UST Under Flood Waters

Just implemented the BusinessWorld Student Forum at the Pontifical and Royal University of the Philippines last Monday, September 26, at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center auditorium. It was a big success, having been graced by four of the big names in Philippines media who are Thomasians as well (will post a more detailed blog entry on the event next week).

It was already raining hard last Monday due to tropical storm Pedring so my team was not able to tour around the campus and they just saw the big U-S-T letters from afar, on board our van. Below is my photo that was taken during one of my visits there to meet with the Office of Public Affairs for the student forum.

While browsing through Facebook today, I found this disturbing photo of the same U-S-T letters submerged in flood water because of Pedring. Even as a student back in college, I knew that the university was prone to flooding but did not expect the waters to reach so high, almost making the "U" disappear from view. Comparing from the photo above, the water level is approximately the same height as I am at 5'5".

Arriving exactly one year after Ondoy devastated the country, Pedring caused quite a stir as it flooded Roxas Boulevard, Quirino and Buendia (areas around where I live), submerging the US Embassy and Sofitel Philippine Plaza in deep flood waters. Provincial areas were also affected and death toll climbed to 19 (according to ABS-CBN online as of 2:04 pm today) while 35 people are still missing. Reports say that Pedring is leaving the Philippine area of responsibility but that another tropical storm, Quiel, is arriving within 24 hours. I hope it won't do as much damage as Pedring so that people and local government from badly affected areas can fox whatever they need to fix and recover what they can of their belongings.

Because Thomasians have great faith in God, we still see the beauty behind every unfortunate event. Just like this photo above entitled "Swamped Tranquility" showing UST's Plaza Benavidez and the Main Building during the flood.

Photo Credits:

U-S-T letters from Gian Carlo Timbang

as posted in the FB group UST CFAD Advertising

"Swamped Tranquility" from Christian de Leon

as posted in the FB Fan Page of University of Santo Tomas

Filed under SIGHTS

City of Lights

Been frequenting Eastwood City since last year and I saw the cluster of buildings featured here while it was still under construction Just recently, I went back and was amazed to find this colorfully lighted structure. This is located behind the newer Eastwood Mall, on the park where the dancing fountain is situated.

The lights change colors every 5 seconds and is a delight to watch while strolling in the Eastwood Mall park or while seated in one of the benches, under the stars, and feeling the cool night breeze.

Filed under SIGHTS

BusinessWorld Student Forum Goes to UST

Running five (5) series of events, BusinessWorld added another series in 2009, this time creating the BusinessWorld Student Forum Series which targets graduating college students. The Student Forum does roadshows to different colleges and universities and brings the authorities and experts of the topic/s that the school organization and administration chooses for its students. This is BusinessWorld's way of reaching out to the younger generation and future business leaders.

On September 26, the BusinessWorld Student Forum goes to my Alma Mater, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in support of and as part of its Quadricentennial Celebrations (UST 400). In coordination with the Office for Student Affairs, the forum will focus on "400 Years of Nation Building through Responsible Thomasian Journalism" and will feature Thomasians who made it in the field of print journalism, broadcasting and film, namely Mr. Jim Libiran, known filmmaker and former journalist; Mr. Cesar Apolinario, GMA reporter, director and documentarist; Ms. Glenda Gloria, Newsbreak Executive Director; and Mr. Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN Vice President for Corporate Communications. The forum will be moderated by Felipe Salvosa II, BusinessWorld Research Head and UST professor.

Subsribe to the BusinessWorld Student Forum Facebook Page or to this blog for updates on the roadshows for SY 2011-2012.

Filed under EVENTS

HerWord.com 10th Anniversary Fair

HerWord.com is turning 10 this year!

BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation's online community for women (http://www.herword.com) started in 2001 as a website aiming to provide everything that a woman would want and need. Herword.com brings to its pages various points of interest -- career, money matters, leisure, health concerns, legal rights, recipes and products -- for women always on the go, be it in the boardroom, classroom or household.

Join HerWord.com as it celebrates this momentous occasion by a special 10th Anniversary Fair happening on November 30 at the Eastwood Mall Central Plaza. Envisioned to be a "Day of Treats" for women, Herword will bring to life its various sections -- Pantry, Her-o-scope, Tester, gallery, Healthdesk, Her Rights, Her Money and Unwind -- through a full day of talks, activities and bazaar shopping.

We invite you to come and join us for a day of bonding with your family and friends.

We are also inviting companies and bazaaristas (with products and services for women) to join the event as a sponsor, an exhibitor or a partner! For more details, please contact 5359923, 5359901 local 706 to 710 or email marcom@bworld.com.ph.

For Herword Fair updates, keep posted to HerWord.com by registering online and subscribing for free at http://www.herword.com/site/main.php?id=Join.

You may also follow this blog for updates and promos:

1) by "liking" My Happy Realm's Facebook Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Happy-Realm/162903540457269);

2) by subscribing to My Happy Realm through Networked Blogs (http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Happy-Realm/162903540457269?sk=app_9953271133);

3) by following My Happy Realm in Twitter (@MyHappyRealm).

Filed under EVENTS

A Taste of India

The world seems to be getting smaller and smaller because of technology and the easy, more affordable means to travel. We can go to far away places and get to taste the various culture that the world has to offer. I, for one, love to travel to see famous landmarks, unique places and sights, to shop and also to eat. But alas, I've not had the opportunity to visit India just yet but this Indian gastronomic experience at Century Park surely gave me a taste of authentic Indian cuisine.

As I entered Cafe Park, the center buffet set-up with a huge golden statue as centerpiece immediately caught my eye. It is surrounded by serving dishes of colorful and aromatic kitchen creations that seemed to call out to me and say, "Try me." I had to encircle the buffet thrice to be able to decide which food to try first.

Being a traditional diner, I got a cup of Dal Shorba or thin lentil soup. The light yellow liquid with few lentil bits is not spicy not salty and has the faintest aroma and flavor of curry, much like watered-down curry sauce.

Dal Shorba or thin lentil soup

Next, I tried the appetizers, although I'm not sure if all of the offered appetizers are of Indian origin and how I wished they all had name markers for identification. As you can see here in the photos, there were sliced cold cuts made from turkey and pork, and seafood. The Indian Food Festival also offered a lot of vegetable based dishes like eggplants, chick peas, and potatoes, among others.

An array of cold cuts on platters and

seafood -- prawns and oysters, and

sweet-spicy anchovies (dilis)

Dishes made from eggplants; potatoes and

garbanzo beans; and pickling spices

and cottage cheese

Salted duck eggs salad; assorted breads;

and spicy baby octopus

Appetizers alone will suffice for a full meal but I felt I must try the main dishes so as not to waste the festival invitation. The next featured foods are heavy on sauces infused with various Indian spices and/or coconut milk, such as the Prawn Malai Curry or prawns cooked in coconut milk with curry. The prawns are well prepared, skin off with the tail intact, and well cooked. The sauce it is submerged in on the chafing dish is creamy and mildly spiced, just enough to add dimension to the seafood taste. Thumbs up for this delicious creations -- I ended up eating several prawns.

Prawn Malai Curry

For the meat lovers, a must try is the Rogan Josh or lamb in spiced cream sauce. The red color is characteristic to this dish and is achieved by using kashmiri mirch or "peppers from Kashmir" -- mildly hot compared to other Indian peppers. This dish is usually eaten with leven bread or rice.

Rogan Josh or lamb in spiced cream sauce

If you want a less sinful but equally flavorful dish, get the simple named Buttered Chicken or chicken in buttery tomato rich gravy. This is also a heavy dish that goes perfectly with plain steamed rice, plenty of which you'll be needing to offset the strong spicy flavor and aroma.

Buttered Chicken or chicken in buttery tomato rich gravy

There are still more dishes in the buffet spread but I no longer have room in my tummy so I skipped and went straight for dessert. I need the soothing sweet and milky desserts to fight the fire (spice) building up in my mouth and throat. I picked just three which suited my palate: the Hahi Tukda or indian bread pudding; the Anannas Ka Halwa or pineapple sweet confection; and the Makai Ki Kheer or sweet corn pudding.

Hahi Tukda or Indian bread pudding

Anannas Ka Halwa or pineapple sweet confection

Makai Ki Kheer or sweet corn pudding

Ongoing at Cafe at the Park from September 15 until 24, the Indian Food Festival aims to promote world Indian culture and cuisine, to inspire travel, strengthen cultural relations to guests and patrons. Get ready to spice up and sample Indian delicacies prepared by Chef Ashish Sanyal and Chef Jagdish, fused by traditional Indian spices and flavors.

The festival is a joint offering of Century Park Hotel with Asia's first airline, Philippine Airlines and TajSATS, the leader in airline catering services in Asia. The hotel will raffle off two (2) roundtrip tickets New Delhi, India-Manila courtesy of PAL, plus hotel GCs and Heelz Hobbo gift voucher.

The Cafe in the park is open daily from 5:30 am until 1:00 am and also offers extensive a la carte menu and daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. For inquiries and reservations, you may call (632) 5285827 and (632) 5285829 or email foodbev@centurypark.com.ph.

Filed under FLAVORS

UST sa BSP: An Exhibit

Being a UST Fine Arts graduate, this news is something close to my heart and I would like to share this with you. As UST celebrates its 400th year this 2011, this is another one of my Alma Mater's special events highlighting the Thomasian talents.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila presents UST sa BSP: Selections from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Collection of Thomasian Alumni Artists at the Upper Galleries.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, since its existence as the Central Bank of the Philippines, has collected paintings. The first accessions of major works by contemporary artists were made in 1971. In the 1980s, the scope of the collection was expanded “to the origins of Philippine paintings,” resulting, in the words of art critic Emmanuel S. Torres, “in the most encyclopedic public collection of visual arts.”

In the course of this mindful collecting and conserving of Philippine visual arts, paintings by mentors and students from the University of Santo Tomas joined the inventory of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Art Collection. Through time, these teachers and pupils have achieved admirably in their chosen art forms, and three of them, notably, have been conferred the rank of National Artist: Ang Kiukok, Victorio Edades and J. Elizalde Navarro. Many other Thomasians have become leading lights in the field of visual arts.

Selected works from some of these Thomasian artists are on view in UST SA BSP, an exhibition organized and realized as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s gesture of partaking in the celebration of the quadricentennial of the University of Santo Tomas this year.

UST sa BSP: Selections from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Collection of Thomasian Alumni Artists runs until September 30, 2011. For details, please call 523-0613 or 523-7855, or email info@metmuseum.ph.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Museum hours are from 9am – 6pm, Monday to Saturday; closed on Sundays, first Mondays of the month and on holidays.

For inquiries about this press release, please call Fralynn Manalo at 523-0613, 521-1517, or email fralynnmanalo@metmuseum.ph.

Filed under SHOWS

Shamcey's Tsunami Walk

I don't monitor every beauty pageant, whether local or international, except for the Miss Universe pageant due to a habit, or shall I say tradition, that was formed back in high school. For those who don't remember, the Miss Universe pageant happens every summer (here in the Philippines at least) on the merry month of May. Back in those days, my best friend and I would go to the CCP complex to do some running and biking from 6 to 8 am. We girls then hurry back to either my house or her house to watch the live telecast of Miss Universe together. Sometimes the pageant happens exactly on my bff's birthday so it was doubly fun. Now that she lives in another country, I still monitor the live telecast wherever I am and try to watch the replay in the evening.

2011 Miss Universe 3rd Runner-up Shamcey Supsup

On the day of the 2011 Ms. Universe pageant, I was attending a business conference. While listening to the top calibre speakers in the event, I was monitoring the Miss Universe pageant as it progress to various levels. Thank goodness for Twitter where almost everybody was twitting updates from the pageant happening in Brazil. Things started to get exciting as Shamcey was called the Top 16, then Top 10, then Top 5.

Everyone was so focused on Miss Philippines especially during the Q&A portion where Shamcey was asked this question by Vivica Fox, "Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person that you love? Why or why not?" Shamcey answered, "If I had to change my religious beliefs, I will not marry the person that I love because the first person that I love is God, who created me. And I have my faith, my principles, and this is what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too." without even batting an eyelash and without the need for an interpreter. Hello! English is a universal language and it has been the universal language for ages now -- so why can't the other contestants learn it before they start representing their countries in an international pageant? Please don't get me wrong, I'm just asking.

2011 Miss Universe winners (l-r) Miss Ukraine, 1st Runner-up;

Miss Philippines, 3rd Runner-up; Miss China, 4th Runner-up;

Miss Brazel, 2nd Runner-up; and Miss Angola, Miss Universe 2011.

Anyway, the point of this blog entry is the now famous "tsunami walk" of Shamcey Supsup. It was said that Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up was told by her Columbian trainer “O, Ms. Philippines you walk like a tsunami” as her hips sway when she does a catwalk. Bb. Pilipinas Universe and personality development instructor Abbygale Arenas de Leon affirmed that Shamcey's Tsunami Walk is a “unique catwalk skill,” a talent that, according to her, enables Shamcey to “detach” her hips from her body, creating a sort of wavy sway. Below is a video I borrowed from YouTube, showing Miss Universe third runner-up Shamcey Supsup's Tsunami Walk.

Video of Shamcey Supsup's Tsunami Walk

Congratulations to Shamcey for placing in the prestigious Miss Universe 2011 pageant. You made Philippines proud and you have inspired us Filipinas with your beauty, brains, wit and grace.

Photo from http://www.philippinenewsdaily.com

Video from http://www.youtube.com/user/ohmrey

Filed under SIGHTS

American Idol Live Tour in Manila

American Idol Season 10 finalists and winners are on tour and all of the 11 finalists are here in Manila, having arrived early this Saturday morning, just a few hours before the press conference at the Manila Hotel. It was a hot day and I braved traffic just so I can see them in person, among them grand winner Scotty McCreery, Filipina Thia Megia and my bet James Durbin (did any of you catch my twit about James?). Usually, only the top 10 go on tour but there are 11 talents due to a save by judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez.

Scotty McCreery and Thia Megia

Stefano Langone and Haley Reinhart

I arrived at the venue in the nick of time as they were being introduced one by one. As they answer questions from the press and guests, I felt that all of them are really passionate about music and that they all have worked really hard to get where they are today. Pia Toscano, for one, shared that she was rejected a lot of times in other auditions, including American Idol season 9 but that didn't stop her to improve and try again for season 10.

Jacob Lusk and Naima Adedapo

James Durbin and Casey Abrams

When asked about what advice they can give to young and aspiring singers and musicians, they were unanimous in saying not to ever give up and never let other people take away the dream. At which point rocker James Durbin bursts into a song, "Don't stop...believing..." with his trademark powerful voice.

Paul McDonald, Lauren Alaina and Pia Toscano

ON VIDEO: When asked about how she feels whenever she is being compared with another Filipino talent, Charice Pempengco, Thia smiled and was gracious in saying that,"...Charice and I are very different artists but she does inspire me." Sorry for the super short clip, was staring at James Durbin almost the whole time that this was the only video I took.

Video

Catch Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, James Durbin, Jacob Lusk, Casey Abrams, Stefano Langone, Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano, Naima Adedapo, and Thia Megia on various mall shows for some meet and greet:

After that, they take the stage for the first time in Asia for a two-night concert at the Smart Araneta COliseum on September 20 and 21, 8 pm. Expect a powercast show as the idols perform on one stage, covering a wide range of music genres -- country, pop, jazz and rock -- with duets and medley's of today's hits plus originals from their individual solo projects.

American Idol Live Tour 2011 press conference

I've been following American Idol since the time two Filipinas joined and placed in the widely watched singing talent show -- AI season 3 third placer Jasmine Trias and finalist Camille Velasco. Admittedly, I found the auditions fun and thrilling as I made fearless predictions on who will make the cut. Since then, more Filipinos took the chance to join and made it until semi-finals -- AI season 7 finalist Ramiele Malubay; season 8 gold ticket recipient Jenesis Samoranos who didn't make it through Hollywood week; season 10 semi-finalist Clint Jun Gamboa and finalist Thia Megia. If I missed some more from the other seasons, please let me know.

Filed under SHOWS

Casa Verde: A Homey Place to Dine In

Planning a trip to Cebu anytime soon and wanted to know where's a good place to eat? Most likely, people who know would recommend Casa Verde. No, it is not a vegetarian restaurant as the name suggests -- Casa Verde is Spanish for 'Green House'. Rather it is like the local version of TGI Friday's when it comes to the homey ambiance and interior decorations, plus the country cuisine line-up and serving size. The best thing about it though is the affordable price of all the sumptuous meals.

Casa Verde exteriors at the Ayala Center Cebu.

The interiors with red bricks and dark wood furnitures.

I have been to Casa Verde twice last year for my two latest trips to the 'Queen City of the South' and everytime it never failed to amaze me that this restaurant can really offer great food at such a low price. So am sharing a few shots and notes on what you can try, if and when you visit the place.

Fried Cheese

For starters, there's Fried Cheese (P110) just because I love cheese! Each roll is perfectly coated and seasoned, and fried to golden perfection. As you take a bite, once past the crunchy outer layer, the cheese inside is soft and flavorful. Mmmm...I could nibble on these all day, with or without the marinara sauce.

Ultimate Blazing Nachos

Another favorite of mine is the Ultimate Blazing Nachos (P188) and was I surprised to see the dish when it arrived at our table. The serving was huge, overflowing with crisp white corn tortilla chips, and it was good enough for four people to share. The toppings of meat sauce, tomatoes, onions and cheese were spicy because of the sliced jalapeno peppers but the creamy, semi-sweet buttermilk scoop on top helped reduce the spice a bit. I enjoyed eating this dish as it tasted different from other nachos I've tried.

Tingting's Tavern Shrimp

Tingting's Tavern Shrimps (P168) is a must-try for shrimp lovers. The delicious butterflied shrimps, lightly crusted in oriental breadcrumbs, are fried until golden and crunchy. One order is good for two and is served with their own tartar sauce on a bed of harvest rice. This is one comforting dish that will make you wanna come back for more.

Grilled Chicken Raffitas

Raffitas (P150) are fajitas served with warm tortilla, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. This one is like a assemble-your-own wrapwich with grilled beef, shrimp and chicken fillings to choose from.

Brian's Ribs

For the heavy eater, I recommend Brian's Ribs, Casa Verde's best seller baked pork ribs with sweet tangy piquet sauce served with rice and corn & carrots. The tender pork ribs is really a steal for its price (P198). The served portion is the size of regular notebook (yes, that big!) and can be shared by up to 3-4 people.

Classic Watermelon Shake

Classic Watermelon Shake is refreshingly good and helped clean my palate after trying each dish that we ordered. The Classic Chocolate Shake, on the other hand, is a sweet-tooth's temptation. Can you believe that these shakes served in tall glasses are way too good for their price (P90 each)?

Classic Chocolate Shake

Casa Verde has more good offerings that must be tried. Will surely go back whenever I get the chance to fly to Cebu again. For now, I highly recommend this restaurant to my friends so that they may get to try the wonderful dining experience I had. At Casa Verde, dine like a king yet spend like a peasant.

Filed under FLAVORS

My SHIRT Story

How my simple aspiration became someone's inspiration.

I've been drawing ever since I can remember: started at the age of 3 or 4 and joined my first art contest and won it at the age of 5. Since then, I've set my mind on taking up fine arts in college but while working my way through grade school, I became active in art contests in and out of school.

Most memorable were winning the VITA (famous soy-based drink in the 80s) drawing contest at the age of 8 (as representative of Stella Maris College) and was interviewed on TV at The Children's Hour show hosted by June Keithley (wife to broadcaster Angelo Castro and mother to former teen actor Diego Castro) and winning the Easter Sunday art contest at the former Philippine Plaza hotel (now known as Sofitel) and using the prize gift certificate for my first taste of hotel dining. In school, I also became a young entrepreneur and started selling my drawings (of various anime and super hero characters) to classmates.

My Shirt.

Then one day, while shopping with mom at a bazaar, I found this gray shirt with royal blue piping bearing the word 'ARTISTIC' smack in the center. Hey! Is this serendipity or what? So I grabbed it from the clothes rack and asked my mom to buy it for me. I wore it to school programs, especially on Career Week, and also on weekends when we go to church and then to the mall. I felt so good wearing it, proud even, as the shirt "announced" to everyone that I am 'artistic.'

The framed magazine feature and my 'ARTISTIC' shirt.

Then came the opportunity for more "public exposure" when I was tapped to be featured on the "Junior MOD" section of then famous women's magazine MOD at the age of 12. I was asked to prepare several outfits for the pictorial but I really chose to wear my fave 'artistic' shirt over a crisp white polo shirt and jeans. I don't have the actual photo taken by the magazine photographer but I was able to save the actual magazine page, which is proudly display at home in a simple frame.

Apart from my artistic ventures, I was a diligent honor student who tried to be every one's friend. I really didn't think that my creativity made a huge impact in school apart from being in charge of classroom and stage decorations, and winning art contests. This continued well into college where I took fine arts and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, major in Advertising Arts. I started my career as a graphic artist but climbed my way up into the world of marketing communications. Nowadays, I no longer do the creative stuff for work but in my personal time, I use my artistic juices in creating fashion accessories that I sell online and in bazaars.

It was only recently, maybe a year ago, when I joined some former high school classmates for dinner and found out that my artistry made a real impact to one of them. She told me that I inspired her to be more creative and she even chose to become a graphic artist herself. That revelation just blew me away. I mean, I am just a simple person compared to others, and yet I was able to inspire another person in my own little way.

Me and my souvenirs from a not-so distant past.

When I learned about the MY SHIRT STORY blogging contest, only one shirt popped out of my mind -- the only one I've kept all these years even if I couldn't wear it anymore -- my 'ARTISTIC' shirt. I love this shirt! Now I want someone else to love it, too! I support the Electrolux Wash-athon Clothes Donation Advocacy.