ATENEO SWEEPS UAAP FINALS!!!

Salmon in Puff Pastry

Food post!!! 

After being on vacation for so long, without having to worry about cooking or eating three times a day, it was difficult to get back into the routine of making weekly menus, going to the grocery, washing the dishes, etc.  After a cholesterol scare while I was on vacation (Doctor: red meat only twice a week!), I resolved to put more seafood into my diet.  

This recipe is almost like a salmon turnover, except that it doesn't have much except for salmon and capers.  I would have loved to put a bit of wilted spinach in this, but I didn't want to go to the grocery outside of my grocery schedule (Sundays after Mass, but will go any day to Chang-li if Frannie is driving).  Here goes:

Salmon Pseudo-Turnover

1 salmon fillet, maybe no more than a pound

1 sheet of puff pastry, 2 if you have a bigger piece of salmon, thawed

2 tablespoons of capers

half a teaspoon of dill (but you can add more if you like dill)

juice from half a lemon

salt and pepper

egg wash (one egg beaten with a little bit of water)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Remove the skin from the fillet.  Season both sides with salt, pepper and dill.  Place the fillet in the middle of the puff pastry.  Top with the capers and sprinkle with lemon juice.  Fold the pastry over the fillet, making sure that the salmon is tightly wrapped and the pastry is sealed.  Brush the egg wash on all sides of the "turnover."  Put in a baking dish (I sprayed a little bit of Pam, just in case of sticking) and into the oven, and give it more or less 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

*singing* Isn't it lovely?  Isn't it wonderful?

Ladies Only ... Which Movie Star Are You?

This is kind of fun!  (according to aileenbear.  Sige, papatulan ko na nga).

Ever wonder which movie star you are most like?   Don't read ahead please!   Well ~ A team of researchers got together and analyzed the personalities of movie stars.   The gathered info has been incorporated into this quiz.    There are only 10 questions so it doesn't take long.  (it only takes forever lang naman). 

Number your paper from 1 to 10, then answer each question with the choice that most describes you at this point in your life and then add up the points that correspond with your answers.    Send this to all of your friends (including person who sent it to you) with your star's name in the subject line..   

... And don't be a butt and ruin the fun by not responding.  Don't look ahead or you will ruin the fun!   I am going to try and highlight my answers...as to whether it will show up on the actual blog I do not know...

1. Which describes your perfect date?  
a) Candlelight dinner for two 
b) Amusement Park 
c) Roller blading in the park 
d) Rock Concert 
e) Have dinner & see a movie  
f) Dinner at home with a loved one 

2. What is your favorite type of music?  
a) Rock and Roll 
b) Alternative 
c) Soft Rock 
d) Classical (walang nsync eh)
e) Christian 
f) Jazz   

3. What is your favorite type of movie?  
a) Comedy  
b) Horror  
c) Musical  
d) Romance 
e) Documentary  
f) Mystery  

4. Which of the following jobs would you choose if you were given only these choices?  
a) Waiter/Waitress 
b) Sports Player 
c) Teacher  
d) Policeman 
e) Bartender  
f) Business person  

5. Which would you rather do if you had an hour to waste?  
a) Work out 
b) Make out  
c) Watch TV 
d) Listen to the radio 
e) Sleep  
f) Read  

6. Of the following colors, which do you like best? 
a) Yellow  
b) White  
c) Sky blue 
d) Teal 
e) Gold 
f) Red   

7. Which one of the following would you like to eat right now?  
a) Ice cream 
b) Pizza 
c) Sushi 
d) Pasta 
e) Salad 
f) Lobster Tail   

8. Which is your favorite holiday?  
a) Halloween 
b) Christmas 
c) New Year's 
d) Valentine's Day 
e) Thanksgiving 
f) Fourth of July   

9. If you could go to any of the following places, which would it be?  
a) Reno  
b) Spain  
c) Las Vegas 
d) Hawaii  
e) Hollywood  
f) British Columbia   

10. Of the following, who would you rather spend time with?  
a) Someone who is smart 
b) Someone with good looks (huwag nang mag-pretend, no)
c) Someone who is a party animal 
d) Someone who has fun all the time 
e) Someone who is very emotional  
f) Someone who is fun to be with  

Now total up your points on each question: 

1. a-4 b-2 c-5 d-1 e-3 f-6 
2. a-2 b-1 c-4 d-5 e-3 f-6 
3. a-2 b-1 c-3 d-4 e-5 f-6 
4. a-4 b-5 c-3 d-2 e-1 f-6  
5. a-5 b-4 c-2 d-1 e-3 f-6 
6. a-1 b-5 c-3 d-2 e-4 f-6 
7. a-3 b-2 c-1 d-4 e-5 f-6 
8. a-1 b-3 c-2 d-4 e-5 f-6 
9. a-4 b-5 c-1 d-4 e-3 f-6 
10. a-5 b-2 c-1 d-3 e-4 f-6   

 NOW ....take your total and find out which Movie Star you are:  

(10-17 points) You are MADONNA:    You are wild and crazy and you know it. You know how to  have fun, but  you may take it to extremes. You know what you are doing  though, and are  much in control of your own life. People don't always see things your way, but that doesn't mean that you should do away with your beliefs.  Try to remember that your wild spirit can lead to hurting yourself and others.   

(18-26 points) You are DORIS DAY:    You are fun, friendly, and popular! You are a real crowd  pleaser. You  have probably been out on the town your share of times,yet  you come home  with the values that your mother taught you. Marriage and  children are  very important to you, but only after you have fun.  Don't let the people you please influence you to stray.   

(27-34 points) You are DEBBIE REYNOLDS:    You are cute, and everyone loves you. You are a best friend  that no one  takes the chance of losing. You never hurt feelings and  seldom have your  own feelings hurt. Life is a breeze. You are witty, and  calm most of the  time. Just keep clear of back stabbers, and you are worry-free.   

(35-42 points) You are GRACE KELLY:  You are a lover. Romance, flowers, and wine are all you  need to enjoy  yourself. You are serious about all commitments and are a  family person.  You call your Mom every Sunday, and never forget a  Birthday. Don't let your passion for romance get confused with the real thing.   

(43-50 points) You are KATHERINE HEPBURN:    You are smart, a real thinker. Every situation is  approached with a  plan. You are very healthy in mind and body. You don't  take crap from  anyone. You have only a couple of individuals that you consider "real friends". You teach strong family values. Keep your feet planted in them, but don't overlook a bad situation when it does happen.   

(51-60 points) You are ELIZABETH TAYLOR:    Everyone is in awe of you. You know what you want and how  to get it. You  have more friends than you know what to do with. Your word  is your bond.  Everyone knows when you say something it is money in the  bank.You  attract the opposite sex.. Your intelligence overwhelms  most. Your  memory is the next thing to photographic. Everyone admires  you because  you are so considerate and lovable. You know how to enjoy life and treat people right.  

Sana man lang correct ang calculations ko kasi nakakahiya naman kung mali pa eh naka-calculator na!  If you have a calculator handy (don't leave home without one :)), you will find that I am, ehem... wait for it...

GRACE KELLY!!!

You may address me as Her Serene Highness.

If you just heard that loud noise, that is just Roomie's jaw dropping to the floor. Excuse me while I run before she slaps me :).

GAK!!! Mae, we could have gotten the new ones!!!

And this is why you should never be in a hurry to buy a new computer...

I figured that there would be a new iPod coming out (since Apple has been giving away the last versions for free), but I didn't think that it would come out while the Mac + iPod promo was going on.

Damn.

Sorry mga achi.  When you get your new iPod touch, laos na siya. :(

Converted!

I have been using a PC ever since I can remember (and yes, I am old enough to remember Wordstar) and after more than 15 years, I have finally seen the light (or crossed over to the dark side, whichever).

Isn't it bee-yoo-tee-ful?

I think I'm in love, but it's too soon to tell.  I have to find out how Office, Stata and EViews work on this baby.  Let's see how much I'll love it after a hundred million regressions.

Hodgepodge

One poster on youtube.com exclaimed, “los chinos son dios!”

Just in case you forgot that the Chinese invented gunpowder, the spectacle that was the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics made people sit up and count their nuclear warheads, just in case. My mother, who goes to sleep at nine in the evening was up ‘til almost midnight, and would have continued watching if not for the blackout that unfortunately put a stop to the Olympic coverage (Spot casts an evil eye on the Visayan Electric Company).

I thought the program had a very familiar feel to it, and I was right (as usual, hehe). The production was directed by Zhang Yimou, who the wuxia masterpiece Hero. I was actually waiting for Jet Li to fly across the stadium. Instead, triple Olympic gold medallist and rubber shoe taipan Li Ning filled the other Mr. Li’s daunting kung-fu shoes and soared up to the top of the stadium with the torch in hand. He then proceeded proceeded to “run” the entire length of the Bird’s Nest before firing up the Olympic torch.

When I say “run”, this is what I mean.

Quoting Roomie: ASTIIIIIIIIG.

Buti na lang may You Tube.

Because whoever was in charge of the coverage of the Olympics in the Philippines is a complete MORON. I was watching the ceremonies on RPN9-C/S Sports and the ads were all over the place. It’s as if you’ve got a Trojan on your TV and the ads are popping up everywhere. As in, no kidding, 50 seconds of coverage would be followed by five minutes of commercials. It was so obvious that the idiots managing the broadcast were unprepared because said idiots had to cut the commercials as they almost missed the Philippine team as they entered the stadium!

&@$%*#!!!!!!!

I’m sure a lot of people signed up for a cell phone after watching a gazillion stupid ads! And yes, I am looking at you, Mr. M. V. Pangilinan!

Please don’t tell me that the dim-wit broadcaster did not know the order of the parade of nations. Per Olympic tradition, teams march alphabetically according to the language of the host country – the countries were arranged according to the number of strokes of the first character of their names in Mandarin.

There must be a way to find these things out…HELLO PEOPLE!!! It’s called the INTERNET!

Basta, I bet heads are going to roll at RPN-9, particularly since there was no shot of the beloved head of state. I wouldn’t be surprised to wake up one morning and find out that a certain ex-NEDA Director General has been appointed to head the station.

I am not a political person. After losing four elections in grade school, I decided to retire early from politics. So when people ask me about McCain, Clinton, Obama, etc., I usually break eye contact (“Oooh, look at the kitty!). Ask me about anything (yes, even chemistry!) but don’t ask me about politics.

So now that I’ve belatedly jumped the Putin-mania bandwagon, I must confess to my loyal readers (my mommy and my daddy), that the only reason I like Putin very much is this:

Her name is Koni, and she attends a lot of high-profile meetings with her Boss Vlad. In fact, she participated in a little KGB-style intimidation scheme during the visit of the German Chancellor, who is, reportedly, afraid of dogs. But anyone who owns a Lab knows that there is no such thing as an evil Lab.

Look at how scared Chancellor Merkel looks. Putin: Good girl Koni!

If you are not yet a fan of John Lloyd Cruz (amazing how I can go from Putin to John Lloyd), you will be after watching A Very Special Love. I thought that my cousin and I would be the only ones in the theater watching this film on a Wednesday afternoon. I was sorely mistaken. The Lloyd-ettes that packed the theater shrieked, sighed and giggled on cue. I must admit, it is entirely refreshing to watch a movie that elicits such a reaction from the audience (I remember in particular that long, collective “HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY…” that spread through the theater when Leo di Caprio appeared on screen in a tux in Titanic).

Most of it is the usual romantic sap that Star Cinema produces. But I think the actors rose above the mediocre plotline. Also look out for the witty banter of the perpetually suffering rag-tag editorial team bossed around by John Lloyd. And the cameo by Gloria Romero J.

And then there’s the Lloydy.

Although this movie was the cinematic debut of Sarah Geronimo, I’m sorry, Sarah, this film clearly belonged to Lloydy. In fact, most of the drama and the back-story was his. And the Lloyd-ettes could not get enough of the intense stare (wait, is it getting a bit hot in here?). Choice bits: the cliché “Sir, hwag po” scene, which they totally get away with, the pizza scene, and the outtakes at the very end.

And just because it’s been a long time…

Any excuse to put Toby on this page.

Scents of Summer

Jeckle just came back from the Hellenes, and during her layover in Dubai, she was kind enough to pick up a bottle of Chanel No. 5 for me (technically Heckle and I are supposed to share it, but the scent isn’t really in the realm of the chocolate-y fragrances that Heckle prefers). So while I am testing it out on my wrists, I was inspired to write a fragrance entry. Well, inspired is a rather strong word. Obligated may be a more appropriate term.

I’ve been keeping my nose open while on vacation hoping to enjoy some of the scents of the city: Paski’s head after he’s been shampooed with Johnson’s Baby Shampoo; the scent of a big fat raindrop falling on a hot corrugated metal roof; the scent of coconut milk and gabi leaves, hot and steamy; the scent of traffic – rubber, gasoline, asphalt, the heady fragrance of trees, flowers and grass in one particular spot in Ateneo (the “bus stop” near Bellarmine), the mix-and-match smells of a high-end department store, where perfumes sold and worn are tempered by the coolness of air-conditioning; the incensy fragrance of the new mosquito repellants out in the market; Winky’s distinct car smell, a mish-mash of upholstery, Freon and Dune by Christian Dior.

I did deliberate long and hard about the fragrances I would take with me to the tropics (though I wish I had taken Black Aoud with me to experience its mileage in the heat). Where I am now, it technically isn’t summer anymore. However, I am on my summer vacation, and the the humid-y monsoon-y, botanic-garden-conservatory-y climate is very different to what I am used to the rest of the year. When seasons change, it is a good time to re-try scents that you’ve dismissed a few months ago (probably during the height of a blizzard). I found, to my pleasant surprise, that some of the scents that I thought I had outgrown bloom in this combination of heat, wind, dust and rain.

Editions de Parfums Carnal Flower –Rumor has it that Frederic Malle, the genius behind Editions de Parfums, named this beauty in honor of his aunt, the actress Candice Bergen (she starred in Carnal Knowledge). The top notes evoke a very green tuberose, smelling of stems and leaves as well as blossoms, melting into a white heart of tuberose, gardenia and orange blossoms. I have not yet smelled real tuberose…I am only familiar with man-made interpretations of the scent. While tuberose is not an easy scent to pull off, Carnal Flower seems to be more approachable than most, and as much as an attention-grabbing whore as the rest. Resist wearing it during a snowstorm – it somehow turns into bubblegum.

The Different Company Sel de Vétiver – Salt, sand, and sun. Who doesn’t love the beach? Thank God for a beach-y scent that does not smell of coconut or suntan lotion.

Serge Lutens Un Lys – White lily, vanilla and musk. Elegant and refined in cooler weather. Heady and even a bit skanky when it’s hot. I remember sniffing it at my beloved perfume store (*waves to Miguel*) and pronouncing within two seconds that I needed a bottle of it. My friend J (who is very hot indeed) runs off with a bit every time he is in my room (don’t deny it, you strumpet! I can smell it a mile away, hahaha!).

Editions de Parfums En Passant –“In Passing.” I had never smelled lilacs until I moved to the States. On campus, there are several lilac bushes, and when I reached up to smell them, my heart stopped for a millisecond, then started to beat a more joyful tempo. Olivia Giacobetti, who created this scent, is said to have envisioned a walk through the town on a rainy day, passing by a florist’s on one side and a baker’s on the other. This is a true lilac scent, but if you try hard enough, you can smell a little bit of baguette as well. I prefer big, bold scents, but there are days when a more restrained beauty is just what I need.

The Body Shop Minteva – A green and refreshing scent. I swear I can smell basil and mint in it. I used to wear it to picnics in Central Park in early summer, when Roomie and I would grab our books, lie down on a blanket on the grass, and let the sun warm our winter-weary bones. Too bad I already gave this away…

Bvlgari Petits et Mamans – A comfort scent that smells of baby powder and chamomile. I find that I fall asleep pretty fast when I wear this. My babies should all smell like this. Except for my little perfumista prodigy who will be asking for Mitsouko extrait by the time she’s two years old.

Bond No. 9 So New York – Also known as the perfume that smells like a Starbucks drink. I did get that chocolate-y-coffee vibe, though I think New Haarlem, also by Bond No. 9, is a much better coffee scent. It is a heavy, cool weather fragrance, so use sparingly. Now that I am wearing it in warmer weather, I get a fruitier scent, as if I am eating ripe golden plums (and not bothering to wipe the juice trickling down my face) and chasing them down with a cup of coffee and cream.