Reviews By P

Photobooks by Photobooks Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 06:17:00 +0000

The photobooks and customer service are great but the hidden costs are annoying.

6x6 Photobooks Wrapped in a Thick Paper Envelope

I'm a fan of photo books and am always on the look out for the best ones. (Check out my 2013 review of Fotosnaps here). This review is about Photobooks Philippines and my recent purchase of a pair of 6x6 photo books.

1. I used their offline designer. It's software that you download and it allows you to easily layout your photos and arrange them using templates. I suspect that both Photobooks and Fotosnaps license their software from the same makers because they both look and feel the same, the only difference being the branding.

2. Uploading and paying for the order is a breeze. Plus points for their well design website and the email notifications that inform you on the status of your book.

3. When they let you choose the delivery option, choose carefully because standard delivery will take twenty days and will not even deliver direct to your home. Standard delivery means that they'll send it to the nearest post office where you'll have to pay extra Php100 standard customs fee per package since it's an international package from Malaysia. I don't know about your post office but mine was only open between 8 and 11am from Monday to Thursday so you'd need to find someone to pick it up for you or you'll need to take an expensive day off from work.

Plus if you're ordering more than one book, Photobooks can't bundle them together so you'd end up paying an extra P100 per book.

I guess it's just a matter of proper setting of expectations but I suppose we can't expect them to know our local postal regulations right? If Photobook made the difference between the shipping methods clearer up front then I'd probably bump the rating up by one pawikan point.

Would I order from them again? The standard books I ordered were well made and look like they'd last for a long time on my coffeetable. Knowing how expensive the shipping fees will be, If I ever do order from them i'll just order a single, large photobook with multiple pages instead of multiple small ones.

Rating:

Mamou Restaurant: A Home Kitchen, Serendra

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 16:54:00 +0000

photo by Table for Three, Please

We celebrated mum's birthday dinner at Mamou Restaurant, Serendra. Good food but not a place conducive for conversation as it's too noisy on a Saturday night!

Reservations for dinner are necessary and they have two sittings-- one that starts at 6:30pm and another at 8:30pm. The process was painless and the phone was answered promptly with my details correctly listed. I even got an SMS confirmation. I was a bit pressured because they SMS'd me twice an hour before my reservation to remind me to release the table at 8:20pm. (I hate being rushed for my meals...)

We had the cracked cheese with fuet and truffle honey as a starter. To my uneducated palate, it tasted a bit like queso de bola chopped into french fries sized bits perfect for dipping into the honey. I couldn't taste the truffle in the honey though but it's the first time I had a cheese/honey combo and it was good!
For drinks, the birthday girl ordered the frozen mojito. She said that it lacked flavor but by the end of the meal, she was chattering and lively so I think it still packed a punch.
I like my beers ice cold, specially on these muggy Manila evenings but the best they could do was "cool". The glass was barely chilled but points anyway for trying.
I tried a variety of main courses, but none of them were outstanding:

photo by kareninblack

Fish Katsu sandwich - I'm not a fan of fish sandwiches but I agree with Agent A's remark that the fries were awesome. Nice and crunchy with a rough and slightly ridged texture but soft and fluffy inside.
Lamb chops - Four chops served simply on a white plate. I would've enjoyed a small sprig of green for a bit of color but hey this is "a home kitchen" and who bothers with food styling at home right? The lamb was ordinary, seasoned and grilled evenly. Birthday girl liked the mint jelly sauce.
Truffle Cream Spaghettini - This was my favorite. Perfectly al dente noodles and a pronounced truffle flavor! No skimping with the truffle oil on this one.
Citrus rub chicken - Tender and falling-off-the-bones chicken. Good comfort food paired with rice, saba and black beans.

In hindsight, seeing that the specialty of the place is steak, maybe I should have ordered one. The portions were too large for me to eat alone and no one wanted to share.

For dessert we had the frozen hot chocolate which we ate like ice cream but as we were halfway through, the manager came over to mix it. Apparently the correct way is to drink it instead of eating it with a spoon. (It should come with instructions!). I didn't think it was a good idea because it was neither frozen nor hot. After mixing, it became a lukewarm chocolate drink overloaded with whipped cream.

I have high standards for sans rival since I grew up eating the stuff. Their dark chocolate sans rival was decidedly chocolatier. Not for the purists.

Ambience

I think i'm getting old but I must agree with mr mekeni's comment that it was too noisy inside. Not that the patrons were particularly loud, I think there's something wrong with the acoustics of the place. Maybe sitting at the table nearest the bar and kitchen wasn't helping either.

Rating:

Plus points for the prompt service, attentive wait staff and red velvet cupcake for the birthday girl. However this was an average (but reasonably priced) meal. Come here for a casual group date with friends.

For a different point of view, check out more reviews by munchpunch, misslovelytan and food blog Table for Three, Please.

Photobooks by Fotosnaps Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:08:00 +0000

My recent encounter with Fotosnaps Philippines leaves much to be desired.

1. The voucher I purchased from their Facebook page arrived in my email 5 days after I paid for it instead of the advertised 2 days. (To work around this problem, you can upload your project and use payment method as "other". Then when you get the order number, mail their customer service and explain your situation to them. They have a way to start the process while waiting for the voucher number to be generated.)

2. I uploaded my photobook on May 31 and to this day June 13, it is still "in production".

3. When they find perceived errors in the resolution and brightness, they'll tell you to fix it yourself and even charge you a Php150 reprocessing fee! I asked their customer service via email how bright I should adjust it to but they could not answer. So even if I knew how to fix it, I had no idea if it would work until I reupload it.

To me, the concept of paying them a Php150 reprocessing fee for perceived errors they would like the customer to fix seems absurd.

Their customer service respond quickly via email but the delivery of the final product is unreliable. I was supposed to give mine as a wedding gift but the couple has already returned from their honeymoon and I still don't have the photobook!

I will reserve awarding any pawikan points at this moment until I receive the final product. If the book itself is good, then i'll just give a few minus points for the service and advise you to place your order weeks ahead of time.

Update: And so it finally arrived exactly two weeks after the order was placed. The layflat book was wrapped in bubble wrap, in a cardboard box inside a plastic bag. The photos were superb and the earlier email asking me for an extra P150 to reprocess the "low resolution" and "dark photos" were certainly unnecessary.

Rating:
The photobook itself was exactly how I designed it. Vivid colors on heavy paper, overall a good build quality. Minus points for the lousy order placement process. I would use them again but reset my expectations on speedy service.

Genting Jazz Festival 2008 (part 2 of 2)

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:38:00 +0000

This is the last part of my two part review of the Genting Jazz Festival 2008. (Read the first part here).
***
Let me continue with my pawikan awards (eh?):

Best keyboard duel: Mario Canonge on the piano vs Tangora's Hammond organist. It's a pity I didn't get the organist's name-- whenever he'd turn on the volume and hit the big chords on the Hammond it was just so grand! And Mario, oh Mario! After he played, I'm sure you could light a cigarette on the piano strings because they'd be smoking hot!

Hottest female performer - This is without a doubt petite South African saxophonist Shannon Mowday (Here's an interview of her)! Her skirt and boots outfit, fantastic hairdo and subtle dance moves-- so cute!!! Coming in a close second is uber-tall Karin Hammar, trombonist from Sweden. (Here's a sample video of her playing.) How many female trombonists do you know?

Most unexpected song - This would have to be Singapore's acapella band, Key Elements and their version of the theme from Spiderman. Plus points to the sounds effects (BIFF! BAM!) and their quaint choreography! (Video courtesy of earthxavier below.)

Best on-stage chemistry and crowd favorite - Neanders Jazz Band from Denmark. Their big band old-sk00l New Orleans blues got my head bobbing. Their on-stage antics were very endearing, reminded me of daddies having fun.

They got the most awwws and cheers when Neander Kristensen channeled Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World' (video below) in their encore performance. When the audience started singing the chorus to the song, that's when I thought-- hey these Malaysians are really getting into it!

Best bassist - Definitely Schalk Joubert! Check out his solo below. Pay attention between the 7th and 8th second when he sticks his finger in his mouth to make a small pop! to punctuate his music. Yeah!

Best dressed band - These would have to be the boys from Jazz Jamaica. Skinny neckties, leather beret, the well tailored pants and heartthrob Kevin-Federline-look-alike drummer (with diamond stud earring!).

Conclusion: 5/5
Five pawikan points! Minus points because the alcohol was expensive. MYR64 for a bucket of five Heineken bottles! Ridiculous!! Bonus points for the impromptu all-star Jam during the last night of the festival. Here's a video courtesy of d7b9. Pay attention to the riff from "Flight of The Bumblebee" at 0:58 which melds into theme from the Flintstones on 1:19 which drew approving roars from the crowd.

I'd definitely be back next year!

Genting International Jazz Festival 2008 (part 1 of 2)

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Great selection of top-notch jazz performers, excellent sound engineering and an efficient crew made the 2008 Genting International Jazz Festival a success.

I had the good fortune to attend the International Jazz Festival held at Genting Highlands in Malaysia. Everything was perfect! The efficient crew took only 15 minutes in between sets to setup the stage, the room acoustics was top-notch and the performers-- let's just say that there was a party in my ears and everyone was invited.

For what it's worth, reviewsbyp is awarding errr pawikan awards (eh?) to the performers:

Best solo - Hamilton de Holanda's "Disparada" (full version here) on the 10 string mandolin. Imagine this big guy with a shaved head who looks like Dominic Purcell (from Prison Break) playing an instrument as small as a banduria. His fingers flying through the small fret board, each note ringing true and full of emotion. This alone was worth the MYR112 admission price. more videos here and here.

Best duet - Hamilton de Holanda again on the mandolin with Gabriel Grossi (?) on the chromatic harmonica. This performance gave me goosebumps. (Ang OA ko!) But it's as if both instruments were lovers intertwining.

Strangest Fusion - A cross between salsa and celtic music by Salsa Celtica. (Salsa with bagpipes!) They had an unconventional entrance by walking to the stage from behind the auditorium while playing their celtic tunes. Watch this sample video of Salsa Celtica. Their music was also livened up by the spontaneous dancing of salsa students from Havana E Studio.

Best vocalist - This award definitely goes to Tangora (video below). Her scat improvisations were breathtaking and although I barely understood a word of what she was singing because it was all in French, she just proved that her music could cross languages. She also had the best backup band!

The guy (what's his name?) on the steelpans was amazing. In the first place, I didn't even know what this instrument was! It looks like a giant snare drum, sounds a bit like a xylophone but not quite. Check out a the video of his steel pan solo below taken by earthxavier. (Here's another solo taken by d7b9 at the festival itself.)

I'm also awarding the steel pan guy and Jazz Jamaica trumpeter Abram Wilson the best duel! During the last performance of the festival, a lot of these jazz greats went on stage for a huge jamming session and these two really stood out trying to outdo each other with their riffs.

It started out innocently-- a few bars of the trumpet here, a few bars of the steel pan there; but then it got faster and faster and more intricate and the crowd went on their feet and started cheering!

Who won?

Well, the steelpan guy took the pan off its rack, placed it on the floor and started to spin it like a roulette while playing it. That's badass! And it was beautiful musical mayhem!

I wanted to scream "we're not worthy! we're not worthy!"
***
Find out reviewsbyp's sexiest performer, best dressed band, most unexpected song and more-- continue reading the second part of the review...

Checkers, Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 16:24:00 +0000

I asked the owner: "Is this place halal?"
He looks at me straight in the eye and deadpans: "Halal? This is checkers!"
***
It's Checkers, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant hidden in a suburb in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur and they've got the best pork i've ever had in this city.

Praise the Lard and satisfaction will be upon thee! Says one of the many charming little signs that adorn this one-room 30-seat affair.

There's little in the way of ambience here and the steel fold-up chairs leave much to be desired but I'm going to forgive these poor choices of furniture because the food and service more than make up for it.

What to order? You definitely must start with the mushroom galette (MYR 19) which is just a fancy term for "yummy thin crust mushroom and bacon pizza". (I think it's a misnomer because galettes are usually more like crepes...) The base is crispy, thin like a cracker and the cheese is sticky and the toppings are generous. But don't just eat the pizza on its own-- ask for the homemade hot sauce simply called After Death Chili Sauce!

That stuff will put hair on your chest.

On to the mains-- if you're in a big group, you must try Lord Of The Ribs which features a whole rack of ribs that redefines finger licking good. And the sauce-- oh the sauce! The BBQ sauce it comes with is for amateurs-- ask for the mustard vinaigrette with its tangy kick that literally (literally!) made my mouth water. (If you're dining alone, try the smaller version-- "Porky's Best". It comes with fresh salad and corn.)

To keep yourself young (you'll die early), order the pig trotters (MYR 25) which is very similar to our crispy pata. Thick, crispy skin that you must pull off the deep fried bone with your bare hands. And as you pull it, your fingers become sticky from the melted fat underneath. Tasty but not for the faint of heart (pardon the pun).

Pasta aglio olio (MYR 18.5) is a good choice to accompany all this porky goodness coupled with their house red wine (MYR 85).

For dessert, I recommend their chocolate mousse (MYR 17) garnished with fresh mint and strawberries. If you want something cool, try the rum dessert thingie (MYR 15) which is similar to ice kacang but with rum.

The service is very personal because the quirky hands-on owner Sam bustles about. He does have a bit of a strange sense of humor and can seem abrasive and aloof but I like the guy. He also has three Filipino staff so if you can speak Filipino, greet them with a hearty kamusta and you'll see their faces light up.

Rating:
Four and a half pawikan points! Bonus points because there is no corkage (yes you can bring your own wine to drink for free).
Minus points because the place is hard to find-- and this is by design! Sam doesn't want too much customers because he says it's too much work. They've got a big Checkers signboard but it isn't lit so good luck in finding it.

Interested? Make sure to call first (+603-2095-3304) and make a booking because of its limited seats. Ask for directions so you can locate 19 Lorong Setia Bistari 2, Damansara Heights. (More reviews: pasankia, food-4-thot)

In praise of the Nasi Kandar, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:21:00 +0000

There was no menu, no prices, the viands had no labels, no one could speak English and all the servers could ask me was: "Makan? Makan?"

This ain't no twilight zone-- this was Lotus nasi kandar on Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.
***
My first thought was that this was a buffet with the rows and rows of steel pans containing a very wide assortment of food. How assorted? Well let's see...

- first you've got the standards-- grilled satay (my fave!), chicken rice, roti, noodles, western food
- the fried fare (chicken, pigeon, catfish)
- curried lamb, chicken, fish, shrimp and squid
- tofu in different kinds of sauce
- veggies (bitter gourd with egg, green beans, broccoli, assorted stir fried veggies, etc...)
- drinks (fresh soy milk, lime, tea, coffee, milo, fresh coconut, softdrinks)
- sup ayam which is basically chicken soup chock-full of chili and spice and everything nice. (I had a star anise in my soup!) This stuff will leave your nose runny.

Alamak! I will run out of space if I list everything here! You can't beat the nasi kandar for sheer variety. Period.

I understand that nasi kandar is a generic term for a "mixed rice" place and it's usually ran by Malaysian-Indians. It's sort of in between a kopitiam (food court) and a hawker center. This particular one i'm reviewing is Lotus which according to the taxi drivers, is so-so. (They recommend Pelita nasi kandar which I have yet to visit...)

Here's how it's done
You basically get a plate and heap food on it buffet style. Once you sit down to eat, one of the servers will magically appear beside you, look at the food and divine how much each item costs and write it on a piece of paper. After your meal, you bring this paper to the cashier to pay.

I can't quite figure out the pricing strategy but I am sure it is a combination of the type of viand and its quantity. Shrimps and squid cost more than meats, vegetables cost the least. It seems that eating a little of everything costs a lot of one thing than a lot of one thing. The more variety, the more you pay.

I've eaten here on more than one occasion and the cost of my food is never the same. One thing is constant though-- it's consistently below MYR12 (this includes 2 viands, rice, veggies and a drink) which I must say is very reasonable.

Rating:
Four pawikan points. Bonus points because everyone eats here! I've seen fashionistas dressed in their clubbing outfits, construction workers, office workers, foreigners, tourists and locals.

The place reminds me of a school canteen but what I like about it is the consistency--It's open 24 hours, the food is usually hot and there's no waiting for tables. The Lotus Family has operations all over Malaysia. Try it and let me know what you think.

Best Wedding Videos I've Seen in Manila

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 05:03:00 +0000

I've been to five weddings in just the past two months and have seen a wide variety of wedding videos. Usually the best are those that are "homemade" because of the unique content that only those who are close to you can make.

However I must give four pawikan points to Imacron's videos at Carine and Alpi's wedding. Usually the photo montage is done with the usual Apple photo slideshow software but this was the first time I've ever seen a 3D photomontage and it blew me away!

They also showed a video of the wedding day itself edited on-site and it was nothing short of amazing! Perfect use of Lisa Gerrard and Hans Zimmer's "Now We Are Free" from the Gladiator soundtrack. Succinct and dramatic. More wedding videos should be done this way.

Rating:

Sahara Tent, Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:47:00 +0000

The Sahara Tent restaurant at the Hotel Fortuna in Kuala Lumpur is the closest I think i'll ever get to authentic middle eastern food.

The pita bread (MYR2) is oven baked and served hot and fresh -- crispy and billowy in all the right places. And the hummus (MYR 9.50) is the best i've ever had! Beautiful but simply presented in a shallow plate adorned by a single olive at the center.

The falafel (MYR 12.90) was crunchy all around but I think it would've been better with cream cheese instead of a mayo dip.

Looking for some meat? I specially like the grilled lamb Riyash which are shaped like lollipops and are oh so savory.

The Musahab chicken with its garlic-based dip (MYR 18.90) reminded me of our very own chicken inasal. I found the Shagaff lamb kebabs (MYR19.50) a bit dry and I think it could be improved with a little sauce on the side.

Wash everything down with a pot of the strong Arabic tea (MYR 10) and you've got the makings of a very good meal.

The ambience is definitely Middle Eastern-- carpets, shishah pipes and even a camel stuffed toy! Waiters and clientele who look like they come from the region. They even have special booths with curtains for diners who wear full face veils.

Rating:
Four pawikan points! What more can I say? The servers are attentive, the toilets are clean and the food is good. Visit their website for a map and contact information.

Goat soup, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:34:00 +0000

It's loud, confusing with an atmosphere not unlike a market. The tables are uninspiring and a cat brushes past my leg. Someone almost slipped on the fresh coffee spill. The waiters are shouting something in Bahasa which Mark translated as "come here, come and sit inside".

I am in a hawker center simply called Selera Jaya 223 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia and I'm having goat soup.

My foodie friend Mark orders in Bahasa-- duwa sup kambing and duwa Milo ice kosong. Literally translated as two goat soup and two Milo ice zero. (Mark explains that our drink is called "zero" because it contains nothing but water, ice and a generous heaping of Milo powdered milk.)

I take one packet of nasi lemak (literally "fat rice") wrapped in a banana leaf from the tray, unwrap it on the table (plates? what plates?) and take a huge spoonful of the rice cooked in coconut with sambal (chili) and peanuts. Then I sip the hot goat soup.

Immediately there was a party in my mouth and everybody was on fire. It's a spicy and meaty taste, very bold and aggressive which I think the locals describe as heaty. I drink up the soup until my nose is nice and runny and then I gulp down the Milo ice zero-- aahhh it is THE perfect drink to douse the flames.

Rating:
Four pawikan points! Bonus points because our bill comes up to a verrry reasonable MYR 7 per person! Not bad for a meal that really hit the spot.

Be prepared for lots of local color and make sure your stomach can handle this sort of experience. It's not exactly a shining pinnacle of food hygiene.

Massimo's Cafe, Tagaytay

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:18:00 +0000

"This reminds me of my lola's house" was Agent A's comment and I think it pretty much summed up the whole feel of the place. (Agent A's lola must also have an expensive chef! hehehe)
***
Decided to go for an early valentine's day dinner at Massimo's Ristorante upon Mama Hen's and commenter Rachel's recommendation. We were the only patrons during that Friday night and we were greeted by our friendly waiter who immediately showed us the menu written in chalk on a big blackboard.

I thought that was a bit strange-- ordering even before we were seated and it felt a bit 'rushed'. I assume that the meals are made depending on what's available in the market but since it's fine-dining prices, I would've still preferred a printed copy that I could leisurely peruse while nibbling on some starters.

The Food
Speaking of starters, I recommend the artichoke and cheese dip (php250) with sticky, gooey cheese on crispy toasted bread. For the main course, I had the scallops on mushroom risotto (php695) while Agent A ordered sea bass with mashed potato (Php850).

The portions were just right for us but then again Agent A and I aren't very big eaters. The sea bass was crispy, melts in your mouth and went well with the refreshing dalandan juice (php85). I thought the scallops were slightly on the salty side but the risotto had lots of flavor. Both dishes had mediocre plating and didn't invite you to take a photo of it.

It pains me to say this but dessert was underwhelming. The molten chocolate cake with ice cream (php175) was so-so. Maybe I should've tried the gelato instead. Try their calming mint tea (php65) to cap off your meal.

Very good service-- our server was unobtrusive and he knew the menu well.

Rating:
A dinner for two that cost almost Php2,500 and I didn't even order any wine! I apply my snootier set of standards for such fine-dining prices and I give this place three and a half pawikan points. Bonus points because of the folksy, easy-going ambience. Minus points because we didn't get any official receipt, just a sales invoice.

If you liked this review, you might also want to read my review of Antonio's also in Tagaytay. There are also other reviews of Massimo you can read.
***
Directions: Coming from the Tagaytay rotunda, drive about 2km and make a right at the Petron station with the fork in the road. After about 400m, you'll see a big sign on your right for Massimo. Turn right and you'll see the well-lit house to your right.

How to search and download music from multiply

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:27:00 +0000

I used to discover a lot of music because of the MP3s posted on social networking site multiply. It seems that they've wisened up and disabled the search and download options but it still is possible and I'll show you how.

The easy way is to visit the multiply music search tool. It's great if it works but sometimes you get a 403 forbidden error message and you'll just have to try again.

If the method above doesn't work, try this sure fire method of reviewsbyp:

How to search for mp3's on multiply:
step 1. Don't use regular google because multiply music isn't indexed anymore. Instead, use: http://blogsearch.google.com and prefix your query with the phrase "site:multiply.com/music" (exclude the quotation marks).

For example if you're searching for wolfgang, type this (without quotation marks) in the search box: "site:multiply.com/music wolfgang"
You can also put both the artist and song name like this: "site:multiply.com/music yellow submarine beatles"

step 2. When the results appear in the list, do not click on the link directly because multiply will bring you to an error page. Instead, copy (right click > copy shortcut / link location) and paste the link (CTRL + V) into the address bar of a new window (CTRL + N).

How to download the songs from multiply
The actual links to the mp3s are hidden but easy to find. From the multiply page, right click on the "play this playlist" and save the M3U file on your desktop. Open this M3U file with notepad (or Word) and you will see the direct links inside. Copy and paste link into your browser's address bar and you're good to go.
***
If you liked this post, and would like to read about pinoy celebrity bloggers (leah salonga, francism, patty laurel, etc...) or about what's buzzing in the Pinoy blogspace, you might want to have a look at my secret project whatsikat.com .

How To Have a Romantic Getaway in Koh Samui, Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 13:00:00 +0000

"I get girl for you and you", the guy said while pointing to me and my friend Mark. Then he sees our other companion Louis, scrunches his brow and finally says with a flourish: "Lady-boy for you?"

***
I was invited at the last minute by Mark and Louis to join them for a long weekend in Koh Samui. It was a sausage fest but it was also a good chance for us to scout the place for some romantic spots when we come back with our girlfriends.

All three of us manly men shared a room at the affordable Weekender Resort whose front-desk staff were Filipinos! I recommend the resort because:

Great location-- walking distance to shops, clubs and restaurants.

Clean rooms and toilets that passed my will-walk-barefoot test. Airconditioning, white sheets, tasteful decor, cable TV, slippers, beach towels, in-room safe and complimentary bottled water.

It's a beachfront resort with a pool!

Yummy breakfast buffet (bacon, porridge, fresh fruit, brewed coffee and eggs cooked on-demand)

A very helpful staff

So without further ado, here is my suggested itinerary for a romantic 2 days, 1 night stay at Koh Samui:

Take a leisurely, mid-morning stroll towards the west end of the beach to the Ananta Lamai Beach Resort. Once there, enjoy a traditional hour-long full-body massage or foot massage from the Just One therapists. The traditional massage combined with the great view and sound of the crashing waves is a very relaxing experience.
After your treatment, have a late lunch on top of the huge rock at Ananta Lamai. I recommend that Pad Thai noodles and clear Tom Yam. Nothing beats the view and the occassional cooling misty spray from the sea.
Walk towards grandfather and grandmother (they are huge, natural genitalia-shaped rock) and do some of your shopping at the stalls along the way. I bought some cool cotton pants for only THB300!
Have some drinks and chillax at The Rock reggae bar while waiting for the sunset. Try their excellent Pina Colada served in a fresh coconut!

At about 5:30, head on out, climb the huge rock beside it and watch the slowly setting sun while sipping your drink.
Walk by the seashore back to your hotel while you are bathed in the slowly fading light of dusk. Freshen up and have an outdoor dinner at the classy Samui Jasmine resort where you will be serenaded by a Filipino guitarist.
Cap the night by making a wish and lighting up a flying lantern (100THB). Watch it slowly disappear into the starry night as you walk back to your hotel.

Rating:
Four pawikan points! Bonus points for that funny restaurant guy who wanted to get us some girls and a lady-boy for good time. (We politely declined!)

Extra points because we went during the first week of December which was still off-peak season. Not too many people because it wasn't 100% sunny. It rained a lot but I still had a good romp on the seashore while the storm was beating down on me. It's been a long time since I last played in the rain.

Modify your Nintendo Wii in Greenhills

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:54:00 +0000

Brought our U.S-bought WII console to EYO Sales & Technologies in Greenhills Virramall. The shop was very crowded but I managed to catch the eye of one of the techs. Handed him the Wii and with no fanfare he quickly sat down to disassemble it.

Turns out that EYO sells two kinds of modchips that they install depending on the type of chip installed in your wii. There's the wiikey which costs P2000 and the more expensive D2Ckey which costs P5000. You can buy the wiikey mod chip cheaper online for only about $29 but then you'd have to solder it yourself so I'd rather let the experienced guys at EYO do it.

Anyway ours was the older D2B chip so the helpful tech went about soldering the wiikey. The unit was reassembled, had a software upgrade (via wi-fi) and and I was out of the shop within two hours.

Our wii can now play pirated CDs for P150 instead of the P2000 price tag of an original! It even connects to the internet and has no problem with Nintendo firmware updates.

TIPS:
1. Get to EYO early in the morning. It's a very popular repair center and it can get crowded with all the people bringing in their defective XBOX360s and PSPs.
2. Be careful of the pirated wii games. Some of them are actually old Gamecube games! Look carefully at the label. If you see a gamecube logo, then it was made for the Gamecube and not for the wii. It will still work with your console but it won't make full use of the wiimote "actions".

Here are pirated games that I've tried with the modified wii:
1. Metroid 3
2. Resident Evil 4 - highly recommended. Highly enjoyable with more than 100+ hours of gameplay.
3. Wii Boogie - It's a much simpler version of dance-revo where you just have to tap the wiimote to the beat. Successful tapping will let your character make fancy dance moves. It's very silly but I find it strangely addicting.
4. Sonic the hedgehog - Poorly designed menu system but once you get through the tutorials, it's fun to play. It's a bit too complicated for me because your character zips through so fast and you've got to have quick reflexes.
5. Legend of Zelda - doesn't work. Disc read error.
6. Prince of Persia - verrrry good game!

Rating:
Four pawikan points for the prompt attention that we received from the techs at EYO. Minus points because it's so crowded. It seems like they're the only ones offering this service which is why they can charge so much for it! But so far I'm happy that the wii works and I'm willing to pay for a job well done.

Robbie Johnson Quartet at the Green Dolphin

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:08:00 +0000

"Excuse me waiter, which one is Robbie Johnson?"
"He's the one with the respirator."
I chuckled quietly at what I thought was the South African waiter's funny English. Was he calling the old man's instrument a respirator? Then I looked more closely and I saw the plastic tubes running into the singer's nostrils...
***
Some friends and I decided to drop by the famed "Green Dolphin" at the waterfront to catch some live jazz music. We took a table on the second floor overlooking the stage during the night Robbie Johnson Quartet was playing and I had a great view of the action.

Mr Johnson is this old gentleman whose spirit for jazz is far stronger than his failing lungs. He'd bellow out a couple of songs then he'd have to stop and catch his breath. After his set, I started shouting "more!" but my companion told me not to ask for more because he might over-exert himself! He was taking deep breaths and a doctor from the audience went up to ask him if he was alright.

After a 15 minute break, he was back on stage but the piano solos were noticeably longer than his singing. Lots of soul in the performance and I'd definitely be back.

The food is expensive and of average quality. During that night I went, patrons had to order a two-course meal which was a bummer for me because I did not feel like having a big dinner. If you decline, you'd have to sit way behind by the bar where you won't have a view of the band.

Rating:
Four pawikan points. Skip the dinner and come here for the jazz and drinks. I've heard that on some days (Sunday night?), they clear all the tables and replace it with comfy lounging chairs. I can imagine myself sipping an Amarula (with crushed ice) while listening to some excellent jazz.

My Top 6 Pinoy Web 2.0 websites

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:16:00 +0000

When I started working on whatsikat.com I started wondering what are the other pinoy versions of those popular "western" websites and here's what I came up with. Maybe you can add some more...

1. digg.com -> pinoybee.com- konti pa lang yung users but it looks promising. I like the "hukayy.com" name better (but it has significantly less members) or the now defunct oks.ph. I hope pinoybee will last longer than these others.

2. popurls.com -> whatsikat.com - a newcomer with lots of localized content. it doesn't have as much as other aggregators (netvibes, my yahoo) but it's very Pinoy. my favorite is the 'celebrity bloggers' section that shows fresh links to blog posts from stars like bianca gonzalez, chuckie dreyfus (!?), jim paredes, etc...

3. ebay/craigslist -> sulit.com.ph - has a big, thriving community and a catchy name!

4. rapidshare -> pritoshare.com i always give up when using rapidshare because of all its restrictions. i've never encountered that problem with pritoshare so I hope it's able to keep up with the huge bandwidth requirements.

5. youtube -> pinoytube.com it's fast and doesn't focus just on 'scandals' (meron din videos of the macabre like mga nasasagasaan or nasa-salvage.). It doesn't have the big youtube community and it feels a bit 'heavy' with its black background vs. youtube's fresh white but I like how the content is so (for lack of a better word..) pinoy.

6. instant messaging -> chikka.com didn't really make it as an IM platform like YM or MSN but it is *the* service for free sms and i know so many people who use it.

Eto yung mga wala pa akong nakitang successful pinoy counterpart:
1. social networking like facebook - hindi nag-click ang pinoyster at pinoy-friendster. bakit kaya when so many of us are online on friendster/multiply?

2. paypal - when will we have our own payment gateway? hanggang gcash na lang ba forever?

3. streaming audio on-demand and recommendations like pandora.com or last.fm - pinoys love music so bakit hanggang soundclick.com lang? If pandora could negotiate deals with the record labels, we should also be able to do the same since it's the same companies anyway. (universal, sony-bmg, etc..)

4. social bookmarking like del.icio.us

5. flickr photo sharing!

I wonder when we will get to start something and have the west copy us for a change.

I Ate A Worm at Nyoni's Krall, Cape Town

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:51:00 +0000

"Waiter there are worms on my plate!"
"Those are not worms sir. Those are caterpillars."

Great. An aborted butterfly. So why was it called a Mopane worm in the first place? I guess chewing on a caterpillar is better than chewing an earthworm.

Seeing that I have a penchant for eating aborted animals (see Balut) I shrugged and ate it anyway.
***
Nyoni's Krall on Long Street is another one of those African-themed restaurants (see Mama Africa). It's decorated in the style of a krall which is one those round African huts. Flat screens show videos of traditional music and dance. It feels touristy but surprisingly there are lots of locals.

The menu is intense-- among the side orders are amatumbu (sheep's intestines), amagine (chicken feet) and mopane worms (ZAR25).

I imagine amatumbu to be like chicharon bulaklak and chicken feet is standard street-food fare in the Philippines so I decided to start off my meal with Mopane worms. (They're actually caterpillars that eat the leaves of a Mopane tree. Protein-packed little buggers that are the staple of Africans who can't afford beef.)

They were served deep fried on a bed of salad. I stabbed one with a fork and popped it in my mouth. I expected it to be crunchy but it was surprisingly chewy and hollow like a calamari. Other than the different texture, I'd say it tastes like chicken. (Yes, I finished the whole plate.)

The spicy chicken liver (ZAR30) was so-so. I still prefer the one from the Butcher's Grill. Beers were at ZAR12 each. Try the game medallions (ZAR85) for your main course and top it off with a traditional brandy pudding (ZAR35).

Rating:
Four pawikan points! The service was excellent (as I've come to expect from Cape Town) and the ambience is warm and cozy. The food though is not for the faint of heart. Definitely an interesting menu that could read like a biology lesson highlighting the different parts of an animal. Bonus points because it's decidedly unusual and was the only restaurant that I encountered in the whole of Cape Town which served Mopane worms.

The Fountain Hotel, Cape Town

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:58:00 +0000

Maybe my stay at The Southern Sun raised the bar and spoiled me rotten. Every time I compare the Fountain Hotel hotel with them, the Fountain just doesn't measure up. As a guest who stayed for three months, they should have gone out of their way to make sure I enjoyed my stay. I had no such luck.
***
The room
Because I was going to be here for quite some time so I stayed in a suite with a kitchenette at a discounted ZAR17,000/month. No microwave but I had an electric oven, stove top and complete kitchenware.

The bed had a queen sized width but a strangely short length-- my feet dangled at the edge whenever I lay flat on my back!

If you're the sort of person who likes to fall asleep while watching the TV, you're out of luck because it won't fit the room. The TV is outside in the living room and only has a couple of sports and movie channels. (The Southern Sun definitely had more channels.)

The bathroom had a shower/tub combo and it passed my will-walk-barefoot test. Towels were not as big and fluffy as I'd want them to be but I figured for the cost of this room, it should have been as luxurious as the Wild Mushroom Guesthouse at Stellenbosch!

To welcome me, I had a small basket of fruit and a plate of cheese and crackers. For some reason, I never got around to eating the fruit and it remained rotting on the table until I checked out three months later. I purposely did not throw it out just to see if housekeeping would notice it.

Amenities
What amenities? The pool? Hahaha! What a joke! It allegedly had a heater but even after my many complaints, the water never warmed up. Despite it being winter, I decided to give it a chance anyway and went for a swim.

Big mistake.

It's longer than it is wide and I cut my hand along one side as I tried to do my laps. (As of this writing, I still have the scar on my wrist.) After 15 minutes, I had to stop because my eyes were stinging very badly! The cloudy water should've given me the hint that there was too much chlorine. I couldn't open my eyes the next day because they were still so puffy and caked with the salt from my tears.

Oh and don't get me started on the gym! I complained and complained but during my whole stay (three months!), they never got around to fixing the broken rowing machine. The lone weights machine is a safety hazard with no operating instructions and is in dire need of oiling.

Service
The staff is friendly and I honestly believe that they try very hard. Unfortunately it's the result and not the effort that matters.

Every morning for three months, I gave my room number to the same lady at the breakfast buffet. It seems that she could never remember me. Maybe to her, all of us asians look alike. TO her credit however, she finally got it right during my last week but she never greeted me by name. In fact, none of the staff ever took the trouble to learn my name!

The breakfast spread is good but I missed the free apples that the Southern Sun always had for its guests. The coffee and tea is self-service so you get it instantaneously but it's not as fancy as the Sun's made-to-order cappucinos and latte.

Some tips:
1. Request for a room on the higher floors. The streets are very busy and very noisy. Every 8pm, there's a honey truck that drains the septic tank across the street and it's very loud and annoying.
2. Use the do not disturb sign! Housekeeping will come and clean your room at 8am. Even on Saturdays. And Sundays. WTF!?!
3. Laundry is very expensive. For the price of washing a shirt, I can do a whole week's worth at the same-day service Nannucci laundromat right behind the hotel.

Conclusion:
There was always a lot of Mandarin speaking tourists while I was there so I guess that's a good sign. If you're just looking for a place to stay while you're vacationing in Cape Town, The Fountain Hotel would be a good choice. The daily rate is cheaper than the Southern Sun's and if you're willing to overlook the pool and gym, it's really not that bad.
***
If you liked this review, you may also want to read my review of the Southern Sun: Cape Sun.

Abakhaya at Mama Africa, Cape Town

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 10:22:00 +0000

African beats fused with jazz and an unbelievable vocalist who sings in an operatic tenor. It's a voice built for the opera crossed with African chutzpah. (bonus points for the rhyme?)

***
My mouth was agape with incredulity. Here was an African man in a sleeveless shirt hopping up and down a makeshift podium made of a pair of overturned plastic coke cases.

I wasn't surprised at the tourists hopping up and down with him and swaying rhythmically as if in a trance. I couldn't help myself either. The playful marimba complemented by the various percussions and jazz trumpeteer was just a rocking good time!

And such a familiar playlist! Sexual Healing, Don't Worry Be Happy, No Woman No Cry, Fallen; these songs were all performed African style with percussions, a killer marimba, trumpet solos topped with an opera-tenor voice and it just worked!

This is a mash-up to end all mash-ups!

I bought a CD from them but sad to say, it's just not the same. Abakhaya has played in many international venues and they are best experienced live.

Anyway let's talk about the food at Mama Africa. Surprise, surprise it is typically African. For starters, try the Snoek pate (ZAR32.5) which is similar to an open-faced tuna sandwich. If you're feeling a bit adventurous, order the wild game mixed grill (ZAR165) that has grilled kudu, ostrich, crocodile and springbok. You've seen them in the wild, now you can eat them.

For dessert, I recommend the banana flame (ZAR37) just for the theatrics. Finally, to top it all off-- order a double Amarula on crushed ice. Yum.

Rating:

Bonus points for the Michael Jackson-esque exclamations of "eeeheee!" (minus crotch grab) that punctuated some of the faster songs! This is a must-see if you're in Cape Town. Visit Mama Africa on Long St. Abakhaya performs during Wednesdays. The place gets packed really quick so make sure you call and reserve a seat.

Balut - Most Terrifying Food In The World?

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 15:54:00 +0000

"They are typically sold by street vendors at night, out of buckets of warm sand. You can spot the vendors because of their glowing red eyes, and the faint, otherworldly sound of children screaming."

In cracked.com's funny tongue-in-cheek article of "The 6 Most Terrifying Foods in The World", Tim Cameron reviews ant eggs, baby mice wine, boiled sheep egg, casu marzu and balut. Can you guess which gets the top spot as the most terrifying food?

I think he's over-reacting but it definitely put a smile on my face. Read his review and let me know what you think.

How To Renew Driver's License in Alabang Quickly

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:40:00 +0000

My favorite way of spending my birthday is with the bureaucrats at the LTO in Alabang. I get to spend some quality time with a good book, rub elbows with the masses, make fun of the cono kids, pee in a tiny cup and have a photo-op!

Here are some tips on how to do it in one hour.

Requirements:
1. Bring your old license and old receipt.
2. Drink 2 glasses of water an hour before. (You will need to pee for the drug test.)
3. Bring Php600. (P250 for license, 350 for medical/drug exams)
4. Make sure that you have not taken any marijuana or shabu.
5. Bring a pen and a good book.

When to renew your license:
Renew it before or on your birthday or else you pay an extra Php30 fine. Go on a weekday because there are less people.

What time you should go:
Get to the LTO first thing in the morning at 8:00am sharp. This is the secret to having it fast and easy. Processing is done by batch so if you arrive at 11am, you will have to wait for them to do their lunch break. Don't bother to go at 3pm unless you want to return the next day.

Process for renewing your driver's license
1. Go to window 1 inside the LTO, take a form and fill it up.
2. Take the form to the drug testing center and pay Php350.
3. Fill up the form that the drug test encoder gives you, give this to the technician in front of the toilet and pee into the small bottle.
4. Return bottle to technician and wait for your results. (Your name will be called.)
5. When you have your drug test results, proceed to doctor. He will take your BP, weight and height. Then you will be given a form that says you're healthy.
6. Go back inside LTO, give all the forms to window 1.
7. Your name will be called for cost assessment, photo, payment and collection of license. You will get your laminated card on the same day.

Tips and Tricks
1. Right before you pay, you will be asked to take a protective sleeve for your license. They won't tell you right there but it's not free, it costs Php25.
2. The regular license costs Php248 but they don't give change.
3. The bottleneck is with the drug and medical tests. They ask you to fill up the whole bottle which is difficult to do if you don't feel like urinating. There is only one technician processing everyone so you really have to wait. This is the reason you must be early.

Conclusion
The useless medical test takes 5 minutes and costs Php100. The drug test is overpriced and not exactly fool proof. Clearly just a big raket.

Bonus points though for the relatively smooth process. No fixers required here and no one jumps the queue. Rich or poor, pipila ka talaga. This is how it's supposed to be anyway. Minus points because of the sungit and unsmiling civil servants. But with such a tedious job as theirs, could you really blame them?

Carpool by Jerrold Tarog

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:54:00 +0000

Rating: 5/5
This movie short (10 minutes long) won 1st place in the short feature category of the 19th Gawad CCP for Alternative Movies and Video. It was also an exhibition film at the 2006 Cinemanila International Film Festival. It's in Filipino but a version with English subtitles is also available. Directed by Jerrold Tarog, cinematography by Ruel Dahis Antipuesto.

After watching it, I just had this big silly grin on my face. It's just so... real! (Thanks Javi for sharing this with me!)

New music by Josh Verdes

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:07:00 +0000

Josh Verdes is a cross between John Mayer and Jack Johnson. Check out my favorite song of his, "Save Me". He's a Fil-American and the performers in the video below are his sister (back-up vocals) and brother (on bass).

If you liked this video, you may also want to check out Happyslip's short "Boypren" which features the song.

New music by Blue Ketchup

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:49:00 +0000

My sister never fails to introduce me to these fabulous new Pinoy bands. Blue Ketchup is one of them.

I specially like Indyanera which has some rhythmic pianos and a bossa-feel. There are more videos on youtube and you can download some of the MP3s from thedigitalpinoy (registration required.)

New music by Jose Vanders

noreply@blogger.com (p) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:41:00 +0000

I stumbled upon the music of British Jose Vanders and I think she's the female pianist equivalent of Brett Dennen.

Jose's (pronounced Josie or Jaws) myspace page lists her musical inspiration as: "...boys
who have broken my heart . and boys who have stuck it back together with pritt stick and glitter . so its kind of sticky . but still nice and shiny..." How very artsy fartsy!

Listen to her music, compare it with Brett Dennen and let me know what you think.