Yes. Chockiss. Again.

So I'm a creature of habit. I love this place. Ok, so I wanted to try Chateau Verde last Sunday after I read about it last week, but since we couldn't find it among the houses at the back of the UP Shopping Center, we just made a beeline for Chocolate Kiss. Ate wanted a salad like I did but she got to order first, so i ordered the baby back ribs. (If they didn't have it the last time i would have just ordered dessert upon dessert and called it a day.)

Having just watched "The Mirror Has Two Faces" again, i ate my meal perfect bite style. To the uninitiated, there's a scene in the movie where her mom makes a big deal about her getting everything on her plate in one bite, every single element in that one forkful. I did that. Since I only had about three elements (the ribs, the corn, the mashed potatoes) i finished my meal pretty quickly.

I knew i wouldn't have room for a whole slice of cheesecake i just split with ate. Of course I had to get cake. It's chocolate kiss! Have you ever gotten that feeling where someting's so good that the hairs on your body stand up? I get that with their blueberry cheesecake. It doesn't take much to make me happy, and food is an easy solution to my doldrums.

Bubbly

Met my Tripod and Ka for dinner last Wednesday at Bubble Tea in SM North. Pao suggested the place, and since I'm still at a loss for a go-to dining place ever since Teriyaki Boy revamped its menu, I was excited. And hungry. Well, I'm always hungry, especially if I come from work.

Since the boys were gonna be late (both had to do overtime at their work and are both coming from Makati), Karen and I went looking around for a present for Arnold for a while. Note to self: Never lewdly joke about someone if you don't really wanna know. Karen made my ears bleed that night. Too.much.information. After a lot (and I mean a lot) of stores we saw something that Ka really liked. And i saw a lot of things i really liked. Sad that they were stuff for boys though.

At about past 8 and we were way past hunger, we went to bubble tea. Ordered Lemon black teas. I got my usual noodles (I always order noodles the first time i go to a chinese/japanese place) and Ka had a seafood melt. The place was cute. Modern light colors, cushy chairs and a buzzer for every table to call for a server. Strange thing was you had to order at the counter. Oh well.

I loved their tea! Can't say the same for my noodles tho. You see, I like pork broth. So i ordered pork ramen. I found theirs to be too fussy, and it smelled like biscuits. Too many things were happening in my bowl so I just decided to focus on my fun drink.

I was full though. So full I couldn't eat dessert. We were supposed to go to Chocolat for dessert but found it closed, so we just went to gonuts donuts for cupcakes. Well, they had cupcakes. I sat and drank it all in.

I missed my tripod. And I'll never look at Choki-choki the same way again. Pao you are so graphic. Bow.

Do you remember Dippin' Dots? The ubiquitous ice cream brand of the late 90s? I do. I remember when it first came on the scene and the way that i always wanted a cup whenever we went to SM North, even if it was pricier than most ice cream brands out there at the time. (P60 wasn't peanuts at the time, and it still is for a cup of ice cream.) I loved their flavors and was disappointed when it the fad faded and the branches slowly disappeared around the malls I frequented. Thank goodness for good old SM North, it retained one of its old branches and still served the little spheres of cool yummy ice cream. Even though now it's almost double the price that i remember (P100 a large cup) i couldn't resist when i saw my favorite flavor, the banana split and mint chocolate i've always loved. As i always am with food, one bite was a rush of memories from elementary school. And i felt like a kid again. It doesn't matter that this time I was with a friend and I came from work, I remembered what it felt like when a major trip involved riding the two rides to SM and happiness meant hen lin siomai and a cup of ice cream.

Yes I am growing up. Kill me for the peter pan syndrome post but I don't know. Yeah I'm not getting any younger but I don't want to grow up just yet.

Promotion=Food for everyone

You know why I love this office? Coz we celebrate with food. Almost everyone has given a food treat at one time or another at this place, and the big boss is no different. To celebrate his recent promotion, Sir Marc, the big gun at this place treated the whole department to pizza and all I can say is, huzzah! It came at an opportune time, since I was craving pizza like air since like yesterday. Now I don't even have to eat dinner. (Ssshhh... I had three slices and glasses upon glasses of soda)

Congratulations to Sir Marc on the promotion! You deserve it, you put up with our crap every single day. It's just sad you're not the one who's gonna be signing our leave forms anymore.

I wonder who'll get promoted next? It seems there are promotions left and right at this place, with the expansion and everything, everyone has the chance to expand or move to a different specialty. A lot of the writers moved to different places, and even a few on our team moved too. So there are 8 of us left. The uber loafers club. Yes. We have a club. But we have no name, I just made that up. This is just coz it's the same people who go loaf each and every time. And I am one of those loafers.

I am so behind on my movie watching. (Damn you movie buddy you hast abandoned thee) And there are three on my list I think I'm gonna miss if I don't move soon. Bee Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Sweeney Todd. If you're my friend you're gonna offer to go with me to these movies. Oh you're gonna.

I wish I could act sometimes. I have none of the ability it takes to act. I can't even stop my eyes from reacting to different things. Yes. I am that lame. My eyes betray every lie. I can't seem to get them to change.

So what do I do this year?

This is not a crucial year like last year was. Last year i graduated from college and got my first (two) job(s). I accomplished what I had to do. I set my parents free from another sem/year of tuition and made like the good girl I am.

And yes I bet they're pleased that I haven't brought anyone home for them to meet yet. One of the perks of graduation at home is that I can, with their permission, enter a real relationship. Haven't used that privilege yet, but the other perks like going out more I use. A lot. And I learned that they feel more secure when I tell them I'm going out coz I always have an exit plan aka going home strategy. When you see my neighborhood you'll understand why. But so far I haven't gone home totally alone yet from a night out. So my parents have nothing to worry about. Yet.

I need to learn to drive. I cannot be a useless passenger again this year. Last year I got a student license. Now it's almost 12 months later and I'm still stuck at the garage while my brother is driving us to the province. Pathetic modern girl. If I can drive by the end of the year then I'll consider this a good one. If not. Man. I set only one goal then I'm not gonna get to accomplish just one thing? That's gonna be sad.

And my mantra for 2008 is Work. Everything else will follow.

So will food follow? I hope so.

Am I the only one (that isn't 6) who wants to watch Bee Movie and Alvin and the Chipmunks? Coz I'm being mocked here. What? They're fun happy movies and I need more fun and happy in my life.

Turning Japanese

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I am a Teriyaki Boy fan. Not as much now as before though. It seems whatever my sister and I like on the menu they discontinue and with no warning whatsoever. See exhibit A, my favorite Ebikko Gunkan, gone. I don't have a pic of the Chasyu Ramen but that too is gone. And so is the sashimi with rice my sister loved.

But I still go there. Like last night. It was a light dinner since I wasn't feeling like eating much I nudged Joannaman to just get Kani salad and sashimi for me. She still had rice (after her Mxicali quesadilla thankyouverymuch) but i was too full. So I just split a Kani salad with her and had my salmon sahimi and half an order of ebi sushi. It was a good thing I didn't order more. I was hella full after the sashimi.

And yes, when we saw the "Hot" light on at Krispy Kreme we stopped by. We have no shame. Especially for donuts.

A week ago we tried Kimono Ken at Podium (which i pronounce podyum wahaha) and it was nice. A bit fancier than my home Teriyaki boy but i like it there too. Love their iced tea and Beef noodles.

Finally got to try Sebastian's ice cream after reading about it's yummy goodness online.

It's cool that they let you try first. After trying a few flavors we decided to split a Dublin Fudge (chocolate ice cream laced with Bailey's Irish Cream) and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. I loved it! I am a fan of new flavors and these were definitely new for me. The Dublin Fudge had a definite undertone of Bailey's but with no bitterness and kick. The Cookie Dough I still liked even though I am not a lick the bowl after baking cookies kinda person(raw eggs. I am not a fan. well, not anymore). The chockylit chips definitely dialled down the ick factor for me. Wanna go try their other flavors, but would have to go back to Podium. Do i love ice cream that much? (All signs point to yes)