Amor Deliria Nervosa, Do You Want to be Cured?

“Amor deliria nervosa. The deadliest of all deadly things.”

Recently, I've been engrossed with some young adult Dystopian novels and my latest find was the Delirium trilogy. Compared to Hunger Games and Divergent series, this one started a little slow for me but what kept me going was the curiosity regarding its premise. A novel talking about a future where love is considered as the deadliest disease and curing it for a better Portland community if not the world, totally got me hooked. And yes, you read it right, in this series, love  is considered as the deadliest disease, termed as Amor Deliria Nervosa. Upon reaching the age of 18, citizens are required to undergo an invasive procedure that will cure them of this. Also they have to be evaluated to determine who would become their partner in life. Outside the borders of Portland though, are the Invalids, the rebels who chose love over the cure.

The third book of the series is not yet out but the story mainly revolves around Lena Haloway, a girl who, just a few days away from getting the cure fell in love with Alex, an Invalid pretending to be one of them. The action started when she opted to explore the option of loving someone freely and decided to run away with Alex. Things did not turn out well though, and Lena ended up crossing the border alone. Outside the border she started a new life as part of the resistance and then later on fell in love with Julian, the son of an influential man leading the movement advocating the cure. The series ended up with a hint of a love triangle. (Ok, enough spoilers for me, hahah...)

Back in my neurology class during my college days, I actually wondered what it would be like if our amygdala will be removed since this is primarily responsible for emotions such as rage, fear, affection and love. Reading this trilogy raised this thought for me once again and made me ponder deeper on this aspect. What would society be like if everybody, (including the society leaders) would be bereft of their emotions, not just love? Would people still succumb to depression? Would people still fight and kill each other? Would this eradicate greed? What I have in mind seems like a zombie world, but I'm really trying to picture a society with people equipped with their intellectual properties but stripped of their emotions or maybe just partially stripped of them. Would the world be any better?


Then there's of course, the matter of love, which was the central issue of this novel. Some people say that it is the most beautiful thing in this world and I know it's an amazing feeling. I also know that love can touch lives and create miracles for some people. Though, sometimes I wonder, if we don't know this feeling would that make any difference? I know a lot of people would say right away that they would never give up that feeling, but if the procedure would be possible, I honestly think that I might consider it. No more riding an emotional roller coaster, no more butterflies fluttering in my stomach and no more irrational thoughts. Maybe, like Lena I would be torn apart - the girl who doesn't want to bother anymore with those incapacitating emotions and forget about the past albeit apathetic and at the same time, the girl who just wants to laugh and cry with the people she cares about, suffering but happy.

If that would be our reality now, would life be any less remarkable without love? Is a dystopian society devoid of emotions be any worse than our current society with all of it's present issues and woes? And if the possibility is here, right now, would you want to get the cure?

A Subversive Dinner at Restaurante Pia y Damaso

"Subversive was defined as seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution." 

Restaurante Pia y Damaso is located at the second level
of Greenbelt 5

From the name of the restaurant itself it's quite obvious that Restaurante Pia y Damaso had been inspired by Noli Me Tangere, a novel written during the time when The Philippines became a colony of Spain. After dining there I'd totally say that their tag line "Subversive Filipino Cuisine" is rather apt and its not just because of the era that inspired the place.

The restaurant had been around for some time now, although I haven't really been there before since I'm a bigger fan of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. (For Spanish or Spanish-Filipino cuisines my main pick would be Barcino and Amalia's.) Anyway, my friend and I were having our usual food cravings and we got attracted to the place as we were passing by so we decided to give a go.

The place is rather small but I found the interior to be rather charming. The seats are inviting and comfortable and the chandelier casts a soft glow to the whole place, giving it a classy ambiance. The table piece is made of paper with details about their restaurant and the menu book is a bit of an artwork itself. Scrolling through the list of menu makes it even more interesting as some of the menu's had been inspired as well by the famous Noli Me Tangere.

I ordered a Smoked Tapang Usa (deer meat) and my friend went for Smoked Bbq Mango Pork (now, that is seriously a long name for a menu.) The deer meat was quite tender and juicy, although, a little salty for my taste but the green mango gave it a zesty twist and the garlic rice with the roasted pepper omelette sort of balanced the saltiness of the meat.

I had a taste of my friend's order and I had two thumbs up for it.The pork meat had a rich smoked, zesty taste to it and the concoction of garlic rice, scrambled eggs, pinach, apple, raisin and pinenut, made it oh so good!

Though, the real highlight of our night had been the Guni-Guni (Sisa's Dementia). It's a truffle cake with white chocolate almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse and ganache. It really made me go oohhh and ahhh upon tasting it and judging my friend's reaction, I'm certainly not the only one who had that toe-curling experience. It has a bittersweet taste to it, with the almond adding the right contrast for the velvety texture of the cake.  I would definitely recommend this to every chocolate lover out there!

As for the service I'd say, not that bad. I didn't see the name of the waiter who primarily attended to us but he was rather lax as opposed to his colleague who had been more attentive. And if you're paying a service charge on top of your bill, of course you would want to receive an excellent customer service, right?

So would I go back to this place? Well honestly, I'd most likely go back there only to have a taste of Sisa's Dementia once again and as well as to try the other desserts and also for their ambiance.

Their take on the traditional Filipino food is indeed subversive, but I have expected the fusion to really explode on one's tongue and I did not entirely experience that. As for the serving and the prices I find them to be reasonable, although I'm sure that those with bigger appetite will not entirely agree with me.

Smoked Tapang Usa
       (Salted deer meat from Nueva Ecija, with green mango pickles, roasted pepper omelette on garlic rice)

Smoked bbq mango pork
(Smoked barbecue pork with a mango marinade - served with a spinach, apple, raisin, pinenut and garlic rice with scrambled eggs)

the delighful Guni-Guni or Sisa's Dementia!
(Sugar free version of Sisa's Dementia-truffle cake with Belgian white chocolate and almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse and ganache <3)

My Once and Always Love: The Phantom of the Opera

"If you need me I shall be in Boracay," laughter erupted from the crowd last night when the supposedly retiring Monsieur Lefèvre uttered these words as he was exiting the stage. Looks like the cast of this world famous Broadway production had a great time at the shores of Boracay! 

Well, if they had a great time vacationing, I could say the same thing while watching their performance. I had been in love with The Phantom of the Opera for years now and I've always wanted to see it live along with Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. Since my birthday is just around the corner, I thought that the perfect way to celebrate it would be to watch The Phantom of The Opera.

The first time I came across this piece was when I was just 7 years old.  At that time I didn't have any idea about the story nor did I understand it when I read the synopsis. What primarily attracted me to it was the cover of the book which depicted a beautiful lady in an old-fashioned gown. (I can be very visual sometimes.) I thought it was just another 'Cinderella' story.

I spent days reading the book, struggling with some very 'Old English' words and while I was able to realize that its not another fairy tale, reading it did not help much in understanding its premise. The second time I read the book was during my sophomore year in high school and I totally fell in love with it. It had been a memorable read and I found myself swimming in a pool of emotions. I love the genius of the Phantom, and I felt sorry for his miserable existence but I hated the way he played upon the innocence of Christine. I feel for Christine's plight and her innocence and naivety touched me, but sometimes I also hated her character for that. As for Raoul, at times I love him, but at times it seemed like something is lacking in his personality. And who wouldn't be in love with the songs composed for this piece? Imagining it all coming to life truly excited me.

My stomach fluttered as I was waiting for the show to start and I was at the edge of the seat the entire time, singing with the actors, anticipating every act. When they played the overture I had goosebumps all over. I had a clear view of the stage and as well as the whole orchestra and somehow it felt surreal. I wish I was able to take a photo of the whole set up - stage, orchestra and all but the camera on my phone did not come close to even capturing a fraction of that night's magnificence. I was totally enthralled!

When Claire ( the actress who played the role of Christine) sang 'Think of Me' I was captivated by her. She's absolutely beautiful and her voice even more so. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for Anthony's voice to join hers and I must say that he's perfect for Raoul's part. His voice has a rich quality to it. The scenes of Carlotta had been a treat as well, it, watching Andrea channeling the primadonna antics of Carlotta was really hilarious! Though, the most special moment for me was when the 'Music of the Night', was sung. I'm a big fan of Ramin Karimloo and I was kinda hoping that he's gonna be the one playing the part of the phantom but nonetheless, I was hypnotized when Jonathan sung this song. 

Another part that stood out for me as well, was the Masquerade Ball. The act opened to an astonishing ballroom filled with life size statues and it was still a sight to behold. It was also fun to watch the cast singing lively and dancing gaily in their fancy costumes. It was a night of celebration where everyone could hide in their fancy masks while laughing and flirting against each other, whereas for the Phantom hiding behind a mask had been his whole life, a life of torment and anguish where Christine had been his only definition of happiness albeit the fact that her heart never entirely belonged to him.When Eric sang these lines, "Masquerade, paper faces on parade, Masquerade, hide your face so the world will never find you", I felt like my heart would break. Who wants to hide forever in the darkness, especially when you have so much to offer and share to the world?

I cannot mention every single member of this ensemble, but I definitely applaud and congratulate all of them -the actors, the orchestra players as well as the ones who worked behind the scenes. The whole production had been truly spectacular and it made me fall all over again with the Phantom of the Opera. As for the genius behind this masterpiece, Mr. Andrew Lloyd Weber, I'll be forever grateful that he created and shared this masterpiece to the world as surely, Phantom of the Opera will be heralded as a literary treasure forever.  

Cybercrime Prevention Act or Digital Martial Law?

The latest buzz within the Metro is not just about the astounding performance of the casts of the Phantom of the Opera and its not about the upcoming show of David Guetta either. What the people are wagging about right now is the controversial Cyber Crime Law.

The day I became active in using social media accounts was also the day I resigned to the fact that whatever I post will be available to everyone and could and might be considered as derogatory  and can be taken against me. I know that people can hate me or like me and judge me based on what I say or what I write in my accounts, but at the end of the day, I still think I have all the right to rant and rave regardless of what other people will say, because as they are entitled to formulate their opinions about me, I'm also entitled to formulate my own opinions and discuss them as I see fit. I can honestly say that despite my straightforward opinions I have never been abusive towards anyone and I certainly don't mind people correcting my mistakes. That being said, I can never be sorry for being brutally honest and for expressing my thoughts and I'll never will be. 

In a nutshell, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is divided into three categories: (1) offenses against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems, (2) computer-related offenses, and (3) content-related offenses. I don't have anything against having a law that would protect people from fraud, cyber bullying / libelous notions and most of all cyber prostitution, I do think that we should have had done something about these things a long time ago. I read the whole article to understand what's going on, and while some of the clauses are reasonable and well defined, there are some that seem to have been included without a thorough consideration. I'd also say the same thing about enacting this law, it was signed without proper discussion or review.

The first time I heard about the proposition of this law I was already skeptical. It seems too hurried. There should have been more deliberations on what would constitute as online libel as opposed to merely basing it on Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code. Is that Penal code really even updated and in lieu to our current situation? Delving deeper, this law would protect us, but it would also exploit us, especially with the amount of power that will be entrusted with the Justice Department and we definitely don't want to give them more license to further abuse their authority.  

People like me who blogs, rant, rave and talk about whatever in their social media accounts will no longer have the freedom to do so. We can no longer complain that a certain restaurant have a shitty customer service or even voice out our opinion about certain anomalies going on within the society. And speaking of anomalies, isn't it a little suspicious that this became a law in a very short period of time following the wake of various parodies about some of our Political Leaders (i.e Sottomy, Noynoying, etc) and considering that there are tons of pressing issues in the Philippines since when did online libel become a top priority?! Can we do something first about the horrid transportation system in the Metro?!! They are not just merely stifling the freedom of speech, this law actually makes me feel like they are also insulting my intellectual faculties. So I'm supposed to hear no evil, see no evil and definitely speak no evil! Seriously?!! Well there you go, long live the democratic country of the Philippines!!

And what about this Law??

Wait, did I just type in the word democratic, because this is more like a scenario from those dystopian novels I'm loving these days. If they really seek to protect the netizens as they are claiming, they ought to have a discussion first with the people and I mean the ordinary citizens, to have a more defined guidelines that would constitute a cybercrime. This is a subject that should not be pass abruptly but ought to be discuss and argued over. It is also unacceptable for some Senators to issue an apology for signing this law without thoroughly reading the clauses or to apologize for overlooking certain paragraphs. Seriously?!! I think I'll be overlooking certain Senatorial candidates as well at next year's election. I wonder though, if there will be any reliable candidates for next year's election. Kindly enlighten me. 

Oh well, I guess it would be pointless to come up with some witty parodies now, after all who wants to pay 1,000,000 or spend 12 years in jail? I know I don't. 

You could read more about this law through these links:
Cybercrime Prevention Act 2012
GMA News: Digital Martial Law

Partying the Night Away with Tritonal: BigFish Innovation Black 2012

A couple of weeks ago, BigFish had their annual Innovation Black Party at the World Trade Center. My friends were unavailable but since Tritonal would be the headlining artist I decided to go stag, its gonna be a huge party anyway so I won't be so alone and well, I'm really glad I came! 

The "tunnel entrance"

The venue was packed. I saw lots of beautiful people having fun, I've met some pretty cool ones and the set up really rocks. But what made it a real smash was Tritonal! Their set had been totally awesome and beyond what I've expected. It was full of energy and you could see that both Chad and Dave were having fun as well. It was also evident that the crowd was full of Tritonians who were immensely enjoying themselves. 

There was that collective vibe that was truly infectious and would set you off to go dancing like crazy and not to mention that the laser lights had been fantastic and complimented the whole party mood.  

I didn't get drunk (well I got a little tipsy and its not my thing to go inhaling stuff in any parties) but I totally felt high that night and even if my legs were already killing me, I'm quite sure I'd be able to dance till daylight if their set lasted that long. And if it had been up to the crowd I'm pretty sure they would be spinning 'till sunrise as the party people were screaming (like literally) for more, towards the end of their set. 

 

It had been an epic night for me and BigFish did a pretty awesome job, just as always and I'm definitely looking forward to attending their upcoming events! 

Another international artist who performed that night was Jerome Isma-ae. I'm not a very big fan of progressive beats but I'll give some thumbs up for this guy. He's really pretty good and I actually love his remix version of Feel So Good by Armin van Buuren.

A teaser video of Tritonal's set is available at this site.

Tritonal Live in Manila (BigFish Video)




Upcoming BigFish Events:
Oct. 27, 2012 - Cream Ball at the World Trade Center, ft. Simon Patterson vs Sean Tyas
Nov. 24, 2012 - Exception Music Festival at Bonifacio Global City ft International and Local artists

Weekend at Lima Park

A month ago, my friend and I found ourselves wandering around Batangas City for a relaxing weekend away from the bustling streets of Manila.

It was a real fun time for both of us and a bit of an educational trip as well (ironically). We’re both not used to going out of town through public transports and we were really clueless as to how much the fare would be or how to even read the bus ticket. Yes, I would admit that was a rather blonde moment for us, especially since it was just a simple thing, but well at least we learned something!

Anyway, going back to the real story, we decided to stay at Lima Park Hotel. This hotel can be found at the heart of the Lima Park Technology Center. Given that no public transport gets inside the techno park if you don’t have a car its best to call the front desk so they could have their shuttle service pick you up by the entrance of the Lima Park. Otherwise, if you feel like walking I gather that it would take you about 20 minutes to get to the hotel.

The Lima Park Technology Center is an Industrial Park situated between the boundaries of Lipa and Malvar City. Since we went there on a weekend we hardly saw any people around.  The view of Mt. Makiling and Mt. Malarayat and the well trimmed bushes all over greeted us upon setting foot at the place. Lima Park is quite vast and I could imagine that a biker would surely get a kick from the cool wind blowing on his face while taking in the scenery around him. We saw a restaurant right in front of the hotel called Ipponyari which mainly serves Japanese Cuisine. For those who are wondering if there are any entertainment facilities in this place well you’ll be disappointed because there are no malls or bars yet, (it is a Techno Park after all) though, it seems like they are in the process of putting up more amenities as we saw some construction being done for what seems like a boutique shopping mall and a spa.  

The hotel itself is not a typical high rise hotel. The lobby looks very stylish and modern and has a grand piano adorning a corner. The trimmed lawn offers a relaxing view especially if you’re chilling out with your friends at the veranda area. While the swimming pool isn’t huge, it’s seems big enough to accommodate around 10 persons and has a provision for a kiddie pool and a Jacuzzi. Asian Flavours, the hotel’s restaurant has a cozy and a Hindi inspired deco and right outside is the Patio Bar. The hotel also has a gym so you wouldn’t miss out on your routine while you’re on vacation.

We stayed in a Standard room and we loved it! The room was quite spacious and well ventilated. I’m not a big fan of dark and gloomy hotel rooms and what I like the most about our room is that it has a very vibrant atmosphere but the drapes are quite thick and one could opt to dim the lights or use the lamp shades for a darker room. We also a have a mini bar with 2 complimentary bottles of water, along with coffee, sugar and creamer sachets. The bathroom has a bathtub and a complete set of toiletries for 2 which had been neatly arranged on the sides of the dresser. Also, I would have to mention that our bed had been fantastic!  I’ve been to a bunch of hotels already but I seldom get to find a bed that feels just right - not too soft and not too hard. Another thing I’ve noticed is the cleanliness of our room. I did not see a speck of dust even on the unused drawers, and there are a lot of drawers in our room.

 
I would also have to commend the customer service of this hotel. I have a rather impatient nature at times and I really hate a slow service. I’d say that I’d totally give an A+ to their as they are very prompt and courteous in attending to the requests of their guests, I didn’t even see anyone cringing or frowning from any of my silly questions or from my numerous requests. They were all ever smiling and attentive! Their shuttle service is not just good for picking up their hotel guests. The shuttles can be use to to SM Lipa, to the Country Club or to Tagaytay City!

The hotel offers Spa services like facial and massage. A massage was supposedly included in our accommodation but as we learned it could only be availed from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, one person at a time as there is only one masseuse. Only one masseuse, why oh why? We didn’t get to avail this as we weren’t able to squeeze it in. (The Jacuzzi had been delightful and we soaked up for about 2 hours!) 
 
Another thing I have to mention would be the set of menu and bar drinks at the Restaurant. Given the name, Asian Flavours I was expecting a wide array of menu but I was disappointed to see common Asian dishes, though the food had been excellent and the serving was really huge! There was also a problem with their cable provider during our visit so TV was out during our stay.

So, will I come back to this hotel? Most definitely! Will I recommend it? Yes! This hotel is definitely a place to go to when you want to feel like you’re right at home while having a relaxed time, close to nature. I hope that the service of this hotel will not decline but will continue to excel and I’m looking forward to further improvements on their amenities on my next visit.

Following the Journey of Zander Bleck

There are tons of talented musicians out there but most of them almost, always sound alike that sometimes you feel like nothing would surprise or fascinate you anymore. So when you stumble upon a song that really piqued your interest, you always find yourself digging about the whereabouts of the song, looking up the artist behind it and all the whatnots.

Recently, I came upon such a discovery while browsing youtube. I clicked on a cover of Bohemian Rhapsody and I was awestruck! The voice of the singer was totally beautiful and perfect for the song. Bohemian Rhapsody is one of my favorite songs from Queen and to hear someone singing parts of it with such emotion and with almost the same range as that of Freddie Mercury is simply wonderful. He wasn't just simply singing it, he's owning it and expressing his own style.

That singer had been Zander Bleck. I've heard of that name a couple of times before. Well I'm quite aware that he's a gorgeous model with a perfect physique, but a singer with a captivating voice, that is news to me! Curious and all, I decided to look up his other materials and I was totally surprised, the guy could really sing! His voice reminded me of my childhood days when I would usually wake up on weekends to the awesome sounds of 70's and 80's. Yet you wouldn't exactly get lost in time as his music still have that contemporary feel to it.

Temptation, a recently released track from his upcoming album got stuck with me for a couple of weeks, and until now it is still included in my playlist all the time (both the album and remix versions and I got the remix as my ringtone). It has that old rock n' roll vibe, it's quite upbeat and definitely sexy! That voice and style are both something I haven't heard of for awhile now. Listening to Zander is totally eargasmic! 

I'm really looking forward to the release of his album to hear more of his music and hopefully he'll have more visibility as well. I think he is a very promising artist who has his own flair and style and it's a great thing that he decided to share his gift to the world.

Official video of Temptation