Tuesday, May 8, 2007

A Step in the PAWSitive Direction!

I was inspired by a little composition made by the esteemed Fred Alimusa for PAWS. It was a short, witty, funny and a pawsitively pawbulous skit about two dogs discussing PAWS, which I’m not gonna put up here. But short and sweet, it’s a PAWSitive step on the right track! Check this out -cLicKy-:

PAWSitive Living
So, whacha think? Kinda nice, ei? Rough around the edges, sure. Come on, I did this in a few minutes, with Ms. Sy in the background YM-ing for fizz and fruitshakes (oooh… fruitshakes… I havent uploaded that blog entry yet…) I think we should remove the green cat to the right of stay pawsitive. What about the PARC logo? Email me for suggestions. Or comment.

Burgoo

Ice Cream Cake, Burgoo GatewayVegan for: 49 hours and 55 minutes

We love this place! Decent people. Friendly staff. Good food. Crayolas- what’s not to like? Aside from that roach that made a sneak-peak on the Gateway branch, everything’s goood!

A little more than a week ago, Ms. Sy and I joined Ramonsito for (a very late) lunch at Burgoo Gateway. Oh, that was the first day of screening for Spiderman3, so that’s May 1. Darn, there were so much people in Gateway taht day, we should have just gone to The Podium. We ended up hanging out at Ramonsito’s for the rest of the day, jsut to get away from all the hupaw’s in the malls.

Ms. Sy got strawberry cheesecake and I got the ice cream cake (nothing special with this one. Tasted regular.). See pics. Ramonsito got Hamburgoo(forgot to take a pic). It’s served with fries, which we all nibbled on hehehe… Okay, enough of that, fastforward to yesterday-

Strawberry Cheesecake, Burgoo GatewayMs. Sy and I went to Burgoo (Timog) yesterday noon for merienda. As usual, she had her Strawberry Cheesecake (delectable, though I couldnt have any. Still vegan! Go veg!), and I had something-potatoes. I was aiming for their delish potato wedges (good on all Burgoo branches) BUT they didn’t have it on this particular branch, on this particular day. Hmpf! I couldn’t get onion rings either coz they’re definitely not vegan (the batter). So I settled for fries. Was good, but they weren’t as good as the wedges. They should give off somewhat the same effect, shouldn’t they? But there’s something bout them wedges. Just tastes better.

Ms. Sy added a platter of large onion rings served with Burgoo’s ranch dressing. Both gooo-ooo-oood. Even if I didn’t take even a nibble out of any of them, I can attest to their quality. Been there, done that. hey, it’s justStrawberry Cheesecake, Burgoo Timog been 48hours since I turned vegan! Twasn’t so long ago when I was at Burgoo (Gateway) dunking potato wedges into that uber nice ranch dressing. :-P

We both got us bottomless coke light.

The thing I love most about Burgoo is their “Color-All-You-Can” tables! Their tables are lined with (what I’d assume to be) recycled paper, and along with the salt, Pepper, tabasco, adn steak sauce, is a set of crayolas! Woot! You can play SOS, tic-tac-toe, who’s-the-funniest-person-in-the-room, etc etc while waiting for your order, which isn’t that long really.

The dishes arrived after a few minutes, and we’ve got no complaints with the food. The cheesecake, that’s served on top of your choice of syrup (you “swirl” it around the syrup before having it melt inside your mouth), was perfect for Ms. Sy. I normally like cheesecakes to be more on the sweeter, softer side, but Burgoo’s is a tad salty and not-so-soft. Absolutely yummy, not bad at all. And not “salty” salty. It just has that unmistakeable cream cheese saltiness, which it SHOULD have.

Onion Rings, Burgoo Timog

After all, it IS a cheesecake isn’t it?

For some reason, the cheesecake slice we got here is somewhat smaller than the slices from the other branches of Burgoo, but has more syrup on the plate. Like waaay more. Look I think it even shows in the pics…

The onion rings were made from huge-ass onions, shelled within a golden brown crunchy deep-fried batter, matched with ranch dressing we can’t get enough of (back when I wasn’t vegan).

Their fries aren’t the typical off the freezer Frenchies. They’re thick slices of big (unpeeled) potatoes, lightly seasoned with a bit of salt and Pepper and deep fried into golden brown sticks. I just added a dash of salt and Pepper (yes, I had to add coz it was a bit bland), mixed barbeque sauce (I checked theYummy Chunky Fries, Burgoo Timog ingredients, all vegan) and hot sauce on a saucer, and everything was good to go.I never could get the most out of bottomless drinks. i’ve a drinking problem- I almost don’t LOL! I drink too little. I can’t even finish a liter of water in a regular day- bad agapeia. I know. Kids, drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily, aight?

I got two refills, which is good enough, right? No, I guess it doesn’t count that my second refill (which I wasn’t able to finish) was only done because my second glass (from the first refill, get it? We love math!) spilled. So technically, I drunk a little over one glass of coke light.

Ms. Sy, on the other hand, makes damn sure she exploits as much of the bottomless drink as she can. SIX GLASSES (at least). She had to make a stop to the ladies room before we left though. I wonder why….. hehehe..

Burgoo is located … all over. It isn’t exactly at “student-price”, unless you’re a Green Archer or Blue Eagle, or anything around that tuition fee LOL! Have at least 175pesos in hand. For pogistalking purposes, go to Galleria’s Burgoo (top floor, pick the booth nearest to the window, right corner upon entry. Also, our conclusion is that the one in charge for HR in this branch is gay. And has great taste.). For family luncheons, or special functions, go to Burgoos outside the malls (Timog is good). For stop-overs, like you really have no plans of hanging out there, just to eat, go to Gateway. For a mix of pogistalking and stopover Burgoo, go to The Block, SM north.


Desserts, Cheesecake and Ice Cream Cake, Burgoo Gateway

Burgoo Gateway Desserts, Strawberry Cheesecake and Ice Cream Cake

TIP: For people who go to Burgoo for snacks or merienda, just get from their side orders or appetizers (like the fries and onion rings). These are given in hefty (like really generous) servings, and I won’t consider them “sides” at all. Ms. Sy and I weren’t able to finish our onion rings and fries, so we had what was left wrapped and gave it to a street kid later on.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Dear God...

Vegan ei?Vegan for: 10 hours and 1 minute

Things eaten: non yet. :-D

Ah-ah-ah!! I can hear you!! “yeah right” yourself!

Yes! I’m trying it! Will I last? I don’t know. Ms. Sy is giving it two weeks, what with all the cheese and eggs around. argh! scrambled eggs. must… not think… must.. resist… les force.. LOL! it’s ok, it’s quite too early for me for food. I don’t eat until like after lunch time.

To those who don’t know, there’s a difference between veganism and vegetarianism. Vegetarian- no meat, white red nor whatever, just faux meat. That’s the closest one can get. Vegan - no animal byproducts whatsoever. That means no eggs, no cheese, no milk, - no dairy. that’s gonna be hard. I mean I’m used to daily fix of Nestle 0% fat Yoghurt. That or the Magnolia low-fat chocolate milk. Hmpf! Goodbye to those.

I think the hardest would be when I go home. Coz whenever I’m home, I make myself my favorite breakfast- scrambled eggs with cheese and tomatoes, and a side of garlic mushrooms. Oh well…

Dear God, and I quote(myself lol) -

“Please help me stay vegan. Even for jsut a lil while?… thanks! xoxo, agapeia”

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Prison Hilton

Oh yes. At least for 45 days!

The heiress whose simply famous for.. er… being famous (well, an actress should know how to act, a singer should know how to sing, a social climber should know how to climb :-P now what else… ) has been junctioned to be imprisoned for 45 friggin days.

BUT you know the weird thing about this? Hehehe.. she doesn’t go to jail then and there. She has a “schedule“. Yup. June 5, that’s when she “presents” herself to be imprisoned (at the latest). If she fails to do so, then 45 days doubles to 90.

OMG do I hear producers dialing a ringring in singsing? “Dude, we need a camera crew there!” Well, she’ll be staying in the LA county jail.

And you, you and YOU, ya’ll know you’ll be watching this series…

Okay, trackback. Why’d she get prison time? Coz she was under probation for DUI. Drunk driving. She signed a document, stating she can’t legally drive, yet she still got behind the wheel (photo-op everyone!).

Basically, she claimed she had no idea her license was suspended, and that she wasn’t allowed to drive. What’s inside her compartment the whole time? The signed documents hehehe…

Now, can you imagine Paris in jail? What would she do in there?? Will she pull of a Lil Kim? Will we hear her songs playing in the radio (if they’d put it in) after a month or so? Will seh write a book?

Screw that, what I really wanna know is…

WILL HER SUPERFICIAL TEAM GO VISIT??

’nuff said.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Cello’s Doughnuts. And you thought Gonuts was good….

Cello's Cheese Doughnut!!! MUST TRY!!!…- well you ain’t seen the half of it- the local doughnut world, I mean. You must MUST MUST try Cello’s! Sure, Gonuts Donuts are great. Fine. (Maybe they’re a tad too sweet for me.) BUT- Cello’s, in my opinion, is even better. Lemme rate it for.. me.

  1. Cello’s
  2. Lil Orbits (now known as Little Doughnuts)
  3. Krispy Kreme
  4. Gonuts Donuts
  5. Dunkin Donuts
  6. Mister Donut
  7. And those rocks they have at those 24-hr convenience shops *nudge nudge*

You can’t go wrong with Cello’s Cheese doughnuts. Seriously! IT IS SOOO GOOD! It’s light and fluff-enough. And don’t be fooled by the “cheese” title, coz it ain’t salty and it ain’t topped with grated quez-o LOL! It’s sweet. Think… ensaymada sweet, except waaay better. Cheese with caster sugar. Every bite’s a lil piece of heaven! (Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit now hehehe)

Every first-time Cello’s customer MUST try the Cheese doughnut. Dude, it’s just PhP 20.00! Then Cello's Originalafter that, and you still wanna try the other flavors, go right ahead.

I’m not so crazy about their dips though.. I think the price is a bit too steep, even if it is made from Toblerone. Hey, if their dips would rid me of bad aura and take me to the rabbit hole, then Php 40.00 is sulit! But it doesn’t have that effect (not like their Cheese doughnuts! trust me, everything else around the world would seem like rainbows and bunnies for a span of one doughnut). Auntie Anne’s dips are fine enough.Cello's original

Aside from their v. v. VVV famous Cheese doughnuts, they also have quite an enticing line-up of other flavors and varieties. Among the doughnuts, there are three varieties; original, chocolate dough (new), and premium.

Original doughnuts (sold at just PhP 20.00 per piece), though the tag “original” would seem to make them sound bland or bleh, are actually one of their bests. The Cheese doughnuts fall under the original category- Cello's Originalsso does the chocolate, oreo, m&m, chocnut, strawberry, Cinnamon, coffee, candy-sprinkled, honey-glazed (now that, in doughnut language, just screams out PLAAIIIN!!!), Cinnamon crunch, chocolate sprinkled, caramel, peanut butter, sugar glazed (PLAAIIIN!!!), choco-oreo, etc. Now, does any of those, aside from the two “glazed” ones, sound plain or blah? Nope. And they don’t look it either! If you wanna try a bunch of flavors, I suggest you get their packages to save a lil. Like this one, buying a box of 6 would amount to PhP 110.00- that’s PhP 10.00 less. Yeah okay, that might not be so much to you, but that’s enough for the parking dude outside.
Cello's Choco Dough DoughnutsChocolate dough doughnuts are, well, made with chocolate flavored doughs. They’re basically chocolate originals, topped with different flavors as well. It’s Cello’s latest add, and is priced only at PhP 22.00!

The premium doughnuts (oh we love the sound of that word, just like we do platinum, VIP, and other stuffs) are kind of specialty doughnuts. They’re fancier looking, and takes a minute longer to make. Details details details… They come in blueberry cream cheese, Premium Doughuts: Blueberry Cream Cheesedark belgian chocolate, and other flavors (just ask). Sometimes they’re cream-filled, or stuffed with some jam or something inside. They look pretty, they taste yummy, but these are too much for me. I mean I get weezy easily sometimes when doughnuts go a tad over the edge. Heck, I get weeeeeeazy with Gonuts’ Dulce de Leche. I feel like what’s supposedly “extras” overthrow the doughnut itself. I can probably finish an entire premium doughnut if I’m given the rest of the day to nibble on it haha!!!These pretty babies go for PhP 30.00 a piece.

Now enough of those roung thingies, let’s check out their even more interesting selection. the C’s and their Pillows! PS: Do try their Pillows.
Cello's Pillows!!Cello’s Pillows are square-shaped, honey glazed, bite sized doughnuts. Well, maybe 3-bite sized hehehe…. A bag of 20pcs is just PhP 110.00, and that’s perfect for sharing with friends over a choco dip- which, in this case, is an okay buy- but not with the other doughnuts that have sprinkles, coatings, or toppings. A bag of Pillows PLUS dip is just PhP 140.00, that’s PhP 10.00 less buying the pillows and dip separately.

Another cute treat in their menu is the C-shaped doughnut. Their C’s, like the Pillows, are also honey glazed. I think the honey-glazed doughnuts are the “plainest” they have. Yes, I make up words that would seem to fit in the context which it’s used.

Cello's C's DoughnutsWhy C? Why Cello’s? Well, because the owner’s name is Cello! I love her for creating Cello’s doughnuts haha!!! Cello’s opened up Cello’s doughnuts with her boyfriend. I wonder if his name also starts with a C… Hmmm… maybe for me an A(agapeia)-shaped or K(kyrie)-shaped doughnut would do! Hehehe….Oh, and doughnuts aside, Cello’s also have interesting drinks! I didn’t get to try the Raspberry soda (i love raspberry iced teas) coz we already got fizz (coke light), and you know.. I have a drinking problem. I don’t drink a lot hehehe! I have a hard time drinking a glass of soda over a meal!

Cello's Doughnuts! Must try!!Cello’s is located along Katipunan Avenue, and is open until 10pm. Hey, they used to sell their doughnuts cheaper an hour before closing to finish up the stock- they might still be doing that hehehe. They don’t spare what’s left for the day and sell it again the morning after. Nope!

They have a branch in both Taft and Greenhills. For inquiries, call them at (Katipunan) 928 2649, (Taft) 521 6236, or (Greenhills) 7239632.

More pics:

Cello's Original, just Php 20.00 each Original, Choco Cookie Choco Oreo Original, Chocolate

Oroginal Cinnamon Original, Honey Glazed Original, Oreo Premium Choco Mallow-Nut

Greens!! This time, with camera and senses!

Soy Chicken with Mushrooms whatnotI finally ate at Greens once more, and this time, I not only had a camera with me (a bad one, but a working one still), I also somehow had my senses functionable! Yep- I remembered to take pictures hehehehehe!!! Their appetizing hold over my neurons is weakening, bwahahahahaha!!!

As usual, I had my Soy Chicken with mushroom thingies (PhP 175.00), along with a serving of brown rice. My staple Soya milk is gone now though… I wonder why…. second time in a row where I went here and they’re still “out” of soya milk. Hmpf!! And it’s such a bargain! About 1000ml for just P50.00- that’s like 60-70% less than the Fat and Thin’s soya milk!

Is it just me, or does the platter of Soy Chicken look smaller? The first picture is the “untouched” version- the second picture, where my brother’s spoon is reaching, means I’ve taken a ‘chink’ of it already. Somewhere between taking the two shots LOL! The one on top. Lesser serving? Hmm…. Oh! No, I think this time, the slices are just thicker, hence fewer.

This meal is unbelievable! Really! It’s almost the same as the real thing! They really placed effort in the details- the bean curd (i heard that’s what they used, though it doesnt resemble beancurd at all) is layered a bit thinly, just as you’d notice with cooked chicken flesh. The outer layer, imitating fried/roasted chicken skin, is salty and crunchy, reminds me very much of a deep fried Spring Chicken! Except this one is boneless AND vegetarian! Haha!

Soy Chicken (mwah!!) with Brown RiceThe matching gravy is made of mushrooms and, uhm… tomatoes? Something like it. No- not catsup. Don’t think tomato sauce. Think lil tomato dices stirred into the mushroom gravy. Authentic one, not those instant versions. The red tomatoes add a much appreciated kick that deviates from the button mushrooms. Of course, I wish this comes with a spicy variety.

Like most of the other meals, mine came with a side of achara. Let me jsut say that I’ve never really been a fan of ginger. Not much. But their achara’s, despite the obvious ginger tang, is quite nice. I think I like it better than regular acharas!

I wasn’t able to finish my meal solo again.. maybe it’s the brown rice. I’ve been told it fills up your tummy faster than white rice. Is that stupid? Well.. whatever it is.. I wasn’t able to finish mine LOL!

My brother had the house specialty, at least the one they’re more famous for, the Tofu kebab. People keep telling me to order that, but not once have I betrayed my Soy Chicken. And, after nibbling off from my brother’s order, I’m not sorry at all! Ha!

Not that it wasn’t bad, no. it was quite good, but jsut not as good as the Soy Chicken. Plus, I still think that Grill Queen’s Grilled Tofu is way better.

Tofu Kebab- good!Their Tofu Kebab comprise of big button mushrooms, zucchinis, veggiemeat, and chunks of tofu all skewered together by a bbq stick. It’s bigger than it seems. The tofu is soft, but not of the same texture as japanese Silken soft tofus. It’s somewhere between the local tofu, and the silken tofu. Wait, no.. softer.. It’s like a bad batch of leche flan LOL! I mean not BAD bad, just not so delicately made. Opposite of a thick heavy creamy leche flan. It’s texture is more of the airy, cheap version, leche flan. But it’s tofu. So it’s quite good haha!

The kebab’s basted with a sweet and salty bbq sauce. You can taste a hint of garlic on the veggiemeat in it.

My eldest brother got the Faux BBQ (sorry, forgot to take a pic before someone took a swing at it hehehe). It’s not like Bodhi’s. Different(better) texture, and definitely not as sweet. It has less of that “bolabola” (extenders) texture that some veggiemeats are hated for. Hmm… it’s good. nothing special- I mean I don’t think I’d wake up in the morning (v. rare occassion) and crave for it.

Again, both the kebab and tofu are good. Faux BBQ ain't faux pas!Great even. But nothing I’d go crazy for. I can eat them whenever- I like them. I just don’t LUUUV love them, you know? haha!

Aside from the meals, they also have a mini section up front where they sell vegetarian snacks, veggiemeat, dehydrated tofus, noris, nuts, eggless cookies and sweets, soya treats and many other healthy products every vegetarian would snoop around for. Oh, and did I mention they are also very VVV reasonably priced? yep! Their Fake Cod Fish fillet (uncooked, 5 slices) is just PhP 85.00. Nori strips (i forgot how many gms) are just 30pesos. I even bought some vegetarian dried squid strips for 30pesos as well. They got faux mahu (the chinese snack that usually comes in pork or chicken). I’ll try that next time.

You know, Sonny, Liza, and I noticed something really weird… they have different veggiemeats available, but none of them is one they use to make the Soy Chicken meal.Get a soda! Hmmm… Sonny has a theory- “IT’S NOT FAKE CHICKEN! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!” To which I say- NOOOOOO!!!!! That’s worst than going to the bookstore at the first day of release of the Half Blood Prince, skimming thru the end and sending a text message to everyone in your phone book, saying “Hey, have you read the new HP isntallment? Dumbledore dies and Snape is the halfblood prince!! Go get your copy now!!!” urgh!

Though there’s a second theory… they might be using an Ethel. Yes. Ethel. The cartoon chicken, being boiled like a week-old teabag, and resucitated as she’s being squeezed for more cartoon chciken essence! Only to be boiled again! Haha!! Kidding kidding kidding kidding!

I believe Greens can safely say that, despite the amazing similarities to taht of a real fried chicken, no animals, nor Ethels, were harmed in the cooking of their Soy Chicken“. It’s really just THAT good. :D

Oh, and PS- order a soda, soya milk (if you like that), yoghurt, or fruit shake to down the food, rather than the fresh juices. The three of us got (a) calamansi juice, (b) dalandan juice, and (c) another dalandan juice, lol! They don’t fix their juices with cold water, so drinking below the “ice level” means room-temperature juice. Who wants that?? And drinking along the icey area means bland bland juice. Too bad.. Anyway, get a coke light!

If I had to sum up all them meals in one statement- i’d say “GO FOR IT!“. This place is a definite staple on my foodtrip list! None of the meals are dry, you don’t have to wait too long for your meal, they’re served ‘off the pan’- ergo you won’t bite into a chilled undone piece of faux meat, the service is great and the staff are nice and friendly. If you like spicy foods, bring Cayenne Pepper with you. Budget per head: PhP 150.00 - 200.00

Greens Café and Restaurant is located at Scout Tuazon cor. Scout Castor Streets, Quezon City (v. near A Taste of LA). Tel. 4102440

I wish…

Something I'd sell someone's soul for... wanna volunteer?…for a Nokia 7390. I was walking around with a few friends after a meeting (a couple of days ago), and we somehow ended up checking the Smart telecom booth. We were supposed to stick to the table for postpaid plans, but, unconsciously (as if driven by the Force lol), i found myself on the other end of the shop, staring at this beautiful baby! i want! Aaargh!

Up until that moment, I was just about satisfied and settled with my current phone. Sure it works 3/4’s of the time. Sure it blanks out every now and then. Sure it gets this weird “Card error” thingys. (You gotta give it credit for wear and tear I tell you that!) I didn’t wanna ask for more. UNTIL I saw this… N7390…. tsk tsk tsk…

I’m willing to sell someone else’s soul for this. Someone preferably evil. Anyone willing to volunteer? I’ll let you use the phone for a couple of seconds? Any takers?

Hmpf! Wuss!

dear God… if you happen to be reading this now, and find yourself particularly giving, please know that i just helped out coordinating for a very nice event for kids this summer. A fundraiser, no less. And that we plan to launch this “Kindness Club” too, wherein I also intend to help out. Please also know that I didn’t curse or put a hex on the person who did me wrong (trackback to this blog- I just got my wallet jacked).

God, I’ll leave you now with those to ponder on. :)

God, dude, you know I’m kidding right? No badblood between us! :)