good thing that I was just in the second row from the barrier (obvious bang matagal din akong nag antay?) and had a good clear shot of the stage (additional thanks to my zoom lens). As soon as I got my shots I immediately extricated myself from the overheating cluster!

Afterwhich, lost were my bad feelings of having recently lost some photos due to file corruption. These photos surely salved that gnawing feeling of loss.

Iya Villana: 2011 Tanduay Calendar Girl

What else can I say but, "ohhhh momma!"

Owning the Business...At Least in Heart

All of us have in one time or another thought of starting our own business. Me, I would like to put up a hang out place---somewhere that would provide a variety of options to satisfy the different levles of fun. Anyway, that's for another blog discussion. The thing is, this is just a dream right now; however, the feeling of owning a business is within our fingertips.

I'm sure you have all heard about the story of the two construction workers. When the two were asked by the foreman what they were doing the first one said deadpan, "I'm laying bricks." The second one, on the other hand, stood up and as if a master show man proudly said, "I'm building a castle!" Aside from the latter's positive outlook another notable characteristic of this person is his understanding of his role in the scheme of things.

As payed employees, understanding how the business works should be part of the basic knowledge base. With a clear picture of the business, every employee will know his or her role in terms of growing the business. With this knowledge comes a more personal outlook resulting to more productivity. Also, this could be a means of developing future talents to ensure business continuity and a career path for excellent performers.

Understanding the business should not happen only when someone takes on the position of OIC or store manager. Starting the training of our people, in terms of running the business early, will provide the necessary exposure and experience needed to transition to the top position easily.

A Parent's Payback

There is no reward more fulfilling to a parent than to see their children finish school. It is the ultimate dividend for the countless overtimes, the grumbling stomach (sa sobrang pagtitipid di na kumakain), and the periodic debt that comes with the territory. It is the ultimate happiness and then some.

Our children may not be the consistent honor student but I I'll settle for the chance to just see them walking that stage and getting that precious piece of paper. That would make all the sacrifices worth the taking and the investment worth the risk.

Praying that my children will reward me that much.

Defence and Sporting Arms Show Part 2, SM Megamall Trade Hall

I like guns. My facination is borne out of my interest in military hardware. However, I don't own a gun except for a single shot 1911 airsoft pistol. Much that I wanted to maintaining such a hobby is very expensive. So I just satisfy myself with watching "Lock N Load" and "Future Weapons" and going to gun shows as my schedule permits. Naturally, when I saw that there was a gun show at SM Megamall, it was impossible for me to resist.

It was an up close and personal encounter with Glock, Smith and Wesson, Heckler and Koch, Remington, Famas, Colt, Springfield, and Kalashnikov. Other than the guns, there were also the various parapernalias like camo suits, flak jackets, mag lights, binoculars, and knives.

Guns have evolved by leaps and bounds since gunpowder was introduced by the Chinese. From single shot to automatic to smart. From big to compact. From low caliber to high caliber. Hu-rrah! That would R. Lee Ermie would say.

Due Date

I've been a Robert Downey fan for the longest time. I admire his versatility as an actor. He can handle drama, comedy, and action with absolute ease. But I like him the most doing comedy.


I watched his recent comedic work, Due Date, the other day and it was a blast!

The story evolved around two strangers, Peter (Robert Downey Jr) and Ethan (Zach Galifianakis), who were forced to go on a cross country road trip due to a series of unfortunate events that got them booted out of the airport as flight risks.

The two characters meet at the Atlanta airport and are both on their way to Los Angeles. Peter, an architect, is on his way home to be with his pregnant wife in time for the birth of their child. Ethan, is an aspiring actor on his way to Hollywood with the dream of making it big. Their trip was a disaster filled with humorous episodes that would make you cry in laughter! Watch out for the special talent of Ethan's dog Sonny!

Not unless Robert Downey charged for an fat talent fee, this film seems like a low budget film. Except for the cameo roles of Juliet Lewis and Jamie Foxx no other notable actor appeared in this movie. However, this did not deter the film from delivering a belly up kind of humor.

Definitely a stress busting movie to watch!