of starting from square one...

...as a means to get back to what I believe is what I am really good at - WRITING!  

It's funny I realized lately that new and brilliant ideas really do come by while you're in the bathroom.  Yup!  You read it right - the toilet!  I think about all sorts of stuff - what groceries I need to buy this coming weekend, what tasks I need to finish for the day, what meetings I have, how to freakin' pay my debt, how I miss my family so bad, and so many other things under the sun!

One thought that has lingered for quite some time is me wanting to write again, and so here I am.  Ever heard of ningas kugon?  That's me!  That's what's gotten into me - I start with something intense and then I just lose the enthusiasm for no reason at all.  This time seems to be different though.  I've found myself often wanting to rant on my Facebook wall about politics, how shitty the world and humans have become, work ethics, anything!  Then I stop and say to myself, "what good will I get out of this anyway?"  I might just anger some friends or colleagues, or offend family.  Why not just write it?  So this is the very first one.  I don't know if I can make much sense of this first entry, because all I'm thinking of right now is the R. Lapid's chicharon that I will be munching on tomorrow.   🐷  Look at that!!! Photo from http://www.rlapids.com.ph/our-products/chicharon/

Caloy's Lovers in Pares - Baguio's Hidden "Pares"

Caloy's Lovers in Pares is definitely the first of its kind and is one of a kind in Baguio City, in terms of the variety, the uniqueness, and the creativity of the menu. We didn't even bother taking photos of the food because the dishes were almost wiped clean in just a few minutes.

We were a group of 13 when we went there and no one complained about any of the food. The bill was very reasonable, yet this was big group with multiple orders per head.

While all the dishes were delicious, our favourites were the pigar pigar, beef pares, tofu sisig, and all flavours of the turons! Oh my. You gotta taste the special bibingka too and the fried suman too! My niece and nephew (kids) were crazy about the baconsilog. I'm looking forward to taste the utak nuggets which was out of stock at that time, and the corned beef sinigang that my tummy could no longer handle.

There's room for improvement for both the service and the location, however, the taste of the food will make you forget the details of what's lacking, or the "shoulda woulda coulda" in restaurant service.

Service. I understand that it is supposed to be a self service type of setup but if this place were to be popular with tourists and big groups, then there should be provision for exclusive service (from providing individual menus, to order taking, to paying the bill.) We made our lives easier by taking a photo of the menu listed on the board, by listing down our orders and handing it over to Chef Caloy's, and by paying the bill after eating. On the other hand, if the current approach is by design, who am I to critique it? At the end of the day, there's no doubt we enjoyed our moment here.

Location. Since it is situated at T. Alonzo (and the prices are inexpensive), you can almost surmise that the target market are the students in the vicinity. Don't expect a chic or fancy venue. Again, we were a large group so I had to give Chef Caloy a heads-up.

Ambience. It is a chill place. Look at our pics! We weren't seated altogether in one long table but we were talking to each other as if it was our dining room. Chef Caloy was very friendly and accommodating. He entertained the family (especially my mom) with his success stories and humble beginnings and that made our dining experience one for the books.

I hope I didn't bore you with my review. I got a food hangover on this place, and so I'm definitely coming back (with family and or friends) to try out all the other dishes they offer.

Happy eating!

Ps.  If you want to know how to go to Caloy's: 

https://www.google.com.ph/maps/place/Lovers+in+Pares/@16.4198462,120.5943301,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x3391a16084c0e9a7:0x613b6fc5f8c87ba9

And here's a photo of myself with Chef Caloy!

to buy or not to buy

One of the most wonderful feelings about being a trainer is when people who know your craft start asking questions that are rather basic, but important. Two days after my talk on Practical Money Management, two people asked, on separate occasions, whether a specific gadget they want to buy is practical or not. The first asked about whether a MacBook Pro is a good buy, and another asked whether the iPad Mini on sale at 200 USD is worth buying.

Well here's how I would think my way through.

My generic answers for both would be:

• If the gadget you are buying is within the 70% or 80% budget cap that you put on expenses (remember the 10-20-70 or 30/70 or 20/80 rule?), then go for it. You should make sure that the gadget or item you want to buy is within that expenses bucket.
• If the gadget you are buying is something you can use to increase your productivity and/or generate income from, then go for it. For instance, you don't have a laptop you can use when you are doing presentations to your clients. Then indeed, you need one.
• If the gadget is reasonably priced, and I mean, a true SALE price. Imagine an iPad that usually costs around 400 USD and it is being sold at only 200 USD! However, go back to the first two items I've written here: Is the purchase within the budget? Is the gadget something you need and will be able to maximise use for?

On the whole, I would also say this in terms of purchasing some goods. Go for QUALITY over QUANTITY! We often fall prey to those SALE items that we see in malls but we often forget whether these items will last or not. A classic example: My mom saw a set of four cooking pans for sale at 2,000 pesos (around 45 USD). She bought it because it's on sale. We then went home and used the frying pan. After just one usage, the pan was deformed, and it could no longer be laid flat on the induction cooker. What a loser product, right? 

So there goes my tips for the day. :-)