Her name is Encarnacion Alzona.

Remember that lady who’s colonial passport I posted a month ago? If not, you can click here.

Her name is Encarnacion Alzona. More than a lady who was privileged enough to travel at that time, she was one accomplished woman who is certainly a role model for just about anyone. Ms. Encarnacion Alzona was a historian, Rizal scholar, professor, and a suffragist.

She graduated from two Prestigious American Institutions - Radcliffe College and Columbia University where she earned her Master’s Degree in History and Doctorate of History respectively. She then taught at the University of the Philippines, translated Rizal’s many works and letters, and wrote countless of books. The first of which is “A history of Education in the Philippines : 1565-1930”. Published in 1932, Philippines Herald described it as “the most complete and comprehensive work on the subject to date.”

Ms. Alzona died in 2001. She was 106 years old. Her impressive career span for eight long decades and in 1985, she was bestowed the title National Scientist.

Ms. Encarnacion Alzona on the cover of  the monograph, "Pamana". 

Source Material: Pamana by the Ateneo Library of Women's Writings 

FOOD REVIEW: Quiznos along Katipunan Ave.

When I passed by the then newly opened local franchise of Quizons at the BGC (Bonifacio Global City), I knew that I just had to try it. Unfortunately, months passed and I still haven’t managed to drop by.  It has been so long that they eventually opened another branch at the Regis Center along Katipunan which I must say is a good thing. It is way closer to where I live.  So when a friend and I decided to do something catching-up, I suggested we do so at Quiznos. 

RESTAURANT: QUIZNOS

FOOD: I ordered a regular of their signature subs, chicken carbonara – all-natural chicken, smokey bacon, all-natural mozzarella, sautéed mushroom, Parmesan Alfredo sauce. Sounds yum, right? I expected a heaping of all these ingredients where it would be impossible to eat the sub without getting messy. But look at what I got from the counter:

When on their facebook page, they said they'll be serving me this:

Needless to say, I was so disappointed that I wanted to get my money back.

SERVICE: The staff greeted us with warm smiles and were pretty helpful as I was trying to figure out what was I going to have. My order was brought to the counter, pretty quick but they were pretty slow with the cleaning up. I had to clear our table and take the previous diner’s rubbish to the bin.

ATMOSPHERE: Situated in a sliver of a space at the back of the Regis Center Lobby, I must say that there’s much left to be desired in this criteria. I get it that it’s a fast food joint meant to be more splash and dash than wine and dine.  But I don’t think that should be an excuse for this very unappealing space - cramped, bad lighting, and uncomfortable seats.  There were tables at the lobby, just outside Quiznos’ door but who would want to eat there?

PRICE: I hate to say this but based on my experience, it’s not worth it. They’re asking much for such a sad experience. 

Fiesta sa Antipolo!

The city of Antipolo parties during the entire month of May in celebration of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. And this year, I thankfully managed to join in on the celebrations even if it was on its last few days.

Unknown to many, my mother and I used to do the “alay-lakad” during May Day Eve. Though unlike the other devotees who start at the Quiapo Church, my mother and I would cut the pilgrimage short and start at “junction” in Cainta.  During those four hours, we would be walking alongside couples, families, throngs of teenagers and even elders. Most of them would be carrying their own statues of the Nazareno or the virgin, together with water jugs and boom boxes or pedalling their way up the mountain.  Sometimes, a father would pass by us, pushing a stroller where his toddler would be sleeping.

I started walking with my mother as a freshman in high school. She, on the other hand, started going on alay-lakad in the 80s and did so often with her sisters. During those years that we walked together, I’ve seen how commerce slowly rose up to the mountains which I must say was a pretty slow yet steady rise. The sprawling properties and acres of forests gave way to subdivisions and four storey apartments, sticking out from nowhere. (Clearly, these people seem not to understand the concept of zoning. ) And roadside eateries now had to contend with more popular joints originally from the city.

But now that my mother’s gone, I don’t have anyone to walk with and I figured I couldn’t go at it alone. So instead, I try to go up the mountains during the month of May and say hello to Our Lady.

The facade of the Antipolo church clues you in on what it has in store - a lot of clean lines. 

Just like in most old churches, Angels stand near the entrance holding up a bowl of holy water. 

The Antipolo church is as not as huge as it may seem but the dome certainly gives it a certain grandness. 

I love how seemingly modern yet elegant this church is. Too bad they don't build churches like this anymore.

This mall used to be a shed where the pasalubong hawkers and eateries. Now, it's a mall that houses
starbucks, McDonald's, and National Book Store.

Evidently, this Victory Mall is the city's project. 

Startbucks Coffee are now serving their popular brews to both locals and pilgrims.

The mall has depth and has a lot of space for stores. 

Have lunch or merienda at one of the eateries in the plaza. 

The ubiquitous green mangoes. It's cut in such a way so it's easy to eat. 

Hawkers line the street selling all sorts of things from suman to cashew to footwear. 

This guy was hawking Video City membership. Evidently, it's still relevant here in the Antipolo.

Here's a cornucopia of great pasalubong ideas.  

FOOD REVIEW: Kanin Club

If there is anything you need to know about me, it’s that I love rice. Let me say that again, I love rice! I love white rice, red rice, brown rice. I love all kinds of rice.

I also have to admit, I’ve known about this restaurant for years but I never really made the time to try their food. So when my friends and I were driving home from Tagaytay one morning and had to stop for lunch, I just had to ask if we could possibly try it out. Yipee, they did.

RESTAURANT:  Kanin Club, Paseo de Santa Rosa Branch

FOOD:Obviously, the menu read classic Filipino dishes like binagoongan and kare-kare and they do cook it pretty well.  And them being Kanin Club, they had rice specialties. Case in point is the sinigang rice. Nope, it’s not rice floating in sinigang broth but more fried rice, sinigang flavor.  Boy, it was yum.  

You see, in my opinion, serving Filipino dishes is one of the trickiest or most dangerous thing a restaurant can do. The thing is everyone knows how a dish should taste. (More often than not, they should taste like the way their mothers cooked it.) And so if the food doesn’t taste even passably good, the doors of that restaurant will be closing pretty soon.  

SERVICE:  We came in during lunch so it was a bit understandable if the guys in the kitchen were a bit slow on delivering us our order. So it was a bit of a surprise that the food came relatively quick. Nice job, you guys! The wait staff were really nice even when I kept asking for service water refills and they always refilled my glass with a smile.

ATMOSPHERE:I liked it that the interiors looked pretty much Filipino colonial which set the stage for the Filipino dishes.The interiors featured details like colored glass panels, capiz sliding windows, barandillas, and machuka tiles on the floor. Lovely.  Outside the restaurant, at the waiting area, were two rocking chairs. I found that as a toughtful and charming touch.  

PRICE: The prices were reasonable especially since the serving portions were for a group. Pesos well spent, in my opinion.

As it turns out, Kanin club is a place after my own heart – Filipino cuisine, yummy rice, and nice decor. From what I experienced during our visit, I want to join this club! Where do I sign?

Please wait to be seated.

Batibot chairs for seats at the al fresco dining area.

The service counter gets a splash of pretty with the addition of barandillas.

The colored glass panels, capiz windows, and wood furniture make the restaurant warm and cozy. 

Panels of banig were surprisingly placed on the ceiling rather on the floor. 

Machuka tiles serve as accents on the predominantly wooden floor.

Here's our yummy lunch spread. 

The Sinigang Rice seems like a tower with all those crispy veggies piled on top.  

FOOD REVIEW: Famous Belgian Waffles

Because it took my father, my younger brother, and I all of five minutes to cast our votes last election day, we decided to head to Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall - the mall next door and have an early supper.   We had our "main" at a crispy chicken joint but thought of ending supper with waffle sandwiches at Famous Belgian Waffles.

FOOD: Famous Belgian Waffles
These waffles are as good as they smell and I tell you, they really smell good! I had blueberry cream cheese waffle sandwich and there was a good portion of both ingredients. I tasted both blueberry and cream cheese in every bite!

SERVICE: The staff was very efficient. There was a queue when we ordered and had to wait for a couple of minutes for our waffle sandwiches. But thankfully, the ladies behind the counter were that we inched to the front rather quickly.
                   I'd also like to assume that these ladies are pretty conscious of health and safety standards since I spotted one of them apply alcohol onto her hands before heading back to the counter.

ATMOSPHERE: The dining area was simple and quite welcoming. The wooden interiors and furniture pieces made it warm and inviting that even if we initially had our waffles to go, we decided to enjoy them while sitting down.

PRICE: Affordable and Reasonable.

Famous Belgian Waffles's look may be clean and simple but the smell would certainly pull you in.

They say they're the original waffle sandwich. What I do know is that they make good ones!

That' their entire menu - short and simple. Just the way I like them.

You can look but you can't touch! Customers can look over the counter and witness how their waffle sandwiches are being made.

The palette takes its cue from the waffle - brown!

My dad and younger bro enjoying their waffle sandwiches. Dad was happy with his banana and peanut butter waffle sandwhich while younger bro was very satisfied with his creamcheese and bluebbery one.

Look at that! They certainly didn't scrimp on the blueberry filling. 

Snapshot(s) of the day: Philippine Passport during the American Occupation

I have to admit that when I saw this old passport, I was astounded.

I assumed that passports have always been the seeming booklets we have now. But as you can see, passports during the American Colonial days were just a sheet of paper and is valid for only a year.

I have mixed emotions about this.  On one hand, it disturbs me that it – one’s freedom to travel abroad, seems so flimsy and can easily be ripped. There is also the fact that this particular freedom was only given in such brief periods. Considering that traveling abroad then meant being at sea for months at a time, well, a passport that's valid for a year isn't really that much. Which I guess was a constant reminder that we were indeed under another country’s rule.

But on the other hand, to travel under the protection of the United of the States of America seems so empowering in a way. To have a military superpower have one’s back when one’s overseas would give that sense of security and the confidence that everything will be all right.

Here’s an example of a copy on a Philippine Passport during the American Occupation. 

United States of America,

The Philippine Islands.

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting;

I, the undersigned, Governor General of the Philippine Islands,

hereby request all whom it may concern to permit,

= Encarnacion Alonza =

a citizen of the Philippine Islands,

owing allegiance to the United States,

________________________safely,

and freely to pass and in case of need to give

her all lawful Aid and Protection.

Given under my hand and the 

seal of the Philippine Islands,

at the City of Manila

the 2^nd day of May

in the year 1919, and of the 

Independence of the United States

the one hundred and forty third.

Charles Elfeater

Acting Governor General

No. = 9830 =  

Here's Ms. Encarnacion Alonza's earlier passport. It shows that, literally, The Philippines is under the United States. 

Since her passport was only valid for a year, she had to get a new one. 

Immigration officers stamp the backside of the passport. 

A Philippine passport then was only valid for a year. One's destination and reason for travelling were specified. 

Here's the immigration stamp of London circa 1927. 

Many many thanks to the Ateneo Library of Women's Writings (ALIWW) for showing me this piece of history.

30 Days of Summer: sleeping outdoors

Nothing is more idyllic than sleeping on crisp white sheets, of a four-poster bed, in a garden.

Sip tea. Read a book. Take a nap. Do it all on these crisp white sheets.   

This is an image of a styling job I did for last year's April ish of Good Housekeeping Philippines. Shot on location at Pinto Art Gallery in Antipolo.