Brekky Diaries: Realizing Adventures

 

 

What’s your plan?

7 months ago, I had this charter with a timeline of midterm goals. At the top of the list is to go for my passion, and become a fashion entrepreneur. Next was to seek a better opportunity down South, nearer to home, to eliminate stresses of traveling (not to mention wasting precious time). And lastly, try something new. Half a year has passed, and it’s time to do a review.

Punctuating the half-time is a more cultured sense of appreciation of the mundane.

Ginataang ulang

Of seeing them at a different light, by taking time to delve into the shell. Getting to the core… Understanding. Scooping out all the values, munching on them. And taking them in.

Lutong barrio

Nilagang baka

An association of the familiar with something that looks and tastes entirely different. It’s like finding comfort with a stranger, and becoming hooked. And that stranger turning out to be a friend.

 

 

When bullets one and two of the charter start realization, I will surely miss the new family that adopted me. The intellect and wit. The fun and enthusiasm. The candidness. The simplicity of being just home.

 

 

 

 

Anyway, we can always go back for something slow-paced and unpretentious at The Food Village, Tiendesitas, at Frontera Verde on C5 Road, Ortigas, Pasig City.

 

 

 

 

Snaps from Loren Aballe

Brekky Diaries: How it feels like for a girl.

In a nutshell, how does it feel like for a girl?

No period to monthly periods, not until she becomes a lola.

But still blushing and projecting grace.

Skin-tight jeans to play dress down, which most of the time doesn’t realize a teenage dream.

And be your laid-back friend.

Putting on all those warm, sticky chemically processed what-nots on the face to look naturally beautiful.

The effort of which gets unnoticed.

These just hit the surface of how it is to be your trophy.

Or be a younger version of your mother.

“Are you strong enough to be my man?”, she’d often ask.

All beef, but no taste. All talk but can’t walk. (whichever is worse)

But yes, just like chocolate cakes… “I know they’re bad for me, but I just can’t leave ‘em alone.”

Silence and smiles despite a heart that is continuously breaking.

It felt so good, I want to do it again at Il Mercanti Food Market, Metrowalk, Pasig City. Every Thursdays to Sundays, 10:00pm to 4:00am.

Ken and his Barbies

So they say that women were created by God for men. Yes, that is true. And i don’t want to go on a debate on that with the chauvinists. For the straight men, a myriad of conventional reasons can explain this. On the other hand, gay men, value women in the highest form as soul sisters. True friends. Second family. Something that I am more than grateful to have.

After a rigodon of dates, must I say I still go back to my Barbie girls and be somewhat a Ken to them.

The missuses, Kate and Pam (with her hubby Tomo) at Bahay ng Alumni, UP Lantern Parade

Power gals early brekky: Z and her partner Grace (in laid-back prep), and GG Kat (in Cavalli boho chic) at UCC Cafe Terrace at Resorts World Manila

Urbanites walk in the city: Sarah and GG Kat at Resorts World Manila Cinemas

ACT Mesdames in a barbecue cookout: Reg, M. JJST, and Kate at Greenwoods Executive Village

Borta girl, Loren at Cafe Juanita

I remember a dear friend wishing me happiness that only true love can bring this year. Well, yes I am still hopeful of that. But definitely only true friendship can take comfort in one’s strangeness (as how Cynthia Alexander may have said it in the past).

Brekky Diaries: Comfort in the City

 

 

 

The long work week had taken its toll on me. And aside from fabric shopping, comfort comes with something closer to home. The Training Team decided to have some hearty meal at the heart of Ortigas.

 

Nothing can be more nostalgic than a glass of amber and blue.

It got me thinking if comfort does really have to come with someone special by your side.

 

A couple of chessy garlic rolls

Does it come with more people around you, close to your heart?

Beef stroganoff

 

Or just a silent moment with yourself?

 

 

Toblerone walnut torte

 

 

 

Reminds me of our kitchen. Mom & Tina’s Bakery Cafe on C5 Road, Ortigas, Pasig City.

A long, hot, and meaty V Date

 

 

Some like them steaming hot. Fresh from the brick oven, sweating with all the juices imaginable to the taste. Some like them long. Longer means a longer time to ingest, digest and absorb the experience all in. Some like them meaty. Raunchy. Kind of in between medium rare to well done.

This V day, I just had all three with nice buns. Just with the right amount of cheesiness. And good styling too (not that it matters when I get to swirl my tongue and sink my teeth around it). My date was even open to spending time with friends at work early in the morning. What else can you ask for?

Meat Meet my date.

 

Half-foot long kielbasa drenched in mustard, tomato catsup, and real mayo

More meaty goodness preserved for your convenience.

All those blocks of cheese surprisingly did not turn me off.

The thing with this date, it never fails to take my breath away. Keeps my craving satisfied. But it can Really break my heart (figuratively and literally). Today, I gave in at Earle’s Delicatessen, Wynsum Condominium, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center.

Brekky Diaries: Japanese Cafe and The End to Uneventful Weekends

 

 

Let me tell you a secret. On weekends, most of the time I just fornicate in the thought of staying in bed and just do nothing. Well, I sound like any yuppie in this busy city who lives in the suburbs. I, at times, cancel meetings with friends and clients just to have give in to that desire of dolce far niente.

 

 

In anticipation of goodness at Tokyo Cafe, SM Megamall

 

But the realization of making weekends more eventful came into me when my friend, Loren, commissioned me to make her borta corporate wear. Ting ting ting! As a menswear designer being asked by a lady to make tailored pieces, I took the plunge with no buts. And that’s just the start of the lovely month of love.

 

Happiness comes to those who wait. (yeah, fail for the cafe who had made us wait longer than the usual)

Yummy seafood medley on a crust. Pizza pizza!

 

Delectable chicken herbed with the ubiquitous couple, rosemary and thyme

 

With that idea of wabi-sabi now becoming more mainstream through art and technology, it would be really hard to miss out on deviance to the conventional. That’s why I love my not-so girly girl friends. Very Commes des Garcons.

I was glad the food almost stood at par with the conversation. Modern quick fix Japanized at Tokyo Cafe, 3rd Level SM Megamall Strip near The Atrium.

Bittersweet Symphony: A Guilty Pleasure

I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
where all the veins meet yeah

- The Verve. Bittersweet Symphony. 1997.

One of the mundane things that makes intercity travel wonderful is the many ironies that you get to see while in transit. From the dreamy images of people through the moist car window to the stark mirage of beauty in the filthy dilapidated abandoned city structures;  a fancy is tickled.

Passing by a taxi bay at SM Mall Of Asia

Most of the time I find myself in a deep thought of what all these people, during the early morning rush hour, think about. Everybody walks relentlessly.

“I want to book that flight to Seoul soonest.” … ”What time is it? Can I make it?”… “I want to quit my job. I have to find a new one soon.”… “The bills are due on Friday.”… “My folks need my help.” 

Millions of thoughts fill the streets as the surging traffic of people contaminate their inanimateness. We all keep these raw, crude, yet sincere reasons to move forward behind stern gazes. Often we would dismiss all of these as irrelevant, to hide guilty pleasures. And in my case, one of which is weakness. In a corporate jungle there is no room for errors. Well at least less than 3 in a million, in Six Sigma terms.  I have always been taught to keep emotions at the minimum, and be the best gentleman I can ever be. Given a million opportunities to be one, I can only take a break thrice. And I guess, most people can relate to it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? I have always asked that question to people I train and mentor during introductions. It’s a query of one’s special moment of vulnerability. And failure, in this case, is always a half-chance.

Time and time again, failure begets depression. And depression begets aggression. The latter being a more politically correct term than hate. The more that one is in this state, the more disabling it will be. But then again, life does not stop; hence, this creates friction. It doesn’t heal wounds; but it wounds heels.  My affair with failure has always been bittersweet. I have learned that a pair of better walking shoes will keep one going, and make him or her worry less  about the pain.

 Pedro Coffee Brogues

I also find it useful to have time to contemplate on what’s next beneath the warm yellow street lights. It reminds me of those days when I was young. The promise of better things. The promise of happier days. The promise of happy endings.

  Nicotine fix at Canyon Woods, Tagaytay City

The haze that keeps my mind temporarily off from the maze. And when it’s time to go back, my tools are always ready.

Patterns by Cho Vittorio Iago

Little Black Book: Muji, Felt-tip pen: Kuretake, Stainless Steel cuff-links: SM    Department Store, Marlboro Lights 10s

And when insanity strikes at midnight, take a pick….

… you can always give in. McDonald’s Extra Large Fries + Hot Fudge = The Real Guilty Pleasure.

*How about you? What’s your guilty pleasure?

What is it?

Starting today, I am letting people read through some random thoughts in my little black book. Since I am pretty much your old school prep boy, I still prefer to take everything down on paper with a black felt-tip pen.  Hence,  I carry my little pal around with me wherever, whenever.

Breakfast at MoMo Cafe (Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City)

Cigarette break @ 3:00 AM (The Smoking Lounge at my office, Bonifacio Global City)

And just like how that Singaporean bookstore wittily says: Everything starts with page one.