chef + chinito = chefnito

Food...and cool stuff.

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Are our airports...really THAT bad?

Here I am again in a familiar position, sitting in the airport terminal when I hear an even more familiar pair of words announced overhead: FLIGHT DELAYED.

“Why” is the first question that comes to mind, we’ve all heard the speculation and reports depicting our airports as one of the worst in Asia but just from personal experience, it might be true. Another thing that saddens me is that I’m not even angry nor surprised.

At this point with my experience with our airports, it’s almost expected.

A part of my job requires me to travel quite a bit and I’d like to say I’m fortunate to have toured the Philippines quite extensively and even to a few international destinations. During my travels, work and non-work related, I’ve had the privilege of passing through airports in Japan, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Korea, Guam and Hawaii to name a few and sad to say, we are really lacking in a lot of areas and I just wonder again…”why?”

One feature that I’ve seen exclusively used by our airports is the enforcement of a terminal fee. This one really makes me scratch my head. It makes me ask again why, and where exactly is all this money going to? After all these years, I haven’t seen much, if any improvement to the terminals, mainly NAIA terminals 1 and 2.

The list of inconveniences we constantly have to put up goes on and on...

Small and cramped waiting areas, inadequate parking and facilities, lack of wifi, outdated infrastructure, and bad temperature control (many instances of air conditioning units breaking down leaving passengers to sweat through long immigration/check in lines)...

Also, while we’re on this topic, WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE LAUGHABLE SECURITY CHECKPOINTS? If you’re going to have a security checkpoint before cars enter the airport, do it THOROUGHLY. I really don’t see the point of a guard looking at whoever is driving a particular car and make a judgment call whether that person is a threat or not. Unless Kuya Guard is a mind reader, I just don’t see the point of it.

Whether or not you’re accustomed to our airports or don’t really care, the main thing that should be concerning for most is that this is the first impression that most outsiders will make about our country. As soon as they step foot off the airplane and are welcomed by our substandard airport conditions, what else are they to think about our country? Like they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression and right now, we’re really shooting ourselves in the foot in this department.

I’m curious...what do you think about all of this? Any possible solutions? Reactions? Personal airport nightmare experiences? Let me know.

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Let's Fiesta Iloilo: Day 2

After a day of exploring the Gigantes Islands, we spent our next day of traveling exploring Guimaras Island.

As you can see from this picture alone Guimaras takes pride in the glorious mango. In fact, many have stated that Guimaras breeders produces the sweetest mango of all the Philippines and that's quite a statement.

Unlike Day 1 of our trip, which was spent mostly on a boat, hopping from island to island for Day 2, we were provided with a special vehicle. May I present to you...

*drum roll* The Mango-Mobile!

Like i mentioned earlier, the people of Guimaras take their mangoes very seriously. Which led us to our 1st stop of our trip: Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Monastery.

This location just seemed to beam peace, calmness, and a sense of being one with nature and the land. We got the chance to interview one of the head priests and their everyday schedule is insane. 

Most of them are awake by 2AM to start their day which begins with prayer, breakfast and they are in the fields or production plant working by the ungodly hour of 5AM. And you thought you were a morning person. #respect

Some of the products they produce on the premises include: organic wines, mango bars, biscocho, and hand carved wood pieces just to name a few.

One thing I constantly noticed during the duration of this trip was the lack of cell phone service which I actually found refreshing. Sometimes, I think we let technology get in the way of us actually being "in the moment". And maybe the timing was perfect since i heard Twitter and Instagram were apparently down this particular day. Go figure.

Our next stop: Villa Igang. An area almost secluded on one side of Guimaras Island, we stopped over at a resort that offered a relaxing view of the ocean, snorkeling, island hopping and a beautiful beach literally ten feet away from the resort.

And with all these beautiful sights to take in to take in...Kuya John decided to take a nap.

Well, at least he wasn't alone.

Thank you Iloilo for the memories, can’t wait to come back!

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Theater + Steven = <3

With #LaCageManila closing last weekend, I feel that I’m at a happy place in my life right now. I mean because #LaCageManila is a beautiful but difficult show and I couldn’t be more proud to say that I was a part of it. At the same time, it makes me reflect just how I got myself into this world...

“La Cage Aux Folles”, 9Works Theatrical 2015

“Grease”, 9Works Theatrical 2014

“Hope For The Flowers”, Young Artists Productions 2012

With only 3 shows under my belt my theater life is just getting started...

My fascination with theater started in 2011 when I watched my good friend Gian Magdangal in the 9Works’ production of “Rent”. I remember being in awe watching the dialogue, singing, dancing all taking place on-stage. The only thing I could think of at the time was how much fun it all looked and I must’ve spoken out loud when I said “I wish I could try doing something like that” because my friend Elai took the initiative to steer towards my 1st ever theater production: “Hope For The Flowers”.

That’s me, Stripe the Caterpillar. In case you didn’t know, caterpilars do wear purple doorags. #gangstuh

One trend I seemed to notice as the days went along, which also seem to be the unofficial 3 pillars of theater:

Hard Work

Long Hours

Very Little Pay

Doesn’t seem to connect, right? Welcome to the world of theater! Yet for some reason, I didn’t seem to mind and neither did the people around me. Whether rehearsals went on for longer than they should have or things had to be repeated multiple times, no one complained.

An ant and a caterpillar getting along fine....just like they would in the real world. Don’t quote me on that.

“No, anything but my leaves!” #caterpillarproblems

Coming from the world of showbiz, this is downright shocking. You make certain Artistas work more or longer than they’re supposed to AND underpay them, well you’re in for trouble my friend. But here, that is the norm and it’s actually quite respectable in my book. Theater people work really, really hard and they don’t ask for anything back in return.

After “Hope For The Flowers”, it took me a while before the theater bug started itching again and I found myself looking around for opportunities theater-wise. Finally, after a stint with The Boston: The Kitchen Musical, I found myself unknowingly surrounded by theater talents.

This project just seemed to fire my desire to return to theater even more as I learned of my co-actors’ shows and other productions they were currently working on. A few of our cast members were even part of the 1st run of 9Works’ production of “Grease“ in late 2014. #foreshadowing

Almost a year later, 9Works announced they were re-running “Grease” and we’re looking for new cast members to fill in the remaining spots. Well, because of my contacts in TKM, I was informed of the auditions and promptly auditioned.

Here I was...2 years from my last theater production, yet 9Works took a shot on me and gave me the role of Johnny Casino (I even got to be Teen Angel for a few shows).

It also reminded me on a conversation I had with my cast mate Nelsito Gomez during a random coffee run. Nelsito, also coming from a showbiz stint, had experience with both worlds and he told me something he noticed. When you step away from showbiz, you don’t really look for it. But when you step away from theater, it always seems to draw you back in. He was right. Being part of this show confirmed what had been on my mind for a while now: I missed performing and being on stage. 

Just ask any performer out there, the “high” you get when you’re performing your heart out and the audience is enjoying and reciprocating the energy right back to you is like no other.

“Grease“ was awesome and as it was coming to its close another blessing, not that I knew at the time, was about to come my way. Santi, the producer of 9Works, approached me after a show and asked me if I was interested in joining 9Works’ next show: “La Cage Aux Folles”. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could commit to another show with all the time requirements and of course, the lack of financial security.

But after a few days of thinking it over I told Santi I was in and I was offered the role of Jean Michel.

“Anne....so dreamy...”

This was going to be one of the biggest theater roles I’ve ever taken on and little did it cross my mind at the time that it would also be the most difficult. 

So many ups and downs I experienced because of this show but at the same time I was able to learn and grow so much during its span. One main difference between the showbiz and theater world I’ve noticed is the sense of family and unity. With the family I have at 9Works and all the people I worked with in “La Cage“ I was in good hands and able to really achieve new heights I never thought I could. From top to bottom, every single person in this cast helped me become a better performer, singer, dancer and artist and I couldn’t be more thankful of it.

Well, you wanted wacky.

“Overkill....absolute overkill Jacob.”

“Deputy General of the TFM!”

I love every single one of these extremely talented and passionate people.

I actually started a vlog on my Youtube channel to document the things that happened during rehearsals and whatever else was going on at the time.

-Episode 1 started during our Prod Week for La Cage. For those who don’t know what Prod Week is, it’s usually the week before a show opens and usually the most stressful and you’ll see that in this video.

-Episode 2 continues with La Cage after 2 weeks of shows, Rafa and I were reunited with our Sandy from “Grease” Tippy Dos Santos on our MYX guesting! And I got to be part of a mini series for TV5...*whispers* which airs tomorrow on TV5 at 9PM.

-Episode 3 shows more BTS on the 3rd weekend and also how Rafa and I get ready before shows. Backstreet Boys style.

-Episode 4 the last and most recent shows our closing and the bittersweet feelings that are associated with closing a show such as this. And Ariana Grande makes a special appearance.

After the blessing of La Cage coming into my life, all I can do now is continue to work hard, continue to put in long hours and hope for more blessings to come my way.

Insects thrusting in rejoice after a successful show!

At least, I know now that I have a whole new family that has my back and I’m so thankful for it.

[chefnito-blog]

https://soundcloud.com/shirubang/thinking-out-loud-cover-ed-sheeran-feat-gian-on-the-uke

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Let's Fiesta Iloilo: Day 1

I know anytime I get to join GMA's regional show "Let's Fiesta" it's going to be an amazing time. For those who haven't caught the show, it's a traveling show that roams all over the Philippines and explores the festivals, foods, history and sights that this beautiful country has to offer.

I've guested on the show before and even posted an entry about our trip to Iligan here on the blog.

Our itinerary this time was to explore the sights of Northern Iloilo. For day 1, we hopped onto a boat and did more hopping around the islands of "Gigantes Islands".

One thing we constantly found ourselves saying "Ang ganda talaga ng Pilipinas" (The Philippines is really beautiful). Every island we visited looked like one of those postcards that you usually buy at a souvenir shop and send to your family back home to make them jealous.

Even though you really didn't visit that particular location on said postcard. 

One of our 1st stops for the day was the Gigantes Hideway Resort.

This place really lives up to its name considering that if you want to get here it's about a 2 hour boat ride from the Estancia port and hideaway you will considering there's no cellular service, an electricity curfew (lights out at 11pm), and only the locals there to keep you company. But that's definitely not a bad thing considering how hospitable everyone was to us during our short visit. Which leads us to the lunch spread that awaited us...

The first thing you'll probably notice on this island are the piles of shells lining the beach. Our tour guide explained that the Gigantes Islands are so naturally rich in scallops the locals get to eat off of them like no one's business. Naturally, the main attraction of today's lunch: Sizzling Scallops. Even though I originally thought they were garbanzo beans. Tender and sweet are the two words that come to mind while I was eating on these. 

The locals have got it made.

Even though I'm not much of a crab person, I had to give these a try. While they may be a bit smaller than the average crab, the meat was sweet, fresh and very flavorful.

This was an interesting dish. One of the local chefs explained to me that they take this sea snail-like creature, pull out the innards and cook it up adobo style. They finish it off by plating it back in its original shell. Good but a bit chewy for my liking.

This shot is particularly special because...

...it was taken from the inside of this treehouse and I've always wanted a treehouse when I was a little kid. #randomfact

It's funny how every time someone tried to take a selfie, by the second shot, 2 or 3 other people would be in the background. #selfieturnedgroufie

One of our last stops for the day was Tangke, which is a natural saltwater pool surrounded by cliffs.

It's actually quite hidden away and we had to trek a bit and climb up the sharp rock formations to gain access, but once inside...

...you know we had to go SWIMMING!

Day 1 was awesome and really reminded me how beautiful the Philippines is and how much of it I haven't seen yet. Stay tuned for Day 2!

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Story time! ✏️📖🎥 Director: Me Illustrations: Me Main Camera: @katealejandrino Voice Actor: Me Paper Sponsor: Tita Nana Production House: No Money Productions Special Thanks To: Me #TheLonelyNinja #flipbook #drawing #bored #NoMoneyProductions

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Baguio. At long last, we meet.

Baguio. One of the places I’ve heard so much about, yet have not had the chance myself to visit. Well, finally, I can say that I have.

As soon as we got down from the van, I knew right away we were nowhere near the Metro. Heck, it almost felt like we weren’t even in the Philippines anymore. As I looked around, all I could see was pine trees, horses, and I felt the cool, not-Manila-like humid air. 

My awesome and beautiful co-hosts, another obvious reason why I love this job so much.

Speaking of horses, which i’m slightly terrified of, was the first item on our itinerary: horseback riding. Greaaaaat. #sarcasm

Don't let these pictures fool you. The horse looks cute, but he then decided to run at the speed of light the one moment his trainer turned the other way.

Me trying to make a deal with Mr. Horse. He doesn't kill me and I give him exposure on the blog...sucker.

One of the cooler places we got to visit was a bed and breakfast by the name of Arca’s Yard. The owner of the house, Miss Ninj, converted her guesthouse a few years back into what it is now: a cozy and beautiful reservation-only bed & breakfast.

Here is Ninj preparing one of their house specialties, a garden salad with fresh Baguio strawberries and a homemade sesame dressing. One thing Ninj explained to us is that all the ingredients they use in the restaurant are organic, local, and seasonal. 

Some of Ninj's bubbly staff that helped prepare our dishes for the night.

One of the more simpler dishes served but probably my favorite and I think everyone else's: Pork Steak with Calamansi.

Our main course for the night: Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing.

I also had the privilege of trying and learning how to make their famous homemade Camote Pie. A simple, yet very delicious recipe that reminded me of heavenly sweet potato pie back in the U.S.

Another highlight of the trip, Taste Buddies just celebrated taping its 100th episode! Even though I’m only a few months removed from joining the show as a host, it feels amazing to be part of this show which has now been around for more than 2 years now. 

One of the many reasons why I love being part of the show Taste Buddies (airing every Saturday on GMA News TV at 8:45PM) is that it’s not just work, it’s like being part of a family. Just look at a few of these pictures here on set: anytime anyone attempts a selfie on set, it will always become a groupie by the second shot.

When the staff found out that I had never been to Baguio they actually took interest and made an effort to make this trip come to fruition. And I am very thankful for that and already planning on when I can come back to visit again. From my Taste Buddies family to yours, cheers!

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Only 3 more days to go until the opening night of #GreaseManila, don't forget to get your tickets today! Nov 15 Sat - 8PM Nov 16 Sun - 4PM Nov 21 Fri - 8PM Nov 22 Sat - 8PM Nov 23 Sun - 4PM Nov 28 Fri - 8PM Nov 29 Sat - 330PM and 8PM Nov 30 Sun - 4PM Dec 5 Fri - 8PM Dec 6 Sat - 8PM Dec 7 Sun - 4PM Ticket Prices: Orchestra Premium- P2100 Orchestra- P1650-P1950 Loge Center- P1850 Loge Rear- P1750 Loge Side- P1550 Balcony- P850 To order your tickets call: 586-7106, 0917-554-5560, 891-9999 or online at @ticketworldinc Hope to see you all at the theater! #GreaseIsTheWord #theater #musical #JohnnyCasino #handjive 🎼🎸🎤🎶💃👏👏

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A collab that was a long time in the making, hope you guys like this take on the song. Props to Sam Mangubat and Justin Roranes. Enjoy guys!

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Dream. Believe. Survive. Again.

It’s pretty amazing how time really does fly by when you step back and look at the big picture of life. In October of 2009, 9am in the morning, I traveled to SM Davao to audition for Starstruck. Little did I know that this action would lead to such a huge change in the path my life was heading.

If you watch this video and pay attention at the 0:20 mark, you will see a skinny Korean looking kid in a green shirt “trying” to dance. Sadly, that kid is me.

Here’s another shot of my mug during the 1st set of callback auditions in Manila.

Here’s Rocco and I during an elimination night. Safe to say, neither of us were sent home that night.

Look into that lens and speak to the camera! Our photo shoot/modeling challenge with the one and only Jun de Leon.

And it all led up to this, Sarah and I standing as the Ultimate Survivors of Starstruck 5. Look at that face…so sad, happy, and ugly all at the same time. #whataface

A jump to the current day and also a quick little #OOTD.

I think it’s safe to say that I’ve come a long way from that initial audition about 5 years ago and I’ve learned and experienced so much during my Starstruck days and I continue to learn during my showbiz career.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to be a special judge during the preliminary auditions of the upcoming season of Starstruck. It was such an amazing turn of events for myself. Here I was, returning to Davao, the place where it all started 5 years ago. But this time, I would be the one judging rather than auditioning on-stage.

For the first day of auditions, around 100 plus Starstruck hopefuls turned out and while there were a lot auditioning relying mostly on luck and hope, there were a select few who wowed us with their looks and talents.

As I initially entered the audition venue, I was immediately put on-stage to join a Starstruck hopeful in an impromptu acting scene. 

One particular girl called me onstage to perform a duet with her and I happily obliged. When we got to the climax of the song, I was blown away by the power of her voice. Let’s just say, I wouldn’t be surprised if she reached the next stage of auditions.

The next challenge we gave a contestant was to pretend we were a love team and we would then perform a song together on-stage. 

And here’s my lovely partner for this challenge…those heels and that blue headband tho’…

Holding hands, getting closer and sweeter…

And then, this happened. Can’t you see…the sparks are flying.

I believe there is a deeper meaning behind Starstruck’s catch phrase of “Dream, Believe, Survive” rather than it just being that, catchy.

Dream - having dreams and/or ambitions in life are extremely important. Dreams will guide you to where and what you want to do in life and are very important. Not everyone has dreams, so if you do, protect yours and work for them.

Believe - having belief in something can be that one thing that can push one to achieve something beyond his/her capability. And some people can attest to “believing” is halfway there to achieving your goals.

Survive - you hear it more often than not, but life isn’t easy. We’re all surviving or fighting through some personal problem or situation and to get anywhere in life you must work hard and survive.

Auditioning for a show like "Starstruck" isn’t easy at all, to say the least. It’s tiring, nerve-racking, and a bit embarrassing because you put yourself out there for everyone to see. Regardless if only a selected few get called back for another set of auditions, I applaud ALL that auditioned on this day. 

You all took advantage of an opportunity, an opportunity that doesn’t always come. I hope you all keep chasing your dreams because you’re the only one responsible for making them come true. Good luck Starstruck hopefuls of Davao and show them the pride of the Davaoeños! 

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P99 for a BURRITO? Sí! Es posible...with Burrito Brothers!

It was just a normal day, like any other. Here I am delivering spiels for an upcoming episode of Taste Buddies (airing every Saturday 8:45PM on GMA News) and then all of a sudden a surge of latin flavor went through my body...

And just like that Estéban was born.

My journeys with Taste Buddies have taken me to many different types restaurants but today brings on a familiar cuisine and particularly one of my favorites. But then again, according to my posts, which type of cuisine isn't my favorite?

One thing that's hard for a Mexican food lover out here in the Metro like myself is that good Mexican restaurants are too few in existence and most are not easy on the wallet. Well, after talking to both Nancy and Polly and looking at their menu, you can see right away neither is not a problem here at Burrito Brothers.

Flautas (P75 for Cheese/99P for Chicken)

Back to what I mentioned earlier about affordability, 200 pesos at any other Mexican place will get you one burrito but here at Burrito Brothers that will get you two, with change. 

Here is myself and Polly constructing our own burritos and you can see, there are many options and toppings you can add to your burrito such as either grilled steak or chicken, Mexican rice, refried beans, tomatoes, grilled peppers & onions, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. That is quite a mouthful for only P99 and P139 for the Super Burrito if you're feeling extra hungry.

This is what they appropriately call a Super Taco (P149) and just looking at the thing, you can easily tell this will feed a small family very comfortably. 

Besides the obvious of burritos, their menu also includes other Mexican specialties such as chimichangas, quesadillas, nachos, taco salads and much more.

Nachos (Cheese/Salsa P60, Beef & Cheese P75, Grande P129)

I recommend you try…

Ice Cream Wrap (P79) - an item I did not actually get to try, but it sounds amazing. Vanilla ice cream wrapped in a crisp tortilla, all covered with chocolate syrup and sliced almonds. A dessert with Mexican flair, I like.

Super Taco (P149) - this thing is HUGE (pictured above). I warn you, do bring a friend with you when you tackle this delicious monstrosity.

Sili Wraps (P90) - like a Mexican twist on the delicious cheese sticks. Sili wrapped in a tortilla with cheese, seasoned ground beef, and lovingly deep fried. 

Food shots, the professional way.

One thing that’s great about this place, as Polly told me, aside from their great and cheap Mexican food items is that they are very good listeners when it comes to their customers' needs and suggestions. When customers began complaining of the limited eating space, Nancy decided to clear our their then garden and added a few more tables to accommodate the crowd.

That Super Taco tho'.

While Burrito Brothers might be a bit out of the way all the way in Marikina, but I think their very affordable prices and great Mexican fare more than warrants a visit from any Mexican food lover.

Estéban says "gracias".

Burrito Brothers

SSS Village, 69 Lilac St, Marikina, 1811 Metro Manila, Philippines

500-9637, 0917-870-3282

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Best Food Forward, my 1st ever food fair!

I had the privilege of being invited to attend the Best Food Forward food fair last weekend. It being my first food fair, I didn't know what to expect but let's just say I was happily surprised to what I saw and experienced.

Hello there sexy...sorry, I was talking to the beef belly, not you.

Keep fighting the good fight Ate. 

In our current age of social media, it's easy to just rely on applications to see, experience, and "taste" food virtually rather than actually tasting it in person. It was refreshing to browse around the various booths and interact with the owners, chefs, and creators of the many food creations on display. One booth that particularly caught our attention was the Voila Old Fashioned Jar Cakes booth.

As you can see, the directions are simple. Add water to the jar, mix well and microwave, not bake, the contents for 1-2 minutes and voila! You have a cake in a jar. Sounds too easy to be true, right? But after tasting a sample of their chocolate mud pie, I was surprised. The consistency was a little more gooey than a usual cake, but the taste was there.

Another booth that stood out was the Pink Wasabi booth with their "sushi-like" desserts. I’m a sushi lover myself, so I was immediately drawn to their booth but was shocked to learn that these were actually dessert look-a-like replicas of the real deal.

Oh you know, nothing out of the ordinary here, just a humongous skillet of paella.

Here’s my beautiful partner in crime, Kate, modeling a delicious bowl of seafood paella. For all of you guys out there looking for fitness and health tips, I definitely recommend you give her a follow here whatsthefword.

If you're a foodie like myself, I definitely recommend you visit a food fair and for many reasons:

Convenience - rather than driving all over town to try numerous types of food, the food literally comes to you. You can easily try tens of different types of dishes and cuisines depending on the size of the fair and your stomach capacity. I mean, come on, how often can you say you had shawarma, a Bratwurst, Kung Pao noodles, paella, and strawberry coffee ice cream all in one day?

Personal Element - more often than not, the person greeting you at a booth is either the company's owner, chef, or someone with the knowledge to educate you about their product and what makes it so special.

Newfound Knowledge - a constant during the food fair were cooking demos on-stage of various types of cuisines and dishes. Who knows? you might go home from the food fair with a couple of new recipes to try at home for your family, friends, and of course, your fine self.

What's the current trend in food - food fairs can give you insights to what’s current and the upcoming trends in food right now.

Food (duh) - most of the food on display is either free to sample or on sale at very special prices to encourage you to try them. Definitely a win-win.

Don't go alone! - I had a lot of fun at the food fair but I think what made it even more fun was that I was with a group of friends. We were able to share our experiences and even divide and conquer on what was "good" and "not good" that day at the fair. Here's my group of food soldiers! 

Before I end this entry, I have to thank the awesome woman behind my attendance the Best Food Forward food fair today. I actually met Gwen during our Taste Buddies visit to Marmalade Kitchen and she told me about how she was organizing an upcoming food event and here we are months later reunited. Thank you so much Gwen!

I think it's safe to say my 1st experience at a food fair, won't be my last. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one and encourage you to attend one also!

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Antiteasis, "Books and Brew"

If you’ve been reading the blog or know me personally, you’d know I’ve recently gotten into drinking tea and I’m really enjoying it. I mean, like I’m seriously starting to getting addicted to it, not a day seems to go by that I don’t pour myself a cup of green or Earl Grey. But when you think about it, it’s not such a bad thing considering tea drinking has its benefits such as…

Tea contains high amounts of antioxidants.

Has less caffeine than coffee.

It has been found to be good for the heart and may reduce the risks of certain cancers.

Some types of tea can even encourage weight loss and if you don’t add any sugar or milk, is calorie-free.

Looking at just a few of the many benefits tea offers maybe some of you coffee-only drinkers might just want to give tea a chance and Antiteasis can definitely help you there…but if you don’t want to drink tea like the cool kids do, they also offer coffee.

Another perk of Antiteasis is their ever-growing library of books that Kay allows readers to borrow freely, as long as they are returned by the end of a customer’s stay. There is also a number of second hands books available for purchase and the comfortable layout of the place: sofas, pillows, chairs, peaceful setting, really encourages you to laze out and curl up with a good book.

Books and brews is what Antiteasis is all about. As I was talking with Kay, one of Antiteasis’ founders,  she had to whip out her Ipad just to show me the whole list of teas they offer. Which is around over 60 in total and the list periodically changes as they bring in new tea varieties. 

But tea isn’t the only thing they offer on their menu and if you’re lucky you might be able to taste their world famous donuts. I only say world famous because they’re always sold out! Kay’s sister takes care of the donuts and makes them in small batches every day and they go really fast. The donuts are very light and baked, so you don’t have to feel too bad about eating one…or a box of 10.

A few items I recommend trying…

Apple Basil Smoothie - refreshing and definitely something to cool you down on the hotter days of the month.

"World Famous" Mini-Donuts - these little snacks are baked in small batches daily and are deliciously light and great to snack on with your cup of tea.

Experimenting! - I mean, with around 60 types of tea on hand, I recommend you take advantage of it and try different tea varieties to see if you can find yourself a new favorite brew.

Antiteasis

Unit C, 154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

[phone]

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20 Facts About Me

Was browsing around tumblr and started reading theuncommonreader's "20 Facts About Me" post and she supposedly tagged "everyone who read this post." Kind of lazy if you ask me, haha, I love you BFF! Here goes nothing...

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and I was actually born on it. It just kind of sucks that it's an American holiday and I'm kind of not in the U.S. anymore, but I do love me some turkey.

I was Superman last year for Halloween.

I broke my leg on the first game of the soccer season during my junior year of HS.

When I was about 6 years old, I wanted to be an astronaut. The funny thing, I didn't even know what an astronaut was at the time.

I've been called almost every race under the sun: Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican, etc. I'll say it again, but I'm sure it won't be the last, I am 50% Portuguese, 25% Filipino, 25% Chinese.

When I was little, my Dad used to think it was hilarious to explain to me that I was adopted and that he found me in a Korean orphanage. I, on the other hand, would cry my eyes out.

I'm a HUGE San Francisco 49ers fan. If you by any chance are one too, we are automatically best friends. No questions asked.

I am extremely inflexible. *shrugs*

I am also extremely broadly shaped, so please don't bring me to tightly quartered places, or I will promptly knock down everything in the area that can be knocked down.

I once rode the bus home from school when I was in the 1st grade because I thought it would be fun even though my Dad picked me up every day from school. 

I've studied 4 languages so far in my lifetime (Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog). English still remains my only fluent one, but my Tagalog is getting there.

My best friend, Jet, is Cambodian, but I could've sworn he was Filipino. I think that's actually the 1st thing I asked him when we met.

I act, dance, host, and on occasion, model. These are 4 things I had NEVER tried doing until 4 years ago. #starstruckkid

This is what I looked like about 15 years ago.

And this is my current self in 2014.

I hold a Culinary Arts degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California aaaaaaand I became an "artista" in the Philippines. Go figure.

I have small eyes. It's probably one of the first things you'll notice when you meet me. Funny story. When I was still in elementary school, my mom used to tell me not to smile so big in our class pictures so that you could see my eyes. I wish I was making that up but I still love my Mom to death.

I was born in Southern California (Oceanside) but I was raised in Northern California (Sacramento), so don't be alarmed if you hear me use the word "hella" multiple times in a sentence. #NorCal #916 #represent

Favorite color: red.

I sometimes dress up as a tattooed lion for work.

I'm tagging everyone who reads these 20 facts about myself! I'd love to read 20 facts about all of you guys, so please tag me in your #20factsaboutme post so I can read them! Cheers! 

[chefnito-blog]

Let's Fiesta & Kapuso Night in Iligan!

I've been to Iligan before, but this is my first time to visit during the Diyandi Festival. Conceptualized in 2004 by the Iligan City Council, it's a rather young festival compared to some of the more prestigious ones around the country yet it definitely brings the crowds out. Evidence of that is when we attempted to use the Diyandi Festival parade as our background while shooting spiels. As soon as some of the locals saw Kuya John and myself get ready to deliver our lines, it literally became a selfie fest. 

Our director told us it would be impossible to shoot our remaining spiels there but at the same time, I was touched. As an "artista" here in the Philippines, and predominantly being in Manila, it's really hard to forget how far of a reach television has and how it can connect people to you that you've never met, in places you've never been to.

Here's a small sample size of our lovely Kapuso fans who followed us as we shot spiels around Iligan. #papicturepo

Iligan itself is a beautiful city with many sights to takes in and great local delicacies to taste. One of the sights we were able to take in was a local waterfall and we even got to witness a dance from a prestigious local cultural dance group.

Kuya John and I also learned a couple of steps from the cultural dance routine. Sir Christian explained that the movements by the dancer are simulating a male bird trying to court a female. #deep

Feel the dance...

Sige, ifeel mo pa...

If you've ever watched "Let's Fiesta" on GMA, you'd know that it's all about the FOOD. I mean food is something that seems to bind us all together, even more so for us Pinoys and Iligan is no exception. While a weekend isn't enough in my opinion to take in all the tastes a city has to offer, it didn't stop us from trying. As evident from the good 3 to 5 pounds I think I put on from this trip. 

The hardest part of our job today, eating all this delicious food.

Grilled chicken, Silvanas, BBQ ribs, LECHON (which I'm so sad I forgot to take a picture of) and this is just from one day of shooting, Iligan has so much to offer from a food point of view. 

When I get to travel, take in the awesome sights our country has to offer, feast on local delicacies, meet countless new people and at the end of the day, get a paycheck for it? What can I say? For the most part, I honestly can say that I do love my job. It was fun Iligan, hopefully it's sooner than later that I get to visit again soon!

[amiciness]

#GreaseRerunMLA @9WTOnline @iamStevenSilva

One thing that excites me the most about reruns is the addition of new cast members. The anticipation of who will play which role makes me want to endlessly guess and cast an imaginary set of actors inside my head. 

Good thing, 9 Works Theatrical is starting to announce the fresh set of faces in this season’s Grease. What’s even better is that Steven Silva, one of my favorite people will debut as the Rydell High’s rock star, Johnny Casino. (I’m so excited to watch him perform Born the Hand Jive!)

I have been following Steven’s career since he joined and triumphed as the ultimate male survivor of GMA’s Starstruck back in 2009. You may also know him in leading and supporting roles in a number of soaps or as a regular in the musical variety show Sunday All Stars (formerly Party Pilipinas). The multi-talented chinito has truly gone a long way especially after landing and making a mark as Sid in Lifestyle’s The Boston Kitchen Musical.

I always knew that he had the penchant for musical theater. With his talent and undeniable looks not to mention his passion to challenge himself, he could be one of few that successfully transition from showbiz to theater. Hopefully, this is just the first of many theater projects in line for this guy.

Catch 9 Works Theatrical’s Grease directed by Robbie Guevarra on November 15 to December 7 at at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

For tickets, please call 586.7105 or 0917.554.5560 .

You can also find Steven in Tumblr: Chefnito. 

[chefnito-blog]

Thanks for the post amiciness! Besides running around trying out restaurants and blogging, I'll be joining the cast of Grease for its encore performance this coming November! Hope you guys can come watch!

[chefnito-blog]

Jamba Juice & Krispy Kreme now in the Tomas Morato neighborhood!

Being born and raised back in the good ol U.S. of A, every time a familiar franchise opens up a branch out here in the Philippines, it brings a little bit of home closer to me out here. When I heard of Jamba Juice and Krispy Kreme opening here in the Tomas Morato area...my heart skipped a beat...yeah, food makes my heart skip a beat every now and then, especially when donuts are involved.

Well, this is attributed to...

Jamba Juice and Krispy Kreme are shops I actually frequent A LOT, check my Instagram if you don't believe me @iamstevensilva.

Tomas Morato is literally 5 mins away from my house and makes it a lot easier to get my fix instead of having to travel to Trinoma or Megamall.

Maybe it's because of my excessive posts on IG every time I visit Jamba that they decided to send me an invite to their VIP soft opening tonight but either way I'm a happy kid. They officially open their doors tomorrow (October 1) to the public, so rest assured, no long wait will be required before you can get your donut and smoothie fixes.

I really do have a special place in my heart for Jamba Juice, I remember when they first opened in the U.S. many years back, it was one of the first of its kind, not to just offer smoothies but to offer them in a healthy way and started a trend towards "healthy blending". And look at them now, after a short period of time, they've even reached the homeland, the Philippines. 

Friendly staff + freebies? How could you not smile?

Krispy Kreme, ahh...the smell of fresh donuts. A dangerous, yet delicious creation you are Mr. Donut. However, I think we all love them just the same and Krispy Kreme has been making these treats since 1937, yet they've only recently come here to the Philippines. There's something about their original glazed donuts, like you literally can't eat just one. I've tried and failed numerous times.

Someone's happy, I was literally giggling on the inside while this picture was being taken. Usually giving me free food will do that.

One thing I love about both of these stores is that the staff are ALWAYS so polite and jolly. I don't know if it's part of their training, but I don't really care because it really makes you feel like a valued customer as soon as you step into one of their shops.

To those close to the Morato area, you no longer have to go far to get yourself a healthy smoothie from Jamba Juice and a not-so-healthy donut from Krispy Kreme

...I mean, because life is all about balance, right?