Writing for ThaHoliday

Just a quick update. I've been writing for a travel blog called ThaHoliday since late November. The blog focuses mostly on Southeast Asia, but every now and then we post about places across Asia, Europe, America... all over the world basically. I also write travel tips, app reviews and other tidbits that may be of interest to travelers. Do check it out at http://thaholiday.com. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook too. :D

Salaries

This image has been going around in my Facebook and Plurk circles. It shows the average annual salary of graphic designers in different countries around the world.

It's fascinating to see how much designers are getting in countries like the United States, Australia and Switzerland. At the same time, it's pretty dismal to see how little graphic designers in Asia are getting in comparison. The Philippines is by far the lowest of the bunch.

When you convert that to Philippine Pesos, I suppose it's not such a bad deal. However, this graphic shows us that we can get more if we wanted to. I'm wondering though, what are the factors that affect this study? Are these figures based off the local clients, or overall clients that the graphic designers get? Or are clients willing to pay that much only because of where the designers are located?

Writers in the Philippines are in a similar predicament. At least, from what I'm seeing in the freelance boards I go to. Many people who are looking for writers prefer to get from places like the Philippines or India because their bids are low and they are willing to work for small amounts. Granted, when converted to the local currency it may be substantial, but the tradeoff is you have to write a lot before you can actually get a good amount. It's pretty much a bidding war most of the time, and often it's not the best writer who gets the job, but the one with a much lower rate.

Here's hoping that we can soon lift this kind of restriction (for lack of better word) for our graphic designers, writers, artists and the like.

Going Digital? Tips for first time digital camera buyers

The task of picking a new digital camera can be daunting for first time buyers. With the huge number of brands and models out in the market, one may be tempted to go and buy the first camera that'll catch their fancy. However, many consumers nowadays want not just the latest camera with nifty features, but rather the best camera where they can get their money's worth.

Before buying 
Identify your need
It's easy to get swept away by the advertising glitz, the fads and the hype of cameras. Everyone is getting a digital camera, and many are switching from compact to DSLRs. However, you don't have to jump into the bandwagon. Are you planning to go professional one of these days and earn your keep as a photographer? Are you a hobbyist and want to take breathtaking and artistic shots to show off to your friends? Perhaps your need is simple: you just want a camera to document family gatherings or outings? Consider your reasons for getting a camera and take it from there.

Define your budget This probably goes hand-in-hand with the first tip, and is a practical one. How much are you willing to shell out for a camera that you will use in situations you identified before? It should be within a reasonable range, especially if you don't have anything set aside for such expense and plan to take it from your day-to-day expenses.

Know what's out there Visit the websites of known camera manufacturers and learn what models they have available. Take a look at the camera specifications. Most of them are pretty straightforward, although some information may be a bit technical. With that in mind, note down the ones you think sound like a decent camera for you. Note their make and model, and if available, the price. You can also write down the key features that caught your eye and made you pick the camera for consideration.


Do your homework Knowing what's available isn't enough. Again, one can easily be taken by the hype manufacturers place in their products. The Internet alone is a huge resource for information right at your fingertips. Here's what you can do:

1. Visit review sites - There's quite a lot out there on the Internet. Go to any search engine, type in the camera you want and you should get several review sites. Among the top favorites are DP Review and Steve's Digicams, both which provide in-depth reviews on various camera models, sample photos and videos too. 


2. Log in to forums - It doesn't have to be a forum that's totally focused on digital cameras and photography. Many forums and online communities have sub-forums tackling technology and for sure, there's a thread about cameras. Do a search among the threads and posts to see if someone has posted a question about the model you want. If there's none, go ahead and post your question. You'll be surprised to see that there many who will respond to your query and give good feedback. 


3. Check out blogs - compared to review sites, bloggers often don't hold back when they write about something. In some ways, that's a drawback because if a product is really bad, many bloggers would rant incessantly and you might not get anything decent. However, this is a rare case and it's great to hear an actual consumer's thoughts on a product: their experience with using it, especially. 


4. Ask your friends - Definitely, you would have friends who own a digital camera. Ask them about their experience with what particular camera, especially if it is the same make and model of your desired camera. If not, ask them what they think of that particular manufacturer. As with blogs, hearing what an actual user has to say is often one of the best ways to know how good a product is. It is not foolproof, but it is very helpful. 

Get your hands dirty 
Once you have an idea of what you want, go visit an appliance or electronics store and ask if they carry the camera you want. If they do, ask the attendant if they can assist you in getting to know the camera first hand. Let them know that you're not yet going to buy one, but are weighing your options and would like to be a bit more familiar with your choices. Chances are, the staff will let you and even be able to answer some questions you have about the product.

Know the cost
Because you have a budget, it's best to know how much the camera costs in at least three stores. Product websites give you an estimate of how much the camera is, but some stores often sell it at a higher or lower price. As the store how much it is, what comes along with the standard box, and if there are freebies. Remember that the standard box should contain everything that the manufacturer ships to these shops. Freebies are the extra things that come separately from these boxes, and often do not cost extra. These are often camera cases, bigger memory cards or discount coupons to other accessories.

Warranty: A must
It is standard for cameras, much like other things, to come with a warranty. Factor this in when you're buying a camera. Some stores will include a limited warranty (6 months or even less), while others will give the full year or even more. Also ask if this is a manufacturer's warranty or a shop warranty: the latter is limited to the store and some repairs may cost you a lot. The former (manufacturer's warranty) would mean that the repairs will be done by whoever made the camera and often, parts replacements come free. Obviously, the manufacturer's warranty is the better deal.

It may sound a lot, but doing your homework beforehand ensures you'll be able to get a camera that's offers the best value for your money. You wouldn't want to buy one that everyone says is good, then later on regretting on buying it and wishing you got something else.

Getting a camera doesn't mean buying the snazziest or most high tech model around, but rather buying one that best fits your needs and lifestyle.

I wrote this article almost four years ago when I first got my Canon Ixus 80 IS for a pay-per-post site. However, I never knew if it got published, so I'm posting it here on my blog.

What's your Coca-Cola Dream Pack?

Coca-Cola is pretty much a pop-cultural icon. It's hard not to recognize the red and white logo that's survived so many changes.





Now, Coca-Cola wants you to let your creative juices flow and tell them about your Coca-Cola Dream Pack. Simply answer these questions:

1. If you had a dream Coke pack/bottle, what would it look like? How would you make it portable? How many mL/oz.? What would you call it and why? (e.g. in the same way we call the small Coke bottle Coke “Sakto”).
2. It’s fun to make up nicknames. How would you call a new Coke pack/bottle if it had the following characteristics and why?

“It's a new handy and re-sealable bottle which I can drink to go with my snacks, anytime, anywhere, whenever the need strikes. It is convenient, instant refreshment whenever, and wherever I go: be it travel, trip to the mall, gimmick, or just simply when I'm on- the-go. Truly a great companion for my mobile lifestyle.”

Send your answers to to dreampack2011@gmail.com with the following information:

• Subject: Coke Dream Pack Contest Entry
• Your First and Last Name
• Your Age
• Your Contact No.
• Your Email Address

Make sure you send them by February 28, 2011 to qualify. You can download the full contest mechanics from here.

And do you want to try your chances in winning a trip with accommodations for you and a friend to watch your favorite artist perform live, anywhere in the world? Then join Coca-Cola's "Any Concert, Anywhere" raffle promo! Best of luck!

Images source: Oddee

Nike presents The Black Mamba

Kobe Bryant has his own movie! Wow. I never thought I'd see the day. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised considering MJ did Space Jam and Shaq not only had his turn in films, but also had a recording contract to boot. So why can't Kobe?

The Black Mamba is Kobe Bryant's alter ego in this movie. He stars with Kanye West, Danny Trejo and Bruce Willis. The movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez and produced by Nike.



I am somewhat of a skeptic, but the trailer had me laughing too, so I'm quite interested in seeing this film.



Should you fear The Black Mamba? If I were one of those crazy, muscled guys who want to destroy him, I'd say yes.

The Black Mamba will hit theaters on Saturday, February 19, 2011, 6:00 p.m. at the Ronac ART Center, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan. Gates open at 4:00 p.m. The event will also unveil the Nike Zoom Kobe VI, so that's something to look out for.

oDesk offers funds transfer directly to your Philippine bank account!

Great news for all oDesk contractors in the Philippines! oDesk is now offering local funds transfer, where you can directly deposit your earnings into your Philippine bank account for a low, flat fee. This eliminates the need for a third party vendor, such as Payoneer or PayPal. Instead, all your money goes directly to your bank account (in pesos too!) through the local clearing system.

It takes 3 to 5 business days for your funds to be properly transferred. Local funds transfer in the Philippines is still in the beta stage, but oDesk assures contractors that the system is sound and their money is in good hands. It's in the beta stage because they know it can improve in the future.

Setting up the local funds transfer is a one-step activation process. You just need your bank's head office BRSTN code, your account number and information. While oDesk charges $1.99 for each transfer, you may incur other charges, such as incoming remittance fees. It's best to ask if your bank has other charges when receiving a BRSTN local funds transfer. oDesk did mention that due to their existing tie-ups with several local banks, these fees won't be very steep.

For a complete list of details, please view this post at the oDesk website. You can also check out the discussion thread. A lot of my questions have been answered just by reading through it.

I'm going to sign up for this. I'm currently using Payoneer and the fees are killing me. Imagine a $20 transfer will incur up to more than $5 in fees just to get the money to Payoneer. I think it's fast and convenient, but not worth it if you're only going to be transferring minimum amounts. I'm trying out Paypal which is somewhat cheaper (transfer from Paypal to local bank, charges may apply too).

This service is open to all Philippine oDesk contractors. Other countries have their own local funds transfer too. It sounds like a very easy solution for all our withdrawal woes (hoy, wag ka bastos! :p) I'm glad oDesk decided to bring this service to us. I can't wait to try it, especially since according to that post, BPI doesn't have any incoming remittance charges! :D

Have you tried this? Will you sign up for it? I'd love to hear about your experience if you have.

January 2012 Update: I was able to try this a few months after I posted this. When my account reached a little over PHP 10,000, I facilitated the transfer. It was pretty quick, and it took less than two days to get from my oDesk account to my BPI savings account. And yes, no remittance charges (compared to transferring from PayPal to BPI).

Dear Globe, it's me again

My Globe DSL service bill for December-January just arrived in my mailbox and I was surprised to see that I still had a balance of P1,150+. I remember asking my brother to pay this balance on my behalf a couple of months ago. Plurk friends will remember it as the time when I ranted about having no service with Globe for nearly a week.

I called up customer service and asked for the updated balance. True enough, I did make the payment and my balance now is P0.93. Since the matter was settled, I was ready to end the call when the customer service rep informed me that I could sign up for paperless billing through the Globe website. I let her finish her spiel even though I was already familiar with the service. The kicker was this line:

"Ma'am, you can view your bill through our online facility and when you're ready to make the payment, i-print niyo nalang po yung bill."

Globe's current set-up with "paperless billing" is that you'll see a scan of the paper bill you receive every month. Unlike the online facility of banks, it doesn't reflect the actual balance of your bill but rather what was received by their system before the cut-off. This was the reason why I had more than a thousand pesos in my bill, as the payment was made after the cut-off period.

Now, I am not certain if customers are truly required to print the bill when paying. If you have a credit card or pay through BPI's online facility, it shouldn't matter. But what about those who can only pay through Globe or Bayad centers? I know I have been able to make over-the-counter payments for my DSL by just providing the correct information the attendant asked for, such as the account number and account holder's name, as well as verify some other details. I am also positive that I was able to make the payment through the machines some Globe centers have even without the stub from the bill.

If Globe does require a printout of the bill from customer who signed up for paperless billing, it totally defeats the purpose of the service in the first place. It doesn't make it more environmentally friendly, and maybe this is a rarity, but what of the customers who do not have printer access (either at home or at the office)?

My points?

1. Clarify the process for bills payment. If a customer uses the paperless billing, will s/he require a print-out, or not?
2. Update the system so that customers who do use the service will be able to view in real time their actual balance. A delay of 12 to 24 hours is acceptable. A discrepancy of 1 month is not.

I look forward seeing some improvement in your service, Globe.

The search for a new phone

I've had my current mobile phone, a Sony Ericsson P800, since 2004. How's that for a long term relationship? I've lost the flip keys and the stylus. There's a crack by the camera buttons, the back cover lock's broken and the paint's chipping. Recently, I can't hear the message tone so I'm missing a lot of calls. It's also rather slow to respond sometimes, but I'm thinking it's because it has a lot of contents. Can your phone hold 1,200+ messages? Yeah maybe, but was it manufactured before 2005? >:D


See my phone in the background? It looks ready to give up.

I do love this phone, else I wouldn't stick with it for this long. It's one of the first touchscreen smartphones ever released by any phone manufacturer. It's got a copy/paste function long before iPhone put it in iOS. I can load programs in it. It's also able to view documents, thanks to a program that came with the phone. I also had a Men in Black game and a few others (one of which my mother remembers with much fondness). Sure, it's camera's just VGA, but it was the one I used to take pictures of the Jars of Clay concert back in 2005.

I've finally decided to take the plunge and get a new phone. I've always wanted an iPhone, but it's the version 4 or not at all, and since it's too expensive, I've decided to go with an Android phone. As of last month and thanks to the countless reviews I've read, my choice was HTC Desire, but since they came out with HTC Desire HD, I'm wavering. Especially since there's only about four thousand pesos price difference. Go with the HD, right?



Now all I need now is to have the funds and I'm all set. Goal: Before my birthday. Wish me luck!

SoPhone: The Convincing iPhone Clone?

Here's something you might need to watch out for the next time you browse the electronics tiangge: an iPhone 4 knockoff called "SoPhone". It looks and feels just like an iPhone 4, from the body's dimensions and even the software. Check it out.



As you can see, anyone who is not that familiar with the iPhone 4, or just has a passing knowledge about the product can easily take this as the real thing. The software here looks just like the iOS4.

There's some delay in the response of the software, and you can see that the "accelerometer" didn't properly adjust when the device's direction changed. The sound and display looks good though, but it's definitely not the Retina display the new 1Phone 4 boasts of. I don't think this will support the same apps as the real iOS will. Too bad the demonstration didn't include anything about the other apps like games or the camera.

The most glaring difference is in the device interior: it can be easily opened, the battery can be removed and the SIM card slot is for a regular sized one, rather than the mini one. The SoPhone has a 3.5-inch touch-screen, 4GB of flash storage (not sure if it's expandable), dual cameras, is Wi-Fi ready, and has Bluetooth.

I foresee issues with Apple on this, but I have to admit, it's pretty darn amusing to see this. Still, nothing can replace the iPhone 4. I still want one.

You've Been Stung!

I wasn't yet born when The Green Hornet first aired as a radio series, nor when it became a TV series. I only got to watch it when a local channel (forgot which one) aired reruns during afternoons back in the 80s. Back then, I already thought Kato was cool (I consider him one of the reasons why I went into martial arts in the first place). When I found out he was played by Bruce Lee, Kato's cool factor went up several notches.

I didn't have high expectations with the movie when I first saw the trailer. The Britt Reid I knew was an intellectual and somewhat serious guy as opposed to the party-all-night playboy Seth Rogen portrayed him in this 2011 incarnation. I didn't expect much from Jay Chou either. I haven't seen any of his movies, but I have heard his music.



I was wrong. I liked Jay Chou as Kato. I love the homages to Bruce Lee (the sketchbook, the --- ok fine, I won't spoil it). I didn't quite care for Britt Reid, but Chadnofsky/Bloodnofsky is a hoot. The jokes between Kato and Britt made me wonder if Rogen and Evan Goldberg (the movie's scriptwriters) referred to the Bro Code when writing the script. There were definitely a lot of funny scenes that had me snickering all throughout.

You know what's another cool thing? The Mythbusters team up with Seth Rogen to prove (or disprove) scenes from the movie. So I won't spoil things for you, I shall keep mum about what they're going to do, except that the myths are titled "Explosive Escape" and "Elevator Car Cut". You have time to watch the movie before this Mythbusters episode airs on January 28 on Discovery Channel. Grab some of Krispy Kreme's Green Hornet doughnuts (called "Green Iced Sting") to sweeten the deal.


Adam Savage, Seth Rogen, Jamie Hyneman. Picture courtesy of Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific.

I look forward to seeing Buster in a suit.

Meet RockMelt

I just installed RockMelt on my MacBook and I'm doing a test run. So far, so good, but since I've been on it for just a few minutes, I've barely just scratched the surface.

What is RockMelt? When I first heard about it, I thought it was a dessert of some sort, especially since it was Arpee who told me about it. A quick online search brought back this result from Wikipedia:

RockMelt is a proprietary social media web browser developed by Tim Howes and Eric Vishria. The project is backed by Netscape founder Marc Andreessen. RockMelt integrates a unique technique for surfing the web that focuses on Google Search and Social Media, in particular Facebook and Twitter. The browser launched in private beta on November 8, 2010; in order to download it, users are required to connect their facebook account to the website to receive an invitation email. Source

The article also states that the browser is based on Chromium, Google's open-source project on cross-platform browsers. Which is also the reason why upon launching RockMelt, it looks like Chrome with extras on the side.





Here's a list of a few things I experienced with RockMelt. It's very basic as I didn't play around with it much.

• Initial launch of RockMelt will ask for your Facebook credentials. It will also ask if you want to import settings from Safari or make Rockmelt the default browser. Once done, it'll launch the browser. There is an option to log out of RockMelt and use just the browser.
• Passwords saved on Chrome seem to be automatically copied to RockMelt. I loaded Photobucket and I was prompted to allow RockMelt to use the credentials stored in the browser. I chose "allow" and after I typed my email on the login screen, it immediately filled up the password form. Convenient, and a tad scary.
• Totally random, but the chat function on RockMelt takes on the color scheme of my iChat.
• The browser is also integrated with Growl that when a friend on Facebook or someone I'm following on Twitter updates, I see an alert on my screen. It can be a bit distracting if your friends update every few seconds (seriously, I have contacts who do).

Rockmelt is great to use if you're always on your social network sites, like Facebook and Twitter. You can easily update your status, share links and photos. Think of it a one big interactive browser.

As it's built on Chromium, the basic features and performance are the same as Chrome. I definitely recommend this browser if you want to be on top of what's going on with your friends. It also saves you from constantly moving from tab to tab for updates. Personally, I find the alerts distracting (thanks to the Growl integration), and with my small screen, the sidebars take up precious space. Still, it's a good browser alternative.

Rockmelt is currently available by invitation only. You can visit the site and sign up for early access.

Bistro Ravioli: My new favorite Italian place

Every time I go for Italian food, I know that I'm going to be full. Even if I decide to order the smallest portion available, I'll always end up feeling that someone needs to roll me out of the restaurant after every meal.

My lunch at Bistro Ravioli was no exception. I had a bite or two of each dish that was ordered, and since there were about eight or so items ordered, that was already a lot. I have a habit of scarfing down what I like and not waiting for what comes next. I'm so glad I paced myself that day.

Bistro Ravioli first started as a booth at the Robinson's Galleria food court. Princess Pilarta, managing director of Bistro Ravioli, related how the mall management was skeptical about the venture, after all, Bistro Ravioli seemed a different from the other food stalls, and Filipinos weren't too familiar with ravioli. However, these fears proved to be unfounded, and Bistro Ravioli grew to expand to two full-service restaurants in SM Mall of Asia and Robinson's Place Manila, where we had our delicious meal.

Now, what you must know with Bistro Ravioli is that their breads and pastas are freshly made. A batch of pasta will be made for the lunch crowd, and then again for the dinner crowd. Pizza dough is also made within the restaurant premises, the process of which guests can see through a big glass window by the entrance of the restaurant.

We started our meal off with two antipasti dishes: Grilled Foccacia with Spinach Dip (P125) and Pizza Frita with Boursin Dip (P145). I'm a big cheese lover, so both dips are winners for me. I even had some saved and ate it with the garlic bread that came with the pasta dishes. The breads were delicious, the foccacia with just the right blend of herbs that complemented the spinach dip (oh the cheese!) and the pizza frita set off the smooth mix of the creamy boursin dip (did I mention cheese?).




Pizza Frita with Boursin Dip (P145)


Grilled Foccacia with Spinach Dip (P125)


More pictures to make you hungry after the jump.

The Ayala Triangle Gardens Experience

I always thought that there's not enough places in the city you can go to that is not a mall or inside a building. It's refreshing, however, to see efforts by developers to make more places people can go to for some rest and recreation.

Ayala Triangle Gardens is one such place in the middle of the busy city. Located just behind the Makati Stock Exchange, it's a lovely spot with a wide open space where kids can run around and benches under sprawling trees that you can sit on. I remember this space as a closed off area that's rather dark at night and scary to pass by. Now, it's a really nice place for people to go to.

Late 2010, Restaurants at Ayala Triangle Gardens opened. Visitors to the park, as well as those who are working in nearby offices now have a wider range of restaurants to pick from for their lunch or dinner. Many of the restaurants are small and can accommodate only a few people inside. Diners are encouraged to enjoy their meal al fresco, and it definitely is an experience.


Enjoying meals outdoors.





I was able to try three different restaurants in the Ayala Triangle Gardens: Amici, Bon Chon Chicken and Golden Spoon. Of the three, Bon Chon is the only one I haven't tried before. It's a South Korean based fried chicken restaurant. The difference of Bon Chon's chicken is that it's twice fried, making it more crunchy and less greasy. The chicken was very tasty and comes in either garlic or super hot.






Hot & spicy on the left, garlic soy on the right. Both are delicious!

Amici is well known as the Italian restaurant that had its roots in Don Bosco, Makati. The new owners continued the tradition after acquiring the chain, keeping in line with the restaurant's original vision with a homey, cafeteria-like atmosphere. The Ayala Triangle branch is the first of the Amici chain that features a sit-down dining area, as opposed to self-service in the other branches. The kitchen is open and diners can clearly see the big stone oven or pugon that the restaurant uses to cook the pizza.











Diners can also partake of Amici's delicious dessert line, Caramia. Pick from any one of their creamy gelato, or have a slice of delicious gelato cakes.









If gelato isn't your thing, no worries. The more health conscious eater can opt to have dessert at Golden Spoon. Choose from their flavored yogurts, then pick your favorite topping. You can also have it without them, and it tastes just as good.



The Ayala Triangle Gardens is a great place for the professionals working in the area to grab a bite to eat and have a relaxing break from the rigors of the work day. Weekends, it's a wonderful place for the family to go to and have fun. Stop by and indulge!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2011!

I'd like to share this quote from Neil Gaiman. I find it very fitting for me, and it seems like something that would work with everyone. I took the photo a few days ago, and did this graphic with the quote.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see you more in 2011.

Season's Greetings!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Darren Criss in Manila

A few months back, my friend Anne and I discovered little gem of a YouTube musical called "A Very Potter Musical". In our group of friends, we were the only fans, not just of the guy who played Harry but of the entire cast. We raved, we shared photos, we praised them. We sang their songs on the bus to Zambales, we searched for their other shows and we waited impatiently for the sequel, "A Very Potter Sequel". Still, it was just the two of us who went really crazy over the Starkids.

Fast foward to two months or so ago, Glee (which I had long stopped watching) introduced a new character named Blaine, who happened to be played by the same guy who played Harry in AVPM/AVPS. Immediately his popularity skyrocketed. Suddenly, everyone is a fan of Darren.

With Joiz & Ryan, we trooped to Trinoma to watch him. I'm terribly happy that he sang a lot of Starkid songs and to my surprise, a lot of people in the crowd knew the songs. It may have been called "Have a Gleeful Christmas", but that night, the Starkids ruled. It was totally awesome, and I really less than three Darren Criss.



For the song list and the links to the videos (which I'm still not finished uploading), please visit this page. :)

Philippine Peso bills redesigned

The country was abuzz with the news yesterday that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas released the newly redesigned Philippine Peso bills. It's been years since the current designs have been out, and while there were no changes since, we've been adding some denominations to it. I remember the time when the biggest bill was P100, then they came out with the P500, then the P1000 and lastly the P200.

I also remember the P5 bill with Emilio Aguinaldo. Did you guys ever played with it and make him look like Randy Santiago? The P10 bill was the one that had a redesign before it was eventually pulled out. I wonder how these two bills would look like if they were redesigned now?

The new designs look great. I can't wait to get my hands on them. Next payday, perhaps? :)

Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill

I'm quite ashamed to say that I've never eaten at Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill. For a restaurant that has a very long history, and for someone like me who loves to eat, that's quite unusual. So when I had the chance to try their food last December 2, I didn't hesitate.



Joseph & Jaemark's has been around for 17 years, starting out as a small hole-in-the-wall place in Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay. Over the years its moved locations around the metro, and it's current home is at Sgt. Esguerra St. in Quezon City. Moving around hasn't stopped its patrons from coming in and ordering their favorites.

While this new location is open for business, Joseph & Jaemark's hasn't had a formal and grand opening just yet. It's easily accessible from Timog, and has a friendly, homey atmosphere that's perfect for family get-togethers. As the night wears on, the place is transformed into a hangout where the crowd can enjoy good music, good food and maybe a beer or two at the al fresco space behind the dining area. Function rooms are also in the process of being built.




Dinner started off with a plate of Catfish Salad. Catfish, or hito, is commonly cooked on a grill and hardly even associated with salad. This dish, however, was a very pleasant surprise. Bits of catfish friend to a crunchy mass and placed atop a mix of burong mangga made for a very delicious appetizer. The tastes clash in a pleasant way and leaves you wanting more.


Catfish Salad, P200

Most stuffed vegetables are filled with pork or beef. Joseph & Jaemark's uses tinapa as their stuffing, and it bursts with a wonderful smokey flavor when you bite it.


Stuffed Pechay, P160

If there's one thing I noticed with many grilled foods, is that it tends to become dry the more it's cooked. This is especially true for fish. Joseph & Jaemarks's Grilled Tuna Belly is not. When it's served, it actually looks like a slab of grilled beef or pork and it has a sweet coating that is similar to the ones used in those meats. However, you will immediately notice that it is not beef or pork. It's really good.


Grilled Tuna Belly, P270 (small)

Most coco prawn recipes have the prawns cooked in coco sauce. This Coco Prawns are not only cooked that way, but it also includes bits of coconut meat. It adds flavor and texture to an already rich dish. It's also served in a carved out coconut.


Coco Prawns, P450

I grew up eating genuine Bicol Express, so I wasn't really expecting much with this. It's not as spicy as the ones my grandmother used to cook, which is a good thing for me, personally. It has a slightly sweet taste that balances it all out. It goes great with the meat dishes in the menu as it's got a lot of vegetables, although it feels really more like pakbet rather than Bicol Express for me.


Bicol Express

Somehow, this dish would've paled in comparison to the previous dishes, as it was meat and it wasn't that big. But for it's very unassuming look, the barbecued pork spare ribs is a winner in my book. The meat is very tender and easily breaks with just a gentle pressure from your silverware. It's sauce is sweet and penetrates deep into the meat. The thin layer of fat is delicious when eaten with some of the meat. Highly recommended.


BBQ Pork Spare Ribs

This was certainly the star of the night. Most grill places offer crispy pata as their main dish, but Joseph & Jaemark's has Crispy Buntot, and it tastes just as good, if not better. You can eat to your heart's content and won't worry about the cholesterol and fat. There's two sauces, butter sauce and spicy toyo. Both complement the crispy buntot very well, but you can also eat it without the sauces.


Crispy Buntot, P315 (medium), P415 (large)

Here's something that isn't on the menu just yet, so we felt pretty lucky to have tried this new recipe. It's chicken balls, but it's quite unlike the regular ones you'd eat, thanks to an ingredient one might not probably even think of adding to ground meat: ginger.


Chicken balls

This dessert is not on the menu either, but the lychee gulaman is delicious and a refreshing end to a very heavy and yummy dinner.


Everything I ate was a winner. If I had space in my stomach I'd go for another round of serving, but sadly, I didn't. Still, it was a very delicious dinner. My favorites were the Crispy Buntot, Grilled Tuna and BBQ Pork Spareribs.

Joseph & Jaemark's Family Grill
#5 Sgt. Esguerra, Diliman, Quezon City
410-TUNA (8862)

Samsung Galaxy Tab test photos

Here are some pictures I took using the Samsung Galaxy Tab that was lent to the bloggers during the launch tour last November 28. They're not the full sized versions though. Picasa resizes them.


Malate Church


Fritz :)


Luneta


Carlos Celdran

My historical and high tech Manila tour

Last Sunday, I joined several bloggers on a Manila tour with Carlos Celdran, thanks again to the invite extended by Arpee. While many have already taken a tour with Carlos before, this was a special trip.

The tour centers around the photographs of Teodulo Protomartir, who is considered as the Father of Philippine photography and credited as the man who brought the 35 mm format to the country. A series of photographs from his collection of post-war Manila. I first heard about this man and these photographs through Rain, who is a film photographer enthusiast. The tour was based on these pictures, where Carlos took us around Manila, showing us the pictures of old places and buildings, and what they look like now.

It was truly an educational tour. Even though those buildings and places were familiar to me, having seen them for as long as I can remember, hearing the history and learning what the buildings have gone through makes it all the more awe-inspiring.

What made the tour more fun was the use of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This device is a very portable tablet that has a 7" TFT-LCD display and weighs only 380g. While we were on the bus heading towards Manila, Carlos plugged his Tab to the onboard TV, loaded a PowerPoint presentation and proceeded give us a quick history lesson in Philippine history, specifically, Manila.


Carlos loads up the PowerPoint presentation on the TV


I look at it through the Tab that I have


Taking a picture of the Tab while taking a picture of the Church.