Monthly Archive for March, 2005

Heatstroke

Published
by
mai
on March 29, 2005
in happiness is a warm gun and the electric company
. 0 Comments

It’s so hot now. Potah.

Seconds after I take a bath I can feel my skin turning clammy from the humidity. And. I. just. hate. sticky. skin.

Karma for giving sticky skinned co-commuting passengers dagger looks when their clammy icky arms hit mine. I am now a member of the club. Gross.

We’re pretty lucky to be working in an apartment that we converted by tearing down the partitions because we’ve actually got a shower at the office. When the heat gets unbearable, or after a site meeting, I pop into the shower and get some temporary relief. Temporary being the operative word. Sigh.
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I was quite pleased during our site inspection as the construction seems to be going well. Of course there are some mess-ups…like the glass being measured by the subcon without any allowances for the clips that hold them, and the building turning over a differently sized VAV (variable air volume unit) for the AC system, etc. etc.

But thats the nature of construction It is always a high-stress job. Since there are so many people, contractors, and suppliers involved things really go wrong no matter how much you try to iron things prior to implementation… and as the problems with this project are nothing major, then I am really quite happy with everything.

The client is doing a partial move-in next week. 3 weeks after construction started, with the lenten holidays in between (!) Good thing we’ve got one of our better contractors working on this job. I can’t imagine what would have happened if the client was too barat and we had to work with our lower-priced (but slower and less pulido) contractor. Sakit sa ulo sigurado, and we would probably have to stay on site the whole time just to make sure the guys get the work done properly.

The rest of the office should be completed by the end of April.
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I guess it’s normal to always want to get the most for your money. But in construction there is a point when you keep making tawad and slashing costs, where you actually start wasting your money na. I hate going beyond this commercially acceptable level, because the rectification and maintenance costs just gets heinous.

We had a large multinational client who did not want to spend for enough equipment to cool their office, despite our engineer’s advice that the building would not be able to supply enough AC (the building owner did some creative “value engineering” which resulted in them removing every other Air Handling Unit and having 2 floors share the same AHU). I advised them to reuse chairs instead as these could be purchased in future. They should get the AC’s immediately because it would be difficult and disruptive to integrate the units once the system was in place. Didn’t take our advice.

They ended up (1) Buying another set of blinds, (2) Tinting their entire perimeter curtain wall(!), (3) and finally buying the additional units.

Siempre it was a bit of a headache for us because we had to dig up files that were already archived and refamiliarize ourself with the project and the issues again.

:S
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Shit I hate clients that make you ipit after you’ve done the work. IMO, delaying payment after the work is done is STEALING. If there was any speed to litigation here I would consider speaking with our lawyer, but with the length of time it would take to resolve things we really have to bite the bullet as much as we can tiyan it.

I’ll try one more time tomorrow, then I’ve got to do something else na. Haaay!

Thank you!

Published
by
mai
on March 27, 2005
in one step closer
. 0 Comments

Whew. Finally done with the Thankyou cards. Had originally thought I bit off more than I could chew, with wanting blank cards so I could write the messages myself (that just seemed more personal). It’s not that hard pala, just tedious because I have to do about 10 at a time.
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Had a great time at Peejay’s. He prepared a late dinner (1:30AM - what can I say? My friends and I are bats) at his place in Cavite, and it was so nice to be one of the few cars on Edsa and the South Superhighway.

Peejay’s a great cook. We had devilled eggs, chicken oriental salad, mechado and garlic rice, and a Baileys cheesecake for dessert. It took a bit of a while to eat though, as Berts kept stopping us because she wanted to take photos of the food. I’ll post the pics as soon as she sends them.

Happy Tummy.
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Am worrying a bit about who will replace me in the office. I will be calling one of my former UP Arki classmates this coming week. I hope everything works out. Fingers crossed.

Cherry Tomato and Avocado SaladPuree of Asparagus Soup with Mascarpone Cream

Published
by
mai
on March 24, 2005
in crumbs from your table
. 0 Comments

From Kitchen Rescue by Reggie Aspiras

These recipes for cherry tomato salad and asparagus soup are from Diamond Hotel executive chef Raymond Braun, whose recipes for the dishes he served during my birthday dinner I started sharing with readers last week. Chef Braun makes a mean salad of cherry tomatoes and avocado with red wine vinaigrette, roasted garlic flakes and blue cheese. Also, his Puree of Asparagus Soup with Mascarpone Cream is one I’m certain you and your family will enjoy!.

Cherry Tomatoes and Avocado Salad
Salad yield : 1 portion
30 g Romaine lettuce
30 g avocado, peeled & sliced
20 g endive lettuce
35 g blue cheese
5 g fried garlic chips slivered garlic fried in oil until golden
1 g fresh basil leaves
20 g tomatoes, cherry
Red wine vinaigrette (2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp thyme or oregano, salt and pepper to taste-whisk ingredients to emulsify)

Prepare lettuce leaves. Break endives into bite-size pieces and place on top of the romaine. Add the cherry tomatoes around. Add blue cheese chunks on top. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. Decorate with basil leaves and chopped chives. Add the garlic chips on top.

Puree of Asparagus Soup with Mascarpone Cream
Soup - Yield 2 Liters
500 g asparagus, cut
400 g potatoes
2 ltr. chicken stock
400 ml cream
100 g butter
2 g salt
1 g black pepper, grounded
150 g shallots, sliced
50 ml olive oil

Sauté‚ shallots in hot olive oil. Add asparagus, but keep some of the tips for garnish. Sweat asparagus a bit and pour in stock. Add potato and let it simmer till tender. Put in a blender and strain. Boil and add cream, reducing a bit as necessary. Adjust seasoning.
For the individual portion:
180 ml soup
10 g beaten cream
10 g mascarpone cheese
Mix cream and the mascarpone cheese. Pour the hot soup into soup cup. Top with a big dollop of cheese mixture.

Huli Ka! atbp.

Published
by
mai
on March 24, 2005
in crumbs from your table
. 0 Comments

Nakakarami na ako. Thats what happens when there’s no work.

Well well well. J knows about my blog na. Was keeping it a bit of a secret because a lot of the posts are about him. Heeh.

Plus J will see how much I’ve been eating with Berts. :) Anyway Jo, welcome to my little space on the net. Enjoy.
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I’m actually missing wedding planning a bit (not the harassment - that I don’t miss), just the thinking of ideas part. I am beginning to see why Clarice and Abie have decided to pursue being a wedding planner.

I don’t think I have that in me though, as I am not really that creative with themes and such. Plus I am very impatient, and we all know how fickleminded brides-to-be can get. :)
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We’re having dinner at Peejay’s house tomorrow night (Peejay is Berta’s friend and fencing teammate). Well, if you could call eating at 1:30AM dinner. We’ll pick up a cake from Shang or the Pen early tomorrow evening, then maybe loaf until 12MN, and then head over to Peejay’s place in Cavite. I can’t remember exactly what Peejay is going to prepare, but its either Pochero or Caldereta or something like that.
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Last Monday, Manny, Aeroin and I had dinner at El Comedor after our Punchlist at EK. (A punchlist inspection is done at the finishing point of construction, and we point out defects such as bulges in walls, protruding nails, misaligned lights etc, that the contractor needs to rectify without charge to the owner).

Anyhoo, we had Gazpacho, Gambas, Paella Valenciana and Rabo de Toro (Oxtail Stew).

Heres my take on the food:

  • Gazpacho - one of the best I’ve had. The soup was nice and chilled, and was a bit more pureed than I’ve had. I guess this is because the soup comes surrounded with little dishes filled with chopped vegetables (tomato, onion, cucumber, peppers, etc) eggs and tiny croutons. It was fun picking my mix, although in the end I dumped everything but the croutons in :) Yummy!
  • Gambas - nothing special, the shrimps, although crunchy (not soggy) tasted….well, shrimpy. I liked dipping my bread in the sauce though.
  • Paella Valenciana - so so. Quite disappointing for a Spanish restaurant. The rice wasn’t sticky, and the paella was a bit bland. I’ve had much better at Casa Armas and La Tienda.
  • Rabo de Toro - Yum, this was good! Oxtail in a brown stew that was thickened by the boiled tail and tendon. Very tasty and smoky-meaty. It had olives, and I am sure there was some tomato in the sauce. I liked that the parts were a mix of large and tiny tail cuts.

I have to say the service was great. The waiter kept an eye on us the entire time and made sure to give us refills of bread and water immediately. He served us the Paella as well, which I liked (although I noticed the 2 guys were ilang because they couldn’t get the large portions they are used to hahah).

Sulit naman, still at around 500 bucks per person. I’d go back for the soup and stew, but will probably try the Bacalao Paella next time.

Lait etc.

Published
by
mai
on March 23, 2005
in happiness is a warm gun and stories for boys (and girls)
. 0 Comments

I was browsing through Makeupalley and stumbled onto a profile of a pinay woman who professed to be a model. I was caught by the fact that she went to the same college I did, although as she is still in school now she must be a lot younger than me.

Anyway, I know this is mean…but she really didnt look like a model. Skinny with long straight hair, but the FACE, come on! I’ll spare you most of my lait, but really. No no no way she could be a model. Unless it was for Ms. Gay Whatever, or PanOxyl (before shot) or something like that.

But man was she confident about her looks. Saying that guys really went for her and stopped her and told her she was pretty. Joskoday. Sobrang feeling. And most posts of hers on the threads made reference to her model-ness.

Some of you will probably say: So why did you continue reading? She can be left to her illusions, she isnt harming you naman. You should have skipped it.

Well, I couldn’t help it, you know…it’s sort of like a mosquito bite. You know you shouldnt scratch, but you cant help it.

I’ve always wondered about people like her. Do they look at the mirror and see something else? Do they gaze at the mirror, make an honest assesment, and say “Shit! YOU look good, girl!” (insert cocked fingers and wink at self here)
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Some people naman, they always drop names, or mention how cool they are, or pasimple about what nice stuff theyre wearing. Hahaha.

These are the people who say:

I am a Fashionista.

I am a Kikay.

I am Elite (I swear someone said this in front of me)

We conyos…..

Sometimes I want to make snarky remarks, pero I leave them to their own little joys nalang. They amuse me naman e. Besides, my friends and I get quite a lot of laughs talking about them.
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A few months back I got a call from one of our old clients. We designed their office way back in 2002.

Their toilet was clogged, and they were pissed off about the contractor. I explained that warranties for office construction generally spanned a year, but told them I would contact the contractor and ask if they could have a look at it.

Guess what. Someone flushed a fucking statue the size of a Barbie Doll down the toilet.

Contrabida

Published
by
mai
on March 23, 2005
in lady with the spinning head
. 0 Comments

I never dreamed of being a princess or Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. I wanted to be Mallificent, the wicked stepmother who was powerful and wily and beautiful. Who cares if she was foiled in the end. That was just Sleeping Beauty’s end, I am sure Mallificent went on plotting and scheming.

Mom used to call me the Contra-Bida all the time. She still does, actually. I don’t really think she means it as a compliment. But I secretly take it as one.

Because dont you notice na when there’s a Contra-Bida the Bida is mostly the api one. Yech. Not my cup of tea.

I would never want to be the stepped-on harassed yet good hearted martyr. Give me a cigarette, and I’ll raise an impeccably plucked eyebrow while cocking my gun. I’ll blow the smoke away with a throaty chuckle.

My Sorta Movie

Published
by
mai
on March 23, 2005
in stories for boys (and girls) and things to make and do
. 0 Comments


Mai: Hey, did you get to watch the DVD of “Secretary” that I bought?
Officemate: Yeah
Mai: Well?
Officemate: You’ll like it
Mai: How so?
Officemate: It has that tinge of sick-ness that you like.

Yoga for Mai

Published
by
mai
on March 21, 2005
in lady with the spinning head
. 0 Comments


I’m sitting in front of the PC with my legs throbbing from my Yoga session this morning.

I actually started yoga-izing (yeah yeah I know…I just invented the word) last week, but have been delinquent with my daily practice, so I was pretty much at the point where I started.

The lessons are getting to be a bit challenging. The compound stretch “Sun Salutation”, the twists, and balancing on one leg were a quite difficult to do, especially as Sister Malati (the yoga teacher) says to do it with ease and effort. Quite a contradiction, but I am starting to understand what she means.

Still, I am beginning to enjoy myself, as even the breathing seems to calm me a bit. I try to imagine myself inhaling a breath of flowers and light, and exhaling all the black yukky pissed off smog inside me.

It works you know :)

Now I have to figure out how to make my nice post-yoga mood last all day.

Occupying myself

Published
by
mai
on March 19, 2005
in lady with the spinning head
. 0 Comments

It’s late at night and Sundays when I most miss J. I guess it’s because there’s usually no one to talk to and nothing to keep me busy.

Most times you can lose yourself in your work, so all that missing is just a little naggy throb in your gut. But when you’re alone that dull ache just gets amplified.

J says I better go to SF asap or he’ll probably get sick from loneliness :( He has it a lot harder than I do, as he’s mostly alone there and I have my family and friends to keep me company. I still get very very sad at times, so I can imagine how bad it is for J there.

I tell myself this is the last time we’ll be apart (until one of us dies anyway, ugh - morbid).
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Finally got a haircut after a year growing my hair for the wedding (torture!). I’ve decided to keep it a bit longer as J likes it that way. Alex is going through an assymetric cut stage yata, as both Berts and I have different versions of it. I left Propaganda with a layered cut that was blown out well, so my hair looked really nice and shiny.

And wonder of wonders, when I woke up this morning my hair was a bit rumpled, and looked better than it was when brushed neatly. Happy.
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Got some waxing and threading done din at Emphasis. Hay, sarap for someone else to do this for you. I’m trying to avoid thinking of how much this will cost when I move to SF. Probably an arm and a leg. Ay, baka I have to learn to do this myself (or teach J hahah!)
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Met Ann to pick up and pay for the IDP GCs. Spent the rest of the time window shopping, as there was a big sale at the malls. I found nothing I wanted to buy. My gosh, what is happening to me. Even the old faithful, Lacoste, didn’t have any colors I wanted.

If I had money to burn I would have probably bought a feathered bag and some jewelry from Firma (the Naga ones), but I am a poor overspending architect, so I let them go nalang (enjoy rich bitches).
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Ay. Domestic Issues. I am really not domesticated.

When I had my own apartment in China I ended up freaking out when I used the washer (the first time in my life) because it started making these banging sounds. I called my mom in Manila in a bit of a panic, and she walked me through the entire process. And handwashing? Ugh. My hands bled from Tide Ultra (I’ve now learned that Ariel is gentler, and use bath soap for underwear).

I bought a cool steam iron but never used it. I learned to hang my clothes in the bathroom while I was taking a shower so the steam would smooth the wrinkles out. When I got back to Manila my parents gave me a big hug because I looked so wasted and harassed, but really I looked wasted because I didn’t iron my buttondown shirt and jeans hahah.

One thing I really enjoyed was waxing the floor. I ended up with various floor cleaning tools and chemicals. Macadamia floor oil, lemon disinfectant, slippers with scrubs for soles so I cound dance around and pretend I was an ice skater while cleaning the floor. I had dreams of a really sophisticated vacuum cleaner.

I also enjoyed cleaning the bathroom and had a whole bucket of cleaning brushes and disinfectants under the sink. I would spend the entire weekend cleaning the bathroom so it was spotless, then end everything with a warm bubble bath in my pristine bathtub. Soaking the tired old bones.

Heaven.
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But cooking, thats another story.
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I don’t have much interest in cooking. I prefer eating, as I am sure you’ve noticed….from the number of my food posts. The only cookbooks I own are the “I hate to cook” Book, and a cookbook for college dorm occupants (you know the sort…how to make grilled cheese using your iron, etc). I’m ashamed to say I don’t even know how to cook rice :(

I’m wanting to learn to cook some Pinoy dishes before I leave for SF though. Karekare. Nilaga. Sinigang. Pochero (I love this! it’s one of the few things my mom cooks, and she makes an eggplant / squash / onion / pepper / vinegar dip for it…I am drooling now) Pakbet (?) and Binagoongan.

I don’t intend to cook like this everyday (just the idea of the pots I will have to wash after scares me). I think I’ll make on of these every weekend though. I’m sure J would like that.

Must remind Berts to give me the recipe for Coffee Pie, the ultimate may-diyos dessert!

13 years

Published
by
mai
on March 17, 2005
in one step closer
. 1 Comment

13 years ago today, J and I had an esquisse and painted the UP Carillon together. By the end of the day one gave the other a kiss (we still argue about who started it)

We were such kids then, only in our first year at UP, and I thought nothing would go wrong. I never thought I was the mushy sort of girl, but I loved him so much my stomach hurt and I could hardly breathe.

What an innocent.

Broke up. Went with someone else. Talked again. Got back together, a lot more wary and jaded. It wasn’t easy at first because I would always remember our horrible breakup and how I lost direction, was so depressed, felt so helpless.

But di mapigil, and after some time I felt like…home. Like J was the base on which I would anchor myself. I would never really feel whole without him.

Then we both left Manila for work. I came back, he stayed abroad. We saw each other only about once every 2 years.

Phone calls, IM, occasional frissons of fear because I would think what if he met someone else and emailed me goodbye.

Last year he went back to Manila, we drove to UP again, sat in front of the Carillon. We didn’t say “Happy Anniversary” to each other because we’re really not that sort. But we both knew why we were sitting on the grass at the same exact spot we sat 12 years before.

And then he said “Mai, close your eyes” And I did.

And when I opened them he was holding a pair of jeans I was dying to have. I didn’t know what to do. Laugh at myself for thinking I was getting a proposal, or cry because I suddenly thought “This is it!” and was mistaken.

I reached over for the jeans and said thank you.

Then he handed over the ring.