My Ondoy story

My last recollection of a surging storm passing directly into Metro Manila was Milenyo years ago. Then, there is not much rain but the wind is strong.

Ondoy is pure, non-stop rain from morning to late afternoon. The result? Flooding everywhere. The photo above (taken by an officemate) is the scene from the lobby of our office in Mandaluyong. The water has never reach this far. This is the worst I have seen.

Most of the employees were stranded at the office. Some even stayed overnight there, waiting for the water to subside, and the fact that there are not enough PUVs plying the roads.

My sympathy to those areas badly hit by this tragedy. Some of my officemates were also victims, their houses submerged in deep waters.

I have pack some of my old clothes to give to those in need. My own little of helping my kababayan.

SingTel Grand Prix 2009 is about to start

Let the race begin!

Can’t go to Greece, try spa instead

The entrance is obviously Hellenic. It’s like one of those Greek villas sprouting in some islands in the Aegean Sea. The air is wafting with minty dew. Yes, this is the place for months of hell in corporate world.

I had my reservation online. Gentleman’s package. Swedish full body massage and facial. That’s about two hours all in all.

After I paid at the front desk, I was given my locker number (#1). That’s good, I thought. I am the only client for now. Upon entering the room, I was offered with a ginger tea by the male attendant. I am not a fan of tea, but I have to try it because damn, I paid hefty for the services so might as well say yes to every questions ask! Unbelievable, the ginger is really good! I had one full cup. 

Prior to the massage itself, I had my steam bath. All by myself. Cool, the foggy room is so hot it makes you sweat right away upon entering it. And your skin turns pinkish. After five minutes in there, I had my cold shower to close the pores. 

After the shower, I again had some ginger tea. Second cup. Then, went straight to the massage room. One hour of bliss here. After the massage, I had facial. Theirs is not the prick-that-whiteheads kind of facial. They only apply exfoliants, scrubs, cream, and that’s it. Not invasive at all. But my face is smooth afterwards–same effect, minus the redness from pricking.

Afterwards, I have another cup of ginger tea. Damn, two hours of bliss well spent on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Others watch the Mayweather-Marquez fight. Me, I was in Greece lounging and enjoying myself. I don’t have to go that far, it’s just in The Spa Podium.

PS: My Singapore-based friend is inviting me to another spa moment when she gets home. Excited.

A night with a visiting friend

Several days ago, I mentioned about going out in MESA in Greenbelt 5. I also said that I love their steamed okra. But you do not have the idea how it looks like. Well, go figure. Its above.

After the gustatory delight with friends, we still ask for a light dessert to top it all. We chose their turon with ice cream. I was expecting the usual wrap roll of turon in elongated style, but they present it in a different form. Cool.

Our stomach is already complaining from food and crunches from laughing. After paying the bill, we decided to lounge at Seattle’s Best Coffee to digest the overeating.

I ordered milk-based hot drink. The rest had espresso and tea. Of course, the stories just pops out and we never grew tired of laughing at the same old funny moments from before.

While at it, pictures has to be uploaded right away to Facebook for friends outside the Philippines to see. And envy.

After two hours of lounging at the coffee shop, and because the shop itself is about to close, we call it a day. It was a fine night with friends.

Potro who?

Bloody Gaga

Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards. Radio City Music Hall.

Lost in symbols

Others are enjoying their payday Tuesday. Some are going on with their routine for the day. Me, I just got from Fully Booked Shangrila to claim my reservation of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, which is officially released today worldwide. Pass me that caramel latte, coz I have a date with Robert Langdon tonight.

Sleep alone

According to a new study, sleeping should not be shared. It has to be done alone, in solitary confinement.

“He said the modern tradition of the marital bed only began with the industrial revolution, when people moving to overcrowded towns and cities found themselves short of living space…Before the Victorian era it was not uncommon for married couples to sleep apart. In ancient Rome, the marital bed was a place for sexual congress but not for sleeping.”
Find out more.

Meet Basti

My new nephew.

La Mesa sa Greenbelt 5

Last night, one of our friends who is based in the province is in Manila. Being the dutiful friends that we are, we agreed to meet and catch up with each other. I was assigned to look for a place to eat and lounge around in a good Thursday night.

I decided to settle in Greenbelt 5 area, the new mall within Ayala Center. There are so many strips of good restaurant within the area. But we decided to eat at MESA Filipino Moderne. They offer Pinoy delicacies, which I find good to eat in a lazy night with good friends.

I love their steamed okra with good shrimp paste sauce as partner. I also like their 2 versions of laing, one dried and one with coconut milk. Heaven.

I just have one complaint, though. The service is a little poor. Well, maybe because they have many customers during the time we were there. To think, it was a Thursday.

I will definitely return to try their crispchon. I heard it’s good.