Thanks, 2014!

Incredible year... that's what you are, 2014. :)
Do us a favor...
Tell 2015 to pick up where you started, on your way out, will ya?
That's my buddy.  So long....

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Happy Christmas to one and all!

Joy to the World!

To Him who is King...
...we raise our voices in Thanksgiving as he brings the gift of Love and Hope!

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Foodie-ing...

...in between holiday shopping.
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by PAM


For the longest time, my nephew and I had been looking for the "perfect liempo".  We have gone to many eating places, trying their versions of liempo.  Some were good while others were lame excuse for good old liempo.  So the search continued... until recently.  

We were Christmas shopping for fresh produce and sea foods in one of the newest malls in Quezon City - Fisher Mall.  So, while joining the Metro crowd Christmas rush, we got

Limited choices in the menu... but all are very good.

hungry.  As the more popular restaurants were all crowded, we found ourselves eating in a small restaurant on the third floor of the Mall. 

The restaurant is called Sweet Chili Thai Fish and Noodle House, and it's a part of the Gerry's Grill Group. It's small but tidy and with a pleasing ambiance of understated neighborhood-restaurant class. The service was satisfactory, too.  The staff showed concern for their guests without being too annoyingly eager.  The menu was quite limited for our liking.  However, as we discovered later, they are merely starting (they opened only last September 2014, and the Fisher Mall branch is the first) so, perhaps, they don't really need an expansive menu at the moment.  Besides, as we pleasantly discovered later, all the dishes they currently offer were very good, not to mention very affordable!  The restaurant features Thai dishes with Filipino twist, or Filipino dishes with Thai twist.  My nephew and I were very surprised to have found grilled liempo in their menu.  Naturally, as Sweet Chili is supposed to be a Thai restaurant, we did not have much expectations... therefore, we were pleasantly surprised when the liempo we ordered was served.

Grilled liempo: tender, juicy...
...and with the lemon sauce, it was perfect!

The meat was grilled just right - tender and juicy, and it looked and smelled absolutely mouthwatering.  When we tasted it, it didn't disappoint. It was delicious and satisfying on its own.  And, when dipped in the mildly spicy lemon sauce - the Thai touch, we supposed - it was perfect!  So, yeah, it seems that the search is over... we have found our "perfect" liempo.  We went back twice after our first visit, and tried the liempo each time... the quality was consistent - delicious, perfect for our taste.      

My nephew and I also tried their bagoong fried rice, which was jasmine rice, fried and

Bagoong fried rice - a big hit.

made to taste with one of Philippines' fave condiments, bagoong (fermented fish with salt).  It was topped with small slices of freshly cooked and tasty pork adobo, sliced fried scrambled egg, green mango strips, thinly sliced red onion and a twist of cilantro.  The adobo heightened the exotic flavor of the fried rice while the mango strips and the onion brought contrast to the smooth saltiness of the rice and the meat.  Just like the grilled liempo, the bagoong fried rice serving size was large enough to be shared by two adults.  In fact, if we did not know that they served liempo, we would have been contented with the bagoong fried rice.    

As I am a big fan of Pad Thai, we also tried their version of this well-loved Thai dish.  We

Pad Thai - "old dish", nice touch.

opted for that one with fried scrambled egg. Needless to say, we were not disappointed at all. The balance between the sweetness and sourness, and how the mild spiciness bound the two for a satisfying gastronomic experience was spot-on.  The variation of textures, starting from the noodles that were cooked just-right to the crunchiness of the vegetable ingredients, made eating interesting and fun. Yep, it was delicious!  Even my nephew, who was not a fan of Pad Thai, became a 'believer'. :) 

We finished our meal up with Thako - a Thai dessert.  It is a soft pudding wrapped in banana leaf, and topped with browned grated mature coconut meat.  The Sweet Chili version had two pudding layers, a green translucent one (tapioca) at the bottom with the distinct flavor of pandan, and a white opaque layer on top with a rich flavor of coconut milk but with thinner consistency. One order of Thako came in six pieces, therefore, it was great for sharing. And, when shared by two people only, it can indeed be a sweet treat!  Yep, it was a perfect ending to a truly satisfying meal.    

Thai Thako - perfect ending!

As I said, after our first visit, we visited again twice within the same week, with different companions.  In one of our visits, we tried their Tom Yum soup with shrimps.  It was awesome - one of the best I've tasted so far.  Needless to say, all our companions were as gastronomically satisfied as we were.  

If Sweet Chili is trying to become a "neighborhood eating place" with an easy-going ambiance and with budget-friendly food choices as well, I believe they will find success.  The mix of Thai and Pinoy tastes is a good formula as well... but Sweet Chili's real ace is that they found the perfect blend of these tastes to appeal to most Filipinos. As we observed a number of seemingly satisfied foreign customers during our visits, I believe their blend also captures other cultures' fancy.

So, are we going to visit again? Aw, definitely!

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All photos used in this post are mine.

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Reunion with FPAAA, and re-discovering Ilocandia...

...where the Filipino culture is immensely preserved.

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by PAM


An opportunity to connect with old friends, while learning a good deal of new technologies in Agriculture, Engineering and Food Science presented itself a few months ago in the form of a conference: The Fulbright-Philippine Agriculture Alumni Association

(FPAAA) National Conference on Agriculture and Fisheries and 10th Anniversary Celebration. 

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FPAAA... bending towards my root

Receiving the invitation/announcement on my e-mail a few months ago made me feel a bit nostalgic... the memories of those days when I was making a big decision whether to stay in the Academia and, therefore, pursue doctoral studies, or cross to the 'other side'

Reminiscin' how it all started 12 years ago.

and practice in the Industry, came rushing in.  I remember praying very hard for guidance. It was tough in the beginning... and then God answered my prayers.  A number of very good opportunities to study abroad came knocking on my door... I was overwhelmed!  But the one thing that made me decide to go for doctoral studies was when I received a letter from the Philippine-American Educational Foundation (PAEF), the Fulbright Commission in the Philippines, in the Summer of 2001.  I was told that I got the scholarship grant that I applied for, commencing Fall 2002. And then the Cornell University opportunity came, too.  The rest is history.

Needless to say, it was truly frightening to be making such a big step... but my PAEF friends were there to walk me through it all... and so were my Cornell friends and mentors later.  Therefore, when the opportunity to meet with my PAEF friends and mentors came, I just had to grab it!  So, I did.  

This year, the conference had the theme, "Sustainable Agriculture Productivity and Entrepreneurship through Science and Technology".  As the FPAAA members are leaders in their respective fields in the country, it was easy to get lost in the beauty and fluidity of discussions - very, very satisfying... both in content and manner of discussion, not to mention the inherent idealism and sense of humor of FPAAA members. Yep, I'm proud to be a member, and I'm glad I joined the event!

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Ilocos Sur... a beautiful transformation

The FPAAA event was held this year at the Teatro Ilocandia at the Don Mariano Marcos State University in Batac, Ilocos Norte.  I had a choice between flying over there for less than an hour, or driving for seven to eight hours.  As I haven't visited the Ilocos region for

green + blue + some brown = relaxing drive.

about a decade now and I was curious how it progressed over the years, I decided to go for a roadtrip with my sister.  As it turned out, it was a very good choice! :) 

Before reaching Ilocos Norte, we had to go through Pangasinan - where I was born, La Union and Ilocos Sur.  The roads are terrific... so much better than a decade ago - a real progress, I must say.  The green scenery along most of the way was intoxicatingly beautiful... a welcome respite from the 'concrete jungle' that's Metro Manila.  The long drive through La Union was relaxing, with the beach - Philippine sea - on the left side of the road, and the green Ifugao mountains on the right side... both sides of the road were lined by a row of pretty houses with their front yard sprayed with

Vigan... a blend of the past and the present.

foliage of tropical colors.  Oy, it made me think of retirement! :)      

Vigan, Ilocos Sur was something else though... ah, beautiful beyond words, that's what it is!  The old houses, especially along Crisologo St., were fascinating.  I remember being awed by them a few years ago... I was awed again this time.  They pretty much mixed up old with new stuff now, welcoming progress... and yet, the rustic beauty that define Philippine Architecture of the not so ancient years were as defined as they can be.  There were more colors this time... and yet, the charm of the old bricks and the inviting call of the decaying woods of the old structures that seem to say, "come, I have a story to tell you," were as irresistible as ever!  My sister and I were completely drawn.  Just beautiful! 

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Ilocos Norte... ah, Philippines, my Philippines!

Seeing Philippine heritage and cultural artifacts being preserved like a beauty in a time capsule in Ilocos Norte can bring tears to any sentimental Filipino's eyes - it was beautiful!

Fort Ilocandia... full of luxurious 'secrets'.

My sister and I stayed in the famed Fort Ilocandia in Laoag City.  The Fort is a place where Ilocano cultural heritage, including Ilocano cuisine and vibrant tropical foliage, are showcased.  The structure of the hotel is massive... like a fortress.  It seems to hide something behind its walls. And, indeed it does!  It hides a beautiful dwelling, an oasis for the tired and spent... far away from it all that ones zaps energy.  A relaxing and rejuvenating environment that you can privately own, albeit temporarily.

The corridors echo luxury... they were all lined with classy works of art that seem to remind you to walk with a mixture of graceful elegance and curiosity of your surroundings.  It was like being in a different world.  But, it was still a hotel first and foremost... therefore, amenities for relaxation, entertainment and adventure were in place... and luxuriously, too!  But that's without

Laid back beauty.  Aw, retirement...
...I'm so looking forward to enjoying you!

having to spend a "king's ransom", mind you.  And so, my sister and I enjoyed our stay immensely.        

The beach at the back of the hotel was absolutely alluring at sunset, and it beckons with a cheerful greeting at the break of dawn.  It offers a breath of fresh air and a chance to forget your worries by offering its fine sand where one can walk barefoot - without a care in the world. Just irresistible!  

Paoay is a completely different story, except that, like the other places in Ilocandia, it also teaches its visitors with the rich history of the Philippines.  It is home to one of the most photographed churches in the Philippines: the Church of Paoay, which has been the symbol of Catholic worship in the region since the early 18th century. The church is also of historic significance as it was used by the Katipuneros during the

The Church of Paoay.

Revolution against Spanish rule, and by the guerilleros resisting Japanese occupation in World War II. 


The short drive from Fort Ilocandia to Paoay (about 15 minutes) go by faster than it really is because of the "little-town-charm overload" as one takes in the surroundings.  The lazy expanse of green land that separate the two towns relaxes one's eyes to sleepiness, and the quiet elegance of the little town is too beautiful for words.  It cajoles one to want to stay on an extended vacation, that's for sure! :)  Too bad, I cannot stay long... too many things await me in my work place... not that this trip is not work either. 

Ah... retirement, what is taking you so long??

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What's for next time?

Nope, I haven't even covered half of my fascinating short trip to Ilocandia... haven't even spoken about the other ancient churches in the region, and the food... but I have work to do! :(  Therefore, I'll stop here and pray that I find time to write more about my trip in another post... and perhaps, share more photos.  Later....

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Photo credit:  I own all photos in this post.

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