ROC now open at Bahay ng Alumni, UPDil menu

Another cool resto has opened in UP Diliman... it's a refreshing break from the usual restos available on campus. ROC offers sumptuous meals at affordable prices -- with courteous waiters as a plus! They have an area that can be closed to cater meetings and small private gatherings, with a warm ambiance to match.

The desserts are just delightful (i love having dessert so let me mention those first)... not too sweet, but tasteful! perfect for my taste... so far, i've tried the Banoffee Pie (P110/slice), Mango Cheesecake (P100/slice), Sylvannas (P35/piece) and the Scarlet cupcake (P46/piece) which i can't seem to get enough of...

Mango Cheesecake

Scarlet Cupcakes

Eclairs (P30/piece)

Sylvannas Cream Puffs (P22/piece)
Chocolate Cake

Now, let's proceed to the main dish... the Kalbi Stew is a must-try -- the best I've tasted!!! just thinking about it makes my mouth water... their dishes come with rice and vegetables and are in a pretty hefty serving... we've also tried the Inihaw na Bacon (P188), Garlic Chicken (P180), Fish Florentine (P188), Whiskey Glazed Pork Chops and Fish Al Forno. here are some photos of their yum-yum dishes!

Kalbi Stew (P218)
Whiskey Glazed Pork Chops (P195)

They have a selection of pastas, sandwiches and appetizers as well... some pasta are the neptuna (P178), Italian Job (P175) and Carbonara (P175). Sandwiches are Spicy Tuyo Panini (P130) and Strawberry and Cheese Panini (P130).

Their salads are served in good proportions and are perfect for vegans (you can even request the bacon to be served on the side for the Ceasar Salad).

Ceasar's Salad (P150)
Taco Salad (P180)
Buffalo Chicken Strips (P195)

They also have paintings hung on their walls, and these are actually for sale... so if you happen to like one, just ask the manager for details... They also accept reservations for functions and private gatherings... ROC is a must try resto and i'm pretty sure they won't just have happy and contented customers... they'll have loyal customers as well!

ROC Cafe and Restaurant

G/F Bahay ng Alumni

(alumni center side across Veterans Bank)

UP Diliman

open Tuesdays-Sundays

from 11am - 9pm

3 dishes learned...

CHILI PESTO CREAM FARFALLE

Farfalle pasta
chili oil
pesto sauce
all-purpose cream
mushrooms
garlic
butter
olive oil

saute garlic in butter and olive oil until brown. throw in mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are soft. add the pesto sauce and the cream. add salt to taste. add chili oil until it's "hot" enough... add grated cheese (optional). yummmmy!

TINOYONG BANGUS

boneless bangus fillet
soy sauce
onions
water
calamansi

mix water, calamansi and soy sauce until you get the right taste. then saute onions in oil until they get soft. add soy sauce mixture until it boils. add the boneless bangus fillets until it's cooked. sarap with a lot of kanin!!!

BUFFALO CHICKEN BREAST FILLET

chicken breast fillet
butter
garlic
flour
salt
pepper
tabasco sauce

mix flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. throw in chicken breast fillets, cover and store in the ref for 1.5 hours. heat oil in a pan just enough to deep fry the fillet. fry the chicken breast fillets until golden brown. set aside. in a sauce pan, melt butter and add garlic. then add tabasco. when well mixed already, pour over the deep fried chicken fillets. serve hot! good for pulutan!

2008 goals...

i'm kinda thinking that to be able to push myself to achieve some goals in my life... i have to post it... think of it as a public reminder for me... so for the year 2008, i have some personal goals i'd want to achieve... here goes!

1] get promoted
2] get a salary increase (guess that comes with promotion... hehe!)
3] save half-a-million in the bank (far-fetched one...)
4] get a housing loan
5] take at least 3 out of town trips with carl
6] go to camiguin... or any other island in the phils...
7] lose 10 pounds (so fat na!)
8] learn to cook 30 meals!
9] trip to new zealand
10] trip to canada
11] watch bamboo live!
12] family outing at the beach
13] attend all 9 simbang-gabi masses
14] have all my closest friends visit our apartment
15] buy new office wardrobe
16] and... get pregnant!!!

by the way, the picture has nothing to do with this blog, just thought it's nice... hihi, peace out!

some bliss pics...

[our reflection on the river]

[the rings]

[the kiss atop chocolate hills]

saturdays at EK!

after so long, we're back to EK. hehe, having fun under the heat of the sun... ang dami nang new rides kaya lang down ang "space shuttle"--kainis! but i still had a lot of fun coz this is one of the firsts with my hubby carl and it's fun! my saturdays, now that i'm married, are kinda more colorful and fun now, especially since we have our own apartment already and we can invite guests over any time we like! our target: invite all our friends over until we fill up our mini guestbook at home!

mrs. maria celine "tatum" odulio... cool eh?!

i can't forget that moment when i waited outside the church, no one else was there behind that thick wooden door, no photographers, no friends, no relatives... just me. and as it opened, as i walked down that pretty short aisle, i realized that that was "the" day, the day when all my dreams came true, a moment that would change everything i am... seeing all those faces belonging to people who've touched my life in one way or the other was overwhelming... everyone was trying to catch a glimpse of the bride as she walked down that pretty aisle, but no one else knew except me that i had the best view... the sight of that handsome man who loves me so much waiting at the altar, the man i decided to spend the rest of my life with, the man who made my life worth living, bearable, meaningful... that view... oh, that view... was priceless.

16 days to go...

yep... last 16 days as a single woman... goodbye singlehood... hello married life. and boy am i looking forward to that! hihi...

just like my college days... i am once again perfecting the art of cramming... after ten long months of preparation, all the small details show up the last few weeks... ak!

but the whole experience of wedding preps, amidst the cramming and panic, is fulfillingly FUN!!! wish carl and i a happy marriage! until my next post... as mrs. carl odulio.

when life throws lemons at us...

WE MAKE LEMONADE?!

season 2. coolness!

3 months to go...

yeah, three months and counting. time flies so quickly.

people tend to neglect time. maybe coz it's always on their side. but i've learned to see the value of time, how precious it is and how it should be appreciated. people come and go. but time moves on. it won't wait. so while we can, let's make the most of it. show those you love how much you love them, learn to appreciate the small wonders of life that God has blessed you with. be thankful for having people to love and love you back. take every opportunity to help those in need. sympathize. we tend to ignore those who are dearest to us coz we're used to having them there. but start appreciating them, take time to say "i love you" "thank you" "you are special" "you're the best thing that happened to me"...

in 3 months, i'll be starting a new life. i'll never know what's in store for me, or what the future holds and what trials i'll have to face, but i know i can handle it. as long as i am constantly reminded that i am loved, appreciated...

if pens have feelings

sometimes i wonder how pens would feel if they did have feelings and emotions...

you buy a pen, the one you've been buying since college and you love the pen cause it doesn't blot, and it writes smoothly -- never let's you down, kumbaga. but these wear out and then you'll have to get a new one. the new pen can never compete with the old one. newby pen will never experience what oldy pen has, it'll never get to write the same things, and the writings of the old pen will always be there and there's no way it can erase them, unless the owner throws them all away, but that's too much to ask...

good thing pens don't have feelings, only people do.

engaged and loving it

we're hooked. and there ain't no turning back... and i feel great and so much in love. haven't had wedding jitters yet so i guess that's a good thing - right?


i thought that it was so stressful to plan a wedding when i first got myself into this mixed-emotions-thingy mushy people refer to as engagement. i found out that it's not so bad after all. carl has been very supportive and involved in all the wedding planning stuff and it's great. all's well with enough time. other than small details, i think everything's in place - oh no! is it? i'll have to check my planner. hihi...

but i guess inspite of all the hardships of planning and not having everything to go the way you planned, the most important thing is that you're having fun, both of you. i've learned that a couple should never get so caught up in planning the wedding that they forget why they're having the wedding in the first place. we're in this together, and i don't care if anything falls short on my wedding day, as long as i have carl beside me so we can laugh at it together. as of now, i try not to get stressed by anything, and if i do, there's always a bottle of beer at 7-Eleven. and i can just look at my brilliant ring - can't help but smile.

pseudo-reunion.

last saturday at the enggsoc month's kick-off party, tatum got drunk again after a long, long, long time...

nothing beats getting drunk and crazy with your bestest friends... they know it's never true when i say all those nasty things about stuff - well some of it are true. after a couple of bottles of booze, and a filling breakfast buffet (which i didn't partake of), getting home at 5 in the morning when the sun was making it's way up the sky was something i never got to do in college and it was tiringly fun. haha...

it's been a while since i had hung out in that place called "countryside". not many of my atenean friends from work know about this place coz it's an "inuman sa kalye"... hihi... but it kinda sucked when they made a last call for beers at 3am. and we weren't drunk yet. haha. but the isaw there and chicken tails rock! but i don't eat meat now so i had hito, which is ok as well... i can't wait for the next after party pary as my deeyosah friend with an SLR camera chooses to call it.

this is me now...

a year ago, i couldn't imagine how life would be like out of UP - meaning, an 8-5 job, no more sleepless nights hanging out or getting drunk, a life where i can no longer text my students and make them happy by saying classes are suspended today due to some crazy excuse. i mean, i couldn't imagine hanging out with other people other than my friendly-friendly SCV friends and my ever so dependable co-faculty whom i've gotten so comfortable with. until...

until chevron happened. i guess i worried too much. this is kinda like UP in so many ways, i feel like i'm dealing with the same personalities all over again. these kids are ok. they're cool, and young. makes me miss my mmm family and SCV friends sometimes, but friends are never lost. i know they're there, making something big of themselves and like me, trying to cope with all the messed up shit life throws at us. i'm sure they'll show up when a good cause arrives... something like... inuman?

after ten million lightyears...

after a very very long rest, i'm back. as if naman meron talagang nagbabasa nito. haha!

i've learned a couple more tidbits of knowledge from life lately. but i'm not in the mood to share what those are coz it'll add more stress to my life. as if the stress/excitement of the wedding preparations is not enough. oh yeah - wedding bells are ringing for me. i'm kinda thinking, maybe it is worth spending 30k+ to hire a wedding planner in exchange for all the hassles of wedding planning. i just can't seem to have enough time. but then again, i'm happy doing this so i guess the 30k aint worth missing the fun and "hirap".

recent realizations

1. you get nightmares from thinking too much.
2. a little adrenalin is always good.
3. having your hair trimmed once a month keeps it healthy and strong.
4. buffing the tips of your nails keeps it from breaking.
5. no matter how much you love someone, you will always hurt him unintentionally.
6. a loyal friend is scarce and it's a true treasure to have at least one.
7. a peaceful mind makes it easy for you to get up early in the morning.
8. singing your heart out when no one else is around is soooo fulfilling!
9. when you cry, talk to God. it makes the burden so much lighter.
10. fights happen a week before your period, almost everytime.
11. you can keep on planning, but it can never feel as good until you actually do it.
12. dream big, expect little.
13. happiness is an understatement when you're in love.
14. being OC is good.
15. whatever you've been through, it's all worth it.
16. laughing more than 50 times a day keeps you healthy.
17. say sorry only when you mean it.
18. carl is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

thank you!

all those sleepless nights and tambay sa shono paid off. ang galing! sa wakas! i'm so lucky to have been able to go through hard times and have someone to see me through. i can never express in words how grateful i am for you, thanks for sticking with this overly emotional and sensitive brat. i am a freak of nature, coz i have something that some people search forever for. mushy, i know. haha... who cares! master na ako! love and much much more honey!

sa wakas ay nakita ko na ang aking hinahanap
sa wakas ay nakuha ko na ang aking hinahangad
kay tagal ko ng naghintay at nagsunog ng kilay
ngayon ay masasabi ko na ang matamis na tagumpay
sa wakas ay nabihag ko na ang aking minamahal
sa wakas ay natapos ko na ang aking sinimulan
kay tagal ko ng nagtiyaga wala namang nilaga
sa wakas ay kaya ko nang bumangon sa umaga
o bakit ba ako pinahihirapan ng husto
ang dami-daming kumokontra sa bawat kilos ko
nasan na ba kayo tignan n'yo ako
hindi n'yo inakala na ako ay mananalo
pero salamat na rin sa inyo

~Sa Wakas.E-heads~

real life tragedy

life has its way of turning things around as quickly as the sun sets on a perfectly sunny day. God has His way of sending out his message that sometimes only He can justify. Losing a loved one is one thing i wish to never have to go through in my lifetime, i'm not that strong. To sir jej and his family, may He give you enough strength to go through this difficult time in your lives. In His time we will understand why... and all will be clear. to kuya Dudes, I hope you know how loved and missed you are, but man has a way of coping. God has chosen you for a reason, for the fulfilment of a greater plan. may you find peace.

rainy skies, busy nights...

i am so busy... i can't blog anymore. i can't even think of anything to write about aside from work. but come to think of it, i'm raving 'coz i have a cool new laptop (comes with the coolest laptop bag i've ever laid eyes on -- thanks ma!!!) complete with original MS Office... ang galing! i have tita dahil to thank for that... that's another reason why i'm even more busy... i can work at home now.

and another thing to rave about -- honey's well na! he was dying, but he lived again... - hihi... he's now back to playing basketball, badminton, and beer bottles. welcome back nga pala sir Manny!!! twas nice to hang out with you again...



P.S.

to our beloved Mang Mar, get well soon. you're in my prayers...
to Ms. Roni Matienzo, may you find peace wherever you may be...

We're out to get you...

~ are you scared now??? ~

UPAE Alumni Homecoming

Support the UPAE in our fund-raising to donate to the College Modernization Fund and Faculty retention Program. (Modernization of 19 rooms in Melchor Hall and creation of a Professorial Chair.)


Major Prizes:

1 BMW 3 Series
1 Ridley Cruiser Motorcycle
1 Toyota Altis 1/6L A/T
1 Hyundai Getz A/T

Other Prizes:

1 42" Samsung Plasma TV
1 42" Samsung DLP TV
5 Laptop Computers
5 Desktop Computers
10 Nokia N70 Cellphones from Smart
10 Nokia N70 Cellphones from Globe

Raffle Basics

Each ticket costs P1,000.00
Raffle Date: 6 pm, November 6, 2006 – Manila Polo Club
All Prizes, worth P5.5M, are donations
To be eligible as winner, the tickets must be confirmed as PAID. The filled out ticket stub will be the confirmation of payment.
Each raffle participant can only win one (1) of the four (4) major prizes - the bigger prize. The four (4) major prizes consists of the BMW 3 Series, Ridley Cruiser Motorcycle, Toyota Altis, and the Hyundai Getz.
Each valid raffle ticket will be signed by the Dean of the College of Engineering and will be stamped with the College of Engineering seal.
Payment of the tickets will be the responsibility of the individual or organization who signed for it as the ticket seller. The UPAE will not be liable for any complaints arising from unremitted payments of winning tickets.
Any taxes due will be shouldered by and is the responsibility of the winner.
The drawing of winning numbers will be done using five (5) tambiolos containing pingpong balls. Each tiambolo correspond to one (1) digit of the winning ticket number.
Uncalimed prizes will be deemed forfeited by January 6, 2007

If you wish to purchase tickets, email me at mpalarcon@up.edu.ph