Street Grub.

Here's to this wonderful month full of surprises... It's been a while since I stayed here in my hometown for a long time. I went out one late afternoon and met my friends at the town proper, we found a new place which is previously a lomi house, they expanded and renovated a little bit. And so we tried the food there, we ordered pizza and we later discovered that some ingredients are fresh from Barcelona and the pizza dough was made from scratch! Hahaha what a treat we had. The owner told us that he grew up there and went home obviously to retire and run his small business here. I was overwhelmed with gladness simply because, not only the food was very cheap, the place also had a "cocktail bar" in it! Haha the owner himself will make you a sangria. We didn't try one tho. Here are a few snaps. Sorry I didn't take a picture of the place but to describe, it's just like a common merienda place with a feel na parang nasa bahay ka lang... Because the owner said that's how it is in Spain also "parang nasa bahay lang". It didn't make so much impact tho because it's one of those typical mini canteens in our town. Unlike the food, it's like digging gold in your own backyard. Haha! :)

Their P25 "Burger with Fries" :))

 Pizzaaaa... P140 only! Good for 3-4 :)

Affini-Tea.

I needed to face reality outside and its humidity, so I went out for a walk, a really long walk that is.. It rained again so these streets are still dirty of course, and wet, but it's okay. I just had to let out a good sweat and what a great feeling it was for me even with the sticky heat. This day moved me once again, as I saw different faces and different races. Real people... Thoughts flooded my mind as i walked slow, then fast, and again slow... Depending on which is in front of me. I noticed the road and realized something simple yet so complex to us and to our psyche. See, in life and reality...we have these roads with holes, rocky ones, or dirt roads; to make your walking or driving go slow. I just thought... well, isn't it the same what we face during life's struggles? Yea, I know we have these tons of quotes saying "Life is like a road" blah blah blah.. but we don't really comprehend its meaning and how we should define it. Maybe it's just a bit of a nudge that when things go wrong or rough, we feel like it takes forever for us to realize what's ahead of us because we are too busy complaining and whining about the problem. So when we get to the easy and open thoroughfare, we go too fast without thinking... Without speed limits. And also, without realizing in just a blink of an eye, the thoughts you invested with the valuable time you had during the slow rides was just a total absolute waste of energy. Well, like I said, it's just a thought in my head. The day looked so promising and I was overwhelmed that life is truly a blessing to all of us. We should be grateful everyday of what we have. Even if you only have 20 pesos in your shorts, even if you see a lot of amiss in what surrounds you. Don't look. There's a big difference in what you see and what you look at. Tea anyone? I hoarded today. Bought 5. Chrysanthemum, Assam, Honeydew, Barley and Wintermelon. But of course, I am willing to share :) 

Almon Marina

Since, I haven't blogged for a long time... This post, again, will be about food. This is an extraordinary dinner for me, because what I felt while eating this grub at Almon Marina last night was beyond happiness. Anyway, I had to take a photo of the food presentation we ordered. I only had Bruschetta with apples and Gruyere cheese though. That is my favorite. Naaamm! :)

  cute bite-size rice:)

ribs platter

bruschetta

yum yum yum

mango benne from Mary Grace

Hook Burger.

Their philosophy is simple - Quality. Service. Community. They say people are their greatest asset. That's why they always put their customers, their employees and their food before the bottom line. And i can't say anything about that because NO DOUBT... Quality? Awesome! Service? Very good! Price? Doable! Their burgers? A MUST TRY!

chocolate and vanilla bean milkshake

I got this Bistro burger made with roasted red pepper and onion, melted jack, avocado, lettuce, tomato and honey Dijon mayo. Yep!

My lunch date (my cousin) had this Hickory burger made with thick cut bacon, sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce, homemade crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and mayo.

Yummy isn't it? ;)

Fred 62.

Located in the heart of the Los Feliz entertainment district, Fred 62 is a retro-kitsch diner and local landmark that has been serving the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year since 1997…including your birthday…and Christmas too…

Created by designer Fred Sutherland and chef Fred Eric (both born in 1962), Fred 62 has been described by one local food critic as having "bowling alley fashion sense… and classic Hollywood charm." Designed by Sutherland, the restaurant has all the elements of a traditional American coffee shop, with its old-fashioned counter and ice cream fountain. However, it takes a turn from the traditional with a bright green exterior, waitresses in racing-striped aprons, booths that resemble funky car seats and a menu that updates classic diner fare for the modern world.

The pun-filled menu is filled with items that have been recognized by both local and national food critics. The Bearded Mr. Frenchy (corn flake-crusted French toast) was the subject of an entire article in the Los Angeles City Beat newspaper earlier this year, and the Punk Tart (Fred 62’s version of the classic pop tart—served with ice cream) was featured in the 2004 Los Angeles Times Magazine restaurant issue. Other menu items combine classic American recipes with an Asian or modern twist, including: the famous Thai Cobb Salad; the Juicy Lucy Burger; a large selection of omelets and egg dishes such as the Dime Bag (pancakes, eggs, bacon and hash browns); a series of monstrous "Tower" sandwiches; a large selection of Asian noodle bowls; and a chicken pot pie that looks and tastes like a work of art.

The crowd is a mix of pierced and tattooed button-down executives, families, small business owners, artists, writers and late-night club-goers. The after-hours bar crowd is particularly good for people-watching. Recent guests have also included an endless parade of celebrities, such as Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, Mike D., Naomi Watts, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Mandy Moore and Heather Graham.

The décor at Fred 62 frequently captures the eye of location scouts, and a few times a month, guests may encounter a film crew at the next table. Recent shoots have included the latest Prince video and pilots for Comedy Central and the Discovery Channel.

So yeah, nuff said about Fred 62... Me, my cousin and her hubby went to get our waffle fix because we were craving for some sweet good stuff. And I tried their Bossa Nova Waffle Sundae and their Hot Doggie Dog from the kids' menu. My cousin had Strawberry Beret and her hubby had Monte Cristo. I won't lie, this is the best thing I ever ate here in Cali (of course burgers are exempted). These things are orgasmic, heaven on earth. I took photos, just looking at it makes me drool. See it yourself...

Popcornopolis.

After giving birth to my son and quite a while, this is gonna be my first blog entry this year. Okay let's start... We went to Universal City Walk again (because we had to see Universal Studios for the day) and so I didn't think twice to try the popcorn at Popcornopolis, with their bright lights and colorful sweet treats, it sure is a tempting place to get your sweet fix (and toothache). We got ourselves four flavors: Strawberries and Cream, which is their flavor of the month, Jalapeno Cheddar, Sour and Cream and Zebra, which is milk chocolate. They have a wide variety of flavors, you can check them out HERE. Popcornopolis' products doesn't stop from popcorn, they also have caramel apples, chocolate covered strawberries and marshmallow treats. Sweet isn't it?

This friendly Popcornopolis guy smilin' at the camera haha

Classic Gelato

Me and my uncle craved for authentic gelato because gelaterias around doesn't satisfy our taste buds, so... We decided to make our own. This one's a classic Pistachio gelato. I'm too lazy to tell you the process, so I'll let the photos do the talking. Enjoy!

Move, Eat and Learn

These three videos are very inspiring and might keep your fire burning... For the love of travel...

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... All to turn 3 ambitious concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films.....

= a trip of a lifetime.

Rick Mereki: Director, producer, additional camera and editing

Tim White: DOP, producer, primary editing, sound

Andrew Lees: Actor, mover, groover

Lusso at Greenbelt 5

Last night I had dinner with friends at Lusso. It was my first time at that restaurant... Quite fancy. But the prices were reasonable because it was all worth to have a happy tummy. To name some, we had the Mediterranean Vegetable sandwich, Foie Gras Burger, Pecorino Cheesecake, Asiago Fries and etc. I really don't know how to describe it but eating at Lusso is quite an experience because the food is superb and the service is very good. Here's a few snaps...