Whoops! I did it again!

Wow. I haven't visited this portfolio site in a long while and I haven't touched it since I graduated from my master's.

I just updated my resume again to reflect my new status: A PhD student in UP Diliman. This is my second UP home, I suppose. I also noticed that I have not been able to update my technical skills so I had to append new stuff to my resume now.

One other thing I regret about not logging into my own portfolio on a regular basis: I got invited to a foodie trip for bloggers by SPOT.ph. And it's only now that I was able to read it. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Don’t Eat This Book

Okay, fair warning. If you take this book too seriously, you might end up not eating anything at all. Because there isn't anything safe. That's how Morgan Spurlock describes the regular food that we, working people, eat everyday. What I like about this book, however, is that it stresses the importance of making the right choices when it comes to eating. It also keeps harping about getting enough exercise to rid yourself of toxins.

Belonging to an upper middle class family of a third world country, I grew up with home cooking. Like my parents, my siblings and I eat every two hours. Oh, we snack a lot but we burn everything fast because, as my student puts it, "Miss Bea, you cannot keep still." Nevertheless, health problems remain common because our idea of nutrition is skewed. If Spurlock is concerned about America being grossly uninformed about nutrition, you can imagine how it's like in a third world country. The moment everyone receives his or her salary, it's off to the nearest thing that can bring temporary happiness. We're just as addicted to McDonald's as every average American because Mom kept us from eating junk food when we were kids.

And here's one tidbit I noticed about my nation: we don't walk...unless we're inside interconnected malls. We drive or ride cabs, take tricycles and jeeps to the nearest block. Then again, try walking outside in a tropical country and see if you don't get sunburned in 5 minutes. Our form of exercise is malling and we only do that during the weekends. The result: I can't fit into my mother's wedding gown even if I inhaled till I was blue. And at 100 pounds (45 kilograms), I'm considered thin.

Contrary to other reviewers I've read, Spurlock doesn't only attack McDonald's. He mentions a lot of other fast food joints, including my favorite Subway. I was actually shocked to learn that Subway is considered fast food, since I never really get the bloated feeling I get from other more common brands. Oh, right. I stay away from icky mayonnaise, that's why. He reveals other things in his appendices -- like which food companies are actually owned by tobacco corporations -- that I was thankful I started reading labels last year. The author heaps shocking upon shocking revelations that it almost had me going vegan. Almost.

In the final two chapters, he does mention that there are ways to get livestock that aren't genetically manipulated or that are at least treated ethically. Stress-free pigs, cattle, fish and poultry, as I call them. He also talks a little bit about organically grown vegetables.

The book sometimes cites references, sometimes just stories from friends. It's not very heavy, as it doesn't bombard you with health-related jargon. In fact, Spurlock writes blogger style, which makes it an extremely easy read. I think it's perfect for those who are rethinking their lifestyles but don't want to be overburdened with too many scientific details. In my case, it made me think a lot about how seriously education systems in my country have overlooked the value of nutrition. American school cafeterias aren't the only ones selling artery-clogging junk to its kids. If I take a survey of how many school cafeterias actually include leafy vegetables in their menu, I'll only be able to come up with one.

On a side note: Morgan Spurlock is also the award-winning director of the documentary Supersize Me. You may be able to notice that Don't Eat This Book updates that video.

Rating: 8/10

Tarragon

My family and I usually go out for fine dining whenever there’s a special occasion but for this Mother’s Day, we decided to stay within the village. My mom suggested we go to Tarragon, where she and my sister usually go for bonding dates.

I wasn’t too impressed with the interiors. It looks like a regular dining place for Makati office people, although the owners wisely chose red-green-and-orange-y hues (which we all know tend to make people hungrier) for their theme. But I think this is the point of the place. They do boast on their menu that they’re proud of giving you a flavorful casual dining experience.

I ordered soup of the day, which was lettuce puree, and some prawn. My mom and sister both got grilled salmon while the boys (my dad, brother and baby brother) went for pasta. I was surprised when I took a spoonful of soup. It was delicious! It had a sort of creamy texture that felt wonderful on the tongue. The prawn was delightfully tasty without being overbearing (most restaurants kill you with too much cheese) and the salmon was cooked just right. Our dessert: sinful fried vanilla ice cream. My dad — ever the analytical mathematician — wanted to argue about the logic of ice cream being fried but he shut up after shoving a piece into his mouth.

That was one satisfying meal. And it didn’t even cost us an arm and a leg. Oh and I nearly forgot to mention that the waiter ran after my mom, on our way to the parking, to give her a complimentary mother’s day gift!

Rating: 9/10

Portofino Resort (Cebu)

All right, let’s start with the good. The cottages are pretty cheap at $100. Ours already had two airconditioned rooms with two beds — one single and one double in each room. The curtains are thick for complete privacy and there are dressers, open closets with hangers and a (rather empty) refrigerator. There were the standard hotel necessities like towels and soaps but I usually prefer using my own. During our first night there, I was actually quite impressed with the capiz windows and adjacent verandas that face the beach area.

Dinner buffet was quite good as you have healthy and very unhealthy selections. Hehe. Perfect for people who want to go organic and for their companions who do not mind clogging their arteries with all that trans fat. And with the beach front being nearly empty, it felt like we owned the place. In fact, we enjoyed the band we hired to play for that night’s celebration.

The next morning, however, was like waking up to a nightmare. My sister and I shared the same bed and it turns out that it had bed bugs (surot). We were scratching all the way back to Manila. We have a series of ugly red splotches on our feet, legs and arms and we lived the next few nights without sleep, knowing that we’d scratch the night away unconsciously. I’m actually afraid of how my legs would look like after the ordeal is over. I cannot even wear shorts. I will be posting pictures later, for those who are not faint of heart.

Breakfast…was slow. I was afraid it would be lunch time before it could be served. That was how long we waited. We also didn’t appreciate that people who came later got serviced first. The coffee came first and while I don’t usually drink coffee on an empty stomach, I knew that if I waited for the food, the coffee would become colder than a two-day-old corpse. When finally our orders arrived…well, they got mixed up. My sister was very specific: scrambled eggs to match her continental breakfast. Her eggs were sunny side up.

It was a waste bringing our swim suits because the beach got filled up pretty quickly after breakfast. There wasn’t a space that wasn’t occupied by one noisy family after another. There was the pool but well, after the surot bites, we were loathe to go in there.
That was one heck of a ruined trip. It also ruined the last few remaining free days I have as I cannot wear bathing suits without scaring other people off. Next time, I’d prolly go back to crashing a relative’s or a friend’s place, like I usually do when I travel.

Rating: 4/10

Chocolate Confections

I am not a chocolate lover. In fact, I almost downright hate chocolates. Except for the white ones.
When I went to accompany my friend Rowena Lei (username: animetric) at the SPOT.ph launch yesterday, the attentive waiters there offered us some of these delectable sweets. Being the chocolate hater that I am, I was about to decline. But of course, Rowena’s curiosity over the dessert was sort of contagious that I found myself reaching for the last remaining white chocolate on the tray.
Wow.

White chocolates are usually sickeningly sweet, but I was shocked to find that the taste was pleasant enough. No gag reflexes here. I could actually imagine myself gorging on a huge batch of these goodies!

Chocolate Confections can be found at the following URL:
http://chococonfections.multiply.com


Rating: 9/10

Iron Man

"Tony Stark makes me feel he's a cool exec with a heart of steel..."

Boy, that song brings back a sea of nostalgia. No, I was not born in the 1960s, but I did enjoy reruns of the Iron Man cartoon in the 90s. You actually hear the orchestra version of this theme in the movie, much to my glee.

I wasn't really an Iron Man fan. Back when I collected Marvel comic books, I was more of an Uncanny X-Men addict. I wasn't too excited by the prospect of an Iron Man movie, which was worsened by the fact that Spider-Man 3 (a.k.a. Emo-Man!) didn't exactly endear Marvel to me.

Shock upon shock! I actually enjoyed the entire 2 hour 20 minute ride! Not only did Robert Downey Jr. fit the genius/playboy/millionaire role like a glove, he was pretty darned funny about it, too. It was a far cry from how stuffy I remembered Tony Stark was in the 60s. Here he's like the happier version of DC's Batman. It helps that Downey is surrounded by a brilliant cast of supporting characters, from Terrence Howard's Jim Rhodes to Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts to Jeff Bridges' Obadiah Stane. Add Stark's mechanical assistant Jarvis and you have one heck of a team. I could tell you, there wasn't a scene where I wasn't affected, whether it was Tony Stark delivering a half-meant punchline or when terrorists were picking on hapless little village people. My head was screaming for more when I realized that we were nearing the ending.

As for the effects, I have no words. My colleague Haya has them: "Iron Man wasn't interesting. But with the CG, gosh! He's so cool!" 'Nuff said.

It's also interesting to note that Iron Man's theme is a song by the same title, performed by Black Sabbath. I've been listening to this band's music before, courtesy of my boyfriend Nicco, and I was amazed at how it upped the film's kick-ass level.

Fun!

Iron Man: Entertainment at its finest. Just don't forget to stay until after the credits roll. You know how it is with Marvel movies. They usually leave the good stuff at the end.

Rating: 8/10

Ploning

Moving.

That's how I would summarize the entire film in one word. I was already curious about Ploning when I heard that Judy Ann Santos was coming up with an indie. The curiosity was fueled even more by the fuss that went over how it was going head to head with her mother studio's (ABS-CBN) other project^*.

Ploning's story revolves around a 30-year-old unmarried woman in the town of Cuyo, Palawan. Silent but thoroughly compassionate, she touches the lives of the people surrounding her, most especially the innocent young Digo. At first, one would be led to believe that this is a love story, where the hopeful Ploning waits in vain for the return of her lost love Tomas. But as the story progresses, one realizes that the film is less about romanticism and more about love that encompasses different people from different walks of life.

Notable actors are Mylene Dizon as the liberal nurse who takes care of Ploning's aging father and Cedric Amit as the impressionable five-year-old Digo. We have mixed reactions to Digo: I found him adorable, my friend Cham was irritated. Of course, Ms. Judy Ann Santos as Ploning makes me believe that there is indeed hope beyond the countless screaming and slapping hysteria that define Philippine cinema. Not much tears can be seen on the screen here; the actors made use of subtlety and wordplay to deliver. And deliver they did. I didn't even notice that my former student, Ira, was wearing mascara until I saw it leave a streak below her eyes. I was swallowing a lump in my throat as well.

Ploning's storytelling is non-linear and the movie did start out slowly at first, perhaps to emphasize on the kind of slow-paced provincial life the Cuyonans lived. There were a few scenes that I felt could've been taken out and some actors, in particular the adult Digo (portrayed by Boodie Fernandez), could've fleshed their parts out better. There were also times when I'd feel that there were too many actors than what was needed. Overall, though, I'm happy with the cinematography, the lighting, and the plot itself. The experience was magical. As my friend Elena put it succinctly, Ploning seems like something she'd read out of a hardcover.


*ABS-CBN's other project, When Love Begins, is a romantic story that stars a middle aged, albeit hot, guy and a very young girl that used to call him Uncle Aga. Needless to say, I'm actually very disgusted with this pairing. If Aga Muhlach wants to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor, he really should take roles that fit his age and stop fishing for leading ladies out of baby carriages...unless the role actually calls for a May-December love affair. And no, a ten-year gap in the characters' ages does not constitute a May-December affair (unless we're talking about an older woman and a younger man).

Rating: 9/10