The Perfect Way to Release Stress: A Visit to the U.P. Campus

Last Friday, my friends and I made another visit to U.P. which has always been a really nice place to visit for us especially since it is near our campus. Since Ateneo offers a  more private and secured environment, you sometimes get to think that because of such, all your actions are being monitored. You sometimes think that you are being watched and that you always have to act the right way. Also, most Ateneans have the tendency to judge you if you do weird and out of the ordinary things. Pero sa U.P., I would like to believe that the saying known as "walang pakailamanan" is practiced. I know a lot of people in U.P. who are free to do what they want and not get judge by others for such. Thus, every time my friends and I step on the U.P. Campus, we feel this sense of freedom that relaxes us. It is a perfect place to unwind and forget your own academic responsibilities (especially when it comes to the point that everywhere you go in Ateneo, you are reminded of the stress you continue to experience in school).

Since the campus is huge, there are actually a lot of buildings and fields to visit and most of these actually have interesting finds. The shopping center is the best and cheapest place for book binding and printing your thesis papers, posters for events and other reports. Also, if you are running for a position this election period, I advice you to get your tags printed and made there. It is common for students to photocopy expensive books there too. U.P. has also been a common photo shoot place since there are a lot of interesting and isolated places. Graffiti walls and the green fields have been nice spots for photo shoots. But of course U.P. has been known for selling the best street food. It was in this campus that I have eaten their famous pork and chicken isaw, gizzard, pig's blood, kwek-kwek and just last week, I was able to taste their pig's ear. Nagustuhan ko talaga lahat. Kahit sumasakit na yung batok ko, go pa rin! Lamon lang. And because of being popular with selling street food, the campus actually had this sort of "isaw eat-all-you-can" some time around four last Friday. Sadly we only had time before 2pm last Friday. We could have gone to the campus around 5pm to experience the eat-all-you-can but coming from a hell month, we couldn't wait any longer. Thus, around past 12, we already went to U.P.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kz7hnmgn9G1qzc11io1_500.jpg

We parked at the shopping center and decided to go the "Lutong Bahay"(not sure kung ito tawag dun :D )place/street. This street offers really great shakes which only cost 30 pesos. The shakes are poured in large cups so sobrang sulit talaga. My favorite was the Choco kisses shake. Sobrang tamis at mahirap ubusin =)). Plus there are siomai stands selling six pieces of siomai (the yellow ones which provide a lot of flavor) for only 22 pesos found in the same street. In Ateneo, four pieces of sio mai cost 32 pesos T_T. After eating food, we decided to go to the soccer field nearest to the street. I really love that place. Since it was windy that time, everything was perfect. We ran around the field, finished our shakes, took jump shots, lied down and became wild. The perfect place to forget and release the stress we've been experiencing. Thank you U.P. for letting us enter your beautiful and "chill" campus.

taken by Kurt Santiago

Photo Blog: 17 Random Photos

It's been a very long time since the last time I wrote something here...grabe, sobrang dami kasing ginagawa for school. HELL WEEKS :((. And whenever  I had free time, I used it to rest or play playstation (patapos na kasi ung game na nilalaro ko since Christmas Break :(( ). I really miss blogging though. But since I've been busy with Accounting, Law and other subjects which are useful after school, I really have nothing to say right now. I'm just posting this entry to keep me sane from all the stress! Ha-ha! Since I have nothing much to write or say, then maybe it's time for me to show...here are 17 random photos I have taken during the break and weeks ago.

There, 17 random photos! :)) Okay. Time for me to study accounting T_T babay!

The "Super" in Supermarkets

It's pretty late but I'm actually in the mood to write about something! Besides I don't have a class later :> Another full weekend! NSTP has been very generous to my block lately as we're having more classroom sessions (which lasts for two hours) instead of the long insertion kung saan pagnaiwan ka ng jeep, four hour cut na :| I do miss my kids though despite of the fact I hate teaching English. Pero ibang klase ang  pakiramdam kapag wala kang pasok sa Sabado...You can TGIF (hence me sleeping late and writing hihihihi). Anyway, so why am I in the mood to write??? I was told by my teachers in highschool that once an idea has popped in your mind, it is important to jot it down. Kumbaga, isulat mo agad ang naisip mo at palawakin ito. I cannot stress enough how important this piece of advice is for me, especially since I have a short term memory and I suffer from low attention span :)) These are only theories but several facts have been in favor of these. Sadly, I didn't have any new idea for me to write HAHA. It's more of I had an experience a while ago that I have experienced before! I shopped at the grocery (in SM Supermarket at SM North Edsa to be specific). I have a lot of reasons why an experience like this for me in my opinion is worth writing about.

Shopping in the grocery is like heaven. To see the different types of food one can buy is just really thrilling for someone like me. A while ago, my mom and I shopped for ingredients of Sinigang and Nilaga. I love Nilaga!!! A place like this is also friendly for "wannabe cooks" like me since everything is just so organized as compared to a wet market. I must say that the effort Filipinos put in operating supermarkets is actually better than how justice works in our country (basta may masabi lang tungkol sa hustisya ng Pilipinas e hahaha). At the same time the supermarket is definitely a place where you can always find something new and sometimes, out of the ordinary! If you really explore the big place, you will find brands that you thought never existed or even stuff which may really surprise you. Since we are living in a modernized world, innovation has been something we yearn for and a supermarket can offer you that :> Also shopping in a place like a supermarket gives us a chance to spend more time with your family. It's a bonding session! Well at least for me and my mom. We usually shopped at the grocery when I was young and I'm happy that despite my busy schedule, I'm still able to bond with her in this way. You know what they say, "A Family that shops at the grocery together, feeds the same family".  To wrap-up this blog entry, the "Super" in Supermarkets is not what I have just said. Gusto niyo na ba malaman? The Cart. The Shopping Cart. The Push Cart. Why? Well because...it's really fun to use...and it let's you use your imagination...IT could be a CAR...it could be a space ship etc. What's more fun is if you get to race with someone (for example, my brother and I). Saya-saya lang talaga. So what did I imagine today upon using the cart and bringing it around? Hope this picture best explains it.

das ist alles!!! Goodnight! Hope I didn't waste your time :))

LiLi: Sex in My Mouth

I actually got the sex in my mouth line from the show Masterchef U.S. (when Graham described a dish saying "that was just like sex in your mouth). And this line was just exact and appropriate to describe what I had experienced. Is it the best sex in your mouth experience ever? Probably not but there is no doubt that it is still sex in your mouth. It was just last Sunday when I actually tasted the best food EVER in my life! If you know me enough, you'd hear me say that everything I eat is masarap. Last Sunday's lunch was different. I actually had tears of joy :| TOTOO. OA diba? Pero grabe, sobrang sarap lang. So the name of the restaurant is LiLi which is found in the Hyatt Hotel (in Roxas Boulevard). The place was really nice and  red (since I think it's  a traditional Chinese restaurant).

This Chandelier definitely made the place sparkle

We decided try the buffet and we really ordered a lot! They give us a checklist and my dad just said a little of everything. Of course we told them to stop serving dimsum when we had 10 different plates of it. We then asked to only serve us seven dishes of the main entrees. We had too much na eh, pero still, I could eat here often (only if it was cheaper than 1350 php per person...pero sulit pa rin!!!)

So here are pictures of the food we ate! Enjoy! I can't name them all and if I would be able to name some, there probably not the real names, just similar to what the waiter said :)) I will try my very best to name them and describe some! Here it goes! :))

Starters.

My dad said na peanuts pa lang, sobrang sarap na. True enough, sobrang sarap talaga! It was very juicy and not that salty! Matamis nga siya e!

Pumpkin with Seafood Soup. Who would have thought that Shrimp would be in perfect marriage with pumpkin in this dish?

Chicken and cheese pie and Shrimp lumpia rolls :)) (imbento ng pangaalan)

Guava Lemon Ice Tea! Sobrang sarap! Naka-anim na refil ata ako!!!

Fried crispy rice covered with doe (sp?)

Dimsum! This one has shrimp inside

This one has a vegetable wrap

THIS IS MY FAVORITE!!! YOU KNOW WHY?

It has soup inside @-) AMAZING!!!

Best Siomai that I have ever tasted in my 19 yrs of living and eating

 Main dishes :)

Sweet pork :))

Chinese Liempo/ Leachon Kawali (HAHAHA)

Salt and Pepper Shrimp :>

Talong, Tofu este Beancurd with Chicken Strips :)) PERFECT.

Parang Soy Chicken ito (similar sa Hungry Panda in Jsec)

Beef with Asparagus

Shrimp Salad :) Isa rin ito sa mga favorites ko that day

Now time for desert...

Mango Cheesecake. Ang perfect ng crust

Panna Cotta! Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla and mango flavors in one glass. 

So there those are some of the dishes we tried in LiLi.

 

See how satisfied I was? Now that's sex in your mouth. 

Sampung Bagay na Nagpapasaya sa Akin

Noong isinulat ko 'yong titulong Sampung Bagay na Nagpapasaya sa Akin sa espasyo, tumawa ako. Tumawa ako dahil dalawang kahulugan ang pumasok sa aking isipan dahil sa titulo na iyan! Oo puwedeng ibigsabihin nito ang simple ngunit ang mas mahalaga, na nangangahulugang tungkol ang blog na ito sa mga nagpapangiti o totoong nagpapagiliw sa akin. Tungkol naman sa pagpapasaya na sa maduming interpretasyon ang isa pang kahulugan (at aamininin ko, ang kahulugan na iyon ang pumasok agad sa aking isipan pagkasulat ng titulo). Hindi ko ito sinasadya! Nagkataon lang na madalas ginagamit ang salitang nagpapasaya sa ganoong paraan sa mga usap-usapan ngayon (At least with my friends :p ) Marahil na naisip mo rin iyon tungkol sa blog ko na ito mambabasa! Pero huminto ka na para hindi ka magkaroon ng sala. Pipigilan ko na ang pag-isip mo ng madumi-assuming much??? Kung hindi man yun ang unang naisip mo, patawad at sinayang ko oras mo dahil sa mahabang introduksyon na ito at sa natural na malibog na pag-iisip. Kaya ito na, ililista ko na ang mga bagay na nagpapasaya at nagpapangiti sa akin! Pipilitin kong maging espispiko sa aking listahan. (Sinama ko na sana ang kumain sa listahan dahil iyon ang numero uno na pinakahilig kong gawin pero iyon nga, kailangan maging espisipiko ako).

These maybe in random order because for me, what makes you smile, makes you smile at mahahalaga ang lahat ng iyon. Hindi nasusukat o naititimbang ang pag-ngiti sa aking opinyon...lalo na't maraming bagay talaga ang nagpapasaya sakin dahil mababaw ang aking kaligayahan. Kaya iyon, ito lamang ang mga bagay na lumilitaw sa aking daloy ng pag-iisip ngayon :)

1.Lumangoy sa Dagat-Makapagsasaya sakin ang makapunta sa dagat at lumangoy doon dahil madalas ko tong nagagawa noong bata ako. Uso kasi sa angkan namin ang pumunta sa mga mabuhangin na lugar noon at magdiwang sa tabi ng dagat! Paborito ko parin ang mga ganitong lugar kung saan makikita ang dumadaloy na tubig, kahit  na apat na taon na ang nakalipas noong huling punta ko sa ganito. Sa Zambales ang pinakapaborito kong lugar kung saan nagustuhan ko talaga ung dagat at buhangin doon. Ito rin ang paborito ko dahil nakalaro ako ng beach volleyball! Pagnakakikita ako ng mga litrato ng dagat (tulad ng mga litratong hatid WOW Philippines na iba na ata ang tawag ngayon), bumabalik sa akin ang mga ala-alang nagpapakasaya noong paslit pa lamang ako.

A View of Zambales

2.Pawisan sa pamamagitan ng Sports at Gym-Ibang klase ang ginahawa nararamdaman ko pagkatapos ko maglaro ng Volleyball o Badminton. Nasisiyahan ako lalo na kapag dumadating sa punto na may lumalabas na usok sa katawan ko (I'm hot like that! joke =)) ). At sa pagpapalaki ng katawan, gusto ko siya kasi wala akong ibang iniintindi kundi sarali ko. 

3.Keso-Mahilig ako sa keso! Sa tuwing kumakain ako ng keso (sa kahit anong klaseng luto, porma atbp.), natutuwa ako! Kahit iyong Eden na nakatago sa ref. pinapapak ko! Oo ako na ang daga pero pota, mahal na mahal ko ang keso!!!! Four cheese pizza, kraft chiswiz, cheesecakes, parmisan, keso de bola, putong may keso,  you just name it!!! Kung gusto mong mahalin kita, regaluhan mo ko ng keso at mapapa-ibig mo ko.

Cheeseeeeeeeeeey

4. Mga Aso Ko-Mahal na mahal ko mga aso ko dahil ang babait nila sa akin. Ang mga aso ko ang sumasalba sa akin kapag may mga kaguluhan sa aming bahay. Ang simple lang ng buhay nila ngunit sobrang saya nila sa tuwing pinapalabas mo sila sa kanilang kulungan. Lalo pa silang natutuwa kapag nakikipaglaro ka sa kanila. Napakasarap nilang yakapin. Hindi nila alam na napapasaya nila ako ngunit alam na alam ko na napakalaking bagay sa kanila ang palabasin sila ng sandali upang magpakasaya kasama ang kaniyang amo. Yoon siguro ang mas mahalaga sa dalawa. HAHAHA ang drama =))

My doggy! Paris :)

5.Photoshoots-Dahil may pangarap ako maging Photographer, talagang natutuwa ako tuwing may photoshoot. Kaya rin ko siyang ginagawa ng libre. Tuwing may photoshoot kase, may bago akong natutunan. Kumbaga, nagiging mahalagang ensayo siya. To really learn how to fight in a battle, it's a must for you to be in the battle. (Email me if you want a Photoshoot! chuck_tibayan@yahoo.com)

Pat Remoquillo BS MGT :

6. Goldilock's Polvoron-Sobrang sarap ng Polvoron ng Goldilocks! Ito ang paborito kong Polvoron sa dami-dami na natikman ko. Halos lahat kasi ng Polvoron na nakikita ko, sinusubukan ko. Hindi ko na nararamdaman ang aking mga problema  tuwing nakakain ako nito. Grabe lang kasi talaga ang sarap diba. Anong masasabi mo?

7.Mga Pinoy na Pelikula-Ibang klaseng kilig ang aking nararamdaman tuwing nanonood ako ng mga pelikula na umiikot sa pag-ibig ng mga iba't ibang tambalan ng artista. Lalo na't kapag si John Loyd ang bumibida dahil napakagaling niya. Kaya kong lumuhod sa harapan niya. May I just say, kakatext lang sa akin noong isang araw ng aking matalik na kaibigan na kaka-upload lang ni Wingtip ng My Amnesia Girl sa www. That text made my day-and this line is an understatement. Lumuluha naman ako tuwing nakapapanood ako ng madramang pelikula tulad ng Ina, Mano Po, Caregiver atbp. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang mga ganito kaysa sa mga Ingles (pero nanonood din ako ng mga banyagang pelikula ah!) na sine siguro dahil nga't mas nakikita ko sarili ko sa sitwasyon na ipinamamahagi ng ganitong mga pelikula. Hindi ako jologs at hindi rin jologs ang manood ng mga ganito (basta't piliin mabuti kong ano ang papanuorin!)

THE BEST

8.NTM-Fan ako ng mga Next Top Model Franchise lalo na't nakakatulong ito para sa pagkakaroon  ng inspirasyon sa mga photoshoot! Bilang Photographer kailangan marami rin akong alam sa iba't ibang temang maaring gayahin o baguhin. Kaya't kapag nakakakita ako ng kahit anong NTM sa tv, pinapanood ko ito!

Alice from AusNTM

9.Pagkanta at Pagsayaw Habang Naliligo sa Banyo-Madalas kong dala-dala ang speakers namin at  ang aking ipod tuwing maliligo ako sa banyo. Bakit? Sobrang saya kasing bumirit at sumayaw habang nasa shower (Lalo na't kapag pinapatalsik mo yung tubig kung saan-saan sa banyo!).  Iyon ang oras ko sa sarili ko na wala akong paki kung ano ang ginagawa ko dahil wala namang nakakakita. Iyon din ang dahilan kung bakit umaabot ako ng mahigit sa kalahating oras habang naliligo. Ang ganitong karanasan ay isang double-edge sword. Bumango ka na nga, nagpaka-wild ka pa! 

And yes I am this wild in the shower

10.Magluto-Trip na trip kong magluto dahil sa tingin ko, isa siyang klase ng serbisyo na maaring magpangiti ng ibang tao (Coming from someone who loves to eat, I'm pretty sure this statement is true).  Kaya iyon, madalas akong nangangaelam sa aming kusinero. Kasama rin dito na madalas akong magkalat sa kusina! Hahaha! Naniniwala naman ako na may kakayahan ako sa pagluto. Kaya ako nanonood ng Iron Chef, Masterchef US at iba't ibang cooking show, para matuto ako at magutom =)) Cooking in my opinion is not a burden for me. It makes me happy to satisfy others by serving them dishes.  Gusto mo ba ng breakfast in bed? :p

Whitney, recent winner of MasterChef US :) CUTE NIYA!!!!