I'm not really into sweets; I don't have that proverbial sweet tooth. Oftentimes, when eating something sweet, I have to have something salty to eat simultaneously: V-Cut with Flat Tops, pancit canton with monggo hopia, spaghetti with Mer-Nel's choco cake.
But I'm surrounded by really sweet people at work (yihee!) who crave their sugar rush. In the last week or so, I tried two new desserts.
Two Fridays ago, after a dinner at Almon Marina and the Hungarian sausage left a searing spice on my tongue, my colleagues and I walked around Alabang Town Center's new wing. I personally would've settled for a McDo cone. The line for J.Co doughnuts was OA - is this the new It-Doughnut, like Gonuts and Krispy Kreme were?
We found ourselves in Mochiko at the far end. One wall was almost completely covered by dozens of pink, waving cat figurines, kinda like the gold, waving cats Divisoria entrepreneurs have in their shops for good luck. Then there were two framed drawings of a little girl with an eerie expression. Dman theorized she was named Mochiko and she invented the balled desserts we were about to eat. The interior was mostly pink, which made Dman and Mark feel unexpectedly masculine.
Mochi balls are ice cream wrapped in rolled-flat sticky rice dough. I got black sesame, which tasted quite exotic. Mark ordered red bean, which is like cold hopia; Dman had Oreo, which actually had one cookie inside. I forgot what Jown had. They cost 70 PHP a piece and although I enjoyed it, it's not something I would buy often if I wanted something sweet and filling.
And here we were, monopolizing the plush pink couches and getting cross-eyed admiring the cats. Photo courtesy of Jown.
A week later, in need of new scenery, a chance to catch up and compare emo-notes and just craving for something sweet and comforting, Dman, Jown and I braved the Thursday rush-hour traffic in Makati. We went to Greenbelt, ate at Yoshinawa (where waiters should undergo Basic Good Service 101) then headed off to Gelatissimo for some Italian ice cream. It was actually my first time to eat gelato (Eww, I know haha!) and of course first time to visit the cozy place.
Customers can actually get a small teaspoonful to taste each flavor they want before deciding what to buy (yay for free taste!). One scoop is about 100 PHP, two for 130 PHP, three for 190 PHP. I forgot they have another for 230 PHP. I think the price varies if you choose paper cup or have it on a sugar cone. We opted for cups. We got pistachio (my absolute fave), Ferrero Rocher, lemon cheesecake, forest berries (kinda sour but still yummy), white chocolate, chili chocolate (surprise anghang after the chocolatey taste melts) and chocolate chip. The ice cream were thick and flavorful and not so sweet na we got umay, although we needed water halfway through.
We sat in the corner booth near the restroom, which is also a great place to bring a date or just sit alone and go all senti watching the lights and people outside. I did wish I had something salty at that time, though, even a pack of Boy Bawang or Zeb Zeb would do. Next time!
All I can say is, you get three UPians together and the hot, juicy conversation just flowed! Thanks, guys, we all needed that. ;)
Oh, and the cashier gave me a loyalty card, so after my 7th visit, I can get one scoop free. :)
Our delectable comfort food (I got the one with pink, forest berries), photo op in the throne-like, comfy seat, and the "cast of characters" in our crazy yet super informative pinings about life, love and the best place to work.
1. Sa sobrang haba ng mga idle time at no camp before, wala tuloy silang choice kung di magdaldalan, magchikahan, maghiritan, maglaitan, umisip ng iba't-ibang paraan para magising at pasayahin ang bawat isa. Resulta: baga-ingay. More resulta: seat transfer palayo sa opisina nina Bossings JM at CJ. More more resulta: MAS MASAYA.
2. Yung sobrang close ng bawat isa, kayang-kaya nila magpulaan, mag-apihin, manghimay, manghimasok, manumbat, magusisa, magbigay ng mga unsolicited advice sa isa't-isa tungkol sa buhay pag-ibig, problemang pamilya at pinansyal, mga alalahanin sa performance at trabaho, kahit ultimo suot na sapatos, amoy ng hininga or change ng hairstyle, kailangan may comment lagi. At mas madalas sa hindi, masasakit ang mga komentong ito. Truth hurts, ika nga. Walang sikretong hindi nabubunyag at naipagkakalat. Ang siste, we'd rather stab you in front than at the back. Kahit anong anghang ng mga palitan ng hirit, gano man ka-degrading ang mga name-calling at panunukso, ilang henerasyon man ng mga ninuno ang pagtawanan, laitin man ang edad, sekswalidad at pisikal na anyo, magkatampuhan man ng ilang saglit o oras, at the end of the day, pagtatawanan lang nila lahat. Walan pikon. Kung meron man, magaling makibagay.
3. Kahit may mga tinaguriang sexist, racist at "age-ist" sa team, pagdating sa isa't isa, pag inapi ka ng iba dahil kaw ay bakla, tomboy, payatot, mataba, thundercats, immature, antukin, single parent, kabit, manyak, babaero, gastadora, kuripot, pandak, pimpulin, ututin, matakaw, emotera, palengkera, war freak at iba pa, di pwede yun! Resbak agad.
4. Kahit may mangilan-ngilan na nangingibabaw sa dorobohan, andun pa rin yung concern at tulungan sa stats ng isa't isa. Share-an pa rin ng best practices. Lakasan na lang ng loob ang labanan. Walang iwanan. Mabulastog man ng isa o dalawa ang EVPH at incentives, asahan ng iba, may papansit naman buong team by month-end.
5. May pagka-bipolar trip mga tao:
Pag malungkot ka, papasayahin ka nila. Pag nakasimangot ka, papangitiin ka nila. Pag masyado kang perky, babad-trip-in ka nila.
Pag umiiyak ka, patatahanin ka nila. Pag ayaw mo maiyak, lalo ka nila paiiyakin, sisigaw pa ng, "Iiyak na yan! Iiyak na yan!"
Pag payat ka, bubusugin ka ng mga nakaw na Zebzeb at Pompoms, pandesal, turon at mga tirang baon. Pag mataba ka, lalaitin ka hanggang sa mapilitan ka magpapayat (except for one person, ngess huuuu?!?).
Pag tahimik ka, dadaldalin ka. Pag maingay ka, bubulyawan kang manahimik dahil may mga reps na gusto matulog habang nagko-calls.
Pag kumakanta ka, nanakawin yung kanta mo. Pag hindi ka kumakanta, bibigyan ka ng kantang mae-LSS ka buong araw.
Pag single ka, ihahanap ka ng rampa, ibubugaw kang parang karne. Pag taken ka na... ihahanap ka pa rin ng rampa at ibubugaw pa rin na parang karne. Jooowwwwwk.
Pag high call, pahulihan mag-break or lunch, minsan kahit hindi na, makapondo lang ng RPC-PTP. Pag Preview, sinasabi pa lang ng mga boss, "Guys, go on coach -" napindot na ang Coaching at naihagis na agad ang headset.
6. Mahirap umabsent, lalo na kung may kadikit na rest day or VL. Kung ano-anong scenario agad ang usapang iikot sa loob ng bilog. Kahit ma-late ka lang, yurak agad pagkatao mo. Kesyo nag-inom ka the night before. May ka-date ka tapos sa sobrang chorvah nyo, nakakalap ka ng ng matinding sakit na kekelanganin ng ilang linggong gamutan ng mamahaling antibiotics. O kaya na-mouse trap ka or nalunod sa isang pool ng keso. Kakalat agad sa buong process ang mga haka-haka kung bakit ka nag-Combo King or Queen. Asahan mong sa pagpasok mong muli ay wala ka ng mukhang maihaharap sa mga ka-opisina at boss mo.
7. Pag lalaki ka at nagpagupit ka, lalo na sa tinatawag na petsa de peligro (i.e., ilang araw bago magsweldo or at least 1 week matapos sumahod, a.k.a., gipit days), wag ka nang umasang hindi pagdududahan ang iyong sexuality. Ika nga, ALAM NA. Expected na pag bagong gupit, kahit ahit or trim lang, magpapa-team lunch ka.
8. Pag napasali ka sa mga foof at games, basic expectation na, for the team ang prize mo. Kahit sabihing solo treat, maramot ka pag hindi ka nag-share. Pag may GC ka sa Townhall, 50% ang tax, sa iba nga 100% mandatory. Pag sinabing dress-up, dress up (okay, may ilang pasaway pa rin). Pag sinabing mag-ambag ng bente para sa birthday celebrant or ibang gastusin, bawal pumalag. Ganyan talaga sa pamilya, kahit may parents, walang gulangan. Kahit hindi magkakadugo, hating kapatid.
9. Mas malimit sa hindi, all out lagi sa mga costume contests at performance sa mga teambuildings at townhalls. Half-daragan at mind games sa simula pa lang (takutin na agad ang kompetisyon), half-talent and lakas apog na rin. Game lahat, kahit AMO, walang angal. Bawal dagain sa kaba, lalo na pag masikip ang pants. Mahirap na, lalo pa nung pwede ang pictures at videos. Walang kiyeme, walang urungan, walang hiya.
10. Dorobo. Magugulang, mang-gagantso. Walang takot, kahit ma-monitor.
