the birthday pig-out at sik gaek

One of my most touching birthday moments ever was definitely last Friday. I walked into Sik Gaek, a Korean restaurant way out in Flushing, and my jaw dropped open when I saw a table for 20 packed with some of my best Filipino friends in New York chorusing, "Happy birthday!!!"

No, this was not a surprise party. I planned the dinner and sent guilt-inducing emails pleading my friends to please get to Sik Gaek on time because it's near impossible to seat 20 people at any other time. Our reservation was at 6:30PM on a Friday night. At the same time as a Mets-Yankees game in, you guessed it, Flushing. Filipinos are notorious for being late, and my friends are no exception. So I really expected that table to be pretty empty when I walked in. I swear, I almost cried when I saw that the table was packed!

Some of them had gone to crazy lengths to get to Flushing on time, which I will not go into detail about since I like keeping my friends employed. I was really touched. And then I got hungry.

So we sat down, immediately ordered, chugged massive bottles of OB beer and descended on the various Korean appetizers laid out for us: fried eggs, Korean-style miso soup, a yummy fluffy egg soup, and a rice cake dish aptly described by Jason as "like Chef Boyardee for Koreans but WAY better."

And then our orders started coming in. There was some yummy sizzling kalbi and bulgogi ...

... and the most delicious seafood scallion pancakes I have ever had! How could it be anything but with pancakes are so generously packed with fresh seafood and thick strips of scallions? Man, now I'm craving for some!

And then, the pièce de résistance. The reason why 20 food-crazy people would trek all the way to Flushing for a meal (other than their sheer love for me, of course). The cheol pan, a seafood casserole with a live octopus and still moving lobster plopped on top, which cooks and um, slowly dies, in front of your very eyes. I have to admit, I felt guilty seeing it, though it doesn't seem like it in this picture.

Here's a video of the dish for full effect:

To be frank, I loved this dish more for the novelty than for the actual taste. I found the taste a bit too briny. I preferred the steamed pot of goodies which landed on the other side. Wish I'd been able to have some of the juicy crab legs, but it's good that I didn't so I'll have a reason to come back!

A really nice gesture from the staff was the two large platters of oysters that they served us, on the house. I was so happy since you know how I do love my oysters. 

Then came the wacky birthday surprises. At some point, our server realized that it was my birthday and she asked me if I wanted to celebrate with birthday cake. Friends of mine had already told me that they get a little crazy here with birthday cakes so I told her, "No thank you, I'm fine. I'll just have birthday beer." Well lo and behold, about 10 minutes later, the lights go off, Korean music starts blasting, the servers come out clapping and blowing noisemakers, a ridiculously huge and crazy birthday hat gets plopped on my head, and I'm presented with ... birthday beer!

They literally taped a candle to a bottle of beer. I loved it! After the spectacle, we settled down and went back to eating and drinking. And then, the crazy music went back on so I looked around to see who else was celebrating a birthday ... and realized nope, it's for me AGAIN! So I got some icing stripes on my face, got to make another wish and blow out more candles. Thanks again to Gretchen and Gi who got the cake!

It came to roughly $40 per person (with them treating me, at that), which amazed everyone since we had ordered a crazy amount of food and drinks. And somehow, at the end of it, there was too much money left over so we decided to get a round of shochu shots for the whole table.

Truly one of the best and most memorable birthday celebrations I've ever had. Thanks again to everyone who came! I love you all to pieces!

Sik Gaek is located at 161-29 Crocheron Avenue, Flushing, NY 11358. Tel. (718) 321-7770

Additional photos courtesy of Bernice Tenchavez and Bong Perez

superwomen

This comes a little bit late, but nevertheless I wanted to say that I hope all the mothers out there had a happy and much deserved Mother's Day! To my dearest friends who are now mothers, I am in awe of all that you do. I can hardly take care of myself, so you are superwomen in my eyes. To my dearest mom, Marinella, who has loved me through 29 years of craziness and belligerence, and supported me in my quest to turn far-fetched dreams into reality, thank you and I love you very much. Special thanks also goes out to my "Mommy", my aunt Cristina who has been a second mother to me my whole life, for her untiring prayers, advice and reminders. I am blessed to have such amazing women in my life. I love you all.

to veg or not to veg?

I've always been an indecisive one, but I think the vegetarian experiment has made it worse, diet-wise. I'm completely confused. I miss the light and fresh feeling of being a vegetarian, but it's just SO GOOD to succumb to all the meat dishes that I love. I spent Easter weekend with family down by the Jersey Shore. One afternoon, I'm turning down a prosciutto-stuffed sandwich for one with grilled vegetables. The next I'm inhaling Filipino-style pork barbeque ...

  

I come back to the city and say I'm totally over meat, after the ridonkulous amount of turkey consumed on Easter Sunday. So Monday night, I go for a vegan pizza with Jacob at Whole Earth Bakery. But come Tuesday, I'm inhaling the super delicious bo luc lac at Saigon Grill. Wednesday rolls around and I brave the line at Shake Shack with Bianca only to skip the ground beef patty for a shroom burger.

Clearly, I'm utterly confused. But on the upside, I have been eating a lot of good food, vegetarian or not.

the 30 before 30 project

Dear Readers, I am embarking on an adventure! I came to the cruel realization yesterday that I am getting seriously close to hitting 30, and I thought, you know what? I'm not just gonna let 30 hit me over the head. I will meet it head on, with guns blazing. So I've started this thing I've decided to call The 30 Before 30 Project. Basically, I'm making a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30, and I'm chronicling the journey at this blog.

I hope that some of you will add 30 Before 30 to your daily reads, so I can get some motivation to keep going on this challenge. I would also love to hear from you on what goals you'd like to accomplish and if you have any suggestions on what I should add to my list. 

I will try my best to keep the posts going on both blogs, but I foresee just being dead tired on some days. The first item I plan to take on is to conquer the 30-day Bikram Yoga challenge. I'm going to start on Monday, March 1, 2010 so next month will probably light on the drinking and eating posts (or so I hope).

Wish me luck! Carpe diem babes! 

my snow day

Photographed by Dante Sta Cruz wearing my trusty Gucci rain boots and beloved Theory puffy coat (my best outlet store purchases to date)

I'd envisioned a day fit for a total sloth for myself on my very first New York snow day but life had a few curveballs to throw my way. First of all, I woke up to a laptop that was on a rebooting loop. Epic hardware failure. This led me to trudge to the nearest Best Buy through a snow storm and finally buy a MacBook. And yes, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made!

After making my purchase, I waddled over to Starbucks on 79th and Lex to meet up with Zoe, who had sent me a very enticing message about going sledding in Central Park, and Dante, who wanted to come along and take some pictures. We walked over to Central Park and were breathless at the sight of the trees blanketed in pure white snow. It was truly magical. Look at us grinning like little children:

Photographed by Dante Sta Cruz

And then we heard the shrieks of pure happiness/terror of children and adults zooming down the snowy hill in sleds and anything else that could serve the same purpose as a sled (i.e. cafeteria trays, IKEA tabletops and underbed storage containers—I sh!t you not). It was hysterical and oh so very New York. My initial fear quickly turned into sheer joy at being able to frolic in the snow like a child.

I was very pleased with how my winter clothes held up on this day. The Gucci rain boots that I bought from Woodbury Commons two years ago are amazing for a snow storm in the city. They're lined and padded so my feet stayed warm, and I actually felt really comfortable hiking up and sledding down the hill in them. Best of all, I felt invincible sloshing through slush and muck on the streets. And that Theory puffer coat! Oh, it has been my most worthwhile purchase this winter. I wear it absolutely everywhere, from the office to dinners out to sledding, and it always looks good. 

I have a whole new love for Central Park after this amazing snow day. I've always loved it for the wonderful summer picnics and concerts I've had there, but never realized it could be such a magical place in the winter, too. Can hardly believe it but I can actually say it and mean it ... I can't wait for the next snow day!

snowed in

Tomorrow is going to be the very first Snow Day I've had since moving to New York in 2006, and I'm kinda excited. We're talking work cancelled, groceries bought in a panic, a foot of the white stuff Snow Day here! (Watch me get all riled up and get nothing but 10 little snowflakes tomorrow) The prospect of one whole day of being legitimately stuck at home boggles my mind ... what to do, what to do? In a panic over being left with nothing but a can of tuna to eat in the snowstorm, I finally did groceries today so one thing I'm definitely doing tomorrow is cooking. I made mushroom risotto tonight, and tomorrow I'm planning on making my crackhead bolognese sauce. I might even get around to writing the recipe down so that Linda and Caroline can stop bugging me about it ... maybe.

Most likely, I'll browse through a lot of shopping sites ... ok who am I kidding, I'm already doing it. Some stuff I'd like to be snowed in with:

Sandwashed silk pants at Victoria's Secret ($49.50); Dolce shawl collar popover at J.Crew ($39.99); Hydrangea Bouquet duvet cover at Urban Outfitters ($68); shearling moccassins by J.Crew ($29.99);

What I'll most likely end up whipping the credit card out for though is probably a single-serve coffee machine. I've been thinking about getting one for awhile now. I've been buying so much Starbucks coffee lately that I might as well just direct deposit a chunk of my paycheck to them. I was so concerned about getting snowed in without any coffee to tide me over that I almost rushed to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a coffee maker. I've been lusting after this one since Christmas and actually had the time to read reviews on it tonight so I gotta feeling I'm gonna break down and get it very soon.

The Bosch Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Brewer can make a variety of drinks including cappuccinos, lattes, chai lattes and hot chocolate. Single-serve machines that use little premixed packets of coffee or tea have been around for awhile. But this model takes it a step further with its barcode technology that scans the little T-Disks you put in and custom-makes the drink with the proper brewing time and temperature. Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Tazo and Gevalia are just some of the brands that make T-Disks.

I know that when I wake up tomorrow and see the pile of snow that's been dumped on Manhattan, I'm going to wish I could have a capuccino without having to step out of the house. Must have this coffee machine. I'll be damned if I'm caught unprepared for the next snowstorm!

Ok, it's time for bed. Keep warm and cozy! Good night!

this weekend

I am all primped and partied out, but still, not quite ready for this fabulous long weekend to end ... That would mean the holidays really are over and it's back to the daily grind. *sigh*

Image via W Magazine

Today I'm attempting to bring some healthiness back into my life. Gonna venture into my first Bikram yoga class in months in an attempt to sweat out all the lychee martinis, red wine and Captain Morgan/cokes swilling through my bloodstream! It will be hell, I predict.

Til then, I'm gonna crawl back under the covers for some much needed shuteye ...

the last decade

I got inspired to write down what has happened in my life this decade after reading this. When it finally hit me that the decade was ending, my first thought was, "What the heck did I do with the last ten years?" Well, a lot, it turns out. Two things I realized from writing this list:

• I am old!
• When I rang in 2000 ten years ago, I had no clue what my life would have turned out like. It has been an amazing decade. And it only makes me even more excited about what the next one will bring!
  
  

Here goes:

2000. Ended my first long relationship and got my first rude awakening when it comes to matters of the heart. Made the choice between ballet and having a proper career, and gave up ballet after 12 years. Got into all sorts of trouble with all the free time I suddenly had!

2001. Played the field. Had one short-lived and rather disfunctional relationship. Killed a bazillion brain cells due to excessive partying.

2002. Got my faith back that good things can and do happen.

2003. Graduated from college and took off for a 6-month internship in Stuttgart, Germany. Learned no German, except "Mein Deutsche ist sheisse." Began my love affair with beer. Made lifelong friends from all over the world. Spent many nights dancing to Prince and encouraging a certain Canadian to drop kick beer glasses in clubs. Traveled all over Germany, England, Spain, and Italy, and ended the year by getting stranded in Prague.

From left: One of those nights in Delaylas—I can almost hear "Kiss" playing in the background; Chugging them steins at the Volksfest

2004. Started the year by crying at the German consulate in Prague, begging for a visa so I could pack up my stuff and get back to Manila. Got visa, got home, got horrified at all the beer weight I'd amassed. Lost weight (Thank God!) and gained a job as an editor for a chi chi magazine.

2005. Lived the fab life, traveling to ridiculously beautiful resorts and attending amazing events for work. Traveled to Singapore for work so many times the guides knew me by name. Had a year-round tan from monthly beach work trips. Occasionally conducted interviews in bikinis.

Clockwise from top left: In between shoots at Amanpulo; at work interviewing the chef at Amanpulo—see I'm even holding a pen and notepad; Soaking up the sun in Bohol; Koh Samui; Singapore

2006. Moved to New York and fell in love with the city on day 1. Studied at FIT and experienced dorm life (horrifying one semester and fantastic the next). Got swept off my feet and started a whirlwind relationship with he-who-must-not-be-named.

2007. An interesting year juggling life working at the ultra posh Cartier PR department on Fifth Avenue by day and at a Lower East Side beer garden by night. Memorable moments at Cartier include being at an epic Vanity Fair cover shoot. Memorable moments at Loreley include getting whopped on the head with 5 empty steins and living to tell the tale.

2008. Against all odds, landed a job. HUGE sigh of relief. Reunited with loads of Stuttgart buddies who visited NY. Finally got to relax and enjoy living in this brilliant city. After 5 years, got a chance to go back to Europe at year's end and saw Malta, Florence, Chianti and Helsinki.

2009. A year of extreme highs and staggering lows. Fun times in Vegas. A truly amazing trip to Napa. A fabulous Sikh wedding in London. Eating my weight in sushi in Japan. Coming home to the Philippines after 3 years and inhaling all mangoes, lechons and suahe in sight. Then, a devastating breakup. Rebuilding and regrouping. And finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Clockwise from top left: No shortage of Cab, toro or lechon this year; crepes and Harajuku girls in Japan

Now it's 2010. I started the year off in the most brilliant way possible, I've exorcised old demons and embraced all things new. If the start of the year is any indication of things to come, it will be one heck of a decade!

What better way to start the decade than that?

I, for one, cannot wait!

after the party

Image via W Magazine

Sweet Jesus. New Year's 2010 was one hell of a party. We partied on a yacht that sailed around the Hudson and greeted the New Year with fireworks over the Statue of Liberty. And the story goes on and on ... One day into 2010 and I am exhausted to the bone. Crawling back into bed for a nap ...

Hope you started the year off with one heck of a party too! Let's rock the new decade!

once in a blue moon

I woke up today with a text message from my dearest friend Katrina saying,

"It's full moon blue moon tomorrow night Dec 31, full on double whammy power by Jan 1. Write your wishes, be super specific for 2010 and then burn by full moon light and send smoke up to heaven ... worth a try!"

We all know the expression "once in a blue moon." We usually say it in reference to things that occur very rarely. A blue moon is actually defined as a full moon that doesn't occur in the regular monthly pattern. A full moon comes approximately every 29 days so in a calendar year, we usually get 12 full moons. But at some point (every 2 to 3 years), we end up with an extra moon in the calendar year, and this is what's referred to as a blue moon. (If my explanation's too confusing, read this Wiki entry and this CNN article.)

This year, not only are we getting a blue moon, but we're getting one on New Year's Eve! According to this website, the full moon in New York is at 17:13. I am definitely writing up a wish list of things that I want to happen in 2010. Why not? You never know!

What are you wishing for this 2010?

monday night bingo at tortilla flats

I wouldn't have come out last night if it hadn't been Kathryn's birthday. I took the red-eye back to New York from Seattle on Sunday and felt like death by the time I wandered out of work Monday evening. But I am a trooper, if nothing else, so off I went to Tortilla Flats for Tex-Mex, margaritas and Monday night Bingo. I'm so glad I went, it is SO FUN. Each person gets one Bingo board, and if someone in your table wins, your whole party gets free tequila shots. The winner also gets a Tortilla Flats t-shirt and some other trinkets but let's be honest, we're all in it for the possibility of tequila. They do Bingo night on Mondays and Tuesdays, but Kim says the Monday host is way better. He's hysterical! Trivia Night on Sundays is supposedly also a real hoot, and you get a free shot for every answer you get right.

The interiors are wildly kitschy, with every square inch festooned with Elvis memorabilia and shiny party streamers. The food is pretty good and reasonably priced. For $12.95, I gorged on two chicken enchiladas coated with salsa verde and melted cheese yumminess. The margaritas are delicious and stealthily strong. I am still recovering from my hangover as I type. While most New York establishments are slow on Mondays, Tortilla Flats is packed so reservations are highly recommended.

Can't wait for the next Bingo night!

Tortilla Flats is located at 767 Washington St. (at 12th Street), New York, NY 10014. Tel. 212-243-1053

holiday rants and raves

Image via Anthropologie

Oh USPS, how you've foiled my ingenious (or so it seemed at the time) plan to avoid stores at all costs and just order all my gifts online. Amazon proved to be a wonderful ally in this quest. At least the gifts that I ordered for my little sister and my little niece arrived well ahead of Christmas (in my niece's case, the video games that I ordered on the 18th actually made it to her by the 23rd despite a shipping estimate of December 29. Hoorah!). My Brookstone order, however, failed miserably! Despite those reassuring "Guaranteed Holiday Delivery" banners, I found out today, on the eve of Christmas, that my order had been rescheduled to arrive on December 29, 2009. Brookstone washed its hands off any responsibility, of course, saying that they had sent out my order on the same day I placed it but it was USPS that had rescheduled the ship date. Whoever's fault it is, I will never believe in the words "Guaranteed Holiday Delivery" ever again!

So tonight I'm waltzing into Christmas Eve dinner with just half of my presents. Haven't really got the energy to duke it out today at the mall because I'm still recovering from the flu. Fortunately I have a pretty laid back family. My mom insisted I just tell everyone what happened and distribute the gifts when they arrive. "What's more important to them is that you're here," she said, and I actually believe that's true.

Sorry for starting the holidays off in a rant but I've had a rough one so far. I got bogged down with the flu as soon as I got to Seattle, and now this! But despite feeling like I got hit by an 18-wheeler, it's been wonderful to be taken care of by my mom while I'm sick (it's the best thing in the world!) and to be surrounded by so many loved ones who will brave my germs just for a long overdue hug. It makes my heart feel full.

It's not the most perfect Christmas ever, but definitely one of my happiest. The wonderful gift that I've received this year is knowing and appreciating exactly who and what I have in my life, and being appreciative of and content with it. I am surrounded by so much love and light, and no flu or USPS fiascos will get my spirits down.

I hope that you are having a wonderful Christmas as well!

the calm before the storm

... although if we're talking figuratively, this picture is really more like the calm after the storm. I went through a beating the last couple of months, but I'm starting to see the bright and beautiful light at the end of the tunnel. My friend Dante took this picture of me sitting on the stoop while we were moving some of my stuff out yesterday. It'll be a nice way to remember my pretty little stoop by. The snow had just started to fall and there was a moment of peace there right before New York got pummeled with the snowstorm.

The holiday craziness has officially begun. Other than the moving, my weekend also involved partying with peacekeepers and barbequing during the blizzard (bizarre but true). Tomorrow, I'm off to Seattle for Christmas and lots of food and coffee with the family. In a blink of an eye, it'll be 2010. Can't wait!

Hope the holiday shopping rush hasn't driven you nuts yet! Good luck and party on!