Hey! Look and listen to who I discovered! His name is Wrabel. I don’t know if he’s an indie or a mainstream artist. And I have yet to look and listen into his body of work. But one thing is for sure… I love his single entitled “11 Blocks”
I peeped into Wrabel’s Facebook and found this poignant and soulful expression on his page…
tonite i quite literally set the past on fire.
ready to move on.
ready for change.
ready for new.
ready to leave for this tour and ready to share these songs and these stories and my head and my heart with whoever will listen.
hehe this is a bit dramatic.
but sometimes it just has to be
Listen to 11 Blocks before everybody is singing it and before this song blows out of proportion. I really like this and I hope you do too…
Breakfast is the most important meal in my universe. I basically would not function well if I happen to skip breakfast. That is why every time I got to encounter a great breakfast experience I will definitely have to write about it.
If Marikina City got Rustic Mornings and Alaminos City boasts about Celia’s Café, Antipolo can definitely rave about their Eggs For Breakfast. This tiny all-day breakfast joint at the tail-end of the Sierra Madre mountain range is definitely huge in terms of serving pleasant breakfast dishes! Though it’s quite difficult to locate if you wish to snub the benefits of using Waze or Google Maps, this hidden gem in Antipolo is indeed worth a visit.
groupie of the breakfast gang!
it was worth the visit…
My friends settled for the classic Filipino breakfast items, that is, Beef Tapa and Longganisa dishes served with rice and eggs while I opted for the American classic Buttermilk Pancakes with Eggs and Bacon. And judging from my order, I knew that this café is a good café. It is because I exactly got what I ordered. I just wanted fluffy pancakes with bacon and eggs and I got fluffy pancakes with bacon and eggs.
buttermilk pancakes with bacon and eggs
has fun with one pan breakfast
As if like testing and challenging if this café is indeed a good café, I decided to order another set of breakfast dish. For my second round of breakfast, I ordered for the fancier, heavier and seem to be a popular dish of the joint which everyone seem to be ordering. Eggs for Breakfast’s version of the classic full English breakfast which they call One Pan Breakfast!
One Pan Breakfast further verified our delight and enjoyment of the place. Though everyone are already full after finishing their respective orders, we were still able to finish the One Pan Breakfast in a breeze as soon as it was served on our table! Yum yum!
nice one…
Eggs For Breakfast isn’t the most spacious and comfortable café to laze but the quirky interiors, the delightful ambiance, the pretty alright service and of course the tasty breakfast dishes were indeed worthy of a visit. I am just glad to know that a cozy and delightful breakfast joint does exist in that part of beautiful Philippines. I will definitely visit again!
One observation that I realized while playing Pokemon Go is that there are two categories of players. One category are those who are simply lucky while the second category are those players who needs lots of perseverance so as to level up in the game.
Those I consider fortunate are the ones whose place of stay are within the range of a Pokemon Stop or Pokemon Gym. While those who has to struggle by walking or driving around to locate a Pokemon stop or gym are the ones who were not blessed enough by the heavens of Pokemon gods. It can therefore be deduced that playing Pokemon Go is simply like L.I.F.E.
Some were sanctified with the divine providence and need not endure the labors and struggles of life. These are the same as the Pokemon Go players who seem bored with the game for it posts very simple challenges because Pokemon Stop or Pokemon Go ranges are placed right above their roof.
slowly but surely
wow! that was a long walk
On the other hand, others needs to battle it out with life’s circumstances so as to achieve fortune, prosperity or even simple joys that life has to offer. These as the same Pokemon Go players who needs endurance to walk around and be exposed to various environmental elements so as to locate a Pokeon Stop or Pokemon Gym. And I guess, these are the same players who cherish every Pokemon characters that they find so as to add up to their Pokedex.
It’s unfortunate though that in both domain – that is the Pokemon world and the real world – I am ill-fated to fall in the second category. I live in a place where I have to walk far so as to reach a Pokemon Stop or a Pokemon Gym. And I am part of the world’s population who has to scuffle, battle and tussle with life’s circumstances so as to achieve what I need to achieve.
This makes me realize that in the category that I belong, playing Pokemon Go is difficult but finding a Pokemon and levelling up in the game is definitely sweeter. And just like in my real world and in the true game of life, my achieving and winning if compared to those who were born richer and wealthier is definitely sweeter!
It is official! I am part of the world’s population who has been bitten by the Pokemon Go bug. And my avatar is aptly called Nengkoy (of course!).
It’s my third day of playing this massively popular game. And at this early point in time, I can already identify three major benefits of playing Pokemon Go.
stylish pokemon go avatar… appropriately named NENGKOY
First, playing Pokemon Go entails lots and lots of walking. Thus, I will be consuming lots and lots of unwanted body fats and calories so as to search around for those lots and lots of elusive monster Pokemons. As a matter of fact, according to my Samsung S Health isometric app, I was able to achieve my walking goals on the first 2 days of my joining and playing this game.
a PIDGEY found inside my unit trying to fit my Marc Jacobs slippers…
Second, playing Pokemon Go requires the use of mobile phone’s Global Positioning System (GPS) as well as the aptitude in reading maps. Aside from, being able to appreciate the architectural, historical or cultural value and significance of sites chosen as PokeStop, my poor navigational skills will have no choice but to improve and be sharpened so as to search for those hard-to-pin-down Pokemons.
Lastly, it’s fun! This I guess need not be explained. Pokemon Go will not be explosively popular worldwide if it ain’t fun at all!
According to Nengkoy, if you have anything good to say, SAY IT! That has been one positive mantra that I have learned from my mother. With this viewpoint, let me express two awesome thoughts.
First is to applaud the beautiful tropical island of Palawan for besting all other islands of the world. Congratulations to Palawan for being chosen as the number one island in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.
got Nacpan Beach in El Nido all for myself
Big Lagoon
Though I am very much elated by this awesome recognition, I am a little sad because this once hidden place of a paradise is slowly being discovered by world travelers. I would love to keep Palawan unspoiled. I hope that the blue and emerald green waters, the jungle-filled mountains as well as the incredible and colorful wildlife both underwater and on land of this beautiful paradise will be well preserved.
Second is to convey gratitude to my Facebook friends for “liking” my profile picture. I am delighted and overjoyed because it is the first time ever in my being an FB account user that my profile picture reached more than 200 likes.
my most “liked” FB profile
Thank you FB friends! Your “likes” in some ways makes me stay positive! I am not a popular FB account user, but my reaching 200+ likes felt like winning the award for being the best island of the world. And just like Palawan, I think I need to preserve my positive bearing and uncomplicated being because I’m starting to get “popular”! Hahaha!
Ten years. That’s how old this bloody blog is gonna be on Monday, June 20. It’s 3 years that I ran this blog over Friendster (a defunct social media site) and seven years powered by WordPress. It’s been ten years of silly and imperative writing, meaningful and thoughtless expressions, fun and boring adventures.
cheers!
I know that though ten years old, this blog has yet to become massively popular. But popularity and making me a big time blogger is really not my objective of writing what I write and wrote about. I am in fact responsible in half of the views of this blog!
Nengkoy, the blog, is simply about who and what I am. This little space in the worldwide web has actually been an avenue to reveal some senseless, trivial and pointless secrets about me. Thus, here’s the tenth year anniversary song of this blog. This song is sooo me…
No I’m not gonna stop blogging yet. But let me thank all those who find time reading my posts. And I hope that though you’re not learning anything from it, you nevertheless been enjoying it. Cheers!
Can you just imagine if there would be no Miss Universe pageant in the world? That world I guess must be simply turning quietly around the sun trying to live a normal planet life.
deserving
miss philippines
But can you just imagine if there would be no Miss Philippines candidate in the Miss Universe pageant? That would be like watching the Super Bowl without the Halftime Show. Or it would be like watching a Floyd Mayweather boxing match. Or perhaps, it would be like watching hit sitcom Friends without Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) in it.
Though Philippines has never won this pageant in the past 43 years, Miss Universe pageant remains to be the pageant of all pageants in this spot of the planet. I no longer remember who the past winners were, but I certainly remember these funny reactions by my fellow Pinoys out from viewing their beloved pageant.
No other mega-popular sports event or reality-based contest TV viewers , I guess, have had reactions like these!
Come December 20, all Filipinos around the world will again be glued unto their TV sets with rapidly beating heartbeats hoping that their country’s candidate be finally crowned as the most beautiful woman in the universe.
Four years ago, when I saw the stunning rendition of “I Believe” by Andrew Ranells from the musical Book of Mormon during the 65th Tony Awards, I promised myself that when I reached New York in the future I would definitely see this musical extravaganza. This personal promise was reaffirmed a year after when I saw the opening number of the 66th Tony Awards which featured the song “Hello”. Seeing the 2011 and 2012 Tony Awards then was like listing The Book of Mormon among my life’s bucket list.
Four years later, such personal promise came true. One item in my long, arduous and complicated bucket list was accomplished. I saw, I heard and I enjoyed The Book of Mormon!
My New Yorker friend Jhong knows that months prior to my visiting New York, the one I specifically would like to do was to see this musical. We never talked about the sites to see (except for the 66 Perry Street), the rides to take, the food to taste or the people to meet. We simply talked about the musicals that I want to see. And The Book of Mormons was right there on the top of our conversations.
my view and my playbill
Jhong somewhat discouraged me because The Book of Mormons right now is considered the “King of Broadway”. Their ticket seats are ranked among the most in demand and the most expensive musical in Broadway now. You can actually buy 2 good seats of a different musical in Broadway for the price of one mezzanine seat of The Book of Mormons. It is so in demand, viewers cannot purchase tickets on the day they want to see the show. Tickets must be purchased online days before they would like to see it.
When Jhong and my new friend Lee purchased the ticket for me and told me how expensive a mezzanine seat was, I told them to go ahead. I simply said yes, closed my eyes and changed the topic for I don’t want to ponder and go nuts on how my New York travel budget has gone bloated.
it was all worth it!
And right after seeing the show, while I was standing up, clapping my hands and was shouting “Bravo!” I knew that my purchase of such expensive ticket was well vindicated. This 4-year old item in my bucket list was one hell of a wickedly funny musical show!!!
Because of a couple of hot-button issues that I don’t agree with the Catholic Church, I consider myself a “Catholic in bad standing”. Though born a Catholic, I don’t even have a friend or even an acquaintance who’s either a Catholic priest or a nun. Nevertheless, I participated in welcoming with huge open arms His Holiness, Pope Francis to my country, the Philippines.
one cool pope…
I think I like Pope Francis. I like him because he has an effective way of changing the public’s perception about Catholicism. His tone is totally different as compared to a traditional, strict and highly conservative Catholic.
I think like him because he is not out in the world to evangelize the non-Catholics. He is out of Vatican and visits parts of the world to re-evangelize the Catholics (like me) to reconsider the Catholic virtues of compassion, love and service to fellow human beings.
I think I like him because he is not the usual judgmental type of a Catholic. He seem to be the type who would just let you be what you be as long as you mean no harm and it is in pursuit of love or of helping the poor.
I like him because he concedes to the idea that God shall be your judge at the end of the day and not those people with ostentatious robes running the Roman Catholic Church.
Lastly, I think I like Pope Francis because he seem to possess the power to warm hearts. Through the feeling of warm hearts, this opens up people’s appreciation towards the beauty of Catholicism, the strength of Christianity and the love of Jesus Christ.
After seeing Pope Francis in person, I know what the phenomenon dubbed as the “Pope Francis Effect”. Seeing him was like one of the coolest things. It seem like an out of body experience!
Never did I posted anything about the new X Factor Australia winner, Marlisa Punzalan, while the show was running. It is because I don’t want to cause any sumpa (curse) or negative effect to her fate and universe.
x factor australia 2014 winner
But honestly, I have been watching this young lady ever since the X Factor Australia has started this year. I know for a fact that she is actually the first one featured during the audition segments of the show. I followed this newly concluded talent show, maybe because of the reverberating feelings of joy and my overindulgence in its 2013 version when the superlative Dami Im won.
A week before the grand finale, I already had the impression that this young lady will win. The reason is not because of her tender age, nor her looks and neither her amazing talent. Three coherent reasons rolled up into my mind right after the semi-final round.
Winning the Toughest Battle
This is because during the semi-final bout she defeated Reigan Derry, the most excellent and the most seasoned among all contestants in this series. I cannot imagine how perennial favorite Reigan Derry being beaten by the other 2 finalists, Brothers 3 and Dean Ray. Reigan with her incredible pipes would easily beat these two other finalists to smithereens in case Dean or Brothers3 would be at the bottom two and perform back-to-back with her.
best showdown of the series!
Thus, before the grand finale, Marlisa Punzalan has already successfully hurdled the hardest challenge she would be faced with during the entire run of the series. For me, the semi-final round was actually more exhilarating than the grand finale. The grand finale was just a matter of confirming Marlisa’s crown.
Australia’s Enduring Love for the Underdog
When Marlisa got into the finals, everybody thinks that she would simply end up being a third placer. Even judge/mentor Redfoo after the semi-final round immediately predicted that Dean is the one to beat. Even online betting website SportsBet predicted that Dean would be bestowed the 2014 title. Dean Ray exhales the funky rock of breath trough out the show that is why everybody expects him to win.
the three rays of sunshine…
funky rocker!
Nonetheless, the whole Australia was gearing Brothers 3 to possibly snatch the title from Dean because these “three rays of sunshine” got the ever reliable cutey-boyband formula. Also, they have been identified halfway through the live shows to have received the most number of votes. Moreover, it would have been a very good promotional angle of story in case the first ‘wild card’ contestant wins the show. Thus, Brothers3 and Dean Ray prior to the grand final were considered the un-proclaimed winners. They were simply the Goliaths of the program!
But Australians (like Filipinos) love an underdog. They would not let a simple-looking lady lacking of self confidence be simply in the side light. It is of human nature to feel that those who have less power are deemed virtuous and noble. Human beings in general love the underdogs because each of us knows what it feels like to be a loser, to be brushed aside or to be a David in a world full of Goliaths.
Let me cap this reason with Ronan Keating’s beautiful wisdom when he was commenting on Marlisa’s performance during the semi-final, which illustrates Marlisa being an underdog. That he is still faithful on the thought that not all good girls finish last. That statement I suppose struck a nerve to the whole of Australia.
Shining at the Right Moment
At the initial phase of the show, Marlisa exhibited good performances but nothing spectacular compared to other contestants. I particularly loved her performance during the boot camp portion of the program, Jessica Mauboy’s Never Be The Same. But during her performance in front of John Legend, who would assist Ronan on picking his top 3 contenders for the live shows, she faltered big time.
During the first few weeks of the live shows, she was simply sailing through. Viewers and even other judges/mentors were particularly concerned because Ronan could not seem to tap the right song that would best fit Marlisa’s age, tone and range.
She was lucky enough that other contestants gave inferior performances compared to her. She even performed the worst performance in the whole show when she sang Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi while suffering from severe illness, in which, she was nevertheless praised by the judges for her guts and professionalism. During these times, other contestants were delivering the best performances of their lives. They were peaking at those moments.
Unfortunately for these other contestants (except for the shoo-in Reigan Derry), they failed to sustain the high points in their performances while the show near its end. Fortunately for Marlisa, she seems to simply just starting to oil up. She was gaining confidence in her stage presence, she was starting to feel the mood/s of her song/s and Ronan is commencing to realize and tap the exact songs for her. She was slowly peaking up!
She only sparkled at the last four or five weeks of the entire series. I totally agreed with Danni Minogue who was stuck to her seat and would hardly stand up after every Marlisa’s performance week after week. That Marlisa’s rendition of Sia and David Guetta’s Titanium performed on the 9th week of the live shows was truly Marlisa and Ronan’s game changer. The Titanium performance of Marlisa made Danni stood up to her feet and cheered for the young lady!
All throughout the TV show, Marlisa seem to be the last contestant to shine. And what is so amazing about her shining is that she was able to sustain it and even progressed further every week! Australians then realized that something special was with this young lady.
Nengkoy 