Gerry's Grill now in Tacloban

I got my first taste of Gerry's Grill's smoking menu back in 2001 at the original Tomas Morato branch, a stone's throw away from the ABS-CBN compound, when I was in the middle of my struggles to have a door-opening prefix and all the privileges it entails attached to my name. It was a time of stretched budgets and an an even more stretched schedule of cramming everything I have learned in four years in a five-month time frame.

Going to Gerry's then was a treat my board mates and I gave ourselves after a grueling week of review with our minds demanding a rest from all that legal gobblydegook that was starting to sound like a foreign language. So before any of us suffered a total mental meltdown (of course I exaggerate, no four-letter prefix is worth a visit to the sanitarium, with due apologies for those whose emotional make-up just couldn't take the wringer that is the B__), we decided to give our brains a rest and our mouths and stomachs a respite from the fare at "Lutong Bahay"(that small carenderia in UP Diliman that has customers eating as if they're in an assembly line). The group unanimously chose the restaurant owing to a tidbit we got that its the frequent haunt of ABS-CBN stars, thus, the best place for star-gazing for us probinsyanas. While there were a few howls of protests, the idea of bumping into Jericho Rosales overrode all objections to Gerry's being a bit pricey for our shoestring budgets .


The bar at Gerry's Grill Tacloban branch

Well, we were not disappointed as the guy himself was seated just a few tables from us looking even more cuter than he was on tv. No, of course we didn't fall all over ourselves getting his autograph. We acted like everyone else in the restaurant, real cool, pretending like we didn't know an artista was in our midst, with a few surreptious side glances when we thought knowing was looking. But pretenses aside, the food was great and the sizzling sisig we ordered was worth the dent it made on our relatively shallow pockets then.

So it was with much anticipation that I awaited the opening of this cool grilled place in Tacloban once I got wind of news that a local businessman had gotten a franchise. My friend and I went for dinner on a Wednesday weeks after its soft opening. As if wanting to dash too-high exepctations for a dining place that carried a nationally-known name, notices that went: "this is just our soft-opening, please bear with us as we are still on dry-run" or words to that effect was plastered on all its air-conditioners prompting me to be as gentle as possible in making this post-cum-wannabe restaurant review. Doing so required me to hold my punches, so to speak, on things that didn't quite satisfy me as far as what I would expect a fine-dining haunt should be. Having said that, let me then talk about the good points.

The staff are ever so friendly, smiling and at your beck and call at the snap of a finger. The interiors are well done and in keeping with all Gerry's Grill branches, has a stone and mortar look dominated by the colors orange and red. The comfort rooms are clean and supplied with all the necessary toilet room needs (e.g. toilet paper, hand santizing liquid, air fresheners, etc.). As for the food, all items were reasonably-priced which came as a surprise considering that the place was a franchise. We tried the chopsuey and the sizzling sisig, a star item as far as the Tomas Morato branch was concerned. Well, the fare did not have us singing endless allleluias but it was not so bad either. The vegetables in the chopsuey was cooked just right and the serving was hefty enough for three people to share. It was good enough for, yes, a dry run but still has a lot of catching up to do in order to come at par with its Manila cousin.

The Tomas Morato Gerry's had that hard to define "f" (f as in foodie) factor that makes you want to return and savor more of its food again, and yet again. Up to now when the many choices of places to eat in Manila confounds me, Gerry's is the dependable resto I go to and I never come away disappointed. I actually have a theory of why what works and what makes a foodie haunt click. Taken from a voracious eater's point of view of course and not a chef or cook. Ask my hubby and he will tell you just how good I am in the kitchen, (hahaha, if you have a taste for roasted, a.k.a. burnt, adobo cooked ala carte style). You see, I totally agree that cooking is an art and just like any art takes passion and skill to make one excel at it. You may have everything right, the exact amount of ingredients, fresh and picked straight from the garden, cooking temperatures followed to the letter and a place with an ambiance thats not gonna send Erap saying: "Ambiance, thats very expensive, i haven't ordered any ambiance" yet if the cooking does not come from the heart, it will eventually show and patrons can always tell the subtle difference.

What's my point? The food in GG Tacloban was more than passable but lacked the zing that makes for one unforgettable dining experience. But lets give it time, there's always room for improvement and for the baby that it still is, Gerry's in Tacloban has enough time to find that zing and its heart, foodie heart that is. Last time I checked the place was still on "dry-run" mode and hopefully is in the process of improving its menu. Maybe by the time we come back, Gerry's Grill Tacloban shall have lived up to its name.

waray in the city gets published

As I've said in my other personal blog, the first is always something and it applies to everything, including getting an editor's nod for your article. You see, last night while I was buying my groceries at the local 24/7 shop, I decided to check this month's issue of the magazine to which I submitted a very short piece of mine, its not much, just your average everday musing. I browsed through it and and saw in quite large print my whole name staring back at me in one of the pages. It's not a lengthy article but seeing your byline on a national glossy for the first time drew a quite heady reaction, at least for me (last time I got a written work published, if you call it that, was way back in highschool, when my feature on graffiti got all of a one- fourth's page space in the school paper). My sister who has had her poems published before was quite amused at my really giddy reaction but I say: be it a few paragraphs, one page or ten pages, the first publication of whatever you have written is a cause for celebration. Someone, somewhere who's supposed to be the expert on this magazine thing, decides that your thoughts are worth printing and sharing to their thousands of readers. Of course, the money that you get paid for submitting the article is a much-welcome bonus (Okay, I'll be honest, the moolah was one of the reasons why I sent the piece in the first place). So indulge me dear readers just this once and take my giddiness with a touch of "gee-she's so excited-she-got-published-I understand totally-cause it's her first time" reaction. Gloating, is not my thing really, but then again, its the no. 1 homestyle magazine in the country (wink,wink, wink).

By the way, I won't be telling you where to look cause I still want to maintain my anonymity, but for those who have an eensi weensie idea already of who I am though they are not really sure, the article is the direct evidence that establishes conclusively my identity (hehehe).

A Sala Set on Wheels

Onli in Da Philippines. A catch phrase that applies to many things uniquely Pinoy. Sometimes it's positive, sometimes its on the other end, but most often than not, the words imply a humorous twist on an otherwise ordinary of way of life for the lowly Filipino who tries to keep his head high while keeping his mind, body and pockets above water in the most trying of times. Stated otherwise, onli in da Philippines is the Pinoy's penchant to make do out of a bad situation in his most innovative way.

Take for instance the "sala" set on wheels. As early back as my grade school years, the jeepneys plying out-of-town routes here in Leyte and even in Samar, have those little benches in between seats, all the better to maximize its capacity never mind if its not allowed under our laws. When the barker can no longer say, "Pito-pito han ito, lima pala an sakay didda" (The seats are good for seven, only five so far, still two places left) deftly ignoring that the seven meant seven people of normal sizes, the five includes three obese ones, and that for two to squeeze in they must be of the extremely malnourished types, then out come the little benches for more passengers. The eensie weenie discomforts of public commute, yet one has to sympathize with the jeepney drivers, out of every liter of gasoline, every peso must be squeezed and packing them in even as tightly as sardines is the only answer. I would want to include here a picture of such a jeepney but I'm not ready yet for the curious stares I'm likely to get should I take one during one of my public rides. Hmmm, perhaps I can bribe the hubby with an "in house second honeymoon" (hehehe) for him to take the shot...Fat chance.

The Accidental Mountaineer - My Mt. Danglay Misadventures

I say "Fear Factor" pales in comparison to what I foolishly did half a lifetime ago. I went mountain climbing, me who has had a fear of height since as far back as I can remember. Well, its not really a mountain, but they call it Mt. Danglay for reasons unknown. You can view it from the port in the city, its peak jutting out amongst shorter cousins and is part of Basey, Samar. Its actually a semi, since its more than a hill. Anyway, mountaineering was all the rage then and I still needed some Physical Education units so I signed myself up to an Outdoor-sort of class in the State University's branch here in Tacloban. An option during the class was to go on a real climb somewhere out of town and the place picked was a Mount_____ (name escapes me now) somewhere in Negros Oriental (or is it Occidental?). It wasn't mandatory considering the risk and expenses involved but not knowing what a real climb entailed, I counted myself in. Before we went on the scheduled climb, the group who decided to join went on a practice climb on Mt. Danglay. Guess who was with them? Yap, I was. There were ten of us including our Business Management Professor who was an enthusiast (he once joined a cigarette brand challenge in the United States).

We set off for Danglay early morning by banca (the local canoe) since the San Juanico Bridge was then in a state of repair. We arrived at the foot of the wannabe mountain after a short walk from shore where we embarked. Up we then went carrying with us all the equipment we would need: ropes, lunchboxes and a stick that we used to latch on the ground in order to steady ourselves. We actually had so much fun, the gang being a merry mix of jokers and comedians. Everything went fine for me, no matter how hard, including thrashing and cutting wild grass as we made our own trail to the summit. I was not so conscious then of high we were going up as the initial part of the climb is not that vertical and the grass camouflaged the drop below. Halfway through the top, we stopped for some lunch and had a short rest. I do remember laughing all the time , that's how funny and outgoing my climbmates were. Nothing indicated the fact that soon I would become the punchline once the climb was over. I can smile about it now, but back then, I was so pikon (piqued) hearing the jokes that I even stopped talking to them for almost a semester. But that's me, kinda sensitive at times but mellowed now a bit by the years.

So your wondering now what happened in that climb more than a decade ago? Guess my fear of heights caught up with me and the mountain suddenly took a 90 degree vertical turn. Nearing the summit, we came upon a sheer face of rock that was virtually 90 degrees from where we stood. Almost like a wall. We had to scale it to get to the top, there was no other way. Believe me, if there was I would have found it, I was that desperate not to have to climb that sheer rock. I was third from the last to go, all the girls were already up there, it was just me and our professor left and another classmate. When it was turn, I really panicked, as in the works, I froze and my fingers refused to tug myself up the rope (they called it rappel). What really got it in for me was I cried for my mama, literally. Yup, there i was, dangling in a rope, on a mountain in Samar, just a year short of my twentieth birthday, and bawling myself out. I said, no, I just couldn't do it. Eventually our enterprising professor found a way to get me up there, what that was, i'd rather keep private. Unfortunately for me, the rest of my climbmates were not of the same mindset. They found it worthwhile to tell the rest of the class back in the low and flat land of what happened and for a time I couldn't hear enough of it during classes. Anyhow, soon we got to the peak, and for all our efforts (including my unwilling comedic act), we stayed a mere five minutes. The trip downhill was a lot easier as it was on the other side, and, no, I didn't anymore slip to any crying fits.

Looking back, I said to myself, what actually got into me that I agreed to go on that climb? Facing my fears? Yah, right, like telling a claustrophobe to go try putting himself inside a coffin.
Nonetheless, for all its worth, the experience was still worth it, and despite the punchlines, am quite mighty proud of having done it.

Bahandi Trade Fair 2008

(graphics and layout by Jet Amago)

"Bahandi" means treasure in the Waray-waray dialect and on September 26-30, a fair of Eastern Visayas treasures will be on display at the 2008 Bahandi Trade Fair. This includes the best of food, handicrafts, wooden furniture, bags, accessorie, household items, and eco-tourist spots that the islands of Samar and Leyte has to offer. This is an annual event of the Bahandi Producers Association of Eastern Visayas (BPAEV) with financial and technical assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry, Regional Office VIII, CITEM and OTOP.

I urge those in the area to visit as prices are most reasonable and way below Metro Manila quotations. The hardwood living room sets are bestsellers and a steal if you compare it with high-end shops with quality on a par if not better...And for those who have been following my other blog, http://everythingwaray.blogspot.com/, you can find in this fair the delicacies I've written about such as the pastillas of Mana Lumen; the moron of Abuyog, and the binagol of Dagami. No need to wait for pasalubong from visiting relatives. Catch it while you can, just drop yourself at the Shaw MRT station and take a walk for some good exercise on your way to SM Mega Mall mega trade hall where the fair will be held.

Waray Goes To Manila

NAIA 3

My family and I were gone to Manila for a week. We arrived there on Thursday and the first thing that greeted us was the spanking new Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. Stepping out of the airplane tube and into the airport, it was a far cry from the old Manila Domestic Airport with its outdated equipment and peeling infrastructure. Everything is spic and span with toilets clean and working. The NAIA 3 is modern and its a mostly steel and concrete structure. Here, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) personnel do go by their slogan, "We go the extra SMILE" and are friendly and ready always to assist. At a glance, it is comparable to first world airports that I have seen on movies and the tv. There are walkalators for the weary travelers at certain parts of the quite long hallways. A word of advise for those who would like to save on their travels, the "official" taxis are the yellow ones and are found on the taxi waiting line but if you go a little further away, the ordinary taxis are there which have a cheaper flag down and per kilometer rate.

The only mild irritant of our NAIA 3 experience was the "express" counter of one of the local airlines on our trip back. I had to get our e-tickets which we purchased over the internet and we waited for almost an hour and a half in a line that was barely moving. Luckily, I had already adjusted to Manila timelines determined by the traffic gridlocks and set out for the airport five hours before our departure time so we arrived there with a good two and a half hours before boarding time. Nevertheless, waiting this time was not a chore owing to the good airconditioning system and comforable seats that were all over the place.

The NAIA 3 Departure area with the check in counters in the background

Malls

As soon as we unpacked, off to Trinomal Mall we went as it was the nearest one from where we were staying. It is just off North EDSA and right across SM, however, traffic is quite slow as it is on a busy thoroughfare. It has a well-designed common square with landscaped trees and fountains, a trademark of all Ayala malls. You can find all major brands here including foreign ones like Debenhams and the GAP. At the time of our visit there was a sale for "high-end" names for BPI credit card holders and I got a GAP blouse at 5o% discount. My daughter had much fun on the children's rides located on the uppermost floor and the hubby got the record for the heaviest "smash-on-a-hammer" winning us 10 points. Yup, my better half is on the muscular and biggie side, so people hesitate to mess around with me (hehehe).

Php100 WIFI

As I've said earlier, our trip was mall-filled and the gargantuan Mall of Asia was on our itinerary. We went on a Sunday when traffic was lighter (you would have noticed by now, most of our trips are determined by the heaviness or lightness of the traffic, that's how big it figures there). Well, as they say, it indeed is the biggest in Asia and the boast is not an empty one. We confined ourselves to the North wing as the scooters were only available for the aged and the handicapped. Short of feigning illness, there was no way we could get aboard one to go to the other end and walking was out of the question in a place so big. There were so many people and I guessed it was because they wanted to escape the infernal heat. It was here that we went into a Gloria Jeans coffeeshop that charged Php100/hour for access to its wifi internet connection. A highway robbery considering that its even offered for free in other java joints and its only Php20 per hour in Internet cafes and I rightly told the cashier so. But we had no choice as we had to buy our airline tickets over the Internet. But still, the place had one of the best chillers around, try the vanilla caramel chiller, real yummy.

Traffic, traffic, traffic

Daily sight on Taft Avenue, bumper to bumper traffic

While I have been born, raised, and lived in a city, Tacloban, it is nothing compared to the big metropolis that is Metro Manila. Traffic,while a minor irritation and lasting only for 15 to 30 minutes during rush hours and only on Mondays and Fridays here, in Manila it is a horrendous hours long gridlock that people have to live and contend with daily for the whole of the week. It is such that intineraries have to be carefully planned so that you don't waste the day stuck in traffic. Travel from Quezon City to Makati takes two hours to two hours and a half on rush hours so we skipped the latter. We also always looked for streets that escaped it that one time it got us into trouble. We entered a one way road and got cited for a ticket as my sister's pleadings and feigned tears did not get us off.

Honest taxi drivers, "magulang" taxi drivers

What's the difference between an honest taxi driver and an unscrupolous one? Two hundred pesos. That's the fare gap between the taxi we took upon arriving at the airport that took us to my sister's place and the taxi we rode in to get to the airport on our trip home. It was the same route, same non-rush hours yet the first charged us more than Php400.00 while the latter charged us only Php200.00. The good apples are always thrown in with bad ones and its always the latter that gives all of them a bad name. The hubby gave a generous tip to the honest one and a mean stare for the not-so-honest one.

Fine Food

I've always make it a point when I travel to dine in an establishment that has no franchise in where I live, so on this vacation, we ate at a Chinese restaurant and a Japanese place that had no branch in Tacloban. We tried Super Bowl at Asia Mall, a Chinese restaurant. I liked its eggplant stewed in a secret sauce. Delicious. The lemon chicken, however, was too sweet for my taste. We also ate at Teriyaki Boy, for almost authentic Japanes cuisine. I whined about the small servings and in reply my sister gave me a lesson on Japanese eating culture. That's why they are so slim because eating is an art that is savored not only enjoyed and is done in small morsels, so she said. Well, I still say the price of the maki is too big for three small pieces. Again, sis said its because the ingredients are rare and authentic, thus pricey. As for the sashimi, I still have to acquire a taste for it.

Shopping

If for anything else, it's the shopping choices that's so aplenty in Manila that holds the greatest attraction for me. I had to control my shopping urges or else I would have made me and the hubby incur humongous credit card debts and have us eat bulad (dried fish, a poor man's fare)for the rest of our lives (of course I'm joking) to pay up.

There are so many stores and brands to choose from, from clothes, household items, make-up, food and so much more. I stuck to much budget though, and had enough left of my pocket money to put in the bank. Yes, that's how thrifty I am, when everyone would rather spend all their money on a vacation, I like to keep some left for the porcelain piggy. But that did not stop me from buying things on sale. Got some curtains with 20% of the price slashed off, clothes for my daughter, clothes for me, uhhmm, for the hubby, I let him do his own shopping, which he actually prefers (hehehe).

Back from a Break, Manila Airports, Long Queues, Malls, Traffice, No Yaya atbp.

I'm back from a week long vacation. I was supposed to go there for business and pleasure, but due to some kinks, miscommunications, bureaucratic red tape and circuitous processes in the legislative branch of government that does not serve its purpose, the business part was not attained, but thankfully, the pleasure part was. My family got real quality bonding time and I got a crash course in how to mix mama duties with household ones, budgeting and itinerary planning. It was just me, the hubby and my three year old daughter sans yaya-cum-household help and while it was quite tiresome, it felt great to take care of our baby all by our twosome. It was bonding heaven and in a both-parents-working-household, its a rarity that must be treasured and strived for. The hubby took care of the cooking and washing of our daughter's clothes and I was responsible for bathing her and washing the dishes. We stayed at my sister's house in Quezon City that was steaming hot in the afternoons so we took refuge in malls that was nearby. Trinoma Mall was just a fifteen minute commute by taxi and in the week that was we were a regular fixture with our stroller where our baby was comfortably esconced. For more of metro malls, watch out for my coming posts on our Manila trip.

All in all, the vacation was well worth the expense, time away from work and sweat from the sweltering Manila sun.