Wanderlust Week #2 - Binondo Plus!

Another tick off my 25 things list last week. Yay! Last Saturday, I was with my high school friends for another wanderlust day. It was actually my idea to go on a Binondo food trip since I have never been there and I heard the food was simply irresistible. My friends gladly obliged since they too wanted to take part in my little adventure. We met at Carriedo LRT Station since it was the most accessible place for all of us. We just walked our way towards Ongpin Street and wandered around Binondo using our trusty Google maps as our guide. I made a lot of research prior to our trip and I narrowed 7 places that we should go to. Unfortunately, we only got to visit 6 places because of lack of time. But, as I always say, it's all goooood.

The entire trip consisted of the following food stalls/restaurants: Fried Siopao - Wai Ying Fastfood - Cafe Mezzanine - Carvajal Street - Sincerity Restaurant - Estero area. 

Top L-R: Shanghai Fried Siopao, Masuki, Wai ying Fastfood;
Middle L-R: the busy street of  Benavidez, Chinatown Welcome Banner, Cafe Mezzanine;
Bottom L-R: Carvajal Street, Spa-la-la (I love the name of the store!), the homey street light of Binondo

Fried siopao madness. The fried siopao was surprisingly good!
At 16php, we had our tummies giddy for more.

We then walked towards Wai Ying fastfood where you can reportedly find the best Nai Cha. Indeed, their Nai Cha did not disappoint. We also ordered other sumptuous meals such as Shrimp Chong Fan, Curry Beef Siomai, and Hakaw. I personally loved their Hakaw and their Curry Beef Siomai was surprisingly good. I never thought you could mix curry and siomai in one dish! Soooo good.

Clockwise from top left: the famous Wai ying Nai Cha, Curry Beef Siomai,
Shrimp Chong Fan, and Hakaw, my personal favorite!

We then walked ahead and went to look for the Estero but ended up instead in Cafe Mezzanine where my good friend, Gilson, and I tried their Moon Cake with 2 eggs. It was my first time to try a moon cake and the taste was indescribable. There was a surprise egg in the center which contributed to the sweet-salty ensemble of the cake. Delicioso! 

The intricate design of this mooncake made it more special.

Our next stop was Sincerity restaurant but on our way there, we sidetracked towards Carvajal street since the lights and the colorful decors were amazing to behold, attracting all of us to just pass by there. The place was about to close though and so we did not get to see the colorful fruit and vegetable stands. We finally arrived at Sincerity restaurant and ordered their famous Sincerity Chicken. It was pretty okay. My gustatory receptors were not that exceptionally impressed though.

Sincerity Chicken (L) and Spicy Fried Frog Legs (R).

Our last stop was the Estero where the (in)famous Spicy Fried Frog Legs were old at a meager price of 110php for sharing. I must admit the thought of eating frogs appalled me but then again, I am advocating a YOLO life so I went for it. Besides, I searched the internet for any casualties regarding their Frog Legs but I haven't seen any reports of it. Haha! Sigurista, teh! So it came to me as a surprise that frog meat actually tastes like chicken but has the consistency/texture of fish meat. It was not that bad after all. In fact, I would not hesitate to eat it again the next time we  get to visit Binondo.

At Wai ying Fastfood. From L-R: Gilson, Luisa, me, Maymay, Edward

We were all full after the food trip. But the night didn't end there. We traversed the Manila road from Binondo to Quiapo to get our dose of card reading ("hula") with Madame Remy. For my hula, Madame Remy said I love to travel and that that is my number 1 passion right now. With regards to my love life, there are problems here and there that need to be solved. I will be a milyonarya someday and that I shall have 2 kids. I will also be receiving a special surprise within 2 weeks. Ain't that awesome? Haha! I love the milyonarya part. I didn't get to take a picture of myself though. Instead, I took pictures of my boys killing it with Madame Remy. Edward, in particular, dropped some awesome questions. And Madame Remy's favorite word: MAAARI. Hahaha! Whatta fortune teller!

Left: The busy road from Ongpin to Quiapo. Right: Gilson and Edward getthing their hula with Madame Remy.

Our last stop was at the Ayala Triangle Gardens where we get to experience the Lights and Sounds Show. This is a daily show held at ATG Makati City every 6:00-9:00 PM and is being brought to the audience by Ayala Land and Makati Tourism. The show started last November 16 and will be continuing its magical spectacle until the end of December. I love the concept of lights and music being merged into one pro bono show. The entire show was masterfully invented and skillfully executed. It was for me a brilliant way to cap the night! 

Pardon the blurry picture. You've got to see it in person to appreciate it, I guess.
But ain't the lights lovely? (:

L-R: Sean, Maymay, Gilson, me.

My good friend Luisa was not around for the show but another friend came, my BFF, Sean, with whom I bestow the nickname vayets/vayetch. A quick trip to KFC and a little chat with my high school friends made this trip very memorable. Once again, the Jo(e)vialist in me is giddy and another YOLO moment was conquered!

Wanderlust Week #1

Yay so I finally have a free time to post my previous Wanderlust Week! 

First on the list: Cyma.

I have been craving for Greek food for the longest time already - 3-4 months perhaps? But I only got to finally satisfy my craving last week when my college barkada (Phabulosa) and I decided to get-together for a crazy weekday night. We (I) initially wanted to go to Greeka Kouzina since I was informed previously that the place was awesome for meet-ups and get-togethers and that the ambiance and food were excellent. Things did not turn out the way we planned it though and so we went instead to Greenbelt for dinner. My girl friends and I decided to have a Chesca-themed night and the biggest winner was Miss Josephine Dianne Deauna. Yes, from drab to fab ang peg ni Atey! You see, Dianne is the Dora-the-explorer type of girl when it comes to fashion. She has this carefree attitude and it shows in the way she dresses herself. I did not mean this in a negative way, mind you, Dianne has her own personal taste when it comes to fashion. And we all love her for it. Here's a picture of how Dianne was transformed by her fairy godmother:

Dianne in her usual dress (L) and on the Chesca-themed night (R) (Sorry Di I have no other solo pics! Don't kill me!)

Chesca and Dianne. The picture on the left was taken a month before our Greek night and the theme for the night
was patterned on Chesca's fashion. She wears this very feminine clothes, full of ruffles and sheer fabric and bling. I love it!

The food at Cyma was, as expected, amazing. We ordered Roka Pasta, Lamb Yiouvetsi, Moussaka, Kotopoulo Lemonato - all for sharing, and I ordered their Gliko Frappe (sweet frappe) which was undeniably good. I personally ordered the Lamb Yiouvetsi because I miss eating lamb (my favorite meat!) and Kotopoulo Lemonato because this is my favorite Cyma food. Another surprising discovery was their Roka Pasta which was made of "sautéed arugula (Roka) and spaghetti with EVOO, pine nuts, grated parmigiano reggiano and fresh tomatoes". It was the best pasta I have ever tasted as of yet and wouldn't hesitate ordering it when I come back. Once again, Cyma did not disappoint. Good thing my friends loved it too. 

from L-R: Kotopoulo Lemonato, Roka Pasta, Moussaka. I forgot to take a picture of the Lamb Yiouvetsi since we already started eating when it was served.

After our sumptuous meal, we went for one round of drinks at Dillinger's. The place is awesome for those who want to chow down cheap ass food and drink and party the entire night. The place is cozy with an edgy side to it. The music is loud though - perfect for party people but not so enticing for those who want a quiet alcohol-free barkada night.

I love the old stonehouse theme of the place! Look at the entrance! (:

Top photo from left: Dianne, Chesca, Adrian. Middle photo from left: me, Jean.
Bottom photo from left: Chesca, Dianne, me, Jean.

Missing from the gang that night was Hazel since she had to attend to a soccer rehearsal. She followed us though at my place where Jean and Dianne slept for the night. It was all good and we were all reminded of our college days when we were all still carefree, worrying less about other people (patients) and caring more for our outfits and theme days. We were young back then. We still are. And we shall be having more of these, I believe. Good food + good company + weekday getaway = FUN.

Wanderlust Week #1 solved.

JCIA Week

Everyone has been scuffling around for the past few weeks (or months) in preparation for this week: the JCIA Week. JCIA means Joint Commission International Accreditation. Our hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City, has been accredited three times already and we are gearing up this year for re-accreditation. Now that the hustle and bustle of the past few weeks has finally arrived, everyone - from the CEOs down to the janitors - are all uptight. I don't even know if it's a good thing or a bad thing. Suffice it to say that all the negative things/places/events/people that there is in St. Luke's have been stashed away and/or remodeled to look like that thing/place/event/person never existed. 

Example #1: We have our canteen here called Pronto. Admittedly, our canteen is not at par with the hospital's slogan "One of the world's best" because it actually looks drab and smells stuffy. The food is not that great either. Despite its substandard appearance, everyone would flock to the place because of the cheap food prices (and prolly because there is no other canteen inside the hospital hehehe). Come four days prior to JCIA Week, we were shocked to see the door of our beloved canteen shackled in chains, dark, desolate, and empty. I talked to one of the vendors in our canteen and she told me that they were closed for the JCIA Week and that the following day, they were told that the canteen will be closed indefinitely due to some reconstruction. That's a good thing, I guess, considering that the canteen has been ignored for so long by the big bosses of our institution. 

Example #2: We have this new vision of our hospital: to be the best academic medical institution by the year 2020. For the past few years, the clerks and interns are shied away from the lime light come JCIA time. The residents would recall on how they, as clerks at the time, locked themselves inside the callroom come JCIA time so that the foreigners would not see them roaming around lest they be questioned and they provide inappropriate answers. But since we now have a new vision, the clerks and interns are supposed to be part of the survey. However, I still see a lot of clerkies and interns flocking around the callroom or going to the library because they were told to do so. Some clerks were told to go to the ER only after 1700H because by then the JCIA Committee will not be around to ask questions. I just don't get the fact that they still want us there but we do not get to do the usual things that we do. It's as if we are still in hiding because of the way they treat us. I am not mad. I am just curious as to how the big bosses think. 'Tis all.

Example #3: Now that JCIA has arrived, there are a lot of papers to be filled in. Where were these cholecystectomy pathways before? 

No offense meant here. I mean, I love SLMC. But it's just disheartening to know that people would only want to change their milieu if and when other people start poking around and questioning them. I guess that's just the nature of things. You get to be so familiar and comfortable with what you have that you tend to forget that there are some chinks and clutters that need to be cleaned and organized. Oh well. I could rant on and on but I'd rather not. After all, I love my school. I love my hospital, chinks and clutter and all. I'd rather focus on the positive and thank the JCIA Committee for coming here and giving the big bosses a chance to re-think and re-organize the entire SLMC system. I sure hope the SLMC community would get to continue the positive things that this JCIA brought to our hospital. Regardless of the whole thing sounding and looking so fake in the eyes of a medical clerk.

Weekend Musings

I have been wandering around the Metro since last Wednesday and it was such a refreshing thing to feel happy, light, and carefree again. I love hanging out with my friends and I love sharing my thoughts to them. Contrary to what the house of Stark believes in the book Game of Thrones,  'Winter is NOT Coming' in my life right now. I am declaring it and I'm gonna prove it.

P.S. I have another #25things ticked off my list. Wait for the coming blogs on this week's wanderlust.

Prost!

What Is Happening?

I am reaching the point where my brain is saturated with all that there is to know about the world of medicine. My brain refuses to process any information that I read from any medical text book or transcription. And for the past week, I noticed that my memory has not been as sharp as it was before. What is happening?

The First Happy Day of My Medicine Rotation

I am so happy today! And to think I'm on duty! Haha! Thank heavens!

I am currently rotating in Internal Medicine as of this posting and suffice it to say that since this rotation started, each day sucked for me for a lot of reasons.

(1) I am not inclined to the Medical field. I am leaning more towards the Surgical field.

(2) I do not like the ambiance of the department in general. There is something in it that I cannot pinpoint that sets me off.

(3) I tend to compare Medicine with other rotations and as we all know, comparison is the thief of happiness. Medicine just loses over Surgery, Ophtha, ENT, heck, even OB-GYN. (Obvious bang gusto ko talaga mag-surgery? Haha!)

(4) I do not like some of the residents in Medicine. Haha! Sorry. 

And because I carry all these "bitterness" so to speak in my heart each day since October 1, I really did not enjoy my rotation. It has its glory days of course (as with all other things), but when summing it all up, this rotation gives me a negative balance (parang I&O lang - pun intended).

But today was different. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I have been doing a lot of YOLO-ing, a lot of emo moments, a lot of reading regarding self-motivation and what-have-you's. Because of that, I decided to start my day right. I woke up early, did not reprimand my yaya, and went to duty. And then I went to the chapel to pray and thank God for this day. I went on to ask for forgiveness. I went on to ask for blessing. I went on to seek for His guidance. And it was a refreshing thing for me to do since I feel like I have been so independent for the longest time. I am at ease knowing that I can lift it all up to Him and let Him carry my burden. After the small chat with Him, I tried to study in the chapel since it was the only place in the hospital I know that is soothing, cold, smells like flowers, and most importantly, quiet. Haha! But then, my study was cut short because there were 3 consecutive code blues (will talk about this soon). After which, it was a pretty benign ER Duty Day followed by a meeting of all clerks, interns, and residents of SLMC regarding JCI Accreditation. We had patient endorsements after and then I had patient rounds with my senior resident. 

That is actually my typical duty day in Internal Medicine. Pretty much a-okay, right? But because the bitterness and the anger was so fueled up inside of me back then, I didn't really get to enjoy what this rotation had in store for me. Okay, so maybe the residents I work with now also had something to do with it. Haha! I don't really know the answer to that but honestly, I blame no one but myself because I allowed all the negativities to eat me up before.

Anyway, back to why I am happy today. I am happy today for a lot of reasons.

(1) I went to the chapel and prayed.

(2) I decided to smile.

(3) I tried to be open-minded.

(4) I did not entertain negativities.

There are probably a lot more reasons but that is all I can think of as of this moment. And I am happy no matter how mundane it may sound. The lesson I learned today was this: If I change, everything changes. All the YOLO-ing and the emo moments helped me change my outlook in life. My life is way beyond perfect. In fact, I still have several things to tweak to make it a notch above the norm. But the key, I have learned, or more aptly, re-learned (because I knew this already), is choosing to see a better perspective. My perspective back then was focused on the sad, the mad, the drab, and the flab. Right now, I must say I made a better choice by looking at a brighter sunshine ahead. And at this moment, I can confidently shout out to the world that this is the first happy day of my medicine rotation because of one choice I made to change my perspective. What about you? What's your choice?

Because I am YOLO-ing

Because I need to express the feelings I feel inside and I need an outlet for my depression (?), I made a YOLO soundtrack to accompany me in this Quarter Life Crisis phase.

The Maturity Climb

I think I'm still in the lower third of the greay zone. :(
Maturity is hard.
Growing up is hard.
But I know I am built for climbing.
I just need the motivation and use my willpower to make things right.
I can do this.
Trust.
Hope.
Faith.
Love.

YOLO + Spa and Ramen on the Side

So. I mentioned in my previous post that I will be meeting my girlfriends for a relaxing massage and dinner. And indeed we had a relaxing massage and sumptuous dinner!

Our first stop: Nuat Thai - Kapitolyo, Pasig

(L) Gwen, Anette, Tita, Luisa; (R) Me, Gwen, Luisa

The place was quite hard to find at first. We had to make a U-turn because we went the opposite way. The place was quite small but it was cozy and the smell was minty - just the way I like it. My friends and I opted for a Thai massage with oil while Tita opted for a Swedish massage. We were then led to a dimly lit room and our feet were cleansed with lukewarm water. We each then had our own beds and we were asked to change into pajamas (Yay slumber party!). The 1-hour Thai massage then began. It was a new experience for me because I usually opt for the Swedish + Shiatsu massage. There was a lot of stretching. And by a lot, I mean A LOT. Good thing I don't have a stiff body so I tolerated everything well. We were then served with hot tea after the massage but it wasn't really that good. Hehe. What I loved about the massage is that it is really relaxing yet not so painful and you really feel recharged after! The other spa places I go to provide a pre-sleeping type of massage - the one where you can easily fall asleep after. This one gives you a kick in the butt. You feel alive after and you'll have more energy to do other things afterwards. Overall, I give Nuat Thai 3.8/5 points. I'm definitely cmoing back.

Next stop: Ramen Cool - Kapitolyo, Pasig

What captivated us were the bright lights and the cute glass wall designs. We ordered their bestseller, Nabeyaki ramen, and Shrimp and Eggs sushi for sharing. Each of us also bought solo orders of Gyudon, Chicken Teriyakidon, and Tonkatsu. I must say that their Nabeyaki ramen is the best ramen I have tasted so far and their Gyudon was not that bad. I was however quite disappointed because the restaurant did not use authentic Japanese rice. Nevertheless, the people were courteous, the food was good, and the conversation was awesome.

It's Christmas time at Ramen Cool! The Christmas tree is too cute!

 (clockwise from top left) Gyudon, Nabeyaki Ramen, Chicken Teriyakidon, Shrimp and Eggs

With my pretty friends Gwen and Luisa.

 Now for the YOLO part. My friends and I all agree that we are undergoing something that is popularly known as the "Quarter Life Crisis". Each of us discussed our own personal struggles in school, in work, in love, in our relationships, and in our own personal struggles to get to know ourselves better. There was a lot of laughing, some teary-eyed moments, some teasing, and a few gossiping involved. Last night's lesson indeed was Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once) and so we vowed to live each moment happily and to be more stress-free in the coming days. I am so glad to have very supportive friends who share the same sentiments that I have and who I know will be with me in my search to live a Jo(e)vial life. Y.O.L.O.!

Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend

So. I got no posts yesterday because I was on duty 24/7 and it was one pretty hectic night, compared to the other nights I was in wards. But today is a new day and I am excited because I will be meeting my girls later for some relaxing spa time and dinner. Ain't that a girly thing to do? Haha! Yes, I do admit that I am a sucker for these girly things and it is just but fitting that I get to have these quick fixes once in a while. Don't you think so?

I hope the spa later would also have flowers on their beds. Haha!

I hope all of you guys have a refreshing weekend ahead. Cheers to the freakin' weekend! :)

25 Things To Do Before 25

I came up with this idea about 2 months ago and I just didn't get to finish it completely until last night. It's because I tend to change my list every now and then. But the final list is here and that's why I'm posting it now. To my friends who vowed to aid me in this simple (?) endeavor, I expect you to be supportive and be with me in the next 236 days of my life. Let's enjoy this together, yes? Remember, Y. O. L. O. Live each day as if it were your last. Huzzah!

*in no particular order

1. Binondo food trip. (Stories on how gastronomic the food in Binondo is something I would want to see and taste for myself.)

2. Go to Intramuros and eat/drink coffee or tea at Starbucks. Take lots of pictures.

3. Sagada trip.

4. Learn how to surf.

5. Travel abroad. (Nope, never tried.)

6. Reach 45 kg again.

7. Make a poached egg. (:

8. Do some soul-searching. (I was thinking of going to American Cemetery because my friend had her own soul-searching there. Not the spooky soul-searching kind, mind you, but the inner soul searching kind. She did this while the sun was still up, of course. Any other tips where I can do some soul-searching?)

9. Go to National Museum.

10. Ayala Museum.

11. Mind Museum. (Yes, I am fond of museums and anything artsy.)

12. Go to UPLB. (I know, I haven't been there! I'm sorry!)

13. Watch James Morrison concert.

14. Go to Star City.

15. Watch all JLC movies and JGL movies. -40% done

16. Go to Boracay. (I know, I know, don't hate me for this!)

17. Eat 1 bucket of KFC chicken. Alone. (:

18. Watch a musical.

19. Organize my iTunes - all of it.

20. Finish SATC and watch Friends.

21. Get inked. (This is my childhood dream. Seriously.)

22. See Coco Martin and JLC in person. <3

23. Create and maintain a blog. -Weee!

24. Eat at all restos/coffee/tea shops in Maginhawa St. -45% done

25.Try Ice Skating.

On a parting note, I would just like to say that I really had fun concocting this up and ticking each one as the days go by. But I still got 21 left! Gotta finish all of it! Huzzah!

The Diet Chronicles

I strongly believe that people who share their vision to others will have more motivation to do what they want to achieve because they have their own reputation to defend. This also boosts your credibility. And so this is why I am posting my plan to shed weight and be fit before I reach 25. My goal is to reach my previous 45kg weight and hopefully I can do it again this time without getting sick. Ha! Yeah, I reached 45kg before because I got sick. Hehe. But this time around, it will all be because of pure unadulterated healthy living. I want to get fit not because it's the current fad now. I want to do this because I come from a family of hypertensives and diabetics and what-have-yous and I don't want to get that condition at a young age. Would you? I don't think so. And so, in line with this project, I'm currently doing Zumba at home most days of the week (3-4x a week). I have a new app in my iPhone where I am able to count my calories. I am also limiting my food intake. And I vow not to eat white rice and white bread, lessen my pork intake, and increase the veggies in my fridge.

To you who is viewing this, I'll let you be the judge. I have 236 days left for my birthday (this is part of my 25 things to do before 25 which I shall post very soon!) and I know I can do this! Help me motivate myself you, reader, you! Haha! So I'm posting a before pic and I shall be updating you monthly on my weight and my latest picture.

L-R: Ate Mabelle (black shirt), Meg (peach top), Baby Andrei (my Dodong), me (white top)

This picture was taken last November 4. I'm with my siblings and my cute little big boy, whom I fondly call Dodong. He's the love of my life.

P. S.  I'm sorry I won't be posting my current weight as of now. I'll let you know when my 236 days are over, okay?

Let the Diet Chronicles begin!

Then Don't Worry.

I saw this picture in my Google+ page and I am reminded of  the many problems that I am facing right now and realize that I am not the only one. Everyone has their own set of problems. Some may be unconsequential. Others may verge on life-threatening. But this simple diagram here reminds us that no matter how many or how magnanimous our problem might be, whether or not you can or can't do something about it, then don't worry. As with all other things, these problems shall come to pass and each problem solved (or unsolved) would make our life journey totally worth travelling.

Jo(e)vialist

I'm not new to the blogging world. In fact, I have 5 blogs as of this moment and I have not deleted any of them (And no, because I am too humiliated, I will not post a link. Sorry.). I could pretty much say that I love writing. The thing is, I have lost my way ever since I started Medicine. A lot of things changed. Aside from the fact that you do not get a lot of free time, you also do not get a lot of ME time. And so the journalist in me has been slowly pushed away from the forefront of my being, sobbing in the inner depths of my soul. 

But just this morning, I saw my good friend's latest blog about his father and I realized that I missed writing (ranting (?)) and talking about anything and everything there is to talk about. My friend's blog ignited in me a passion that was supressed for the longest time. And so here I am, writing my first entry in this latest blog of mine. And I am happy.  My inner being is happy. I can feel it jumping up and down inside of me. And in this moment, I am content.