Sushi Cravings

I remember my first sushi way back in 1999? when I attended WHO Conference in Intercon Manila.

That event also happened to be the launching of my taste buds for Japanese food. Lunch was buffet and since it's an international convention. ..attendees are from all over the world (yes, they actually wore their traditional national dress)...so food was, of course... international by all means, to cater all taste buds equally.

I was the inexperienced hotel diner (better known as the state-university-paper-staff-sent-to-cover-the-occasion-because-nobody-is-available), I have no idea which type of food to eat. There was Spanish, Mediterranean, Chinese, Filipino, Western among other international food lined up on the buffet table which I can't recognize. My roving eyes caught a cute guy (from another school paper) and yes... I did follow him around at the buffet table... (which I am quite sure he was well aware of... as I was blatantly looking at him in awe). He made a beeline for the Japanese food section, of course I followed like a lovesick puppy.  Heaping up sushi, sashimi and maki's on his plate artistically. .. I did the same while pretending to know what I am actually going to eat.

Walking towards the assigned table which I shared with some professors who actually commented "oh you are a Japanese food lover...how cute..." (yes people, I used to be called "cute"...not because I was cute but because I was small and nerdy with thick eyeglasses perched on the bottom of my flat nose...which is preffered as "cute" by the adults).So, back to my sushi and sashimi... not to mention the wasabi... chopsticks ready (yes..thanks to my noodle addiction in grade school...I was adept in using chopsticks) I dig in while stealing glances to the bedimpled cute guy on the other table who was actually looking at my direction.

Next thing I know, I almost choked due to more-than-a-dollop of wasabi and the alieness of my virgin tongue grasping the  taste of the fresh, uncooked fish. (Did I mention that I forgot to grab some drinks as I was totally preoccupied in googling the guy and food vice-versa???) Adults alarmed, they came to my rescue and almost got drenched gulping large quantity of mineral water that could probably fill a 5-gallon fish tank. I didn't took another bite after that sashimi fiasco.  Yes folks, that was my first sushi experience and I swore off raw fish from my food list while the cute guy (who suddenly grew devil horns right before my eyes) laugh hysterically seeing the uncomfortable gobbling I put myself into.

Hey my post says.. sushi cravings right?

Nope, you are not confused... I was just giving a bit of a history of the love hate relationship of sushi. But here's the real thing.

I got converted. .. totally if I may say so.

Thank you to Tokyo Tokyo in SM Manila and North and my mom's undying love for California maki's. .. I turned a new leaf...  in fact, Japanese leaf to be exact. Drinking red ice tea and gobbling up beef misono and super extra rice was my typical lunch in Makati... my mouth drools automatically at the sight of the Tokyo Tokyo signage just down my office building.

And then I moved in UAE... Japanese food were just beginning to open up the Middle East market at that time.  My very good friend January brought me to the new Japanese restaurant located in Satwa to load up on some maki's supplied on the endless conveyor belt (I was still hesitant on the sashimi and sushi at that time...let's say I prefer my food warmed up or at least cooked even a bit...). Since then, it was a total quest to find good maki's when I moved to Abu Dhabi.

So here's the thing... I strongly believe in the saying that "if it's meant for you... it will come back to you" (word of the wise...). I was passing by the info corner at my residential lobby when my eyes happened to see a black brochure ( I love black... I even like wearing abayas encrusted in swarovski... or maybe because black makes me look thin, I suppose. .. hence the anything-black-I-adore-kind-of-feeling???).

It says... SUSHI ART.

going gaga over seaweed salad sprinkled with sesame seeds....

Boom!!! I love art... and food. Mixed it together and oh boy... I'm in love! I browsed the pages and yes... they are truly an art to behold. .. and eat!

I trooped to the place in The Beach at JBR and it was astounding... perfect-to-die-for seaweed salad (last time I tasted fresh seaweeds was when I went to Davao and they actually took some seaweed fresh from the sea into my plate). And here's the best thing... it might be a bit heavier on the purse (every nibble is worth the cent, I assure you!)... but they actually offer lunch deals where you can get 18 pieces for AED59 and that's what you call a real deal! You can even have Miso soup (normally AED9) for free as a side dish.

Hence... I can proudly say that my best friend list grew from maki to sashimi... sushi... and the list of "mi mi" is endless and topping it off with their rice vinegar. (I am drooling at the moment just the thought of the colorful artsy sushi. ..)

I don't care what other people might say... but if you crave for the best sushi place in UAE... SUSHI ART is my game!

The Vain in Me

totally feels like home!

I have been exploring the JLT area for a salon worthy of my purse for almost a year now. I had experienced the good and the bad, but one thing for sure...they are all expensive (probably due to the premises). 

It was like high and low tide... sometimes I do get lucky finding a good one but burns a deep hole in my pocket. I have been burned badly (thank you to the inexperienced staff of a salon somewhere in Cluster U) and had a haircut by someone who belongs to the 70's (imagine long tail on an apple cut!!!) 

I accidentally found iSpa last Thursday when I was looking for an exit to the basement to have a pre-dinner tea at Cafe Julie in JLT.

My reaction?

It was like love at first sight (or maybe my eyes caught the glossy highlights of the receptionist and the inviting music spilling over the corridor of One Lake Plaza). As the saying goes, first impression lasts.

Boasting an all-white and silver grey themed furniture and gauzy white curtain, it was a simple version of heaven on earth. Fresh colorful flowers tastefully encased in artsy vases sparsely scattered across some side table and entryway, it has "class" and "homey" written all over the place.

The Filipina staff were friendly and to top it all... they do home service!!! I had my hair color with a slight twist this time, I added highlights too and the outcome was very enchanting (yes...I am totally enchanted with my dear old self). They use L'oreal  products so my heart was not pumping nervously during the entire process. Did I mention that they also offer drinks? Tea... I must have!!!!

Friday...I went back for mani/pedi (no polish please...) and I love the way they buffed my nails. I almost sang the nursery song:

I have two hands the left and the right...Hold them up high so clean and bright!  Clap them softly ...One, two, three! Clean little hands are good to see!!!

This coming Tuesday... I'm totally up for a keratin treatment... did I mention that the price is very friendly to an ample-salaried employee??? Plus, bring 3 friends and you are in for a AED200 worth of services? 

I know... you can say it now,  my dear....It's TOTALLY AWESOMEEEEEE !!!!

(Disclaimer: I am not friends with the owner neither am I paid to advertise iSpa and customer's feedback might differ from mine...however, I am just gleefully sharing my total satisfaction with them whether you like it or not!)

Let the posting begins!!!!

Yes, I am that one hell-of-a-lazy butt who took almost a year to start posting my promised travel adventures (or better yet fun misadventures?)...well i do have some serious reasons to go along with it though (more excuses...excuses)...

2013-2014 was really a busy year for me, with all the changes that came into my life. From single, zombieness that resembles my everyday life, whining my heartbreaks (thanks God Multiply.com closed last year, which meant that all my endless sadness were actually finite...) to being alive physically, spiritually and mentally and all they lilies that goes along with it. Life kick starts around May 2013 when I moved back to Dubai (the New York of Middle East...the city that never sleeps) from my humdrum peaceful life in Abu Dhabi (dont get me wrong, im not complaining...i was really enjoying being a hermit and baking cakes during my AD tenure from 2009 to early 2013).

Anyhow, soon enough I will probably get around to posting all stuff of my wonderful and exciting life in UAE. Yes, I love...adore UAE and all the pros and cons in it....it is my home for almost 8 years now and if only they give dual citizenship to the likes of me...ill probably the one first in line. UAE just grows on you, even the scorching heat in summer, which is always compensated with the lovely cold winters (sans snow). Most of the adult Emiratis are very kind and respectful toward the expats (even if you hit their Ferraris, they will still give u a smile...seriously!!!)...

i hope you love me too....

Angel of Death

A near miss. Yes that's it! It was just my luck to cheat death or probably it was the same angel that babysits me all through my life that handled the driving wheel to safety.

What goes on inside my head at that moment??? My life suddenly did a quick rewind and of the things that I must still do. Heart palpitates like a big drum roll and thinking back of the people I met and the people I have yet to say goodbye to. The words left unsaid to those I love formed into a hundred thousand sentences. And then it all stopped. 

Yes... I'm still breathing. ..not even a single scratch...thanks God! Apparently my reflexes are really quick during dangerous moments.  Suddenly I want to shout with joy! I was granted another tomorrow. Another new day to appreciate life and to feel blessed and lucky.

And for a moment... I stopped by the side road to release my mind from that crucial event. I am renewed somehow... looking at life with a new perspective. I would gladly embrace those that are dear to me and tell them how much I love them... and to thank the Super God above for this new lease of life.

Grooving for Vacay

Eid is almost at my doorstep... it will be splendid as I have an old BAA schoolmate coming over...and I'll be showing her the beauty of UAE. I always dream to be a tourist guide when I was younger... hmmm  and I can feel September slowly creeping by for my annual leave to see my cousin and meet nephews who grew up with the Aussie twang... (nosebleed ahead!😖)

Yes I love these short vacations as it refreshes my outlook in life. Many have wondered if I hit jackpot as I limit myself to 2 countries per year. (To be honest, it's resource comes from all my hard earned savings specifically allocated for my personal "travel education").

Maybe my most adventurous travel was in Armenia (UAE National Day 2013) as I went on a lone trip in a foreign country where English is quite hard to come by... think of charade games throughout the trip. It was followed by another trip to the beautiful country of Georgia (a well - deserved Christmas present for myself) with the Otani couple who are just wonderful to travel with... so yes, every vacation is filled with precious memories encapsulated in the memory drives. 

So... I welcome EID 2014 with wide open arms...  can't wait to wake up on a wonderful sunny morning... without running off to the job site...ahhh the beauty of life.

wishing this is me on the hammock....

In a Limbo

In law, statelessness is the lack of any nationality, or the absence of a recognized link between an individual and any state.
A de jure stateless person is someone who is "not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law".^[1]
A de facto stateless person is someone who is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or, for valid reasons, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country.^[2] This can be a result of persecution or a consequence of lack of diplomatic relations between the state of nationality and the state of residence.
Some de jure stateless persons are also refugees, although not all asylum seekers are de jure stateless and not all de jure stateless persons are refugees. Many stateless persons have never crossed an international border. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statelessness)

Today, I have witnessed the frustrations of a stateless person for the first time.
It broke my heart being an observer, the feeling of being helpless to help them.

I am just a normal person who is neither rich nor poor, but with a country that I am proud of. They might say I come from a third-world country afflicted by greediness and corruption, but still its a home where I am still secured. For how long, nobody knows and I hope I will not worry about it that much since its a country wherein the "cocktail of cultures" is our genetic make up and somehow we are peace-loving type of people.

Despite the fact that my race have been bashed, tortured, been called "capital of domestic helper" and among other gut-wrenching name-calling that befits an idiotic 3rd grader mentality of a bully. However, we still held our heads up high and even has foreign supporters who actually support us by write ups telling us how great it was have us around. It warms our heart and cheers up our perspective to pursue and strive more to be the best person that we could be.

Going back to the earlier scene, the only thing that I can probably be able to do is either be a part of the UN organization, or donate from my meagre income so these selfless people can do their work and reach out more to those who are in need and perhaps add a touch of prayers to the Big Man above to strike down those evil humans with lightning who causes the miseries of millions of people that are afflicted by the civil war in their own countries which will remind them that they are not going to live for a thousand years. Perhaps that way, we can still have peace...a great act of God is what we truly need.

I may have a tiny little voice which will probably go unnoticed, but if all of us will be one, maybe we can still demand peace among all nations and a bright future for the new generation. My plea to all leaders of each nation in this planet Earth, may it be a challenge to them to unite their people toward peace and to avoid hunger, famine, killings created by the human hands in their own countries. Let there be no more orphans, widows and stateless people. Stop the racism, procrastination and aggression. To each great leaders, you were chosen to build a peaceful and secured nation for each and every person in the world and give grave importance to each life and make it meaningful. And to each person, it is our task to support our leaders into making these wonderful dream happens.

Extinction of World Peace

Back in 1990's, my cousins and I were Miss Universe fanatics. We would gladly wait for warm summer vacations in May where the show will be aired, clapping ours hands whenever the contestants usually ends up saying " I would like to promote World Peace" and with a brilliant megawatt smile and queenly wave, the rest of the world will wish the same too.

I am one of them.

I want World Peace. Freedom for all mankind from oppression by the hands of their own species. My mind goes back to the old world wherein the darkest villain are bread thieves. Zooming back to 2014, as soon as I open my eyes and browse the news, its all about raging disturbances and rampant killings for the sake of religious, political and bloodshed beliefs... which had millions, if not billions of innocent bystander civilian sacrificed their lives. Killings, kidnappings, bombings... name any kind of violence, you'll find it posted all over the social media. You can feel the angst of the people vibrate through the internet, people sitting in the park being attacked for no reasons at all. Elderly being raped, punched and pensions being stolen by their own grandchildren.

aftermath of human war

It made me question the quality of humanity compared to the old good days. People nowadays starts asking "Where is God in all of these?" and even some had already denounced the Almighty due to the henious act of human insanity. Yes, I call all kind of violence the "human insanity", wherein logic is not working anymore and everyone see red and hands are twitching to harm another person. I don't want to go further into details as to what types or even groups being formed to fight for this and that cause, to purge the world of sin yet committing inhumane acts of evil. To end a human life is the greatest act of sin, (yes, I know this will also branch out to different sorts of other topics).

Still...the question remains the same.

What is the point of all the killings? This question have been playing over and over my mind everytime I see another orphaned child, a grieving widow, dying parents, and all victims of so-called revenge. What revenge? I am aware people have ambitions which drive every country to rule another, as this had been going on since the beginning of time. But in the end, will they be able to realize that nobody can live beyond 150 or even 500 years nowadays? Would they rather open the minds and rear the new generation to a history of wrath and hatred among each other?

The idea of peace is starting to sink to the bottom of the earth core, burned into oblivion. It seems that the future that lies ahead is what the movies have been egging the humans to make it happen. Humans are trying to be God-like. I can feel the hatred everywhere, racism, rebellion and in the end, war is bound to happen. This time a high-profile earth destroying acts of human, the impending nuclear war. When that time comes, nobody will know what the word "peace" really means.

I am useless. I cannot call people to stop fighting and start healing each other. To begin a new era of understanding, sharing and caring. Evil attitude is ruling the world. I am hopeless. A future of war and more hatred is about to come and yet, nobody will win it. Social media, kids as young at 7 years old committing suicide due to bullying. Life is starting to lose its meaning, and start to become senseless. More suffering will follow and one day, the hand of God will strike the world to make the insanity stop forever.

When this time comes, will you be able to say that you showed your love to your partner, child, friends or relatives? When you are at the edge of your life, flashback of the past will replay in front of your eyes to review what you have done with God given's gift of life. Why cant every human being in this world just make their lives worthy of goodness for the future generation? Why cant people be kind to each other?

I don't want world peace to become extinct... would you?