Katrina's Thought Bubbles: Jerk Lines Alert

This is for all the jerks! Source: Natalie Dee

The boys from Boys Night Out of Magic 89.9 talked about the famous jerk lines used by most couples in their show last night, and they even trended it on Twitter Philippines (Here is the link of the thread, if you want to get a dose of all those witty and funny remarks from the Twitter World). I love it, because it became a sort of "public announcement" (as Sam YG says it) to all the victims out there. On that note, I'm listing the top 5 (in no particular order) jerk lines I've encountered so far. Tell me if you've also heard of them before.

"It's not you, it's me."

This is the worst and most battered line of all, and only jerks say this. I can't believe people use this big lie. I know this sounds corny but if you really don't want the person anymore, better say the whole truth even if it hurts. Don't make him/her solve the puzzle alone. Admit the true reason why you don't want to hang in the relationship anymore. That way you save yourself from being tagged as a selfish and manipulative bastard.

"I don't want commitment. I don't want to be attached."

I'm not convinced with people saying this stuff. I mean, what good will they get if they play cold shoulder on love? I think they only say this to hide their mushy emotions and to come off as independent and strong-willed, when they're actually not. I'm sorry, but I'm totally not buying the No-Strings-Attached and Friends-With-Benefits peg you're trying to pull off. I'm sure you can't keep your feelings in check as time passes by.

"Let's have a cool off, but please don't go."

Cooling off is giving each other space in a relationship. It's the period when partners decide to avoid extended contact. It's like an unofficial breakup, so to speak. If you're smart enough, you don't ever fall for this trap. If they need space, set them free right away and grant them the unlimited space they crave for! Don't let yourself be just his/her option. Spending some time apart while having problems won't do any good to a couple.

"I won't make you cry."

Ows? Di nga. I've heard of this a lot of times, and it just makes me laugh. I'm so amused with the power of this line that sort of hypnotizes men in general. Why is it that every man tend to say this all the time? Do they know what this statement even mean? It's impossible not to make a girl cry, because we're born to let out all our hurt feelings through that act. If you want to make us feel better, you can say something practical instead.

"Let's forget about this and start all over again, shall we?"

I really think starting over easily doesn't apply to a certain mistake that almost tore your heart open. There's no way one can forget something that shattered his/her world and being that instant just by hearing that stupid line. Don't be a jerk by assuring your partner something like nothing even happened. You can't just say that, and get the forgiveness you want right away. Winning something back takes time, effort and genuineness.

That's it, folks. Do they sound familiar to you? Have you heard of them or have you ever used them at some point?  I guess we don't see our patterns, until they're laid out in front of us. I just aired out a portion of those dirty laundry and after that, I hope we stop being a jerk. How about you, do you have something to share about jerk lines as well? Let me know. I'm stoked to know your thoughts about this subject.

SVS: What's in for 2012?

TANGERINE TANGO 

a spirited, reddish orange.

"Provocative Tangerine Tango, an enticing juicy orange, is a vivacious and appealing refresher to enliven anyone's outlook this spring." - Pantone

MIXING VINTAGE W/ MODERN

"The year marks the true start of a new decade, and yet 2012′s fashion trends are all about REVIVAL. True, there is a unique undertone of a modernist style appearing, but take some of the most iconic styles of the 20th century, infuse them with quality, and you’ll find the basis for the dominant styles of 2012." - FASHIONISING

MODERN GLADSTONE BAG

"The Gladstone bag, or doctor's bag, was once a workingman’s asset - but today has become a woman’s arm-luxury. Functional, elegant, and back in our sights for 2012, the Gladstone bag is an accessory worth investing in." - FASHIONISING

EXOTIC SKINS

"The very latest crop of exotic skin handbags come in a rainbow of hues. Bottega Veneta, Loewe and Roberto Cavalli cater for those looking for classic investment pieces - ladylike totes and satchels in block colour neutrals, that will remain wardrobe favorites for seasons to come." - VOGUE UK

AN ARRAY OF REDS

"Lipstick’s most iconic color was reinvented this season, proving that there are endless ways to wear a dramatic red. With inspirations that ranged from pop art expressionisms at Jason Wu to art deco experimentation at Rick Owens to Betty Draper-style elegance at Dior, it’s a great time to go for rouge." 

- Harper's BAZAAR

MODERN CAT EYES

"The familiar flick of liner returned to the outer corners of eyes but this time fashioned with inventive, even playful, variations (who says that up-tick has to be tapered? Why not apply two layers of liner instead of one?)." 

- Harper's BAZAAR

POWER BROWS

Both striking and feminine at the same time, the look of bold brows dominated the runways, recalling sixties-era icons like Liz Taylor. The best examples are darkened with pigment, brushed up, and shaped with a dramatic, willful arch." - Harper's BAZAAR

CHEERFUL COLOR-BLOCKING

"Spring runways were more colorful than the crowd at a Lady Gaga concert. Bold, solid-color pieces—like a cardi and skirt, wrap dress or demure one-piece suit—make simple dressing look glam. Our style tip: Stick to three colors max to avoid the girly, Rainbow Brite look." - GLAMOUR

HIGH SHINE

"The no-fail trend when it comes to looking all glammed up for any occasion, high shine definitely puts the spotlight on you!" - STYLE Bible

CRAZY FOR PAISLEY

"THE Indian heritage print of swirling curling shapes finds new style currency this season." - VOGUE UK

PALE AND INTERESTING

"Steer clear of sickly-sweet shades and opt for icy alternatives, which offer a subtler pastel palette. " - VOGUE UK

TRACK AND FIELD

"With the London 2012 Olympics looming, there is a spirit of athleticism in the air and fashion is on a fitness streak." - VOGUE UK

PYJAMA PARTY

"Seductive, sensual and far too stylish to keep in the bedroom, pyjamas present an alluring new eveningwear option for spring." - VOGUE UK

THE MULLET

"A cross between the mini and the maxi, this hybrid shows just the right amount of leg and gives way to that fresh summer breeze!" - STYLE Bible

EARNED STRIPES

"Stripes somehow call to mind ideas of sailing and being by the sea. With visions of being beach bound for the summer months, striped maxi dresses and even skirts seem to make the perfect wardrobe." 

- STYLE Bible

All images and information from this post are not intended for copyright infringement.

Gastronomy: Classic Savory

Image courtesy of Classic Savory Fan Page

My mantra for 2012 is that I am going to be an ULTIMATE FOODIE. Bold and all caps for emphasis. Food never failed to make me happy these days. I love experimenting on new snack ideas and stuff like that. I guess what I'll try to do next is learn how to bake a cake. Hopefully I can make it taste as great as my Mom's. 

To add to my growing passion for food is my boyfriend who just enrolled in a culinary course at The Institute of International Culinary and Hospitality Entrepreneurship (I-CHEF). I'm so happy for him, because he's now beginning to materialize one of his dreams, plus I now have a chef of my own. Aww yeah!

Now in Gastronomy, I'm going to review the home of the original tenderest and juiciest chicken in the Philippines since 1950 -- the Classic Savory (SM Davao branch). My family and I went there last Sunday to celebrate my sister's 19th birthday. This is a blogworthy experience because it's our first try there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JANINE CASTRO!

Some old photos of the original branch posted on the wall.

I love that they have a partially open kitchen. I hope they make it full someday.

We ordered their famous Savory Whole Chicken, Sate Miki, Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli, Special Turon, Coffee & Cream Delight and some beverage. I really can't get over the taste of their chicken. It tasted so good, I wanna try having the whole serving for myself alone. Here are the food photos I got.

Savory Whole Chicken

Sate Miki

Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli

Special Turon

Coffee & Cream Delight 

Beef Stir Fry and Broccoli is one of their latest additions to their menu. I like it since I'm a big fan of broccoli. The Special Turon is also a winner. To my readers abroad, "turon" is a Pinoy snack dish made of thinly sliced bananas dusted with brown sugar and rolled in spring roll wrapper and fried (Wikipedia, 2012).

Coffee & Cream Delight is made of coffee gelatin cubes and cream. It tasted like a melted mocha ice cream for me. My sister Mikee enjoyed it, but I didn't. Maybe I just expected something better because of the name. It sounded so delicious and sophisticated, at least for me. But all in all, the food was great there!

I also give two thumbs up to their customer service. We were a bit demanding to the waiters because it was already high noon that time, and we were starving when we arrived from church; but still they attended to us courteously with their mega watt smiles. They were so gracious in considering our every favor.

I hope I get to dine there again as soon as possible. I wasn't too satisfied with the amount of savory chicken I ate. I want more, and with more I mean I want a whole of it all for myself. I'm such a greedy food whore, eh? 'Til the next episode of Gastronomy, buddies. I hope you enjoyed reading this entry. Much love!

Mama Bet’s Cookbook: Holidays 2011

Happy New Year!!!

Pardon me as I rake the ashes of 2011, because I wasn’t really contented about how the past year went for me. It has brought me a lot of frustrations. About academics, I wasn’t able to graduate on time and my thesis got extended. Regarding my social life, me and some of my close friends began to grow apart as some inevitable circumstances came. Those things had great effect on me, especially on my temper. I became too sensitive, sulky and low-hearted. It was like the melancholic and choleric side of me joint forces to make me miserable.

My despair has not only caused trouble to myself, but also to those people I hold dear in my heart. Because I acted like it’s the end of the world for me, I also disappointed those I consider so special. I stopped showing them how blessed I am to have them around. Instead, I built a wall without them in it and drove them away. I shut myself from ways of reaching out to them, which in turn made them feel that I didn’t want them in my life. I didn’t mean to hurt them. It’s just that I still didn’t know how to deal with setbacks constructively. I’m still groping even now.

Bad times may be part of our yearly happenings, but there also are pleasant ones. I can say with a smile on my face, that I somehow found a silver lining in my gray 2011 sky. There are a great number of things that made me thankful about the past year. I got to dine at different restaurants. That’s something since I’m a big foodie. I got to meet new cool friends (You know who you are). My blog gained a lot of followers and visitors. My boyfriend and I celebrated our four years of being together. Lastly, I got to finish all my major and minor subjects apart from thesis.

I can’t believe another year has passed again. I don’t usually feel this giddy about new years, because knowing myself I’m very pessimistic; but you know what, I have a very positive impression about 2012. The moment our clock struck 12, I instantly felt that this year is going to be a good one for me. I pray that it’s God’s way of telling me that I am finally going to start getting hold of my dreams this year. I also hope that this unusual optimism that I have in me now will eventually turn into something beneficial for me and my loved ones’ future. God willing!

I’ve already let my views out about 2011. Now, let me discuss about how my family and I celebrated the holidays at home, particularly the food my Mom prepared for us. And by the way before I proceed, it was Mousy and Caramel’s first time to be with us this recent Christmas. I wasn’t able to take a picture of Caramel with Santa and Snowman because she keeps on moving. I could only take blur photos of her, too bad.

Christmas Eve Celebration

We had the delicious Blueberry Cheesecake, Mango Delight, Swiss Deli Ham, a whole lot of Lasagna, Queso de Bola, some fruits and this non-alcoholic beverage called Ma. December 24 was such a happy day especially for me, because my boyfriend came and had dinner with us. Actually he was also there to get the Chocolate Cake we prepared as a gift for him and his family. The last time he visited was two years ago. I didn’t want him to visit me here, because I’m afraid my parents wouldn’t like his presence at home. But I think they feel better about him now.

Anyway, let’s talk about the food again. It was Mom’s first time to make a Blueberry Cheesecake, but it really tasted so heavenly. It didn’t feel like it was her first time to do so. My friends Lerr and Regine got to try it, and they said it’s perfect! Mom used DariCreme Margarine and Crushed M.Y. San Grahams for the pie shells; Milkmaid Evap, Magnolia Butter, Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Knox Gelatin for the filling; lastly, she used Cornstock Blueberries for the important topping. She refrigerated the pie shells overnight, and then added the filling the next day.

Mom used Chiffon Cake from Bread Factory, Evap & Condensed Milk, and of course ripe mangoes for the Mango Delight. She sliced the chiffon cake thinly, and layered it with the milk and mangoes consecutively. She prepared it the Mango Float style, except that she didn’t use Graham crackers. I’m not a fan of it though, because I don’t like mangoes and chiffon cakes but my boyfriend tried it, and he loved it big time. The Lasagna was a special one because she added some Swiss Deli Sausages in it. I ate a lot of this dish, since I’m a huge lover of pasta.

New Year’s Eve Celebration

For the New Year’s Eve celebration or Media Noche, Mom prepared a 2.9kg medium-sized turkey for the main course. We also had Ham, but I didn’t take a photo of it anymore. Because our Turbo Broiler is just very small, she only cooked the half first. She barbecued the other half the next day. Mom marinated the turkey in soy sauce, calamansi juice, salt, garlic, lemon grass, pepper and rosemary seeds. The latter made the dish smell so good while being cooked. Next year, I plan to buy some ingredients that will make our next Turkey dish taste even better.

We also had Chicken Sotanghon which is also very tasty and siksik, because it’s filled with vegetables like carrots, sweet peas, cauliflower and spring onions. It’s also filled with my favorite chicken meat, liver and heart. Oh, so yummy! The Chocolate Cake was a special one because Mom even used Anchor butter instead of DariCreme. She also used Goya EasyMelt Buttons for the ganache frosting instead of Dutche Chocolate Bar. Mom also bought us a lot of chocolates. That 250g Ritter Sport Alpine Milk Chocolate bar in a nice sky blue wrap was all mine.

I’m posting that photo of our favorite Gardenia bread and Guava Jelly spread, because the latter has always been a significant part of our dining table during Christmas season. It reminds my Mom of how they used to celebrate the holidays back then when grandfather was still alive. Mom said Grandpa wouldn’t miss a chance of buying them Guava Jelly every Christmas. This memory of my Grandpa has remained seared in my Mom’s mind, and now she’s passing the tradition to us, her children. We’ll surely continue doing it until we’ll have a family of our own.

Top 10 Resolutions for 2012:

Be closer to my God and family.

Be optimistic.

Be less moody.

Be aggressive in looking for opportunities.

Be a confident woman of style and substance.

Be a responsible spender.

Be adventurous in learning new stuff.

Be less OC.

Be a great lover to my friends and special someone.

Be charitable to people in need.

Again, Happy New Year everyone!!!