You're so fat

I was told last night my thighs have become bigger. I think it's because of all the shnazz I've been stuffing down my throat - chips, fried chicken, ox tail kare kare, bopis, chocolate cake, strawberry shortcake, butter cupcakes, crab fat, oysters, prime rib, crispy pata, carpenter servings of rice - and that's just last weekend. But having to hear that I've gained weight was a never a bad thing for me. In fact, hearing someone tell me I look thin will make me dash to the grocery and buy a carton of full cream milk to chug down my esophagus. For those who blow up like a Macy Float despite maintaining a specific daily calorie intake, the New York Times shares a possible insight to that problem: The End of Overeating, a new book by the man who fought big tobacco as FDA commissioner, tells us why we crave Chili’s (wait, we crave Chili’s?). According to the Washington Post, David A. Kessler rummaged through the chain’s dumpsters to find out the ingredients in things like, say, the 910-calorie egg rolls (they contain 7 grams of fat and 1,960 milligrams of sodium) and confirmed what we already knew: “Instead of satisfying hunger, the salt-fat-sugar combination will stimulate that diner’s brain to crave more … And the food industry manipulates this neurological response, designing foods to induce people to eat more than they should or even want.”

Summer Series 3: Sweet escape

I told a friend last night that taking breaks is healthy. A walk in the park, an afternoon at the mall, a leisure drive around town. But sometimes, you just gotta go far, far, far away, you know? Well, not THAT far.

With the north being the new south, Subic is a destination that remains to be an almost secret - everybody knows its there but no one talks about it. That means less cars, less traffic, and less chances of bumping into anyone from Manila.

And to some, thats quite a big relief. If you want to skip town and recharge yourself (like this weekend and all other long weekends thereafter), take a scenic drive up to Mountain Woods, a cozy bed & breakfast-esque place tucked away in a peaceful enclave in Subic. It has all the ingredients for a perfect vacay getaway: a helping of great food and drinks at its restaurant, Le Jardin (think a belly busting motherload of steak, pasta, pizza, seafood, and other local faves) with an added bonus of a healthy share of star gazing when you nurse a bottle of good Cabernet or Merlot at the Tree Top View Deck, a serving of quiet comfort with its lush contemporary Euro-designed rooms, and a large dose of peace and tranquility thanks to the amazing view and greenery of the mountains (it ain't called Mountain Woods for nothing) and Subic Bay on the horizon. You can also wash away all that stress and bake yourself to a golden crisp at the infinity pool. Escape to paradise at Entemedor St., West Kalayaan, Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBMA). For reservations and inquiries, ring the Mountain Woods’ Manila office at 671-7349 or 671-1068.

Public service announcement

Pigs are cute. No, not the redhead in glasses. Unfortunately, the babes of this world are carriers of the Swine Flu which is infecting Mexico and the US. According to Associated Press: A unique strain of swine flu is the suspected killer of dozens of people in Mexico, where authorities closed schools, museums, libraries and theaters in the capital on Friday to try to contain an outbreak that has spurred concerns of a global flu epidemic.

The worrisome new virus — which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before — also sickened at least eight people in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths in the U.S.

"We are very, very concerned," World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human ... It's all hands on deck at the moment."

The outbreak caused alarm in Mexico, where more than 1,000 people have been sickened. Residents of the capital donned surgical masks and authorities ordered the most sweeping shutdown of public gathering places in a quarter century. Closing schools across Mexico's capital of 20 million kept 6.1 million students home, as well as thousands of university students. All state and city-run cultural activities were suspended, including libraries, state-run theaters, and at least 14 museums. Private athletic clubs closed down and soccer leagues were considering canceling weekend games.

Here are some facts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about how swine flu spreads in humans: • Swine flu viruses typically sicken pigs, not humans. Most cases occur when people come in contact with infected pigs or contaminated objects moving from people to pigs. • When flu viruses from different species infect pigs, they can mix inside the pig and new, mixed viruses can emerge.

• Pigs can pass mutated viruses back to humans. Transmission among humans is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu - by touching something with flu viruses and then touching their mouth or nose, and through coughing or sneezing. • Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to those of seasonal influenza - sudden fever, coughing, muscle aches and extreme fatigue. This new strain also appears to cause more diarrhea and vomiting than normal flu. • Vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza. There is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu although the CDC is formulating one. • People cannot catch swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses. (So fry em good. Yum. Crispy pata)

Summer Series 2: Oozing awesomeness

It's an art, being able to stand on a board for several seconds, trying to balance yourself on that mighty wave (and at the same time hoping a shark won't pop out and bite you). The experience must be amazing - feeling you've gone a notch higher than the messiah by gliding on water rather than walking on it. I could only but imagine how it really must feel for surfers. As Paolo put it, "surfing oozes awesomeness and makes you think you can make a living oozing awesomeness and soaking in other surfers' awesomeness." For those who do not want to soak in other people's awesomeness but would rather get some of that awesomeness for themselves and at the same time channel Keanu Reeves in Point Break or Kate Bosworth in Blue Crush so they can look really, really awesome is all but a couple of hours drive away (yey for the SCTEX!) from Manila. Awesome surfing classes are now being offered by surf deities Corey Wills and Mika Santos at White Rock Beach Resort Hotel, which probably has the only wave pool in Subic. The newly added water sport activity in one of the best vacation spots that side of Olongapo gives you a chance to ride the wave to awesomeness with a certified surfing trainer. If you want to take a break from surfing, you can try out the Super Bowl slide. You slide into this long tube, swirl around this huge bowl, then shoot out into a pool. I was giggling all the way down until water was sprayed on my face. It's so. much. fun. Watch it in the first part of this video. Corey's School of Surf at White Rock Schedule: Saturdays & Sundays, 6 to 9am, 12 to 2pm, 6 to 8pm Stage 1 (1.5 hour basic surf lesson) P1,500/day session P1,800/ night session Promo rate includes: - full surf instruction (basics of surfing) - stretch for surfers (pre and post stretch to keep you loose and limber) - super soft surfboard rental - lifeguard supervision - certificate of attendance Stage 2 (1.5 hour free surf session) P1,200/ day session P1,500/ night session Promo rate includes: - super soft surfboard rental - lifeguard supervision - certificate of attendance For more information, click here.

Breakie time

It was my then 7 (or 8 or 9 or 10) year old nephew who told all of us one morning in Tali what the word, breakfast, meant. "It's to break the fast," he said. According to foodgeeks.com, breakfast means :

"to break the fast from the previous night"

Why none of the oldies knew that is beyond me because I didn't think of that either. Incidentally, last month's issue of Esquire (the one with Clive Owen on the cover) had a really interesting feature on breakfast food. It featured recipes from different chefs, tips on choosing the best coffee, and a healthy list of "the best breakfasts across America." My favourite one (which I will try) is Griddled Egg-And-Bacon Sandwich from Chef Randy Zweiban of Chicago.

"Start off my rendering two nice, thick slices of applewood-smoked bacon, diced small, in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Crack some fresh black pepper over the bacon, and while it's cooking, whisk three large eggs with a tablespoon of sour cream and a quarter cup of water. Whole-wheat bread or grain break works nicely with this - lay out four slices and top each with sliced cheddar. When the bacon is just about done, strain out the fat and add the eggs to the pan with the bacon. Let them almost set before lightly scrambling them with a wooden spoon. When the eggs are about done, divide them onto the two slices of bread. Sprinkle salt on the eggs and cover them with the other two slices of bread and cheese. After wiping out the pan with a dry cloth, add some of the used bacon fat and a tablespoon of butter to the pan on low heat and place the sandwiches on the pan. Cover and let them cook for about 4 minutes until they are golden brown, then flip them over for another 4 minutes. When the cheese is melted, they're done."

I really don't like this song. It's amazing though how a lot of people have thought otherwise, did their own dance stunts, and owned it. To promote Beyonce's performance in some event, 100 (although it doesn't look it) ladies danced *that* song in Picadilly. It beats doing that freeze act in Grand Central Station in New York. Although that was clever too.

Coco

I wonder when or if they'll release this here.

Dishing out

Next to Dlisted, The Dish is my other source of morning chuckles everyday. Danielle Fishel never fails to make me laugh while having breakie.

The machinist

According to wikipedia, Christian Bale starved himself for over four months prior to filming The Machinist, as his character needed to look drastically thin. Allegedly his eating consisted of one cup of coffee and an apple or a can of tuna each day (approximately 275 calories). According to the DVD commentary, he lost 62 pounds (28 kg), reducing his body weight to 120 pounds (54.4 kg). Bale wanted to go down to 100 pounds (45.3 kg) but the filmmakers would not let him due to health concerns. With this site, anyone now has a chance to see how they'll look if they did the same! Weightmirror is a site that has this exclusive (aka "a sham" according to Paolo) weight-loss simulation technology automatically detects your face and body and simulates weight-loss. Try out this revolutionary technology completely for free by uploading your photo. Here's my before (left) and after (right): Pffftttt. Not much of a change.

Uh huh

Earlier, I asked Juan what his facebook status meant.

Juan Sarte III "I don't feel any pressure right now...."

He sends me the url of this video:

Summer Series 1: Fully Booked summer

I used to hate summer. It was hot, boring, and way too long. Of course, I was a kid then and didn't realize that one day I'd miss those two long months of waking up mid morning and wondering what to do the entire day. For those who want to keep themselves busy as a bumblebee this summer or need to find a place where they can dump their kids to have more Me Time, Fully Booked offers a shnazzload of activities all through the months of April and May. Here are some interesting classes to attend: April 14, 16, 18, 20, 25 (first module) May 4, 6, 8, 12, 14 (second module) Special Interests (Adults): Photography Workshop Because there's more to just pressing that button and taking self portraits of yourself at arm's length. Enhance your creativity and find inspiration in various subjects. Participants must have a DSLR camera. For course outline inquiries, blast an email to jay.tablante@jaytablante.com. Registration is P3,000 per head, per module. Runs from 6 to 8pm at TopShelf, BHS * photo from www.jaytablante.com April 14, 16 May 2, 5, 7, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23 Arts & Crafts: Winged Wonder A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I bought clay and did our own arts & crafts. Of course, mine ended up looking like a total pinhead (even if it literally was). This course aims to educate children from preschoolers to third graders about world history, while enhancing their creativity. Crafts include: Aboriginal Bag (OZ), Chinese Dragon, Alibata (Manille), Carnival Mask (Italy), and Origami (Japan). For course outline, email winged.wonder@yahoo.com Registration fee is P600 per session. Runs from 2 to 4pm at The Forum, BHS April 17, May 22 Special Interests (Adults): Wine Class Impress your friends by being a wine know it all! smell, gargle, and spit wine like a pro! Appreciate and learn more about the art of wine-tasting and wine pairing through a wine class held by Rene Barbier. For course outline inquiries, email francis_oliva01@yahoo.com Registration fees to be announced. Runs from 7 to 8pm at The Forum, BHS. May 9 Writing: Introduction to Travel Writing Learn how to write more than "Today, I went to Laduree in Champs Elysee and ate their famous macarons. They were yummy." Writing is a great way of keeping records when we travel. This short workshop focuses on basic strategies that you can use to keep a travel journal or blog. For course outline inquiries, email discoverlanguages@gmail.com Runs from 3 to 6pm at The Forum, BHS May 12 Writing: Creative Writing: Short Stories We used to have this mint green manual typewriter which I'd use to write short stories. Mine were literally short because it'd always be about something like this : kid is sad. parents buy kid dog. kid loves dog. dog loves kid. kid goes to the bakery with dog. dog wanders off. kid looks for dog. dog is found in a vacant lot. the end. This workshop allows us to use our experiences to tell compelling stories. Four course outline inquiries, email discoverlanguages@gmail.com. Registration is free. Runs from 4 to 6pm at The Forum, BHS May 17, 24, 31, June 7 Arts & Crafts: Clay Art Workshop Learn the basic techniques in handling clay in the spirit f play and free expression with terra cotta artist and painter Aba Lluch Dalena. Registration fees are P2,800 for two sessions (May 17 and June 7) and P 4,500 (all). Runs from 2 to 4pm, The Forum, BHS For a complete list of the promotions of Fully Booked, log on to www.fullybookedonline.com.

Fall for Fauxliage

You can never go wrong when it comes to the music of the amazing trio of Leigh Nash, Rhys Fulber, and Bill Leeb. This is one of the tracks from the debut album of Fauxliage, (according to Wiki) a musical project made by members of the Canadian electronic music group Delerium (which, in turn, is made up largely of members of the seminal industrial band Front Line Assembly and Leigh Nash in 2007. I wonder where I can buy the CD.

Puma

I love Puma's constant efforts in teaming up with designers like Alexander McQueen, Miharayasuhiro, Hussein Chalayan, and Philippe Starck.

The most recent fab collab is with YSL. YSL creative director Stefano Pilati is reported to have designed two new pairs of high-tops. Looks a bit CAT/ROTC-ish to me but with the YSL brand slapped there.. uh.. somewhere there... I'm sure style denizens won't think twice on forking out a load for a pair.

Berry delicious

It's been so hot lately it isn't funny anymore. I've currently planted my hot ass (haha) in front of the a/c vent (which I set to 16 degrees celsius) and I'm not going to budge unless I have to pee, take a crap, get summoned by the powers that be, or run to the door jam if we have our own version L'Aquila. With the kind of wild weather we've been having, it's an effort not to break into a sweat even after taking a cold shower. Just the other day, I took a shower twice, with the second time after taking my first one. And what once was a pleasant experience going home is no longer a walk in the park. I don't know how some people can even stand sprinting around Velasquez Park with this type of humidity. All they should do is stand and they'll already start sweating. That's why halfway from home, I parked myself at the nearest 7-11 and bought myself ice cream. I love how Selecta has teamed up with Pinoy chefs to come up with specially crafted creammmmmehhhhh treats for the dessert loving foodie, like me. I think it's a brilliant idea coming from their previous innovation of making Choc nut into ice cream and also using fresh coffee beans from Bukidnon for the coffee flavoured cream sticks. I love Chef Rolando Laudico's Chocolate Truffles ice cream. It has just the right amount of chocolate with a generous amount of chocolate truffle (they don't call it that for nothing) bits. I also enjoy Chef Jay Gamboa's Berry Strawberry. It's really extra creamy! I have yet to try Chef Sau Del Rosario's Hazelnut Brownie creation.

Living a dream

Simon and the rest of the Britain's Got Talent judges (and practically everyone in the audience) got the shock of their lives when 47-year old Susan Boyle pranced on stage and belted out a classic Les Mis piece. Who would have known that someone who looks like this: Could sing like this. Now all she needs is a good stylist.

Unhealthy options

When I was in college, I used to wait till 1030 so I could have a longanissa meal and a Big Mac for breakfast. If I still had space in me tummy (I usually did), I'd throw in a side order of large fries. Then, I'd down it with a large glass of Coke then head to class and try not to fall asleep. That was until I read Fast Food Nation. After reading how fast food grub is a wicked mixture of extenders and artificial flavouring and colouring, I have since tried to stay away from it. Except hot fudge or caramel sundae. As if fast food wasn't unhealthy enough already, Men's Health recently came out with a list of all the worst (most unhealthy) fast food in the US:

Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp Sandwich 450 calories 30 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 810 mg sodium Lean economic times make the value menu more appealing than ever. And that’s fine—most dollar menus have a few sensible items. But if you eat this sandwich often, saving a few bucks will quickly result in a surplus around your waistline. Burger King Kids Double Cheeseburger and Kids Fries with Small Coke 950 calories 42 g fat (17 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fats) 1,410 mg sodium

BK's dubious double burger earns the distinction of being the fattiest meal for an on-the-go kid, with nearly a day's worth of saturated fat for the average 8-year-old.

Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard 990 calories 39 g fat (24 g saturated fat) 114 g sugars

This creation combines ice cream, strawberry syrup, and hunks of cheesecake for a high-fat dairy dessert. If you’re set on a Blizzard, go bananas. A small Banana Split Blizzard has 7 fewer fat grams than the small Oreo, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, or Strawberry CheeseQuake flavors. Or stray from the Blizzard and satisfy your sweet tooth with a small chocolate sundae to save major calories and fat.

Burger King BIG FISH Sandwich with Tartar Sauce 640 calories 32 g fat (5 g saturated fat) 1,540 mg sodium

Fish is only healthy when it's not breaded and fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Here, the fry treatment translates into 7 grams of trans fats and 108 grams of carbohydrates.

For a full list, check out the list here.

Cookie start with C

I've always thought that cookies from Japan are made from the freshest and best (or genetically enhanced) ingredients, that's why they taste so damn good. Or maybe it's because the ones I've come across are always delightfully packaged in its own individual packs, giving it the impression that they were gingerly prepared in a immaculately clean kitchen by soft-spoken, porcelain-skinned Japanese women named Michiko, Aiko, and Sayuri, who are all dressed in fine silk kimonos. My Dad brought home a box of Japanese treats a couple of weeks ago. This box originally had a selection of biscuits, cakes, and cookies but we've all but eaten them, except for a few sponge pieces which I brought to the office today for me to snack on. I intended to eat one a day but couldn't stop popping one sponge cake after another. Does anyone know where I can get Japanese cookies?

Disappearing act

Looks like you can't rely on good ol' stealth to stay invisible from people online. With Status Indicator, anyone who wants to know if you're really there simply types in your ID to check your exact cyber disposition.

• All you have to do is to type the ID and our status indicator will show you the real status.
• Status Indicator detects lnvisible users. The status can be online, offline or lnvisible.
• Status Indicator is a free service.You don't need to sign up for an account so you can use our indicator.
• Status Indicator has 99% accuracy and precision and you can be sure that the status is real.

Ignoramus

Dying of boredom this afternoon, I logged into Multiply and read an entry from those random things of contacts of friends (or sometimes strangers) you get on the main page. Apparently, for some ignorant people, sleeping over at a house where a gay man resides could be a major disaster for them.

the brother of my best friend is gay!! damn...and to think that i slept at their home most of the time,hmmmm.... but im happy for him,at least he found his happiness and his heart... you go,gay! i will always support you,even if you turned into a sreaming queen and open a parlor somewhere in paranaque...

Bitter truths

One day, when your mother is yelling at you, you might begin to hear a tiny voice in your head that will tell you that you are right and your mother is wrong, Over the years, this voice might get louder and louder, and you might find yourself listening to this voice instead of your mother's voice, particularly is she has been yelling at you this whole time. One of the world's tiresome questions is what object one would bring to a desert island, because people always answer "a deck of cards" or "Anna Karenina" when the obvious answer is "a well equipped boat and a crew to sail me off the island and back home where I can play all the card games and read all the Russian novels I want." It is much, much worse to receive bad news through the written word than by somebody simply telling you, and I'm sure you understand why. When somebody simply tells you bad news, you hear it once, and that's the end of it. But when bad news is written down, whether in a letter or newspaper or on your arm in felt tip pen, each time you read it, you feel as if you are receiving the news again and again. A passport, as I'm sure you know, is a document that one shows to government officials whenever one reaches a border between countries, so the officials can learn who you are, where you were born, and how you look when photographed unflatteringly. The key to good eavesdropping is not getting caught. Available at Fully Booked for P520.00

Colourful blast from the past

Do you remember this episode in Sesame Street? The employees looked really happy packing all those crayons. The scent of wax must be making them high. I've always loved coloring even as a child. I used to keep my crayons in this blue Danish butter cookie can and I'd have several colouring books to choose from, depending on my mood. I've been searching for a really good one lately and came across this one in those random Book Sale places. The ones I've seen before have those huge cartoon drawings which I don't like. And it isn't fun colouring a huge drawing. This is perfect because it has more things to colour. The other day, I got a box of Crayola 64 Crayons. Whoppee. And before you think I've gone cuckoo, colouring is a great way to destress. What I'd do is, trace the edges then lightly colour the inside. Because if you colour it too hard, the wax stains the opposite page and that just ruins everything.

The devil's ride

Muccia must love them Koreans because her team designed another thing for them. First it was a mobile phone for that other Korean brand. Now they've taken design to the road. Hyundai announced the Genesis Prada, which reflects Bertelli's (Prada CEO) sophisticated innocation, attention to detail, uncompromised quality approach and all that jazz. "Prada developed a sporty interpretation of the Genesis bodywork, complemented by alloy rims designed and produced by Prada in Italy. The paintwork is in matte metallic midnight blue, combined with metal parts in titanium, whereas the dark matte plated gold replaces the existing shining chrome for the radiator grill, the emblem, and the outer handles. The innovations introduced by Prada include also a 20-inch alloy wheel and an outer antenna with edge shape. For the interior, the dashboard and the upholstery have also been revisited and artisan-crafted in "saffiano" leather - the top quality leather that, more than any other, is identified with the Prada brand - to obtain a luxurious and sophisticated finish. Finally, in order to underline to an even greater extent the unique image of the “Genesis Prada,” a new special technology was applied to all gold plated details and all wood grain parts." I wonder if it comes with matching luggage...

Crowning Gory

I woke up this morning hating my hair. It was unmanageable, dry, and all over the place. I'm blaming it all on my heavy use of Dep (it was the 90s) when I was in grade school and high school. I remember I used to splatter all that shnazz on my head (not my palm) as if it was ketchup and mustard on a $2 hotdog. Then, I'd brush it up. It'd stay that way ALL day. Even if I stood in front of an electric fan or hung out at a breezy part of the 4th floor, it'd still be solid. I hated my hair so much that I wanted to run my four-bladed razor and turn bald. But L'Oreal saved the day and made it at least a bit presentable. I really should get this trimmed next week. If there was a celebrity whose hair I could have, it'd probably be.. Fabio. But with more conditioned locks. Sexxeehhhhhh, eh? Just kidding. That's kinda gross, isn't it? I'd prefer if I had the hair of Ryan Phillippe (whichever way you spell his surname). It looks easy to maintain. I don't even think he combs it when he gets out of bed. Some people have all the luck.

Did you know?

... that fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails. ... that the band U2 was originally called Feedback. ... that no words rhyme with orange, purple, or silver. ... that the average person falls asleep in seven minutes. ... that tongue prints are unique to every person. So there.