Jamming with Knottydon

Knottydon is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:37:00 +0800

It has been two years since I last wrote a blog entry here. A lot has happened in those years. Some were good ones, some were life changing and there were some very painful memories. *sigh* Anyhoo, I just wanna tell my readers (dunno how many are left) that I'm gonna be sharing my daily experiences again here, my personal blog. See ya later, friends!

Fiona & Regine

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 01:10:00 +0800

Two things are happening today: it's the birthday celebration of Fiona, my lovely niece, and Nikks & I will be watching Regine's concert at McKinley Hill.

After having my breakfast, I made my way to Bulacan. It took me less than 2 hours to get there.

Fiona saw me right away and she kissed me. I greeted her right away. I also noticed that there's a LOT of food at our table. I guess the family is expecting a lot of guests.

Kuya was busy cooking the sauce of the sweet & sour tilapia. Angela instantly gave me a plate.

I had beef caldereta, lumpiang shanghai, fried chicken, tilapia, laing and pancit bihon. OMG! The food, especially the caldereta, was really good. I really ate a lot! And to think, yesterday was another fiesta for me! I love the holidays!

I visited my Mom's room and I caught up on her stories about my other niece, Disney. I love babies. When you tell them to kiss & hug you, they oblige right away. How come adults don't do the same? Bwahahaha!

I set up the videoke machine so we could have some fun while drinking. I gave Kuya money to buy booze.

Later on, Angela's family arrived. Fiona got a lot of gifts from them, mostly Barbie dolls and stuffed toys. I told Fiona that I will give her my gift at a later time. I will just spend a day with them at TriNoma or something.

Around 4, I decided to leave (without my MagicSing). I didn't know how bad the traffic will be.

After 2 hours, I reached the Piazza. I went directly to the concert venue and saw a short line of people. Some were buying albums of Regine. The album comes with free poster. Maybe I'll get the colored one later.

While waiting for Nikks, I had some coffee at Tokyo Cafe. I spotted this lady who looks just like Nikks (maybe 10 years from now). She's been putting some makeup on for like, forever!

After my second cup, Nikks arrived with Manay Rosa. I told her about her twin sister. I almost approached the lady to have her picture taken with my friend. Bwahahaha!

We then searched for a place to sit at the concert place.

Around 7:30, we saw a big white van parked behind the stage. It must be Regine. It was her. We saw her doing her own makeup inside the van.

At 8, the concert began with Nikks' look-alike (surprise! surprise!) hosting the event. She introduced Regine and the Songbird officially started the show with "Ako'y Iyong-Iyo" followed by "The Only Exception". She's dressed in leopard prints. Manay commented on her red shoes. She looks fresh and sexy.

During one of her numbers, she couldn't control her coughing. Uh oh! We thought she would lose her voice. But after drinking a cold glass of water and some candy (maybe pei pa koa), she returned to normal. She even asked for a number! Of course, someone shouted 15 - O (for Ogie). But she blurted out, "Osang". That made the audience laugh.

She sang these songs from her latest album: "I Go Crazy", "You and Me", "What About Love", "Without Me" (Nikks' & my favorite), "Been Waiting", "You Don't Know" and "OK Lang Ako".

She revealed that she and her Baba (her term of endearment for Ogie) have been in courtship stage for 8 years already. And that they've been on for 4 years now.

She promoted her album and joked about her photos included in it. I learned that she did the pictorial after her Diva tv series. She really looks sexy in those photos!

Anton, one of Regine's impersonators, was in the audience and she let him/her sing a song from her Eraserheads medley. She mentioned that E-Heads are her heroes.

For her finale, she did a medley of disco tunes, "I Will Survive" & "Lance Dance", while reaching out to people in the audience. Of course, a lot of cameras flashed that time.

I wanted her to sing "Papa Don't Preach" but it was okay. I haven't seen Regine in a long time so it's really a nice way to end my weekend.

After the concert, the first 51 people who bought the album got the chance to have their CDs autographed by Regine. Bummer!

Food & Wine Galore

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 01:15:00 +0800

I have organized numerous parties before and that involved tasting the food from the caterers. But never have I been invited to do food tasting for weddings. That all changed today.

My friend, Jhie, with hubby in tow, will be coming over this March to celebrate their wedding with their family and friends here in Manila. If I'm not mistaken, she asked the help of our friend, Tina, to do the preparations (venue, caterings, souvenirs, etc.).

Got an FB message from Tina asking me, Nikks, Tabs and Bryce, to represent her at today's tasting. The venue is at Dad's Place in Quezon City. Nikks & I weren't able to attend the previous tasting 'cause of another commitment.

Tabs picked us up at the office and we battled the traffic from Makati to QC. And thanks to the food gods, we reached the place at 5 pm. Perfect timing!

After we got our table, we immediately sampled the appetizers. They have bruschetta, pritson, cocktail salads and quesadilla. The quesadilla is our favorite.

For the main course: we tasted everything. from pork, chicken to beef. They also have pasta. Tabs & Nikks love the lasagna. I enjoyed the fillet mignon in red wine sauce. Would've been better if the food is warm though. I thought the string beans is not a good substitute for asparagus wrapped in bacon.

Then it's dessert time! They have fondue, banana crepe, buko pandan, mango something and coffee something. I didn't like the chocolate used in the fondue. It tastes cheap. The buko pandan ain't fresh anymore so it's yucky. The only thing I like was the mango dessert.

Around 7:30, we wondered why no one was speaking to us. We're extremely full already. It's time to do business.

Then a representative from Hizon's named Crenz approached us. She was busy attending to other customers too. She informed us that she could give freebies (fondue, Tiffany chairs and coffee & tea bar) only for today, if we decide to pay 5K for the reservation. Tabs had to call Bryce to give Jhie a call in the US.

To make the long story short, we grabbed her offer. We left the area with satisfied stomach (thank you so much, Tina & Jhie, for thinking about me when it comes to food tasting. Hehehehe). I even had to return a second time for the fillet mignon chunks. Teehee...

Then it's time for A-A-Alcohol. Remember last time I went to Resort World and I found out about the wine buffet they offer there? Well, it's time to try it out with my friends. I didn't want to drink by myself. Also, we haven't celebrated Tabel's birthday yet so this is a good time.

It took us quite some time to enter the place. There's a big event happening (some fiesta thing) outside so it's hard to get valet parking.

First stop, the restrooms. While waiting for Tabs & Nikks to finish their bizness, I went inside a fragrance store called Art of Scent. I immediately looked for a brand that I haven't tried yet. My Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce and Hollister SoCal are already in need of a backup fragrance.

I grabbed a Bvlgari AQVA perfume and sprayed it on my wrist. I left the place and told my friends what I did. They liked the smell! I decided to get one later. Teehee...

Beurre Blanc didn't have a wine buffet for tonight because of that damn fiesta thing outside. We were so disappointed. We tried to use our charm but the manager just offered us some salmon carpaccio and cake (since we told him it's Tabel's birthday).

After going through the wine menu, we decided to go for Gossips Shiraz, the same wine I had last time.

People watching time. We saw Jose Mari Chan with family leaving some show.

Before we left the place, Tabel got her chocolate cake. It was delish! Happy Birthday again, Tabs!

We joined our friends, Beng & Lani downstairs. We went back to the Art of Scent and I bought my new fragrance--Bvlgari AQVA. Of course, there had to be some picture taking (Lani, again, ang ganda mo dito sa picture na to!

We went back upstairs and looked for a place to continue the fun. New Orleans was our pick.

More people watching time. We saw Tweetie De Leon (still looking fabulous!), Phoemela Baranda, Julia Clarete, Daiana Menezes, Jeremy Marquez and Pops Fernandez. They were all heading to the party place, Republiq. I wanna see this place soon too!

Around 2, it was time to go.

Wee Nam Kee

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 23:19:00 +0800

This is a famous resto in Singapore where the likes of our ex-Presidents, Gloria Arroyo & Erap Estrada, like to eat. We have one locally located at the Ayala Triangle—a good 15-minute walk from the office. It’s time to try their food out.

Beng advised us to leave early for lunch because it’s Friday plus it’s payday. We expect a lotta peeps to dine out for lunch. So we (Beng, Raz, Liz, Will and I) left around 11.

Once we reached the area, we were surprised that there’s a huge line of hungry peeps at 11 am! Ugh!

Beng took care of the reservations. Then we waited… it’s people watching time!

I was hoping that the food is not just overhyped. We could hear some people talking about how good the food is. It better be! I think we waited for about an hour!

Finally, we got a table. We’re all excited to try their steamed chicken so we all got that. Will & I got some lechon kawali. Dennies & Liz ordered the porkchops. Our friend from Singapore, Toffee, texted Beng that their Wee Nam Kee fried rice is a must-try. So we ordered it too. I wanna eat the cereal prawns (first tasted this in Singapore and I miss it) and the spicy crunchy squid. Unfortunately, they’re not available. They also don’t have soda! Dammit!

The verdict? Well, after waiting for a long time, I was expecting a good meal. The chicken was cold. It tastes like chicken tinola minus the broth. The lechon kawali is not good for two. I could eat it in seconds! The Wee Nam Kee fried rice tastes like other Yang Chao fried rice (North Park is still the best). The big portions of shrimps in the menu ain't true. According to Raz, the Barley drink tastes like Am. Bwahahahaha!

The long wait wasn't worth it for me.

Free Regine Concert

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:01:00 +0800

Whenever Regine has a new album, expect her to appear in different malls to promote her album. This Sunday, she'll be at the Piazza, McKinley Hill (a stone's throw away from where I live). Sweet!

It's been a while since I last heard her perform live. Her 20th anniversary concert was the last one I saw. It was pretty memorable because during the first 15 minutes of the concert, she didn't have a voice. 'twas breakin' in places. The gods must have heard her plea. She came back after with a vengeance. She hit the high notes effortlessly during the "What Kind of Fool" number. And then it was high notes after high notes.

I'm really excited to see her again.

News Flash: My friend, Nikks, just called to inform me that she has a surprise for me. It turned out that she scored some tickets to Regine's concert. Woohoo!

Regine's Fantasy

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:10:00 +0800

Got the latest double-CD album of Regine Velasquez today. I reserved a copy at Odyssey and they texted me today that I can now get it. Sweet! The only problem is, I don't have a CD player at my place.

Anyhoo, the album comes in two versions: one colored featuring a wet look Songbird in a pool (probably at her house in QC) and the other one is a sexy black and white Regine in a skimpy pair of unbuttoned shorts. Which one do you think I got for myself? =oP

Aside from the CDs, you can also get 10 B&W postcards of a more daring Regine. Who would've thought that this lady was once a barrio lass? Good job to the photographer, Mark Nicdao.

Now, CD1 has 12 cuts: You Don't Know (the carrier single), Been Waiting, Always, This Time, True Romance, Sana'y Laging Ganito, OK Lank Ako, Fairy Tale, Smile, Funny One, S.M.I.L.E. and Walang Iba.

CD2 has 10 covers: Fantasy, All My Life, I Go Crazy, What About Love, Papa Don't Preach, You and Me, Without Me, Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop, Love Will Keep Us Alive and Dying.

I can't give you a review yet but expect one soon.

FarmVille vs. Barn Buddy (Updates)

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:23:00 +0800

Awhile back when I was still an addict in Barn Buddy (love stealing crops from my friends!), I made this entry detailing how these two farm applications in Facebook differ. Back then, I was a pro-BB. But now, I never visit my farm there anymore. Also, I found out through StatCounter that most of my blog visitors wanted to know the difference between these two apps. It's my obligation to give you an update why I switched over to FarmVille.

Here are the reasons:

1. Even though the game is still in its beta version, every single week, they have updates. I dunno how their artists, game developers and testers do it. A game that gives you regular updates gets a star in my book. But here's the downside, remember it is still beta... so you get bugs all the time. Like, recently, I couldn't proceed to my turkey roost building because I keep on getting out of sync errors.

2. You have millions of gamers that can be your neighbors. FarmVille has more than 80 million players! Now, these neighbors can help you earn money (by visiting their farms and performing tasks) and build stuff. Right now, I'm completing my thanksgiving dinner table. I need, like, 150 different kinds of meals. These meals can be exchanged for stuff like fountains, sheeps, etc. All to decorate your farm.

3. It's very accessible. If you have an iPhone, iTouch, iPad or an Android phone, you can still play the game.

4. Related to numero uno, the game goes with the times. I mean, they currently have Harry Potter themes! I just bought myself a wizard costume, a baby dragon, a griffin and a flying pig on a broom! I can't wait to see what's in store for Christmas. Last year, they gave us a Christmas tree where you can collect gifts from neighbors. And we weren't allowed to open them until it's Christmas day.

5. Some people think it's all mindless clicking. But decorating your farm is deffo NOT mindless clicking. It's a way to express your creativity.

6. It's very simple to play. My 6-year old niece, Fiong-Fiong, and my 9-year old nephew, Lance, plays the game too. I'm sure kids from all ages love this game too.

7. Some people say it's just a waste of time. Well, there are ways to make your farming easier. There's the Unwither Ring you can buy (although right now, it's not available in the market). This is the ultimate gift you can get for yourself. With this ring, you don't need to do your farming on a regular basis because your crops won't wilt anymore. Also, there is a combo vehicle you can buy so plowing, harvesting and seeding can be a one-step process. Very convenient I must say!

8. I never enjoy killing-people-or-zombies games. I get dizzy when the POV shifts quickly. I dunno, maybe it's just my vertigo getting in the way.

So it's really a change of heart. FarmVille addict I am now. Here's how my farm looks like nowadays:

On Harry Potter & Resort World

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:40:00 +0800

Last Saturday, I decided to watch the latest Harry Potter movie @ this newly-opened casino/mall/movie house called Resort World at the Newport City.

When I hailed a cab, I was surprised that it's located very close to my place. The taxi meter stopped at 90 bucks. Sweet!

The Newport Cinema is located on the topmost floor of the building. It's already 3 pm and I was already hungry but I bought a ticket first before minding my hunger. I noticed that the second floor is consisted mostly of boutiques like Guess, Penguin, Charles & Keith. No time and money for shopping so I just ignored them.

The ticket costs 200. Quite reasonable and affordable. There aren't too many people (unlike the other malls) so it's really cool.

Otay, it's time to find a place to chow. They have Asian, Mediterranean and French restos on the ground floor. I chose to eat rice and lechon macau at Johnny Chow (rhyme pa lintek!). The waitresses in minis were wearing these awful blue and yellow wigs. At least, they're easy to look at.

By the way, their WiFi is pretty fast. I was able to download an iPhone app instantly. Hehehehe....

The lechon macau was crunchy and good. I upgraded my rice to yang chow too. The only thing that I don't like in the food is the peanuts. I don't like eating meals with whole peanuts. I take them out when I eat the Charlie Chan pasta at Yellow Cab.

I still have half an hour to kill so I checked out the bar at Beurre Blanc. I quickly asked for the wine menu from the bartender named Arniel. I chose Gossip Shiraz from the list. To my surprise, he also gave me some peanuts. I told you that I don't like peanuts in my food but I enjoy eating them separately. He informed me that they have a wine buffet for 850 pesos (including pica-pica) and good for three hours. Nice! I wanna try that soon with my barkada.

Arniel told me that I could taste some of their house wines. Now, who wouldn't like free taste, eh? He gave me some Bordeaux. When I swirled the wine, I noticed the dark color. I assumed it would be of stronger flavor. I wasn't wrong. Mmmmm!

I thanked the bartender (and gave him a generous tip) before leaving the bar at 5 (my movie starts at quarter after). Feeling already tipsy. I made a stopover at the membership counter where I got my Resort World membership card (with instant photo!).

It's been a while since I last read this final installment of the Harry Potter series so I kinda forgot some of the deets. But all in all, the movie was good. There were some funny moments too. I like the dancing scene of Harry & Hermione (she looks fantastic!). Of course, the Dobby scene was a tearjerker.

FYI, when you wanna watch a movie at the Newport Cinemas, be SURE to bring a jacket. It's so effin' cold inside the theatre!

I had to have my membership card activated so I checked out the casinos downstairs. The lady behind the counter informed me that my card has a 100-peso value which I could spend on the slot machines. This is free membership, y'all!

I walked around the area and memories of our Bahamas trip came back. I controlled myself from sitting down and playing.

Went back upstairs and had dinner at Beurre Blanc. I ordered their ham-pepperoni-mango pizza with an interesting crust (think of empanadas and Jamaican patties). It was good surprisingly but I didn't finish all of it. It was HUGE! I got myself some Gossip Shiraz again.One thing I like about RW is that, you can have a smoke anywhere you want. It's a fully-airconditioned place (remember to bring your jackets!). The people are not the masa types. And most importantly, it's not crowded.

Before I went home, I spotted Oyo Boy Sotto with his wife, Kristine Hermosa.

I ♥ Yoshinoya!

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0800

A long, long time ago, Kuya introduced me to this fast food resto in Robinson's Galleria. According to him, they serve the best beef bowl. I wanna try the chicken too so I ordered a combo.

It was served in a big bowl. The chicken has some sweet sauce and the beef looks like strips of bacon and very tender. Veggies were thrown in there too. And some rice. They have this chili powder and it complements the meal. It was very, very filling and became an instant favorite!

That's the first time I saw an upcoming singer named Ogie Alcasid. He's with some friends and they were chatting while eating.

Anyhoo, I was crushed when a few months later, the resto closed. No freakin' clue why. Their food is delish! It was replaced by L.A. Beef Bowl but the food ain't the same.

Then I had a chance to see New York and was extremely happy to discover that they too have a Yoshinoya near the Port Authority. I've memorized the location by heart. Every time I visit the Big Apple, I always eat my favorite meal at Yoshinoya.

Back here in the Philippines, I work in Makati. And the nearest Yoshinoya branch is in Park Square. I make sure that I visit the place at least once a month to satisfy my beef & chicken combo craving.

They have branches in SM MegaMall, Greenhills, SM Mall of Asia and SM North Edsa too. And I learned just now that they're back in Robinson's Galleria. Although I ain't sure if they occupy the same spot as before.

Here's how the beef & chicken combo looks like nowadays:

The pieces of beef & chicken have shrunk considerably even though it costs 170 per meal (excluding drinks).

But I ALWAYS make sure that I get my money's worth. Clean plate all the time!Well, not exactly. Here's the veggie pile (onions, carrots and chayote) I usually leave out:

The Cutest Piglet Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 05:07:00 +0800

Found this on the internet. This has got to be the cutest piglet ever. Move over, Babe!

I dunno about babies and little animals. They are so effin' adorable! Why can't they just stay that way?

Am making this my wallpaper at the office!

On My Way Home

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:12:00 +0800

Instead of hailing a cab going home yesterday, Maan (a colleague) and I decided to find the FX station at SM Makati. I was informed by a friend of mine that there are FXs there en route to Taguig.

My taxi fare going home varies. Sometimes when I really need to go home early, I give 24/7, a taxi service, a call. Instead of the usual 30-peso flag down rate, I pay 75 plus the meter amount. That is double than my regular fare, which is 100 bucks normally. If I have a wallet, I would say it would bleed to death.

If there's nuthin' good on tv and it's still early, I ride the Bonifacio bus from De La Rosa street. From there, it would take me to Ayala plus a brief stopover to SM Makati. Then it would cross EDSA and stop on the other side, where I would get off and board another bus going to Market! Market! That only costs me 11 pesos. From Market, I would ride a jeep (7 pesos). Then I would get off at Diego Silang, cross the street and then ride a tricycle (10 pesos). If I wanna go solo, I would pay 30 bucks.

And then there's my good friend, Noel. I get a free ride home since he lives in Taguig too. I really, really, really appreciate this kindness!

I'm really desperate to find another option. So we found the Taguig section near SM Makati. I asked the barker if the FX would take me as far as BCDA, a housing project near my place. He said yes. Whew! Maan lives in FTI so she can ride on a jeep where I'd be getting off too.

The good news is, the fare is only 30 bucks. Sweet!

Eat. Eat. Eat.

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:03:00 +0800

Did you know that I was once a skinny kid who doesn't enjoy eating? Hard to believe, no? But it's true. I remember my yaya won't let me go to school if I don't finish my food. Vitamins after vitamins were given to no avail. A switch must have been turned on sometime when I was in my adulthood. Damn you, metabolism!

Now I enjoy eating (it freakin' shows) and cooking. I love it when people (friends & family) appreciate my effort in the kitchen.

I began my love for cooking when I was still in high school. I remember after watching countless episodes of "Wok with Yan" and tasting good food from my Daddy, I think the COOK gene has been awaken.

I don't own too many cookbooks. The internet has really helped me with most of my recipes. My local cable doesn't have the Food network so that sucks! If I'm not sure what to do, I sometimes call Kuya (he's a very good cook too!)

I am a fan of Martha Stewart and the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. If you visit her site, she'd show you how to cook a meal or dessert step-by-step, complete with photos. I dig her humor too. That's why I love her site. I was planning to ask my friends in the US to get me her cookbook for Christmas but I was so surprised & happy to find her cookbook here at Fully Booked!

Tried some of her recipes and they were quite good. If you've tasted a yellow cupcake with chocolate icing on top and the chocolate cupcake (with a nice Hershey's surprise in the inside) from me, those are hers!

My Baby, Brutus

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0800

This Cesar commercial introduced me to this uber adorable dog breed called West Highland White Terrier. I thought that if I ever get to have a new dog, it would HAVE to be a Westie.

And so I began searching for local breeders. I found one in Navotas. This was a few weeks before I moved to Taguig. I promised the Normie, the breeder, that I will return and buy one from her. She was selling 4 pups at that time.

After settling in to my new place, I went back to get my puppy. I found out that there's only one left and it's a male pup. This puppy has gone through serious bullying from his female siblings. When I first saw him, he's shy and quiet. But he licked my fingers through his cage so that's a good sign.

Normie gave me his PCCI papers and was kind enough to give me some dog food starter. After paying her, I hailed a cab. We began our 1.5 hour travel to this pup's new home. I was praying the whole time that he won't pee on my lap.

I started talking to him by his new name, Brutus.

During his first few days, I had difficulty walking him. He won't leave the balcony and won't even climb down the stairs. He kept on smelling his new home. He pees everywhere except on the newspaper that I laid down. He was still acclimating.

I found a new vet for him at Animal House here in Market! Market! I immediately had him groomed and gave him some shots.

Fast forward to today, Brutus is playful, tenacious but very lovable. He's got the most beautiful pair of eyes. He just turned 1 last November 4th. And for his birthday, I gave him some Cesar food treats, a big bone, and a frisbee to play with. He even got his own Facebook account!

From Cycling to Christmas Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:25:00 +0800

For the past few weeks, I've been thinking of getting a bike. Nope, I ain't gonna take up cycling. I don't plan to be another Lance Armstrong either. I just wanna get a nice one so I can bike around my neighborhood. I see people on bikes and they look happy, compared to people relying on their two legs.

My friends suggested I go to Cartimar but knowing myself, if I could get a bike from somewhere nearby, I'd rather go there.

I checked out R.O.X at the Bonifacio High Street. Their cycling section is on the third floor. Long way up the stairs.

I circled around the area and was shocked to see the price tags. 18K, 34K, 64K, 120K, etc. I quickly approached one sales rep and asked if he could point me where the cheapos are.

I found one by the Merida section. The price is still in the 5 figures but it's the cheapest there is. According to the sales rep named Allen, it's really a good brand. There were only 3 to choose from: black with red & white lining, royal blue and lastly, white with gray & purple lining. Guess which one I chose?Perfect height. Smooth ride. There's a number on the price tag that says 24". I thought it had something to do with the bike frame. Stupid. It's the wheel size.

The bike comes with reflectors and a bell. I asked for a mini-light but the sales rep looked at me weirdly so I quickly changed the subject.

The sales rep then checked the air on the tires and the brake. Afterwards, he gave me a slip so I could pay downstairs.

After handing my credit card, the lady (with strange blue eyes) behind the counter informed me that their HSBC transaction is not working. I asked her if they could do sumpthin' about it. Call HSBC or something. But she just shook her head. Crap! I was so excited to ride my bike!!!

Feeling defeated, I gave them my number so they could call me when everything is back to norm.

Instead of going home, I checked out the Christmas decor at Market! Market! I found a small Christmas tree. 4 feet. Not too short nor tall for my condo. I searched the area for motif inspiration. Blue & silver colors tickle my fancy.

So tonight, instead of enjoying my new bike, I'll just decorate my Christmas tree while singing my favorite Christmas carols.

And after 30 minoots or so of decorating my Christmas tree, I present it to you now.

Looks bare at the bottom, no? I am now accepting gifts. They would look really great on the base of my tree ;oP

Once a Writer, Always a Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:18:00 +0800

FarmVille is the main reason why I stopped blogging. I spent so many days and nights tending my farm and making it beautiful (please visit my farm and let me know if it sucks). I'm now at level 91 and my target is level 100. I have also been trying to master each and every crop (which seems to be impossible since the Zynga gods won't stop introducing new crops), asking for gifts from neighbors and giving them some in return, and building various stuff. Because of this very addictive game, I have made a lot of new friends. That's good, no?

Anyhoo, since I finally got the Unwither Ring (no more withered crops), I could now take a breather. I don't need to worry about my crops anymore. Whew! And that's the reason why I'm going back to blogging. God, I so miss writing!

So just to give you a brief update on my life:

I thought the daily commute from Makati to Bulacan is really killing me. I ain't that young anymore, y'know! So I asked my friend, Raz, to introduce me to an agent. I thought it's about time to have my own place. After only 2 weeks, I moved in. Yeah, I was that desperate to move.

The main factor why I chose Rosewood Pointe is that, it is a resort-type condo. Very relaxing and quiet. The swimming pool is quite nice. Gym is ok. We have a SkyLounge but I haven't visited it yet. Basketball and badminton courts are of no concern to me. Teehee.

Rosewood is not that far from the office. I once left my place at 7:30 and reached the office at 5 minutes to 8 in the morning. The nearest mall (Market! Market!) is like 10 minutes away. Bonifacio High Street and Serendra, nice shopping areas, are all nearby. I heard that SM Hypermarket is coming my way soon too. Sweet! St. Luke's Hospital is quite near too.

The only downside of having a new place is that you want everything to be nice and new too. Let's just say, HSBC is extremely happy with my spending this year.

I could say that getting my own place is the biggest thing that happened to me this year. And let's not forget my new four-legged baby, Brutus.

Cooper Black Italic

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:06:00 +0800

After answering only four easy questions, this site created by Pentagram can give you your font type.

First thing, type in your First and Last Name. Use "Character" for password and hit Enter. You can also wait and watch the fun video.

Then answer all four questions and you will be given your font type in the end. As a bonus, you can find out who shares the same font as you.

I'm Cooper Black Italic, created by Oswald Bruce Cooper. Happy. Generous. Happy with Life and Love Handles (WTF?).

It's Hammer Harvest Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:24:00 +0800

It's now 10:35 pm. Your asparagus is 68% grown already. When is harvest time then?

If, like me, you can't compute right away, then here's a solution for you: a FarmVille Calculator created by Matan Arie.

The site can help you know the exact harvest time of your crops, trees or even animals. Perfect for math geniuses like me =oP All you have to do is click on the Clock icon on the main page.

Choose the object you want to base your computation on (in our case, crops):Choose your crop (it doesn't have Morning Glory yet):

Next, type in the percentage:

And voila! Now you know when to come back for harvest time. Sweet!

My Coffee Fix

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:46:00 +0800

This is one of the wisest decisions I made late last year. When we had our company exchange gift, I requested for this, my very own coffee press. Super thanks to Ramil who granted me this wish.

It's kinda intimidating at first because I never owned one. Good thing it came with instructions (teehee).

For those of you who still doesn't know how to use one, here's a quick tutorial:

1) While waiting for your water to boil, take out the plunger.

2) Put 2 scoops (mine has 3-mug capacity) of coarse ground coffee. Request for a bigger size of grounds from your barista.

3) Pour some hot water (leave some space for the plunger) and stir with wooden or plastic spoon. Never use metal.

4) Replace the plunger. Wait for 4 minutes. The longer the waiting time, the stronger the taste.

5) Carefully and slowly press the plunger down.

6) Easy peasy, no? Enjoy!

I ♥ Aristocrat

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:43:00 +0800

Been seriously craving for Aristocrat barbecue for days now. This food brings back fond memories of childhood. I remember mom and dad taking me and kuya to Aristocrat for dinner. We would order pork barbecue with java rice and peanut sauce. And we won't leave the resto without eating some leche flan.

Fast forward to 2010.

While walking around The Block at SM North Edsa, my mouth watered when I saw Aristocrat. I quickly ordered their pork BBQ meal, complete with dessert. Sadly, the peanut sauce doesn't come in a bottle anymore. Instead, it's in a sachet. We are such a third world country!

Avatar

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Sat, 9 Jan 2010 21:53:00 +0800

So many have watched it and expressed their amazement. I was planning to watch it during the Holiday season but the MMFF intervened. It's about time I get to see this latest film of James Cameron, the director of "Titanic".

At first I thought that everything was pure CGI. When I saw how real Sigourney Weaver was, I quickly sensed that it was indeed a mix of live action and computer effects. I am so happy that movie making has reached to this level.

By the way, did you know that this is a reunion of Sigourney & James Cameron? Their last movie was "Aliens".

It's nice to see Giovanni Ribisi again. And for a change, he ain't crying in this movie!

Am not familiar with the lead actor, Sam Worthington, though. I didn't get to see any of his past films, including "Terminator Salvation". According to Hollywood news, he might be the next Hugh Jackman. He's going to star in "Clash of the Titans", due early this year.

Okay, let's talk about the effects. OMG! I love all the night scenes where we see the colorful plants glowing in the dark. Just effing B-E-A-utiful! The flying sequences were good too. What's your favorite scene?

Got teary eyed when the humans tore down the giant tree =o(

Let me tell you now, there's NOTHING like seeing this movie in 3D. Don't settle for anything less. I'm now a fan of 3D movies. "Shrek Forever After" and "Alice in Wonderland" are two must-see movies in 3D.

Hookah Night

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Fri, 8 Jan 2010 01:17:00 +0800

After a very draining week, it's quite nice to unwind with friends. Am done with my antibiotics so I can get my alcohol fix once more. Wicked!

Beng, Ogz, Rich and I proceeded to a bar called Toyz. This is the closest bar to the office. We ordered a bucket of Gilbey's Premium beer. Love the taste!

Harley arrived a few minoots later. He got himself some Red Horse.

It was Richie's birthday a few days back so we celebrated it tonight. He bought us some sizzling mushrooms, calamares, chicken wings, potato wedges and peanuts to complement our booze. He noticed that it didn't take long before we consumed everything. He joked that we should've gone to Jollibee first.

While chatting, Ogz mentioned Hookah. I told them that I wanna try it. Ogz & Beng have tried it before. We all got excited 'cause there's a hookah bar at Greenbelt.

After Richie took care of the bill (happy birthday again, PapaRizzi!), we proceeded to Bollywood. Unforch, all the pipes were taken. 2 hours of waiting ain't gonna cut it so we checked out Bed Space. This time, we're lucky.

Our booze arrived first in a giant tower. Photo op, of course!

When the hookah was served, we requested for individual mouthpieces. Richie was first. No smoke came. Beng showed him how to do it. Then it was my turn. Inhaled deeply then I blew out the apple-flavored smoke. Mmmmmm....

After my fifth smoke, I began to feel warm and started perspiring profusely. Kept wiping my forehead, neck, chest and back. WTF! I stopped drinking & smoking and took a nap. It was such a weird feeling.

Next thing I knew, Anbby and Ramil already joined the group.

We transferred to a table inside. Beng & Ogz danced for awhile. Our eyes caught the attention of two American ladies. We kept telling Anbby to dance with them but he just shook his head.

Pepper Steak Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Thu, 7 Jan 2010 21:03:00 +0800

My hungry tummy brought me here at a new resto in Greenbelt 5. It's called "Pepper Lunch", known for their... you guessed it, pepper steak dinners. Anyhoo, when I got there, I informed the lady at the counter that it's my first time. She gave me their bestseller--Shimofuri Pepper Steak. I got it with some fried rice and iced tea. I was also surprised that I still need to cook my own food. By the way, their price range is from 200 to 600++.

After, like, 5 minoots, my dinner arrived on a hot plate. I immediately turned over the steak and poured some honey brown sauce on it. I mixed the bean sprouts and corn kernels too. Smells good!

I made sure that the beef changed its color before I tasted it. Mmmm... first bite. The meat is so effing tender!

While enjoying my din-dins, I invited my co-worker, Boy, to have dinner with me. He tried the double burger dinner.

Since there was a long line at the counter, I asked one of the waiters to get me some dessert, a black sesame seed flavored ice cream. I didn't get the caramel one because according to the waiter it's so sweet. Delish!!!

Blogging in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Wed, 6 Jan 2010 13:59:00 +0800

Every time I see an Apple store, I go online and post my picture. This one here is in Singapore while Kendz and I were window shopping.

The Sweet Smell of Bacon

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Tue, 5 Jan 2010 02:44:00 +0800

Don't you just love the smell of bacon in the morning?

I'm a HUGE fan of crispy bacon. I remember waking up to this smell every Saturday morning when I was in the States. Joyish would wake up early to cook for all of us (Ogz included). The minute the smell hits my nose, I'd be so delighted to get up and rush to the table.

Yep, bacon, eggs and fried rice is my ultimate breakfast meal. This puts me in a very good mood ;oP Perfect for shopping later in the afternoon. Teehee...

Now, I noticed that some peeps cook their bacon in the microwave. That's just a waste. In order for you to get it crispy, cook it on a frying pan. Lay them flat, NEVER use oil and use medium heat. Afterwards, get some paper towel to soak up the fat. When the excess oil is gone, you can pick your bacon up like a stick. *drools*

Anyhoo, here in the Philippines, unforch, we don't have IHOP where you can get your bacon fix anytime. Don't fret because I discovered that at SM Bowling Centers, they serve a decent meal of bacon, eggs and fried rice for only a hundred something bucks. Don't go to Pancake House. Their bacon breakfast meal sucks.

My Favorite TV Shows of 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Knottydon) — Mon, 4 Jan 2010 09:19:00 +0800

Glee - This has got to be my super favorite show of last year. I'm a HUGE fan of their music and the characters (even follow some of 'em in Twitter). My iPod & iPhone both contain songs from this hit show. I sing along to April Rhodes' "Maybe This Time", Rachel & Kurt's "Defying Gravity", Mercedes Jones' "Hate on Me" and Rachel Berry's "Don't Rain on my Parade".

True Blood - When I first saw a bus in New York with a poster of this show a couple of years ago, I got intrigued. It's from the creator that gave me one of my favorite shows, "Six Feet Under". I knew that I'd enjoy this latest Alan Ball project. I got hooked because of the blood and sex. Teehee.

Dexter - OMG! Their season finale was quite a shocker indeed! I love how the show develops each character.

So You Think You Can Dance - We got 2 servings of this show last year. I think Jeanine (season 5) and Russell (season 6) both deserve to win. I'm happy that Shankman became one of the main jeeges (that's how Cat Deeley say it). On the downside, we didnt' get to see Mia Michaels' choreos =o( I thought the most memorable dance was the Mr. & Mrs. Smith-ish choreo of Travis Wall and performed by Legacy & Ellenore.

Desperate Housewives - last season was a good one, I must say. I love how Katherine's role progressed. I also love the Solis couple. Carlos (Ricardo Chavira) and Gabby (Eva Longoria Parker) look really great together. Of all the housewives in Wysteria Lane, Lynette still has her work cut out for her.

Lost - last season was a pretty exciting season for us, Lost fans. We got to see Jack's group going back to the island to rescue Sawyer's group. The show may have lost Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) but "V" welcomed her with open reptilian arms. Hehehehe...