I am Corporate Junkie.: April 2014

Apr 24, 2014

Trip to the World's Smallest Volcano

Last Holy Week, husband and I celebrated my birthday with our first Visita Iglesia in Batangas. He also gave in when I said that I wanted to go to see the crater of the Taal Volcano. We have been in and out of Tagaytay but we never really had a chance to visit the actual site and so, despite not being ready with a trekking outfit (read: sneakers), we decided to go.

From Tagaytay City, it would take you around 45 minutes to an hour to go to Talisay. This is where the "departure" area is going to Vulcan Island.

My Top 5 Blogging Apps

So last week, I mentioned about my blogging tools. This week, I would like to share with you my top five blogging apps. It has made my life soooo easier although I need some hacks from you guys on several minor issues:

1. Posts

I love Posts. I love it more than Blogger iOS app for the following reasons:

You can backtrack the dates. Unlike the Blogger iOS app, Posts allow you to set the date of your posts even if it is a date in the pas t. Since I have had many back logs on my posts for my 365 Days Project, I was able to correct them all and put them in their proper dates with this post app. Similar to the laptop feature of Blogger, you can also schedule the posts on when you would want them to appear on your site. The interface is very easy to use and it's one of those WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get app). One thing I noticed though is that my photos are compressed so I am trying to look for a way on how to fix this.
Uploading photos do not take as long as it does when using the Blogger desktop app.

Ten Things We Grow In Our Garden

Last Saturday, I wrote about our backyard garden. Husband and I find comfort in this little project and so far, these are the ten things that we have --

1. Tomato

2. Bell Pepper

3. Basil

4. Oregano

5. Mint

30 Years of Gratitude

I was born on a Good Friday. Fast forward to today, I am celebrating my birthday on an Easter Sunday. I have come full circle and this has been the greatest metaphor of my life.

Good Friday always meant penance, fasting. When people refer to a person who is grumpy, they say, "Semana Santa na naman mukha mo." For as long as I can remember, I was a Good Friday person. I was manic-depressive, I hated the world, I was an Eeyore. I don't know why this has been my disposition for a long time but yes, that was me.

A Garden of your Own

"You know the value of things if you start paying for them," husband quipped one morning when we were doing some home improvement. "You have to take care of the things you invest in."

Funny that should come from him. We have stayed at our new home for about eight months now and we have been engaging in some DIY projects once in a while. Our new preoccupation is our garden. We initially thought of an aesthetic one but we have decided to create our own little vegetable garden like this one (got this from www.houzz.com) --

Tampuhan Cafe and the Secrets of Taal Town

In the quiet, unassuming town of Taal, Batangas, lies the biggest Catholic basilica in Asia, the Basilica de San Martin de Tours. This has been my third time in Taal Town and me and the husband have always been awed by the old, Hispanic houses and the antique vibe of the place.

This stop is our last leg for our Visita Iglesia. We haven't had lunch yet and it was around 2:30 in the afternoon already when we arrived at the town. I was so excited when I saw a cafe near the Church of Our Lady of Caysasay, another place for worship here in the small town of Taal. The place is called Tampuhan Cafe.

Now, I don't know where the owners got the name of the place but there was no tampuhan (best translation: sulking from a lovers' quarrel) going on around the place at that time, hehe.

Batangas Churches : Visita Iglesia

I have slipped in and out of my faith. When I was younger, I was a devout Catholic by default. My dad would command us to pray the Rosary every six in the evening for as long as I can remember. When I was in secondary school, I joined almost all religious organizations -- I was part of the choir, and I was a lector and commentator. I read the liturgies; I memorized the Holy Mass.

Top Blogging Essentials

I always blog using my laptop. I like dwelling on my posts, enhance my photos with a little Photoshop here and there and punch the keyboard with my fingers. I have to access my photos in my camera through the SD card port in my computer since I haven't had the time yet to get a WiFi card. However, the promise that I made to myself of posting everyday is making it very hard to constrain myself to my laptop. Now, I have to maximize my iPad or my phone to be able to keep up with my daily requirements. So, let me give you a rundown of my current must-haves for blogging --

Self-confessed bookworms always say too many books, too little time. I can totally relate. I always feel like I am running out of time. I have books that I bought that are still unopened!

I am the type of reader who would buy cheap paperbacks more than using Kindle or any book reader. I love smelling my books and feeling the pages in my hands. However, since I would lug them around, I don't get the hard covers (plus the fact that they are many times more expensive). So, you can say I appreciate the substance more than the style.

Kahlil Gibran on Work

I just wanted to share this wonderful piece from Kahlil Gibran on finding purpose in what you do. I hope you'll like it, too!

On Work

Kahlil Gibran

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.
When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,And all work is empty save when there is love;And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger. And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine. And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Celebrating the Lenten Season

Holy Week always meant vacation for me. I think this is pretty common to the working class because this is the time when we get around four days off from work, without anyone bothering us since the whole business operations come to a halt.

In the past few years, husband and I always spent it in Boracay. We both love the beach, we love the sun, we love frolicking on the shore with the waves lapping at our feet. If you ask me what a perfect vacation is, I always imagine it hot and sunny and drinking tequila in the middle of the day and chillout or reggae music at the background.

This year is totally different. We could not really splurge on a vacation because we are saving for our treatments. We initially decided to just stay home. It came as a surprise when husband said yes to my proposal: a Visita Iglesia in Batangas.

Now, you may ask, why Batangas? We can just do the rounds here in Manila, right?

Yeah, we can. But ever since the start of this whole APAS thing, we found a special devotion to Padre Pio, and I learned that there is a shrine for him in Batangas. I later found out that there are several churches there (one of which is Asia's largest Catholic Church, the Taal Basilica) so everything just seemed to fall into its place. Husband and I are not religious but undergoing this ordeal has brought us closer not only to each other but to the third party in our marriage -- God.

Hmm, I am excited for this spiritual vacation. Something new but I am hoping that this would bring us graces and good news! Who knows, we can even discover some exquisite places / food along the way! Yippee!

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Beijing Foodtrip

Staying in China with no skills in speaking Mandarin is so troublesome. Going around can be difficult because very few people understand English. Since I was hesitant to go around when I arrived for my conference last Wednesday, I decided to eat at the restaurant where my colleague and I visited last year. I remember the place because it was just several blocks away from my hotel and they offered Japanese (Japanese=comfort food).Since I could not remember if it was a good or bad dining experience (thanks or no thanks to my short-lived memory), it was like eating at a new place altogether.

Aside from the fact that this seemed to be the only restaurant which is accessible to me except for Starbucks in front of the hotel, the look of the place was inviting with its Japanese garden setting at the entrance. Later, I found out that there is an APM mall a few blocks more, which housed dozens of options, ugh! Too late for that.

Anyway --

Outside, it just says "Japanese Restaurant (uh-huh)". The actual name of the place is Jiang Hu Chuan.

I ordered something familiar -- Enoki Mushroom wrapped in beef slices. It was a big plate with 8 big bites. It was on the greasy side but quite a large serving.

And ebi tempura -- how safe can I get? Lol. These were some of my Japanese staples : better safe than sorry, I suppose.

The tempura is okay, have tasted better ones. It is a lot though considering my appetite, around 6 pieces of big prawns. In this restaurant, it is more like quantity over quality.

I felt like treating myself for a cheat day (currently cutting off my caffeine consumption) and ordered a cola which is pretending to be a Kirin beer.

I was thinking, this blog has more uses to me more than to anyone probably. Because of my Dory tendencies ( Finding Nemo?), I could usually not flag if I have had some bad experience with certain establishments. Hopefully, this will somehow be my reminder. Haha.

I spent around RMB150 (USD20-25) for this huge meal; quite expensive actually. I could have spent the same amount and enjoyed a wild and awesome Japanese buffet in the Philippines.

In summary, this will not be my first option (again!) if I should look for a place at the Wangfujing area.

Try the ones at APM mall as they would have more variety for whatever craving you may have.

On my last night, we were taken to Bellagio located at this mall. Food was S-U-P-E-R-B!

This is their specialty - braised pork knuckles (or hooves?!!) and chicken basil.

Some sort of water spinach?

Egg omelet --

Surprisingly, I loved this the most. Very flavorful tofu.

Shrimp (I know, I know! I am having a hard time identifying what the name is exactly because they were in Chinese and the ones who were ordering were my Chinese peers.)

So there goes my food (mis)adventure in Beijing. Hope to try better ones next year!

Cheers!

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 100: Pillows

I cuddle you, you cuddle me

Then I forget life's misery

A sweet hug that warms my night

Something that makes everything alright.

"Don't be gullible, use life before it uses you. Understand there are no free lunches, and for every action you take, there's a reaction." Sylvester Stallone

I know, I know! I feel so ignorant that I was scammed. But more than that, I felt sad that there is that harsh world of scammers. Husband always scolded me about this, always told me that I live in a fairy tale world. I received that comment with indignation. I don't think I was stupid because I always believed in the utmost goodness of man.

This, however, just threw me off my belief and forced me to see others in great caution. At the end of the day, we should choose to protect ourselves in the first place.

Okay, so now to my story. Sorry, I got side-tracked haha --

I was on my way back to Manila from my four-day Beijing trip. I was early at the airport and was viewing the flight schedules when a man in a suit with an Air China nameplate approached me and in pre-school English and a lot of Mandarin, told me that he will assist me to the counter. Since I was too early, He said that I will be catered to a different front desk apart from where all the other passengers lined up. The counter was just beside the other Air China counters so I did not have any doubt that this was just some staff extending excellent customer service. Check-in was a breeze and I searched in the internet how much other people would usually tip. I did not see any reference. Since I was feeling pretty generous because of this extra mile (and I did not have smaller bills as well), I was planning to give him RMB100!

After checking in, he pointed to me the gate and asked me for RMB300! Is this guy effin' crazy?! That is equivalent to PHP2,100 just for a tip his assistance? What the hell! He kept on egging me to give him more and I interjected and shouted what a lousy kind of an airline personnel he is. I told him I do not have any bills anymore. He kept on insisting until I raised my voice several notches higher, enough for other people to look at us. When I was drawing a little more attention, he left and said goodbye. Ugh!

I searched for Beijing scams and found out that there are sooooo many crazy scammers in China! So to give you a heads up and to those naive travelers like me, here is a list of those scams that I have found in other sites:

1. Top Scams in Beijing
2. Scams and the City
3. Comprehensive Scams from China-Mike

Hmm, this makes me all the more scared to go around. This has been my third time in Beijing and the past two visits had been okay since I had a colleague with me. This time around, I was alone, I did not look anything Chinese, can't speak Mandarin (I truly regret not taking my classes seriously), so I was an easy target.

Nevertheless, I am grateful that it was all that I shelled out for a con artist. I am ever so glad that I was not part of any of those more serious ones that I cited above.

Lesson learned for RMB100. Hope you won't fall into this trap and yeah, don't trust a helping hand all the time.

xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 99: The Wind

I love the cool wind on my face,
As well as the sun's long, warm rays
Traversing the road on my own,
Sometimes, it's nice to be alone.

Globe Roaming UnliSurf

I am so happy that I discovered this from Globe. Because of this program, I can be online wherever I am especially on short business trips. Helps me get in touch with the husband and people from home. More than that, I still get to blog and post photos anytime I want.

I availed of the 3-day Roaming UnliSurf. It costs USD35 for 3 days, roughly around PHP500 a day. If you will be meticulous about it, yes, it is quite expensive. But having experienced roaming charges from before, I would rather pay for this and be able to connect with people through the messaging apps than be charged with at least PHP 4,000 for non-promo roaming charges.
I just hope that there are no hidden charges when I come back home. Anyway, important tips from this program:
1. Choose ONLY their partner networks. Put your network selection on manual and choose the appropriate network.
2. Make sure you get a confirmation message from them.
As of the moment, this program is until April 30 only. Hope they will extend. I will update this post when my bill comes in and if they are true to their promise. For more information, click here.
Hope this helps! Happy travelling!
xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 98: Resolutions

Several days ago, on the ninety-fifth day of my 365 Days of Happy, I realized that for me to be really happy, I should try not to concentrate too much on being happy (what a paradox!); instesd, I have resolved to fill my life with gratitude because in all reality, I am a very lucky and blessed person. As I think more and more about it, it becomes more meaningful and I plan to extend it here in mu blog. Today, I have made the following resolutions for this little .com speck of mine:

1. My 365 Days of Gratitude would now become a photo blog showcasing what made me happy for that day. This I will start tomorrow;

2. Organize this blog project of mine in a more structured way. I will explain this part in a little while.
Keeping this blog has contibuted to my ~~happiness, sanity,~~ happiness in many ways. For one, I always needed a venue for my writing (or if you would qualify this for that) - schoolpaper, executive and technical writing, anything. It is a form of therapy; makes my mind sharper, I suppose. I have pulled in and out of the blogging on one too many occasions - from my ranty blog back in '05 to my vampire fiction blog in '06 (yes, I am in love with Anne Rice and her vampires and I am a groupie of Lestat) to this which somehow survived for more than one year.
One resolution I had at the start of the year was to post everyday, to prove that I can be consistent with what I started on. There were days that I slipped; days when my brain is fried or when I am just deadpan tired (sorry for the rhyme). I try to recover in the days after, writing one back post after another.
Now, I am raising the stakes even higher. I have to post one photoblog a day for my Gratitude Project and another one which would fall under these:

1. Happy At Work Mondays
Everyone hates Mondays. I used to hate it, too. We can all relate to Garfield and his Monday malady. During Sundays, a lot of people are suffering from Monday Malaise.
This is my own little sharing of how to kickstart your work week. I chose to write about this because we can be happy on Mondays! Let's discover that together. Just to give you an example, I came to realize that the more I prepare myself for Mondays (like choosing what clothes to wear to feel good at the start of a new work week), the more it becomes manageable.

2. Tuesday's Ten
So everyone's crazy about lists. And to that, this is my contribution.

3. Wednesday's Find
A new makeup, a new blog, something and anything I stumble upon that is worth sharing.

4. Travel Thursdays
I am a little bit hesitant to put this in because I haven't been around lately. After some mulling about this topic, I decided that this could be a catalyst to encourage me to just go somewhere.

5. Feasty Fridays
To reward myself of the troubles of the work week, join me in reminiscing or discovering some good food ( a resto I haven't been to or the husband's awesome cooking). Spreading good vibes through a happy tummy!

6. Saturdates
Whatever I do on a Saturday; I am pretty excited about this because usually, my Saturdays are unique. It could be spent on a DIY project at home or someone's party or a really nice CSR project.

7. Soulful Sundays
Because of all the things I listed above which could answer my emotional, familial and physical needs, wouldn't it be nice to cap the week with a little introspection about how awesome it is to live? Yeah, God deserves a space in this space with all the blessings He bestows on me, my family and the people I love.
Whew! Another challenge worth undertaking. Let's see how I can pull this off.What do you think, loves? Does this interest any of you? Do you think this could actually work?

UPDATE ON THIS: So I can't seem to keep up with this resolution especially because I am doing a lot of changes in my blog. I was doing some introspection and decided that since this blog is really more as an outlet for me rather than anything else, I would just go with the flow and write on what pops up. I already have too much pressure on my plate to add another self-imposed task. Hehe.

xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 97: Tips on How to be a Good Team Player

“Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections." ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
There are many people who go to work everyday and they can't seem to put on a pleasant disposition. This somehow saddens me because work pretty much occupies half of our day and being dragged on to the four corners of the office is such a heavy burden for one to carry.
I have been through this situation. Now, however, I feel blessed that I love what I am doing. I am even more grateful for the words of wisdom that were imparted to me today and I would like to share them with you.
Did you know that there are THREE MILLION Filipinos who are currently unemployed (data as of January 2014)? Quite a number, isn't it?
We often take things for granted and complain all the time - how we hate work, how the grass is greener on the other side. There is only one answer to this - if we are not interested to work anymore or we gripe so much about where we are or what we do, then maybe the right thing to do is to let go. This is hitting two birds with one stone: one, it takes you to your first step of getting what you really want (if you really know what you want), and two, it exemplifies your virtue of fairness. But that could be a whole new post altogether so let's talk about that another day.

Photography by Eastop from www.sxc.hu

For today, let's focus on those who stay and how we can make each other's lives easier by being a good team player. These are some of the words that I have heard today which totally inspired me.
1. Give updates even when not needed.
I am totally guilty of this. I seldom give updates. When I do, it is usually because the boss asked for it. So as a resolution to this, I have decided to send the boss a weekly status report of my team's deliverable. You don't only save time discussing issues as they arise, you also create a certain peace of mind among everyone in your team.
2. Stop the blame game and take accountability.
Yes, we often fall into this trap of blaming other people. But someone told me that before you blame your staff when things go awry, blame yourself first because you were not on top of things or you did not bother to know the status of the team's projects.
3. Offer your thoughts, provide input, give feedback when delegating.
This is especially true for people in supervisory or managerial level. Passing on work is different from delegating. If you pass on everything, what on earth are you still there for? You should know everything that is happening "under your wing" and provide suggestions or comments to make the project better. On this note, make sure that when you delegate, you personally know how to accomplish this task yourself so you don't lose credibility and won't be accused that you are delegating just because or worse, because you cannot do it yourself!
4. Be reliable.
Have you ever noticed that there are people in the organization who are almost friends with everyone? He or she is everyone's go-to? Why them? It is simple. This is because they are easy to work with, always willing to lend a helping hand, always willing to listen, always willing to go the extra mile. Don't you want to be this person?
5. Be a positive agent in the team.
No one wants to be with a chronic downer. Feelings are contagious. Working relationship is affected by the moods of everyone in the team. Give a dose of happy pill everyday so work comes in breezy and light for everyone.
That's it, loves. Those are the little lessons I learned for today. Hope you get to apply them.
To quote Max Ehrmann in Desiderata, "Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing winds of time.
xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 96: Cheat Days

For several days now, I have committed to minimize my red meat consumption. This is in compliance with my doctor's prescription to strengthen my immune system. Last week, I consumed mostly chicken and fish. Today, in agreement with the husband, is my cheat day. Since we value our weekends because it is the only time we can really get to spend quality time together, we decided that Sundays will be exempted from my chicken-fish-seafood diet (we both love our steaks!)

Today, he prepared these really cute mini-pizzas for lunch. Husband is actually more versed in the kitchen so I am grateful for these little things (literally!) that he does for me. Pizza was made of salami and olives.

This is how the pizzas looked like after baking.

Today, I am grateful for a husband who is a homebody, a cook, a gardener, a mechanic, and a "tinkerman" wrapped in one. I am lucky.

How about you loves? How did your Sunday go?

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 95: 365 Days of Happy, 365 Days of Gratitude

Being alive means you are on a relentless expedition of highs and lows, laughter and sadness. The wheel of life just won't stop turning. How we wish that at a certain point in time, in ecstacy, in elation, everything just freeze in mid-air and we never leave that moment... EVER. We wish. We wish, indeed.

You hear this all the time -- the world is round, sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. You would often ponder how some people seem to always just be on the greener side. How does that happen? How do they freeze their "luck"?

The answer is they don't. They are just good at projecting their happiness than you. You never know what happens behind closed doors, inside their houses, deep in their hearts, deep in their minds.

Going through this 365 Days of Happy was tough. It was a self-imposition of forcing myself to see happiness in the little things in my life. It was self-serving, actually. I made it a project because I wanted to make myself see the brighter side of things. To prove that I can be happy everyday.

I am already nearing my 100th day of happy. But I don't consider each day a happy day. Sometimes, I struggle. You see that there are times when I do some back posts -- it means I am not in the mood to write, I am deadpan tired or I just haven't figured out a significant thing that made me happy. So I try to dissect my day. I may have a bad day but there is always that specific moment in the day that somehow made me happy.

And then, it struck me. Maybe I should stop being happy. I seem to struggle sometimes finding a moment that I am happy because there are really awful days. On the other hand, I could never run out of things to be grateful for. There could be days that I may not be happy in the same intensity as the others; heck, I may even have a bad day. But nevertheless, there is always a reason to be grateful. A fulfilling work. A work that is aligned with your personal vision. A nice boss. A lovely meal by the husband. No traffic. An empty parking slot. A cold shower after a hot day.

Hmm, now this is something. Despite its detour, I am glad that this project is now wheeled into its rightful, should I say, more appropriate, better and hopefully, a more fulfilling destination. The Attitude of Gratitude. I like it!

I am grateful for this realization. Now, I am all psyched. Gratitude vs Happiness. I think people who are grateful are happy but people who are happy might not be necessary grateful.

What do you think, loves?

Day 94: A Different Friday

"You're a lola," my friend quipped when I told her I didn't want to go out on a Friday night. No offense taken. I really do feel like a lola! Everything in my universe now is drastically changing. Quite surprisingly, I don't despise it. I know that this is in preparation for something big.

My Friday nights used to be a galaxy different from the ones I have now. I used to party all night, go home tipsy and waste all my Saturday nursing a hangover. This is a perfect Fri-DIE night for me. Death to sobriety!

Now, however, I am required to be healthier. I am taking a break from all the liquor. In fact, what used to be fun doesn't seem appealing anymore. Of course, the downside to this is not being able to spend time with my friends if they invite me for a drink. Yes, I could opt NOT to drink but man... Jack and Johnny -- they are too appealing to be around with and I do not know if I have the restraint to stop myself in their presence. So in the meantime, I distance myself from them.

So then, what was my Friday like? A nightcap with Chris Evans. A Mediterranean dinner. A full recognition of how my day ended and saying goodnight to it. Sane. Sober. Sleepy.

Ahh, Fridays. I still look forward to you despite severance from what is supposed to be fun. You offer me the glimpse of freedom. It's just we spend it a little more conventionally now, and I hope you don't mind.

xx,

Corporate Junkie

Day 93: Papa

Thank you for another year for Papa, Lord. Could never be more grateful.

Day 92: Someone Like You

Two years ago, I read Rubin's The Happiness Project. It is one of the books that triggered me to do my 365 Days of Happy. That, and my growing quest for not going back to manic-depression. Haha.

While we may not want to be friends with everyone, I believe that most, if not all, would want to be accepted by the people who matter to us. These tips from The Happiness Project have been very helpful and I would like to share them with you.

It is always nice to be accepted for who you are. But while we expect people to accept every little bit of our personality, we should also be conscious of who we are in their lives. People do not like to be with chronic downers or haters. As what you can see in Tip No. 4, we transfer traits. So let us be the people who we think other people would want to be friends with in the first place.

Be happy, loves!

xx,
Corporate Junkie

Day 91: Because Amici is Love

Amici is a restaurant close to my heart. We used to traverse the roads of Pasong Tamo from our old office to the canteen of Don Bosco to experience their awesome pizza, pasta and of course, the gelato.

Even now, when we want comfort food, we go to Amici at the Venice Piazza. It seems like most of the critical conversations that I have with my friends from work happen in Amici. It has become our stress-busting place which offers really good Italian food. The restaurant has two floors, an ambiance which is really homey (imagine picture frames of old photos hanging on its walls) and ample seating area.

I already have my staple here. Parmigiano Pizza (PHP248) al Pesto which is parmesan-coated pizza crust served with a side of pesto sauce. Equally good is their spinach artichoke. Same coated pizza crust with spinach artichoke dip. This can be good for 2-3 persons.

This one is my ultimate favorite -- Chorizo E Spinaci (PHP432). It is gourmet Spanish chorizo and spinach in white sauce. Good for 3-4.

For their pasta, I always order the Linguine Al Prosciutto E Tartufo (not in photo, PHP298) which is a flavorful combination of prosciutto (as the name suggests), truffle oil, porcini and shiitake mushrooms. Good for 2-3.

Here is a photo of their Linguine Al Salmone Cremoso (PHP318) which is basically linguine pasta in a creamy mix of salmon, white sauce and lemon.

To know more of Amici's menu, click here.

The Amici Story (from their website)

In June of 1994, Fr Gianluigi Colombo, a Salesian Italian priest in charge of overseeing the operations of the Don Bosco Printing Press, was given permission by Don Bosco management to set up a “canteen” to support its employees. Fr Colombo made the request to address the concern of its employees not having access to good food during lunch break.

The employees not only got good food to satisfy their hunger but authentic, freshly-made Italian dishes in a “turo-turo” setting. The friendly, familiar atmosphere made the foreign dishes that were new to their palette, less intimidating and phenomenal beyond anything they had ever tasted before.

Starting with Italian coffee and gelato, the canteen eventually introduced wood-fire oven baked pizzas and homemade pasta. Fr Colombo’s kitchen eventually became a taste of heaven where tired and weary “souls” found comfort.

By June 2001, Amici di Don Bosco (Friends of Don Bosco) was legally established as a business entity to also serve the needs of students studying in Don Bosco. The “turo-turo” was now known to many as a self-service canteen and eventually opened its doors to a broader market. However, it wasn’t the requirements of the printing press nor of the students of Don Bosco alone that kept Amici di Don Bosco’s stove burning.
News of great Italian cuisine prepared and served by priests and “ordinary people” inside a canteen spread like wildfire, attracting patrons from all over Metro Manila. From humble beginnings, the printing press cafe became known for authentic Italian pizza, pasta, and gelato.

Initially believing that it was the good Italian food that drew in the crowds, the employees eventually realized that they offered something much more. Customers experienced a certain warmth and charm whenever they came; where the staff treated each and every customer with special attention. People from all walks of life: expatriates and celebrities, white and blue-collar workers, housewives and socialites, flocked to Makati to experience Amici di Don Bosco. Every day, from 11am to 2pm, this inconveniently located “hole-in-the-wall” along Pasay Road would be packed with lines of patrons waiting to be seated!

Perhaps the novelty of the paradoxical situation became an attraction; Italian cuisine in a canteen setting, warm and excellent service by people who had no formal training: former carpenters, printing press laborers, and priests. Everyone was willing to share tables, eat using mismatched utensils, appreciate the same good food, and enjoy the same ambience of chaos brought about by good friends and family at the table!