Sunday, October 28, 2012

Backpacker Travels Around the Philippines in 100 Days

Last July I had the opportunity to interview a blogger and backpacker who recently completed his epic journey around the country in 100 days on a shoestring budget.

Learn more about his adventures and travel tips for backpackers out there who are looking for off-the-beaten destinations for the ultimate travel experience in the article "Around PH in 100 Days"   published in Manila Bulletin on October 28, 2012.


Image taken from the published article in Manila Bulletin



Thursday, October 18, 2012

Hot Off The Grill: Latin American Street Food Sizzles at "Brasas"

( The following post, originally entitled "A Taste of Latin American Street Life and Culture," has been  published in Manila Bulletin on Nov. 1, 2012. )



Imagine yourself dining in the streets of Havana, Bogota, Lima, Medellin, and Santiago. Walk into a magical realm of the senses as you savor all the flavors, music, and culture of South America, then finally utter these words in amazement: “Delicioso! Apetitoso! Agradable!”

These are some of the impressions stirred in my imagination upon looking at the graffiti-inspired interiors of a new and flaming hot Latin American grill resto called “Brasas.”
 
 
Hand-painted drawings on the wall

The news of the latest and “hottest” grill restaurant in town has spread like wildfire (just like the red hot flames in its logo) as it opened recently at the Podium in Ortigas Center. “Brasas” specializes in Latin American street food, by far the only one of its kind in this part of the city.

We wanted a place where people could enjoy simple, delicious food in a casual, fun setting, so we came up with the idea of street food and quick service,” said Karla Soliman-Licuanan, Marketing Director of Brasas.
 
 
A casual and cozy ambiance
 
Brasas” got its name from the Spanish word that means “flaming hot coals,” over which most of its meals are grilled to perfection. Inspired by the ubiquitous street food in Colombia (as can be seen from a drawing on the wall showing a man fanning flames over a grill), the typical “Brasas” menu consists of picadas (appetizers), salads, soup, sandwiches, and of course the “Brasas” main course: the Latin classics, grilled wraps, and rice platters.
 



Latin American grilled classics
Our menu is really crafted around Carne Asada - a popular Latin American street dish. Our version features thinly sliced meat (your choice of beef, chicken or pork) marinated in lime, cilantro and spices, charcoal grilled and serves as the main ingredient of our key offerings of grilled wraps, rice platters and salads, “ Soliman-Licuanan added.


According to Brasas' Colombian head chef Nathaly Montoya, Brasas is the perfect place, a “parche,” ( a slang term which means a cool and trendy place) for those grilled-food lovers who have a penchant for not so spicy but rich flavors which characterize the classic Latin American cuisine.


Brasas pulled pork sandwich

The traditional Latin American food is very rich in flavors. The pleasant smell and taste of herbs such as origano, thyme, lime, and cilantro are always present in every Latin American dish,” Montoya said.
 
 
Colombian head chef in the kitchen
 

Among these traditional dishes from the Hispanic world served hot off the Brasas grill are the Pastel de Choclo from Chile, a kind of beef stew topped with corn; Puerco Asado from Cuba, roasted pork belly with vegetables, rice, and beans; Lomo Saltado from Peru, sauteed sirloin strips with tomatoes, onions, and fries; Patacones from Colombia, crispy plantain (“saba” banana) chips with smoked pulled pork and tomato salsa; Arepas, a typical Colombian pancake made of corn; and the charcoal-grilled meat with patacones, slaw, and yellow rice with Chimichurri sauce from Argentina. For beverages, Guarapo from Colombia tops the list. Guarapo is made from sugarcane juice, muddled mint and lemon.



Chicken rice platter



But not all dishes or drinks at Brasas are classically Latin American. There are fusions of Mexican and Western, such as the grilled wraps consisting of charcol-grilled meat, tortilla, tomato salsa, roasted bellpeppers, and sauteed onions with Chipotle sauce. The Lomo Saltado, although originally from Peru, has Asian flavors such as soy sauce, ginger, and vinegar. “It's very similar to the 'bistek Tagalog' (Filipino beef steak),” Montoya quipped. 
 
 
             Grilled beef wrap


We have experimented on some of our recipes to add a twist and variety to our predominantly Latin American menu. This way, we hope to somehow satisfy every palate, or maybe create a new one,“ Montoya explained.

For instance, since there is no tea in Latin America, Brasas concocts its version of “Latin iced tea,” made from freshly brewed passion fruit, a very common fruit in South America.

Another example of its creative infusion of Hispanic ingredients is “Brasacolada,” a spin-off from pinacolada with mango, strawberry, pineapple, and coconut milk.


Latin American-inspired interiors



Graffiti  on the wall



Aside from its authentic Latin American street food, Brasas also offers a casual and cozy setting perfect for informal yet friendly gatherings. The hand-painted drawings and grafitti on the red and black wall create impressions of a vibrant street scene as well as a carefree and laid-back mood that is so typical of Latin American lifestyle. Spanish slang expressions such as “Q'ubo” (“What's up?”) and “Parche” and welcome greetings such as “Hola!” and “Bienvenido!” inadvertently offer diners a crash course on basic Spanish. So, if Spanish is the lingua franca here at Brasas, then Latina Americana is its comida buena!



Contemporary design



"Hola! Bienvenido!"

And while waiting for my patacones and a cold glass of guarapo to be served, I might as well read a few pages from Gabriel Garcia Marquez' “One Hundred Years of Solitude” right here at Brasas where my romance with the Latin American street culture begins.


_______________________________________________________________

Brasas is located at the 5th level, The Podium, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.





Wednesday, October 17, 2012

On Writing My First Book

The following post was originally published in Manila Bulletin  on its Arts and Culture page dated October 22, 2012. 


How does one leave a lasting legacy? I remember a quote of unknown source that says there are three ways to leave a legacy in the world: 1) by having a child, 2) by planting a tree, and 3) by writing a book.

(Photo credit: thecreativepenn.com)


The first option is out of the question, as I am still single, unless I go looking for a surrogate mother to bear my child. Besides, the chance of getting a psychopathic egg donor scares me out of my wits. The second one, planting a tree, sounds much easier as I have always been an advocate of a greener earth. But I would rather leave that to those with the green thumb. As for me, I have always wanted to write my first book, not so much to leave a legacy as to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a best-selling and award-winning author.


That dream began when my first poems were published in a national magazine a few years after I graduated from the university. I said to myself, if I could write more poems, then perhaps sooner or later I could turn it into a book of poetry.


But even if the first published poems were followed by more published poems in the same magazine, my dream book did not pan out. It seemed God had other plans for my writing career.


In a way, that led to long years of drought and doubt as a writer. I would still write a few poems here and there, but none of them ever saw print nor the light of day. During this time, I focused all my energy on teaching, and as the years wore on I had become so acquainted with this newfound vocation I came to believe that teaching, not writing, was my true calling. I even pursued a teaching career abroad and a postgraduate degree in teaching.


But I had a date with destiny in June of 2009. A colleague of mine at Manila Japanese School asked me if I was interested in writing a Literature textbook for high school. At first I thought she was pulling my leg. But when she showed me her own manuscripts, I began to be fascinated with the idea. It was as if something in me had been reawakened.


After my initial meeting with representatives from Ephesians Publishing, I had nothing on my mind but to begin the enormous task of conceptualizing, planning and organizing the content of an English textbook aimed at private high schools. Together with my co-author and friend, I spent long hours day and night, weekdays and weekends, typing away at my PC like a mad man consumed with a raging passion for words.

Wrting a textbook involves my expertise in both teaching and writing. My postgraduate degree and years of teaching experience have guided me in the pedagogical aspect of the writing process. On the other hand, my love for literature served as a beacon of light, my inspiration in selecting the literary works to be included in the textbook. Hence, the collection was a very personal choice representing the great masters of both western and Asian literatures: Hans Christian Andersen, Walt Whitman, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Guy de Maupassant, Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov as well as Nobel Prize-winning authors such as Rabindranath Tagore and Gabriela Mistral.


The textbook has four major themes: passion for life, living justly with others, man and nature, and globalization. The reading selections were also chosen based on these themes. But the most challenging part was drawing specific lessons and skills from these selections. In fact, even the grammar aspect had to be taken out of the passages. This way, the textbook seeks to provide a holistic and integrated approach to learning language and literary skills.


After three years, the book is finally out and is currently being used in selected private schools nationwide. Entitled Breaking Grounds Through English, it paves the way for new innovations in teaching literature in the classroom.


Many years had slipped by before my dream of writing a book was realized. Although it's not a book of poetry as I had intended my debut book to be. Nor was it published by a leading publishing house in the country. In fact, it did not even have a book launching to formally and officially welcome me into the literary limelight (I must confess I have this guilty pleasure of imagining myself signing my autograph on my book launching!). Just the same, I am grateful that with this book, I am leaving a legacy somehow, in the hope that it will help cultivate in the young and future generation a lifetime passion for reading.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

"Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising": What Filipino Romantic Movies Used To Be



As a child growing up in the 70s, I lived in a household where Filipino films reigned supreme. So early on I developed a deep appreciation for classic Filipino films: from the black-and-white drama/romance movies of LVN (the era of Rogelio de la Rosa and Rosa Rosal) , the sing-and-dance/comedy/fantasy of Sampaguita pictures (the era of Dolphy and Susan Roces), to what is arguably known as the golden age of Philippine cinema-the 70s. This period saw the unraveling of great storytellers such as Eddie Romero, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mario O'hara and Mike de Leon.


Photo Credit: "Kung Mngarap Ka't Magising"
 



One of my all-time favorite Filipino movies is Mike de Leon's "Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising." Filmed in Baguio and Sagada in 1977, it's the coming-of-age story of a young college student, Joey (Christopher de Leon) who has lost all sense of direction and meaning in life, waking up every morning to the same old day that went before: fruitless, senseless, lifeless. He's a carefree kind of guy who just bums around with his friends. The only thing that inspires him is music. The problem is, he has yet to finish writing a song, which turns out to be the movie's theme song, and the theme song of his awakening (hence, it's called "Joey's Theme", one of the reasons why I also love this film!)

Then Joey meets Ana (Hilda Koronel) and she immediately sweeps him off his feet. A very sweet friendship develops between the two. All of a sudden Joey's world is turned upside down, and his mornings are never the same again. It seems he's finally found the inspiration to complete his song.

But the inspiration soon turns into disillusion when he learns that Ana is married and has a child.

Photo Credit: "Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising"


This is one movie I keep falling in love with everytime I see it. Or perhaps, it makes you want to fall in love all over again. For one thing, it's a very light-hearted film that breaks away from the typical mushy and cheesy stuff that Filipino love stories are made of. Mike de Leon brilliantly explores the real world of a down-and-out juvenile and creates a down-to-earth and heartwarming love story void of grand illusions and fantasies. The screenplay, which de Leon co-wrote with Rey Santayana, comes out so refreshing, resonating with the life and promise of youth which is really the central theme of the movie. Add to that the brilliant performances of the two main actors who simply strike magic on screen. Who can ever forget the famous scene where Joey and Ana are walking and smiling in the rain in beautiful Sagada? Up to now, whenever I am in Sagada or see its images, I remember and imagine this scene, reliving the memory of a movie that changed the way I look at romantic Filipino movies.

Watch the film's sweetest and funniest moments in these video clips from Youtube. (The entire film is also available in series or parts on Youtube.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPqKaj420wg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v83FhB7xgB0&feature=relmfu





Monday, October 8, 2012

"Rebecca": Hitchcock's Classic Film Noir Was Ahead Of Its Time

Tonight I was in the mood for a classic suspense thriller (Is it because the Halloween spirit is in the air? ) Anyway, I checked out Alfred Hitchcock's long list of film credits on Youtube. I have already seen some of Hitchcock's masterpieces, including "Vertigo" and "Psycho" countless times, but it was my first time to watch this 1940s Hitchcock film that won the Academy Awards for Best Picture.
(A little trivia: "Rebecca" is the only film in Oscar history that won Best Picture but none in the acting, directing, and writing categories--something that made me really wonder.)




The film, which stars Sir Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine,  begins with a narration from Daphne du Murier's novel of the same title: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

Manderley is the major setting, and symbolism,  of this gothic tale of love haunted by the shadows and secrets of the past. A rich widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier), marries a naive young girl (Joan Fontaine) and settles in Manderley, which houses spirits-dead and alive-that are threatened by the happy marriage. Both the house and the people living in it remain in the shadow of the memory of Mrs. Rebecca de Winter, whose death continues to be felt by the people she left behind.The scenes that follow will take you literally to Manderlay's closets and forbidden rooms full of skeletons and dark secrets.

Quite interestingly, Rebecca's physical image and the name of Joan Fontaine's character are unknown, creating the contrast between the two female characters: Rebecca is a person with a name but without a face, whereas the other has a face but has no name. One is dead, but her memory lingers on, while the other is still living but is almost forgotten.

Here are some of the most powerful and memorable scenes from this vintage Hitchcock classic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md5DtabHoqU&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxO68PacfxE&feature=relmfu


I cannot forget the stern and eerie look on the housekeeper's face (played superbly by Judith Anderson) as the moonlight illuminates it in the dark. Hitchcock, in fact, employs this technique many times throughout the movie, as if carrying a torchlight to probe into the darkness of the human psyche.

Seventy two years later, the film continues to attract and astound thousands of modern viewers (as indicated by the number of views on Youtube). Like the fictitious Manderley, "Rebecca" will continue to haunt us even if it's burnt down to ashes.

Here's to the good old movies that make us continuously marvel at the gift of creative genius in the likes of Alfred Hitchcock.