| Category: | Movies | | Genre: | Action & Adventure |
Despite what I said in THIS entry about not expecting anything and not getting too excited, I lied.
BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!
It's an awesome, awesome Nolan film with a brilliant cast you shouldn't have to miss. It truly is both a triumph and a tragedy.
The late Heath Ledger was mind-blowing in this movie. I have to most definitely agree with Megan that he punctuated his life with three exclamation points with this last completed film of his.
Lastly, The Dark Knight f-ing rules!!
I'll spare you from all the juicy details.
Will post my review in a weeks time.
But go and WATCH IT! It's one heck of a must-see.| Category: | Movies | | Genre: | Cult |
DISCLAIMER: This is not actually a review since this is an upcoming film, but for the reason that my journal section is dedicated to entries regarding my art, I am posting this here instead.
After all the noise has died down and after consuming many glasses of red wine, here I am still switched on to my fangirl self. This has been triggered by a particular teaser Evan has shown me last Saturday, which of course, led to a series of research and finally this post which is meant to satisfy my excitement.
My being a Batman fan and my liking for Heath Ledger are fused into this:
Yes, it's finally showing on the summer of this year.
And that, my dears, is one of the major things to look forward to this 2008.
(Thanks to gulay guy Evan for sharing this.)
 The first time Katre told me the news that Heath Ledger was chosen by director Christopher Nolan for the role of Joker in "The Dark Knight" (the highly anticipated sequel to Batman Begins), I was stumped. It was just that I couldn't picture him acting that part which Jack Nicholson has so well portrayed in the 1989 movie with Michael Keaton. But then again, it could've been that I have just gotten used to Ledger's pretty boy image. Apparently, Nicholson wasn't happy with it either as can be seen in this snippet of his interview with MTV: MTV: What do you think of another actor, Heath Ledger, playing the Joker in next summer's "The Dark Knight"?
Nicholson: Let me be the way I'm not in interviews. I'm furious. I'm furious. [He laughs.] They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me.
MTV: It was never brought up?
Nicholson: No. It's like, in any area, you can't believe the reasons things do or don't happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it's not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I'm furious.
MTV: I'm surprised to hear you sounding competitive about a role like that.
Nicholson: Well, the Joker comes from my childhood. That's how I got involved with it in the first place. It's a part I always thought I should play.
MTV: Will you see the new film?
Nicholson: I'm not inclined to watch it because of what I said. But if it's a good movie, I'll catch up with it somewhere. I don't think they ever really captured Tim Burton's spirit [since he stopped being involved]. They kind of drove the franchise into the ground. Tim Burton's a genius. He had the right take on it. That's why I did the movie. I did the movie based on a single conversation with him. We both come from the cartoon world originally. We had similar ideas. Tim said [the Joker] should have a humorous dark side to him. [Burton is] one of the great moviemakers. I think the world of him. He's the most unassuming man. And he doesn't feel pressure. That's what I love about him. Once he's in there, he's smiling making the movie. That's it!  According to the more keen fans, Tim Burton's Joker is a fantastical one as with his approach with all his Batman films while Nolan's is a more realistic one which sets Batman Begins apart from its predecessors. The Joker, Heath Ledger is to portray, is based on the Joker on Allan Moore's one-shot 1988 comic book The Killing Joke, which is said to be one of the darker Batman stories (which I must get my hands on and I hope Kuya Mike gives this to me as a late Christmas present. Hehehe!). It tells the Joker's tale and, as an article about it on Wikipedia states, it explores his origin and the hopelessness that believes his "evil clown" persona is effected toward adding more depth to the character. Here, the Joker serves as an unreliable narrator as he tells his story and his underlying motive to "illustrate the inherent insanity of Batman's mission: dressing up as a bat to fight criminals." You can read the rest of the article by clicking on this link. Michael Caine, who plays Alfred (Bruce Wayne's butler), has nothing but high praises for Ledger: “I tell you the big surprise in the new ‘Batman’ — Heath Ledger as the Joker,” Caine told reporters in New York Tuesday. “He’s fantastic. He’s gone in a different direction than Jack (Nicholson) … Jack was like a really scary old, nasty old uncle with a funny face. Heath is like the most murderous psychopath you’ve ever seen on the screen,” Caine said.
Ledger's is a menacing Joker described to have gray skin with horrible scarring, which is far different from the old clown-like Joker with smooth, perfectly white skin (I'm sure we, Batman fans, are all gonna miss that though). Meanwhile, here is Heath Ledger's statement when asked to discuss the process of getting himself into the mindset of acting as the Joker: "It's a combination of reading all the comic books I could that were relevant to the script and then just closing my eyes and meditating on it. I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary and experimented with voices - it was important to try to find a somewhat iconic voice and laugh. I ended up landing more in the realm of a psychopath - someone with very little to no conscience towards his acts. He's just an absolute sociopath, a cold-blooded, mass-murdering clown, and Chris has given me free rein. Which is fun, because there are no real boundaries to what The Joker would say or do. Nothing intimidates him, and everything is a big joke."Inspite all the hearsays, may it be bashing or high hopes that The Dark Knight is going to f-ing rule, I'm just gonna have to keep myself from getting all too excited and not to expect anything. It's better to receive this upcoming film with a clean slate. Afterall, the trick is to not stick too much to Nicholson's interpretation of the Joker and just see how Nolan's turns out. Compare if you must after the new Batman movie comes out. Sure there could have been other actors who could have better fit the role features-wise, but biases aside, Heath Ledger's homicidal psychopath rendition of the Joker might just surprise us all once The Dark Knight hits the big screen. Thus I am ending this post by letting the fangirl in me scream her lungs out: I must get tickets to the premier of The Dark Knight by hook or by crook!
And despite Heath Ledger's make-up, making him a sort of weird version of The Crow with green hair and red lipstick... I still say he's one hell of a gorgeous evil clown.  | Category: | Restaurants | | Cuisine: | Other | | Location: | Krus na Ligas, Diliman, Quezon City (just beside Sarah's) |
Likha-Diwa sa Gulod Arts, Crafts, and Coffee Shop happens to be one of my favorite hang-outs when I was still studying at UP. The last time I dined there was after this year's Lantern Parade, and I sure did miss the place -- hence, I decided to come up with a little review of the said restaurant. Likha-Diwa then was indispensable for me when it comes to setting up venues where I could prepare for an exam without interruption, conduct brainstorming sessions with classmates and peers, or simply relax, pass the time and chit-chat with comrades while drinking coffee and munching on a light snack. It was also my preferred eatery inside the campus when I am not cost-cutting (hehe).
I happened to chance upon the cafe during the first semester of my freshman year in UP Diliman while I was looking for a place where I could breeze through my notes for an exam while having lunch. From the UP Ikot jeepney I was riding, I got off at Krus na Ligas and decided to have a bite at Sarah's. But because no beef patty was available, I settled for the next restaurant situated just beside Sarah's. And that was the first time I set foot on Likha-Diwa.
Judging the place just by its ambiance, it was perfect. Safe from the noise and heavy pollution of the city's busy streets, far from the influx of students walking hurriedly to and from UP's densely populated buildings, and yet still very much accessible since it lies along the route of the Ikot jeep - it was just the type of place I was looking for. It was indeed a haven where one could seek quiet relaxation, as well as a spot conducive for group discussions, and exam preparations while enjoying scrumptious vegetarian delicacies.
The place exudes an environmental-friendly atmosphere just by its outskirts. It is fenced off from the road by wood and bamboo slats, and an abundance of ornamental plants and herbs can be seen upon entering. A short, stone-lined pathway leads to the cafe's main section. Situated at the right is a wooden shelf and a table adorned with scented candles, beaded bracelets and necklaces, chimes, a few books, and other handicrafts - all for sale. Beside it is another shelf containing veggie meat and organic rice packed in clear plastic bags, which the cafe also sells.
Likha-Diwa offers its customers a wide range of dining atmospheres to choose from. If you are the claustrophobic type of person, you could opt for open-air dining at the area enclosed by plants and fence. This area is shielded from the sun's fierce rays by a colorful canvass with a swirly-dyed design. A major plus to this dining section is the miniature waterfall, which completes its environmental friendly ambiance.
Artsy people would go for the left side of the main dining area whose walls are converted into a gallery open for art and photo exhibits. This roofed section utilizes natural light and ventilation, except for a few penlights on its ceiling and a few electric and ceiling fans. An elevated area with shiny, wooden flooring a few inches higher than the cement floor is also located at the right side of the main dining section. Four low, wooden tables with tiled surfaces, and square pillows for seats complement this section's oriental look.
As for me, I went straight to the left side of the main dining hall when I first went there and had my lunch at the cushioned seat with a low, tiled-table. I was given the menu, and I first checked on the prices of each item. Likha-diwa serves its customers with unique vegetarian treats at reasonable prices. Vegetarian kare-kare, pusitsig (a version of sisig which uses squid instead of pork), pechay balls, scallop and mushroom surprise, fish and vegetable curry, and crabsticks with carrot sauce, are but a few of the cuisines Likha-Diwa dishes up at prices of only 70-90 pesos.
Value meals are also made available for budget-conscious people, such as myself. Veggie tocino, veggie adobo, veggie mechado or omelet, are already served with rice and a glass of juice or iced tea. Sandwiches, pasta preparations, soups, finger foods, and desserts from cakes to crepes are also included in Likha-diwa's menu. Aside from the usual beverages, drinks ranging from fruit juices, sodas, cold flavoured coffee and decaf concoctions, soya drinks, to yogurt drinks, and many others, are musts when dining at Likha-diwa.
So, if not for the good-tasting food Likha-diwa serves, another good reason for you to visit the cafe is because of the place's tranquil ambiance. Likha-diwa is, indeed, a venue so deserving to be called a haven. It frees you from the pressures of university life and relieves you from the stresses caused by fast-paced city living, even for the short span of time you would spend while enjoying the comfort this cafe brings.
On photo is one of Likha-Diwa's value meals: veggie mechado served with mountain rice and a glass of calamansi juice. I will post better pictures next time.  
"In the beginning was the Word. Those were the days when King Louis XV ruled... Versailles shone in all its glory, and upon the course of the Seine, flourished the city of Paris, pervaded by beauty and chaos. Time changes everything. Only the words remain. That is why I, D'Eon de Beaumont, tell the story of myself, and my comrades who believed in the spirit of France. I shall relate the events which ended an era, and of the woman's body found floating in the Seine. Her name was Lia de Beaumont. My elder sister."
Le Chevalier D'eon is a 24-episode anime TV series set in the era of King Louis XV in 18th century France with Versailles shimmering in its full glory. The story opens when Lia de Beaumont's lifeless body was found inside a casket - the word "Psalms" written in blood on its lid - floating along the banks of the River Seine. The story's main protagonist, D'Eon de Beaumont, Lia's younger brother and a nobleman/knight in the service of the king, embarked on a journey with three friends - Durand, Teillagory, and Robin - to solve the mystery of his sister's death. D'Eon soon found himself entangled in a realm of spiritual energy, embroiled in a deadly struggle with revolutionaries and spell casters called "Poets" who recite Psalms to control gargoyles*, and a vessel to his deceased sister's wrathful spirit. "Less talk, more action" can never be true for this anime series, thus, resulting to a few overly long dialogues which tended to be dragging. Nevertheless, there are more aspects to applaud this series for. The characters' facial expressions, mouth movements when talking, gestures, and most especially sword fights are almost flawlessly animated. No parts of the various backgrounds are spared from lavish rococo details in truly depicting 18th century France: pastel colours, sinuous curves, and patterns based on flowers, vines, and shells - the overall sensual delights of colour and light which is the emphasis of this decorative art style. 
Versailles' "Hall of Mirrors" is pictured in detail in numerous scenes in the anime from the ceiling paintings, to the floor and chandeliers as can be seen in the still above.
What is most interesting to note is that the main protagonist, D'Eon de Beaumont is actually inspired by a real life historical figure named Charles Geneviève Louis Auguste André Timothée Éon de Beaumont (October 5, 1728 - May 21, 1810) who was a French diplomat, spy, soldier and freemason. He lived the first half of his life as a man and the other half as a woman. Certain details in the anime series remained true to the real life Chevalier D'Eon's biography: firstly, D'Eon joined a secret network of spies in 1756 called Le Secret du Roi which worked for King Louis XV. Secondly, he was sent on a secret mission to Russia (in reality, not to discover the truth behind his sister's death; he did not have a sister to begin with) to meet Empress Elizabeth and intrigue with the pro-French faction against the Habsburg Monarchy. Later tales claim that he disguised himself as a lady Lia de Beaumont to do so, and that he became a maid of honour to the Empress. In the anime series, D'Eon assumes the body of a woman being the vessel that he is to his sister's vengeance-seeking spirit. The real Chevalier D'Eon was rumored to be actually a woman despite the fact that he wore his dragoon's uniform all the time. In the later part of his life, he claimed that he was not a man physically and demanded that the government recognize him as a woman. He, therefore, began wearing women's clothing in compliance to King Louis XVI who agreed to recognize him as one but insisted that he should dress appropriately and even granted him funds for a new set of wardrobe. After his death in 1810, he was discovered to be anatomically male with the possibility that he had Kallman Syndrome, a hormonal disorder in which a person's body does not undergo puberty. The term eonism was, therefore, coined to refer to similar cases of transgender behavior. You may check out the rest of Chevalier D'Eon's biography at this link. The anime series, on the other hand, is based on Tow Ubukata's historical fantasy novel of the same title. Meanwhile, two episodes of Le Chevalier D'Eon are aired back-to-back every Saturday at Animax from 8:30PM to 9:30PM. **Gargoyles - animated corpses that have mercury in their bodies instead of blood. The marking "H:O" is placed on the body or on a pendant worn by the corpses, which enables Poets to control them. These creatures are not referred to as gargoyles until after Robin mentions to D'Eon that they reminded him of the gargoyles found on buildings.No, this is not a review of the 1991-movie, but rather three lamb recipes I am so eager to share and am highly-recommending for you to try out.
I. BASQUE LAMB CHOPS WITH TOMATO AND OLIVES
Ingredients:
6 lamb chops
flour for dredging
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 pound vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup Spanish olives, seeded and sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Season chops with salt and pepper; dredge with flour. Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add chops and cook 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to heated platter.
Pour wine into skillet and scrape up brown bits. Stir in tomatoes and olives. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chops.
**This recipe for Basque Lamb Chops with Tomatoes and Olives serves/makes 3.
---------------------------
II. APPLE GLAZED LAMB CHOPS
Ingredients:
8 (6-ounce each) lean lamb rib chops
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Vegetable cooking spray
Directions:
Trim fat from chops; set chops aside.
Combine apple juice and next 3 ingredients in a large zip-top heavy-duty plastic bag. Add chops; seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove chops from bag, reserving marinade.
Place chops on a broiler rack coated with cooking spray, and place rack on a broiler pan. Broil 5-1/2 inches from heat 9 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
**This recipe for Apple Glazed Lamb Rib Chops serves/makes 8.
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III. ASIAN STYLE LAMB CHOPS
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce
2 tablespoons oil
4 boneless loin chops (pork or lamb)
1 clove garlic chopped
Directions:
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and brown sugar in a small cup.
Heat oil in skillet and cook chops about 4 minutes on one side or until well browned , flip and cook a few more minutes to brown other side. Remove from pan. Cook garlic in pan to brown and then add soy mixture, letting boil rapidly a few minutes. Add chops to pan and cook and turn in the sauce a few more minutes.
**This recipe for Asian-Style Meat Chops serves/makes 4. Since this section of my humble multiply site is not entirely devoted to half-baked reviews on restaurants, books, and/or movies I am recommending for my contacts and the general public to try for themselves, I shall also be sharing recipes from this moment on (which is ironic considering the fact that I do not know how to cook. Haha!) - recipes which I am highly recommending for the reason that either my mom or a friend has already tried it out.
 The now defunct Gayuma has been one of those lovely, lovely restaurants I and some friends used to hang out in on certain occasions back in college. While browsing through some of my old journals, I found this little concoction I happened to jot down while waiting for our food to be served (a couple of months before the resto eventually closed). True to its name, supposed love spells (termed as "gayuma" in Tagalog for my non-Filipino friends) adorn the tables of the restaurant. Without further ado, here goes a little "recipe for love," I copied from one of those tables, you might wish to try out:
To Attract Love
Put 3 large cinnamon sticks, a bunch of fresh basil, seven cooking cloves, and 6 cups of water into a large pot.
Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.
Drain the herbs and empty the water into your bath.
Add the petals of a pink flower, a daisy, and 3 pansies.(NOTE: Choose your flower carefully to avoid allergic reactions, harmful effects from oils, etc.)
Sink in and feel the loving energy all around you. Imagine your aura changing into a loving, passionate red.
Repeat the spell for 3 consecutive days, beginning on a Friday, the day of love.
DISCLAIMER: I do not guarantee its effectiveness. The five-star rating is for this one-of-a-kind nook once called "Gayuma." | Category: | Restaurants | | Cuisine: | Eclectic | | Location: | 92 Sct. Castor, South Triangle, Quezon City |
Two Fridays ago, I, Evan, and Kevin checked out this vegetarian restaurant at Scout Castor (Tomas Morato near PenPen) called Greens, as suggested by Evan, before heading to the supposed closing of Signatures of Change.
The exterior of this restaurant suggests its being a vegetarian haven with its lush garden where one can opt to dine. Its cozy green-painted interior is refreshing to the eyes, and has a very homey feel to it. I had Grilled Tofu and Mushroom Kebabs (pictured above), while Kevin and Evan had Veggie Wraps and Veggie Barbecue respectively. Of course veggie meat can't be expected to taste exactly as real meat, but it is amusing how close to real meat their gluten meat was prepared. A budget-friendly restaurant, the prices of food items in their menu ranges from P70+ to almost P150. ----------------
**Grilled Mushroom and Tofu Kebabs (P105) - Marinated charbroiled chunks of tofu, veggie barbecue made from gluten, button mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers are served skewered.
**Roasted Veggie Wraps (P80) - A mix of colorful vegetables served like a burrito.
**Veggie Barbecue (P75) - Barbecue gluten meat served in skewers.
For a more detailed review, do check out this link. I and my sister are die hard fans of Hellraiser (and not to mention, medieval torture devices). Out of frustration from not having found any of my 2 other favourites in toy stores around the metro, I decided to post this entry which I have originally posted in my LJ account a year ago. First, a brief description of the Tortured Soul series. These 2 spectacular sets of beauties (6 figures for each set) are products of the collaboration of horror/ fantasy gods Clive Barker and Todd McFarlane. Each is intricately crafted into twisted yet beautifully horrific creatures. Each a further redefinition of human flesh as canvas of pain. 
Presenting three of my favorite figures from the Two Tortured Souls Series: Lucidique, Dr. Talisac, and Scythe-Meister from Tortured Soul Series I; Zaine, Moribundi, and Camille Noire from Series II.
Anyway, I was able to purchase my Camille Noire figure for just Php900. The original price was something around Php1,100. And considering that the said toy wasn't on sale, I'd say my haggling skills have improved. So now that I have the lovely Camille Noire in my possession, Dr. Talisac and the Scythe-Meister shall be next. The cenobite fever has just gotten worse!  Camille Noire
The angelic Camille Noire is pretty easy to decipher. "Camille" means virginal, unblemished character, while "Noire" is a variation of the Frech "noir," or black, making Camille Noire the black virgin. A fitting name for this vile angel. And when I say Camille is angelic, I don't mean she's a bastion of purity; her particular "torture" is that she's been crafted into the visage of an angel. The flesh has been flayed from her back and stretched over arched metal harnesses to create wings, and a buzzsaw blade is embedded in her exfoliated skull as a halo. The combination looks great.
Camille wears a black corset that hooks into her flesh as it lifts and separates. Her black fingerless gloves are nailed in place, and a wicked black neck brace holds her head up high. Barbed wire runs up her right arm, as well as circling her brow just beneath the blade. There's a thick leather strap wrapped tightly around her right thigh. The skin has been stripped Camille's left thigh, and a bit of fishnet stocking now holds the muscles in place. A large ring is driven through her kneecap, and both shins have various metal spikes hammered into place. A black skirt and two red ribbons hang down from the figure's waist, trailing on the ground and covering the back of her legs. She's got an eyelet sewn into each shoulder, presumably so she could be hoisted into the air to further complete the angelic look. In what I find to be the most painful part of the figure, Camille's shoes raise her up onto her toes, leaving her to walk permanently en pointe. She's posed with her left hand gesturing forward, seemingly welcoming the viewer, beckoning us toward her. Camille is 6 3/4" at the top of her saw, and moves at the neck, shoulders, wrists and hips, plus a few extra points on her framework and skull. -------------------------------------------------------------------------  Dr. Talisac
Talisac was the biggest cause of controversy with the revealing of the Tortured Souls - originally called "The Fix - Surgery gone wrong" he was the only figure that actually looked tortured, a bizarre mess of a man hanging from his face by hooks, with a fetus of all things in between his legs where his genitals should be. Of course, when the toy came out and we all read that it was actually his will to be hanging in his deformed invention, creating the second coming in a "virgin birth" - we just think of Dr. Talisac as being all the more grotesque.
Talisac's machine is over 10" tall, with his figure being slightly smaller at 7", hanging limply from the hooks in his face. To begin with, the contraption is an enormous stand with a spiked base below where Talisac dangles (presumably so he cannot allow himself to get down) with three wheels on the bottom to move it. A pole on the side leads up to the stand that holds Talisac, with an obscure spine-like piece running up to connect to various tubes going into the doctor himself. The top ledge which holds up Talisac has various different pieces, including the six chains that hold the hooks in his face, an IV full of blood, and various surgical tools hanging from a chain at the end (so that Talisac can operate on himself while hanging). Talisac's skin is covered in wounds and torn flesh, where the doctor has no doubt operated on himself - his upper left arm is a particular spectacle, with all the flesh peeled off for some reason. Lovely. Various tubes connect to his body, from the IV and the stand. The womb is made of translucent plastic, allowing us to see the Mongroid inside faintly, which looks great. Even better is that it's removable, and we can take it apart not only to see an enormous cavity in Talisac where his pelvis and genitals should be, but you can take out the Mongroid fetus, which is a vile little piece of plastic. It's disturbingly twisted little fella, with his arms and legs all twisted together and his face stuck in a screaming pose, eyes tightly shut. It's removed from the womb/egg easily and then put back in place with ease - the womb can also be turned around if you don't want to see the little Mongroid staring out. -------------------------------------------------------------------------  Scythe-Meister
Still with the general form of a man, he doesn't appear as deformed as the others, aside from his head, of which the entire back has been split open, rows of flesh holding it open and forever bleeding onto a circular metal apparatus, with chains extending from his open wound connected to another metal apparatus which holds various surgical tools and his enormous scythe, the weapon of choice for such a terrifying assassin. The Scythe-Meister is adorned with leather clothing with many belts and chains connecting to a bloodied metal hook and a smaller scythe. From the front, we can see two long strips of flesh cut from Scythe-Meister's chest, to seemingly remove his nipples. His face is held in pain with leather straps, one almost covering his eyes - if you tilt him to look at his open eyeballs, you can see the glorious look of absolute agony on his face - it's terribly nasty. The paint is excellent on Scythe-Meister, possibly the best of the line - with great detailing all over, a nice wash over the leather and various blood splatters on the blades and hooks.
The Scythe-Meister has joints at the arms, wrists, elbows and legs - the arm articulation perfect for him to attack and use his scythes. He has two of these weapons in particular - the smaller scythe hanging from his midsection from a chain, and a larger (more fun) scythe which fits onto the mechanical instruments on his back. This one is a great accessory - it's a two-handed, double-bladed metal scythe, with a mechanical handle that moves the blades together. You can only imagine the disfigurement that the assassin could do with this, and he holds it perfectly. The detail is simple but impressive - in the story, the Scythe-Meister washes the blades after each kill, and thus there's no blood on the end of the blades - but there is on the handle, where we presume the Scythe-Meister would hold them in his bloodied hands. A final accessory is the "detachable" mechanical piece on his back, which doesn't really detach due to the chains extending from the wound in the back of his head. Though it can be taken out of his back and hung on its own, it looks fine on his back. And as with the other figures, he comes with various hooks on chains. | Category: | Restaurants | | Cuisine: | Middle Eastern | | Location: | Pedro Gil, Manila |
Last August 22, Sam discovered this Middle Eastern joint just before he and Jiggs arrived at Penguin Cafe for the Tori Amos Birthday Tribute Gig organized by Charms. Shawarma Snack Center is situated at a street just across L.A. Cafe at Pedro Gil (at the back of Robinsons Ermita).
We were supposed to dine at Jerusalem Diner(?) after the gig, but because Sam insisted that we try out his latest discovery, Adele had to give in. Shawarma Snack Center had two buildings. The one we tried was the higher end and had a far better ambiance than the other building just right across the street. I and Adele tried their shish kebab and had our respective orders of buttered rice while Sam ordered a kebab platter which consisted of 3 sticks of chicken and beef kebab plus pita bread and rice biryani. The verdict? All of our orders were too salty, including the rice (which, by the way comes in large servings), thus we weren't able to finish off all of them. The only consolation was their sheesha which is waaay better than that of Behrouz's. Priced at P250 (Behrouz's sheesha costs P300), it comes in different flavours since Shawarma Snack Center also sells a variety of flavours of tobacco and also sheeshas in different sizes (price range is P1,000+ for the smallest to around P5,000 for the largest). It also doesn't take long for their sheesha to function properly unlike Behrouz's which requires a lot of inhalations before the flavour kicks in. | Category: | Restaurants | | Cuisine: | Desserts | | Location: | Serendra (the Fort) |
After the fulfilling dinner at Brazil! Brazil! last August 16, we stopped by Cupcakes by Sonja for our respective boxes of sweets and to just see for ourselves the lovely interior this little cupcake shop is said to have.
If there exists a modern day house made of sweets just like that in Hansel & Gretel's story, it has got to be Cupcakes by Sonja at Serendra. This cozy little shop's interiors bespeaks, in itself, the sweetness of the goodies sold in it with its cream-painted walls and shelves, and candy-coloured wallpapers. At one wall hangs framed articles about this cupcake shop, just beside a small shelf displaying cutesy figurines and Sanrio items. And because it's the rainy season, little lacey umbrellas in pastel colours are suspended just above the counter. It was tough choosing what cupcakes to include in a box of four, and because I am biased with strawberry-flavoured sweets, I ended up choosing 2 chocolate ones for my sister, one topped with a pink icing and another with a berry filling for myself.
Here are more photos of the shop's interior. Meanwhile, you can also check out this link for a detailed review of Cupcakes by Sonja. | Category: | Restaurants | | Cuisine: | BBQ / Ribs | | Location: | Serendra (the Fort) |
Brazil! Brazil! was Adele's choice of restaurant for her birthday blow out last August 16. While the Brazil! Brazil! branch at Serendra does not exude the Brazilian theme as much as the Metrowalk branch does, it still is festooned with large warm-coloured masks (the Metrowalk branch has more masks displayed though) and paintings, with Latin music wafting in the air to better suit the mood.
I and Kevin arrived much later than Adele, Ayn, and Phil. After ordering our respective drinks, we were advised to try out the food served at the buffet table inside the resto, but to avoid carbs as much as possible so that we may enjoy the meat fest we were to have later. So we opted for a small serving of salad, fries, and a few sweets. Brazil! Brazil! is absolutely not for people such as Evan, being the meat-lovers' heaven that it is. Haha! While the green side of the yoyo we were given is up, the waiters continuously brought barbeques/ churrascos - beef tenderloin, pork belly, chicken, cuttle fish, sausages, grilled bananas and pineapples, etc. - served in skewers to our table. Our whole binging on meat only stopped when we turned the yoyo to its red side. The whole Brazil! Brazil! experience was just awesome that at the end of the dinner I was regretting having worn pants (which I have already unbuttoned because I was just so full) instead of a skirt. XP
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