The National Mall and Smithsonian Institute

Being a Filipino, I am used to the Mall that we have in the Philippines: restaurants, department stores, boutiques, gift shops, cinemas. Here in DC, the Mall is none of what we know about malls. It is a long stretch of land surrounded by Smithsonian Museums. It is in the East wing of the 4-sided sights of the DC area. On the leftmost portion of the Mall is the Washington Monument, while in the right, you will see the towering beauty of the Capitol.

View from the Mall

The Smithsonian Institution's 19 museums are the major sights to see in the mall. Whether you're fascinated in American History, art, archaeology or space, Smithsonian offers a museum that best fits your taste. So far, I have seen 4 out of its 19, and I shall try to visit all these museums in my stay here in DC.

According to the Smithsonian, before anything else, a visitor should plan his visit to the museums by visiting the Smithsonian Castle first to get the necessary maps and tourist guides.

The Smithsonian Castle

So far I have visited The American History Museum, Freer and Sackler Galleries, and Air and Space Museums. As to why I decided to tour these museums first, I have absolutely have no idea. :)

Some pictures:

The National Mall's left end: Washington Monument

The Other Side: The U.S. Capitol Building

Can Mosley survive the Pacman?

No he can't. Six year ago, maybe... Now, he won't last the entire match. Unless of course our dear Manny Pacquiao the merciful will take it easier than usual because he knows that his opponent is not worth the beating. Everybody knows this, even their promoter Bob Arum.

This fight is not worth it. A lot of people know that. They don't even trash talk! The impact? Lower ticket sales, lower pay-per-view sales, but still, more money for the boxers and the promoters. Overall, a boring fight. But of course Manny will still give it his all for show and for millions of his fans in the Philippines and around the world. He will take this to heart and will once again prove that he is the greatest fighter of this generation. And of course, Floyd will keep on hiding, dodging, and will use all alibis necessary to keep away from a "1" in his loss record. I think I heard a chicken cock. :)

On to retirement, Manny. Please please please... Just train new boxers. Boxers that will give us an olympic gold.

Wedding at a Glance

I just can't get over my wedding day. And so does my lovely wife. That is why I decided to edit my wedding video into a 4-minute featurette. :) I used Owl City's Fireflies as background music because somehow, this song reminds Bubbles of the beautiful 6 weeks stay in the Philippines to prepare for our wedding. Here's the video:

"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems." --Fireflies

Black Eyed Peas in Super Bowl XLV

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgx3ud_black-eyed-peas-slash-usher-medley-live-superbowl-2011-bmf_music
Uploaded by BlakMusicFirst. - Explore more music videos.

Mabuhay ka Apl de Ap!

Superbowl XLV - 6 February 2010

One must-see event here is the much-awaited Super Bowl event. Now on its 45th season, the Super Bowl has been the most watched sport and TV event in the US. The sport makes Americans stay home, makes advertisers spend millions more to have a slot, makes all shows get a least a word "Super Bowl" into their scripts.

For someone who has come from a country that appreciates only one team sport, basketball, I get fascinated with Americans' love for all sports, and the great American sport, their favorite. The Super Bowl's effect on roads, media and groceries, is very much similar to our craziness over Manny Pacquiao's titles fights.

Amidst the Super Bowl mania, I am proud to say that one Filipino stood in the middle of the capacity crowd, entertaining hundreds of thousands in the field, and hundreds of millions watching from around the world. The Black Eyed Peas performed during the Super Bowl half time show, which gave the crowd the needed boost of energy and excitement! Apl de Ap, we Filipinos are so proud of you! :) Mabuhay ka!

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers fans for an entertaining Super Bowl XLV! Congrats also to the Pittsburgh Steelers for making it this far. Too bad, they came a bit short in getting the Lombardi trophy.

Now, I have to explain a bit further to my wife how American Football works...

Cheers!

Ben's Chili Bowl

Another famous eatery here in Metro DC is Ben's Chili Bowl. This is just a few stations away by Metro train from where I live, located at 1213 U St, NW Washington DC. I was fortunate to have been introduced to its world-famous half-smoked chili dog.

The Half-smoked chili dog gives you the needed juiciness of the hotdog, and the spicy kick of the chili sauce! Coupled with chili cheese fries and you're up for a delicious spicy treat! You really can't eat just one hotdog! Of course, I resisted and ate just one to avoid extra calories and pounds... Whew!

Chili Cheese Fries

Half-Smoked Chili Dog

Ben's Chili has been Washington's premiere chili dog place since 1958. According to its cashier signs, Bill Cosby and the Obama family eat there for free! I wish I could be in that list. :)
http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/Content/2/Summary.

Ray's Hell Burger - January 29, 2010

One good thing about being in DC is that you get to eat in places where President Obama eats or has eaten!

Bubbles and I, along with our friends Jun and Kathy, were able to visit Ray's Hell Burger, a small burger joint just around the Arlington area. Ray's Hell Burger is always packed with people who want to grab a bite of this juicy, succulent, great-tasting burger. Coupled with its reasonable price, I can see the reason for the long lines.

On June 2010, President Obama treated Russian President Dimitri Medvedev to a traditional American lunch in this small burger joint during the latter's visit to the United States.

From the pictures it seemed that they both had fun eating at Ray's. :)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/06/obama-medvedev-chow-down-at-ra.html

I ordered the usual burger, add on Mozzarella and free add ons mushroom, tomatoes and lettuce. My patty was done medium well so we needed to wait for 15-20 minutes. This "have it your way" style makes every burger individually interesting, depending on what you put on it. Unlike traditional "to go" orders, Ray's hell burger gives you the freedom to pack your own burgers to take out after they serve it to you. According to them, this is to ensure that you got the burger you wanted. They have lots of condiments, from ketchup to mayo to several kinds of mustard, to cajun.

I'll soon try other historical sites, eateries and landmarks here in Metro DC. I got plenty of time to do so. :)

Mga Pagninilay sa aking unang linggo

Bilang isang Pilipino, marami na tayong nakagawian, nakasanayan at nakalakihan. Kapag ikaw ay mappadpad sa banyagang lugar tulad ng Estados Unidos, may mga bagay na maninibago ka at maiiba ang pananaw mo.

Mga nakakapanibagong bagay sa aking pangingibang bansa:

10. You're sooooo wired! - May internet kahit saan ka magpunta at mura ito! Ehem, Smart, Globe. Itigil na ang monopolistic capitalism ng Telco at tumapat na kayo sa bilis ng mundo!

9. NLEX is the normal highway - Ang normal na highway ay mukhang NLEX/SCTEX palagi. Kaya palaging mabilis ang biyahe.

8. Have it your way all the time - Karamihan sa mga fastfood ay drink all you can ang sodas at iced tea. Wala naman akong nakikita ditong mga Amerikanong nagdadala ng Coleman at pinupuno ang mga ito. Malamang kaya hindi ito naaalis sa mga fastfood hindi katulad ng Burger King sa Pinas.

7. Rewards here and there - Lahat ng department store, bookstore, appliance store, may kanya-kanyang rewards and loyalty program. Meron silang card copy, at keychain copy na kung saan yung card puwede mo ikabit sa keychain nang hindi mo makalimutan ang rewards! At ang masaya diyan, ang rewards card ay libre! Ehem, SM Advantage.

6. Pareho ang paraan ng pagbili ng Potato Chips at 40" LED TV - Paano? Hanapin ang gustong brand, ilagay sa Cart, bayaran, ilagay sa Kotse. Tapos. Testing? Ikaw magtesting sa bahay, bahala ka sa buhay mo!!!
5. Ang yebe ay nakakatuuwa lamang kung tapos na ang snow storm. Kapag na

4. Hindi banidoso ang pagkakaroon ng skin treatment process - Dati, pagkatapos ko maligo, pabango lang puwede na. Dahil sa lamig at dryness ng panahon, kailangan ko na maglagay ng oil para uminit ang likod, lotion para sa dryness, lip balm para sa chapped lips, enhancer para sa dry skin... Mula 15-minute baths, doble na ang oras ng ligo ko. hehehe

3. Mahilig sila sa Malalaking bagay! - Ang Supermarket na Costco ay isang wholesale store na nagbebenta ng mga produktong hindi mo akalain may ganung kalaking size. Dito ka makakakita ng MALAKING Tide, MALAKING Potato Chips, MALAKING tissue. Lahat MALAKI!

2. Consumer-centric ang mga tindahan dito - Pag hindi mo trip ang produktong binili mo, ibalik mo within the store's return time. At most 30 days yun. Ibabalik nila bayad mo! Hindi uso ang "NO RETURN, NO EXCHANGE" dito. :)

1. Clean as you go - Sa fastfood, hindi puwede iwan mo ang mnesa mo na marumi at may lalapit na "Equitable Manpower Services" at lilinisin ang puwesto mo. Tapat mo, linis mo!

Marami pang iba ang nakakapanibago. At lahat ito ay matuturing na "upgrade" sa nakasanayan. Mas lumawak ang kaalaman, mas lumawak ang kalayaan. Alam ko na ngayon kung bakit lahat ng tao ay gustong mapunta sa bansang ito.

Ngunit sa gitna ng karangyaan at kapangyarihan nais ibigay ng bansang ito sa bawat taong mapunta rito, hindi naman nito makakayang ibigay ang ligaya't sayang dulot ng ating nakasanayan at nakalakihan. Sa gitna ng bilis at laki ng lahat ng bagay dito, mapapatigil ka at biglaang mamimiss ang iyong mga naiwan, ang iyong mga nakagawian. Parang ngayon. Bigla kong namiss ang trapik ng EDSA. Ang ngiti at buhay na buhay na pagbati ng service crew ng McDo. Ang pagtetext ng mga kaibigan ng "Gimik 2nyt?" o "Inom tayo!" o "San ka? Kape!" Ang paghigop ng mainit na lugaw na sinamahan ng tokwa't baboy. At higit sa lahat, ang pagyakap ng iyong mga kamag-anak at magulang at kapatid sa tuwing magkikita-kita sa isang birthday party, kasal, binyag, o ano pa mang dahilan upang magkita-kita. Malamang ang mga ito, hinding hindi matutumbasan ng kahit ano pa mang bilis o laki.

Cheers!

Mabuhay ang Bagong Kasal - Disyembre 29, 2010

It's good to be back on track after not having to write for more than a month. I miss typing a few words and converting them into sentences, especially that there is a lot to tell. I was so used to telling about friends getting married but I missed writing about my very own wedding. So here goes. :)

Some couples tend to be over-stressed in arranging their weddings. As for Bubbles and me, we don't see why being stressed was necessary. For us, it was supposed to be a fun and exciting event, and stress should be nowhere in the picture. The wedding turned out as expected: solemn, love-filled (as described by one of our sponsors), happy. Special thanks to Bubbles' sisters, the wedding was, as Borat would regularly utter, "Great Success!" :)

Out motif was Filipiniana. Everything was in Filipino: Save-the-date e-cards, Invitations, Ceremony, Mass Songs, entertainers, even the wine. We had to order Bignay Wine from Alberto Gonora from Federico's Bignay Wine in Bacolod and it was a major hit among the guests. Al, try selling more of it in Manila! Ichi did the Filipino invites and it was so beautiful!

My bride was beautiful. Very beautiful. Stunningly gorgeously adoring. Ok, that's too much. :) The gown was designed by her very talented sister, Ichi. Her sisters were all members of the entourage and they were all very beautiful. The moms look great in their personal choices of designs, while the men wore beautiful pina and jusi barongs. Bubbles' dear taylors, Tina and Elvis Cagungun, did the gowns and barongs.

Denise, Bea and Renan and their team made the girls even more beautiful with their hair and make up services. Although there is very little that needs to be done with our ladies, the hair and makeup surely made them more atuned with the Filipiniana motif. :)

Malate Church was well organized and helpful, while its coordinator, Dhang, was very friendly and accommodating. We had a very solemn mass because of this.

Ilustrado was equally organized, accommodating and helpful. Setup was beautiful, Ohna was friendly and accommodating, and food was GREAT! It was so good that we see people coming back and forth the buffet tables! Thanks Ilustrado! If you need a reception for any life event, don't hesitate to try out Ilustrado! (http://www.illustradorestaurant.com/)

Terry Uy shot our wedding stills beautifully, with his thousands of candid and posed shots. We couldn't help repeating the pictures again and again until today. With his co-photog Juan Escudero, they shot the important, memorable scenes and sights.

Gilbert Obispo provided a detailed eyewitness view of the wedding with his video coverage. He also gave us a one-minute complimentary teaser to show us how good he was in editing wedding videos.

Principal sponsors were Tita Leng, Auntie Chit, Ms. Remy, Ms. Berna, Tito Sig, Tito Vio, Atty. Gani and Sir Andy. They were all there to witness the event. Thanks po!

My only dear brother Jaze carried the coins while my best buddy Titan carried the rings. Bubbles' tin sister Petite was the Maid of Honor.

Bubbles' sisters Nina, Concep and Ichi were the Candle, Vail and Cord sponsors, respectively, and their partners were my dearest friends Kit, Mike and RT.

Jonathan Ramos lended his beautiful singing voice during the ceremony. LJ, Val and Mark lended their speaking voice as our readers and commentators.

The pianist Vincent and Aldwin the violinist gave the needed solemnity during the mass, while Leo and his partner gave the needed Filipino flavor in their beautiful strumming during the reception.

Special thanks to sponsors, parents, siblings, relatives and friends, our wedding was precisely what we dreamed to be. Everyday after the wedding, the memory of what transpired on December 29th bring about smiles to mine and Bubbles' faces. Thanks to all who made this beautiful night more memorable.

On with the pictures! (in no particular order)

My Beautiful Bride

Mr. Reyes

The Reyeses

The Apostols

The Twins


The Apostols

The Ladies

The Apostol Clan

The Rulla Clan

The Reyes/ Candelaria Clans

Dear Friends

Philippine Tatler Shot

Secondary Sponsors

My Dear Brother

Pang-Kalendaryo

Principal Sponsors

And Now, the couple shots:

And we'll live happily ever after...

Binondo's Ying Ying

Good food with the most influential people of my life? Priceless. :)

Wanton Noodles

Ham Suy Kok and Siopao

Ying Ying

After a tiring journey to Divisoria/Quiapo to look for a decent-looking but cheaply priced barong, we decided to eat at Binondo. Being Chinese food lovers, I told myself that my family should try eating Chinese at Chinatown. After much convincing, they finally relented and off we went to Ying Ying!

Ying Ying is located at Yuchengco St. (formerly Nueva St.), Binondo, Manila. I instantly fell in love with this restaurant after Ms. Isca, our big boss in Marketing, introduced this to me a few weeks ago.

I am a big fan of dimsum and I consider Ying Ying's roster as one of my favorites. I personally like the Hakao, Lo Ma Kai, Ham Suy Kok, Beancurd Roll, and of course, the Sharksfin and Pork Siomai! Not to mention the gargantuanly tasty Siopao! Yahoo!

I'm definitely coming back. You just wait, Ying Ying! I'll try your freash seafood next time! :)