Urbanista Manila Living in Style

Archive for March, 2009

I am not a techy type of person. While everyone is jumping on the BlackBerry bandwagon, I put my technophobe mask on even if the most powerful man in the world is hooked to it prompting the security service to toughen the security revolving around it. But here is something new that is sweeping the world and it is now starting to pick its followers here in the third world. It’s a bird! A bird that twits and is so techy!

By definition

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Once you have signed up at twitter.com, you shall nominate your mobile phone number where the update or anwer to the question you post or to the question you have decided to be a follower of, you shall be getting instant alerts on the your cell phone. It’s real time but max characters are 160.

Unfortunately, updates via Philippine mobile phone is not yet functional. Well, I was able to have my number verified but I’lll be only able to send messages but not receive updates from Twitter.

I know it’s gonna be fully functional soonish so hang on little bird. I will soar and catch up!

Right before I headed for work, I have decided to submit myself to some pampering spree.

My initial plan was to get a full body massage at a Splendour Salon in Quezon City.

The salon opens at around 1:00 p.m and closes at midnight. I think I was the first customer since I received a little past 1:00 p.m.

While looking at the services they offered, my eyes were fixed at the Ventusa with 1 ½ hour full body massage service. So I inquired about it. I was informed that it involves flame-lit stones that will be placed on your back and will be covered by a glass. It will “suck” all the “lamig” from your back. The “lamig” is said to be the cause of back pain or discomfort.

I gave it a try.

I could tell that the masseuse was good. She followed my instruction to have a massage that this not soft or hard.

During the massage session, I could feel that the muscle tension especially in my feet and back were vanishing.

And here comes the scary part… I felt the cold stone starting to get hot as the masseuse started to light them one by one. I did not get burned though since she was able to contain the heat by immediately covering the flaming stone with a glass.

I felt the pressure of my skin and flesh being sucked as if I my back were a carpet being rolled on by a vacuum cleaner.

The glasses stayed on for about 5 minutes.

After some stretching, the session was over. I felt so light… until I got home. I found out that the marks were the glasses were placed became bruises. Yeah the back pressure was removed and it was replace my throbbing skin. I have huge hematoma formation all over my back.

So shall I go for another Ventusa next time? I have to think it over.

I saw an episode of Spoon on Net25 wherein Claw Daddy’s chef (sorry I did not get the name) strut his culinary expertise and whipped some sumptuous seafood treats that are served at his resto.

As a delayed birthday treat to myself, I and my college best bud and her brother agreed to go on Dutch treat at Claw Daddy’s in Shangri-La Mall.

I went for the schezuan style (which according to the waiter is among their best sellers) while my bestie had her king crab in butter and ginger. Charles just had nachos since his allergic to seafood. Too bad I did not know that. He’s just too nice to accompany us to our lunch date.

The crabs are ginormous and fresh. And for small-framed “ladies” like us, you could not imagine how we were able to manage to suck all the crab meat out of their shells. Thanks to the handy cracked and the apron.

For the appetizer, we got these crazy nachos in different colors, chocolate, red and the classic yellow. The serving is good for more than five persons and it was pretty good because it’s is topped with barbecue chicken strips.

We also had the Classic Caesar Salad wh is the best  I have tasted so far.

We also ordered the garlic and shrimp pesto which is freshly made and I highly recommend it. The pesto is not too strong and salty. You could tell that the ingredients are fresh.

The service is also good. Maybe because there are only a couple of tables occupied there.

Have you seen Bobby Chinn’s World Asia Cafe episode last week? He came over to the Philippines to try on some Pinoy food. So much of the street foods that he has tried. What just called my attention is the portion where he cooked Chicken Adobo with Chef Gene Gonzales. I think that the procedure did not give justice to the one of the most loved dishes of my fellow Pinoys. I know for a fact that Adobo is not an original Pinoy recipe but what makes Pinoy Adobo a “pinoy” one is the way we put our sense of being “pinoy” gets? I am not a cook but I know how a good ‘ol pinoy adobo should be made. What they did was, put the chicken in a wok, added some lemon grass (we do not use lemon grass in traditional adobo) put in some spices then added vinegar. Where is the freakin’ soy souce? It is so pale! If they did not have time to hop in some traditional Pinoy houses to see how adobo is being made, the producer should have sought the expertise of true Pinoy restaurateurs in Pinoy restos like the Aristorcat or Cabalen. I like the portion though where they cooked Seafood Sinigang at a farmer’s market. The guide was a chef but he knows the real one. Now that’s the true representation of sinigang.