OUR AWESOME PLANET: February 2007

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Saturday, February 24, 2007

Aidanacio.us

Aidanacious
1. Aidan's life in Photos -- anything and everything about Aidan.
2. A photoblog of Aidan's first times, fun moments and blessings in life.
3. A blogger hosted blog (http://aidanacio.us)
4. An ongoing online biography of the life of Baby Aidan.
5. More Cute Photos of Aidan

We've been maintaining two blogs ever since 2005. Aidanacious is not as popular as Our Awesome Planet, but we continue to passionately update it because it serves as an online biography of Aidan's life. My wife updates it these days and it is getting funnier each day. I just want to share it with you in case, you just want to see cute photos of Aidan.

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February 24, 2007 in 08. Personal Family Posts | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Friday, February 23, 2007

Jatujak in Mall of Asia!

Jatujak Menu: Click for a bigger Version

Before heading off to watch the Chinese Acrobats, Korean Paper Doll Lanterns, and the Italian Light Display, I would recommend to eat in this no-non sense Thai place called Jatujak in Mall of Asia. It is located in the second floor , entertainment mall near the center. It is named after the famous Chatuchak weekend market in Thailand and owned by a Filipino. This is what a filipino thai food should taste like and you can order your sukho thai favorites and fulfill your thai craving. We think that it is decently priced and the food is good.

Notsolillulu actually raved about Jatujak in her foodie review:

"Up until yesterday, I could only think of Muang Thai in QC to recommend...but now I've found another satisfying resto in Jatujak. Named after the world's biggest weekend market, found outside Bangkok, this restaurant presents old Thai reliables in a modern setting. Prices are reasonable and servings are more than adequate. We started with the shrimp tom yum. Although we asked for spicy (mild and medium being the other choices), we found it not unbearably hot. What we liked about the soup was that it didn't heavily rely on the spicy tom yum paste to flavor it, so you could still taste the other aromatics like galanggal and coriander. This is probably the best tom yum around here, according to my hubby, the tom yum connoisseur. We also had their fried spring rolls filled with sotanghon noodles ("glass noodles"), wood ear mushrooms and meat; they were substantial and not too oily. The pad thai boasted of nicely cooked al dente noodles, topped with loads of peanuts, beansprouts, spring onions and a couple of prawns."

Overall, Pinoy Thai Food at its bests! A little on the sweet side and you need to put kalamansi to balance it out. That is the way we like it sometimes...

Thai Iced Tea (P65++). Pricey but it contains condensed milk which makes it yummy.

Tom Yum All-Shrimps (P165++). Tasted more of Sinigang and way too salty for us.

Bagoong Rice (P130++). Just OK and it is what you expect it to be. It has chicharon which was good not for the health though.

Chicken Sate (P150++). We loved the sate sauce with its cucumber side dish.

Pad Thai (145++). Decent and a lot better than the Som's Pad Thai.

Tapioca in Pandan Cups (Tako) (P68++). The consistency was not the same as the original Thai Tako but it was big enough to satisfy your craving. There were kamote and sweet corn bits.

Jatujak Thai Resto
Level 2, Unit 237, Entertainment Mall of SM Mall of Asia

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February 23, 2007 in 23. Best Thai Finds | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBack

Thursday, February 22, 2007

World Light Expo 2007

Dragon made of Porcelain Plates

The World Light Expo 2007 is the latest entertainment complex which is a combination of luminary spectacles, live entertainment and infotainment that is never seen before locally. I wanted to post this review of the WLE 2007 to share with you what to really expect in this exhibition and don't just believe the marketing materials that you see.

The Grand Opening is on Friday, February 23 and all the attractions will be open until April 22, 2007 (4pm to 12mn). We visited last Wednesday night and there were two special attractions that are not open yet:
1. The Harbin Ice & Light Festival, an Ice World of minus 18 degrees centrigrade (to be completed on the 1st wk of March).
2. The 1st Qin Emperor's Terracotta Army Exhibition (w/c should be ready by now).

The entrance fee is P300/ adult and P200/child age 3 & up. The question in everybody's mind: " Is it worth it?" For me, P300 was not worth it for its entertainment value, maybe when they add the two other exhibitions it might make up for it. Although if you decide to go, you should see the loooong dragon made out of plates and cups (pictured above) ! -- Amazing :) Also, there is indeed a fantastic water screen laser show that I have never seen before here in Manila.

I really came to take shots of the colorful lanterns and I know Aidan would love to see these huge lantern displays. (at least, he is still free of charge). In a sense, the place is nice to take portrait shots with the colorful lanterns as the background. I intentionally went on a weekday so that there is less people and you can get some good shots.

Some tips:
1. The place is super dusty from the parking up to the exhibition grounds. Everything is displayed on open air and it would be a problem if it would rain. Also, it is windy at night so the dust might pose a problem for you.
2. Don't expect good food inside and drinks are P60 for a San Mig light beer. It is best if you have dinner at MOA or around the area before heading over to the World Light Expo. Bring your own water.
3. There were tourist traps like the crappy train for P20/head, and the P150 wear-a-korean-costume-and-take-a-photo trap. Don't fall for these.
4. The lanterns were colorful and good to see from afar but the workmanship, if you look up close, was mediocre.
5. The acrobat performance is decent but the World Top Korean B-Boy Group is a joke. Don't waste your time watching this.
6. It is best if you arrive before 7pm or 9pm which is usually the start of the circus.

Check out the rest of the photos on the World Light Expo....

These Korean Lanterns welcome you as you enter WLE 2007. It creates a red carpet welcome effect when you enter and prepares you for the excitement that awaits you.

You can see these cool red lanterns in the entrance.

This is innovative in a sense that these dragons are moving. Kudos for the effort!

This is one of the special exhibition which is part of the Ms. Hyong-suk Lee, Korean Folk Paper made (Hanji) Doll Exhibition. I can't understand what is it trying to communicate. Maybe we need to have an interpreter or a tour guide. I'm not impressed.

The Fantastic Water Screen Laser Show. It is cool to see the intersection of the laser lights and the water screen. The projected show which includes this Philippine Flag is simply amazing if this is the first time you see it.

It is like watching a holographic movie where the images float. I wonder if there is a 3d version of this?

Show times are:
8.30-8.45pm
10.30-10.45pm
11.15-11.30pm

When we arrived, they were still fixing some of the dolls. I remember, our Giant Lantern Festival in Pampanga produces much better lanterns that this one. So I'm not really impressed.

One of the tourist traps is this crappy kiddie train. Don't let your child go near this place. Kinda hard to avoid though because you can see them in at least 5 more exhibitions.

This is a light water fountain and good to have your portrait taken.

There is a mini replica of the London Bridge which serve as a photo opportunity for people.

Of course, it has the mini-Eiffel Tower replica.

China Government certified Circus Performance. Show times: 7.00-7.30pm and 9.00-9.50pm.

Good and decent circus performance. Not really a must but better watch it since it is part of your P300!

Dance Festival with Top Korean B-Boy Group. This one is a joke. Our Filipino dancers are way better than these guys. Good thing is you can dance with them.

They call this the Italy display because the light displays came from Italy. It was amazing to walk under these lights.

2007 World Light Expo Philippines
Roxas Blvd and Coastal Road Junction, Paranaque City
Feb. 13, 2007- April 22, 2007
4pm to 12 midnight

Adult - over 4 feet P300
Child - below 4 feet P200
Free of entrance under 3 years.

February 22, 2007 in 09. Best Places to Bring Your Kid | Permalink | Comments (31) | TrackBack

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Top 10 Pinay Celebrity Bloggers

*** Updated 2/22/07 ***

I admire celebrities who blog and don't let their celebrity status get in the way of self expression. Most of the time I find the celebrities who blog are smart, witty and able to convey what they think clearly without being afraid of what others would think. It is also entertaining to read their blogs and let readers/ fans have a sneak peek at their lives.

1. The Diary of a Supergirl Wannabe by SuperBianca also known as Bianca Gonzalez. (http://superbianca.blogspot.com/) She has been on blogging hiatus for a year ever since she entered Pinoy Big Brother around Nov 2005. Recently, she started to post again to the delight of her readers/ fans last Feb.7. She wrote:

" what a year 2006 has been for me. what a year, i tell you. lahat ng posibleng maramdaman ng isang tao sa buhay, naramdaman ko lahat sa loob ng isang taon.extreme happiness, extreme sadness, love, extreme love, fear, guilt, excitement, peace, uncertainty, certainty, denial, longing, comfort, security, satisfaction, embarrassment, pride, confidence, strength, anxiety, jealousy, helplessness, reassurance, courage, faith, hope.. and the list goes on."

I admire Bianca for blogging ever since September 2003 way before she became famous. Remember, most of the known bloggers in the Philippines only started in 2005. Blog on, Bianca.

2. Lemon.Chamomile by Kooki also known as KC Concepcion. (http://kooki.multiply.com/journal) There are a lot of fake celebrity blogs out there hoping to get accidental traffic and earn a few bucks. KC wrote in her multiply:

"This is my ONLY online journal, meaning I have NO Friendster, NO MySpace, NO OTHER BLOG ACCOUNT out there. Just this one."

It is hard not to fall in love with KC after reading her blog. She is very witty, smart and cute. No wonder, FHM, Maxim and Manual agrees that KC is one of their dream covers for their magazine. Her Europe adventures are colorful and her love for languages is infectious.

3. DaphneOP by Daphne Osena. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/daphneosena/) It is refreshing to see a celebrity having an online photo blog like Daphne. It is great to see her family pictures with her kids and she takes time to post the photos and put caption on them. Her Flickr account also serves as a showroom for her necklace business and my wife loves to look at them. It is fun to see the photos of Daphne as if watching a reality F show using photos. She often interacts with ka-flickrs and I admire her openness in sharing her lives in the photos of her family.

4. indie · boys · are · neurotic by sugarcandypop also known as Mitch Dulce (http://sugarcandypop.livejournal.com/). I've known Mitch blog because she is one of the designers and owners of the Store for All Season (SFAS) along Mandaluyong. To refresh your memory, Mitch was part of the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition and she was the up and coming Fashion Designer in that batch. She was one of those more popular LJ bloggers who is not afraid to speak her mind out. I love her stories on Mich Dulce school of passion.

5. Ala-ism by VJ Ala. (http://ala-ism.pansitan.net/) Daughter of Apo Hiking Society's Jim Paredes who regularly blogs also at Writing on Air (http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/). I love her cute valentines posts on: How to make Ala Paredes fall in love with you. She wrote:

"1) Feed me well. Take me to really good places to eat. Give me unforgettable gastronomic experiences. Overeat with me. I will love you to pieces.
2) Indulge my geekiness. Ask me about my Mac. Engage in heated debates with me over the advantages of OS X versus Windows. Gift me with flashdrives instead of flowers. Be able to understand the humor behind 'Dilbert'. Compose a love letter in binary... you have to be able to tell when I'm kidding, ok?
....
8) Be able to make me laugh. You have no license to kiss me until you've proven that you can.
....
12) And now that you know all the rules, surprise me totally."

I am definitely hooked. She has been blogging ever since July of 2003 (can you imagine?)

6. Oohhh LaLa!!! Come waste your time with me!! with Patty Laurel (http://pattylaurel.blogspot.com/). I actually started tuning out of my channel 23 breakfast habit when they changed the original cast (of Angel Jacob and Ria Tantuatco). I just learned about Patty Laurel's blog (from Dawn) and I'm hooked with her witty comments and funny photos. Now, I have a reason to watch Studio 23 Breakfast threesome (JC Cuadrado, Patty Laurel and Atom Araullo) and see Patty Laurel live and not just on her blog. I warn you don't read her blog because I'm sure you'll be wasting a lot of time reading it's two years archive since Jan. 2005.

7. Lea's Multiply Site by Lea Salonga (http://bigsis222.multiply.com/journal). It is cool to see her occasional posts on major happenings in her life which includes the recent release of her album Inspired. I like her blog post on her pet peeves:

"...
2. When my name is spelled wrong. It's L-E-A. No H. There's a specific reason why my name is spelled that way; I was named after my maternal grandfather, LEO.
...
9. Being asked for an autograph while I'm eating. Kindly wait until I'm done, or if you can't, ask a waiter to approach. It'll give me time to swallow my mouthful.
...
11. Name dropping. Don't try to impress me by rattling off a list of who you know. You should be impressive enough by yourself.
...
20. Drinking 11 kamikazes and not getting a buzz... or drinking 2 and feeling like crap. What the f*ck is that???
...
22. Seeing big-bellied men with their shirts raised just enough to display their midsections."

8. SnowWhite 2006 Flickr Photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/snowhite/) also known as Pia Magalona, wife of Francis M blogging at a Free Mind (http://francismagalona.multiply.com/) and flickr site ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/francism/ ). Pia's flickr site contains her collection of Havianas and occasional pictures of the family. I envy Francis M for becoming a member of the Camera Club of the Philippines (I want to join this group!! I'm dying to be part of this club). I must admit that Francis site is well updated and he is definitely a gifted photographer.

9. Anna Bayle, Website of the First Asian Model (http://www.annabayle.com/modelblog.html ) by Anna known as "The first Asian 'supermodel'. Became in the 1980's one of the top ten models of the world in only 2 years. Touted the “Model of the 80s.” " Anna Bayle is a living proof that models have brains too and can write. I do wish that she writes more often and consistently.

10. Charmant Papillon by Natalie-Wood also known as Ciara Sotto. (http://natalie-wood.livejournal.com/). I must confess that when I work from home, I watch Bulagaan and have fun watching the Ciao Pao tandem. She does not post as much but one of these days, I will write her a fan letter that I love watching them in Bulagaan :) I do hope she writes more consistently.

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February 21, 2007 in Pinoy Blogosphere | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBack

Monday, February 19, 2007

Binondo Chinese New Year

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year to all of You!

This is the first time I really felt the Chinese New Year Celebrations. My wife's family celebrates it and this is the only time that I appreciate it. We treated it like the Jan. 1 New Year and celebrating it in Binondo makes it more special. It was my first time in Binondo during this celebration and I avoided it in the past because I don't know what to do in Binondo or what to expect. There is that occasional fear of pick pockets and feeling of being an outsider trying-hard-to-celebrate-the-New-Year that prevented me from experiencing the Binondo Chinese New Year!

We had fun chasing the dragons/lions all around China Town. The photo opportunity is quite different because there is no organized schedules and the happenings are organized by the shop owners. What happens is, each store prepares something for the lions --- it could be candies or lucky coins to eat and sometimes beer to drink. They court the lions to dance and bring good luck to the store. The end of the dance is usually culminated by fireworks. Before the lion leaves, they get the angpao containing cash usually hooked high above the store's entrance. It is quite an experience to see these dragons and lions do this ritual all over China Town.

Tips in celebrating Chinese New Year in Binondo. (I'm putting this as a mental note for next year)

1. Bring Ear Plugs! The fireworks are so loud that it can damage your ear drums specially if you are near taking the photos.
2. Follow the dragons/lions. There is no set schedule on when the dragons/lions appear so the best way to find out is to follow the group of dragons/lions.
3. 10am and 4pm festivities on the eve of Chinese New Year. Usually most of the lions appear during this time. I'm glad that this year's CNY falls on a saturday.
4. Go on a Food Trip. You should bring someone with you who would know where to eat in Binondo. After joining Ivan's Big Binondo Food Wok, somehow I can say that I know my way around Binondo's culinary secrets.
5. Celebrate it with friends and family. Binondo will remain a mystery to most of us and it is quite an experience to explore it with family and friends. I'll try to organize something next year.

It was nice bumping into Sidney of Sari Sari Store, Ivan Henares of IvanAboutTown, and SenorEnrique of WishYouWereHere. Check out their post on the Chinese New Year @ Binondo: