19 - Sunday morning rain is falling

It is when you're breaking down and you have no one to turn to that you will realize how helpless you are -

It is during mornings when you're lying and crying your heart out on your bathroom floor and no one answers the phone;

It is at night when you lull yourself to sleep, hugging tight your pillow and kissing goodnight your dried tears;

It is at random days when you feel pain in your chest, and sobs turn to wails but there is no one to hold on to.

Sometimes you ask yourself why is it that people only love you when you're happy? 

What about when you're lonely, or in grief? Ahh. But who wants a broken toy when one could easily put his hand on a new one? Who wants to see a lover hanging on to dear life on a bathroom floor when there's someone out there who would sing in karaokes with him? Good times. Who would want to kiss away tears on nights when he could just rendezvous and taste that someone else's happy lips?

When all else fails, who would be there for you when you need it most?

And when all else fails for someone else, will you be with her, all the way?

18 - On Tabletop Games & Free WiFi

We live in a time where facebook/four-square check-ins and snapchats are cool; and importance is measured in the number of likes and followers that one could get in social media. While internet has paved way for us to connect with everyone who’s online, it has also disconnected us to the ones we are physically close to. I often see people hang-out in coffee shops and restaurants with their heads on their phones instead of engaging in a conversation with the ones they are with. They are browsing their facebook feed perhaps looking for the latest chikas, snapchatting their food or taking their selfies, tweeting their opinion about whatever’s trending, and so on. We seem to have this dire need to “connect” and showcase whatever’s happening in our lives. Thus, telecommunications companies are now offering affordable MB packages and “unlimited” internet to their users. It is no secret however, that connections can get really crappy at times. With this being said, one of the frequently asked questions when visiting a coffee shop/restaurant/hotel is this: “May free wi-fi po ba kayo?” (in English: Do you have free wi-fi?). We just cannot last a day without checking our social media accounts!

It has also come to my knowledge the tragic outcome of a recently held music event. What this generation has failed to understand is the fact that you can be sober and still have the laugh of your life. Yes people, it is possible. I grew up playing table top games - chess, visionary, word factory, millionaire’s game, bingo cards, even tong-its and pusoy dos. I grew up with ISP Bonanza and dial up connections wherein you only get to “friendster" and check your mail when it is important. I grew up knowing how to communicate with the people I am dining with. Even now that I am in my 20s, I am still collecting tabletop games for my sessions with my friends (my latest buy was “Battleship”) because we are past the drink until you drop stage. So, you probably cannot imagine my joy when we discovered “Lanterns Game and Grub”, a newly opened resto in Antipolo. What differentiated this cool hang-out place from everything else is this: their table top games collection which you may pick from once you’ve placed your order! Yaaay! <3 Located at the 2nd Floor of E-Max Building, Circumferential Road (near Ynares Center), it is the first board game resto in the city. The gimmick is so “fetch”. :D 

For the place it is a 4.5/5 (even though there was no free wi-fi. I believe it is just right because guys, you seriously have to interact. Upload the damn pictures after the visit okay? This could’ve been a 5 but when we visited, the room temperature was a little bit warm for my liking. Summer in the Philippines is just … )

Also here’s a good look on their menu for your reference. Note though that this is a newly-opened resto and they are still building up their menu:

P.S The doodles make a really good background. :D 

Here’s what we ordered… [I did not rate those items that I did not taste test. But I wrote my playmates’ opinion(s) on the subject].

First on the drinks: I ordered Chocnut Banana Shake P120 (3.5/5), while my playmates ordered Chocolate Shake (3/5), Cookies and Cream (4/5), Lemonade Tea (unrated) and Mango Shake (unrated). Well we definitely enjoyed our milkshakes, except that one of my playmates commented on the mango shake as somewhat “lacking". We had to ask one of the staff to have this remedied. I have to give them a 5 for the very friendly staff - our comments were well-received and they were very patient with us when we asked them to teach us how to play some of the unfamiliar tabletop games). Other than that, everything else is good. (Note, cookies and cream is still the best! It is not yet in the menu since it was an addition after the soft opening.)

Cookies and Cream on the side while enjoying a good game of crocodile whatever

Banana chocnut loving while building our own cat tower

Kuya is patiently teaching us how to play this Game of Thrones board game.
It was a pain in the ass but really looked fun.

Amazed at this Jenga-like game titled Suspend.

Second, on the appetizers/finger food/grub: We ordered Pulled Beef Nachos P180 (3.5/5), Onion rings P160 (3.5/5), Blueberry Waffle P120 (unrated), White Truffle Cream Pasta P190 (4/5) and Margherita Pizza P250 (unrated).

Pulled Beef Nachos drizzled with cheese, bacon and jalapenos

Onion Rings P160

The onion rings were crunchy and fried to perfection! It was a little bit too oily however, and the onion strips were thin. But so what, I'm definitely getting this again on my next visit. Finger foods go well with "bored" games!

Blueberry waffle P120

My playmates enjoyed this very much, they might be willing to give a 4 or 5 on this! (plus, it's cheap).

White Truffle Cream Pasta P190

I am not a fan of cream based pasta but when I took a bite on this one, well I can't deny it was good! Will definitely try their chicken pesto next time.

Margherita P250

I would've tried this one, sadly I ate two slices of Papa John's pizza before going here. My playmates were insisting it was good. Will definitely try this when I come back on Saturday (yes, this Saturday. I just can't wait to come back here and play all the games lol)

Here's a snap of their tabletop games collection:

Some of the games we played:

Tic Tac Toe x Lift it! x Cards Against Humanity x Suspend x
Cat Tower x Game of Thrones x Telestrations

And some fun shots during our game night:

Kagat labi while "lifting it!"

Roma's moment of glory

playmates!

playmates v2

Life is a game of tic tac toe... Lolwhut?

Happiness level 9999999999999. Will definitely be back! And I am sharing this place with you guys so you could come visit and experience the fun! Tara, laro tayo!

Love,

Cheng

P.S We need places like this. Places where we are not slaves of our mobile phones and free wifi is not needed and the only use of internet connection is to google search the mechanics of an unfamiliar game.

UPDATE:

As promised, I've been visiting this place since we've discovered it & I've been trying out the other choices in their menu.

First, they added strawberry milkshake yuuuum! Baguio feels right here <3

And of course, as a self-professed pesto lover, I tried their pesto pasta. While in all honesty I really loved the pesto sauce, the chicken I did not like so much :P (3/5)

But the best I've tried so far is this, s'mores! <3 Grabe sweet things talaga are <3 <3 <3
Giving this a 5!

My new favorite board game would be this, Ticket to Ride! Saw this in Lazada and they were selling it for around P2k plus. HUHU I promise pag-iipunan talaga kita.

Some of the photos during my subsequent visit (with a different set of playmates):

with our baby playmate

support system since HS!

17 - Yellow Lantern and as to why Magneto is my favorite mutant

Sweeten your life with euphoric bread and vanilla ice cream on top. Yum!

Antipolo is nearly unrecognizable to me despite having lived here almost all my life. Having lead a busy life for the past three years or so, barely looking at my surroundings, it felt like all the establishments and restaurants proudly rooted and standing on Antipolo soil as of today were built over night. There is a whole lot of them and I can’t wait to try e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! Oink!

So for tonight, I bring to you Yellow Lantern Cafe located at M.L Quezon (across Puregold, Victory Mall and beside Gasti). They have another branch located at Sumulong Hi-way btw (near Cafe Lupe). 

First off, Pesto pasta P299 (2/5). Note: The pasta serving was actually good for sharing! The chicken’s breaded and fried (not bad, but I do not like breaded chicken so it’s a minus point here), the pesto sauce has a creamy feel to it (not bad, but I prefer it to taste like it’s purely oil-based. I do not know why it felt and tasted creamy on my tongue when it doesn’t look creamy at all). Well, it's okay all in all and still worth the try.

We also ordered Spaghetti Bolognese P255 (3/5). My 3-year old nephew KC really loved this. If he’s the one to give a score, I’m sure this would be a 5/5. However I’m only giving it a 3 because I do not like my spaghetti sweet. So yes, this one’s good for kids and adults who love a Filipino-style spaghetti - sweet, saucy, cheesy and beefy!

my nephew KC enjoying his spaghetti

We also ordered nachos P289 (3.5/5). The serving’s good for more than 3 people actually. It is seasoned with cheese, jalapenos and ground beef, with salsa on the side. Pampulutan (lol)

What I enjoyed the most is the dessert. Euphoric Bread Pudding with Ice Cream P140 (4/5). The bread is soft and fluffy and it melts (my heart is melting too).  It is sprinkled to what looks like cinnamon and gosh the vanilla ice cream goes perfectly with it. Euphoria indeed! 

Note: the servings are big thus despite the fact that there were four of us (3 adults and 1 kid who eats like an adult), there were still leftovers.

So if it’s a simple family get together, after church merienda/dinner, chill with the barkada with a few beer and patata on the side, Yellow Lantern Cafe is a must try! Note though that the M.L Quezon branch is closed on Mondays, and there is a service charge of 10% (probably because they have a security guard?). 

Here’s a good look on the menu (click the photo to enlarge):

Oh well, I will come back to judge for myself whether their coffee, frappes and rice meals are worth the price! xoxo

________________

We’re planning to watch X-Men: Apocalypse later, I had to rewatch X-Men Days of the Future Past to condition my mind. I have always been in love with Magneto’s character, (because he’s hot), kidding aside, he’s the guy who means well (some times) but does horrible things to achieve what he thinks is for the greater good (of the mutants and the mutants alone). He can be proud and scheming and never boring. Loved the pun on this one:

HAHAHA! Seriously though, I can’t explain my still growing love for you Dadneto. I’ll see you later!

16 - Old Notes

Back when I was 15, I created my first blog with the domain address: www.hrix.blogspot.com titled "moonless night". I met so many friends that I've never actually met; different race, different culture, different generations. Sadly, for unknown reasons, google deleted my account and I've never recovered its contents.

Earlier today, I came across my "Death Note"; something I was so fascinated with when I was young, and hola. It contains some of my writings when I was a teen. Let me share with you my old notes, words I've written in the middle of the class, words weaved inside my mind in random walks on the park.

(1) Quantum Principle

Applying the quantum principle of physics, the inner light transported me to the other side of the universe to fall endlessly for you.

(2) Heavenly Bodies

You are the sun in my horizon

the heavenly body that lights up my entity.

I am your moon -

I shine because you shine.

(3) Eternity

Until the day eternity meets its finality, I am for you.

(4) Big Bang Theory

Different veins and chemicals collided and exploded forming in it an existence that sustains my life

-You are that entity. My heart's sanctuary.

(5) Untitled

Trying to escape from the frigidity chaining me,

memories flashed back.

I've seen death the moment I chose my ambitions over my heart.

I am sure there were longer posts, and there were poems and stuff. But well, this is everything I've salvaged from my young heart.

Love,

Hrix

15 - A Letter To My Second Lover

Hi, Love. 

I don’t know if you were lucky or not to have met me during the time of my life that I was happy and contented with being single. That was the time that I felt so complete and whole... and infinite. I have finally come into terms with myself and realized that my own happiness is no one’s responsibility but mine; and that home is what you make it to be. You didn’t see how much of a wreck I was before that. Lucky, lucky you. 

When my (first) relationship of more than three years ended, I was devastated. Ha! Devastation was even an understatement! I honestly thought I’d never move on. I was clueless and helpless and pathetic and I can’t even describe how broken I felt. But I have God, and my family and my friends. I have people who never left me. And though I forget it sometimes, I have myself. Love, people don’t move on overnight. We could only wish we can. It was a constant battle of push and pull until I learned to love and appreciate myself more.  Skipping time to a year later, I met you.

It was strange at first. Holding hands that were not his. Being looked at with adoration of still chinky eyes but well, not his. It was stranger even, listening to my heart beat furiously and getting kilig feelings over the smallest, sincerest gestures of someone who is not my first love. But it was a happy kind of strange. :)

You were the love that taught me I could love again. That I could love fiercely more than once in this lifetime. I will always be grateful to you for bringing that kind of hope into my life. We have come a long way and there are a lot of trials that will still come our way. The road to forever is never easy. There might even be times that we might take a break. And while we fervently pray and hope that we are for each other, we will never know for sure. The roads we are taking are different.

But dear, I will never look for a third love, heck, I'm not even sure if there will be one. But if there is and if it is true and real love finally, then it can wait...

And if there’s none, if after everything it is you and you all along. Ahh. Imagine how beautifully heart-wrenching and -melting that would be.

05.04.15