Sunday afternoon

Can you believe this?

Regular Halohalo P30

Special, w/ 1 scoop of ice cream P45

w/ 2 scoops P60

Black Gulaman (highly recommended!) P35

Banana Split, w/ 3 scoops of ice cream P40

and believe me when i say they're generous with their scoops

the Black Gulaman, recently-discovered favorite dessert

(the only thing that it's lacking is sago. lots of sago!)

their Banana Split is the most no-fuss of all: 1 banana split into 2, 3 scoops of ice cream w/ a marshmallow for each on top. back to basics: the Banana Split in its original form.

Bien enjoying her Sunday afternoon snack w/ utmost gusto.

~~~

the Halohalo Delights is in Foodstreet, a food court along Aviles Street in Ormoc City. the first thing people would probably say about it is that the fares are cheap; placing in second importance the fact that the fares are actually very good. i will focus more on its meal offerings in another post. for now... THIS should suffice :)

fanmail for Miley Cyrus

Dear Miley I have a poster of you and lotion i come from the Philippines i am a very big fan of yours i also have a Hannah Montana bathing suit i also have two bags too i am always looking at your songs at Youtube I Love You Autogrape _____________

this Sunday

Mother is renovating Ting's hang-out for the "peoples" who like hanging out with him and in his place.

"Peoples like me you know," went bro.

Bien is that waving little girl. She's helping mother out.

It is raining.

Papa is working on one of his talks.

The sit to his right is mine. I'm working on a few things (including this post and others I'm planning to write today). I'm supposed to be in this picture, but I'm the one taking it.

Iana.

~~~

Maica is in the US with her hubby, Pancho, his pet, Dollar, and the baby in her stomach.

Ting is in Cebu.

groovy

a story of two books

21 Great Stories

"The masterpieces of some of the finest writers ever to make words come alive on paper, the stories in this volume have been selected to represent the full spectrum of the storyteller's art. Here are works of chilling mystery, far-out fantasy, superb humor, highly charged symbolism and enthralling human drama. Given sharpened focus through insightful editorial commentary, each of these tales stands distinctive in style and vision -- and all are totally memorable reading experiences."

this collection of classic stories remain my best find ever; not only because it includes the work of John Steinbeck, Edgar Allan Poe, James Joyce and Mark Twain, and it only cost me P20. it's got tons to do with the circumstance that paved my way to it. i think this story has been told several times in this blog; but one more time won't hurt.

i was on my way home from my office at General Maxilom Avenue. it's not exactly a deserted area (it used to be busy, before Sacred Heart for Boys transferred its main campus) but only a few walk on it past 6 pm. on that particular night, it was only me and this guy wearing an all-black ensemble as far as my peripheral vision allowed me to see. we were moving towards the same direction, but i felt almost certain that he was following me. i have to say though it was a certainty based on my pulse and restless heart.

Alleluia i found an open gate with a huge "Garage Sale" Sign hanging from it (i'm sure it was Divine Intervention to save me not from the stranger but from my crazy assumption). i didn't think twice. i entered and escaped my paranoia. and there, my friends, i saw this half-battered 21 Great Stories book. at P20. i was on such a high i think i went home on a taxi.

The Insolent Chariots by John Keats

"A pungent and powerfully funny book about what the American and the automobile have done to each other."

when i bought this book, i had no plans of reading it. the circumstances (again) in which i found this book draw out my interest to the point of feeling the need to purchase it. i found it at the department store of Gaisano San Carlos City (Gaisano is traditionally a crappy place to shop in; but the one in San Carlos City is just unforgivable), in a bookshelf of all-Tagalog titles. how did it find itself in such desolate state?

it was a bit funny because when i presented this book on the counter, the ladies-in-charge asked me twice if i was serious about the purchase. if they didn't expect anybody to pick it up, why did they leave it in the shelf, with a price sticker?

yep, you read that right, P21.50.

the glue that bound the pages have worn off.

treasures.

second try: Bien as my Ballerina Subject

she's seven.

thank God for Skype

My recently-married-recently-domesticated-now-working-on-a-US-Green-Card-sister Maica with her nephew, James.

"There's a place in heaven for the creators of Skype."

-Cat Juan

Nobody could have said it better.

first try: what Max can do

sisters by water

soon, we'll be the new cool.

(right, Angging? :)

how Ormoc is treating me

one night (Thursday night exactly), i felt like blabbing. timingly, i owed a new email friend a reply. he is visiting from Germany so i thought giving suggestions for a real Ormoc experience would be a productive and very helpful outlet of my need to blab.

this is how my list went:

1) Hang out at the city plaza by the bay around 5:30pm and wait for the sunset. If you

choose a good day to do this, it will be a glorious experience.

2) Buy popcorn from the friendly popcorn guys. They're not selfish with their serving of barbecue and cheese powder.

3) Try the chicken skin, chicken gizzard & isaw at the Plaza Barbecue place. They may not look appetizing but believe me, they're good (especially with puso)!

4) You spent a lot of years in Germany so I assume you drink? Gilbey's Premium Strength (GPS) is the best-tasting beer ever and NOT Red Horse Beer which I assume your cousins have already introduced you to. (hehe)

Um, on another note, a suggestion for good beer shouldn't come from me. Ooops.

5) Have you ever tried the dessert called Mango Crepe? I'm not sure where this originated but many restaurants here in the Philippines serve it. The best I ever had was at the Villa Hotel here in Ormoc. It's a must-try especially if you're a dessert lover like me.

6) If you're looking for good fries, don't go to Jollibee (they serve it too thin). Go to the Villa Hotel (they serve it thick).

7) Have you had panga (grilled tuna fish)? It's not an Ormoc specialty but you must try it. You can have some prepared for you in this place called Foodstreet, which is basically a small court of stalls that offer different kinds of gastronomic experience - grilled, fried, frozen, etc. BTW, this is only enjoyable if you're cool with cowboy dining.

8) You must have at least once in your life Chocolate Fudges from Tina's Sweet Shop.

Ok, the list so far is filled with food suggestions. Should show how big of a foodie I am. I'll try to add to this list activities that don't involve eating.

9) Go drive to this small town called Biasong. When you get there, ask for directions to Fr. Libby's Seminary (Forgive me I don't know the exact name -- I'm very bad with names -- but I'm pretty sure the people in Biasong would be able to direct you to it). The seminary is located on top of this hill with the best view of Ormoc ever. In fact, there's no way to view Ormoc better than from that hill.

10) Ride the bangka. Don't forget to put on a lifevest.

11) I said no more eating but I can't help it.

Before you leave Ormoc, you better try the sisig at Chiboy's Hang Out (I'm not quite sure if this is correct; but it's the small bar is just beside the Superdome), the cheese cupcake at the Ice Cream House, the burgers at Mayong's, the Ngohiong at JCS (Bonifacio St), the Crispy Chicken Skin at Pardy's, the Hazelnut Milk Chocolate drink at Bebida's, and if there's any way you can get a pack of it, the Pastillas the Leche in Carigara (around 1.30 hrs away from Ormoc). Believe me, the pastillas they sell here in Ormoc are not even 1/4 as good as what they sell in Carigara.

~~~

post note: i forgot the balut. how can i forget the balut?

other things i forgot:

1) Batanguenio ice cream

2) Visit the Lake Danao

~~~

anything i missed, Ormocanons?

yelp

ACT I:

Papa: So it seems Mama and I will be heading to the States again next year, huh?

Me: I guess so, Pop, if you want to see your first apo!

Papa: Well, you'll be here at home to look over things anyway.

LONGEST PAUSE EVER.

Me: We'll see.

~~~

ACT II:

Mama: You are so mean.

Me: I'm mean because I want to leave?!?

Mama: We're not getting younger baya, dai.

~~~

CONCLUSION:

Since my two older sisters have married and left, I HAVE to stay?!?

~~~

LET'S MAKE SENSE HERE:

I love it here in Ormoc. I love the convenience of it all. Everything is for free. I have a job in the family business to occupy me. I have my little sister Bieni. I live with my mother, and my father, too. My coolest titos and titas are my neighbors, plus my kulilat cousins. Mamita is here. The beachhouse is just a 10-minute drive away. My favorite mango samurai, salads, grilled dining are here. The french fries are not the best but will do. They're cheap. I am enjoying the company of new friends and God in a community. I don't deserve to ask for anything more.

But my ideals are demanding. They say I have to see the world. That only out there can I achieve growth. That time does not revolve around my little city. That I can't miss out on happenings OUT THERE. That I will regret when I reach 30 and I'm still in here... I've been reading a lot to continue my learning. One day, I want the world to teach me.

been looking for you since Saturday

seriously, i've been looking for you since Saturday.

all i need is popcorn

plaza day Monday (salamat Ka Erdy)

bien, ben, peter, kyra, andre

minus ben

doves snacking on leftover popcorn

kyra

andre

me & iana

ben and his jackson pose

cutie

the main subject of this photo is...

popcorn stains on my pants

peter

peanut, siopao, popcorn, chips stands line up along the Ormoc City Bay Plaza

very good mango shake for P5/small plastic glass

very good waffle at under P15 (thanks Ate Van! but you were closed today)

love.