Author Archives: sheg4184

Tea & Tranquility

Posted on 28 December 2014 by sheg4184

“When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things.”   ~  Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog. It is almost Christmas and the streets and shopping malls of Makati … Continue reading →

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Flirting with Chocolate

Posted on 13 December 2014 by sheg4184

 “All you need is love. but a little chocolate now and again doesn’t hurt”  – Charles M. Schulz A coquettish breeze. Turquoise skies smudged with wispy clouds. A broad deck overlooking bare, craggy hills and milky blue bays, sailboats, sunshine … Continue reading →

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Amuse Bouche

Posted on 9 December 2014 by sheg4184

‘New Zealand’ suggests sheep and hobbits and rugby. It whispers of kiwis – birds and fruit – and an on-going feud with Australia as to who invented the pavlova. It rumbles about earthquakes and volcanoes.  It mumbles Sauvignon Blanc and … Continue reading →

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Baa Baa Black Sheep

Posted on 30 November 2014 by sheg4184

Black Sheep is the newest Single-Malt-Whisky-Bar-and-Modern-Gastronomy-Restaurant in town. Try saying that after a couple of drinks! Situated in the penthouse atop that eye-catching black, white and blue checkered building West Fifth in Bonifacio Global City, the kitchen is in the capable … Continue reading →

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Just Sushi

Posted on 26 November 2014 by sheg4184

As I may have mentioned, I recently made my first trip to Japan, landing in Tokyo with a clean slate, eager for new impressions. I must admit, I knew embarrassingly little about the country at that point, and I was … Continue reading →

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Umami: The Fifth Taste

Posted on 19 November 2014 by sheg4184

Salt, sweet, sour, bitter. I am assuming we have known about these four taste categories since Sesame Street was a dirt track through the woods. Each one tells our taste buds about what we are putting in our mouths, and … Continue reading →

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Culture Shock or “How’s the Serenity?”

Posted on 3 November 2014 by sheg4184

Culture shock can be a complicated, confusing, disorienting experience.  It is defined as the individual’s sense of dislocation when attempting to settle into a new environment. Moving cities can be hard enough. Moving countries requires you to adapt to foreign values, mannerisms, mind-sets … Continue reading →

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Trendy Mediocrity with a Side Order of Inconsistency

Posted on 25 October 2014 by sheg4184

I love Rockwell. There is always some new restaurant to try amongst the plethora to be found both inside and outside Power Plant Mall. My latest, belated discovery is Rambla. Apparently it has actually been there for almost twelve months, but … Continue reading →

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Snapshots of Japan

Posted on 18 October 2014 by sheg4184

A clean and helpful clockwork world where a pair of missing glasses is located and returned before panic sets in. A lavatory with a heated seat, an in-built bidet, a video screen and a sound system that provides the noisy gush … Continue reading →

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