Tamagoya: A taste of Hokkaido

At the furthest reaches of Lilac street in Marikina is a hidden gem straight from the heart of Tokyo. Tamagoya is an authentic Ramen house which offers the delicious tastes of Hokkaido and the warmth of every Japanese home.

Noodle lovers will surely be enticed by the freshly made noodles served in various original recipe soups. One of their best sellers is the Gomoku Ramen which is the signature ramen in Hokkaido. This is a bowl of noodles served with seafood, pork, beef, bamboo shoots, and shitake mushrooms; all swimming in a bowl of special gomoku broth. The flavors mix together perfectly giving the dish its trademark aroma and taste. The bowl of ramen is best eaten with gyoza, or steamed meat dumplings on the side. With the gyoza dipped in special sauce, the saltiness perfectly compliments the sweetness of the ramen.

Tamagoya surely brings home-cooking to a new level. Hand-made from scratch, all their dishes are prepared in the most authentic fashion possible. Definitely best eaten with the company of family and friends. Tamagoya truly is a gem. If there's one thing common about Filipinos and the Japanese, it's definitely the love of food. Food truly brings the world together in one big table.

Series of Unfortunate(?) Events

The past week has been truly a series of mishaps. The news was filled with rape, murder, and deaths. Isn't it unfortunate that almost all of these cases took place in Bulacan? Unfortunate? I think not. Once is forgivable but a whole series of scandals and tragedies, there has to be some action for changes.

First would be the rape and murder cases. The first victim fell for a set-up from an internet selling site. Nobody could have stopped it easily. The body was found in a creek with several stab wounds and left for dead. Forgivable because it was a set-up. But it happened to 2 more people. The third was lucky to have escaped. The security in this province is starting to get questionable.

To top things off, the bus accident which caused so many child fatalities happened. The accident may be caused by the carelessness of the driver but the emergency response team took so long to take action. I'm not bashing Bulacan but the events link up. The lesson is to stay safe and be alert to prevent getting into danger.

Indulge in the Starr's

Ever craved for ice cream and cake at the same time? Are you also trying to keep in shape while eating very indulgent sweets? Well look no further because Starr's Famous Milkshakes has something to satisfy your craving and keep you in your form.

Starr's Famous Milkshakes is conveniently located in the area of Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City and their milkshakes and snacks are worth the trip. They've got the power? More like YOU got the power, OF CHOICE! Choose from a variety of flavors to satisfy that craving. Their signature Bake n' Shake line of milkshakes offer a unique twist. The flavors of this line of shakes are like taking a cake and adding some ice cream then all mixed together in a blender to create the richly sweet indulgence of both worlds. But wait, there's more! The best part is you can choose to go healthy! That's right, just tell the counter that you want the healthy-option and they'll use 100% non-fat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. And guess what? This doesn't affect the flavor! Maybe that's why their milkshakes are so famous.

Finally mix the shakes with snacks with all-american classic snacks like corndogs, fries, burgers, and maybe a platter of buffalo wings to add a salty crunch to the slurping goodness of the shakes and complete your retro-american experience. Starr's Famous Milkshakes, truly something to indulge for.

That Which is Not Any More

My heart aches of sorrow.

The past stays and I can't leave for tomorrow.

It stops my lungs and gets me to misery business.

I'm still into you, it makes me helpless.

Now that you're gone, ain't it fun?

You left me in Pressure.

Playing god, brick by boring brick.

Decoding my true purpose.

What ignorance is this?

You left me in such a bliss.

But tomorrow you'll be gone.

Hallelujah! I'm still undone.

Brain Drained No More?

Brain drain isn't as bad as it sounds. It isn't getting a person's brain and sucking everything it contains and gets thrown or gets locked away for safe keeping. Brain drain is actually very prevalent in our society for the past few years. Brain drain refers to the event wherein MAJORITY of Filipino graduates go abroad to work.

Being drained is never good. It's exhausting. Filipinos go abroad because they think that there are no opportunities in the Philippines. However, little do they know that there are so many jobs to be filled in the Philippines. It's just that the government doesn't make amendments and the career paths that most Filipino students want is that of INSTANT EXTRAVAGANCE after graduation. As current students, we should be aware of DELAYED GRATIFICATION. I can firmly believe that the Philippines is tired from this drain. We lack quality employees and professionals because all of the graduates are going abroad. If more Filipinos get a grasp of the concept of Delayed Gratification, there will be no more need for brain drain. Nothing is instant. We have to work harder and harder until are lungs fall off before we could rest and live the lives we dream of.

Looking positively, brain drain has its own benefits. However, it is very minimal. So, why is brain drain
good? First of all this helps our national economy through the foreign currencies that the Overseas Filipino Workers bring back to their families. Meaning, the value of the Philippine Peso increases per dollar, baht, yen, won, etc. that goes into the country. That is unless, of course, the government makes more debts from other countries. Next it helps the Filipino "brand" be known worldwide. Being brain drained actually helps the Philippines to become more and more competitive globally. It is a means to creating a name for ourselves through our greatest export, which is labor. This is so because labor is very expensive in other countries especially in the western world. However, Filipinos can give QUALITY labor for the CHEAPEST prices. That's why the Filipino people is being slowly recognized worldwide as a hardworking, hands-on people.

The Philippines is not hopeless. It's aspirations of getting out of poverty are still there. But we as a nation should stand together to achieve this. Build a sense of nationalism. Prevent brain drain. Think Filipino-first. Stand up for the government instead of against it. Finally, have faith in the rise. Nothing can stop a nation that is in equal faith.

Music in our Hearts

It's no doubt that Filipinos have music in their hearts. Music is bustling in the streets of barangays even though there isn't a fiesta. The night life is filled by wanna-be talents and singers giving their best shot in karaoke machines inside various beer houses. Even the public transportation engages in musical activity with colorful jeepneys booming the bass so load that the pavement shakes along to the beat of the tunes.

The Philippines is truly a musical country. For us, music is magic. That is why a certain brand of karaoke microphone is called the "Magic Sing." It brings the nation wonders. It is said that in the Philippines, everyone can sing regardless of the tone. It is also jokingly said that the Philippines has more karaoke machines than there are Mcdonald's branches in the US.

Music is imbued in our culture. It has been passed down from generation to generation. Even our ancestors from the ancient Filipino tribes have used music to fill their everyday lives. Rituals and gatherings were the dwelling places for music in these tribes. Now, music has become one of the Filipino hallmarks. Very much like our hospitality, we are becoming more and more known for our musicality. From the likes of Lea Salonga who wowed the international scene of the capabilities of Filipino singers to the upcoming Balladeers and Filipino bands, the Philippines never ceases to inspire, amaze, as well as amuse.

A Certain Toxic Chemical Romance

These are my famous last words

Sadly and silently,

The march goes on.

I proclaim to every person,

I don't love you.

These words I though I'd never speak.

All these lies said while I sing:

Na na na! I'm not okay.

Because you are dead!

And I miss the ghost of you.