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FOOD |
Quiapo's
Spice |
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Words
by: Janice Ianne Miguel
Photo by: Eunice Evangelista |
MUSLIMS are well known for their
unique style and culture. They have different
ideas toward ways of life, the way they dress,
the way they worship, and the way they satisfy
their appetite.
The Muslims’ sunna
or customs forbid them to eat meat for it is
a sign of uncleanliness. In addition to this,
they believe that pigs’ skin have microscopic
worms that will not die even if they are cooked.
They also believe that it is a source of sickness
of their ancestors, a tradition that was passed
on to generations.
On the other hand, most
of us are accustomed to eating meat and some
even consider it as a completing factor for
every meal. Get ready to feed your minds with
our Muslim brothers’ and sisters’
special dishes and style of cooking.
In the crowded place of
Quiapo, Manila, is this unique restaurant which
is the favorite spot of Muslims during mealtime,
Akisah, which is located on Norzagaray Street.
The business started because of the good friendship
of Dr. Masabai Onos and Hamida, both Maranao.
The restaurant is named after Hamida’s
daughter, Akisah.
Muslims crave for spicy
dishes, especially those with gata or coconut
milk. Two of their specialties are Randang and
Balabakwa. Elias Rivera, the chief cook explained
about the preparations of the ingredients and
how the cooking is done.
Randang is an Indonesian
dish, with beef as a main ingredient. The beef
is stir fried with gata mixed with lots of chili
and different spices.
They use palapa instead
of onions which gives the dish a unique taste
and mouth watering aroma.
Balabakwa on the other hand
is a dish served with soup. Its main ingredient
is carabao ribs cooked with gata, chili, bell
pepper, salt and garlic. Other dishes in the
menu are usual Filipino food such as kilawin,
relyenong bangus, adobo and caldereta.
The affordability of the
dishes may give the idea of a usual carinderia,
but since they have clean surroundings and fast
service, it is comparable to an expensive food
chain.
Filipinos have a lot of
unique traditions and lifestyles. Provinces
throughout the country are proud to offer different
recipes that have been passed from their ancestors.
Our Muslim brothers and sisters have so many
things to share, and we must open our hearts
and minds and appreciate their unique charac-teristics. |
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MUSIC |
OPM's
Bossa Nova at its Finest |
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Ryan
Angelo Celis |
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TIRED of stressful
sounds that emanate from the rhythm and reverberation
of rock bands these days? Want to hear some
relaxing and stress-free rhythm? You don’t
need to go out for that musical chill-out experience.
At last, a refreshing change from a Filipino
artist.
After the influx of rock
and alternative bands and irritating singing-contest
winners singing practically the same songs,
it’s good to know that there’s a
uniquely different yet familiar sound in the
record stores now.
Lounge in the comfort of
your room with Sitti’s Café Bossa,
a collection of 18 soothing tracks— all
cover songs, all great and given a new twist.
Get ready with your cocktail dress and start
moving with this irresistibly smooth and relaxing
piece of work. With all the hustle and bustle
of this chaotic society, some of us need to
be in the mood for doing things nice, slow,
and easy.
For those Bossa nova aficionados
out there, Sitti’s smooth vocals are reminiscent
of Sergio Mendes with a tinge of Diana Krall.
Café Bossa is a collection
of contemporary songs and pop, with jazz styles
sung in Sitti’s cool, bossa style, giving
her own touch on familiar songs, and making
the musical journey an altogether new experience.
Sitti takes pop and love
songs such as I didn’t know I was looking
for Love, Lost in Space, Close to You, Tattooed
on my Mind, and Fly me to the Moon, and carves
out a sound so beautiful it’s hard to
find words to describe these renditions.
Its carrier single Para
sa Akin is already receiving good airplay on
radio and TV.
This album is really a great
intro-duction to her recor-ding career.
Café Bossa is indeed
a must-hear for this season of tiresome lagi
nalang umuulan songs.
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BOOKS |
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Wicked
Women |
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Dealing with the Shopaholic Syndrome |
| Lutchie Anne
Coral |
Shiena
Iane Bern Ardino |
THE INTERESTING title in this chic looking
book may be the best thing that The Devil Wears Prada
has to offer.
Lauren Weisberger takes her readers
to the world of vogue with narrator Andrea Sachs as
the junior assistant of the most influential person
in fashion publishing, the editor-in-chief of Runway
magazine, Miranda Priestly.
Though a lot of girls would love
to have her job where designer clothes are free, one
must first get acquainted with her impossible boss.
Miranda is inconsiderate and often asks for unreasonable
tasks with confusing directions. It is up to Andrea
how she can deliver two copies of Harry Potter books
from New York to France, two days before its set release.
It was also up to her how she would find the exact vintage
dresser with the only description that Miranda likes
it.
However, the narration gets tiring in its repetitive
mood with what seems like an unending struggle to please
the ice queen. It was like watching a typical chic series
with a single cliché plot. The narration is slow
considering that the story is set in a fast-paced world
of fashion— uptown New York.
The reason behind the detailed descriptions
of each almost impossible task that Andrea suffers may
be the author’s personal experiences. The Devil
Wears Prada may have come with a vengeance since Weisberger
was once an assistant of Anne Wintour, the editor of
Vogue magazine.
Though bad reviews have come out
of the controversial book, The Devil Wears Prada will
be shown on the big screen on the first week of July
starred by Oscars twice winner Meryl Streep as Miranda
and Anne Hathaway as Andrea Sachs. David Frankel who
has directed some episodes of Sex and the City directs
it.
Rarely does a film become better
than the book that it was adapted from. The Devil Wears
Prada, however, has a good chance of being one of these
rarities. |
SHOPPING is often said to be therapeutic.
Yet, what will happen if your little “trip”
to the shops goes out of hand? Can you still redeem
yourself and your pockets once you go over the top?
This is what the protagonist in
Sophie Kinsella’s bestselling book, Confessions
of a Shopaholic, goes through as she fights her scuffle
with her tedious and low paying job as a journalist
in a boring financial magazine, nosey co-worker, and
almost non-existent love life by doing an endless expedition
to the posh boutiques and shops of London.
For Rebecca Bloomwood, credit and
charge cards are her best friends. With them placed
inside the secured walls of her purse, nothing will
turn out wrong. As long as she and her plastic buddies
browse the shopping districts of the city, Becky’s
day will be definitely complete.
Everything is fine with Becky’s
shopping spree. Until her credit card bills start to
arrive at the modest flat, which she shares with her
wealthy friend, Suze. Instead of paying her debts, she
copes with her financial problems by spend more. As
her bills started to pile up, she also realized that
she is becoming good in making up stories to escape
her bill collectors.
This book somehow reminds the readers
of another popular British novel, the Bridget Jones’
Diaries. Becky’s character is as hilarious as
that of Bridget’s. Also, her series of unfortunate
events are typical among other popular Brit stories.
Overall, the book is a fun read.
The plot has an amusing twist of events. One must realize
how to enjoy shopping yet learn how to control the budget
after reading this book. After all, splurging is inevitable,
right?
Kinsella writes follow up novels
to complete the Shopaholic series. All her books can
be considered as must-reads. Probably, there is a Becky
Bloomswood in all of us. |
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