Top 10 Comfort Foods that I Miss in Calgary, Canada

In the spirit of Canada Day (July 1st), I'd like to share with you a list of all the food that I miss from Canada and in Calgary, in particular. As you may or may not know, I grew up in Calgary and just moved to the Philippines right after I graduated university. I've been in the Philippines for 6 years now and I've only been back in Calgary twice since then! But during my visits there or when I have relatives from Canada that come over to Manila, I never fail to ask them to bring me the items below for pasalubong. Manila is known to be pretty diverse and offers a good collection of international food items at grocery stores, delis, and restaurants. But sadly, none of the items below are available in Manila. Or if they do have them here, they just pale in comparison that I don't even bother to get them. Well, if you happen to be going on a trip to Canada or know people from there who will be coming over for a visit, you might want to jot down the list below. Trust me, you're in it for a treat! This is the best of what Canada has to offer. For all of us who are not going to Canada anytime soon, let's just pray, cross our fingers and hope that these are on their way to Manila soon! ;-)

1o.) Donairs

I just found out that this is a Canadian creation. From its Turkish roots, it's been given a twist. It's kind of like a shawarma or gyro, but not. ;-) The pita is toasted, added with cheese, beef or chicken, fresh tomatoes and onions. But instead of sprinkling it with a tzatziki dip, the donair has a much sweeter sauce. From my research, they say that the donair sauce is a mixture of condensed milk, vinegar, and sugar. It's really a very very yummy combination! Our go-to places for donairs in Calgary are My Donair and Uncle Moe's Donairs and Falafels.

9.) Safeway's Whole Roasted Chicken

Safeway is a grocery store that's not only available in Canada. It's also available in the United States although I don't think it's as famous there as it is in Canada. Also, for those that have tried Safeway's Roasted Chicken, you might say that our own S&R, Kenny Roger's, or even Baliwag Chicken is better. But there are days when I just crave for Safeway's type of chicken. It's peppery, very tender, light, and subtle in its flavor. I remember passing through Safeway with my family for an instant lunch during lazy and very wintery Sundays after mass in Calgary. We'd take the roasted chicken home and eat it with rice. Oftentimes, we'd dip the chicken in our concoction of soy sauce and melted butter for extra flavor. It reminds me of that warm, fuzzy feeling of being surrounded by family. And the chicken is great to boot! I haven't had anything as tender as Safeway's roasted chicken. ;-)

8.) Perogies and Sour Cream

Perogies are actually a Polish staple. But because Canada is so multicultural, perogies had long been introduced to the country through its large Polish population. Now, perogies are so common that you can order them in restaurants or buy them frozen at grocery stores! They come in so many delightful flavors and they're very easy to make. When you buy them frozen, they look like a cross between large Asian dumplings and Mexican empanadas. The difference is that the dough is not as soft as dumplings and they're not as thick and hard as empanadas either. Perogies come in so many different flavors and combinations of the following: cheese, potatoes, spinach, cabbage, sauerkraut, and meat. To cook them, you have a choice of boiling them to get that soft and gooey texture or by frying them in butter. How I usually cook mine is by boiling them so it's healthier. Then, after I drain them, I immediately put a bit of butter on top to let it melt. You may choose to put bacon bits on top too. I put a generous amount of sour cream on everything and there you go! But if you're health-conscious, you can eat it plain and still enjoy them.

I've been on the lookout for perogies here in Manila and I haven't found them yet. Earle's and Santi's Deli don't have them either. Although I have yet to check S & R for them. One of my students said that they're available there in bulk.

7.) Coffee and 'Timbits' at Tim Horton's

Krispy Kreme lasted only 2 odd years in Calgary before it decided to close down. Tim Horton's, on the other hand, must have been around even before I was born! And I think Tim Horton's is there to stay. Just like maple syrup, Tim Horton's is one of those things that people associate Canada to. Dunkin' Donuts can be found anywhere in the world but would you believe that we don't have that in Calgary??!?? Well, I think it's because Tim Horton's might have "monopolized" the coffee and donut industry in Canada. But you won't hear any complaints from me. ;-)

Tim Horton's has one of the best coffee I've ever tasted. It's brewed but it's not too strong. There's no weird aftertaste too. And it hits the spot perfectly, especially during harsh, cold, and "slushy" winters in Calgary. ;-) The coffee goes so well with what we call "Timbits." You know, I've gotten so used to calling those little donuts 'timbits' that I call them that when I order from Gonuts or Dunkin or Krispy Kreme. And I only realize that after I get that strange look from the cashier. ;-) They're aptly named don't you think? ;-) Anyway, Tim Horton's Timbits are soft (though not too too soft like Krispy Kreme), not too sweet, and they perfectly complement the coffee. There's no sugar rush or ick feeling after downing them both. What's more, when you order coffee at Tim Horton's, they've got this contest called "Rrrrrrroll up the rim to win!" ;-) You can get cash prizes and freebies if you're in luck. ;-)

On a side note, I love Tim Horton's coffee so much that we served them during our wedding rehearsal a year and a half ago. I got my sister to buy them for me before coming here to visit. As part of our gift set, we also gave away cans of brewed coffee to our principal sponsors during the wedding. They all loved it and were raving about the coffee too! ;-)

6.) Vietnamese Subs

I have been to Vietnam. But you know what the weird thing is? Although I've tried the authentic banh mi (Vietnamese sub), I still prefer the ones sold at Vietnamese stores in Calgary! I suppose those are authentic too because coming from a Vietnamese store, they were made by Vietnamese people too right? ;-) In Calgary, I know that we get these Vietnamese subs either in a store near Chinatown or one near this Asian grocery store in Forest Lawn. I actually prefer the latter. Ohhhh, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. First, they lather butter on a crusty baguette. Then you can choose between beef or chicken satay or vegetarian. After that, they put shredded carrots, cucumber, sliced onions, cilantro, and even cheese! The toppings are quite tasty. They seemed to have been marinated in something. Oh and when you bite into it, wow! There's that burst of flavor from the satay. Everything just goes so well together! The baguettes are crispy and crusty on the outside and as you bite in more, the actual 'meat' of the bread is soft as it's complemented by the butter, then you get to the vegetables, and finally, at the bottom, the generous serving of oh-so-flavorful meat! YUM! Hmmm. I wonder why they don't make it that good in Ho Chi Minh. The ones I had there were too bland. If you're going to Canada and in Calgary, in particular, please do yourself a favor and don't miss having a Vietnamese sub. In fact, don't miss eating at a Vietnamese restaurant altogether! Take your pick at the Vietnamese restaurants along 17th Ave in the Southeast. You can order with your eyes closed and everything will still be great! ;-)

5.) Swiss Chalet

It's been AGES since I've eaten at Swiss Chalet that I think I've honestly forgotten how everything tastes there. But I know I love it. I totally remember loving everything they serve there. I remember we'd often order their chicken dinners. They come with rotisserie chicken, bread rolls, and a choice of side dish (fries, mashed potatoes, baked potato, coleslaw, buttered corn, garden salad, Greek salad, or poutine). The side dishes are good but I remember that it's really the chicken that's to-die-for. The meat is tender and tasty and the sauce! Oh, it's something else, I tell you. It's not at all like gravy. It's not as thick and clumpy. The chalet sauce that goes with the chicken is sweet, peppery, and as a twist, might even have a bit of tomato sauce mixed in there. The sauce is a really nice and pleasant surprise. It goes so well with the chicken and it's different from the other chicken dips that we're used to. In fact, I think that Swiss Chalet's sauce has become very popular that a lot of people have been trying to replicate it. I found a number of these recipes online. I might give one of them a try these coming days. Now all I'm missing is the Swiss Chalet chicken! ;-)

4.) Taco Bell's Fries Supreme

This is also another Canadian "thing." Just like how it is only the McDonald's in the Philippines that serve spaghettis, it's only the Canadian Taco Bells that serve Fries Supreme. And it's such a shame too! In my opinion, fries are so much better than hard nachos. It goes much better with the seasoned ground beef, sour cream, chives, tomatoes, and gooey cheese than nachos ever could! It's bad enough that the two Taco Bells in the Philippines are at Gateway Mall (Pasig City) and Trinoma Mall (Quezon City)! They're both far from where I live (Taguig City) so I really only get to eat Taco Bell maybe just once a year!

Being a cheese lover, Taco Bell's Fries Supreme is a recurring craving that I haven't satisfied for the longest time. And I'll have to go back to Canada for a visit just so I can have this again. Siiiigh. Hmmm. Maybe it IS time now for another visit! ;-)

3.) Cheesecake Cafe

There's a lot of Cheesecake Cafes all over the world. I think we even have one here in Manila. But I'm talking about the franchise that's only available in Calgary, Lethbridge, and Edmonton. Cheesecake Cafe is known in Calgary for their huuuuuge servings. I guess it's kinda like the Calgarian version of TGI Friday's. They have the same offerings except at Cheesecake Cafe, the whole highlight of each visit is, obviously, the cheesecake. ;-) When eating there, I remember we would get either Mocha Kahlua or the Turtle Cheesecake. We get one slice and I'm not exaggerating when I say that one slice is good for 5 or 6 people. And we're not talking 5 or 6 Anorexics either. ;-)

Their cheesecakes are thick and creamy at the same time. It's packed and when you eat it, you really have to savor it as you "unfold" each layer in your mouth. Let it swirl around and take your time. The cheesecake is rich but it's not too sweet. I haven't had cheesecake that can rival the one at Cheesecake Cafe. And they have a huge selection of cheesecakes to suit anyone and everyone. Aside from Mocha Kahlua and Turtle, you can also choose from Callebaut Chocolate, Lemon Raspberry Swirl, Cheesequake, Key Lime, Rolo, and Oreo. You can even ask to add any of the following toppings to the classic cheesecake: Sour Cherry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Callebaut Milk Chocolate, Callebaut Milk Chocolate and Caramel, Strawberry, and/or Four Berry. Hungry yet? ;-)

2.) Tiki Ming

Tiki Ming, a Chinese fast food restaurant, has been around for the longest time too. As young as Grade 7, I remember my friends and I heading to Tiki Ming at the TD Square food court for our Friday "binge." ;-) And while I was going to University, Chinese fast food at Tiki Ming was something that I quickly associated with as a reward for hard work. ;-) Well, let's face it. I don't think there's anything healthy about eating it. Their set meals come with Chinese fried rice and a choice of two viands. I'd often go with Sweet and Sour Pork or Ginger Beef and pair it with Mixed Vegetables. Everything is a bit greasy and it might even have MSG mixed into it. But what the hey. It's soooo delicious! Sinful but soooo good! The meat is very flavourful and saucy. The fried rice can be a meal on its own too. And the vegetables are crunchy and everything is served in generous portions. All this goodness in one big plate plopped together. ;-) I often feel guilty eating it afterwards but I do get over it very quickly. Eating Chinese fast food is a guilty pleasure--especially the way Tiki Ming does it. But it's ALL worth it, trust me. ;-)

1.) Cookies By George

I'm a big dessert lover. And believe me when I say that nothing, absolutely NOTHING compares to the way Cookies By George makes their cookies. Not only do they have such interesting flavours, but the cookie itself, wow! I've died and gone heaven after each bite! The flavors range from the typical: Classic Chocolate Chunk, Milk Chocolate, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin, and Peanut Butter to the creative: Reverse Almond Chocolate Chunk, Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk, M&Ms, Macadamia Chocolate and Macaroon Chocolate! My most favorite is the Cappuccino one. I can eat this forever and never tire of it! Where do I start? Cookies By George does not lie when they say "Chocolate Chunk." They're huge! And these chunks are all over the cookie. The cookies have the perfect 'chewy-ness' too! They're not too soft that they break apart while you're holding it. It's a little crispy on the outside but when you bite into it, you'll get into gooey layers inside it. The Cappuccino Cookie has chunks of white chocolate and the coffee taste is subtle. Not overpowering but not too too subtle that you'll doubt whether it IS a coffee-flavored cookie. Their cookies are large and thick and buttery. You know that they don't scrimp on the ingredients. And they're all high quality ingredients too from the chocolates to everything else! I LOVE it! How I wish I could bring Cookies By George to Manila. Famous Amos and Mrs. Fields' would go bankrupt! ;-)

Whenever I have family coming to Manila to visit, Cookies By George is my number one request. They can forget my MAC lipstick, Gap perfume, or La Senza bra and underwear sets. Just DON'T forget Cookies By George, PLEEEEASE!!! ;-) Hahaha! My sister is coming over in September and until then, I guess I have to wait three months before I can have Cookies By George again. I'm patiently counting down the days...;-)

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Photo Sources:
http://www.medicinehatmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/samirs_donair.jpg http://sammitt.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/roasted-chicken.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3176309386_da0e4f7a49.jpg http://movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/generation_exhausted/coffee_and_timbits.JPG https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEaQVfyNSDVOjcirtyRnMR3oQeSI2rpDRNyzsjCOQAL_gSVqxQZlGUNREOlgE1FwjxglYzkV9BvWS-LlyBAruoUQhR-UtxUzHpKnyOAZ3L3kcmGvLYb8qLt-A7mzbYgjbAw5ZOeL9PKQ/s640/banhmi.JPG
http://www.cheesecakecafe.ca/images/main-pics3.jpg
http://smartcanucks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/swiss-chalet-chicken.jpg http://brianpmichael.com/images/Design/Thumbs/TacoBell_FriesSupreme_v.2.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3355204524_349a078a0c.jpg http://vanfoodies.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/p1000631.jpg

Globe's Reward for Going Green

Do you have a Globe account? If you do, you might want to go green and support paperless billing. By simply registering HERE, you can start viewing your bills online instead of getting bills through mail that just eventually go into the trash, anyway.

As a reward for going green, Globe will send you a PhP100 Jollibee gift certificate if you REGISTER for paperless billing before June 15, 2010. I registered for mine about a week and a half ago. And I just got my Jollibee GC in the mail! ;-) It's a nice little reward. I plan on using it to get a Chickenjoy meal, Jolly Hotdog, and Cookies and Cream Swirly Biz for my husband and I. Yum! ;-)

Yogurts in Disguise

I must be one of the very few who just caught on to the yogurt craze here in Manila. It took me a while because I never was into yogurts to begin with. In fact, I hated it. I'm not fond of it's tart and sour taste. For me, it's neither dessert nor appetizer. It doesn't satisfy dessert cravings and it's a little too sour to start a meal with. I couldn't stomach it as a snack either. I feel like that sour taste needs to be accompanied with something else. In a nutshell, I was never really a fan of yogurts and I was so close to not giving it a chance at all. For me, yogurts are only good when used in Mediterranean cuisine for their sauces and dressings.

That is, until I came across a couple of yogurt places in Manila that have yogurts that well, don't taste like yogurt at all! ;-) They taste like ice cream or sorbet! They taste really good and they carry with them the list of benefits below too:
- boosts the immune system,
- reduces blood pressure,
- decreases the risks of certain cancers,
- aids in digestion,
- provides calcium, Vitamin B, etc.,
- AND most of all, yogurts have much lesser calories and sugar than ice cream!

We get the best of both worlds here. So if that's the case, I wonder, why have ice cream still? Just like what I will do from now on, I'll just visit one of these two places which have yogurts in disguise! ;-) Yogurts that taste like ice cream without the calories! Yay! ;-)

1.) Golden Spoon in Magallanes

WHAT I ORDERED: Cake Batter yogurt topped with cookie dough (Php 105 - mini cup plus one topping)
PRICES: Mini (Php 85), Small (Php 155), Large (Php 220), Quart (Php 499); Toppings (Php 20 each)
MY THOUGHTS: Their yogurts taste SO MUCH like ice cream that I just had to ask the server about it very suspiciously: "Are you sure this is yogurt??!??" ;-) Hahaha! Well, it is! And my face might have lit up so much that's why the server gave me this huge grin. ;-) The thickness, the creaminess, the texture and the taste --- it's all ice cream, I'm telling you! ;-) The only difference must be that their yogurts are not as sweet as ice cream and they're light. You don't get the same "ick" feeling after having two scoops of sinful ice cream. You still get your fill though. And it definitely satisfies the craving. The cookie dough was an excellent topping. It was chewy and really went well with the cake batter flavor! I'm willing to explore other yogurt places. But for now, I get the feeling that this is the best non-yogurt tasting yogurt place in the country! They have such interesting flavors too. For my next visit, I plan to have the Island Coconut yogurt (small instead of mini this time!) topped with English Toffee. Yum! ;-)

2.) Tutti Frutti at Glorietta 4

WHAT I ORDERED: A mix of coffee and chocolate yogurt topped with mochi balls and almonds (7 oz in total for Php 140)
PRICES: PhP 20 for every ounce (includes all yogurts and toppings)
MY THOUGHTS: The texture of their yogurt is between ice cream and sorbet. It's not completely as thick and creamy as ice cream but it's not as soft and watery as sorbet either. It's an in-betweenie. In comparison to Golden Spoon, their yogurts are a bit sweeter. I liked the fact that they have mochi balls as a choice for a topping though. Golden Spoon doesn't have that. Tutti Frutti has a lot more choices of fruit toppings too.

For me, I think that Tutti Frutti is a nice alternative if you're in the Glorietta area. You see, they only have Golden Spoon in Greenhills and Paseo de Magallanes. Tutti Frutti's yogurts are also light in "sorbet"-kind of way. Creamy enough but not as close to ice cream as Golden Spoon is. The good thing about Tutti Frutti is that it's self-serve. You can manage your portions and you're not bound by fixed cup sizes. It's like being a kid in a candy store. You can mix all the yogurt flavors if you want and put bits of all the different toppings too! It's really a whole lot of fun! ;-)

Three Well-Crafted Films You Should Watch...

It's the summer vacation for me, so if I'm not catching up on my TV series, I'm watching a whole lot of movies. And that's emphasis on A LOT. Because of the number of movies that I've seen through the years, I think it takes a lot now to impress me. I might even be harsher than the critics that decide on who should be nominated at the Oscar's! ;-)

Lately, I've seen boring, predictable, and formulaic movies such as "Valentine's Day," "Dear John," "She's Out of my League," and many others. I've also seen unheard of, probably straight-to-DVD movies like "Chloe," "Me and Orson Welles," "Coco and Igor," "Beautiful Kate," and "Defendor." I gave all of these movies a chance and well, none of them impressed me. It made me think that maybe they just don't make movies as they did before. It's all for commercial appeal now. Movies of this generation altogether lack substance, weight, and most of them just don't have a lot to say anymore. Well, I was ready to make that conclusion. That is, until I came across these three movies: "Unthinkable," "Everybody's Fine," and "Brothers." Although of different genres, all three movies made me think, made me cry, made me angry, got me scared, and just had this huge effect on me! It's been a long time since I've had that movie experience!

There will be no spoilers here but here's a brief rundown of the films, a synopsis, and reasons why I loved them:

1.) EVERYBODY'S FINE

GENRE: Drama
MAIN CAST: Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell
SYNOPSIS: An ailing widower goes on a roadtrip to visit each of his children after all four of them unexpectedly calls to say that they can't make it to the annual Christmas reunion at his place.
MY THOUGHTS: After reading the synopsis, I know you might be thinking that there really isn't much to it. What's the big deal about this movie? Well, not only was this movie very well-acted. But this movie just covers so much in how it tackles themes of loneliness, getting old, family dynamics, relationships, meeting family expectations, fatherhood, inadequacy, and many others. There's just so much to relate to in this film. And I know I'm not the biggest "baby" out there, but this movie just had me in tears. I was just so touched! The movie reminded me of my Dad. In fact, Robert de Niro's character could be like any one of our fathers. The movie allowed me to see things from a father's perspective. It allowed me to empathize -- to see and feel the things that they often have trouble putting into words and communicating to us.

I'm not going to go any further because I don't want to ruin the movie for you. Just do me a favor and be prepared with a whole box of Kleenex. They will come in handy for sure. ;-)

2.) UNTHINKABLE

GENRE: Drama, Thriller
MAIN CAST: Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie-Ann Moss, Michael Sheen, Stephen Root
SYNOPSIS: A terrorist plants 3 nuclear bombs in unknown places in the United States. An FBI agent and a black-ops interrogator caught the perpetrator. At what lengths are they willing to go in order to get this terrorist to reveal to them the locations of the bombs that would save millions and millions of lives?
MY THOUGHTS: The story doesn't seem to completely stand out from the others that we've seen that's like it. In fact, before watching it, it might already seem formulaic to you. You're probably thinking that there's the methodic and brainy terrorist in the mix, two agents playing good cop-bad cop, and whole time factor -- the bombs will explode in a few hours and they'll have to find-it-before-it-kills-them- idea. Yes, these may be included in the story but what makes this film excellent is its shift in focus. The film discusses a very controversial and powerful morality issue. In fact, it forces you to question your own too. This is amidst the backdrop of a well-developed conflict and tension in the story. It's very gripping and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! It's just an excellent movie. Make sure you don't watch it by yourself because like me, I'm sure you'll be bursting to discuss this movie with someone else too. ;-)

3.) BROTHERS
GENRE: Drama, Thriller, War
MAIN CAST: Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire, Sam Shepard
SYNOPSIS: A wife and her daughter try to move on after her husband goes missing in Afghanistan. They are helped and comforted by her husband's once screw-up brother.
MY THOUGHTS: Movies that depict the terrors of war often show it from what happens firsthand in Afghanistan. There are guns, bombs, explosions, fighting, and the like. But really, to convince us how awful war can be, it is more effective to do this by showing us what happens after a soldier survives all the terror. The war doesn't end in Afghanistan. What happens after is even more frightening! The movie delves into that disturbing territory. What goes on in the mind of a person who has seen the evilness of others first hand? What happens if he considers himself as a part of all the evilness too? It's heavy stuff. This movie was a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt fear, anger, concern, and guilt all at the same time! And Tobey Maguire, wow! He truly has the chops for acting. No pun intended but his role here was a huge leap from Spiderman. He's a more serious actor here and honestly, I think he should've been nominated for his portrayal.

PHOTO CREDITS:
http://www.tribute.ca/tribute_objects/images/movies/Everybodys_Fine/EverybodysFine.jpg
http://www.comingsoon.net/nextraimages/unthinkableart.jpg
http://moviecultists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/brothers-movie-poster.jpg

My Favorite Things: Kenny Rogers' Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich

As you may already be aware, I LOVE cheese! Just as much as I love shopping, cheese is the other thing that leaves my day on a high note regardless of how awful it's been. Or if I'm not feeling particularly awful, cheese is just my go-to for comfort food. In short, cheese is my "happy" food! ;-)

Whenever that craving for cheese kicks in, automatically, it's Kenny Rogers Roasters that come to mind. Or if I can afford it, from some swanky hotel's cheese plate at their buffet. Usually though, my choices are pasta at Sbarro, pizza at Yellow Cab, Pizza Hut, or Greenwich, or the Ham and Cheese Sandwich at Pancake House. These are the restos at Market, Market which I usually pass through after work. These places all have good cheeses but I'm usually feeling guilty after eating at any of these restos. Do you know how many calories there are in a serving of pasta at Sbarro's??!?? Find out for yourself HERE. That's 700 calories for a plate of their Baked Ziti. The rest are just as sinful, I'm sure.

Anyway, I get my cheese fill at Kenny Rogers when I order their Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich. It costs PhP 105 on its own. But I often order it with their Lite Iced Tea and crispy Fries at only PhP 135 in total. It's a perfectly light meal with that ultimate cheese goodness! I absolutely love it! In fact, to maximize that cheese "kick," I take out the top bread slice and eat it open-faced. YUM! And that's without the guilt! It is, after all, served on a whole-wheat panini with nothing but the four gooey cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Monterey Jack). The fries that accompany it are crispy and not too too greasy. Frankly, I like the fries at Kenny Rogers better than McDonald's. As for their lite iced tea, it's obviously sugar-free. Not too sweet but it has a bit of an aftertaste. From the Splenda maybe? Well, if you're not fond of sugar-free drinks, you can always opt to get one of their smoothies. I think these start at PhP 90 each.

PHOTO CREDITS
http://www.virginmedia.com/images/cheese_mites430x300.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/mongit/For%20My%20Blog/September%202007/Kenny%20Rogers/IMG_3855.jpg

Sex and the City 2 -- My Review

By this time, I'm sure a lot of you already had your girls' night out and saw SATC 2. I actually saw it just two days after it premiered in Manila. And what are my thoughts on it, you ask?

Well, just like the first Sex and the City movie, SATC 2 was a whole lot of fun! It was a nice escape after a tiring day at work. In a way, it's like playing 'dress up.' You see Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha in these absolutely gorgeous designer clothes. The setting of the movie (well for most of it, anyway), is in Abu Dhabi. It's all like a dream -- being transported to an exotic, almost surreal world that we, frankly, don't know too much about. And to add to that, the four girls are treated to complete luxury. There's the first class plane ride with suites or cabins (I didn't know those existed!), the individual chauffer and transport, the beautiful and almost ostentatious hotel suite, and so much more! Seeing all these, me and my four girl friends (how suitable hey? ;-), agreed that we didn't at all feel the 2 1/2 hours. It went by so fast! And we sat there at the end wanting more! ;-)

Admittedly though, I think that I liked the clothes in the first SATC installment better. The clothes, accessories, and fashion presented in this sequel were very pretty, don't get me wrong. But I thought there wasn't that one outfit that made me hyperventilate as much as the black Zac Posen dress on Charlotte in the first SATC movie. ;-)

But I still want all the clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories from SATC 2 though. ;-) Yes, I want them all! All! ALL!!!!! ;-) Hahaha! If I could choose between the two, I'll just prefer to own all the clothes from the first SATC though. Just a tad more. That's all. ;-) For this movie, if I were to pick ONE favorite and coveted item, it would have to be these Loboutin shoes on Carrie! Loooove them!

Well, this is, after all, a movie. So, what about the plot/story, conflict, characters, etc? From the first SATC, this sequel followed the natural progression of the lives of the characters. I liked how "real" the conflicts are. I mean, yes, these characters may lead such glamorous lives in New York, but there's that whole universality of the issues that they encounter. Like Carrie, all married women worry about losing the "sparkle" in their marriage. Like Charlotte, all mothers worry about not being adequate and that guilt of not being the best for their chidlren. All women, like Samantha, worry about getting old. And alll powerful women -- like Miranda, have to deal with gender biases in the workplace, etc, etc. In this movie, SATC successfully continued to make the characters endearing to all of us. We see parts and bits of ourselves in at least one of the characters. For this, I can say that the movie was very well-executed. There was a lot of focus on Carrie, being the lead character and all. But I wish that enough focus could have been given to Charlotte and Miranda though. Their issues just kinda seemed to work out on their own from the start of the movie to the end. There were a lot of opportunities for more doses of humor if they followed through with this as well as incorporated the two gay characters more. We see Anthony and Stanford in the beginning and that was that. They had their own issues too that were never resolved.

In my opinion, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) would have to be the star of this movie. She was just soooo funny! Absolutely hilarious! ;-) She was just so endearing. During her 'fragile' moments, you can't help but cry with her too. I especially loved that spiel that she had about being a mother. The whole theatre was quiet and I saw a lot of them in tears. It's all very real. If you're a mother, I imagine you would find comfort in knowing that you're not the only one going through it. Even glamorous and wealthy women who look like they lead perfect lives go through them too. ;-)

I highly recommend this movie to all the women who have NOT seen it yet. The question is, do I think that men -- husbands, boyfriends, straight male friends, could sit through it? To be honest, I don't think so. First off, there are no car chases or guns to amuse them in this movie. ;-) Yes, that's a stereotype. But frankly, I just don't think men will get it. In fact, while at the theatre, there was a guy talking to the screen during one of Carrie's scenes with Mr. Big (the television discussion one). He was going: "What's HER problem??!??" Yes, yes, Carrie was overreacting in that scene. But all women have those moments of "insanity" right? ;-) I just don't think men will get it. For me, the 2 1/2 hours seemed like a breeze. It went by so fast. But for men, I have a feeling that this will feel like an eternity to them. I'd like to be proven wrong though. Just an opinion. But I'd like to test this on my husband. When the movie is out on DVD, I wonder if he can sit through the whole thing and have a 'lightbulb' moment on the differences between men and women. ;-) Hahaha! But hey, you never know...;-)

PHOTO CREDITS
http://images.dailyradar.com/media/uploads/cine/story_large/2009/12/09/sex_and_the_city_2_movie_poster_premieres.jpg
http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/satc1.jpg
http://guidetoabudhabi.com/holidays/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Shangri-La-Hotel-Qaryat-Al-Beri-Abu-Dhabi-Facade.jpg
http://thestilettoeffect.blogspot.com/2007/09/sex-and-city-movie.html http://www.nitrolicious.com/blog/2009/09/02/sex-and-the-city-2-style-sarah-jessica-parker/

Top 10 Experiences to be had in Kuala Lumpur (Part 1)

Flying with Cebu Pacific, my husband and I arrived at our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at around 2 am on the 21st of April. We left for Manila at midnight going into the 25th. So really, we had, give or take, 4 full days to enjoy the city. Among our trips in Asia, I would have to say that this is the shortest trip that we've ever had. We're usually used to exploring a new city for at least five full days. But due to work and other commitments, we had to make do with the four days we had allotted at KL.

We did have an itinerary for this trip but I can't help but feel like we really haven't seen everything that there is to see in KL. There were at least five other places that I wanted to visit but didn't have the time to. I'll share this list in another blog entry.

Among all the places that we have been to though, let me share with you my Top 10 experiences in KL. I'll be dividing this into 2 entries because I'll be adding tips and suggestions too to help you maximize each experience. I imagine it will be quite lengthy so please bear with me.

Jojo and I had a grand time in Kuala Lumpur, overall. And here are the experiences I enjoyed the most: ;-)

10.) Tickle your tastebuds with Nando's Chicken.

I know for a fact that if this was my husband's list, he would actually place this experience as his #1 and most favorite! I'm telling you, eversince we got back, my husband has craved for their food non-stop! He says that our local Max's Chicken, Savory, Andok's, and Kenny Rogers has got nothing on the way the Nando's franchise does their chicken. Yes it's a bit "unpatriotic." But I don't want to be a hypocrite. I actually think I'll have to agree on this one. ;-)

As you know, on our trips, we have made it a rule not to eat more than once at the same restaurant. We broke that rule when we ate at Pho 2000 in HCMC though. And this time in KL, we broke it again. We ate at Nando's Chicken twice. If we were there longer, I think Jojo would have begged me to eat there the third, fourth and fifth time too! ;-)

Nando's makes their chicken peri-peri style. That is, roasted first, then placed in a spit-fire oven while marinated and combined with bird's eye chilli, spices, and a mixture of sauces. The chicken has a very full flavor. There is a bit of spiciness to it to give you that pleasant zing. The chicken is very tender and every bit of it is tasty. You would think that the marinade would not likely reach the inner white meat. But it does and it's just a burst of flavor for every bite! ;-)

Aside from chicken, Nando's also serves various salads, burgers, wraps, and even pasta. But when we were there on two occasions, we only went for their peri-peri chicken combos. That is, a quarter peri-peri style chicken with 2 sidelines of your choice. You can choose your chicken to be lemon and herb, mild/even hot, or going all out with VERY hot. Being a sissy, I went with the lemon and herb one, accompanied with Fresco salad and Meditteranean rice. (RM 14.95/PhP210) Jojo got mild/even hot chicken along with Mediterranean rice as well (it was the only choice for the rice) and Peri cob. We found our "sideline" orders to be okay. They weren't too bad. Kenny Roger's side dishes are a bit tastier but they're not bad at all. If anything, it just reminds us that the peri-peri chicken is the real "star" here. ;-) My lemon and herb chicken had a tiny bit of zing. Just hints of spicyness. Jojo's mild hot one was a bit stronger. But it's not too too spicy that you'll have to reach for a glass of water. It's all bearable and the less tastier sidelines complemented it well, I thought.

For our second time around, Jojo went for the 1/2 chicken with two sidelines. (RM 23.90/PhP335) He knew that it was going to be the last time for a very long time that he'll have Nando's chicken again so he decided to have a feast with this one. ;-) And man, did he ever! His sidelines consisted of TWO cups of Meditteranean rice. And nothing else. ;-) I got the mild hot one this time (quarter chicken) but changed one of my sideline to their Peri chips with creamy peri dip. I thought this was an even more perfect combination than the last time. I absolutely loved their peri chips (fries) with that creamy dip! And choosing to go with mild hot this time went better with the sauces, I thought. There are four sauces on each table that you can pile on to your chicken to give it even more flavor. I can't remember what they are but having tried them all, I liked the Garlic peri-peri best to go with the mild hot chicken. Verrrry yummy.

It's important to note that Nando's Chicken is not a franchise that's exclusive only to Malaysia. Yes, it's pretty popular there. But Nando's is scattered everywhere. They have it in Australia, Canada, the United States, and even as far as Namibia and Fiji! Maybe we'll have it soon here in the Philippines! ;-) Anyway, we had our Nando's chicken at the basement of Pavilion Mall and somewhere near Petaling Street in Chinatown. You can have a look at where else you can find Nando's Chicken HERE. The Malaysian menu can be found HERE too.

9.) Go souvenir shopping and fulfill your Chinese food craving at Petaling Street.

One word to describe Petaling Street would be "vibrant." It's not that huge of a place. Maybe six blocks altogether? But there's a lot happening given that you visit the area in the evening. Merchants start setting up their stalls at 5 pm. There's hawker fare here and restaurants that extend to the street! It's a place to just unwind and cool off with a beer or something.

And if knock-offs are your thing, there's a lot of imitation bags, clothes, shoes, watches, and what-have-you. There are a few knock-offs there that we won't be able to find at Greenhills. For instance, they had imitation Onitsuka Tiger shoes there. Petaling Street is also the best place to go for souvenirs. Kuala Lumpur shirts go for RM 3 (PhP 42.10). The miniature Petronas Towers made of pewter cost around RM 15 (PhP 210). Most of the prices of these souvenirs are fixed. You won't have to haggle since all the stalls sell them for the same price.

From the itinerary that I made, I listed two places that I wanted to go to along Petaling Street. One is Hartz Chicken Restaurant -- famous for their buffet and the other, Purple Cane Teahouse -- famous for their tea selection and tea sets, of course. We started looking for them but we were just too tired so we gave up after an hour. And after seeing another Nando's Chicken Restaurant there, my husband had decided that we were going to stop looking and eat there instead. ;-) If you go to Petaling Street, you might want to check out these two places. I've come across this website found HERE that raved about Purple Cane Tea House. The Pinoy Exchange and Female Network forums also talked and raved about Hartz Chicken Buffet. It might be worth a try to enjoy your visit in Petaling Street even more. ;-)

8.) Get a foot massage along Jalan Bukit Bintang while being part of all the action.

Jalan Bukit Bintang is a very busy street. Across from our hotel and also to the left and right of it are rows and rows of these massage places. They do it "Shenzhen-style" -- like the ones you'll find in Lowu Mall. They've got a whole line of these reclined massage chairs from the entrance (an open glass door) down to the back of the shop. Since the door is open, you can see what's going on in the sidewalk and the street in front of you while you get your massage. We sat near the front door and with the whole lot of people on the sidewalk, it felt like we had an audience! ;-) See the three men just standing there? ;-)

After a full day of walking and shopping, we totally needed a foot massage. It wasn't hard to choose which one to go with for the massage. We just looked at the one with the most number of people and off we went! ;-) On that Thursday night, we went with Bao Jian Reflexology -- conveniently located right across our hotel! Feeling a bit awkward to have a full body massage with all these people around us, we only went for the 60-minute foot reflexology (RM 50/PhP 703). Compared to the massage places here in Manila, it is very pricey. But during the time we were there, we completely needed it and the experience was just priceless. Jalan Bukit Bintang was abuzz with activity. You get a good sense of their culture by just watching them and taking in all the sights and sounds of this busy street. It was the perfect time and place to be to see all of these. Oh and I'd have to say, the massage was spectacular too! Jeff was my massage therapist and he was gentle with my feet. He applied the right amount of pressure for me. Jojo said that at first, the massage was a bit too hard. He didn't say a word. And after a few minutes, everything just started to feel wonderful! I guess he had a lot of knots and what-not that needed to be smoothened out. In the end, we were both very happy campers! ;-)

7.) Spend half the day shopping at Ikea for all your home needs!

On our trips to Singapore and Hongkong, we never fail to visit Ikea. I absolutely love this store! We have bits and pieces of Ikea products at Mobler, Dimensione, and other stores here in Manila. But nothing beats going to the real Ikea store -- and the biggest one in Asia, at that!

The Ikea store in KL is in the Petaling Jaya area. It is a bit far from the Golden Triangle but trust me, it will be worth your time. Because after you go to Ikea, you can just cross the street to go to The Curve. It's a shopping complex kind of similar to our Eastwood Mall.

Anyway, here's how to get there from the Bukit Bintang station on KL monorail:
1.) Get off at Bukit Nanas on the KL monorail (2 stops away from Bukit Bintang).
2.) Transfer to the Putra line at the Bukit Nanas station. To transfer to this train, you actually have to leave the station. Go down the stairs into the sidewalk and walk west (go straight on your left). It's about a 3-minute walk. Go up the walkway to cross to the other side. You'll find the Putra train when you go down the escalators further ahead.
3.) Get on the Putra train going to Kelana Jaya. It's about 11 stops away and roughly, a 45-minute ride.
4.) Get off at the Kelana Jaya station and go on the walkway to cross the street. There's a bus terminal there. Wait for the free shuttle going to IKANO Power Center. It arrives at set times: 9 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. The trip will be 5-10 minutes and the shuttle will drop you off right in front of Ikea.

You can take the shuttle going back to the station when you're done. You'll find the shuttle in the same area where you get off. Just make sure you're there at least 5 minutes before the scheduled time as it gets really packed. The bus leaves from Ikea at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, and 6:30 pm.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm excited to share with you all of my purchases at Ikea. But since there's a whole lot of it, I thought I'd devote a whole entry on our shopping finds in KL alone! ;-) I'm sorry for this but I give you my word that I'll have that entry up within the week! ;-)

So what shouldn't you miss while in Ikea? Ooooh, where do I start? ;-) I absolutely LOVE the lamps and chandeliers in Ikea. Really, if only it would be easy to transport it, I would have gotten three of the lamp shades below for our dining area. My favorite among the lot is the one with the street scene of Hongkong (?) on the fabric. They have the coolest bedsheets too that are way cheaper than the ones that are sold at SM's Our Home. If you have kids or a number of children to buy presents for, you'll love the collection of toys, cool hampers, and lamps. They're all very playful, pretty, and sooo unique! We don't have a store or anything close to it that sells similar items. Everything in Ikea is beautiful and I'm sure it would be nearly impossible to NOT buy a whole cartload of stuff. If you're not one of self-control, avoid Ikea at all costs! ;-)

I have to mention that Ikea also has its own restaurant/cafeteria. We didn't have it when we were there. But I know for a fact that their Swedish Meatballs should not be missed. They also have these hazelnut and dark chocolate bars that will serve as excellent pasalubong. They're very creamy and just addictive!

In this complex, you shouldn't miss going across the street to The Curve. They have a large Padini Store (or VNC as it's known here) that sells their shoes 40% less than the ones here in Manila. I'm not sure if they have it everyday but when we were there on a Saturday, there was also a row of tiangge stalls in front of the restaurants. They mostly sold accessories, clothes, and a few other knick knacks. There are a number of neat restaurants in this shopping complex too. Such is this beautiful English-garden type restaurant seen in the picture below. They have bookstores here, more clothing stores, a grocery store, gadget stalls, and many others. With so much to see (and buy!) here, it would be wise to put aside at least 5 hours exploring this area. ;-)

6.) Brave the 272 steps leading up to the Batu Caves with a few "furry" friends.

If you're going to Genting Highlands, I think it would be wise to plan your trip to Batu Caves on the same day too. Putra Gombak is one of the terminals (also a train station) where you can catch a bus that takes you to Genting. That same terminal is also just ten minutes away from the Batu Caves. In this case, I think it would be much more convenient to take a taxi to the Batu Caves. Now it's important to note that a lot of these taxi drivers prefer not to use their meters. They usually try to arrange something with you so they can charge more. Just make sure that you're only paying RM 10-15 per way otherwise you're being ripped off.

The buses that go to Genting are on a schedule. We just made sure to allot about an hour and a half at the Batu Caves. That already includes the 20-25 minute total travel time. An hour at the Batu Caves should be enough. At least, that's enough time to get up the 272 steps, walk around the cave, take pictures, buy some souvenirs, and get down the steps to look for a taxi back. There is an Art Gallery and a small Museum Cave which we didn't have time to visit though. If you want to see these, you might want to allot an extra 40 minutes.

So why is visiting the Batu Caves a memorable experience for me? Well, first off, it's a very spiritual and sacred place. You get a sense of that when you get inside the cave. It's very interesting to see the rituals done by the Hindus while in prayer. You can tell that they're very deeply-rooted. And being near the mountains, on a limestone cave and 100 metres above ground also adds to that whole sense of mysticism.

There are lots of photo ops to be had here. Make sure you have your camera ready because you're going to get THIS close to a few furry friends while going up and down those steps. ;-) We didn't see it happen when we were there, but these monkeys are very playful and tend to sneakily "steal" things from tourists they say. ;-)

At the foot of the steps, there's a whole lot of pigeons too. They all settle on the pavement for a while and fly off together in huge flocks. Just be careful you're not pooped on, but otherwise, I think this will make an interesting photo-op. ;-)

NANDO'S CHICKEN
-Lot 1.29.04, Pavilion KL, Bukit Bintang
- No. 123, Jalan Sultan (Chinatown)

BAO JIAN REFLEXOLOGY
64 Jalan Bukit Bintang

CHINATOWN
Petaling Street, KL

IKEA
No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara
47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Darul Ehsan

BATU CAVES
Sri Subramaniam Temple, KL