You Can’t Be Lazy on May 20.

In case you didn’t know, I’ve been passionately supporting (insert warm, fuzzy feelings that remind you of sunshine, unicorns, butterflies, and little children laughing at the park) this small community of yogis and yoginis who are making a difference by helping people who are affected by HIV and AIDS along with their families and friends. And I think the group has being doing a great job spreading awareness regarding the disease as well as breaking the walls of discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV).

This coming May 20, 3 P.M. at the Promenade area of the Quezon Memorial Circle, YOGA FOR LIFE  will be holding an open-for-all yoga practice entitled ONENESS THROUGH WELLNESS,  in celebration of the 29th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial. The event is a commemoration of the lives of those we have lost to AIDS, a celebration of the healthy and happy lives of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), and a call to the public to fight the stigma and discrimination of PLHIVs and their friends and families.

So if you like doing yoga and you want to do something for society, come. The community will appreciate your support, and your body will thank you for the activity. Seriously, would you rather do yoga or spend your Sunday afternoon sitting in front of your TV, eating chips and feeling sorry that you’re such a slacktivist slob?

Interested? Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/226464297457922/

The Tales of the Happy Homo Consumericus, Part 3

Ayn Rand would approve.

(Disclaimer: no, I am not a capitalist pig! I take offense! How dare you hint that I am fat? And the pigs do not approve. We’re not friends anymore, please go away, kthnxbai.)

If you know me very well then you know very well that I enjoy buying stuff. I am secretly a hoarder. By buying, I do not mean buying the most expensive stuff out there. A part of me secretly loves the thrill of acquisition and the discovery of amazing deals. As I’ve said in an earlier blog post, I have this illusion that I am not easily swayed by marketing hype. I won’t hesitate buying something unpopular simply because it is unpopular. As long as something works, I’m all for it.

I have a confession to make though: I actually fell for the crap that is Easy Pha-max Wheatgrass C.A.N., thus momentarily shattering my delusions of being an educated consumer (thank my selective memory that I am easily able to forget about thi–what was I talking about again?) All the while I was consuming vats of this snake oil thinking it would actually prevent cancer.

Beware: Doing Good Deeds May Turn into a Cheesy Melodrama

In the midst of all the disturbing current world events happening — the nuclear reactor in Japan spreading the kind of toxic stuff Britney Spears will definitely not approve of (okay, bad joke there) , the rise of superbacteria in New Delhi, and Rebecca Black’s embarrassing music video garnering tens of millions of views as of this writing — I would like to update everyone (that is, my five loyal readers who keep on hitting refresh, thus getting me 1,000+ views, thank you) with some good news about my life.

Remember this?

Manila Vegetarian Scene Supreme

I got inspired to write this entry because of a comment on my previous post. The guy said that he is discouraged from becoming vegetarian because he heard people say it was expensive, and while I was tempted to retort that being obese and cancer-stricken was a higher price to pay for one’s meat-eating ways, I thought that it was better to instead dispel notions that being vegetarian equals spending a lot.

It is an incontrovertible truth (I love using big words haha) that vegetables and fruits, generally speaking, are cheaper than meat. Of course, there are rare ones (like blueberries) which definitely cost more here in our country — but then again, there are also specialty meats like Wagyu beef which don’t exactly come cheap as well.

Talking about value for money, think about it: don’t you actually get more bang for your buck when you buy greens, which are packed with natural vitamins and minerals that help keep our body healthy? To drive home the point: moringa (commonly known as malunggay), an affordable plant found almost everywhere, isn’t only filled with essential micronutrients and dietary fiber but (hold your breath!) also muscle-building protein.

In fact, now that we face massive global hunger (it has been reported that more than a billion people claim to be hungry worldwide), moringa, among many other trees, is even being considered as a cheap alternative to food crops, to address this distressing crisis. (Hmm. If that doesn’t convince you how inexpensive going vegetarian is, then hit me with a sock filled with potatoes — wait, before you actually do that, read this.)

Being vegetarian doesn’t mean being antisocial. No, you don’t have to leave the company of your non-herbivorous friends. Here in Manila, there are lots of ways to keep the vegetarian lifestyle without locking yourself in your house and shunning the outside world. Asian-themed restaurants usually have veg food fares like tofu; some fast food chains have salads which you can request to have the meat removed. And your favorite coffee shop likely has soy milk to substitute for the milk in your cafe latte.

I have a few favorite vegetarian restaurants which I frequent here in the metro. Greens, located in Scout Castor, Tomas Morato, serves the best veg-friendly sisig. A friend of mine, who is not of the vegetarian persuasion (he enjoys his meat very much), even enjoyed their faux barbecue. They have the most delicious eggless chocolate cake I’ve tasted too! And mind you, the prices are affordable — so it’s truly worth a try.

If you want to try organic vegetarian fares without spending too much, head to Cubao Expo (formerly Marikina Shoe Expo), located just a stone’s throw away from Gateway Mall in Araneta, and check out Green Halo. I recommend the vegetarian burger steak and the vegan cupcakes (although I think you have to order ahead.)

There’s also the purely vegan resto Pipino, along Malingap Street, Teacher’s Village, QC. Their vegan chocolate cake’s sweetness is deliciously balanced by their special coconut-based ice cream. I’d love to try the tofu tempura next time when I visit — plus the vegan lasagna, and the kare-kare which my friends raved about. There are combo meals too if you want to taste more dishes at lesser the price, so I suggest you pay them a visit one of these days.

Pipino's Chocolate Cake with Coconut Ice Cream (Photo by Adele Raya, from http://catsevileye.multiply.com)

While in Makati, don’t miss out on Wabi-Sabi Noodle House and Vegetarian Grocery‘s mouth-watering ramen, gyoza, and vegetarian cracklings. (Hands down, they have the best vegetarian ramen ever!) They’re inside the Collective along Malugay Street, a former warehouse which now houses clothing and accessories shops, an organic store, a gallery, and a tattoo studio — among many others.

Here is a list of vegetarian restos compiled by the people from Spot.ph. Meanwhile, if you plan to travel out of the city, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has assembled their own handy guide of veg dining places, both in and out of the metro.  And should you decide to practice your cooking skills, here’s a cool website of Filipino vegetarian recipes.

No more excuses: go vegetarian!

Love me, don't eat me, silly human. (Photo from Wikipedia, taken by Daniel Schwen)

¡Yo Soy!

Lest I turn into stale soy milk, allow me to update everyone on what’s going on in the life of the Soy Boy.

(wait for it)

 

(wait for it…)

 

(wait.)

 

(ok, here it goes — )

 

Not much.

Ok. Goodbye now. Nothing much to see here.

***

Well actually, a lot of life-changing, earth-shattering, galaxy-shaking things are happening in my life right now that sometimes I feel like I’m part of a movie and it’s slo-mo and I’m at the middle of the crowd walking alone with the camera focused on my existence like I was the only one that existed and I’m thinking about the vastness of everything and how minuscule I am and how I really should stop making long sentences at every opportunity like this one oooooh a bird just flew by how interesting have you lost your breath yet reading this sentence ok now breathe.

It’s just that I can’t divulge anything. I know, it sucks. It sucks like a weasel (purportedly) sucking eggs. Ok, well weasels don’t have mandibles to allow them to suck eggs but regardless, not being able to divulge certain top secret stuff sucks still.

Although now that I think about it, there is something interesting that I encountered recently. SM Supermarket now sells vegetarian meat! The one in Makati at least. I passed by there recently and they have a freezer filled with faux meat made of soy protein. I asked one of the shopboys (is that what you call them?) if they sold it in other branches, and he mentioned that SM Megamall also has them.

Also, is The Healthy Kitchen closed already? I passed by the restaurant two weeks ago and there were manila papers all over the place. I’m not really sure if they’re only renovating but hopefully that’s the case. It’s always a bad day when a vegetarian-friendly restaurant closes. Think about the animals! Think about the environment! Think about global hunger!

I’m planning to transfer to another gym as well. Nothing’s conclusive though. It’s just that there are times when I feel like my present gym is becoming too much of a mutual admiration society — and nothing spells awkward than people who take off their shirts to admire themselves in front of the mirror. Sure — you have well-sculpted abs and pecs to die for, but for goodness’ sake, do it in the washroom! Then again, lest I be accused of hypocrisy, I can be quite vain as well — except not to that extent.

I’ve been eyeing this gym near our old office (it’s along Rufino corner Salcedo in Makati) and the only thing discouraging me from enrolling is the price. But if I had the money I’d most definitely try it out. From what I know, they’re the only gym in Makati that uses kettlebells and suspension trainers, what with their focus on functional training and all. Anyway, 4fitness-studio trainers (or anyone who knows any of the 4fitness-studio owners who can relay this message to them), I hope you give me a huge, huge discount because I truly, sincerely, honestly, deeply want/desire/wish/hope/pray/need to try the work-outs you teach. And to show you how desperate I am, I will promote your studio in my blog — guys, check out 4fitness-studio’s facebook page now. And e-mail them at inquire@4fitness-studio.com to ask about their rates. Functional training is the best! They don’t teach you that in conventional, run-of-the-mill gyms. (How’s that for promotion?)

By the way, just turned 25 last month. So happy birthday to me.

(4fitness-studio people if you’re reading this the best birthday gift would be a huge discount and in return I promise to promote your studio in every way I can — haha)

Grocery is My Therapy

There are a few places that make me happy and grocery stores are one of them. Apart from bookstores, libraries, parks, quirky indie places (like Cubao X — although I’m not sure what it looks like right now with the influx of hipster kids with their funny fashion sense and irony), and beaches, a grocery store is my default place to go whenever I’m depressed and in need of the comfort of edible, perishable consumer goods.

Not the same with department stores. I think department stores are like jungles you don’t go in unless you have a map and a well-thought plan. Whenever I venture into department stores I usually have an item I need to buy, and I rarely go for the sake of window shopping (I say rarely because sometimes, when I feel guilty for not scrutinizing all the merchandise available which means I’m not basing my choices on a carefully-considered study of options, I observe and look at each stock meticulously.)

I don’t enjoy that I feel like I’m fresh meat and all the department store salesladies and salesmen are flies that sense my presence and hover around me. Being a decent member of human society I try to be nice and reply curtly to their offers of help that I am perfectly OK and I will call their attention should I require assistance. However there are moments when I have a nagging urge to swat them and hurl invectives but I stop myself from acting like a crazy cat lady just at the right time.

Going back to grocery stores. I don’t know when my love for grocery stores began but I guess it started when I was a kid and my mom forced me to come with her and be her little slave boy — fetching items on her command as she wheeled through lanes looking for interesting stuff to buy. This eventually became counter-productive for her because I started to pester her to buy me stuff which caught my fancy, like the latest junk food or that new breakfast cereal that comes with a free toy. It didn’t do good for her dignity as well when I started to quiz her, in my irritating high-pitched kid voice, what’s a feminine wash for — in front of all the other shoppers.  (My parents probably noted from then that I mustn’t be around when they purchased condoms.)

As a kid, I was Charlie and a grocery store was my Chocolate Factory. There were a myriad of things to do inside: read product labels, taste food samples, pity the catfishes swimming sadly inside tanks, poke and prod the fresh fruits without getting caught by the grocery attendants, juggle the fresh vegetables and run like crazy when the attendant starts to notice, smell the soaps and watch in awe as the cashier magically scans the products with her laser detector gun fairly reminiscent of those sentai action shows every afternoon.

Before our company transferred to Salcedo Village, our old office used to be quite near Rustan’s Supermarket in Greenbelt 1. Whenever I was stuck in a rut I would walk all the way there to buy soy milk or nuts or an apple — really random stuff. Now if I was feeling a bit daring, I would walk even further to have vegetarian shawarma at Kashmir, which was inside Rustan’s Supermarket in Glorietta 4. Sometimes, if I had enough willpower I’d head to SM where the grocery is bigger and cheaper and there are more choices.

These days, I’d often pass by SM to buy taho after work, at this food store that was sort of an extension of the grocery. Just the other week I went inside SM grocery to buy broccoli, and I was debating inside my head that the cruciferous vegetable was unfairly priced. There were some broccoli that had fairly long stalks and not much of the head. I think they should cut the stalk shorter than they do right now. I think I’m talking to the customer service people the next time I’m there to see if they can do something about it.