The sight of prosciutto from a window poster made me convince him to dine at Steveston Pizza. I love prosciutto! It always reminds me of those vacations I took long ago in Hongkong Goldcoast. My sister would take home pizza from the local restaurant and the pizza was divine because of the saltiness of the prosciutto. When I asked my sister about it on my next visit, she said the place had shut down after a drug bust. After recovering from shock at the news, I had since been on the hunt for the best prosciutto pizza. I have not found it yet and it’s been years.

So there we were at Steveston (the name is a little tricky to pronounce)  and there was nothing on the menu but all kinds of pizza. Oh, and cesar salad and chicken wings. I liked how you can watch them put the pizza together at the bar next to the cashier.

I had to put my foot down (yes, husband likes to indulge me!) and order the one with the prosciutto, which turns out to be the most expensive one on the menu. A whopping Php 1,299 for a 12-inch pizza! Apparently, they had two premium pizzas they call “C Pizza”. I couldn’t remember what the other one was.

The pizza took about 15 minutes to be served since they cook them fresh so it was just right. I was excited to try it, and we were really hungry by then as it was already half past 1pm. The pizza looked better than it did on the menu.

See the super generous serving of prosciutto? It felt almost like Christmas!

At this point I had asked for hot sauce, too eager to start digging into the thin-crust pie. We couldn’t understand what the white ball was in the middle of the pan and thought it was a ball of cheese. Looking at the menu again, we realized it was the “dollop of roasted garlic mousse”. It didn’t taste like anything. In fact, it hardly had any taste at all!

Credit to http://www.blessthisstuff.com/

But there was the pizza! We were suddenly faced with the problem of cutting into the pie. It was pre-sliced but the slices of ham weren’t and it looked like the ends met in the center, unlike the photo on the menu where the ham were just tucked neatly in the middle of each slice. The pizza shovel could have had a serrated edge on one side to help with the cutting but it didn’t. Or a pizza scissor like this one.

I asked for a knife and fork but the plastic ones that they handed us weren’t sturdy enough to cut through the ham. Still, we prevailed!

My enthusiasm was cut short when I held a slice in my hand. I wanted to savor the pizza so I opted to eat with my hands (because that’s how pizza should be eaten!) rather than with a fork and knife. However, as soon as I lifted the slice, the ham just slid right off, and the slice was all bent like a wilted flower. The crust was all soft. Very disappointing.

I asked the waitress about it, and she said that that was really how the pizza is supposed to be. I couldn’t argue with her and just sat back in defeat.

Anyway, the pizza was still good despite the sogginess. I tell you, the prosciutto is heaven! And mixed with thin slivers of fresh basil. LOVE! I couldn’t care less for the brie and roma tomatoes.

Isn’t it pretty?

I will probably return if I crave for prosciutto again. I’ve never seen them in abundance over pizza before. Other restaurants only have one thin piece over each pizza slice. I have to give credit to Steveston Pizza at UP Town Center for not scrimping on the precious ham. We will also probably try the other ones on the menu, particularly the different variants of Margherita that they have. Service is good too, even if there was only one waitress around but it wasn’t a busy time anyway. Although we had to ask for the condiments, she did offer us additional napkins later on and was always smiling and gracious.

Steveston Pizza
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/StevestonPizza
Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Diliman QC
Phone: +632-9552273, +63917-9043428

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Takashi opened just last June 8, 2014 in the freshly constructed building next to the Pioneer Supermarket. We were the only customers at the time and it looked like they had just turned on the air conditioning when we entered, so the place was initially warm.

You can tell that they were still figuring things out because they were conducting their inventory in the middle of the restaurant amidst tumblers of water bottles, plates and utensils. They don’t have much on their menu except their specialty which is ramen, and a few variants of sashimi and sushi.

Too bad they don’t have beef ramen. Service was rather prompt; we were offered gratis their house tea. We shared a bowl of spicy seafood ramen (P 250) and salmon sashimi (P 250 for 8 slices). We didn’t have to wait long for our food or check, although I did hear a followup call from the other customers who subsequently came in.

A Japanese guy, whom we assumed was the owner, was busily going about in the kitchen although he wasn’t in the usual kitchen garb like the rest of his employees. He was also on their poster.

The background music was appropriate and actually put us in the mood – Japanese take on modern pop hits.

We could have ordered more if it were lunchtime but we generally don’t eat much for dinner. The seafood ramen was okay although the serving small compared to Ramencool’s. I appreciated that it wasn’t too spicy like Korean soup but then I really couldn’t taste anything else which was disappointing. The salmon looked fresh although I did feel that some parts of the fish were a little hard and chewy which was strange for fresh salmon but I didn’t mind it all too much. Their wasabe can use a little more heat though.

Will I return? The food is not good enough for me to go back to so I probably won’t since there are other Japanese restaurants around. Just right across the parking lot is Tok-yu, and they serve practically the same type of food although for a much cheaper price. Another one is also about to open just a few doors away and we might try that one out too.

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A couple of days before everything just went awry, the song “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)” by The Byrds suddenly played in my mind. The lyrics were taken almost verbatim from the book of Ecclesiastes.

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing

To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late!

Thinking back, I now believe that my mind was mentally preparing itself for what was to happen.

I had always thought that I was a pretty open person but this recent experience has made me realize that I only show to the world a controlled version of myself.

That or perhaps I just don’t like to dwell on issues or bother myself with worry.

It came as a total shock to me how I had reacted to the situation. I did not see that coming at all. I did not see myself breaking down and building a wall.

Not the type of wall that no one can climb though.

I still give myself props for being resilient. For springing back better and earlier than expected. For accepting that to everything there really is a season.

The post To Everything There Is A Season appeared first on Unbored Diva.

1. running in Capitol Commons
2. beef ramen at RamenCool
3. Cris’ healing hands at Regent Spa, Ace Hotel
4. burgers and buffalo wings at Charlie’s Grill
5. sausage platter, bacon slab, beef stew, truffle mushroom pasta at Poco Deli

   
   

6. the Man-Sandwich at Mad Marks

   

7. pork barbecue at Three Sisters Restaurant
8. tapa and longganisa breakfast at Milky Sunny

1. very close proximity to banks
2. Santi’s at Capitol Commons

We had finally tried Ninak and while the food is good, I can’t say that I will miss it.  

The post 10 Things I Will Miss About Kapitolyo appeared first on Unbored Diva.

I ordered this poster online from the US and had my sister bring it home just so I can have it mounted on our wall. I spent $2 on this poster but Php 2,500 to get it framed.

The husband and I are on the second episode of the sixth season of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. This is probably the 50th time we’ve cycled through the ten seasons, and I don’t see us stopping. And I know exactly why we love this sitcom so much.

It’s set in the 90s, and we’re 90s people.

But it’s definitely more than that. 

The story is centered on 6 people in their 20s with the characters having each of their own eccentricities and while they can live without each other, they choose not to. Phoebe’s psychiatrist boyfriend, Roger, describes the “dysfunctional group dynamic” as “…this kind of co-dependent, emotionally-stunted, sitting-in-your-stupid-coffee-house-with-your-stupid-big-cups which, I’m sorry, might as well have nipples on them.. and you’re all like ‘oh define me, define me, love me. I need love!”. (Needless to say, that effectively killed off Roger.) I can safely say that Roger’s reaction is typical of an outsider to the group; that while he may be trying to project a superior air, he was actually manifesting envy. While I am not at all envious, I do know that this is the circle that I want to be in. There is so much love! The husband calls them ‘dabarkads’.

As a viewer, I’d always prefer this ensemble over say, How I Met Your Mother (sorry, HIMYM fans!), which, in my opinion, would have flopped without Barney Stinson’s character played by the talented Neil Patrick Harris. F.R.I.E.N.D.S is a true ensemble cast in that the series just wouldn’t work without any of the 6 – Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Phoebe and Joey. Each character brings his own uniqueness to complete the group – Monica being the obsessive-compulsive-Mother-hen “I am always the hostess”, Chandler, the commitment-phobic-sarcastic-joker “Okay, you have to stop the Q-tip when there’s resistance!”, Ross, the fossil-loving-nitpicking-three-divorces-guy “You threw my sandwich away… My sandwich? MY SANDWICH?!!”, Rachel, pushover-daddys-girl-borderline-dumb-blonde-fashionista “Just so you know, it’s NOT that common, it DOESN’T happen to every guy and it IS a big deal!”, Phoebe, the quirky-singer-songwriter-flaky-hippie-masseuse “New York city has no power and the milk is getting sour, but to me it is not scary cause i stay away from dairy la la la la la” and Joey, the airhead-playboy-actor-with-a-big-heart “How you doin’?”. I loved how easily they can transition from one emotion to the next, happy to sad and vice-versa, in under a minute, and get the audience so involved. The comedic timing is excellent. The fact that they could pull off shooting in front of a live audience – that just proves how well the actors worked together even with Lisa Kudrow’s almost-frequent bursts of laughter.

To be continued…

The post F.R.I.E.N.D.S Forever appeared first on Unbored Diva.

We were 5 in the party and were in high spirits on our way out of Manila. The map on their website was clear so we didn’t lose our way, but it was a long drive. Travel time was about 3.5 hours via Star Tollway.

The highway was undergoing major repair between the length of SLEX and Star Tollway so we were slow-moving at times, and traffic was expected in the towns leading up to San Juan since it was a Thursday. What took us by surprise was the mandatory “tourism” fee of P20/person when you reach the town. They say the fee collection is for the preservation of the natural beauty of the area for tourism. Shouldn’t the local government be taking care of that already from the taxes? Anyhoo, we didn’t let that spoil our day. Besides, we were greeted by a young vendor of suman with a wide smile and a very cheerful, albeit very loud, voice. That instantly lifted our spirits.

The last leg of the drive going up the hill was steep and the road was rough but it was only about half a kilometer. I spotted La Luz on our left before we entered the Palm Beach gate. Security was tight so that was a good sign. We parked our car along the side of the main path. A golf car drove up to take us to our casita down the hill. So far so good.

The room was okay – there were 2 queen beds and an extra daybed, plus a bathroom with separate shower and toilet areas. The ac was adequate and a ceiling fan was installed as well for further cooling. The room opened up to a veranda overlooking the beach but the view was blocked by the beach cabanas. Because the room was elevated, it provided enough privacy for us. Even with the extra daybed, we had to pay for an extra person (room max was 4) as the fee includes 3 meals plus merienda. There was free wifi around the resort although the signal was poor in our room.

We headed to the common dining area where buffet lunch was served al fresco. There were so many people but seating was just right. The food wasn’t something to rave about but it filled our stomachs. I can’t even remember what we ate now.

Since it was just really hot out, we stayed in our room until late afternoon. Lazy bums!

This was when we decided the trip was going to be forgettable. Although I did expect the beach to be rocky and aqua shoes were available for free use, the algae everywhere was just not acceptable. We also saw a few clear jellyfish and my sister got stung. Thankfully, the lifeguard had vinegar on hand and applied first aid right away. There were two swimming pools on opposite sides of the resort but they were all full – and it was a Thursday! Needless to say, we only had a few minutes’ swim time. Water sports equipment were available for rent, and there was an area for beach volleyball as well as a rock climbing wall but we simply wanted to relax. We had merienda at 3pm and (very sweet) iced tea was free-flowing. The husband kept himself busy by taking photos and then we retreated again to our rooms until dinner. My sister ordered a bottle of wine and some chips , perhaps to drown her disappointment in alcohol (haha!). By 8pm, we had called it a night.

We were leaving the next day so we just had breakfast and then got ready for our trip back. While we dreaded having to head back to the city, we weren’t sad to leave the place. The place was okay but the beach was just not something we’d be returning for. And what do you know? I suffered from severe stomach ache in the days that followed. Must be all the algae!

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Calaruega is primarily a retreat house but the church at the top of the hill is what made it famous.

Despite the heat, we combed the grounds and even climbed up two hills. One had an open chaplet and the other was the frequent wedding venue.

My husband, the hopeless romantic that he is, whispered to me that he wanted to get married there. I wonder who he’s marrying next.

The post Birthday in Tagaytay: Calaruega Retreat House, Batangas appeared first on Unbored Diva.

My headache turned into a dull throbbing that I had to sit down. I secretly also wanted to be near the dog. She was so well-behaved, just sitting next to the bench and looking at passers-by. It was hard not to notice her.

My husband and I took turns having her get to know us by smelling our hands and then we sat at the bench across from where she was so that we can keep an eye on her. A woman approached us and said that the dog had been tied to that bench for about 30 minutes already. She had witnessed how its human had put her there and left in a hurry. She was concerned that the dog was deliberately left in the park for good so she alerted the park security.

About 10 minutes after we sat across from her, she started howling in a low tone and giving out short barks. She was starting to feel lonely. My chest kept tightening by the second and my eyes were starting to well up. I walked over to her and she immediately started to lick my hands and the exposed parts of my legs. She had me right there and I was ready to bring her home.

Of course the husband had to bring me back to earth and remind me that we had two other dogs, a male lab and a young, female beagle, who might not welcome a new addition to the family. Our territorial persian cat was another thing. Still, he too couldn’t help coming with a name for our new friend.

As we were discussing her fate, a young woman who had also been running approached and asked about the dog. She was willing to take her in despite the fact that she was only renting a room nearby. It was clear she fell in love with our new furry friend. We were just waiting for the park security to come by and take note of the girl’s contact number in case the owner came back looking for the dog. The girl was beginning to get very excited, and so was her husband who was training nearby for the national muay thai meet. About an hour after we discovered the dog, a middle-aged woman and someone who was clearly her helper came running towards us. The woman was muttering, explaining to no one in particular that she was buying fish and lost track of time. They took the dog and hurriedly walked away from us.

My husband had a few conclusions as to what happened. He thought he heard the woman scolding the helper. I was a little put off that the owner did not even acknowledge us, nor thank us for keeping her dog company. The concerned woman, whose name we later found out was Astrid, was a little ticked off as well.

As we were walking home, I realized that my headache was gone and in its place was a hint of a heartache. I wish we had our phones with us so we could have taken her photo. We were going to name her Dani, from Daenarys of Game of Thrones.

The post The Dog In The Park appeared first on Unbored Diva.

Oh wait – I had gotten positive results twice and miscarried both times in the very early weeks. The last one was very traumatic as I had never before been poked and probed with a very large speculum and three male nurses curiously looking on. It turns out that the doctor who was working on me had no idea what she was doing.

But I digress.

My husband and I have had countless visits to specialists (and we have gone to quite a few), exploring all avenues towards having our own bundle of joy (or 6 – husband wants a basketball team). Not only has it become very expensive, but we have been prescribed to do all sorts of things in the bedroom that take the romance out of it all.

At the risk of sounding selfish, I took comfort in the fact that I have some friends my age who go through this struggle as well. At the same time, I (secretly, and through no fault of their own) curse those who have babies effortlessly. Most of them aren’t even married nor have plans of having children!

My dear Mother who is turning 80 this year and had been living with us these past few years had once told us, “marriage is nothing if you don’t have children”. My Mother is a victim of dementia and probably would have exercised a little more tact if she was aware of what she was saying, but I am guessing that that’s what most traditional people thought and don’t say out loud. She would always go on and on about how we should see a doctor because she wants to see our kids before she dies. Talk about pressure!

Yet these are not even the reasons why I don’t want to get pregnant after this year anymore.

For the past 4-5 years I had been experiencing pains in my shoulders that were none like I had ever had before. It came to the point that turning on the shower knob felt like a blade was slicing through the joints in my shoulder. My then-boyfriend (now husband) had to coax me into wearing a sling that he fashioned out of a scarf because any slight movement would make me cry in pain. A trip to the orthopedic institute confirmed that the end of my shoulders curve slightly at an angle and thus bury into tissue when I raise my arm. The doctor said I can either have very costly surgery to correct it, or do a lot of arm exercises to strengthen my rotator cuffs so that the muscles act like cushions. He insisted that it wasn’t an abnormality, just that it was not how it would usually be shaped – which I found to be a bit patronizing. I was distraught because surgery was out of the question (and partially because I hated exercising).

I started noticing other things about my body too. I grew up constantly chewing my fingernails and only stopped when I met my husband (seriously!). All that nail-biting led me to believe that it’s the reason why my nails are so thin and easily chip and break. But then my toenails are the same and I never bite them (except maybe in my sleep if I were some sort of a contortionist). My Mom’s and my sisters’ are too except mine are just more brittle.

I can never kneel directly on any type of floor. My knees creak when I bend them, as if they are old and rusty. I can’t stand kneeling because the pain shoots up my leg in just a few seconds.

I have since been doing yoga and lifting some weights to strengthen my upper body, and go jogging everyday too. The pain in my shoulder comes and goes but I’ve learned to manage it.

What I have come to realize though is that while I will probably have these ailments because my Mom and my Grandmother both had osteoarthritis, I shouldn’t be having them this early. I am convinced that I am going through these because my parents had me when my Mom was already 47 years old. Pregnancies past 35 years old are high-risk ones, and even as my parentals consider me a blessing or a miracle (bless them), I don’t think I came into this world as fully developed and healthy as most babies born of young and healthy mothers should be.

This is why I’m not keen on getting pregnant after 35, which is my age this year. I do not want to bring an undernourished child into this world and have him experience physical challenges at the prime of his life. Life is difficult enough as it is without adding more complications.

The husband and I have discussed our other options (and I’m happy that we have those). While I am not going to make a conscious effort to avoid getting pregnant, I have made a mental note to myself to let it go.

The post Why I’m Not Keen On Getting Pregnant After 35 appeared first on Unbored Diva.

We have been fortunate enough to have so far received some donations and have just concluded our first local fundraiser successfully through a garage sale. And we are only 4 months old!

Our first project is to raise enough money, at least Php 1M, to buy a lot on which to build our first house for about 12 children. We’re still a long way, but we’re getting there. We hope to be able to achieve our goal by June of this year.

Following our local fundraiser, I have decided to sponsor an online shop as another means of raising funds for our cause. I have gathered my preloved items and continue to receive donated items as well to be sold on the online store. All proceeds will go to Balay Dalangpan directly.

This is the link to the online store: http://unboreddiva.com/balaydalangpan/

I hope you can visit the site and purchase items there to help us raise funds. Please help us spread the word by liking or sharing the site. Should you wish to donate your items, please email me at sheryl@unboreddiva.com.

Thank you!

The post Paying It Forward appeared first on Unbored Diva.