Valentino's

Tonight we will go dancing at the Westway Club. I checked one restaurant which boasted of a Valentines show and dance featuring a Filipino band and lady singer, but I did not like the venue, because the floor was carpeted and therefore, not really good for dancing.

Westway, on the other hand, although there is no live band, but a disc jockey, boasts of a huge, shiny, wooden dance floor. The tables are elevated and the dance floor is a bit sunken which gives it an elegant and classy look. Tonight, being Valentines Day, I suspect the club would be full. The crowd at Westway is a happy, relaxed one, unlike the one at the Harmony Club, the other club which I frequent.

At the Westway, there's enough room to dance a good salsa, cha cha or tango, without having to bump on another pair. At Harmony, it is ordinary to have physical contact with another pair, because the dance floor is somewhat smaller and the crowd, a lot bigger.

Both clubs, though, are favorites among ballroom dancing enthusiasts.

In lovely Manila, dancing fans trek to the Bike's in Pasong Tamo, Makati and the Club Filipino in Greenhills. The last time I was in Manila, I also enjoyed dancing at the Manila Pen, at the Rennaisance where RJ (Jacinto) regularly played, and a club, the name of which escaped my mind, which was located in the Ortigas complex. This unnamed club was small and had a karaoke. Now, I love singing, but not in public places, so I was dismayed when in the middle of good dancing, a group led by someone from a well-known TV family, and whose group was having a birthday party, took center-stage and started karaoke singing.

I was surprised that the Manila clubs intended for dancing were quite small. At the Pen ballroom , which can accomodate at least 500 people, the dance floor itself which was at the foot of the stage, was so small, that people stood by their tables, and danced right there. At the RJ and the Riots' venue, again the dance floor was so tiny, people were dancing and bumping into the elevated stage. The Bike's had two levels for entertainment, the upper floor was for dancing with a live band, and the lower level, reserved for listening to music and dining and drinking. But again, the same problem, the dance floor was small.

The Club Filipino at Greenhills had a decent-size dance floor. There was also live band and a warm platter.

However, in the late '70s and early '80s, I do recall nights out with friends, and dancing till two in the morning, in spacious dance floors in Manila discos. After the tragic fire at the Ozone (?) Club, that's when dance clubs started to get small. I suspect the club owners opted for smaller spaces to make management of customer escape in case of accidents such as fire a lot easier.

Of the five clubs I visited in Manila, I enoyed most the food at Bike's, and the music of RJ at the Rennaisance.

Six more weeks

Today is GroundHog Day. And this morning at Wiarton, Ontario, the groundhog Wiarton Willy saw his shadow, run back to his cage and declared " there'd be another six weeks of winter." There you go.

Tonight just before we had dinner, I went to the balcony and performed the evening ritual for my pet birds. I covered them snugly with three towels on top and two blankets on all sides of their cages, to protect them from the minus two celsius temperature. When I perform this evening winter ritual, I purposely make noise by wrinkling the clear plastic sheet which is the first layer of protection for the birds. I do this to announce to them that it is "bedtime."

The two budgies, Tommy and JLo (which I renamed Ugly Betty) would respond to this crinkly noise by doing the following: Tommy proclaims his protest to the "lights out" by giving out a crispy twitter, which means, " I don't wanna go to bed yet." JLo, err, Ugly Betty, responds by immediately crossing perches or going down, then up, to ultimately settle on her favorite yellow feeder, aka bed.

Tonight it was already 7 pm when I covered them. Usually, I do this before six p.m.

Because I was late, when I wrinkled the plastic sheet, JLo did not steer nor move. So I peeked inside the dark cage, and saw Ugly Betty already enjoying her snooze, tucked under the newspaper, comfortably embedded on the pieces of paper which she patiently shredded for weeks. I just saw her tail protruding.

Tommy on the other hand , was his usual cranky self, immediately "cackling" and only stopped when he was fully covered. Once covered, though, Tommy would remain silent and behaved all through the night, no matter how loud the television is, or how bright the light is at the adjoining dining area. These two would only wake up, no fail, at around 8 am the following morning. This they do, whether it's a weekday or a weekend. I guess, they're like the rooster, who has its own internal alarm clock.

I lost most of my canaries when I returned from Europe last summer. This being so, I do not intend to replace them. For now, I am happy with the two budgies.

And because they've lived with the canaries for a long time, Tommy and Ugly Betty have acquired the female canaries' distinct "sound." Only canary lovers would know this sound. That's why I tell friends that my budgies are bilingual.

Good night Tommy! Goodnight Ugly Betty! Here's to s

ix more weeks of the evening winter ritual.

Just plain terrorized.

Living in North America, it is easy to get paranoid... over such things as home security and safety.

Last week, we received a notice from the condo property management that the yearly fire alarm inspection was going to happen and that a technician would be entering our unit. And the notice included that for $30, a carbon monoxide detector could be installed at the same time as the inspection.

Wait! I have a carbon monoxide detector which I purchased years ago and plugged in the bedroom outlet. It went missing when I moved furniture, and when I was not looking for it, I found it sitting on top of a book shelf. So with the notice on hand, I plugged the carbon monoxide detector, first in the bedroom, then I moved it into the kitchen.

I also brought down the big picture frame of the "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" hanging against the humongous fire alarm contraption on the wall, and took out the small chair by the door to give easy access to the inspector, and removed two candle holders by the hallway where the smoke alarm had been installed.

Then, yesterday before 7 am, the detector made a funny sound - low, continuous beeps - and I got alarmed and pulled it out. I said, it could be a malfunction.

I moved the detector to the living room. A around 10 am, while waiting for the technician, the detector sounded again - once more, low, continuous beeps. I unplugged it and read the note at the back which said: The opening must be vacuumed to remove dirt accumulation. So I vacuumed and re-plugged it, and it made no more sound. I had just finished my brunch of fried rice, egg omelet and tosino, and suddenly felt a slight headache. I thought, could this be "carbon monoxide poisoning or just lots of cholesterol?"

The technician came after lunch, checked the smoke alarm and the fire alarm and was gone in 5 seconds.

This morning, at about the same time as yesterday - 7 am, the carbon monoxide detector beeped again. I heard it from the bedroom and I immediately rose up and unplugged it. I checked myself: " am I feeling dizzy, fatigued, etc? - the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Though cold, I slightly opened the window to ventilate the house.

Despite the snow and the minus 4 celsius temperature this morning, I drove to Home Depot and picked up a new carbon monoxide detector - it cost me $33. I installed batteries on it, tested it, and it is now lying on top of a dining table, awaiting proper installation in the bedroom.

It was emitting green signal awhile ago, but the manual said, that is a sign of the alarm scanning for any possible CO. If there was any, it would emit 4 continuous beeps, and red light, pause 5 seconds and beep again. No such thing took place. Amen.

Jersey Boys in TO

Braved the wintry weather today to catch a matinee showing of the Jersey Boys at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. It was zero degree celsius, and the flurries, non-stop, when I drove out at 2 this afternoon. I preferred the matinee over the regular evening run because at night the show would finish at almost eleven and the drive back home would be more treacherous.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the two-hour musical which featured an able ensemble of young men and women both from the US and Canada. Jersey Boys started its Toronto run last August 21, 2008 and will continue, I think, till February 2009.

Winner of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, Jersey Boys is a "candid, powerful portrayal of the journey of four guys from the wrong side of the tracks - led by Frankie Valli - who became one of America's biggest pop sensation." It is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The group sold over 175 million records.

Although I was a toddler perhaps when the group was enjoying its sojourn in American television and countless venues, I love and can dance to the music of Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons.

I especially enjoyed their " Can't Take My Eyes Off You, My Eyes Adored You, Rag Doll and Oh, What a Night." And of course, their "Big Girls Don't Cry and Walk Like a Man."

New Toy for New Year

I'm a browser; that is when I am in the mall, I browse merchandise, usually at an electronics store. Otherwise I would be sitting in one of the mall benches looking at other browsers.

If I want to purchase something big, say a Blue Ray or a television, I would search first on the Internet and look for customer reviews. I remember buying a big screen TV way back in 1996, and it took me at least 6 months before selecting a particular brand, and my first DVD, way back in 1999, after 4 months of research.

My friend Al bought his HD television, a Panasonic DLP a couple of years back and he explained to me the advantages of DLP over Plasma and the LCD, he being an engineer.

Well, like Al, I also wanted an HD TV, but again, I toiled at the idea and did my research once more. I crossed out Plasma because of its short life span; I crossed out the LCD because I did not want to change lamps. In my office, I used to replace the lamp in the LCD projector and it cost my department money.

Well, late last year (actually about mid-November), I finally finished my agonizing research and decided on a purchase of a Samsung 61 inch-DLP TV. It is a series 7, which means it is has the Samsung CinemaPure 120Hz color engine, HDMI connections and others, and a 1080p resolution. But the main reasons I chose this one is because of its LED (Light Emitting Diode) which means I don't change lamps for a long life performance. And the number 1 reason? It is 3D-ready, which means I can watch 2D movies on 3D!

Now, I waited two days before it was delivered, asked the assistant super to help carry it on the pedestal (it is huge), and started to fiddle with it to watch a 3D movie. But wait... how to?

Before I purchased it, I already researched the requirements for the 3D connectivity, but I didn't realize it would be this much work. The other guy at the electronics store purchased the same brand and make and he would have to wait for at least 1 week, because I got the last inventory. He told me he owned a Plasma and it died on them after a few months of extensive use doing video games. He, too, could not wait to experience the 3D magic, he said.

I am now sitting and waiting for my 3D connectivity. The only thing I am wating for now is the installation CD from AOL. Unfortunately I am still among those who faithfully use AOL for my Internet; and my old computer which has internet connectivity is an Intel Celeron. For the 3D to function, I should have at least an Intel Pentium 4 1.6GHz or Athlon XP or the ideal - IntelCore 2 Duo or Athlon64 X2 Dual CPU.

The 3D glasses, router and 3D-enabling-software from Tridef arrived before Christmas and the required Vista-operated computer with the required graphics card and HDMI-DVI port, is sitting on my dining table, waiting.

It's 2009 and my Holiday gift to myself had been unwrapped before Christmas arrived. Now, I already started to list in memory the movies I will rent and watch on 3D. I am on my own countdown...

Christmas Past, Christmas Present

Siyempre ang Christmas past ko nung nanduon pa ako sa Pilipinas, matagal na ito. Ang gusto kong iniisip na past ay nuong maliliit pa kami ng mga kapatid ko. Nuong simple lang ang buhay: may mabuksan ka lang na maliit na regalo kung Pasko, maligaya ka na. Kahit bente singko sentimos ang bigay ng Ditse namin, tuwang tuwa na kami. Marami ng mabibili ang bente singko nuon. Diyes lang ang isang bote ng coca cola. Dalawang pan de limon, singko. Isang choconut, singko din.

At nuon, ang mga nagkaka-caroling, naka-aaliw talaga. Mga batang kapitbahay lang. Ang mga dala dala - mga pinitpit na tansan ng sarsaparilla na nakabilot sa alambre. Ayun, may patunog na sila habang bumabanat ng "jingle bells."

Ang Nanay ko nuon, tuwing Disyembre 23 nakahanda na ang mga bilot na bilot na diyes sentimos. Lahat ng mga batang nag-kaka-caroling, diyes ang bigay. Kahit pabalik balik na, bigay pa rin kami.

Pero ang mga malalaki - mga dalaga't binata at 'yung mga galing sa simbahan, siyempre malaki ang bigay. At may pakain pa. Sila 'yung kung mag-caroling e halos hatinggabi na. At naka-dyip pa kung dumating. Ang bigay sa kanila ni Nanay ay naka-sobre.

At ang simbang gabi namin nuong Christmas past ay talagang unforgettable. E, sa bayan namin sa Mandaluyong ay dalawa ang simbahan. Sa kalye pa lang papunta, para ng prusisyon sa dami ng mga magsisimba. Pagdating mo sa luob ng simbahan, wala kang mauupuan. Jampacked!

Iyan naman e mga first four days siguro. Siyempre, excited ang lahat. Tapos paunti nang paunti ang mga nagsisimba.

Nuon, exciting magsimba ng madaling araw, pero mas exciting ang labasan. Kasi bibili kami ng puto bumbong at bibingka.

Sa luob naman ng simbahan, kalahati ng misa, tulog kami ng kapatid ko. Pitong taon lang ako nuon, kaya forgivable. At saka papasok pa kami sa eskwela pagdating ng alas siyete.

Ang Christmas present ko naman ay 'yung dito sa North America. Ngayon pag nanunuod ako ng telebisyon, nadirinig ko ang sangkatutak na fund raising o mga nanghihingi ng regalo para sa mga batang mahihirap. May mga "secret santa" movement o may mga food drive. Okay ang lahat ng iyan, lalo na ang food drive, kasi lalo na ngayon, ang daming mga pamilyang below poverty line. Pero nadirinig ko rin kasi ang mga "blasts" mula sa TV - mula sa mga electronics stores, sa mga shopping channels - ng kung ano anong mga regalo.

Naiisip ko lang ang kaibhan ng Pasko nuon at Pasko ngayon. Nuon, isang baril-barilan lang ang mairegalo sa akin, ang saya saya ko na. Ngayon, sa dami ng mga laruan at gadgets sa mall, ang mga bata nag-e-expect talaga ng mga earth-shaking na regalo. Kesyo iPod, kesyo GameBoy, Blue Ray, etc, etc.

Kailangan siguro maibalik natin ang kasimplehan ng Pasko. Ngayong 2008, dahil sa global recession na nangyayari at sa giyera sa Iraq, parang gloomy ang dating ng Kapaskuhan. Bakit kaya?

Kung ang hinihintay natin ay ang Christmas Present - kung saan ang measure ng kaligayahan ay kung gaano kamahal ang regalong matatanggap o maibibigay - maaring mabigo tayo.

Subali't kung ang ating hihintayin ay ang Christmas Past - kung saan ang kaligayahan natin ay ang pagsusuot ng balabal at pagsugod sa gitna ng lamig o kaya ay snow, at pagdalo sa Misa ng Pasko - tayo ay tunay na matutuwa. Dahil ito ang tunay na Pasko. Simple. Kasing-simple ng sabsaban na pinaglagyan sa batang si Hesus!

SANA AY MAGKAROON KAYO NG NAPAKALIGAYANG PASKO.

Gifts for Christmas and ...New Year.

What to give? There is that question again. Every year, about the same time today, I think of possible answers to this one question.

In our family, I remember that gift giving usually was done on New Year's Day, not Christmas Day.

How did this happen? Well, when I was growing up, we spent our Christmases with my grandparents in our province up North in Nueva Ecija. So it meant that, we kids, received gifts, but we never gave any. It was more receiving.

After Christmas, we would head back to Manila, and on New Year's Day, we would be at the house of our maternal grand aunt (this was way back when I was in primary school), and together with my siblings and countless second cousins, we would again be receiving gifts, this time, from my mother's relatives - her sisters and numerous cousins. So, when it was time to go home after a long day of eating, talking and playing, we would be carrying bags full of gifts, and pockets lined with "coins and bills."

When my Grand Aunt died, our New Year's Day celebration was held regularly at the house of my mother's sister, my aunt. This time, the celebration became limited to our close family. This tradition went on up until I finished high school.

My aunt's house was located in Sta. Ana, an old district of Manila. It was a lovely property, of a two-story wood and stone house amidst countless trees - kaimito, niyog, guavas, langka, duhat, atis and bananas. But the best part was that her house was beside the Pasig River.

In those years, late 50's and early 60's, the Pasig River was a body of water where kids could still swim during the hot days of summer. In short, it was still clear and clean and when one was riding a banca, one could look underneath, and actually see some seaweeds and waterlilies floating by.

In my university years, our New Year's Day celebration was transferred to our house in Mandaluyong.

Somewhere along those years, someone introduced the idea of "kris kringle." So what happened was that days before New Year, each member of the family would draw a name from a pool of folded papers, and the chosen name became "your kringle." On New Year's Day, after the traditional hearty lunch, we would gather around in the 'sala' or living room and my mother would start the roll. She would call out her "kringle," and give her/him a gift. Then this person would call out her/his kringle, and so forth and so on.

As the years passed and my sisters and cousins got married and started to have kids, the list of "kringles" or "monitos" became longer and more interesting. And the price of the gifts became more expensive as the years went by.

About three years ago, when I went home to the Philippines to celebrate the Holidays there, we had our traditional New Year's Day celebration in the hotel room where I was staying. So each family brought a dish, and we were able to sing karaoke without any complaints from anyone. And because I had already given my gifts in advance (before Christmas), I resorted to raffling some items as prizes for the parlor games we all enjoyed. I know other balikbayan Filipinos who raffled really expensive items for their relatives, all in the spirit of the holiday gift-giving.

So what to give this Holiday Season? I started by giving a bottle of wine to my doctor today.

Next week, I will meet a friend for dinner. Hmmm....