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November 30, 2010

Will the Real Lotto Winner Please Stand Up?

Yes, the 700+ million jackpot of the 6/55 Grand Lotto draw has finally found its very lucky winner. Only one person won the biggest pot of the PCSO and is believed to have placed his bet in Zambales. The lucky guy placed his bet using the Lucky Pick format and is even believed to have placed only one bet. It was really his time to become an instant super millionaire.

Despite this though, the rest of the Filipinos have been disheartened. Their hopes for a better future, shattered with the news that there has only been one lucky winner. Many go back to their ordinary lives, battling each day with the mere income they earn. Sadly, their hopes for paying up their debts, buying their own homes, and providing for their families will have to wait.

Early this day though, news reporters have been pinpointing the winner to be someone from Pampanga. To make things more specific, many claim that the winner is from the 2nd district of the region. One reporter even mentioned “Siya na naman?!” (“Him/her again?!”) as if to imply that the winner of the much anticipated pot was the same person.

What does this mean? I believe the Filipinos are only sour graping, and making themselves feel better despite the disheartening fact that their lucky tickets did not bring them any life-changing joy. Throughout the years, we have never seen such a huge amount named as the jackpot prize of the draw. In fact, if the pot reached around 100+ million, there would instantly be a winner who, coincidentally, is from Pampanga.

Even though this is equally depressing, it just goes to show how much we, as Filipinos, have become accepted the fact that our previous leaders have “stolen” the jackpot prize from us. The idea is no longer alien, as we have heard (and continue to hear) about how our leaders get their money through corrupt methods. It is sad to accept but true.

If it were any other winner of the lotto draw from last night, we still cannot get over the fact that someone was able to win everything for his own. That is why we are so eager and willing to admit defeat, thinking that the winner is the same person or 'siya na naman!'

We can only hope and pray that the real winner spends his money wisely, whoever he or she is.

image via artuji.com

The End of November...

Okay, so another month's just a few minutes from ending. And I'm getting closer and closer to the date of my scheduled flight which is on December 14. The problem is, I'm still debating whether or not I should go. One of the biggest reasons why I don't want to go home anymore is because I might not get to spend Christmas with my dad. After several emergencies this year, I don't want to think what might go wrong or even if it's the last. Scratch that...

On the other hand, I'm really looking forward to going home so I can have interesting posts for my blog. But again, this is something I'm not 100% sure of accomplishing.

Sigh..... Decisions. Decisions. Should I go home?

November 28, 2010

Paranaque Series: Holy Rice

Ever since I moved to Manila 3 years ago, Paranaque has always been home to me. Even when I was still in school and just went to Manila for a vacation, my dad always stayed in a house in Paranaque. Since I'm scheduled for a big change come March 2011, I have decided to share establishments that you can find in my side of town. I have found that these establishments have not been talked about in the blogosphere and I think I owe it to them for the many times I got hungry and they were able to deliver quality food. 





First stop is Holy Rice, established in March 2010. I have always passed by this small restaurant but I never had the time to really try their food. Months have passed and I keep passing by this establishment on my way out of Paranaque as well as on my way home. Despite the fact that the people who do my laundry are just one store away, I never found the time to eat in this place.

Their Menu


A few weeks ago though, my older brother (Richie) came home from Bicol and invited Bubot to eat there. Since I was with my dad that time, I was unable to try the dishes at Holy Rice. That night, Bubot told me about how good their Fish Fillet was, considering the fact that she doesn't like to eat fish. Plus, she also told me that they had really low prices. That's when I decided to try their dishes.

On my first visit, I got to try the Beef Stew because I craved for a Korean dish. They served me a bowl along with rice and a cup of Bulalo soup. Their Bulalo was so delicious that I don't think I've ever tasted any like it anywhere in Manila! The stew was okay, I felt like it lacked something to make it an exquisite dish but for its price, it was already a good dish.

My second visit was actually not in the restaurant. I had our help buy Fish Fillet for me and bring it home. I was able to try their fish and I found it pleasing. They cooked two slices of Dory and crusted it with breadcrumbs. It was good because the Dory was not dry and when you bite into it, you'd get juice coming out of the crust.


My recent visit was a few nights ago, when I decided to feature them on my blog. I got the Beef Taco Rice, Bubot ordered their Chap Chae and for dessert, I decided to try the Holy Oreo.

Bubot's Chap Chae was good. For a place such as Holy Rice's, you'd think their Chap Chae was made from a real Korean restaurant. A single order was good for 2-3 people and it was really tasty. It had some extra sauce on the plate so I think it was satisfying.
Chap Chae (P120)
Chap Chae  (P120)
The Beef Taco Rice was okay. It tasted a bit weird and familiar. But because I'm not a fan of tomatoes mixed with rice, I did not really fancy it that much. So I just ate an amount that would make my hunger subside and decided to concentrate on dessert.

Beef Taco Rice (P99)

Beef Taco Rice (P99)
Dessert came and I was excited to try a new dish. Although I could already imagine it tasting like the Fried Ice Cream I ate back in Bacolod (I did not like it), I was still curious how this dish would turn out.

Holy Oreo (P70)
Holy Oreo (P70)
On the plate were 4 balls of Oreo (rather HiRo) enclosed in a fried flour-batter wrap and had a scoop of ice cream in the middle. Despite it being HiRo cookies instead of Oreos, I found it good. In fact, I really liked it. It was disappointing because I expected to eat Oreos but I got HiRo. But for its price, it was totally understandable. 

Holy Oreo (P70)

I hope I could learn how to enclose Oreos in flour so I could make this dish at home, minus the HiRo cookies. 

All in all, I give Holy Rice 4 out of 5 stars. They're good, cheap, have big servings and are near my house. Next time you're in Paranaque, make sure to try this restaurant!


For more pictures, visit LifeCapturedByTrixie

* Holy Rice Restaurant is located across the Holy Eucharist Parish Church, along Armstrong Avenue, Brgy. Moonwalk, Paranaque City.

November 25, 2010

New Bombay: My Buyanihan Deal

I was craving to eat Indian food last time when I came across an awesome deal from Buyanihan.com. I was just checking out the website since I was new to group coupons in the Philippines. The deal was to pay P250 for P500 worth of meals. Since I had a huge craving to eat Indian cuisine, I instantly purchased 4 coupons. I paid P1000 for a meal worth P2000! Great savings!

I couldn't wait to use the coupon so the moment the deal went on last Nov. 19, I invited my eldest brother and his family to eat with me. They've been letting me join in on their family excursions so I thought I'd return the favor. Plus, he's the one who introduced Indian cuisine to me. So I thought they were the perfect companions.

We ate at New Bombay in Glorietta. I forgot they had a branch at Greenbelt 3! But it's okay, we still enjoyed the meal.
the seating in New Bombay
Out of the 4 coupons, I was only able to use 3. I added P250 to the bill because the total was P1750. I thought about using the extra coupon on another occasion. P1750 and we were so full! We ordered so many dishes already!
My nephew enjoyed the biryani!
With P1750, we were able to order: 2 orders each of Chana Dal and Mutton Rohan Josh (we got medium spicy and spicy), an order each of Chicken Biryani, Chicken Tandoori, and another chicken dish that I forgot the name.
Mutton Rohan Josh
Chicken Tandoori
Among all the dishes I ate, I especially missed the Chana Dal. It tastes like the Pinoy version of monggo soup. Instead though, it has the color yellow. 
Chana Dal
the dish I've missed!
To make the most of our bill, I invited Nathan to order a lassi shake with me. I got the sweet plain Lassi while he ordered the Mango Lassi. The mango lassi did not work though and as he mentioned, it tasted funny. Aside from making the most of our bill, we ordered lassi to mellow down the spicy dishes.
Sweet Plain Lassi
Overall, the whole experience was enjoyable. I loved returning the favor in treating my brother and his family. And with his strict diet, choosing the right restaurant is tricky. It was good we were able to eat together in an Indian restaurant after a while. I will return to New Bombay soon to finish off the remaining coupon I have.

November 24, 2010

I was craving to eat Indian food last time when I came across an awesome deal from Buyanihan.com. I was just checking out the website since I was new to group coupons in the Philippines. The deal was to pay P250 for P500 worth of meals. Since I had a huge craving to eat Indian cuisine, I instantly purchased 4 coupons. I paid P1000 for a meal worth P2000! Great savings!

I couldn't wait to use the coupon so the moment the deal went on last Nov. 19, I invited my eldest brother and his family to eat with me. They've been letting me join in on their family excursions so I thought I'd return the favor. Plus, he's the one who introduced Indian cuisine to me. So I thought they were the perfect companions.

We ate at New Bombay in Glorietta. I forgot they had a branch at Greenbelt 3! But it's okay, we still enjoyed the meal.

Out of the 4 coupons, I was only able to use 3. I added P250 to the bill because the total was P1750. I thought about using the extra coupon on another occasion. P1750 and we were so full! We ordered so many dishes already!
My nephew enjoyed the biryani!
Mutton Rohan Josh
Chana Dal
the dish I've missed!
Chicken Tandoori
Sweet Plain Lassi

TV Shows I Would Like to Join

Last night, I spent the night tending to my father while he was admitted in the hospital. I kept waking up every few minutes because I attended to his needs, assisting him while he went to the restroom and stuff. Let's just say I was a nurse for one day.

Throughout the night, I kept watching TV shows and decided to make a list of what TV shows you would expect me to join and which ones I would never embarrass myself to. Here's the lowdown of the TV game and contests shows I selected:

1. Amazing Race Asia


I have always wanted to join Amazing Race Asia but I don't have a partner. My friend (Sam) and I would usually talk about how we would do if we would join this adventure filled game if we were chosen to represent the Philippines. Sadly, someone told her that she wanted to be an actress that's why she wants to join Amazing Race. That's why she backed out from this.

I still hope to be a part of it someday. I even made a goal to train myself so I could be fit for the game. Now all I need is a partner.

2. Wheel of Fortune


Out of all the game shows I have seen on TV, Wheel of Fortune is the one that I see myself joining. So much so that I auditioned for it back in 2008! The sad part was, I was called back TWICE. But my dad would not allow me to go back to ABS-CBN to audition.

3. Wipeout


Just for the sake of it, I'd like to join Wipeout and see how far I can go. But first I have to be physically fit before I join or else I'd have an asthma attack in the middle of the game.

4. The Fifth Wheel


Haha! Because dating shows are so fun. I'd like to see if I'd do good here. If only they had a Filipino or Asian version. The US game show is way too aggressive for me!

For now, I think those are about the TV shows and reality contests that I'd like to be part of. You would not see me join Pinoy Big Brother (because I don't want everyone to know my life story), Survivor (because I know I would not survive), and Dancing with the Stars (because I can't dance). Sorry :)

November 22, 2010

Bob's Makati: Opens Closer To Where All The Action Is

Since 1965, indeed
Just when I thought I'll be having trouble getting to Paseo de Magallanes, Bob's Manila decides to open a branch in Dela Rosa St. corner Gil St.! Now, I can just head on over to Bob's Makati whenever I feel like eating my favorite dish from home-- Sate Babi.

The new branch is bigger and has a reminiscent of the original Bob's Lacson. When I first entered, the new establishment reminded me of 21 Bar and Restaurant, back when it was still Bar 21.

second floor seating
bright lights overhead
The original menu printed as a table mat
You can see prices as low as P1.40 for a cheeseburger!
This new branch, filled with brighter lights, second floor capacity, and more cake choices has invaded the CBD! Just a few blocks from the busiest streets of the metro, Bob's is located at Dela Rosa St. corner Gil St. For those who don't know where that is, it's very near The Enterprise Tower and a block from Paseo de Roxas.
Bob's Makati
Dela Rosa corner Gil St.
When you're in Bob's, make sure you order Sate Babi (pronounced Sa-te Ba-bi). It's grilled pork barbecue slathered with peanut satay sauce who's recipe has been in the family for decades! I even attempted to make the sauce on my own and failed. It was close--but Bob's was definitely better!
Sate Babi
Sate Babi
Sate Babi
Other choices you should not miss include their Baby Back Ribs, Bob's Burger, and Tenderloin Steak. My sister ordered the half tenderloin steak and this is what she came up with.

Tenderloin Steak (half)
Even though we were on a diet, we simply could not resist the tempting cakes on display. For dessert, we decided to split a Moist Chocolate Cake, which only costed P60. The only comment I had with the cake was it was a bit dry. Or maybe I'm just used to the cake which I order from another establishment. ^,^
Moist Chocolate Cake
Moist Chocolate Cake
Don't forget to order their famous Fruit Punch!

Now, Makati residents can have their business lunches and meetings in Bob's! Great job to the Magalonas!

For more pictures of Bob's Makati, check out my online album in LifeCapturedByTrixie.

November 21, 2010

Love and Other Drugs

This looks interesting.

After their Brokeback Mountain chemistry, Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway share the lead roles of the upcoming movie: Love and Other Drugs.

Jake plays the role of a playboy-- a sweetheart and player, who knows his way around women. Only, Anne isn't like most women he always goes after.

With their proven chemistry, it can only be expected that this movie will be one of their best. Anne bares A LOT of skin in this flick.



After seeing the trailer, I think it's a bit 500 Days of Summer. But who am I to tell, since I never watched that movie in the first place. I guess I'll have to wait until I watch Love and Other Drugs.

November 20, 2010

Blog Giveaway: Three Winners of Free CBTL Coffee + 1 Bonus Winner

Hey everyone!

Seeing that now I just changed my blog's name to Avec L'Amour, Trixie, I noticed that my most popular post was about the 2011 Giving Journal. In lieu of this, I'm here to give away 3 Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf drinks. If you're also a fan of their coffee, tea and delicious food, I thought it would be great to give away 3 of their drinks. In addition, it's my Christmas present to all those who actually read my blog. ^,^

Criteria:
1. Just go to my blog Avec L'Amour, Trixie.
2. Follow my blog either by Networked Blogs or Google Follow
3. Leave me a comment in this blog post with your:
     a. Full Name
     b. City you live in
     c. Blog/Website (Optional)
     d. Email Address
4. Share the URL of this blog post in your Facebook with the quote: "Trixie gives love through free CBTL coffee!"
5. That's it!

I will draw a raffle for the 3 lucky winners of free CBTL coffee on December 5, 2010; 12 o'clock noon.
Raffle will be drawn using Random.org. The first three names on the list will be the winners of the following:

1. Original Ice Blended drink
2. Tea Latte
3. Holiday Drinks



As a bonus: I will be giving away a free drink or food from Coffee Bean worth P200 for anyone who can answer this question:

"What are the URLs I used and changed from throughout the year 2010?"

It doesn't have to be in exact order. The winner for this bonus raffle will be drawn through Random.org. Only those who answered at least 3 out of 4 correctly will get to qualify in this bonus raffle.

Clue:

1. Rise of the ___________
2. _________ of a Gypsy
3. The ___________ Writes
4. ____. _________ and the City

Thanks for the continuous support everyone! And Good Luck!!! ^,^

* Additional Guidelines:

Only those residing in Metro Manila or are in Metro Manila between December 6-12, 2010 are qualified to join this contest.

Winners get to redeem their prize from me in a branch accessible to me (sorry guys, I'm still studying if there is a way I could talk to CBTL about this): Greenbelt, Residences, Convergys Ayala, Megamall, SM MoA. If it's really impossible to meet halfway, I'll coordinate with you regarding a date, time and CBTL branch we could meet.

Redemption period between Dec. 6-12, 2010 only. I have a scheduled flight for Dec. 14 and won't be back until the end of the month so I'm really looking forward to giving away the free drinks.

My card will be used to get the free sticker for the 2011 Giving Journal as well as the Swirl Card points. Sorry, that's the reason I'm giving away free drinks ^,^



As of Dec. 3, 2010 10:59 am, the qualified people are:


1. Smarla Angtuaco
2. Dash Estefani
3. Mike Maravillo
4. Mary Jomelle Briones
5. Vivian Aguilar
6. Jose Lorenzo Manongsong
7. Angelyn Perante
8. Rhosher Lynn Tan
9. Jeric Renz Roncal
10. Lourdes Jane Mahipus
11. Agnes Espino
12. Ellen Joy B. Santos
13. Sheila Marie Marcos
14. Melanie Magno
15. Marvin Jay Sulit
16. Mary Rose Magno
17. Raymond Ordonez
18. Katherine Castro
19. Marco Limlengco
20. Starrie Sun
21. Luningning Arabiran
22. Adrian Cajayon


ENTRIES FOR THE BONUS:
*if you win in both draws, you will be given the higher prize and your slot for the free CBTL coffee will be replaced. :)


1. Mike Maravillo
2. Vivian Aguilar
3. Jose Lorenzo Manongsong
4. Ellen Joy B. Santos
5. Melanie Magno
6. Marvin Jay Sulit
7. Mary Rose Magno
8. Katherine Castro
9. Marco Limlengco
10. Starrie Sun
11. Adrian Cajayon 
* GCs are with me already! :)

November 19, 2010

Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood, the classic fairytale, has been given a remake. This time, it's not all simple and just a short tale. The movie entitled Red Riding Hood, scheduled for release on March 2011, has a Gothic twist. Starring Amanda Seyfried, the fairytale has a new love story twist. She plays the role of Little Red Riding Hood who is torn between two suitors: one whom she is betrothed to (Max Irons) and one whom she is in love with (Shiloh Fernandez). Gary Oldman also stars in the film. Instead of a wolf, the village is haunted by a werewolf.

As seen by its trailer, it resembles a Twilight-y feel. When I saw the trailer, I think there were even a few scenes that are really the same as Twilight. This is only typical since Catherine Hardwicke is the director of the movie. If her name sounds familiar, she is also the one who shot the first installment of the very famous vampire movie.



I'm excited to see this movie. Even if I haven't watched it, I have a feeling the werewolf is ..... ^,^

November 18, 2010

The Battle Between Foursquare and Gowalla

Who doesn't know what Foursquare is? Like many people I know, I'm a huge fan of it too. The only problem I have with it is that I use my iTouch to access it. And like the same problem I had with Flurv/Skout, it keeps registering my location as Hong Kong. It gets tiring already since I have to create the location from scratch every time I check into a new venue. That's why my Foursquare has become inactive for several months already.



Recently though, I was able to discover a new app that allowed me to check in through my BlackBerry. I simply downloaded Gowalla, registered, and I'm already able to check in no matter where I am. The best thing I like about it is that it is definitely accurate! I no longer have to create a new spot since you can easily scroll down the list.

Although Gowalla is a clear imitation of Foursquare, this is one scenario that I can attest to. I prefer using Gowalla on my BlackBerry. Even if I use Foursquare on my BlackBerry, it still produces a lot of errors. It won't even let me check in.


So for now, I'll be in Gowalla. Maybe when I get to buy the new iTouch 4G 64gb, I'll be able to use Foursquare to its full capacity. But until then, that will have to wait.

November 17, 2010

Joyeux Noël Diary: Delifrance Joyeux Noël

During one of my early arrivals in Makati, I was able to see the Joyeux Noël menu prepared by Delifrance. I was so interested by how well they twisted each traditional Christmas dish which is why I decided to make this franchise as the first of my Joyeux Noël Diary entry, where I give tips on what to give for Christmas.

Joyeux Noël by Delifrance
Joyeux Noël by Delifrance 
Since I decided to skip the occasion last year, I plan to make the most out of this year's festivities (minus the holiday weight gain, of course). For those who are looking for good presents to give as corporate giveaways or just friendly gifts, check out Delifrance's lineup of delicacies:

House Red Wine
Fantasy Fudge, P285
312g
Almond Toffee Bark, P195
200g
Premium English Fruitcake

Yule Hamper, P1550
House Red Wine, Choco Chip Almond Biscotti, Coffee Beans,
Coffee Cinnamon Cookie, Assorted Bars, Limited Edition Coffee Cup
Chocolates: Fantasy Fudge, Almond Toffee Bark
French Espresso Fruitcake Petit, P130
Premium English Fruitcake Petit, P130
Tarts, made to order
Fruitcakes, made to order
Chocolates and Cookies, made to order
Aside from the ones captured above, there are a number of Party Trays filled with canapes, croissants and mini tarts that you can serve for your party. 

Now I know what to give my friends. For me, I've got my eyes on the Fantasy Fudge. ^,^


* good news to every Delifrance fan, they are not closing down. They will undergo company change on January 1. They will become Cafe France on that date. ^,^ 

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