Manila Post-Ondoy Day 1

I have put on hold some festive posts which I intended to upload last weekend in deference to the plight of friends and their families who have lost people they loved and/or property acquired through years of hard work.

All areas of Manila were affected, from the virtual sinkhole of Marikina and Pasig, to the university area of Taft --- even the Central Business District's underground tunnels were filled with water all the way to the top of the escalators. Some people living in the comforts of gated posh and premiere communities had to leave everything behind to float in waist-deep murky water.

The effects of Ondoy have been most horrific and will definitely serve as an unforgettable reminder for all of us to take heed of Nature's wailing and wrath.

My friends and I were one of those desperately asking to search for a colleague and good friend all night when we couldn't get in touch with him throughout the weekend.  Knowing he was living in Antipolo across the submerged Marcos Hi-way, friends on Facebook re-posted the message about our search while his good buddy gave a shout-out on DZMM radio requesting information of his safety. After reviving his SIM card, I finally got through this morning as he recounted how he moved his truck, his beloved dogs and a few shirts to higher ground in Kingsville where a compassionate neighbor took him and his pets in. He said everything else he owned was left floating in shoulder-deep water and mud.

At this point, I have one more friend unaccounted for and I am hoping it is just a matter of a depleted phone battery.

We are grateful for the miracle of sheer safety and we pray for an extraordinary recovery for us all.

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Help Ondoy Victims Now

I would like to offer my prayers to all my countrymen who have lost all their possessions in this tragic weather. The volume of rainfall accumulated in just 3 days is equivalent to a month's worth of precipitation.

To all my friends whose family has been displaced, rendered helpless on rooftops or stuck in attics waiting for assistance, I pray for speedy rescue and recovery.

God bless the people who help others and keep all lives safe.

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Tasting "The Flavors Of Spain 2009" (Part 1)

Spain shall always have an effortless and indelible presence in our culture, having found a home in the Philippines for over 400 years. "The Flavors of Spain 2009" held on September 24 celebrated a relationship that tells of a rich history with a burst of colors, gastronomic delights, and passion for music and dance.

The menu consisted of traditional Paella Valenciana,

Seared Tuna Sobrasada with Quail Eggs,

Spanish Cold Cuts, Jamon Serrano and Cheese,

Stuffed Mussels,

Black Shrimp Tempura, which I assume is made of batter mixed with squid ink (a la En Su Tinta),

Chicken Stew with Olives,

Gazpacho, a traditional Spanish soup made of pureed tomatoes blended and peppers,

and Jamon Iberico.

Chef Mikkel Arruiz, Executive Chef for Club Punta Fuego, explained the intricate process behind fine Iberico ham.

From its choice season, the feeds to the duration of curing, these are but a few reasons that make Jamon Iberico a delicacy reserved for very special occasions.

"The Flavors of Spain 2009", a gathering of diplomats, foreign dignitaries and friends from media, was hosted by Oficina Economica Y Comercial De La Embajada De Espana En Filipinas, Fuego Hotels and ICEX.

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A Book On The (He)Art Of Federico Aguilar Alcuaz

When I was a child, I remember having dessert at a lobby as an orchestra performed a repertoire of classical music from the hotel balcony. There was, however, this one stray melody that caught my musical ear, as it hovered distinctly in the air.  It was piercing but muffled, yet the notes precise and accurate, in sync as it accompanied the live orchestration. I craned my head restlessly from my seat just to scan the area and figure out if I was imagining that sound or not.  Then, I saw the answer to my question.  There sat a man on a padded armchair, with eyes closed, smiling to himself as he pressed the small keys of an 80’s-type hand-held Casio organ.

It was only when I read “Federico Aguilar Alcuaz” by Jack Teotico that I realized that the man I watched curiously many years ago, mesmerized in his own music, was the artist himself.

The book generously and proudly displays 54 pages of intense work made of fluid strokes and bold colors that were conceived by a true genius --- products of an illustrious calling that has brought pride to the Philippines and has earned the artist worldwide recognition and prestigious merits.  

With his mighty pen, Teotico paints the romantic in Alcuaz as the man who was taken by the substantial mind of a German beauty named Ute Gisela Schmitz --- the renaissance woman in his life who has rallied behind him as his wife for 49 years now.  The author also clearly illustrates a succinct timeline of the artist: from Alcuaz’s talented musical roots stemming from his family’s creative genes combined with the artist’s childhood passion for sketching and how this fervor blossomed into an illustrious career that was cultivated in different European corners of Spain, Portugal, Germany, Prague, France and his homeland, the Philippines.    
 

The author in Teotico verbally sketches a playful and human side to this distinguished gentleman:  an oblivious hotel guest walking past Alcuaz might be lucky enough to experience peanut sachets whizzing by his face randomly thrown by the renowned artist.  Fortunate ladies discreetly airing their feet can also claim to have the sweetest soles in town as the prankster, otherwise known as Federico Alcuaz, delights in drizzling sugar into their shoes.   

The intense painter very briefly engaged the crowd that welcomed him the night this book was launched at Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street, but chose immediately to depart from the revelry that celebrated his 55-year career in exchange for some space and quiet unto himself.   

Let the air be his canvass.  Without a brush, he continues to color this world and paints an orchestration of notes with a simple Casio organ.  

Maybe it’s about time the world allows Federico Alcuaz to simply venture back into his inner respite and lose himself in the stream of childhood melodies which unceasingly course through the deepest memories of his heart.  
 

 March 13, 2008, www.ClickTheCity.com

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Experimenting With Kuay Tiaw Gai: Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

 I've been wanting to experiment with Thai dishes, thanks to the cookbook Jane gave me two Christmases ago. As I rushed to the grocery today, I grabbed the book in haste and studied the recipes on the road (I wasn't driving, of course). Here's what I decided to try at home:

Kuay Tiaw Gai (Thai Chicken Noodle Soup)

First prepare the stock:

Simmer the following ingredients in a pot for a full hour:

1 1/2 liters water
1/2 k. chicken (I used the bony parts for a nice, flavorful  broth)
1 red onion, sliced
3 full stalks of green onions
2 inch piece of grated ginger
5 pcs of dried Thai basil leaves (the grocery didn't have fresh ones)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cinnamon stick
ground pepper

When the stock is done, remove the chicken and soggy onions from the pot.  Shred the meat, return it to the stock, and incorporate 2 tbsps of fish sauce and 2 sprigs of coriander leaves.  Before adding the fish sauce, please taste the stock first so that you're sure it won't be excruciatingly salty.

Next, boil 250g of dried stick noodles (kway teow) in a separate pot for 3 minutes (read the instructions on the packaging to make sure!).  Drain the noodles and rinse.

Place the noodles in the bowl of soup.  Finally, add some basil leaves or serve on the side, along with blanched bean sprouts and a wedge of lime (or lemon).

We enjoyed tonight's experiment with a serving of Tori No Karaage (Chicken Karaage).

Cheers!

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The Green People's Convention

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Creatures Along The Way

After catching up with a good friend (and former boss) over lunch, I decided to swing by the art gallery next door to visit my old pottery studio. 

Wonderfully enough, I was greeted by these haunting and breath-taking wood sculptures on a very warm afternoon one day earlier than the launch.

Each piece embodies character, like a spirit standing on a bridge crossing over to something  beyond what is human and tangible.

 

Earthly and colorful, every bird is a delicate creation perched on pedestals as if waiting to take flight as its humanized face smiles serenely.

While the animals appear to be full of life, those of the humans are empty, staring sockets of what used to be eyes.

Standing proud are the elements of "Aniwaas", an exhibit that runs until September 20 at Art Informal.

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A Book For Those Who Dilly-Dally A Creative Life

This is one book all procrastinators should have.

It's a fully illustrated compilation of mocking reminders for those with endless alibis for putting a creative and enjoyable life on hold.

With one illustrated wit per page written by Julia Cameron (the author of "The Artist's Way"), it makes for a quick and highly amusing, if not sardonic, read.  It might hit home,so brace yourself for things that might sound awfully familiar :-)

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Generation G!

The Philippine's first sustainable and green lifestyle magazine

was successfully launched today.

Gen G

Generation G!

G for gratitude.

G for great.

G for giving.

Live Good. Live Green.

It's about time.

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A Loaf Of Bread, A Container Of Milk And A Stick Of Butter

Thinking about food in Sesame Street.

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