Madonna made Amanda cry when she auditioned in Manchester - and it looks like she’d do it again when photos of her children flash up on the screen as she belted out Witney Houston’s The Greatest Love Of All.
After an emotional performance Piers said: “I think you did your two little girls proud.” Amanda
agreed and admitted she believed in Madonna when she sang. Simon again, provided the spanner in the works though: “I love you, I love your story, but this is Britain’s Got Talent, not Britain’s best story.”
After watching this video, I think Madonna made a good performance, perhaps the song was not that powerful as her first one though which earned Simon’s negative remark. Since the choice of winners are in the hands of the voting public, the first thing that entered my mind was either UK didnt have enough filipinos that supported Madonna (by calling in) or most didnt just choose to support her which is sad.
ABS-CBN new online carried a more detailed story with interviews with her family.
If I had a choice and the means I would have been in my favorite city, Paris this week; or at least somewhere outside the Phiilppines, or at least outside my hometown and lazing somewher in Cebu perhaps.
Unfortunately, times are hard, euros are all time high and pressing business concerns just would not allow me to leave ergo have to stay in manila.
I thought of watching Indiana Jones. My cousin invited me for lunch but was not really in the mood. Spent morning at home replying to well wishers (email, facebook, friendster, twitter, sms, calls etc) and napping.
In the afternoon, I realized I will not be able to watch the movie in time for my dinner with Bebeth not even visit my parents at Heritage Park so I decided I will have a much delayed haircut. I called my favorite parlor, Piandre to set an appointment but my regular hair dresser was busy and can only accomodate me past 5pm. While on the road, I remembered I still have not gone to mass! Gosh of all the things to miss, not the most important ritual.
Luckily I learned that there is 7pm mass in greenbelt so I can still pursue my haircut. I asked Bebeth if she will mind us having a late dinner since I need to hear mass. She said she may be able to join me if she will finish her office task early.
I bought some magazines in the bookstore when I reached greenbelt then took a quick snack in a small italian resto at the mall then proceeded to my haircut.
My hairdersser learned it was my birthday so the service became a treat and I didnt have to pay! How lucky can I get. I then proceeded to walk to Greenbelt Chapel which was nearby. Good thing it didnt rain as earlier in the afternoon it did. It usually rains on my birthday. Sometimes typhoons even love coming on my birthday
Being an ordinary work week, a tuesday, there were not much people when I arrived at the chapel, a good half an hour early. I saw the confessional had a priest so I joined the line. Would be good to complete my sacraments on my special day - Sacrifice of the mass, sacrament of reconcilitation and eucharist. My, my was I blessed I thought.
When mass started, it was announced that being the anniversary of the Emmanuel Charismatic community, Bishop Bacani will be concelebrating mass with the two other priests. I was surprised, had goose bumpbs and felt the Lords’ blessing. It was a special mass on my birthday indeed. Perhaps it was good I forgot to hear an early mass and guiltily settled for the last evening mass for it turned out to be special.
Apparently Bebeth saw me early on but the crowd inside the chapel grew and it was hard to just cross to my side. Right before communion she moved to where I was.
After mass, Bebeth suggested a couple of restaurants, one where a favorite Italian chef of hers owns, Maurizio and another a filipino fusion restaurant at the Net bldg in the fort. I didnt want to go further and since she highly recommended the chef’s fare in another Italian resto at the Podium we settled for Maurizio, at HV dela Costa street in Makati.
It was a high end italian restaurant, similar to my dad’s old time favorite L’Inconntrue in Reposo st. near Alliance Francaise.
I liked their understated decor specially the ceiling fan found just before the entrance of the eatery.
Maurizio, the chef was present and Bebeth introduced me. She ordered her all time favorite Pasta ala Siciliana and the chef recommended two specialites for me, either the Pasta with Aligue (crab fat) or the Pasta ala Negro. I told him both are too rich esp the former. I have a phobia with the pasta with squid ink since the last time I ate in this awful Italian resto in greenbelt apparently owned by a chinese (so you can sense what kind of food will be served) I had indigestion.
Of course Maurizio described the type of commercial food in that franchised restaurant trying to describe themselves as italian fare and assured me this will be good to the stomach and I agreed.
He recommended Buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes for starters and definitely bebeth and I agreed! We missed our favorite cheese during our [cref 132 unforgettable travel in the south of Italy].
We were relating to him of how we usually ordered this in Positano and even bought ourselves some fresh ones right on the winding street of amalfi, straight from the farmers. When we reached Rome, our room at the monastery did not have a refrigerator, so being early spring, we left it right outside our window to freeze
I had to order some soup since I needed to take something warm for starters a habit taken from my parents. Unfortunately the tomato soup was no longer available so had to settle for the pumpkin cream style soup.
Maurizio, served us a slice of his special pizza with a special mushroom whose name escapes me at the moment, perhaps porcini and a special type of white cheese. He didnt want to give the name since he knows I will blog about it and others might copy
The bread served at the start was really good and went with eggplant and some tomato dip.
When we took a slice of the buffalo mozzarella, I knew it was the real one! I told Maurizio that I tried ordering this in the high end Mi Piace at Peninsula or Nuvo but they suffered in comparison. He said those come from Australia or New Zealand which was true since I asked the chef. I knew how the real buffalo mozzarella made by farmers in southern italy tasted and looked so I usually call for the chef and ask.
After six years, bebeth and I were finally able to once again try this unforgettable discovery.
This was Bebeth’s order of Pasta ala Siciliana with olives and capers. I also tasted it and it was mighty good! It just seeems hot for me as I am not partial to very spicy food.
The Pasta al Negro was equally tasty but since I had some soup and the buffallo mozzarella is quite heavy on the stomach I barely finished one fourth.
Bebeth told me that Maurizio makes his own Gelato so we had to try them.
She got her favorite hazel nut flavor.
And I drooled over my choice of Biscoto flavored gelato. I highly recommend this flavor!
Maurizio practically entertained us the whole time so we had to have a photo with him as we end our sumptuous meal.
Of course to cap everything, we just had to have a shot of the famous Limoncello of the southern Italian region.
This was actually the first time I tasted it. I was always to tired from our trip in southern italy then that I didnt feel like taking in any liquor.
A few years ago, I bought us a bottle each of Limoncello when I stumbled upon it in an Italian food exhibit but never opened the bottle for I know I will never be able to finish it. Boy was it good!
We actually closed the restaurant literally. Being an ordinary day, they end at 10pm and since i still needed to call my driver who I asked to park at the Makati Sports Club, the workers went ahead and we were just requested to close the gate.
What a birthday indeed! Reached home at the strike of midinight since I had to bring bebeth home in white plains, at the northern part of the city, quite opposite where I reside at the south in paranaque.
For the past days, local news have been featuring Charice stint at David Foster;s Mandalay Hotel in Las Vegas with Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli among the big stars and the standing ovation of the audience after her powerful presentation.
Gives me goose bumps as I watch this clip. Truly proud to be filpino.
Three years ago, I was frantically trying to get the first flight out of bangkok to get to my dad who was rushed to the hospital. I can still remember my trauma, tension, fear, and ordeal which I recounted in an old blog.
Time flies so fast. The two most important people in my life has left me yet somehow I still can’t over it. They had been continually guiding me I can sense that. As a matter of fact, three of my friends have through the years somehow brushed into them perhaps whenever I really needed them. Bebeth, my very good amiga, who was the one who took care of my dad while waiting for my mom’s remains in the don bosco chapel, was the only one who actually saw my mom a few weeks after she passed away. We were together then and we were going to meet regarding mom’s land when she suddenly saw her seated inside my car while we were crossing the street.
Tess, my dear friend who I was with in bangkok that dreaded day when dad was rushed, dreamed of my late parents many times over so she always offers the weekly masses in the bank for them. Cynch, my child hood friend and schoolmate, whose mom was also mom’s schoolmate received ghosts text messages when she was in Indonesia so she readily met up with me when she visited.
Life had been tough but I had happy moments and unexpected opportunities to constantly travel, something which has been a passion of my family.
The past months till now however had been very trying and sometimes I cry and ask dad and mom why they left me alone. Life is tough and I cannot even afford to brood and wallow in depression for I need to survive.
One thing though which my parents have instilled in me is the profound faith I need to have withe the lord and that is the only thing keeping me sane.
Because of what happened to my parents, even to my grandparents, I vowed to study a lot in the field of natural healing. They all had been victims of western medicine specifically the drugs which made them more sick.
I hope to one day succeed in setting up this wellness business which will benefit many specially the aging who are forced to be hooked on prescription drugs.
