Seventeen Years and Seventeen Kilos Ago

This was how we looked like, circa 1993. We were all good friends enjoying our newfound post-college or near post-college freedom, hanging out at what used to be Bacolod's favorite hangout places -- sunset at the Pavilion .

Here we are, sitting at the sea wall enjoying the balmy breeze. Behind us are big boulders cascading down to playful waves crashing against them. Seventeen years later, these same waves were further pushed back into the sea as more land was reclaimed, and now the new BREDCO port stands. Just imagine, behind us where it used to be water now stands a condominium project, warehouses, office buildings and wide paved roads.

Also, seventeen kilos earlier, you wouldn't believe that the girl wearing bangs is now a professor at the University of St. La Salle -- Rowela Alayon-Chiu; the petite girl to her left is now a city counselor running for a congressional seat in the lone district of Bacolod City -- Jocelle Batapa-Sigue; the only thorn among the roses is now a university professor in China -- Zeigfried Dima-ala; and the forever slim girl on the far right is now a legal researcher at the Hall of Justice and an active officer of the Art Association of Bacolod -- me.

UNO-R High School Batch '87 Meets Again at Business Inn, Bacolod City

Thanks to the fiery Febrian Ditchella, some locally based UNO-R High School Batch '87 were able to meet again at Business Inn, Bacolod City, on January 8, 2010.

For this reason, I was thankful I did not push through with watching the Leah Salonga concert.

We reminisced 25-year old memories over dinner and acted like high school kids again.

More importantly, we're gearing up for our Silver Jubilee come 2012 when we will be hosting the Blue and Gold Alumni Homecoming celebrations, tentatively set on September 29, 2012.

In this photo: Jovi Prado-Linga; Cristina "Tuta" Montero-Escano; Febrian Ditchella, Joan of Art Honoridez-Mocorro; Lailani Barrientos; and Maricel Alimpoyo-Antiporda who is 6 weeks pregnant, wow! Not in photo is Francis Prudencio "Nonoy" Amigo who left early for not feeling well.

Hope not due to old age. ;-)

Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum

Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum are the twin characters in Alice in Wonderland. They're usually portrayed as identical pairs wearing yellow gold tops, just as these two guys wearing yellow gold t-shirts.

And their names are (Twiddle) David and (Twiddle) Dave. ;-)

Hoy, Pinoy, Here Are Some Tips About Red Wine

Hoy, Pinoy! So okay, you are used to drinking tuba^ (coconut wine) and San Miguel beer and it is only during special occasions such as Christmas and the New Year (also birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) that red and white wines flow freely.

Based on Pinoy misconcepcions on wine drinking and tips from a French mentor, here are some tips you should know about red wine:

Red Wine Tip #1: Novellino is rubbish. So is Carlo Rossi and Paul Masson. They are not the traditionally made, oak-barrel stored wines, but are cheap factory-made wine sold en masse. Unless you treat them as a better alternative to softdrinks, you can never be proud serving these so-called wines to a more discerning wine drinker.

Red Wine Tip #2: Real red wine goes off as soon as you pour it out and oxygen comes in, so consume it within 2-3 days. The air that you see inside the bottle between the cork and the wine is nitrogen which is why it goes pop when you open a bottle of wine.

Red Wine Tip #3: Never put ice in your glass of red wine. It destroys all the beautiful intentions the wine maker has put into his wine. Drink red wine at room temperature. Chill your bottle of wine only if you have to store it, then bring it up back to room temperature when you are about to drink it again. Cold wine loses its aroma and tastes flat.

Red Wine Tip #4: Red wine goes with red meat, white wine goes with white meat, and tastes better if poured in a rounded wine glass than straight smack into a flat-bottomed regular glass.

Red Wine Tip #5: Red wine has a calming, therapeutic effect, thus you sleep better and could live up to a hundred years. Which is probably why countries whose people drank wine and tea make stronger nations because their citizens are healthier.

Red Wine Tip #6: If you have to keep red wine for your nightly therapy, it is best to get a four- or five-liter cubi (short for cubitainer or cubic container or box) which has a tap or faucet from where you just open to draw a glass of wine. Inside the box is a plastic bag which collapses as more wine is being drawn out, thus preventing the oxygen from entering for the wine to keep for 2-3 months.

Red Wine Tip #7: Don't be fooled by buying a glass of red wine from half-full bottles stored in a hotel wine bar stand. It is probably 3 months old already and if you remember Red Wine Tip #2, good wine only lasts 2-3 days. If the wine you bought still retains its flavor long since it's been opened, you can be sure it's packed with preservatives, you'd be better off with a freshly opened Novellino.

Red Wine Tip #8: If you can't tell which wine is best, just remember countries like France, Australia, Portugal, Spain, and Chile where they grow one of the best grapes for their wines. Avoid Italy (they could either be best or worst), South Africa, Argentina, or the U.S.

Red Wine Tip #9: Choose up to only 12% alcohol content. Beyond that, it could knock you off and lose the appreciation of the taste of raspberries, traces of oak, flavors of different nuts, hints of lemon, the sweetness of honey, and all the wonderfully mind-boggling glossal sensations you are supposed to discern when enjoying your glass of wine.

Red Wine Tip #10: Red wine tastes best if it is drank in the place where it is made. So if you want to have a taste of the best French wine, drink a glass only in France!

So, Pinoy, what would your next glass of wine be?

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Where to Find Firecrackers in Bacolod City

After a crackdown of illegally sold firecrackers by the local police, there's only one place to find firecrackers in Bacolod City -- at the Reclamation Area.

No wonder I couldn't find them a few days ago as I was scrounging downtown Bacolod's sidewalks for New Year trumpets and other noisy gadgets for the revelry.


And so I found this bustling alley of all sorts of pyrotechnics vigilantly guarded by armed policemen in uniforms to enforce a no smoking policy on the premises.


There you can find a wide assortment of fireworks, firecrackers and sparklers that suit your fancy. I ignored the big scary ones and settled for the small ones for the kids. PhP200 for a bagful of sparklers, pap pop, piccolo, mini missiles, rainbow lucis... not bad.

Christmas Carolling Pinoy Style: Pasko Na Naman!

Pasko Na Naman! As soon as the calendar is officially turned to December, christmas carolers hit the streets and sing familiar gleeful christmas songs to welcoming homes.

Well, not all homes are accommodating to christmas carolers.

The christmas caroling tradition started as a reenactment of what happened 2,000 years ago when Joseph and Mary went house to house seeking for a place to stay for the night in Bethlehem. Just as not all homes are accommodating to christmas carolers of today, finally an innkeeper ushered Joseph and Mary to a stable, the only place he could offer them because the inn was full.

Christmas caroling Pinoy style are usually by choral groups for fund raising purposes or by children out to have some fun and spare change. Most attractive to christmas carolers are homes that are bedecked with jolly lights, decors and lanterns because of the christmas spirit that seem to welcome carolers.

Children would fashion improvised musical instruments out of flattened bottlecaps strung with wire made into tambourine rings, or loosely nailed onto sticks to make a jingling sound.

All-time favorite songs that are never amiss are: Pasko Na Naman! (It's Christmas Once Again!), Sa Maybahay Ang Aming Bati (Our Greeting to the Homeowner), and, Thank You, Thank You, Ang Babait Ninyo, Thank You! (Thank You, You Are All So Kind!)