Not even a smack but I’m not complaining

Kiss on the lips!

“HAVE YOU made it to 50 couples yet?”  The Flash asked, quite obviously alluding to the resto’s “Kiss on the lips” promo, now on its third year.

With a smile, the cashier said, “No, Sir.”

I looked at The Flash straight in the eye and snapped back with something like, “I’m not that desperate for a free tiramisu!”  Hahaha!  He turned around and scouted for unsuspecting diners to help him snatch a free dessert.  I knew he was just kidding because we wouldn’t trade our Pepper Lunch dinner for a run-in with law enforcement.  And he would have to answer to Brother first, who at the time was already comfortably seated, waiting for his order of Beef Yakiniku; and then to The Tycoon who was also standing by for his sizzling hot Hamburger Steak with Fried Egg.

Brother's Beef Yakiniku

 

The Tycoon's Hamburger Cut Steak with Fried Egg

I heaved a sigh of relief when The Flash turned serious and ordered his Unagi and Salmon Combo.

Unagi and Salmon Combo

 

The Flash mixes his seafood combo!

Pepper Lunch must’ve been at Rockwell for over a year before I even had the chance of trying it out.  Friendship and TheCorporateTeener would egg me on – tease me with real-time accounts of their lunches there – to finally give it a try.  I wouldn’t budge.  But when I finally did, there was no stopping me to keep going back.

For a change, I asked for the Hitokushi Cut Steak, with Mixed Pepper Rice, Miso Soup, an extra Mixed Pepper Rice, and an extra side of beansprouts.  Yeah I know, it’s like eating for two again.  But I’m not coming clean and say that it was Valentine’s Day, I’m single, and I was taking everything out on the food.  I’ve always had an appetite bordering on gluttony that would’ve earned the ire of John Doe in the David Fincher thriller Se7en.

My Hitokushi Cut Streak

 

A close shot of my steak!

 

To prevent overcooking, I just flipped the steak once and then rested the chunks on top of the vegetables.

 

Empty bowls!

While staring at the stack of five cleaned rice bowls on our table – we actually finished seven between us four – I floated one ambitious task for Brother and me.  “Why don’t we go through eveything on the menu before you leave for Singapore (for good)?”

I knew we won’t have the time.  But I guess we can still make it to one more visit – at least to try their newest dessert, the tiramisu made by their Japanese pastry chef, kiss on the lips not necessary.  Hahaha!

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Posed and Printed

Strike a pose!

 

Free photo keepsake! Yey!

THE CAM whore that I am, I’m lured to any setup that resembles a photo booth.  In college, a FOTO-ME booth stood right beside the main gate.  And every enrolment period, I would line up to get my ID photos taken.  It was less the need to comply to school requirements (as I could get the photos taken somewhere else), but more the need to hear the attendant’s “magic words”: “Dito ang tingin (Please look here)…  (dramatic pause)…  four shots.”  Trust me, the written word doesn’t do the attendant’s enunciation and phrasing any justice.  Hahaha!

Posed and Printed!

On Valentine’s Day, Brother, The Flash, The Tycoon, and myself chanced upon a Pose & Print photo booth, set up to take complimentary photo keepsakes for shoppers at the Alabang Town Center.  I first came across this kind of photo service at my good friends Bom & Rizzie’s spectacular wedding.  Months after, I waxed nostalgic about those photos.

Will I let the seeming shyness and reservations of my three friends (“Photos taken in public, with people watching?!”) get in the way of striking a pose?  No!  Hahaha!

All it took was signing up at the concierge for a free pass and a couple of minutes of waiting time at the line.  After the first flash, I pulled The Flash to join me, and then The Tycoon.

I didn’t force Brother anymore.  I didn’t want him to use 100% of his powers to disintegrate me from the face of the planet.  Besides, I wanted to still be able to get my hands on the contact sheet printout.  Which I did, in like, a couple of minutes!  Nice!

BFF! Hahaha!

 

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.

Deconstructed

My new favorite pair of jeans, "deconstructed" to my liking.

BETWEEN REALLY great friends, a velvet rope isn’t required to fashion police and serve a warrant for a fashion faux pas.  A citation could be issued from thousands of miles away.

The "deconstructed" Barong Tagalog, worn to Ian and Marie's wedding.

Friendship couldn’t contain her displeasure at the expensive Barong Tagalog that I bought for a wedding reception emceeing job in 2009.  Not exactly displeasure towards the article itself but to the fact that I had it sent to the friendly neighborhood tailor to be “deconstructed.”  Upon reading my post, she felt compelled to send me a text message to admonish my fashion decision while pointing me to the perfect example of how the Barong Tagalog should be carried – Superman’s.

I won’t say I won’t do it again though deconstructing the Barong (custom-fitting it to my body) meant later needing a village to wear it – at least two people to help me put it on and take it off – but Frienship should be glad that there hasn’t been a repeat since.

On the Barong Tagalog.

I’ve recently received pairs of jeans that, while I find to be of extremely high quality material and worksmanship, needs quite a considerable taking in.  The fit on the waistline is perfect and the way it rests just right there makes for utmost comfort.  But something had to be done to the roominess of the thigh to the leg.  I sent them to the same neighborhood tailor – who by now has been so used to all the deconstruction requests I would send over – and asked them to be taken apart and then patterned after a really worn-out, favorite pair.

Walang sinabi ang Arthur’s na “We accept made-to-order pants and Barong finished within six hours.” *  Hahaha!  My jeans took all of just an hour each pair.

I’m so lovin’ the results.  Compliments all over.

My new favorite pair of jeans!

 

It's the heavy stitching on the back pocket that caught my attention first.

 

02/15/2011 Ensemble: White Giordano shirt, "deconstructed" dark Levi's jeans.

 

*Of course this was just said in jest.

Copyright © 2011 by eNTeNG  c”,)™©’s  MunchTime™©.  All rights reserved.