Yahoo! Travel - Airline tickets, cheap hotels, cruises, vacations & honeymoon travel

http://travel.yahoo.com/
Link I used during my last travel to the US wherein I searched for reasonable ticket airfare from one state to another.

A good tip I got was to double check the amount you chose against the airline's website fares.

New York: Dining @ Chef Yu

Chef Yu, a restaurant which of course (evident from the name) specializes in Chinese food - a mix of Szechuan and Cantonese dishes -  was the venue for the dinner that Gowri, Bong and I were to be having on November 25, 2008.

The three of us were classmates at AIM for batch 2005 of MM students and its been quite a while too since I last saw Gowri. I think it was in front of McDonalds across our school at that time


I had some fun trying to locate the restaurant by just walking around, as I had just visited all the floors of Macy's and had aching feet. Phew! staying away from all the lovely items on sale sure is hard work!

While waiting for Bong to join us,  Gowri said to try the plum wine, and I did, which made me appreciate it more since I had only tasted plum sake. Before I finished it, our supposed-to-be third dinner companion for that night told us he had to take a rain check as work was not letting him off lightly by the time dinnertime rolled around.

Since it was Chinese food, I must confess that I did not take note of what was ordered...as it looked and sounded familiar to me, just like eating back home in Cebu. I could only remember the shrimp dumplings in Szechuan style if I am not mistaken, which is by far my favorite style of Chinese cooking!

I did succumb to my preference for having dessert after meals...and liked the lychees and ice cream. Was it pistachio or was it green tea flavor? Oh well..maybe both..*slurp*

During dinner, Gowri called up some of our classmates who were scattered all around from US to the Philippines (for example I got to talk to John R who was sort of asking what I was doing in that neck of woods - my words and interpretation of course ).

Gowri had wanted to have us visit him at his home in New Jersey. However due to time constraints I had to regretfully say no. Too bad as I wanted to see how his wife Nalz (as I fondly call her) was doing with their new baby and with this guy. Well, I hope there is a next time.

Although I got a dinner treat from Gowri, I was sure the prices were reasonable enough for me not to feel too guilty ....and since my old hometown in the Philippines has lots of Chinese restaurants, I can to some fair degree of expertise, give Chef Yu a of  "good chow, reasonable prices, value for money". Drinks were not that late in arriving at the table and the waiters were amiable and rushing about with buckets of beer. The place was packed upon our arrival and still doing quite well when we left.

It was a good place to spend a reunion dinner with a friend who came all the way from NJ that night (well at least an hour of travel one way?).

Thank you Gowri!


Chef Yu is located at 520 8th Avenue (between 36th and 37th Street) in New York City.
Phone # (212) 736-6150
You can check out their website: www.chefyu-nyc.com


A competition this time (or looks like it now that I review these photos):
















And since we were still in the mood to pose, here's another shot of us by the long-suffering waiter since we apparently could not be content with our smiles in the first photo.

Have you seen AIKO?

The nephew of a friend I made here in Multiply is missing.

My friend Val had to fly to the Philippines to be faced with the news that not only was his beloved brother to be buried but at the same time his nephew Aiko has been missing since December 4, 2008.

It is a poignant Christmas for Val and his family.

Maybe through the power of networking, somebody, somehow can offer news which may lead to discovery of Aiko or at the very least, help in finding out the truth.

Please check out the link below which contains the details and picture about Aiko and spread the news:

http://ladyairbus.multiply.com/journal/item/51/MISSING_AIKO_LUDOVICO


If you have leads or information which may help resolve this situation -
you can use this number to contact them: +63 915 4853265

Thank you very much for taking the time to check out this post.

Let 'em eat cake

Cure for tonsilitis this time of December.

Step 1:
Acquire and consume the following -

One fresh strawberry cake (like the one in the picture somewhere on this blog).
One pot of hot green tea (leave the pot behind so you can re-use it again)
One pot of irish breakfast tea
One pot of english breakfast tea
One pitcher of salabat/ginger tea
Lots of water, as much as you can stand
Vitamin C tablet
One Apple pie
One macha roll

Step 2:
Gargle with Betadine oral antiseptic twice a day

Decision tree: did it work?

If yes, congratulate yourself and eat more cake if you have it on hand.
if no, repeat step 1 and 2 till it does work.

I am here, where am I?

The camera and tv was mounted on the area surrounding Fountain Square in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I looked up and found it amusing to see myself on the screen, albeit only a very tiny image in the grand design of the square.

Nov 2008: @ Macaroni Grill

November 15, 2008
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
USA


I left Sanfo in the morning and I arrived in the evening in wet, cold and freezing (at least to someone like me who comes from the tropics) airport.

First priority: pull on coat, pull on beret, pull on scarf.

Second thing to do: get luggage and struggle with the second bag - a heavy bag of books which had no wheels.

I was happily and pleasantly surprised to see my manager Calvin coming towards me as I emerged from a long line of escalators after some hasty remapping of the place in my memory. 

While I had told him my itinerary, I had also said I could manage to go to my hotel since I was already familiar with it. I didn't want to bother him on a wet weekend night by driving all the way from his house to CVG. I was thankful though as I was sure it was going to get so busy that we would hardly see each other or have a meal together the rest of my stay in Cinci. I was right!
 
After giving me a hug and a wide grin and amidst conversation of how his dad was sick and in the hospital, he first presented me with a flourish his wife Susie's hats, scarves and gloves and had the gall to take a picture of me (with matching snickers) when I was swaddled completely in his balaclava/ski mask and the aforementioned accessories.

I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of the car when he went out for gas. But can you blame me for wanting to test the attire in the blowing wind? I felt snug as a bug in bed.

Since he also knows I am usually hungry in cold weather, he accommodated my request for dinner instead of going straight to the hotel.

I had already tasted Mexican food in Chipotle, their usual chilis at Skyline and the other brand and I was somewhat embarrassed to ask to be taken to Hooters..so I settled for saying I wanted Italian.

He took me to Macaroni Grill.

Bread and olive oil for both of us and a couple of drinks like iced tea and red wine.

I ordered a yummy-looking ravioli which I've not had for a long, long time.

He had spaghetti with meatballs but asked them to hold back on the meatballs.

When I asked him why, he said the meatballs were so big (probably like golf balls or bigger) he wasn't really happy with how it could play havoc with his diet.

I blinked.

"You diet?," I asked with a twitching right eyebrow.

He blinked back and said yes.


While looking him over surreptitiously, he intercepted my gaze knowingly and said with a laugh that the results were not obvious. I grinned back.

We resumed eating and talking desultorily more about the same topics.

He picked up the tab afterwards, which was lucky as I had plunked my dollar bills somewhere deep in the luggage in the car, along with my camera (hence the pics here are from my cellphone).

After offering to take me around on Sunday as he said he would just be in the hospital with his family watching over his dad, he escorted me to the Westin and I settled down happily for the night.

I had ravioli dreams that night. And since I had no dessert, I dreamt of tiramisu too.

ALTANGHAP @ Via Mare

December 5, 2008
Makati City, Philippines
5:30 pm


I was so busy, that as is my wont during Fridays, I forgot to eat lunch.

Yes Virginia, it does happen to me..more often than you might think. My stomach is empty but I pay it no mind in the thrill of answering emails and talking on the phone. Truly.

So...stomach grumbling and feeling dizzy... and remembering I had to pick up a gift for a christening tomorrow wherein I would also be a ninang/godmother to a hapless and innocent child (who will have no clue what kind of ninang she is going to be saddled with , she can blame her dad for that), I dashed madly out of my home and ran to GB1 (Greenbelt 1).

Lo and behold, I passed by National Bookstore, and Via Mare.

Didn't I say I would check out also if it was "lugaw" or "congee" that I had eaten and talked about in my post "Hankering for Congee" (http://cuh888.multiply.com/journal/item/62/Hankering_for_Congee).

So checked it, got bamboozled into checking out more of their menu..and under Altanghap, finally selected spicy tuyo flakes and a glass of cold, cold sago.

The only complaint I have relates to the rice in this dish. It was puffy, somewhat wet and certainly not the kind of fried rice I liked - which leans to fried and somewhat dried out rice - all the the better to pour sikwate (thick, rich, hot chocolate) in, my dear!

Its called "Altanghap" because its ALmusal (Breakfast) - TANGhali (Lunch) - HAPunan (Dinner) due to the fact that the meals under this heading can be served any time.

Enjoy!

Hankering for Congee

             That is what got me out of my home one Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passed by David's...nah! Passed by Chowking....nah!

I finally settled in at Via Mare, Greenbelt 1.

Rap-sa..with hot salabat pa!

I ate here a few times before when I was still a student at AIM...the last one which I remember very well was a treat by Sir B and Ms G coz I think it was somebody's birthday..and Bong was there...*sigh* my happy memories seem to be always connected with food :-)

Via Mare at Greenbelt 1 Cafe & Oyster Bar
Paseo de Roxas Makati City
Tel. No. +63-2 815-1918
Telefax No. +63-2 893-2306

Check it out: http://www.viamare.com.ph

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Postscript: 5th of December 2008

I went again to visit this afternoon, checked the menu and ate some altanghap. Re this congee business, here's a picture of the menu, with a description of the ingredients.

Nov 2008: Funny, Fine Flight

November 14, 2008

I fly PAL, but its usually economy and I sometimes I wish I could afford to go business class especially on long-haul flights such as those from the Philippines to the US of A.

Great was my surprise when things turned out very well for this particular flight of mine.

One of my best buds from college works as a pilot for PAL, unfortunately he doesn't do the US trips though but those in Asia. He did text me that while he would not be handling the flight (hmmmph, he could have taken the one I was on to Japan though...grrrr) he would be wishing me well. Let's call this buddy of mine as Mr. N.

I had just sat down and ruefully thought that I should really try to either check in early or reserve through the phone for an early check-in so I could have one of the exit seats and have more leg room. Long legs wasn't that great on long flights!

I was nonplussed when a pretty stewardess with a warm smile asked me if I was Cat Herrera and if Mr. R was my cousin. I had met Mr. R but had no idea why he would be claiming me as his cousin.  So I just dazedly said the complete name of Mr. R and remarked that I knew he wasn't on this flight.

Lo and behold, the stewardess remarked to another steward passing by that I was Mr. R's cousin!  As I was about to open my mouth to say we were really not cousins (btw, Mr. R is actually Mr. N's cousin and I daresay if I had married into Mr. N's clan, I would be probably Mr. R's cousin hehehe...) I got pushed towards an empty 3-seats. I couldn't believe my good fortune! This is a first time for me and a far cry from how I was situated on my flight to Sanfo in 2007!

Wow, I could finally curl and sleep at last. I was so thankful for that, that it was enough for me if nothing else happened and I thanked her profusely if quietly. And I didn't correct her anymore about Mr. R being my cousin *grin*

My next favorite part of flights arrived - they served meals. I got extra attention from the steward earlier who asked if I was okay. I asked for more water. I got a whole  big bottle, and a wink and a "sssshhh!" ....Hmmm...strange but satisfying as I love to drink water during trips like this.

I finally curled up with one of my heavy tomes when the stewardess earlier dropped by and passed me a tray which was full of cheeses and fruits and crackers and what have you. Hmm..probably from business class, eh? I gave her a big smile and said thank you so much, I will really enjoy this..and promptly went to munching on it while all the others around me slept.

Before the next meal though, another stewardess passed by. She was older and though quite hospitable, I had noticed her earlier in the business class section and she looked quite strict. I got a shock of my life when she suddenly stopped by and asked if I was Cat Herrera. What the? Was this more of Mr. R's doing?

Well, I wanted to hear what it was all about before I could say yes, but then she said she was looking for me row to row (since I had apparently transferred seats). Breathing more easily I hesitantly admitted my identity.

So now the steward from earlier and this older stewardess were bunked by my seat. And while I blinked rapidly, the latter was smiling naughtily and said she was asked to pass on a message from the pilot, who got contacted by an air traffic controller who said to greet me.

When she asked if I knew who the guy was, I said I had a friend who was an ATC (I was still thinking of Che, its impossible it would be Loo, her also wacky half,  who would be handling this flight). I didn't voice out my surprise when she grinned and remarked in such a way that meant she thought I had a secret admirer.  EH??

I thought - well, maybe Che asked one of her male co-workers to do the greeting, that is why they said a guy was greeting me. I smiled and didn't elaborate anymore but made a mental note to thank Che and tell her to thank her co-worker.

Before we disembarked, a couple of more things happened.

I got a bag full of chocolate cake slices in a Duty Free bag from the stewardess earlier (this was a blessing as I had to be up really early to walk to the office in Cinci and didn't have time to get breakfast). I had also talked to the steward who gave me tips on where to go in Sanfo and other places.

Lastly, when I stepped out of the plane into the tube...the older stewardess grinned at me again and remarked on the ATC who was my friend, making it more obvious she really thought I had either an admirer or was dating an ATC. EH???

Before I came back to the Philippines, I continued my PM with Che. I thanked her and told her the tale, and all the while I thought she had asked a co-worker to do the greeting. We laughed heartily over it when she said it was her wacky self who talked to the pilot. She was mistaken for a guy! Tsk--tsk..she really needs to work on her bedroom voice then *wink*

And here I am now, trying to ask Mr. N to give me the number of his cousin Mr. R (who I met before, along with his wife in the birthday party of one of Mr. N's daughters) so I could tell him thank you and to tell the three stewards on that flight that they made me happy I had flown PAL that day. I had noted down their names...but my buddy is not responding..so I'm writing this blog instead. *yawn*

Yup, that was one of my memorable long-haul flights to grin over.

www.yelp.com

http://www.yelp.com/
Find, review and talk about what is great - and not so great.

or so it says in the blurb.

try it out if you like eating out (amongst other things) and talking about the experience you had...

Holy Week 2009 -> CC is home

Start:	Apr 4, '09 10:00a
End:	Apr 12, '09

YEHEY! or on second thought...should I just go to Cebu City for a sleep-athon?

choices:
- trip to Osaka
- trip to Cebu
- trip to Macau
- no trip coz nag-recession..

before I used to moan how I wanted to go on a trip but could not due to work or not being allowed to be on leaves during holidays..but with this change of having forced shutdowns, its now a case of having time off and not deciding where to go or maybe not having enough dough ...(wow, it rhymes!)