New Bombay Express

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Indian
Location:	Glorietta 4 Food Choices, Makati City, Philippines

Got an uncontrollable yearning for some spicy cuisine while you are on-the-go?
Want to get a whopping whiff or treat your taste buds for those cumin, coriander, chilies and other exotic spices that zing by in your dreams?

While I go to New Bombay's swankier version in the same shopping mall not only for its food but for its eye-catching interior - if only to dream that I've gone to India or somewhere exotic in the Middle East - I think I'd bankrupt myself if I keep on doing so - especially as I love spicy food and indulge quite often.

So when I am in a great big hurry, I feel comforted knowing that I could always drop by the "express" version of their well-known restaurant.

Not only do you get the same taste, but the prices are noticeably lower than in their other restaurant - not surprising really as you pay for ambiance, service, and other pluses of dining out on a higher level than fast-food...whereas here you just grab your order and look for a free table and chair in the cavernous food court in Glorietta.

The con side of course when you pause in the haze of your burning desire for Indian food - is that since said food is marketed for those on-the-go, you can bet that they prepare the food in advance - so if you are the type to want food to be freshly prepared while you wait, well then... you may balk. But since the flavor is not diminished, I'm not one to nitpick in this area.

I am a vegetarian-wannabe, and I make sure to catch their vegetarian meal package.

Currently set as of this writing at Php 155 I have my choice of viand (I've become quite fond of their spinach with cottage cheese aka Palak Paneer), and the rest of my plate includes a samosa, rice and chapatti. Sometimes I get lucky and end up with their smokey Roasted Eggplant with Okra.

Although the meal already includes the ubiquitous cold soft-drinks or iced-tea generally preferred by the populace to combat the hot zing of this kind of cuisine, I can also always order an extra lassi - be it sweet or flavored.

A thanks to Marie for telling me about this other outlet ages ago when we first ate out at their other restaurant for an eyeball with some Kayumanggitos....

One hot dog...

CBD
Philippines

Some time ago...I was winging my way past Landmark (Department Store) when I suddenly braked...then abruptly backpedaled.

It was a hot and humid day. People were rushing about due to the heat....just like me.

What caught my attention?

There in front of me was this adorably cute dog who was obviously feeling a little hot under his fur...and collar!

This cute lil doggie was standing in front of an air-vent from said store and enjoying its full blast of air playing havoc with his well-brushed fur.

Granted it wasn't cold air, but it was at least a refreshing change from the hot air swirling around the numerous pedestrians.

I was in a rush myself, but with my puppy-dog eyes gazing imploringly at him, the dog's owner obligingly allowed me to take two quick snapshots before I rushed on my way again to the nearby mall, where I could partake of some free aircon meself *devious grin*

Pic taken with my Nokia 6300.

Plan for holidays at hometown

Start:	Dec 15, '10 7:30p
End:	Jan 17, '11 11:30a
Location:	Cebu City, Philippines

if I can still get my tickets for the dates I want...

Cebu, here I come!

reunions, christmas parties, kainan, inuman...*sigh*

though I will be bringing my work with me...its still a vacation since I won't be cooking hahaha!

Bday celebrants in Sept, Oct and Nov 2010! A person who will be celebrating his or her birthday within the months of September, October and November 2010 and will fly a domestic sector flown by Philippine Airlines from 16 September 2010 to 30 November 2010 will be entitled to get a Free of Charge (FOC) ticket on the same domestic sector. Check out the PAL website.

World Nomads - Keep Travelling Safely

http://www.worldnomads.com/
I just came across it as being recommended by Lonely Planet (amongst other things)...

could be covering a lot of countries...

Travel Insurance - InsureMyTrip.com

http://InsureMyTrip.com
Cost of travel insurance varies widely and depends on a lot of factors.

Estimates from various providers can be seen on this site.

Pinta Flores Festival

Start:	Nov 3, '10
End:	Nov 5, '10
Location:	San Carlos City, Negros, Philippines

This city in the sugar-producing island of Negros Occidental honors its patron saint, San Carlos Borromeo, with a pageant where participants with floral painted bodies dance in rhythmic beat as they wind through the major streets.



It features street dancing by "tribes" dressed in colorful ethnic-inspired costumes, their bodies painted with flower designs reminiscent of the tattoed Visayans of the Pre Spanish Negros.



pictures from the internet.

Karatsu Kunchi

Start:	Nov 2, '10
End:	Nov 4, '10
Location:	Kyushu, Japan

Celebrated at the Karatsu Shrine and known for its colorful parade of floats.

The festival, which begins on the evening of November 2 and concludes on the 4th, features daily parades of fourteen hikiyama. These are massive floats in the form of dragons, samurai helmets, sea bream, and other supercalifragilistic creatures, all constructed from lacquer, wood and other materials.

It is designated as part of Japan's important intangible ethnic and cultural heritage. Every year, over 150,000 (sometimes reaching 500,000) spectators crowd both sides of the street and give thanks for the year's harvest. After the festival, the floats are exhibited in the float museum behind Karatsu Shrine.





pictures from the internet

Thank you to Mommy Loy for her pasta ala limone recipe in my Arrabbiata post ages ago. I tweaked it to use the dab of butter AND oil from the fried bacon strips I tossed into the pasta. With my lemoncito and cut-up leftover cheese (sorry, no more grated cheddar in my ref), am having pasta diet :-) Bacon grease rules!

Just finished my first home-made leche flan with condensed milk made in my condo. A bit too sweet but its firm texture compensates for this extra sugar.

Tokyoite Urban Anthropology lesson: What is an "Obatarian"? Answer: This combines "oba-san" (older woman or aunt) and the suffix "-genarian". They are known for shouldering their way into buses and trains, generally getting their way and even terrorizing shop assistants. The male equivalent is "ojitarian" (oji-san is uncle or older man). They are generally sour and uncommunicative, pick their teeth in public and wear unfashionable clothes.

Autumn Foliage Season (Koyo) 2010

Start:	Sep 14, '10
End:	Nov 30, '10
Location:	Japan

The Autumn Color report for 2010 from japan guide!!



Colorful leaves (koyo) are to the Japanese autumn what cherry blossoms are to spring.

Starting in mid September, the "koyo front" slowly moves southwards from the northern island of Hokkaido until it reaches the lower elevations of central and southern Japan towards the end of November.

Some trees around Tokyo and Kyoto remain colorful into early December.

Note to self:
Look especially for maple tree! This goes through a minor spectrum of oranges and yellows before culminating in a fiery red....

patatas topped with blueberry jam and paired with green tea - perfect food experiment before going to sleep....zzzzz...(btw patatas na sopas...not soup and not the vegetable!)

Valugan Beach Intruders 1

June 27, 2010

Batanes, Philippines

Our group woke up very early.
We then sped to Valugan Beach (without breakfast!) in the hopes of catching the sun rise.











Of course, when you are in a big group, you cluster or disperse to the "best spots" ....but...you really have to strive to get a shot without any person in your viewfinder...









in fact, some "old-timers" who were there before us grumbled a bit saying we would be spoiling the scene.



I don't mind if people crowd way up front of me...I will just take them as part of the scenery and the experience.




I enjoyed just watching the sun slowly rise and turn the skies pink then a light gold...



Scattered around here are some pictures of our group members using their equipment to shoot the sunrise or the beach.

Below is a picture I grabbed from another group member to show how at one point some of us were positioned.

Salvaro and scrambled eggs...ah well..there's always a first time for everything...for dinner pa gyod...

Feudal Lord's Procession (Hakone, Japan)

Start:	Nov 3, '10
Location:	Yumoto Hot Spring Town City:Hakone-machi, Ashigara-Shimo-gun, Kanagawa, Japan

Daimyo Gyoretsu

The old Tokaido Highway that used to link Tokyo and Kyoto comes alive again with a faithful reproduction of the olden days' feudal lord's procession.

Picture from the net:


"The Daimyo Gyoretsu (feudal lord’s procession) brings to life the experience of traveling the Tokaido road with a total of 170 people dressed up as samurai warriors and princesses. The suite of retainers, each assigned with his role, and armed with spear, bow and arrow, or gun, march on as they carry their lord in the palanquin. The festival is made all the more merry by the performances of the marching bands at the front and at the very end of the daimyo procession, and the dance performances of the Geigi (women who entertain guests at sake parties with song and dance). Once the festival is over enjoy a relaxing bathing session at an onsen hot spring."

*thinks of only the onsen, never mind the Daimyo ..hehehe*

I'm beginning to detest the number 10.25 followed by the percentage sign. Whoever thought of loans with high interest rates should be beheaded....quartered, hanged, tarred and feathered, buried under a pile of old bones or something..

Rake Fair (Japan)

Start:	Nov 7, '10
End:	Nov 19, '10
Location:	Otori-jinja Shrine and other shrines City: 3-18-7, Senzoku, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Tori-no-Ichi

This fair in Asakusa features stalls selling lavishly-decorated RAKES (yes, rakes!).

The "kumade" rakes are thought to bring good luck and fortune. The good-luck rake is made of bamboo and is festooned and decorated with masks and koban (old gold coins), paper etc.

This famous annual event is held on the day of the Tori (Rooster) in Chinese calendar. Days of the rooster occur every 12 days in November, which means that the month of November has at least 2 or even 3 days of the rooster, depending on the year. The date changes every year as it is based on the lunar calendar.

This year, the day of the rooster seems to fall on 7th and 19th.

From the internet:

Btw, this is a woodblock print by Koizumi Kishio featuring the Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi Festival, September 1940.


Here's a link explaining about the fair's origins etc.
http://www.torinoichi.jp/english/index.htm

EID’L FITR (FEAST OF RAMADHAN)

Start:

Sep 10, '10

As September 10, 2010 as a regular holiday in the Philippines in observance of EID’L FITR (FEAST OF RAMADHAN).

Warm greetings to our Muslim brethren.

Seven-Five-Three Festival (Japan)

Start:	Nov 15, '10
Location:	Japan

Shichi-Go-San

This celebrates children of these ages (who were once thought of be in danger of imminent misfortune). Parents dress their children aged 3 or 7 (for girls) and boys aged 5 in miniature versions of kimonos, haoris and hakamas and go to the Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Because the date is not a national holiday, most families pay their Shichi-go-san respects on the weekend just prior to or after November 15.

A good photo opportunity!

Photo below from wikipedia:

Festival of the Ages (Tokyo, Japan)

Start:	Nov 3, '10
Location:	Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Jidai Matsuri

This festival takes after the much bigger and older one held in Kyoto a few weeks earlier (October 22).

On National Culture Day, locals dress in their colorful costumes to represent historic figures from their history and parade around the Sensō-ji temple (this is Tokyo's oldest temple) precincts in Asakusa.

Sample photo taken from wikipedia: