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!

- Dec 5, '08 11:43 PM

A Funny Fine Flight

November 14, 2008
Up-in-the-air

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.

- Dec 5, '08 12:19 AM