Buy and Sell and Announce

Pursuing a Hobby

2011-11-05T15:15:00.000+08:00

Got this article from panlasangpinoy.com. I am reposting it here to remind me to delve into baking and pursue it as a hobby and eventually make it as an additional source of income.

7 Advantages of Attending Cake Decorating Classes

1. Develop your cake decorating skills.
Unless you are naturally gifted with the ability to decorate cakes, your only two sources of skill in this aspect are cookbooks and cake decorating classes. And while you can learn the basics of baking cakes from a cookbook, decorating cakes is not that easy to learn. Cake decorating requires special skill that requires hands-on demonstration by an instructor and actual hands-on practice too. This is where these classes come in.

2. Learn more decorating tips and techniques.
Even if you’ve mastered the basics of cake decorating, you can still benefit from cake decorating classes. Through classes, you will pick up special tips and learn new techniques you haven’t tried. You can also venture into areas of specialty that you have not yet explored. For example, if you are already a whiz at decorating birthday cakes, a wedding cake decorating class will help you hone your skills at decorating wedding cakes, which are definitely more intricate. You can also get more special techniques, such as 3D sculpturing, fondant cake decors, air brush painting, string work methods, gum paste art, and so on.

3. Turn your hobby into a profitable venture.
There are cake decorating classes that can teach you how to make money out of your love for baking and cake decorating. These courses can teach you how to develop a business plan, identify your market, and develop special skills that will give you an extra flair. You can also build a network that you can take advantage of through your instructors and your classmates. And you can also use the projects that you do in class as your personal portfolio.

4. Provide feedback and encouragement as you learn.
While learning how to decorate cakes, an honest instructor or an encouraging classmate can both give valuable contributions to your learning process. It helps to have an instructor point out the things you can do better so you can improve yourself.

5. Get your creative juices flowing.
Being surrounded by cake decorating instructors and enthusiasts will surely get your creativity going. This will inspire you to come up with more ideas for cake decorations. You can even swap ideas with your classmates as you learn from one another.

6. Connect with people who share your interest.
Being interested in something that your family and friends are not able to share in can be quite frustrating. What about those times when you’d like to share an achievement or to gush over a new decorating style you’ve come up with? Having friends who also decorate cakes will surely come in handy in those situations.

7. Online cake decorating classes allow you to delve into your passion from home.
There are also many online cake decorating classes these days. Although hands-on training is highly preferred, an online class is a good place to start.If You enjoyed this post, you might like:

Vote Puerto Princesa Underground River in the New 7 Wonders of Nature

2011-10-29T21:02:00.000+08:00

See for yourself why you should vote for Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Slimmer in 7 Days

2011-10-23T02:38:00.000+08:00

Iron Mountain Climber - Fitness Magazine

Easy No-Cook Appetizer Recipes

2011-10-23T00:27:00.000+08:00

Easy No-Cook Appetizer Recipes

Bite-Size Dessert Recipes

2011-10-23T00:16:00.000+08:00

Bite-Size Dessert Recipes

Quick Light Lunches

2011-10-23T00:04:00.000+08:00

Quick Light Lunches

Soups and Salads to Help You Lose Weight

2011-10-22T22:53:00.000+08:00

Soups and Salads to Help You Lose Weight

Healthy Low-Calorie Dessert Recipes

2011-10-22T22:38:00.000+08:00

Healthy Low-Calorie Dessert Recipes

Skinny Recipes for Italian Food

2011-10-22T22:35:00.000+08:00

Skinny Recipes for Italian Food

Low-Calorie Mediterranean Dinners

2011-10-22T22:32:00.000+08:00

Low-Calorie Mediterranean Dinners

30-Minute, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes

2011-10-22T22:30:00.000+08:00

30-Minute, Low-Calorie Pasta Recipes

20-Minute Low-Calorie Dinner Recipes

2011-10-22T22:29:00.000+08:00

20-Minute Low-Calorie Dinner Recipes

20-Minute Healthy Fish Recipes & Seafood Recipes

2011-10-22T22:26:00.000+08:00

20-Minute Healthy Fish Recipes & Seafood Recipes

20-Minute Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

2011-10-22T22:24:00.000+08:00

20-Minute Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

20-Minute Dinner Recipes

2011-10-22T22:13:00.000+08:00

20-Minute Dinner Recipes

Hip check Workouts: self.com

2011-10-21T00:54:00.000+08:00

Hip check Workouts: self.com

Steak Food & Diet: self.com

2011-10-21T00:33:00.000+08:00

Steak Food & Diet: self.com

8 Moves to a Sculpted Lower Body Workouts: self.com

2011-10-21T00:28:00.000+08:00

8 Moves to a Sculpted Lower Body Workouts: self.com

6 Moves for Sexy Sundress Arms Workouts: self.com

2011-10-21T00:26:00.000+08:00

6 Moves for Sexy Sundress Arms Workouts: self.com

Slim Without the Gym Workouts: self.com

2011-10-21T00:18:00.000+08:00

Slim Without the Gym Workouts: self.com

Do It Yourself! Natural Beauty 101: self.com

2011-10-21T00:12:00.000+08:00

Do It Yourself! Natural Beauty 101: self.com

Team Building at Pugo Adventure, La Union

2011-10-06T18:06:00.002+08:00

This was an overdue post.
The team building was held last Sept 26.
The best part of this team building, well aside from the bonding and the winning of Starbucks voucher, is the conquering of our fear of heights...yes, we all took the longest zipline!
We all can say, "I survived!".

Bazaars

2011-10-06T13:43:00.000+08:00

Starting a new business especially for young entrepreneurs has never been easy. Because of competitions, startup business owners are looking for alternative marketplace to sell and promote their products. One venue is the bazaars. Bazaar is an ideal place for moms, students, travelers and bargain-hunting shoppers to make a quick stop and shop for whatever budget they may have.

Here are some Bazaars that you can join and visit:

World Bazaar Festival 2011

World Bazaar Festival 2011 will be organized at World Trade Center from 2nd December to 18th December 2011. This great event will be held in Manila, Philippines. It will stay for 17 days. Approximately over 500 exhibitors are supposed to be participating in this leading international event coming from across the world. Thousands of domestic and international buyers will participate in this event. The participants will get latest information about the household consumable goods.

Venue: World Trade Center Metro Manila
Start Date: 02-DEC-11
End Date: 18-DEC-11

Organizer:
Worldbex Services International
488, Boni Avenue, Corner San Joaquin Street, Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Tel:+(63)-(2)-5316374
Fax:+(63)-(2)-5332026

Triple Treat Tiangge

Dubbed as a bazaar and latagan in one, the Triple Treat Tiangge will only have three runs this year. Latagan is another way to selling that works by displaying wares on the floor similar to that of a barter market.

The Triple Treat Tiangge will run on July 16, 2011, Saturday from 10am to 7pm; October 15, 2011, Saturday from 10am to 7pm; and December 4, 2011, Sunday from 9am to7pm.

The event will be at the Bahay ng Alumni,
Ramon Magsaysay Ave., U.P. Diliman, Quezon City.

For more details about the event, you may send your queries to benjaminsbeltran@gmail.com.

Garage Sale Sundays

Garage Sale Sundays is a gathering of about 50 sellers in a flea-market environment. One of the draws of the event is the reduced prices of the goods for sale.

The sale is held every Sunday starting May 22 at the 99 Timog Triangle along Timog corner GMA Network Drive corner Samar St. in Quezon City.

Cost: You can lease a 7ft by 6ft space for only P200. To join the list of approved sellers, please email benjaminsbeltran@gmail.com with the heading “I want to be a seller for the Garage Sale Sundays event.”

Bazaar Love Triangle

Bazaar Love Triangle is every Saturday of the year from 12nn to 9pm. The event is at 99 Timog Triangle along Timog corner GMA Network Drive corner Samar St. in Quezon City.

For those who are interested, you may email benjaminsbeltran@gmail.com with the subject “I want to join the Bazaar Love Triangle” for the guidelines and details.

The Holiday Rush Bazaar YEAR 3

When: December 3 & 4, 2011
Where: @ Rockwell Business Center Ortigas

Now on its 3rd Year, The Holiday Rush 3 shall feature OVER 140 CONCESSIONAIRES selling clothing apparel, shoes, accessories, toys, gadgets, specialty food/pastries and many more gift items for the Holidays. TONS OF GIVEAWAYS and MORE exciting SURPRISES are in store for the whole family, such as PHOTO OPS with Santa Claus and His Elves, goodies for kids and much more!

FOR INQUIRIES AND BOOKING(s), PLEASE CONTACT:
Cris + 639178278928 / + 639172466887
Dore + 639178261810 / + 639228924918
Email: holidayrushbazaar@yahoo.com

Secret Santa Bazaar

When: December 8 & 9, 2011
Where: @ The Tents Alphaland Southgate

Looking for a gift for your special loved one, family members, friends or even your Secret Santa? Too busy to buy a gift for your boss, officemate or Kris Kringle “baby”?

Visit us at The Secret Santa Bazaar @ The Tents, Alphaland Southgate Tower, Chino Roces cor EDSA on December 8 and 9, 2011! (Also accessible via EDSA MRT with adjacent entrance at Magallanes station)

The bazaar shall feature concessionaires selling clothing apparel, shoes, accessories, toys, gadgets, specialty food/pastries and many more gift items for the Holidays.

Watch out for FREEBIES, RAFFLE ITEMS and many more SURPRISES during these bazaar dates!

FOR INQUIRIES AND BOOKING(s), PLEASE CONTACT:
Cris + 639178278928 / + 639172466887
Dore + 639178261810 / + 639228924918
Email: secretsantabazaar2011@yahoo.com

Christmas Bazaars Can be Profitable (gmanews.tv)

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/741/bazaars-for-startup-entrepreneurs/#ixzz1ZyfAlqej

Food Recipes to Try

2011-10-06T13:32:00.000+08:00

I just happen to find this interesting site, businessdiary.com.ph, they have a lot of food business ideas...I am planning to try these recipes, with the help of my sisters.

Fish Longanisa

Ingredients:
1 kg minced fish meat (Milkfish, tilapia etc.)
1 tsp all spice powder
1 tbsp ground pepper
Pig casing
1/4 cup atsuete
1 tsp MSG (optional)
1/2 cup garlic
Cooking oil
Procedure:
1. Cut the fish fillet into cubes and pass through the grinder.
2. Mixed all ingredients and blend well.
3. Stuff manually in a pig casing.
4. Tie it with a cotton thread in equal distance of about 2 inches.
5. Pack in polyethylene bag.
6. Store in freezer for longer storage.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/530/how-to-make-fish-longganisa/#ixzz1ZyR9yvEr

FISH BALLS

Fish balls is very popular street food snack that is best served with a sweet and spicy sauce or with a thick black sweet and sour sauce. Fishballs is primarily made of fish meat mixed with chopped vegetables, spices, beaten eggs and cornstarch.
Materials:
1 kilo fish (lapu-lapu, talakitok, apahap, maya-maya, or carp)
2 carrots
2 potatoes
1 head garlic
2 eggs
3/4-1 1/4 cups cornstarch
ginger, pepper, salt,
vetsin and soy sauce
Utensils:
Kitchen knife
Chopping board
Measuring cups
Strainer
Ladle
Frying pan
Kettle
Stove
Jars/bottles
Procedure:
1. Boil fish for 3-5 minutes in water with ginger.
2. Strain and put in a container. Remove the heads entrails, skin and bones. Flake the fish
3. Peel and chop the carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes. Mix and combine with the fish flakes
4. Grind. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, vetsin and cornstarch.
5. Mash and form into balls.
6. Boil fish stock. Drop fish ball one by one into the boiling fish stock. Drain
7. Deep fry in hot oil.
8. Store in sterilized bottles, add 2% brine solution (1 tsp salt for every 4 cups water)
9. Cover and boil for 1 1/2 hours
10. Store for 12 days

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/602/how-to-make-fish-balls/#ixzz1ZyXUo1oT

Siomai

Siomai is either steamed or fried. It is commonly eaten with a dipping sauce composed of a mix of soy sauce, calamansi extract, and chili sauce. The “Original Siomai sa Tisa”, one of my favorite, is very popular in Cebu, it comes with a siomai chili sauce, which has a spicy flavor that complements the dish, best partnered with puso (hanging rice) and soft drink.
Pork Siomai
Ingredients:
1 kg ground pork (suggested proportion of fat to lean meat is 1:3)
1/3 cup chopped water chestnuts or turnips (singkamas)
3/4 cup chopped carrots
2 tbsp or 4 cloves minced garlic
2 medium or 1 large minced onion(s)
bunch of spring onions or leeks
1 egg
5 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
5 g seasonings
50 pcs. large or 100 pcs. small wanton or siomai wrapper
Soy sauce, calamansi (lemon or kumquats), sesame oil and chilli paste (for the sauce)
Siomai Cooking Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.
2. Arrange 10 wrappers in a tray, and weigh 100 g of siomai mixture. Place 2 tsp of meat in each wrapper until nothing is left unfilled. Each wrapper will have 10 grams of siomai.
3. To enclose, gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently fold it so that it forms a basket shape, with the top of the filling exposed. Press lightly as you pleat each side. Or, if you don’t want to expose the filling, use a bigger wrapper. Do the same to the remaining meat mixture.
4. Meanwhile, boil water and brush steamer with oil.
5. When the water gets to a rolling boil, arrange the siomai in the steamer and let stand for 15-20 minutes, longer for larger pieces.
6. Serve with soy sauce, calamansi and sesame oil. Chilli paste is optional.
Siomai Chili Sauce
Ingredients:
1/8 kilo Chillies (Siling Labuyo)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
dried shrimp or meat finely chopped or grind (Adds more flavor but optional)
Siomai Chilli Sauce Cooking Instruction:
Combine chopped chillies, dried shrimp or meat and minced garlic then simmer for around 20 minutes or till most of the water has evaporated. Add oil, simmer and stir well.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/609/how-to-make-siomai-pork-siomai/#ixzz1ZyTBXxYP

Holiday Fruitcake

Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) chopped dried apricots
1 cup (250 mL) chopped dried figs or raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) brandy
1 cup (250 mL) unbleached white flour
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
2 eggs plus 2 egg whites, slightly beaten (or ¾ cup/175 mL) liquid egg substitute
½ cup (125 mL) frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 jar (284 mL) maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
1 cup (250 mL) chopped pecans
1 cup (250 mL) chopped walnuts
Glazes
½ cup (125 mL) powdered sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1 tsp (5 mL) water
Directions
1. Place apricots and figs or raisins in a small bowl. Pour brandy over fruit. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand overnight at room temperature. Drain. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300?F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in eggs or egg substitute and ½ cup (125 mL) orange juice concentrate. Stir in cherries, pecans, walnuts, apricots and figs or raisins. Mix well. Pour batter into a 2 L loaf pan that has been sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.
3. Bake fruitcake for 2 hours. Cover cake with foil. Bake for 15 minutes more, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Remove cake from pan and place on wire rack to cool.
4. Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake while cake is still hot. Cool completely. Wrap cooked cake in plastic wrap, then in foil. Store in refrigerator.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/869/how-to-make-christmas-fruitcake/#ixzz1ZyVhiQDW

Hamonado is a special recipe especially during Christmas in the Philippines. Since Christmas is fast approaching, this recipe is also perfectly good idea for business. This delicious Filipino Christmas delicacy comes from different recipes like pork hamonado, chicken hamonado, and pork-pina hamonado. Some ingredients may vary in other recipe but basically the cooking process is still the same. Here is a hamonado recipe which uses buko juice to make this food item more flavorful.

Filipino Ham

Ingredients:
1 kilo of pork or chicken (depends on your preferred cuts)
3 cups buko (young coconut) juice
3 tbsp calamansi juice
3 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp brown sugar
2 medium size onions
Pepper
cheese cut into chunks
Procedure:
Bring into boil the meat using the buko juice. When the meat becomes tender and half of the buko juice is gone, add the calamansi juice, sugar, onions and soy sauce into the pan. Set aside to marinate pork for about 1 to 3 hours. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Put cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve Hot.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/1161/how-to-make-homemade-hamonado-filipino-ham/#ixzz1ZyW9orGL

HOW TO MAKE DIPPING SAUCES

Siomai Sauce
Ingredients
1/8 kilo Chillies (Siling Labuyo)
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Dried shrimp or meat finely chopped or grind (Adds more flavor but optional)
Procedure in making siomai sauce:
Combine chopped chillies, dried shrimp or meat and minced garlic then simmer for around 20 minutes or till most of the water has evaporated. Add oil, simmer and stir well.
Fishball Sauce
Ingredients
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 tbsp. sugar
1 cup water
1 slice siling labuyo
1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in
1-2 tbsp. water
Procedure in making fishball sauce
1. Mix the sauce sauce, vinegar, sugar, water and siling labuyo in a saucepan.
2. Let it boil then add cornstarch.
3. Cook over medium heat until slightly thick.- recipe found at lutongpinoy.info
Siopao Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups beef stock
1 piece star anise or ½ teaspoon five spice powder
2 tablespoon cornstarch diluted in 4 tablespoons of water
¼ cup onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
A dash of ground black pepper
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Procedure in making Siopao Sauce
1. Heat the saucepan and pour-in the beef stock. Bring to a boil.
2. Add the onions, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, ground black pepper, and star anise then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure to cover the saucepan to trap the steam. Add extra water as needed.
3. Turn of the heat then filter the liquid using a fine-mesh kitchen strainer. This is done by pouring the simmered mixture on a strainer with an empty bowl below to hold the liquid.
4. Heat a clean saucepan and pour-in the filtered mixture. Bring to a boil.
5. Add the cornstarch diluted in water then stir continuously until the texture becomes thick.
6. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool down then transfer the Siopao sauce to a serving container. – recipe found at panlasangpinoy.com
Lechon Sauce (Litson Sarsa)
Ingredients
1/2 kg pork liver
2 cups water or more
1/3 cup onions, minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
3 tbsp lard to saute the onions and garlic
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup bread crumbs (toasted and crumbled)
1 tsp ground black pepper
salt to taste
Procedure in making Lechon sauce>
1. Broil the pork liver until half done, then grind or chop very finely.
2. Add water and squeeze the extract through a cheesecloth.
3. Mix the liver extract with the sauteed onions and browned garlic, powdered crumbs, vinegar, sugar and salt.
4. Simmer in a pan over medium heat until thick and the liver is thoroughly cooked.
5. Add the ground pepper last.

Lumpia Sauce
Ingredients
1 head garlic crushed
1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Soy sauce
1 1/2 cups water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Procedure in making Lumpia Sauce
1. To prepare the sauce get a bowl, pour the water, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix together, beat it until it is thoroughly mixed. If it is slumpy, get a strainer.
2. Fry garlic until brown and set aside.
3. Into the heated pan, pour the sauce and stir it constantly until mixture thickens.
4. Top it with the fried garlic.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/615/how-to-make-sauces-for-siomai-fishball-lumpia-siopao-lechon/#ixzz1ZyWf8ery

Grilled Squid with a twist Tasty and light grilled squid, stuffed with onions, tomatoes and wansuy. Recipe courtesy of Nestle.

Ingredients
1 kg.medium-sized, cleaned, heads and sac removed, approx. 14 pieces
2 tbsp. MAGGI Seasoning
2 tbsp MAGGI Chili Sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
Filling: combine
4 pcs. tomatoes, chopped
2 pcs. onions, chopped
½ cup chopped squid head
½ cupchopped wansuy (optional)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
18 grams MAGGI Magic Sarap
Procedure:
1. Marinate squid in MAGGI seasoning, MAGGI Chili sauce, salt pepper and sugar.
2. Stuffed squid cavity with the combined filling and then seal the opening with a toothpick.
3. Grill the squid, occasionally basting with marinade. Slice into rings before serving. Serve hot.

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/150/grilled-squid-with-a-twist-tasty-and-light-grilled-squid-stuffed-with-onions-tomatoes-and-wansuy-recipe-courtesy-of-nestle/#ixzz1ZyYrtTxz

How to Make Homemade Squash Catsup

Materials:
4 cups squash, pureed
1 c red sweet pepper, chopped
1/3 c onions, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
21/2 c vinegar
3 c sugar
3 tbsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water and boiled
2 tsp grand black pepper 1/2 strawberry red coloring dissolved in 1/4 c water
12 drops allspice solution
12 drops cinnamon solution
4 drops paprika solution
2 drops hot pepper extract

Utensils:
household cups funnel
teaspoon ladle
tablespoon
knife steamer strainer or cheesecloth
aluminum tray or any wide container
wide-mouthed deep cooking pot
sterilized bottles with caps
How to Prepare Stock Spice Solution:
All spice solution — Boil 4 tsp allspice powder in 1 c water for 10 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth
Cinnamon solution — Boil 3 tsp cinnamon powder in 1 c water for 10 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth
Paprika solution — Boil 6 tsp paprika powder in 1 c water for 5 minutes Strain through cheesecloth
Hot pepper extract — Mash 48 pcs “siling labuyo” in 1 c water and boil for 3 minutes. Strain. Store Stock spice solution in clean covered bottles for future use
How to Prepare Squash Puree
1. Wash squash and divide along grooves. Peel and remove seeds. Cut into thin slices. Measure
2. Steam 5 minutes. Add 1 1/4 water for every 12c of squash
3. Mash and pass through strainer until fine. Add chopped red sweet pepper, onions and garlic. Mix thoroughly
How to Prepare Squash Catsup
4. Boil vinegar, sugar and salt for 3 minutes. Add squash-spice mixture and cook 10 minutes
5. Add cornstarch solution and black pepper and cook for another 10 minutes with constant stirring
6. Add the required amount of spice solution (allspice, cinnamon, hot pepper extract, paprika) and food coloring. Continue boiling until catsup consistency is reached.
How to Preserve Catsup
7. Pour mixture into clean bottles while hot. Half seal bottles
8. Arrange bottles in a big deep pot. Fill the pot with enough lukewarm water, not to exceed neck level of the bottles
9. Boil for 15 minute. Seal bottles tightly. This catsup may last for 1 year without any changes in taste and aroma.
Source: Food and Technology Research and Development Program NIST (NSTA)

Read more at BusinessDiary.com.ph: http://businessdiary.com.ph/188/how-to-make-squash-catsup/#ixzz1ZyZCttA5

Live in Manila this Octoboer!!! The Musical Play - Next to Normal

2011-09-21T15:45:00.003+08:00

I will really watch this whether I am alone or with friends. :)

These infos are obtained from wikipedia.org.

Synopsis

Act I
Suburban mother Diana Goodman waits up late for her curfew-challenged son and comforts her anxious and overachieving daughter, Natalie. Dan, her husband, then rises to help prepare her family for "Just Another Day." But when her lunch-making takes a turn for the bizarre with sandwiches covering the table, chairs, and floor, the rest realize something is not right. As Dan helps the disoriented Diana, Natalie hurries off to school and the refuge of the piano practice room ("Everything Else"), where she's interrupted by Henry, a classmate who likes to listen to her play — and clearly likes her.

Over the ensuing weeks, Diana makes a series of visits to her doctor, while Dan waits in the car outside, questioning how to cope with his own depression ("Who's Crazy?/My Psychopharmacologist and I"). Diana has suffered from bipolar disorder coupled with hallucinations for sixteen years; Doctor Fine continually adjusts her medications until she says that she doesn't feel anything, at which point he declares her stable. Natalie and Henry grow closer until one day he professes his love for her ("Perfect For You") and they kiss for the first time. Diana witnesses this and realizes that her best years may be behind her, but she misses feeling her high highs and her low lows ("I Miss the Mountains"). With her son's encouragement, she flushes away her medication.

A few weeks later, Dan looks forward to dinner with his family ("It's Gonna Be Good"), but when Diana emerges with a cake singing "Happy Birthday" to her son, Dan and Natalie are devastated. Dan holds Diana and explains that "He's Not Here". Their son died sixteen years ago from an intestinal obstruction before Natalie was born. Natalie storms off. Dan mentions a return to the doctor, but Diana refuses, saying that he can't possibly hurt the way she does ("You Don't Know"). Dan tries to coax her into trusting him, and their dead son joins them onstage, convincing his mother to trust him rather than his father ("I Am The One"). In her room, Natalie vents her anger to Henry, then refuses Diana's apology as her brother watches and taunts her ("Superboy and the Invisible Girl").

A few days later, Diana starts work with Doctor Madden. As her son rises to assert his presence ("I'm Alive"), Dan and Natalie doubt the sessions are helping, but Doctor Madden proposes hypnosis to help Diana discover the roots of her trauma ("Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I'm Falling"). Finally, Diana agrees it's time to let her son go. Diana goes home to clean out her son's things, pausing to listen to a music box ("I Dreamed a Dance"). Her son appears and dances with her, then invites her to come away with him ("There's a World"), and she does.

At the hospital, where Diana lies sedated and restrained, with self-inflicted gashes to her wrists, Doctor Madden explains to Dan that ECT is the standard course of treatment for drug-resistant patients who are imminently suicidal. Dan goes home to clean up after Diana and decide what to do ("I've Been"). The next day, Diana lashes out at Doctor Madden, refusing the treatment ("Didn't I See This Movie?"), but Dan arrives and convinces her it may be their last hope ("A Light In The Dark").

Act II
Diana receives a series of ECT treatments over two weeks.[45] Meanwhile Natalie explores clubs and drugs ("Wish I Were Here"). Diana returns home from the hospital, but she has lost nineteen years of memory ("Song of Forgetting"). At school, Henry confronts Natalie about her avoiding him, and invites her to the spring formal dance ("Hey #1").

Dan and Diana visit Doctor Madden, who assures them that some memory loss is normal ("Seconds and Years") and encourages Dan to use photos, mementoes, and the like to help Diana recover. Dan gathers the family to do so ("Better Than Before"), with minor success, but when Natalie pulls the music box from a pile of keepsakes, he whisks it away, leaving Diana puzzled. Her son appears, unseen ("Aftershocks"), while Diana tells Dan there's something she's desperate to remember that's just beyond her reach. When Henry arrives looking for Natalie, Diana is given great pause, studying his face and asking his age. He reminds her of someone. Unnerved, Henry hurries up to Natalie's bedroom, to convince her to join him at the dance the next night ("Hey #2").

Diana returns to Doctor Madden ("You Don't Know [Reprise]") who suggests she further explore her history and talk more with her husband. Diana goes home and searches through the boxes of keepsakes, finding the music box, Dan tries to stop her, but the memories of her baby son rush back ("How Could I Ever Forget?"). When Diana confesses remembering her son as a teenager, and demands to know his name, Dan refuses and instead insists they need to return for more treatment ("It's Gonna Be Good [Reprise]"). Henry arrives to pick up Natalie, who has dressed for the dance, just in time for both of them to witness an agitated Dan grab the music box from Diana's hands and smash it to pieces on the floor.

Diana confronts Dan, wondering why he perseveres after how much trouble she's given, while upstairs, Natalie asks Henry much the same question ("Why Stay?"). Dan answers, echoed by Henry, both vowing to stay steadfast ("A Promise"), but just as both couples embrace, their son reappears ("I'm Alive [Reprise]"), sending Diana running to Doctor Madden, asking Natalie to drive her, leaving Dan and Henry behind.

Diana asks Madden what can be done if the medicine has missed the true problem. With her questioning comes the realization that it's not her brain that's hurting: it's her soul ("The Break"). Madden assures her relapse is common, and suggests more ECT ("Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I'm Falling [Reprise]"). Diana refuses, and though Doctor Madden urges her to continue treatment for her chronic, deadly disease, she thanks him and goes. Natalie, waiting outside, is distressed to learn her mother has left treatment, and Diana explains herself ("Maybe [Next to Normal]"), opening up to her daughter for the first time. She urges Natalie on to the school dance, where Henry awaits to comfort and embrace her ("Hey #3/Perfect for You [Reprise]").

Diana tells Dan that she is leaving him, explaining that he can't always be there to catch her; she needs to take a risk and deal with things on her own for once ("So Anyway"). She goes, leaving their son with him. As Dan wonders how she could have left him after he stood by her for so long, their son approaches, telling Dan he's not going anywhere ("I Am The One [Reprise]"). Dan grows more distraught until at last he faces the boy and calls him by his name for the first time: Gabriel.

Natalie comes home to find her father sitting alone in the dark, in tears. She comforts him and turns the lights on in the room, before assuring him that the two of them will figure things out ("Light"). Henry arrives to study, and Natalie tells him Diana has gone to stay with her own parents. Diana is alone and still hurting, but hopeful. Dan visits Doctor Madden hoping to talk about Diana, but stays to talk about his own struggle. Once again Gabriel watches over them all, as life goes on.

[edit] Musical numbersNote: The song titles are not listed in the program

Act I
"Prelude" – Orchestra
"Just Another Day" – Diana, Natalie, Gabe, Dan
"Everything Else" – Natalie
"Who's Crazy" / "My Psychopharmacologist and I" – Dan, Doctor Fine, Diana, ensemble
"Perfect for You" – Henry, Natalie
"I Miss the Mountains" – Diana
"It's Gonna Be Good" – Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry, Ensemble
"He's Not Here" – Dan
"You Don't Know" – Diana
"I Am the One" – Dan, Gabe, Diana
"Superboy and the Invisible Girl" – Natalie, Diana, Gabe
"I'm Alive" – Gabe
"Make Up Your Mind" / "Catch Me I'm Falling" – Doctor Madden, Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe
"I Dreamed a Dance" – Diana, Gabe
"There's a World" – Gabe
"I've Been" – Dan
"Didn't I See This Movie?" – Diana
"A Light in the Dark" – Dan, Diana
Act II
"Wish I Were Here" – Diana, Natalie
"Song of Forgetting" – Dan, Diana, Natalie
"Hey #1" – Henry, Natalie
"Seconds and Years" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Diana
"Better Than Before" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Natalie, Diana
"Aftershocks" – Gabe
"Hey #2" – Henry, Natalie
"You Don't Know" (Reprise) – Diana, Doctor Madden
"How Could I Ever Forget?" – Diana, Dan
"It's Gonna Be Good" (Reprise) – Dan, Diana
"Why Stay?" / "A Promise" – Diana, Natalie, Dan, Henry
"I'm Alive" (Reprise) – Gabe
"The Break" – Diana
"Make Up Your Mind" / "Catch Me I'm Falling" (Reprise) – Doctor Madden, Diana, Gabe
"Maybe (Next to Normal)" – Diana, Natalie
"Hey #3" / "Perfect for You" (Reprise) – Henry, Natalie
"So Anyway" – Diana
"I Am the One" (Reprise) – Dan, Gabe
"Light" – Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry, Doctor Madden

Casts

Diana Goodman
Dan Goodman
Natalie Goodman
Gabriel "Gabe" Goodman
Henry
Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden

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