Battle of Mactan - Photo by Dionesio Grava (taken from Fort San Pedro, Cebu)

National Flag of the Philippines

Thank you to Dionesio Grava and the rest of the Facebook group, Mga Bisaya, for answering my question about the Visayan version of “Lupang Hinirang” (Tagalog) or the Philippine National Anthem.

Philippine National Flag by Dionesio Grava

July 9, 2011: Here is the Lupang Hinirang from GMA Network, Inc. (I am a Public Relations Consultant for GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and the forthcoming GMA News TV International Edition). Go to GMAPinoyTV.com — and if you haven’t subscribed yet, all the information is right there!

January 26, 2011

Today is my 25th anniversary of my arrival in the United States of America, having landed in “air-conditioned” San Francisco, California on January 26, 1985 — without any clue that I would be staying here. I flew in at that time to be my sister’s official family representative during her wedding. Our father had an untimely massive stroke in October 1985 — and aside from a pregnant younger sister, Noemi, who couldn’t travel, I was the only one who could fly to San Francisco at a moment’s notice.

Today is also the day that I announced to some of my mentors the following message: http://bit.ly/eYEhqZ (details are found in this link)

My sister, Myrna de Vera, is officially Vice-Mayor of Hercules, CA, thanks to fellow councilmember John Delgado’s nomination. Congratulations! Ang galing ng Pinay — and thank you to my special friends whose role as “villagers” in a “village raising a child” really helped out. Before you get too puzzled, those of you “who mentored me” know that I passed on many of your lessons, experiences, mistakes, and advice to my sister. From Alex E., Ben M., Rozita L., Yolanda S., Jose P., Loida N.L., Greg M., Mohinder M., Marily M., Jon M., Charito B., to Larry F. and other unmentioned villagers in the hundreds, thank you! Let’s keep building “the next generation of community advocates in an intergenerational environment” in every community worldwide! See the fruits of your labors (put on your headsets for the livestream!) at http://naffaar8.com/technology-in-empowerment-e-2010-naffaa-9th-live-on-ustream-on-nov-20/

I don’t know how the scheduling of mayorship works. Myrna, can you enlighten us with more information? If you are Vice-Mayor in 2011, then are you still scheduled to be Mayor in 2013 (one-year term)?

For those of you who are interested in Myrna’s platform (yes, she built her own political campaign website using a Google website template), here is her website: http://citizensformyrnadevera.com/

December 14, 2010
7:00 p.m.

Tonight, my younger sister, Myrna Lardizabal de Vera, is officially sworn in as a Councilmember of the City of Hercules, California. My brother, David, and my sisters Noemi and Belen, and I won’t be around BUT we are there in spirit. We spent time with Myrna, campaigning and experiencing the thrill of knowing that she was most likely going to make it.

Spending more than a month in the San Francisco Bay Area at that time was definitely worth it because we had our first-ever sibling reunion in the United States. Although I was very busy with my volunteer work as one of the core organizers of the E-2010: 9th NaFFAA Empowerment Conference, I brought all my work to my sister’s dining table, quite stressed yet relieved that I was present and engaged in her campaign process. Yet, it was my two sisters based in the Philippines who stood with Myrna in the early mornings when they took to the streets and waved at all the commuters.

We may not always be together — but we did take the time to have our family photo taken at Sears Studio in Concord, then happily made our way to Seafood City to shop for my brother’s Filipino groceries.

Of course, Adin Martin Villanueva, who handles Seafood City’s Northern California events, and veteran politician (and our acknowledged Senior American Idol) Rudy Fernandez convinced Myrna to make a public service announcement about her candidacy.

Now that Myrna is officially going to be a Councilmember tonight, together with another Filipino American, John Delgado, I can now say that there are THREE Filipino Americans (out of five) Councilmembers in Hercules, California. Is this a record in American political history books — or what? Tonight is a celebration of sorts. Myrna is also the FIRST FILIPINA AMERICAN to become vice-mayor in 2013 and then, will be mayor in 2014. She told me that Hercules has a good history of electing Filipino mayors. Let see, is she going to be the 6th Filipino American mayor of Hercules in 2014?

When I had initially written Myrna’s press release announcing her “feelers” about running for office in July 2010, I had also intentionally not mentioned other Filipinos running for office. Perhaps my own intuition guided me (o.k., I’m giving myself a pat in the back especially since I had known about the reality of the Filipino vote when my mentor, Ben Menor, had ran for Councilmember in the City of San Jose in the early 1990′s but the Filipino vote was split with another dear friend; i.e. they both lost!).

Everyone ran on their own merit, thank goodness! John Delgado, 1/4th Filipino by ancestry, lives in Hercules and works in San Francisco. Ditto with my sister. They got to know each other very well during their individual campaigns. So, all’s well that ends well. No negative Filipino split vote here. We learned, didn’t we, Ben?

Myrna also had a hard-core, dedicated group of campaign volunteers. Her husband, Manuel de Vera, multi-tasked as the campaign manager. There are many people to thank BUT I think I’ll let my sister do the honors. All I know is that all my friends who have been my worthy companions in our political empowerment activities these past many years have had a hand in helping Myrna reach “her place on the table.”

We truly are like a “village that raised a child,” my friends.

Here is the “thank you” video that my sister, Noemi, and I worked on (truly, I produced it while Noemi was the creative) that was shown to appreciative volunteers during the post-election party at Myrna’s home on November 2, 2010. I remember the night so well because I had to prepare for the Giants victory parade the next morning, dragging my Manila-based sisters with me for — work-related stuff! (This really does happen in the life of a public relations consultant!)

I took some Flip videos during the street rallies (a tradition in Hercules, California). This is the first time I’m making them into a movie.

While I wait for the photos to arrive in my INBOX for my Filipino American press friends, I decided that I could, at the very least, share my unedited article that I had written for Zee Lifestyle a few months ago, while Myrna was still going through the graduation activities of her three sons. The final article was edited to fit the space requirements. Someone had taken the photo of Myrna from the magazine. Here it is.

I thought that writing about my younger sister, Myrna Lardizabal de Vera, was going to be a “cakewalk” — easy and sure. I was wrong. My first profile about my self-assured sibling was a relatively effortless assignment. The article had been published by a Filipino American newspaper five years ago, heralding Myrna’s debut into politics when she was sworn in as a Planning Commissioner in the City of Hercules, California.

The perfect opportunity arrived when one of Myrna’s friends, Jojo Soriano, asked me for information about Myrna’s impact on our family life in Cebu City — from Mabolo to Lahug. Eureka, my “writer’s block” disappeared after his request! I just needed to capture the essence of Myrna’s metamorphosis from the “dollhouse” to the “powerhouse.”

The night Myrna was honored with a special recognition, Jojo’s introduction took her by surprise.

“You, however, were known as the ‘Pretty One!’ — a label you struggled with, growing up, since your family values intellectual prowess rather than external beauty. But this compelled you to do and be more,” Jojo informed the audience.

Our parents, Joe P. Lardizabal of Sariaya, Quezon and Sally Veloso Lardizabal of Mandaue City, did not encourage descriptive labels for us during our teenage years. Our friends were relentless. I was considered the “Friendly One,” Noemi Dado was teased as the “Sexy One,” and Belen Dofitas was praised as the “Intelligent One.”

“Tonight, your community and the Hercules Chamber of Commerce present you the SPECIAL RECOGNITION award. We’re simply saying to you, Myrna, that your father’s beautiful spirit lives on through you. Your sister Lorna’s mentoring and your creative response to tragedy have shaped you and made you the person who ‘responds beautifully’ to life’s circumstances; and we, too, recognize the healing effect of creativity amidst life’s painful circumstances. Your generosity to help out in front of the public or behind the scenes, we recognize, as well as having an abundant mentality. Give and it keeps flowing through you. And this is why, Myrna, you are the Special Recognition award recipient.”

“This moment is a major milestone in my life. I feel I have arrived ‘full circle,’” Myrna responded with a hint of validation. “Your award also means so much to me because you recognize me as a person — for all that I do, as Sylvia Serrano explained to me — not just as a woman OR not just as a Filipina.”

It had been a very hectic week for the woman previously acknowledged as “The Pretty One.” Three days before the event in Hercules, Myrna de Vera had been honored, together with nine other women from West Contra Costa County, at the John & Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts in nearby San Pablo. The West Contra Costa branch of the American Association of University Women and the Contra Costa College established the on-going CCC National Women’s Program to show appreciation to some of the local women who were making a difference in their communities.

Supervisor John Gioia mentioned, “The women on this stage are great role models for young women. They really seem to care about the community.”

Myrna explained how she had garnered the accolade for her community development work. “I think that the City Council appreciated my contributions in the Planning Commission for the past five years, where I served as the Chair for a couple of years. I am currently the Vice-Chair of the Commission. In fact, we rotate leadership roles in the Commission. My community is showing its gratitude for my volunteer work as the treasurer of Filipino-Americans of Hercules, my Pastoral Council and Fundraising Advisory Board membership at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Rodeo, California as well as my Chamber efforts, to name a few of the projects I’ve been involved in.”

A few months before her “double honors” week, Myrna received a working award from the Filipina Women’s Network. As one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US for 2009,” Policy Makers & Visionaries category, my sister promises to “womentor” one or more US-based Filipina women for a top leadership role in government, industry, or non-profit.

“It’s a very ordinary story,” Myrna insists, as she describes her transformational journey from being the shy, precocious child that Cebu raised to evolving as the confident, compassionate, and personable mommy citizen leader that the City of Hercules nurtured.

Since I am the oldest Lardizabal sibling, I recalled some little-known details. “When Myrna was about four years old in our first home in Mabolo, Cebu City, our brother, Oscar, would take her out on a ride inside his home-built car, which was really a chair placed upside-down on the floor. Our creativity and imagination were somewhat forced on us because we didn’t have many toys to play with.”

St. Theresa’s College in Cebu City was Myrna’s educational environment until our mother transferred all of us to her alma mater, the University of the Philippines. After spending her junior and senior years at the UP Cebu High School, Myrna studied at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, and finished with a B.S. Architecture degree. As a licensed architect, she worked in Manila-based architectural firms before moving to the United States.

During her first year in San Francisco, Myrna met another new immigrant, her husband, Manuel “Manny” de Vera, an Ateneo de Manila graduate with deep roots in Manila. During the first year of their marriage, Manny became an exclusive agent for Allstate Insurance in the Excelsior District, San Francisco. Myrna continued working for a couple of civil engineering companies where she learned CAD (computer-aided design). In the meantime, Mark was a bundle of joy for the first-time parents.

When the twins, Christian and Emmanuel, arrived three years later, Myrna opened her own Farmers insurance agency in Hercules. She enjoyed volunteering at the Hercules Chamber of Commerce. Although she was her customers’ “peace of mind” specialist, Myrna closed shop to become a full-time mother in 1999.

Myrna listed her duties like badges of honor. “Treasurer and registrar of the Hercules-Pinole Cub Scouts. Team Mom for some soccer games and Little League baseball games. Faith Formation teacher once a week at St. Patrick’s. Full-time chauffeur and chief cheerleader of my ‘boys,’ taking them to their games as well as martial arts classes and tennis matches. I was contented to be my children’s mommy citizen leader,” she noted.

Inspired by the resiliency of our family when faced with a series of deaths, Myrna found out that she could grieve and unleash her creative writing talent by attending a class at the Hercules Community Center. She discovered several books relating to ancient Filipino and Asian practices about dealing with water curses in the well-stocked Pinole Public Library. Myrna is still working on her first yet-to-be-published novel.

My sister’s desire for a simple family life was interjected with friends’ suggestions for her to be of service. Myrna said, “It took a resident of Hercules four years to convince me to volunteer. My excuse was that the boys were still so young.”

In 2005, Myrna decided to apply for the Planning Commission since she had the requisite credentials. Today, as a seasoned commissioner, Myrna de Vera is involved in approving various projects in their conceptual to final stages of planning.

“Empty nest” is a common word in the de Vera home after celebrating three graduation ceremonies. Mark graduated from the University of San Francisco with a B.S. in Business Administration degree, Minor in Performing Arts and Media Studies. Christian and Emmanuel have just left De La Salle High School in Concord, California.

Myrna discloses the importance of the family’s next milestone. “My hopes are that they discover their place in this world, have a positive impact, find true love, be safe and healthy, and be financially-independent. Right now, our utmost priority for the twins is preparing them for the universities they will enter during the Fall — after making such an important decision that can change one’s life.”

In 2009, 10 years after she closed the doors of her Farmers Insurance agency, Myrna purchased an existing Allstate Insurance Agency and its “book of business” in the busy corridor of 19th Avenue in the Sunset district, San Francisco. Her nascent entrepreneurial endeavors are starting to bear fruit.

Myrna de Vera’s inner powerhouse of energy, talent, intellect, and experience is waiting of the next chapter of her life story.

The “Cebuana” and “Americana” — formerly known as The Pretty One — isn’t ready to reveal her plans. My sister chose to share snippets of her acceptance speech when she was honored as ‘Woman of the Year’ of Hercules, California during the West Contra Costa County event.

“I believe that every woman is a citizen leader. She listens, she facilitates, and she arbitrates. In my ideal world of writing women back into history, I envision more mothers stepping out of their comfort zones and finding a vocation in community development, such as a planning commission. A mommy citizen leader would know how to work with dissonant voices in her community — and help all stakeholders find the common ground they can work on.

As author Marianne Williamson wrote: ‘We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.’

My message to all women and girls, wherever you are: ‘Be fearless! Just do it! And shine! Thank you!’”

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About the blogger, Lorna Dietz (in case you’ve noticed, my ABOUT LORNA DIETZ section isn’t updated). You can check me out at http://www.linkedin.com/in/radiantview.

Chicago, IL—Chicago-based, celebrity chef Ron Bilaro runs his first ever marathon on Sunday, October 10, 2010 for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga (meaning “to give care”), a global anti-poverty movement that was founded in the Philippines.

Bilaro, the host of the popular Fil-Am TV show, “Life…Pinoy Style,” which airs on Comcast and GMA Pinoy TV, is a long-time supporter of Gawad Kalinga. He has been preparing for the 26-mile Bank of America Chicago Marathon since March.

Running the marathon is not the first of Bilaro’s efforts to raise funds for the poor in his native country. In recent years, he has exhibited his culinary talent by preparing sumptuous dishes for private dinners benefiting the movement.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Bilaro has found success in the United States. He is one of the top graduates of the Le Cordon Bleu Program of The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (now called the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts).

After schooling, he worked his way up in restaurants first as a line cook and then as pastry chef. He became sous chef to Art Smith, who was then Oprah Winfrey’s executive chef. This opened doors for him as a much sought-after event planner and personal chef to prominent corporate personalities in the windy city and the west coast.

For a couple of years, Bilaro was also a food columnist for the Chicago Tribune, and published his first recipe book in 2009, and is now working on his second.

While the Fil-Am chef prepares expensive meals for his affluent clientele, he remembers the less fortunate back in his homeland, where 45% of the population lives on less than two dollars a day.

“Not many people know about the Philippines or the Filipinos or the poverty that is plaguing the country. I want to be able to help get the message out and somehow make a difference,” Bilaro says.

Gawad Kalinga builds homes and sets up livelihood, nutrition, health, and other programs for the poor, not only in the Philippines but in other countries as well, including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Cambodia.

To make a pledge in support of Chef Bilaro’s run, please go to: www.active.com/donate/GKHeroesRun2010/chefronforgk.

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A few years later, Barry went on to help launch Patio Filipino Restaurant in San Bruno, California. It is well-known for its cozy ambience and Filipino-Spanish cuisine in a patio-like setting.

Then again, another restaurant concept that took advantage of multiple rooms and exponentially, more function room space, convinced this intrepid entrepreneur to take another leap of faith. Thus, a fine dining concept with banquet facilities named “Intramuros Restaurant” was born in South San Francisco, California.

I thought that Barry was quite innovative in using his social media techniques when it came to promoting Intramuros Restaurant. He would make me salivate with his short video clips on his Facebook wall about the lunch buffet specials, happy hour menus (It’s super-valued that I called them dinner menus!), Crab Feasts, Karaoke Nights, and lots of entertainment — from the classic to pop culture.

One of my friends once told me that Intramuros Restaurant is this decade’s version of the defunct Tito Rey’s Restaurant or the Mabuhay Gardens, where Filipinos and Filipino-friendly gourmands would gather to eat and make merry… and yes, especially to see who among their friends would drop in.

It’s all worth it, Barry! The late hours, the juggling of schedules, and aligning common purpose and vision with your business partners. I am so proud of your growth as a restaurateur (this is the foodie speaking!) because you have succeeded in making the Intramuros Restaurant an elegant “five-senses” delight that makes me proud to bring in my family and friends. I feel as if I’ve been a part of your growth… Yes, I still have some recipes to share but that will come during one of my visits (that is, if you can spare the time to foodie-chat).

Keep the Filipino cuisine coming! My cousin, Marisa Abad, was so happy that we took the time to enjoy your dining room (leisurely!) that she brought her friends there to celebrate someone’s 80th birthday party. Another classmate, Cynthia Bernaldez Gaabucayan, also brought her family there. So many friends are flocking to your sacred space in Filipino cuisine. Wait till I take my momblogger sister (aka a very popular food blogger in the Philippines with two blogs, Pinoy Food Blog and Food Photo Blog) to enjoy your exquisite culinary delights. I’m not saying anything to her. We’ll just go unannounced — and I will just have to see what my food blogger-sister has to say about the Intramuros Restaurant.

I’ll be coming back to this blog posting so I can update it.

Let’s ring in the TRIPLE 10 Celebration — on October 10, 2010 — or 10-10-10 — when Barry Picazo invites us to celebrate in style — where else? — at the Intramuros Restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bon appetit!

Pinoy Street Food Festival at Intramuros Restaurant, South San Francisco, California

I’m also including one of your Crab Fest posters as a souvenir in my blog.

For those of you who want to know how to cook Intramuros Restaurant’s Crispy Binagoongan over Grilled Eggplant, click here for the recipe.

Here’s Christina Dunham from Filipinas Magazine Online with Barry Picazo in an episode from the Filipinas Magazine Show on GMA Pinoy TV.

Roger Pe, an advertising creative, sent some of his Facebook colleagues a link to an OP-ED at Inquirer.net today. The opinion editorial’s title was OLD CRONE.

Here are some snippets from this OP-ED.

FOR OLD timers nostalgic over the old Manila Hotel, its management’s tussle with the Government Service Insurance System over alleged unpaid loans, said to have ballooned to P17 billion because of interest, seems like a mere quibble when compared to the more worrisome reality: the Old Glory is gone; all that remains of the Grand Dame is a pitiable shell of her old self – an old crone going the way of history in the most dejected of exits.

Then, the OP-ED apprised us about the latest development.

But the first sacrilege committed against the Grand Dame was not the pollution but the defacement of her façade. On the corner of the green tropical roof of the hotel facing the walls of Intramuros is her name in quite ungraceful graphics. As if that were not enough, the graphics appear again at the side of the roof fronting the Quirino Grandstand. The redundancy antedated – and, perhaps, presaged – the manic passion for billboard construction around Metro Manila: it reinforces the fact that much of the loss of the quality of life in the metropolis owes to crass commercialism, slapdash development, and the regulated chaos that makes up for urban planning in the otherwise overly regulated and bureaucratized regime obtaining in the Philippines.

I searched Youtube to see if there were any old photos from the grand old days of The Manila Hotel — and I found one about a “Manila Hotel Family Reunion” held at the home of Connie and John Santos at the Hacienda Heights, California, on June 30, 2007. I hope these friends don’t mind that I’m including them in my blog entry to validate what I’m talking about — the Manila Hotel’s family spirit! (Thank you in advance!)

Here is my reply to Roger’s letter to us, his Facebook friends.

Roger, et.al.

I am so sad to hear about the way The Manila Hotel is being treated today. There is still hope, you know.

I am a direct witness to the rebuilding of the old Manila Hotel back to its old “glamour charm” in 1977. Although I missed the actual day of the grand reopening — when methuselah bottles of champagne were poured like water for its guests — I was an intern for my final semester (practicum student) there, a requirement for the B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Administration degree I was pursuing at UP Diliman. There were only five UP students chosen among the graduating class. We had to go through interviews like any other potential employee. All of the employees were practically new, taken from “the best of the best” from all over the hotel industry. Noemi Javier, Guia Sason, Desiree Obana, Violeta Albulario, and I were the chosen few, which meant that we had to work harder to prove that students from the University of the Philippines could handle the pressure. I remember that Mrs. Cruz from Human Resources somehow took a liking to me — maybe because I was this wide-eyed Cebuana who spoke impeccable English with an inquisitive, learning mindset.

The “old crone,” Manila Hotel, was definitely a grand lady. Do you remember the way the movie “Titanic” was filmed, as if you felt you were entering a wondrous world of delight? The Manila Hotel, in 1977, was just like that — and more. There was a revered history. Employees would share with me that, oftentimes, ghosts still haunted the old part of the hotel.

The first person who made a distinct impression on how I would evolve as a customer service professional was The Manila Hotel’s General Manager, Franz Schutzman, one of the most distinguished hoteliers in Asia. I recall that he told the practicum students that it was a standard practice for him to allow a hotel guest’s shoes to be left outside his room for overnight shoe polishing. I was totally awed by Mr. Schutzman’s presence because he was considered an icon in the hotel industry. Plucked from Singapore’s Raffles Hotel, this legendary, engaging, witty, wiry-haired older gentleman had known the likes of my literary heroes such as W. Somerset Maugham. Franz had also concocted the popular cocktail, the Singapore Sling. Thus, I knew I was directly experiencing his expectations about how a true five star hotel should be managed.

Since I came by bus from the UP Balara stop in Katipunan Road every day, I had to be awake by 4:00 am so I could catch the 5:00 am bus. The Philippines was experimenting on its first-ever Daylight Savings Time (and its only time to do it) so you can imagine how dark my early mornings were. I was a fearless young woman, bringing my clothes and make-up in a satchel bag, who endured a dusty, non-air conditioned ride to Luneta (Rizal Park). My efforts to put as little attention to myself during these rides were successful. No one bothered me inside and outside the bus.

As a practicum student, we had to stay at least three or four days — or even a week — in a department. An employee would be assigned to train us and guide us through our responsibilities. The final result of our practicum was my written final report that had to be submitted so we could be considered for graduation.

My most humbling two-day experience was with the Housekeeping Department. When I took a look at the housekeeping department’s arsenal of supplies, I was struck by the hotel’s superior attention to detail regarding the items found inside hotel rooms. Souvenir items were definitely well thought out. I remember that there were replica cigar pipes for VIP guests, probably similar to the ones General Douglas MacArthur, one of Manila Hotel’s most famous residents during World War II era, used.

I accompanied one of the housekeeping staff so I could help her clean a guest room. This was where I learned that I had to start my systematic cleaning at the door — and end at the door, treating the room like a circle. When it came to changing the sheets, I had no clue that bed-making (for superior hotel standards) was so difficult. I swear that there were nine layers of an assortment — sheets and blankets — before a Manila Hotel bed could be called “a made-up bed.” I could only imagine that each housekeeper had to be very physically fit to handle these responsibilities.

I remember visiting the MacArthur Suite. White. The rugs were white. I felt that I was stepping into one of the most luxurious rooms inside the hotel.

Then, Mrs. Cruz took the time to proudly show the Penthouse Suites to the practicum students. Some of the Philippines top designers had been in charge of transforming each penthouse suite to a one-of-a-kind residence, with an in-house butler included.

Another memorable experience was the way the housemen cleaned the crystals of the Spanish-style chandelier in the grand ballroom. These individual crystals had to be brought down and cleaned one by one. Thus, the sparkling presence of The Manila Hotel Ballroom was for real.

The front doors of the hotel seemed like sparkling glass jewels. The white uniforms (and white gloves) of the bell captains made every person who entered the hotel feel special.

My duties at the Front Desk, Concierge, Airport Representatives, and Night Audit were supervised by Lorraine Forbes, who would eventually teach at UP. Who wouldn’t want to work at the Front Desk? The guests were like a “Who’s Who” from all over the world. My first real experiences in customer service were done at this Front Desk. I watched and learned how objection handling was done, too.

The Lobby Lounge evoked such a genteel charm because a young, handsome pianist — Joselito Pascual — transformed this cavernous area into an intimate gathering place, tinkling those ivory keys with passion. Many years later, in 2005, Joselito and I made our acquaintance in San Jose, California at a benefit dinner where Stephanie Reese and he were the headliners. We had a good time recalling our Manila Hotel days.

I had hosting duties at the main formal dining room — The Champagne Room. I had to wear my burgundy formal gown (the only formal I owned) so I could qualify for host duties. There was a rack full of jackets for the men guests to choose from, in case they entered the dining room without the proper attire. Imagine that!

Yet, it was the Jungle Bar next door that captivated me. The women wait staff wore tiger-striped, sexy outfits. The ceiling was full of emerald, glass-like leaves. One night, when there were no hotel executives in sight, in the dark, I crawled my way to the bar and asked for a complimentary Pina Colada. Of course, the obliging bartender humored me.

I remember that I spent more than a week in the kitchen. From the garde manger to the pastry department, I worked the way any intern did: guided by one of the chefs. Marcos Marcos, a Spanish chef who only spoke Spanish, must have thought I was charming or naive that he would greet me by literally lifting me off the floor and swinging me around a few times before landing me gently on my feet. Would this have been misconstrued as inappropriate employee behavior? Absolutely not. Manila Hotel’s employees were the most professionally-trained yet likeable people in my student world. They treated each other like family members.They shared their knowledge and wisdom — and took us under their wings.

Some of the things I learned at the Manila Hotel’s kitchen are indispensable: how to debone a Lapu-Lapu (fish) without cutting the skin and how to make little animals out of almond paste. I never did get to learn how to debone a chicken properly.

It was the hotel’s cafeteria where we all gathered during our breaks. We were happy to be served the hotel buffet’s leftovers-of-the day. Everything had to be made fresh for the guests. Here we were, feasting on gourmet delights for free.

The stress was there, all right. I know this well because many employees smoked — and so did I. My first cigarettes were smoked right there at the cafeteria, HOPE cigarettes. My friend-in-crime was Charlie Barcelona from the Concierge department. Charlie and other group members I hung out with, like Punch Martinez of the Airport Representatives department, would gather at Violeta Albulario’s home in Quezon City, where we would chat, sing, and play the guitar, through the late night.

Working with the airport representatives made me realize how interconnected each department was in making a hotel guest’s stay the perfect one. If you had met Punch then, a guest would think that this huge, mestizo, fast-talking man was one of the hotel’s sales executives meeting him — and he was clearly the hotel’s ambassador, definitely formidable and likeable.

The Sales Department was another department that I remember fondly. While I waited for the assistant sales manager to work with me, I remember seeing Elsa Payumo walk in, bringing in the same air of confidence that was prevalent all over the hotel. After all, she was the sales manager. Every day was a nice fashion show in front of my face. Yet, I was shocked that when they were stressed, the words “fuck” and “shit” were expressions they used in the office — wiithout customers in sight, of course.

These are a few of my favorite memories of The Manila Hotel. Sophisticated. Superior Customer Service. Clean, clean, clean. Beautiful gardens. A green roof.

I hope that the owners, its employees, and the hotel’s future investors can bring back The Manila Hotel’s old glory, now that they are getting a practicum student’s memories.

Let the wise crone of The Manila Hotel evoke its wisdom and old world charm!

I found some YouTube videos that reminded me about the stuff that I know or the products that I need to check out. This is for my nieces to enjoy — and for my nephews to understand the intricacies of Beauty Basics.

My Skin Care Routine for “flawless looking” skin (by Kandee)

I found this video particularly fascinating. A lot of the products can be found at General Nutrition Stores or Whole Foods. Since Kandee is much younger, she definitely doesn’t need any Hormone Replacement Therapy, so she avoids soy products that had caused her skin break-outs.

Skin Care Using Drugstore Products

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Make Up For Ever (at Sephora)

My sister, Noemi Dado, introduced me to this brand. She has been doing a lot of TV interviews lately so this has been known to be HD compatible, meaning, the camera is quite forgiving about showing our wrinkles and face-imperfect flaws. This is going to be perfect for future photo and video shoots.

Here is one review:

Make Up For Ever HD Powder

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From Everyday to Wedding Day Makeup Part 1

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From Everyday to Wedding Day Makeup Part 2

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Blush

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How To Appy False / Fake Individual Eyelashes by Kandee

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Threading Eyebrows

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Blow-Dry Your Hair

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Romantic Hair-Do’s

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Quick Easy Hair Up-Do

Now that spring is here (it snows during spring, too!), I’ve decided to collect the contact information of my friends’ favorite foodie hangouts so I can pull up this list from my Blackberry when the need arises.

1. COOBAH RESTAURANT
http://coobah.com/
3424 N. Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 528-2220

Originally recommended to me by my colleagues at Filipinas Magazine, our visit one winter evening turned out to be a gastronomic delight. Described as LATINO FUSION CUISINE (think Cuba, Spain, Brazil meets the Philippines), our menu selections that day showcased a delicate blend of influences… But I’m not spoiling your appetites. Just make reservations early!

Some of the appetizers and entrees that we tried — aside from the delicious mussels — were:

Fried Calamari – Seasoned with a blend of dry roasted Philippine sea salt and black pepper served with sambal cocktail sauce

Pork Tenderloin Bicol – Lean pork tenderloin stuffed with shrimp, bacon, coconut and pineapple served with jasmine rice, seasonal vegetables and peppery adobo glaze

Zarzuela – Rustic Catalonian seafood dish with shrimp, mussels and scallops cooked in a saffron, white wine and roasted tomato broth served with grilled baguette

2. SMOQUE BBQ
http://smoquebbq.com/
3800 N Pulaski Rd
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 545-7427
The best baby back ribs — and the best barbecued foods in Chicago, according to Ron Salazar. This is on my wish list!

Reviews can be found here.

3. BUENOS AIRES DELI
Neighborhood: Cragin
3100 N Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 685-4241

Ron Salazar found another place for me to try (he likes to record these nice finds in his Facebook, lucky me!).

“Another great find on Chicago’s Northwest side…From a YELP, “…this place is amazing. All sorts of Argentinian and S. American delights. …They have Argentine soccer stuff, food, EMPANADAS, groceries and . . .WINE. Delicious wine from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and all over S. America …The staff is v. friendly and so enthusiastic about their Argentinian culture and country. A real GEM!”

Some reviews can be found here.

4. SUPERDAWG DRIVE-IN
http://www.superdawg.com/
6363 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL 60646
How to get there: Click here.

My husband’s favorite place. It’s really like an old-fashioned drive-in restaurant with a genuine car-hop service (if you want to eat inside your car). In Chi-Town, you don’t use ketchup for your hotdogs, honest. For vegetarians, look for their tempura-like veggies. Yummy!

This is where I didn’t dare take the Oyster Shots, but maybe someday I will! As one of the first intimate restaurants that the Siap family took me to in Chicago, the sushi here is absolutely divine! Aside from the owners and staff who exemplify exemplary customer service, of course.

6. NOON O KABAB
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisine
http://www.noonokabab.com/
4661 N. Kedzie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625

Padma Mangharam Siap brought me to one of her favorite restaurants in Chicago. If you like Persian cuisine, this is the place for you. I especially like their chicken in pomegrante sauce.

We are conveniently located right across the street from the CTA Brown Line Kedzie Ave. station and one block south of Lawrence and Kedzie Ave. and have ample street parking as well as parking available next to our Take-Out/Delivery Kitchen.

7. CAFE IBERICO (TAPAS BAR)
http://www.cafeiberico.com/
739 N. LaSalle Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 573-1510

The first Spanish tapas bar in Chicago that Ron Salazar and the Siap family introduced me to. I know that Shana Siap loves this place! Talk about pitchers of Sangria. Wowowee! I enjoyed the tapas. One diner commented that some of the tapas were quite bland. I disagree. The tapas were very flavorful and not too salty. I think Filipinos will enjoy their menu offerings! This is another restaurant wherein you must make reservations.

My husband’s colleagues at United Airlines invited us to this charming tapas restaurant in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs at Arlington Heights, 10 minutes from our home. I enjoyed the Paella!

9. PORTILLO’S HOTDOGS
http://www.portillos.com/portillos/
Portillo’s – Rolling Meadows, Illinois
1900 W. Golf Road
Rolling Meadows IL 60008
(847) 228-0777
For more locations, click here.

There’s a LOT of ULTIMATE hotdog places in Chicagoland. No ketchup, please! The attractive dining atmosphere makes it convenient for families to gather in huge groups. Sometimes, I just want to eat their decadent chocolate cake or munch on their salads.

In Facebook, the name of the cause is DEFEND UP.

On the internet, it’s UP Naming Mahal.

Here’s some snippets that I found from the Facebook group.

Positions:

1. U.P. Cebu High School is threatened for closure.
2. The threat is more palpable and pressing as ever, as the Executive Committee recently voted for the downsizing of the high school.
3. The Dean has even proposed closure.
4. Please pledge your support for this cause by filling up the form at the website indicated below:

I PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CEBU HIGH SCHOOL.

FROM SUNSTAR Cebu

UP high school students, alumni protest closure
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

“We stand firm and united against the persistent threats to close UP Cebu High School as this is an apparent violation of the mandate of the University of the Philippines to provide service to the Filipino people. It is likewise a disservice to the Cebu community as the UP Cebu High School stands as the only school in Central Visayas to provide a democratized admission policy giving preferential admission to underprivileged but intellectually deserving students.”

My comments: I would imagine that the administration, faculty, students, and alumni can find common ground by working together AND not antagonizing each other. (If President Emer Roman reads this, she would know that I’m here to help out and that I am writing this from my personal perspective and professional assessment as a public relations practitioner.)

Maybe it would be a good idea to share with you why I feel so strongly about defending the continued existence of UP Cebu High School.

I may not have been a UP Cebu High School student but I had many friends there. Many of the students, after the high school opened its doors in 1972, were like my “kids” because I was their “den mother.” I was also the older sister of Noemi, Oscar, Myrna, Reuben, Belen, and David (the Lardizabal kids) — who all went to UP Cebu. Trivia: I was one of the first UP College Cebu freshmen who re-opened the College department in 1973.

If someone can visit Thelma Gallardo at Cebu Medical Supply, please convince her to find the movie (yes, an actual movie, not a video) of our first UP Cebu college intramural games. A copy should really be made for the archives.

The spirit of UP lived within us.

Our batch of students lobbied to pay for a quonset hut in the grounds so it could be used as our outdoor classroom but we were denied the rustic environment but praised for our initiative and enthusiasm. Wilson Gaw had the blueprints, I recall.

The acclaimed Freddie Santos and I were classmates in the first semester. Freddie had just arrived from the United States. He tried to teach me tennis but I kept getting a Love Set. After two weeks, I lost 10 lbs. A benefit of Freddie’s tennis lesson was that I was able to sashay in between the columns of the main building’s entrance during a Christmas Play that I wrote and Freddie directed. I’m sure he was not happy with my script — but hey, at least he did teach me how to do a Va-Va-Va-Voom prostitute’s dance toward the pearly gates of heaven (Freddie played the role of St. Peter).

Some of the boys in my class used the main building’s classroom walls as their pelota court, yes we did. We were the first CRAZY DAY people. Alex Arnado and I made a parody of Dolphy and Nida Blanca’s roles in the popular TV sitcom, “John and Marsha.” Philip Rodriguez was Sluggo. Wilson Gaw came as a transvestite with a long-haired wig. If I can find my photos, I’ll post them, not to make fun of my classmates, but to show people that UP Cebu was vibrant as a “well-rounded place of learning” even if we had to work with limited resources.

We knew how to study hard and play hard.

Then came “Up the Down Staircase” musical, the mastermind of Allan Jayme Rabaya, which was based on the book and movie of the same title BUT with original compositions by Allan. Danny Alfonso played the “bad boy” student, Ester Ceniza Isberto was the teacher. Jocelyn Lim Borromeo (a Masters degree student) and I alternated in the secondary lead role of Bea, a fellow teacher. I seem to remember Nelson Fuentes, Allan Dolores, and Alvin Alazas being a dance trio in this production. Mind you, at that time, we didn’t have those fancy microphones attached to one of our ears so we could sing. We had to be good singers and dancers — and make sure our voices could carry to the last row of the Sacred Heart Girls High School auditorium. After all, this showed everyone that all of the UP Cebu’s departments could work together.

UP Cebu even became a movie set. There was this Visayan movie that Gloria Sevilla produced about a Filipino “Tarzan and Jane” filmed at the back of the old main building. We were fascinated by Chanda Romero who played “Jane.”

To this day, I will always remember that it was Helen Banez who made sure we could communicate well in the English language. “Keep it short, concise, and effective!” Mrs. Banez would say to us when we wrote our essays and short stories. “Always revise, revise, and revise!” was another piece of advice she would intone.

Former UP President Dodong Nemenzo and my managing editor at Filipinas Magazine, Gemma Nemenzo, had “a class act” for a father. He taught Biology without any books. Professor Nemenzo also walked from his home to the college campus, wearing a loose, tunic-style, long-sleeved white shirt, black pants, and his almost-Fedora hat. “Epiglottis” and “corpus luteum” were some of the words I remember from his classes.

The late Mr. Perez taught us Spanish while Mr. Manuel made sure we understood our Chemistry. Agnes Brigoli flunked me in Math 11 (Basic Math). Yet it was the late Migs Enriquez who delighted us with the history of the Philippines, according to him. Mig’s words (and a vision of him smoking a cigarette) would later on reverberate in my head when many students from UP Diliman attended a peaceful IMF rally outside St. Theresa’s College-Manila sometime in 1976, watching nuns and priests fly into the air from the force of the water cannons (not colored pink at that time). It was my first real taste of terror as many of us hid inside a nearby public parking garage. There was Mrs. Yap, always wanting us to mind our manners and get our share of Physical Education. And it was the artistic Lucille Aguas who taught our Humanities class the best way she knew how. She made us paint and she made us analyze the themes of the music scores that we chose. I loved Wagner so it was easy determining what the main theme of the composition was. Lucille also taught us to appreciate the various artistic genres. So, yes, I know the difference between an Impressionist and a Cubist (Picasso) painting. I understood what “chiaroscurro” was all about.

Sharing these intimate details about some of my experiences at UP Cebu is really meant to ask all of the students and alumni, as well as its supporters, to share their own stories. People will not help in a fundraising campaign if they cannot find an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION to the cause. So, start sharing your stories. There’s a blog just for you. For Facebook users, there’s this discussion board that’s available.

Last year was UP’s Centennial Celebration. I think it is timely, once again, for us to review where UP has been and where it’s going.

And if any of you happen to be in the US this early September, do join us at the UP Alumni Association in America biennial Convention and Grand Reunion. GIVE VOICE TO YOUR CAUSE!