Movie Buff-ing

It’s blockbuster season at the cinemas and I’m having my fill with lots of them as of late. This includes Kung Fu Panda 2, The Hangover 2 and Green Lantern.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Kung Fu Panda 2 scores points for entertainment, both visually and for the laughs, and for some no-nonsense values formation.

Po undergoing some daddy issues resonated with me personally as I have been kind of like the character at some point – I probably still am. I can totally relate.

Family-oriented films - and the 1^st Kung Fu Panda film, in particular - have a way of making you feel good and inspired after you leave the cinemas. The 2^nd part left me feeling the same.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Hangover 2 reminds me of my trip to Bangkok some years ago, where we went to the city’s red light district to experience some one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen (to me), exhibition of women doing some nasty stuff with their, er, private parts (think cigarette smoking, shooting dart pins and ping pong balls into the air, among other things).

Only, in the movie, they went to a transvestite club, one of them having had an intimate encounter with a vixen wannabe. This person, this ambiguity of the male breed, threw the audience off after making some brief indecent exposures of his dangling, er, schlong.      

The wolf pack’s love for adventure, however twisted, and their enduring brotherhood, is almost covetous. I wish I have such friends. Theirs is an interesting and funny mix of the good-looking, and the not-so, goofs.

Green Lantern

Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

“In brightest day, in blackest night,

 No evil shall escape my sight

 Let those who worship evil's might,

            Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!”

So goes the oath the Green Lantern recites when charging his ring.

I’ve read a few reviews about this film and the common complaint is that the movie has not been faithful to the comic book version. This is an old tune. Books - and comic books, for that matter - made into film would almost surely render it unfaithful, almost every time. I don’t know what’s up with that.

Well, I'm not a comic book junkie, so there’s nothing I could have benchmarked the movie with. I can only judge it by its own merits.

The movie is a visual treat, that I can say, both with the CGI special effects of the galaxies and the planet Oa and the emerald colored power of the 'will' splashed everywhere; and with the two leading characters who are truly eye candies (I wish to have the same physique as Ryan Reynolds and I love the gorgeously hot Blake Lively).

I kind of expected there would be more substantial conflicts and action-filled fights between the Green Lantern and the possessed professor Hector Hammond. The movie kind of fell short in building the tension between the two, thereby giving a somewhat disappointing, lackluster climax. It also failed to bring the scare out of the audience with its uninspiring and somewhat haphazard portrait of the evil creature Parallax - who is supposed to be a creature of pure fear- but was somewhat turned funnily into a confusing amalgam of dark and shapeless fog and smoke.

Interestingly, as if to make up for its would-be disappointments, prior to the start of the movie we were (in a gesture that can almost be described as pre-emptive) given freebies - one huge bar of Hersheys and a coupon which entitles the bearer to a donut and a cup of coffee at Krispy Kreme.   

Hmm... looks like someone's currying favor, eh.

Banapple: Banoffee, Chicken Pie and Asian Salad

It could’ve been ‘a-long-time-coming’ moment, save for one member of the group who is not present. This is the closest we can get to that, however. Even so, I'm excited much.

My friends and I have been planning to try this place out for quite some time – maybe a little less than a year now. But for some reason, we never get around doing that, what with conflicting schedules and stuff. So when some of us had the chance to be near one of its stores, we didn’t think twice putting it in our itinerary.

As if the universe had a hand in matters, two of us got an invite to attend a birthday party of a friend’s one year old son, the location of which happened to be near the Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, Quezon City area - one of the places where Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes have a store in.

I’ve been hearing a lot of good words about how delicious the food is that’s being served here, and quite affordable at that. Being quite the connoisseur that I am, I would, as expected, be itching to get my hands on and my mouth filled with the actual deliciousness I only hear from other people’s stories. I wouldn’t get over the thought of tasting their delicious offerings until I get my fix.

So, after the party, we headed straight to Tomas Morato, which we realized was quite near the place we are at, at the time. I realized, we could’ve actually used the time going there for some brisk walking, to burn away the fried chicken and spaghetti I munched on during the party. I should have followed my friend’s advise not to fill myself too much as Banapple has big servings. How stupid of me not to follow.

We had to wait a few minutes before we could get a table as the place was quite packed with people. I ordered Chicken Pie w/ Potato Salad while my friend ordered Asian Salad. We both ordered Banoffee Pie for dessert, one of Banapples’ signature desserts that made them famous. The chicken pie reminds me of the chicken empanada, only heavier. I’m not really a big fan of it. But the banoffee, oh my, the banoffee is exceptional - a wonder of heavenly proportions.

It’s a perfect combination of huge banana chunks enriched with gooey caramel, ensconced in the middle by double layers of cake and wall of crushed graham on the side, both with hints of coffee, topped w/ rich foam of white frosting. Lastly, shavings of delicious chocolate were sprinkled on top. Drool-worthy, this banoffee is.  

The Asian salad is wonderful in its light and crisp scrumptious-ness, perfect for health-conscious individuals. I like the fact that it's not bitter as is common to other Asian salads I tried before.

The servings are indeed big we actually had to bring some home.

All this food filled us up so well we had to do some ‘mitigating’ of its effects. What would usually work for me is coffee. So, we set out to look for a nice coffee shop afterwards, and since we are new to the place, we thought we could use some time familiarizing ourselves with what this lively and gastronomically rich district had to offer. Indeed, there are a lot, which means a lot of reason to come back as well. Not that I mind.

What’s funny is, in our pursuit of a new, cozy coffee shop, we ended up in this non-descript coffee house that’s been anything but cozy and lovable. We preferred this over the other one, Baang, if only for the seeming peace and quiet it exudes at the outset, as there weren’t too many people inside. What seems to be peace and quiet however, is really more of sadness and drabness when you get to realize it. 

It's a road less traveled, for obvious reasons.

X-Men: First Class

Photo courtesy of laughing squid.com

I still remember the excitement and wonder brought about by the first X-men movie, where it seems characters (which I only get to watch as cartoons on TV) came to life.

The movie humanized the characters and their struggles, and has actually hit closer to home, as the struggles themselves and the events surrounding it, which were based loosely in real life, made it relatable and real.

Who did not, even at one point in their lives, experience some form of ostracism or discrimination, and vice-versa? Who did not fear the unknown at one point, which made us discriminate and shut others off, thinking they are freaks? Well, we still do. To that which we cannot explain, we still fear.

Photo courtesy of pajiba.com

Now, let’s talk about technology, movie magic. The visual effects can only be described as awesome. If this movie was made even just a few years back, it would’ve looked corny and would not have delivered as much as it did the year it was released. 

Considering there weren’t much fanfare generated to rake in sales (at least, from what I remembered... I might be wrong), I think the movie could have earned more.

Photo courtesy of the guardian.co.uk

It’s nice to see another franchise of the film however, X-men First Class, which is somewhat a prequel to the first movie. It was interesting how characters developed their powers and how the events of the time set the stage for what was about to be a long, arduous and costly struggle between humans and mutants. HOT mutants, I might add.

Mutants playing part in averting what could’ve been the Third World War by thwarting a nuclear face-off in Cuba, one of the most nerve-racking moments in history, sets the tone for the film. An interesting plot made only more so by the different characters set in the backdrop of a cool 60’s vibe makes for an entertaining and profound film.

Death by Tablea, A Chocolat Creation

I woke up one morning and found a surprise in the fridge – a classy, red box with a golden label that reads, ‘Chocolat!’

I can rightfully assume, based on the type of packaging, that something good, something really good, is cooking inside. It's screaming indulgence.

The sight sent excitement rushing through my bloodstream. No sooner did I find myself opening the lid, slowly, with mouth agape and eyes wide open. I was at the cusp of discovering something very rich, very satisfying, one could not help but wonder what special occasion could it possibly be that day (or has been) to merit this kind of surprise. I couldn’t think of any.

Just a few moments later and, voila! Pure indulgence, pure pleasure displays itself in front of my eyes. I was in awe. For a brief moment I felt time standing still. 

A revelation of rich chocolate goodness - precious brown cargo of custard-like chocolate ensconced in the middle by double layers of moist cake, topped with silken chocolate frosting and fine shavings of native tablea. It is further accented by the golden disk where it is sitting atop, which made it look like royalty.

Light creates magic to its flirty swirls and curves. 

It taunts. It seduces. And I submitted with nary a resistance.

The arresting nature of its attack aptly suits its moniker, Death by Tablea. Sweet, deadly temptation, this cake is. 

The catchy, albeit morbid, name works to its advantage but to someone having blood sugar issues, it might as well be a death sentence. Good thing I was able to get hold of myself and realized I am not going to give this b#$ch! the satisfaction of living up to its name. 

Well, maybe just a little.

"La Dolce Vita": Ravioli, Gelato and some Superheroes

This is probably just my second time eating ravioli. The first time did not deliver much, so one should understand my hesitation.

Thankfully, this one is years removed from those I tasted before. This, the Italian Sausage Ravioli in Romesco Sauce, by the Ravioli Bistro, is one for the books. Although I find it a little bit pricey compared to other pastas offered around (P199), it still merits a sampling. In fact, contrary to what I have just said, some say that the bistro's ravioli are the cheapest in the market today. I read somewhere that the main thrust of the Ravioli Bistro is to have the ravioli introduced to the masses. And so, to cut costs, they create their pastas the same day they are cooked, which makes for total freshness. Now, kudos to that!

Most Filipinos are not familiar with ravioli as it is perceived as food for the upper class. But it has lately been gaining popularity. Ravioli is a pillow-shaped pasta where meat and vegetables are encased inside and are cooked together. This particular one on my table has, as the name suggests, Italian sausage inside and romesco sauce poured over it. Romesco sauce is "typically made from almonds, pine nuts, and/or hazelnuts, roasted garlic, olive oil and nyora peppers, a smaller, sweet, dried variety of red bell pepper. Other common ingredients include roasted tomatoes, red wine vinegar and onion. Leaves of fennel or mint may be added..." - wikipedia. There's grated parmesan and some melted cheese of some sort, maybe goat, feta or cream cheese, on top. Unfortunately, I don't have the makings of a gourmand to be able to identify ingredients accurately. Whatever it is however, it sure is oozing with cheesy goodness. And if it's cheese we're talking about, it sure is heaven for me. 

As if heaven goodness isn't enough, I was treated with the opportunity to rub elbows with, what some would consider, modern-day gods. One of them was even (or based from) a mythical Norse god himself. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Superman, Spider-man, Thor and Captain America - in their life-size figures, that is.

Plants vs Zombies

There's a cosplay show going on in the activity center and these figures are a common sight as well as the costume-clad participants and models (?) donning all sorts from Japanese anime to even Jigsaw (from the Saw series) and Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs). It's toys, toys, toys everywhere! And I'm having so much fun. Oh, look! There's even Plants vs. Zombies. Yipee!

chocolate & strawberry gelato

The next day, it was Italian desserts tiramisu affogato and chocolate and strawberry gelato, to beat the summer heat. Affogato looks very much like a frappe at the outset - tiramisu gelato topped with strong espresso, whipped cream and some tiramisu powder. Gelato, together with sorbet, is a predecessor of the modern-day ice cream, and as such has the same basic ingredients as the latter, only it has a lower butterfat content.

Nothing could be better than a nice, cold dessert drink on a hot summer day. This definitely is, as the Italians would say it, "la dolce vita" - the good life.

Binondo: Wan Chai at Benavidez

i ♥ dimsum

A trip to what is reputedly the oldest Chinatown in the world will not be complete without experiencing its gustatory delights. And since no one would know the place better than someone who grew up there, I elicited help from a friend, who's Chinese, in navigating this veritable maze of narrowly winding streets, canals, alleyways, and all-the-commerce-you-can-get in between. The district is abuzz with consumerism - from drugstores specializing in traditional Chinese medicine, to charms stores, to purveyors of Chinese cuisine (either Hokkien or Cantonese and its consequent outgrowth). Luckily, she is not one to back out from an adventure, much less a gastronomic one. So off we went and explored the streets of this vibrant and sometimes intimidating (to an outsider) cultural hodgepodge that is Binondo.

the deliciously tender chicken feet

We decided to eat at one of the restaurants lining Benavidez Street called Wan Chai, which is owned by the family of a friend of hers. We started off with dimsum and tea. This, in my opinion, is the quintessential Chinese way of starting off a meal. But really, whatever floats your boat, right? You can have it whichever way you like.

We ordered Chicken feet and Steamed Spareribs. This, of course, is best paired with a spicy, tangy soy sauce mix - soy sauce mixed with calamansi and chili paste. I love how the chicken feet's meat is soft to the bite, falling off the bone, but still strong enough to hold itself before reaching your mouth.

Wan Chai's specialty - the 2-way rice

One of the restaurant's specialties was the Two-way rice - large servings of white rice topped with two types of thick sauces which you mix together to form one solid mixture. One sauce is bright orange reminiscent of sweet & sour. The other, thick white, similar to a rue or cornstarch thickener you put in chopsuey - another Chinese classic. Both sauces have chicken pieces in it. The orange sauce has carrot strips, red bell pepper, and maybe leeks or onion stalks. The white sauce has green peas and shrimps. The servings are big enough for two, no kidding, so you can actually tag an extra person along if you want to.

We were full to the brim. A nice conversation over good meal certainly makes for a pleasant experience. I sure will explore more of this food haven and will keep on coming back. New adventures lie not far away, I can feel.

Ming Yuen Kitchen

I recently had dinner with a friend at this Chinese restaurant that had just opened in this mall that I usually frequent. We ordered spicy steamed beef w/ soy sauce, minced pork with aubergine and yang chow rice. The food was good, to say the least, especially the yang chow rice. I'm glad that the beef was tender. However, I had to say that the soy sauce mixture really comes as an indispensable part of the entree as it gives that extra flavor to the meat, which was a tad bland on its own. The minced pork with aubergine, I'm not really a big fan of. I find it overly moist and the eggplant overcooked. Good thing it's big on flavor which somehow compensates.

Aside from getting my gastronomic fix, there is one more perk I got to enjoy while dining there - I got inspiration for the design of my future living room. The ceiling treatment they did was magical. I surmise that the effect they are trying to go for is a fusion of Zen, modern, minimalist, for which I hope I'm not giving interior design much discredit making such assumptions. 

But I tell you one thing, I could definitely use some tips and learn a thing or two on how to go about the trade, especially now that the big 'MOVE' (to a new place) is really just around the corner. The thought of moving in to a house that's purely bare drives me nuts and has been a cause of many a sleepless night.

I try not to fret as much as I can and just really get through with it with much fun as possible, hoping that when I look back to this day I would have nothing but happy and wonderful memories to rekindle. Maybe some hard life lessons too, but really more of stories that would elicit big laughs.