Rodizio Rico vs. Fogo de Chao and Texas de Brazil

Hmmm.. all you can eat meat. For all the meat eaters out there, there's the heaven of a nice steak, cooked the right way at a place like Morton's, and then there's a Churrascaria

We finally hit up Rodizio Rico for a nice Christmas dinner. Rodizio Rico has been recommended by a few people and it was time to find out what the fuss was all about. And would it even compare to my experiences in the good ol' States such as the fine establishments of Fogo and de Chao and Texas de Brazil?

First, the atmosphere had a nice rustic feel. It felt like going to someone house. Nice cedar wood ceilings wooden furniture, and the kitchen where all the grilling was taking place was part of the main dining room. It wasn't as elegant as Fogo or Texas de Brazil, and was a lot more informal.

Second, the service. To begin, in general, food service in London doesn't compare to the States. I think overall, you'll find that the food service in the States has a lot more emphasis on quality than it does in Europe. That said, being an all you can eat Churrascaria, I was hoping that the service would be top notch. And when I mean service, I mean, keep the meat coming! In Fogo and TdB you have this little paper coaster that on each side indicates: Green - keep the meat coming, and Red - okay stop, I'm full!

We entered the restaurant and the first thing I was looking for were these "give me meat indicators." And none were to be found!

Typically, at Fogo and TbB, I have to keep up with the waiters and my plate slowly fills up with all this meat! But you know what, the waiters had to keep up with me! My mates in Chicago would be proud! I was literally sitting there, waiting for these guys to come around! I guess I was use to be spoiled with a bunch of these waiters running around with all these cuts of meat and you just get so overwhelmed! But to be honest, there were only a couple guys running around. And to honest, grill oven wasn't that huge. I could see about 10-15 skewers going at a time?

So that said, what about the meat? If you had to compare the cuts of beef they had to offer, it doesn't compare to Fogo and TdB. The variety of choice of cuts wasn't impressive, but that said, it was still tasty! They had the typical cuts of beef and pork ribs, garlic steak, pork, leg of lamb, chicken wrapped in bacon, Chicken wings, and even chicken hearts! The critical cut that I absolutely miss were the lamb chops! The salad bar was decent, it wasn't as big as what I'm use to, but it still had a nice selection including cous cous which goes great with lamb! Overall, I thought there was going to be more choices for cuts but overall it was OK. I was still satisfied and excited about the whole experience mainly because it has been a while since I was in a Churrascaria.

I think its hard for London to compete in food experiences versus the States. Of course I'm a bit biased with my past experiences with Fogo and TdB but I would still recommend Rodizio anyday! I think the funny part of the night was when the waitress kept asking to take our plates, when in fact, we were patiently waiting for more cuts of meat! I think she asked 3-4 times! That's what happens when they don't have those "give me meat indicators!" I wonder how its really like in a true Churrascaria in Brazil! Maybe next year? =)

Ramble ramble.. cryptic.. cryptic..

Its funny sometimes how life works.

I think no matter how much you plan life, or try to anticipate it, it doesn't always turn out the way you want, or even, turns out better than you expect.

Either way, if everything always went to plan, wouldn't it be pretty boring?

As 2008 is slowly coming to a close, this has been a very significant year.

I think this is one of the years where from a personal point of view, I've accomplished a lot. And more importantly, I've learned a lot about myself.

I think the first year I moved here I was learning a lot, adjusting, and getting use to the London "grind." Then, I think I got into a groove and things just started "settling" in. Things became more "routine."

But I think the past year, I've gotten into the "mix of things." I've experienced a bit of "change" from a personal and professional perspective.

I've made time for things I normally wouldn't, and I've taken on new challenges that I didn't think would be possible in my first year here.

I've realized a lot of things about myself that I didn't know about. You know when you are happily cruising in life, without giving into too much introspection, and you just go with the flow? You think to yourself, life is good. But then what happens when things go bad? What if the routine is disturbed?

At least for me, I start "thinking." Being an analytical person, this whole "go with the flow" routine is thrown out of the window. A lot of introspection takes place and you start to think about how to resolve the problem, or make the situation better.

Do I just do nothing and complain or do I take "action." Do I admit my mistake and correct the problem, or do I wait until it goes away by itself?

I'd like to say this year, I did take "action." I'd like to say that I've made some mistakes, and will do everything I can to resolve the problem. I have in some cases, and am continuing to work on others.

I don't want to "go with the flow" as I've done, because sometimes that's not enough. Sometimes you just have to be proactive and not be "stagnant." Sometimes you have to look within yourself and do what you can to make things better.

With this in mind, I came to a realization the other day that, in some respects, I don't know a part of me as well as I should. Its weird. Its like when you are studying something, and you overlook something because you think you know it, but when someone actually quizzed you on it, you don't know that answer? It's like that.

"Oh, I know I'm like this or that." But then when you are "tested" on it, you don't turn out that way? But I guess the fact that I've recognized that is a good thing. And its something that I should work on.

I know, I'm confusing.

Blog, I miss you. Sorry I haven't been as faithful as I should. =)

Its times like these..

that I'm proud to be an American! Its times like these I'm proud to have Chicago as part of my hometown!

And I'm still watching coverage, albeit a bit refreshing that its Jon Stewart with the Daily Show that is a rerun from yesterday evening!

BBC was on all nite yesterday evening watching and waiting. I loved seeing Grant Park on the BBC, smiling at seeing all the people fill in to be part of the historic rally.

I fought hard to stay up to watch the swing state results, and after learning Obama was projected to win Pennsylvania and Ohio I hit the sack. 15 minutes later, as I distinctly remember the last time I looked at the clock at 3:45AM, Obama was officially declared the winner!

Congrats to President-Elect Barack Obama and VP-Elect Joe Biden.

I hope this "change" is just the beginning in America.

Pardon my French...

After wrapping up my long career with my old company, (more on that later), what better way to take some time off in between jobs!

After over 9 years in one company, I decided to take a break. 1 day and a weekend to be exact. Sad isn't it. Bad planning I call it!

Anyway, it was nice to get away and the destination was Paris. Why?

First, its easy to get to. None of this 2 hour before departure stuff and long queues at security. You can turn up 30 min of departure, check in, go through security and sit on the train. Its perfect.

Second, I didnt' want to hit a city that required much sightseeing. Luckily I've been before, so I wanted to get away from London and just relax.

Third, I'm learning French, so why not apply what I've learned!

It was a good and memorable trip. We spent the weekend mostly cafe hopping. I did get to experience a lot of Paris that I haven't seen. The St Germain De Pres and Le Marais neighborhoods were my favourites. I also fell in love with the Place des Vosges. We also hit destinations that I always wanted to check out such as walking on Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts, wandering around Montmartre, and visiting Musée d'Orsay.

There's just something about being able to hit a city, take in its culture, and relaxing. It was only a 3 day visit, but well worth it.

O-Town

For some odd reason, O-Town's song, "All or Nothing" entered my head this reason. Very strange. Anyway, it got me thinking about this blog. (And additionally, the disappearance of boy bands, and guilty pleasures in general, but I won't go there.) Specifically the fact that I haven't written in it as much as I've wanted to. I was thinking of opening the blog to more random topics as this whole "assimilation" project of living in the UK has gone stale. But I won't rant on that now...

What I do want to rant about is how funny it is learning a new language.

As part of my New Year's resolutions I posted back in January, I wanted a pick up a new skill. I'm actually picking up a couple of new skills, one of which is speaking French!

I have class every week and its so funny because I feel like an idiot trying to read and speak. When I'm reading, I feel like I'm in grade school, sounding out each word and reading ever so slowly. And when I speak, its just as bad. There's a bit of embarrassment as well as I feel my classmates know much more than I do. Its also something to get use to as we have homework due each week and of course, if I really want to learn it I have to study!

But I'll get there. Maybe at some point I can blog in french! Au revoir!

Tourist in my hometown

It's weird being a tourist in my hometown. I guess its no similar than me taking people around London. But, its weird mainly because I don't live here anymore, and coming back and visiting, and being a tourist, even though I use to live here... if that makes any sense. =)

In any case, we were at the Cubs game on Saturday when they clinched the division. Unforgettable experience. Bleachers too. I just hope they don't break my heart, again.

But its nice being back, and we've been blessed with such awesome weather! I think this week I'll get more sun than I did in all of the London summer! And when I mean sun, I mean, "biting your skin" sun. The sun where you say.. "wow, its hot." Not the, "wow its bright, but its still kind of mild" sun like we do in London.

In any case, I'm in enjoying the summer that never was, now.

3 years later...

Time travels fast. In a blink of an eye, another year has passed. Out of curiosity, as I always do, I read a blogpost from a year ago.

I think its funny because I mentioned a tube strike. Ironically, I despise the tube. I've discovered London's bus system. As much as possible I take a bus to work, and in fact, almost anywhere I go. Most of the buses I take are the "double-decker" type and I love sitting on the top. The good things about taking the bus?

• Its relaxing. It takes you from point A to B without an armpit in your face. Instead I can read a magazine or book in peace.
  

• I'd say I get a seat 99% of the time and don't have to stand. (with an armpit in my face)
• Cleaner air!
• Its not sweaty and hot.
  
• Slower pace. You're not surrounded by other people that are always such in a hurry getting on and off the tube, and running up the escalators.

I love the bus! Funny what a difference a year makes.

As for travel, I did hit 30% of that list I posted from last year. Notably, Florence, Istanbul, and fulfilling my Scandinavian requirement, Stockholm, Sweden. Speaking of which....

Sweden trip summary:

• Food was amazing. I did have "Elk" meat and tried "Reindeer". I also had Swedish meatballs with lingonberries!

• The archipelago was absolutely beautiful. A 7 hour boat ride took us pretty far east from Stockholm and witnessed really cool houses on small islands, wildlife, and an unforgettable sunset.
• The Vasa museum is a must see!
• Not as many blondes as I thought, but boy are people really tall!
• And no, I didn't visit Ikea. In fact, I didn't even see one. Although our hotel felt like a picture from their catalogue!

Overall an amazing trip, and the archipelago boat trip was unforgettable.

Another stamp, magnet and robot.

Stockholm, Sweden. I've never seen so many tall people in my life. That said, I thought I would see more blondes. Trip update soon.

New vocabulary word

Along with snog, shag, cheers, "bloody hell", septic, crossed, bloke, envisage, bit, naught, "full stop", zed, "haitch", plasters.... and others I can't think of.. I can now add:

"Y-Fronts"

to my "English" vocabulary.

Going to the Prom

I went to the Prom this weekend.

And no, its not what you think.

Although, Prom in high school will always be memorable, this Prom is quite different.

I didn't just go to any Prom. I actually went to Prom #19! Prom, or The Proms is a musical festival consisting of orchestral classical music, and is held for 8 weeks in the Royal Albert Hall.

We queued up outside the beautiful Royal Albert Hall, in what is an action called: "Promming." (And no, its not about renting a tux and buying a corsage for your date and taking silly pictures along a staircase holding your date in an awkward position... but I digress.) Promming is simply queuing up the night of a Prom you would like to attend and listening and watching the concert in the standing areas inside the hall. Tickets were 5 quid, and you literally can sit, stand, or even lie in the arena. Or if you fancy, stand high up in the gallery.

Now when I think of the Royal Albert Hall, especially from our last visit watching Cirque de Solei, I think formal attire, an aristocratic attitude, and being prim and proper. But nope, not in this case.

People turn up as they are: casual, jeans, shorts, and even flip flops, which to me is almost counter-intuitive attending a classical concert in Royal Albert Hall! But I guess that's what makes it so unique.

Prom #19 consisted of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and for you classical music lovers out there, and I know many of you are, they played:

• Kenneth Hesketh - Graven Image (world premiere for the Liverpudlian composer)


• Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.4 in G major


• Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances

Paul Lewis - Piano
Vasily Petrenko - conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

All in all it was a very memorable experience. It was the first time I've actually seen a live professional Philharmonic Orchestra of any kind. So it was quite amazing seeing all the musicians play with so much emotion.

It was quite a different experience from watching an orchestra that my grade school had put together. I always watched the percussion section the most because I loved the person who was in charge of the cymbols. Its so funny watching them wait for that one note they would have to play!

In any case, this Prom, was surely memorable. It didn't have the corsage, silly pictures, slow dances, or boat cruise, but it did have a listening experience I will never forget.

Two buttons?

Ugh.. looks like I finally dipped to that single post count last month since living here. I guess the novelty of the whole move has almost completely warn off.

Its funny because I always have it in the back of my mind that I want to write something. I sometimes make mental notes of what I want to write next, but it just never happens.

Luckily I couldn't sleep and naturally woke up a few hours before the hectic day begins which gives me time to write!

So let start the month right and get back into my old ways...

So my topic? My toilet.

I believe I've posted this in the past, but the toilet water here in the UK doesn't rise as high as it does in the States. This leads to problems when taking a #2 as it leaves what I've been taught since my early childhood days, as "streaks." Obviously depending on what you've eaten, or how "loose" you are, you can literally leave your "mark."

Now the interesting bit is that I've always noticed that there are "two" buttons on toilets here in the UK, and in fact, in Europe. I always wondered why. I mean it always seemed obvious, but I've never confirmed it.

• The small button for #1.


• The big button for #2.

So where do I go to confirm it? Wikipedia of course!

It was in 1980 that Bruce Thompson developed what is called the "Duoset cistern" with two buttons and two flush volumes as a water-saving measure and it saves an average household 67% of their normal water usage.

Hmm... do I have two buttons in my household toilet?

Why yes! I do. I actually really didn't notice it to be honest. In fact, I don't think I've ever used the small button.

How amazing is that. But you know what? I DO press the big button. And guess what?

I always leave my mark. =/

I guess it would have been different if I had always used the small button, and then discovered the big button. At least that would help solve this "streak" problem. Maybe if I press and hold the button longer?

Mid year review

Hard to believe its more than halfway through the year. Its around this the time of the year where I tend to reflect how the year is going and ask myself...

"What the @#$@#! have I been doing with my life?"

Let's rewind to some of the goals I set in January.

• Golf - yeah right. Clubs are here. Collecting dust. I think my main excuse for this is that I don't have a car. It also doesn't help that I don't have any golf buddies.
  


• Ride my bike - This is actually going okay. I spent one of the weekends last month riding all the way to Angel and even to Greenwich. If the weather was more consistent I'd probably ride more. But since the British summer is pretty much crap, I'll blame it on that. I was considering riding to work, instead of riding the tube, but I've found a nice bus route to work which is more relaxing. Which leads me to my next one...


• Reading more? Not. I've completed 3 books this year. And its already July! I really should spend more time reading instead of spending all this time on the Internet. And I'm not even blogging as much! To my credit, I'm reading two books at the same time, so hopefully that will bump up my average. I reckon sitting down in the bus to work and back will help with this. Its hard to read in the tube when your face is smashed into someone's armpit. The perks of being short. The list just never ends...


• Pick up a new skill. Hmm... This is still in the works. I've signed up for French classes in September. I'm considering taking up acting again as well in the fall. But I can't really say I've accomplished anything on this goal.. yet.

That said, traveling is still going well. Still hitting the average of a city a month.. believe I'm at about 8 cities/destinations this year, with a few already in the pipeline. Working out has its ups and downs. I've picked it up again. Improv has fallen out of the picture, but some kind of creative art may be picked up in the fall as its replacement.

Other than that I think I've been concentrating on enjoying the summer. I've got a long TODO list of things to see and do and currently working on that!

New goals? I'm working on a few things currently that I'd prefer to discuss in person, rather than broadcast it in the blogosphere! Send me a mail and I'll fill you in!

In other news...

I keep telling myself to get better at keeping this up to date, but here a quick roundup of TISGOMB points..

• Never try to keep up with a couple of french guys when drinking Champagne. It just doesn't work. Its almost the same as drinking pints with the English. I'm so out of my element.


• Most if not all public parks in London ban the use of using a BBQ grill. How lame is that. The search continues where we can throw a proper BBQ picnic at a park... if only we can pick a weekend where the weather isn't crap.


• Speaking of BBQ's.. I went to one where most of the people were of the "creative" type. What an interesting experience. We were surrounded by directors, actors, writers, musicians.. I tell ya, creative people tend to be more outgoing and very interesting to talk to. And also very encouraging!


• I've never seen anyone use ketchup as dressing for a salad. Until last week. I love ketchup. But with my fries, not with my rocket leaves.


• Americans as I've learned during the 4th of July, are also referred to as: "Septics." Why? Go find out yourself. =)

Time to enjoy the rest of the week.. of rain.

Bournemouth, what a surprise!

After living the daily grind of London, week after week, its always nice to get away. But sometimes, you don't want the hassle of airports, immigration, and long waiting times before departures to leave the city. Sometimes you just want to jump on a train. No security. No 2 hour wait before departure. Just grab a backpack for a weekend, and just get out!

This weekend's destination was Bournemouth. What a pleasant surprise! Bournemouth is on the southwest coast of the UK. Its main attraction? The 7 mile sandy beach. What? Sand??? The only beach in the UK that I've been to was in Brighton, and the beach was filled with small pebbles. Not something you want to bury your feet into or place your back against to catch some rays.

Going into the weekend, the weather didn't sound promising. It was going to be a high of 16-18C (60-65F) and overcast. Maybe even a chance of light rain! But as I've grown accustomed to in the UK, you can never trust the weather forecasts!

It ended up being a lot warmer, with a lot of sun! We even had to buy beach towels just so we can lay out in the sun properly! We also bought a nice picnic bag and enjoyed a beach picnic both days!

The city centre is also quite nice, with a very nice park separating the beach and the town. The night life isn't that bad either! Very good hip hop at a place called Klute which also doubles up as a sushi restaurant called Funky Sushi (Sushi wasn't bad, not the best, but decent) The DJ was playing ol' school hip hop and the crowd didn't seem as pretentious as the crowds in London. Lots of locals!

All in all, it was a brilliant weekend away, only a 1:45 min train ride for less than 35 quid! Can't beat that, especially for a beach getaway from the fast-paced, polluted ol' city of London!

Silent Disco Rocks.

Have you heard of it?

I haven't. Until 2 weeks ago. We were walking past our favourite area in London, South Bank, when we came across an interesting dance party. A bunch of people wearing headphones in a club-like atmosphere, singing to the music. Thing is, it wasn't as loud as you would think. No deep bass, no screaming into each other ears. It was something we had to try.

Fast forward to this past Saturday. We luckily scored the last few tickets to this brand new experience.

We walk in. And our instructed how to use the wireless headphones.

Volume control on the left. 2 channels to choose from on the right. Virtual dj rooms if you will. We line up to grab a tasty beverage, but instead of yelling into each other ears with drink orders, we simply use our normal tone of voice. Why? Because the music is played via headphones!!

Imagine a club without loud music, but people continuing to party and dance? Its the strangest experience because even when a sing-a-long tune comes on, all you hear are people's voice singing along loudly, without any music in the background!! Why? Because the music is played via headphones!!

Imagine a crowd of people dancing together, in complete silence! 2 people could also be dancing to two different tunes! Why? Because you can choose what music you can listen to via headphones!!

I think the best part was removing my headphones, and just sitting there, appreciating all these people dancing and singing along, with their headphones on. Its pretty hilarious and fun to watch.

All and all, a truly amazing and unique experience and one I definitely recommend!

What a month!

Can't believe June is just around the corner... amazing how time flies...

I have much to update on this blog.. so I will try my best in the next few weeks to work on a few entries.

First things first, 11 days off and 2 bank holiday weekends later, the city hopping has finally finished!

I completed my final 2 city hops this weekend, hitting up Sofia and Plovdiv Bulgaria. This completed my 6 city tour in a month! So many different stories I have to sort it out in my head before I can type it all up!

But here are the high level highlights:

• Florence - Amazing city. A must visit for anyone. Most memorable experience - Bike Tour of Tuscany and meeting 3 doctors from Chicago!
• 
  
• Palma, Mallorca - Upgraded suite and doing absolutely nothing


• Paris, France - Uncle and Dad pretending to be Japanese tour guides


• Barcelona, Spain - Sangria and Flamenco with the Family


• Sofia, Bulgaria - No ATM at the airport!


• Plovdiv, Bulgaria - No means yes, and yes means no, '89 Bulgarian Wine, cubans, and of course the wedding!

And of course, robots galore... I think I have like 10-12 videos to upload still, but mission accomplished. The collection keeps growing! Some good, some bad.. I thinking I have to be a bit more creative with them!

I hope to update this blog with some detail to each of the above bullet points. Its fun reading back at it in the future, so I'm going to try and stick to my guns this time and actually update it. I regret posting each of my unique experiences on each city I visit... especially the one in Istanbul when I had to use the public toilet... now that's a story, but probably reserved over a pint in the pub!

City hopping..

Hard to believe its almost a year since Cinque Terra and 9 people staying in my flat... but its that time of the year where I'm off for over 2 weeks city hopping! In this year's agenda we have: Florence, the island of Mallorca, Paris, and Barcelona!

Its quite exciting since it will be the first time my whole family will be here together! But before the madness starts, I'm off to explore on my own in the beautiful city of Florence. It should be an amazing time and very interesting since I will be traveling alone! Its nice traveling alone sometimes... it presents a new experience and forces you to meet new people!

I just keep wondering how I'm going to be able to convince someone to videotape me doing the robot - a routine I normally do in every new city I visit....

ring ring...

So keeping true to one of my New Year's resolutions I finally rode my bike in London!

First time for everything! Last week I finally had some maintenance done on my bike since I left it out in my balcony for a year exposed to the elements. I had to get my chain, headset, and cables all replaced due to rust! And it wasn't cheap, but I knew it was going to be worth it.

And indeed, it was worth it today. As spring has finally set in, I took my first ride in London. Its hard to believe that its almost taken 3 years before this has happened. I didn't brave the street unfortunately. I just rode along Regent's Canal, all the way to and around Victoria's Park.

The one thing I've noticed is that I'm missing a crucial piece of hardware. A bike bell!

I found myself getting caught behind pedestrians when riding along the path next to the canal, and I would have to say "excuse me" so that they can make way for my bike! After a while, I would try to make all kinds of sounds so people would take notice that I was right behind them. I would try different things like: pedal backwards really fast so they could hear my chain, click my brakes a few times (even though it wasn't that loud), clear my throat real loud, and I even considered making a fake "ringing noise"!

"rrrrinngg.. rrrringgg.."

I almost tried to, but I was afraid people would think that would be a little too weird...

"Hey look at the guy making the fake bike bell noises!!"

All in all, a very memorable experience, almost 3 years in the making.

London Marathon

I'm always amazed by people who run the marathon. I have a bunch of friends that have already done it, and I've watched it more than a few times.

One of the few fortunate things with living in east London is that mile 21 passes right in front of where I live. In fact, a 10 minute walk takes you to mile 13 as well. As I did last year, I watched it again this year.

I watched it by myself this year, looking out for an former colleague, who in fact, I haven't seen in a few years.

All I knew was that he was running the marathon through his facebook and sent out info, ironically, when he was going to pass through mile 21, just outside my door. How could I not step out to cheer him on?

As with most marathon runners in London, he was raising money for charity, the World Wildlife Federation. What's unique about the London marathon is that it has "an unusual feature of raising very large amounts of money for charity, much more than other marathons." (Wikipedia)

Its always fun trying to look for that person you're cheering on. I remembered how he looked like, but who knew if I'd actually catch him run by.

I kept an eye out for him, but also cheered on random people I'd never seen before, nor probably ever see again. I love how people have their names on their shirts. It gives you more reason to cheer them on, addressing them directly! I also love the costumes people wear!

Fortunately, I did see him. Luckily he wasn't surrounded by a mob of runners and I spotted him straight away, called out his name, and cheered him on. He looked at me at a daze, trying to recognize me, and gave me a thumbs up!

Who knows if he actually recognized me, but it didn't matter. For some odd reason I was overwhelmed with this excitement, perhaps from the fact that I actually saw him and cheered him on. It was the strangest feeling. After I saw him, I didn't know what to do. I had this big smile on my face. I almost considered running after him to cheer him on some more. But who do I cheer for next? I didn't know anyone else to look out for?

Then I realised that it didn't matter if I didn't know anyone else to cheer on. I think just cheering on runners randomly was a great help to them.

Congratulations to all the runners in this year's London marathon!

Where are you from?

When I was in Istanbul, I was asked many times...

"Where are you from?"

This seems to be a very obvious question to answer...

But I hesitate to come up with an answer every single time.

I think I get confused because I'm not sure how to answer this.

My first response would be: "Chicago"

or the slightly complex one:
"I'm from Chicago, but I live in London."

But I've slowly realised that when people (Europeans or in this case Turks) ask this, what they mean is:

"You're brown and have black hair.. you don't look Spanish, Italian, English, or Irish, so I'm going to ask..."

They don't care where you live or where you came from, they want to know what your ethnicity is!

This didn't seem to be a problem for my companion because she always answered her home country. Which, in my mind, didn't seem like the right answer for me because:

1. I wasn't born in the Philippines.
2. I don't live there.

Nothing against the motherland of course. But I'm bloody American. And the first thing I think of when someone asks me is that I'm from "Chi-town"

Before I came to this conclusion, the Turkish people would immediately yell out:

"Where are you from?? Japanese!!?!? Chinese!?!?"

When going through Immigration in Turkey when we arrived, the Immigration officer had this big smile and wanted to guess where I was from! Immediately he thought I was Japanese... and I answered him.. "no I'm from Chicago..." completely missing the point.

Fast forward to my visit to the Turkish baths, (which I shall blog about at a later time)

"You Japanese!!?!"

"No, I'm Filipino."

"What?!?!"

"Filipino"

"What?!?"

"PHILIPPINES"

"Oh..." (guy had a face that expressed no clue to what/where that was)

At one point, I decided to give up. We were walking along sightseeing, where a bunch of kids all asked at the same time:

"Where are you from!?!?!" (In pure joy and curiosity)

And I responded...

"Japan!"

Then they all yelled out in unison:

"Tokyo!!" (glee and laughter)

My companion on the trip was telling me that the Turks were just being curious since I clearly stick out as someone unique visiting their country. I respect that.

Fast forward to this evening.

A waitress walks up to me:

"Where are you from? Are you from the Philippines?"

How flattering.

"Yes."

"Really? I lost the bet then!"

Glad someone got it right.

Deep Breath...

and breathe out....

Things have been pretty manic. Its one of those rare occasions when I can just sit and relax.. I can finally can enter a rare blog entry.

Well, a much needed breath of fresh air is upon me with Easter break! I love Easter break in London because not only do you get Friday off, but as well as Monday!

I've taken advantage of this each year with trips to Rome and Athens. So why not three-peat? Istanbul, Turkey here I come!

Short visit
In other news, it was good to have visitors from the States, old and brand new friends, its always nice to show people around London. Its fun too when people stay over. So who's next? =)

Goodbye
Goodbye old friend. It was nice working with you. My mate and I started in the same team and now he's moved on to another company. He was probably one of the only colleagues that I actually consistently hung out with outside of work. Best of luck to him and I hope we continue to hang out despite the fact that we now have different employers!

Toilet paper
After more than 2.5 years, I finally used up all my toilet paper I brought from the States. Right before I moved over from the States I bought all this toilet paper from Sam's club. Hard to believe that I bought so much that it lasted more than 2.5 years!

Just joking homeless man
Now this is probably the worst things I've ever done... but it was really innocent I swear. My mate and I were having drinks outside a pub. We noticed this guy, who "appeared" to be homeless sing and play his guitar. He made his way to us and asks us..

"Hi, I'm collecting money so I could find a room to stay at tonight"

My response:

"Why what's wrong with the street?? ...... Oh just joking!!" (but it was too late, the damage was done. FWIW, he laughed!)

My mate's jaw dropped. "Chris!! There's a time and place to joke around.. this is not one of them!"

Yeah I was an ass. I should have at least gave him some of my change. There was no excuse to my remark, but to be fair, he was carrying a nice guitar and had decent clothes... and.. and... he smelled good??

Must repent. Oh, and Happy Easter!

March madness

Hard to believe its already March..

It's been a pretty good start to the year so far, especially with the UK hitting the record books with February being the "sunniest" since the records began.

In other news, what's new?

For the sake of record keeping, I have finished the first novel of the year, The God of Small Things. Its probably the most descriptive, most poetic, and vivid novels I've ever read. I wouldn't put it on my top 10, but its definitely an interesting read due to its poetic nature. I'm half way through another novel, Wild at Heart, a gift from a close friend. So, I'd say I'm at a good pace that I set earlier this year.

Have I golfed? No. Have I rode my bike. No. Have I picked up a new skill? Not yet. I plan on registering to some "Acting Classes" soon. We'll see how that goes.

Just like last year, with the change in living space, I think its time to "mix things up" again. Taking a page out of Obama's playbook, its "time for change". I'll keep you updated on that soon if things come to fruition.

Before I forget, if you still haven't seen Marion Cotillard's Oscar winning peformance in La Vie en Rose (La Môme) check it out!

Other than that, things are pretty amazing. Lots of laughs and good times.

Although, hopefully some of you will have a chance to visit sometime this year. Usually around this time, there's "buzz" about people visiting or planning a trip somewhere to Europe where I can meet up. Just let me know!

Earthquake!!

I must have been fast asleep, or too far from the epicenter, but I didn't feel a thing.

Yes we can.

If you haven't seen it, now is your chance. Will.I.Am - Yes.We.Can.

Hamburg, Germany

Why a visit to Hamburg, Germany? Mainly, cost! It was a cheap way to get out of the city. A long overdue post, thought I'd share a small bit of my experiences on the trip.

First, the facts:

• Hamburg was bombed heavily during WWII.
• Its the second largest city in Germany
• According to Wikipedia, Hamburg has more bridges (2300) than Venice and Amsterdam combined!
• In the early 1960s the Beatles use to play in several clubs around the Reeperbahn

The weekend was a nice getaway from the hectic, fast-paced chaos that is London. After living here for over 2 years, a weekend away to "catch my breath" is always a good thing. We did the usual things: enjoying the food, sightseeing, and checking out the nightlife.



But probably the most interesting and unusual thing was finding a Filipino pub/karaoke bar. It was like deja vu because a trip to Frankfurt a while back, a group of us came across a similar situation where we discovered a Filipino pub/karaoke bar as well!


Anyway, my mate and I walk in and I feel like I'm in a family party. The place is packed with Filipinos singing karaoke completely off key. We head to the back of the pub and play some pool and enjoy the beer with the Filipino accent soundtrack fills our ears! My mate wanted to leave because he was a bit annoyed by the American Idol wannabes. I, on the other hand, completely felt at home! Unfortunately, I wasn't bold enough, nor drunk enough to grab the mic and have a go!

February sun

The one of the best parts of living in London?

The winter.

A bright and sunny 52F in mid February and spending a day in the park with a spring jacket is not something you would do in Chicago!

I took advantage of this beautiful weekend by spending some time in Hyde Park on Saturday watching the sunset and hitting up Kensington Gardens on Sunday enjoying "cakes" from Patisserie Valerie

In the pipeline..
Still have to post my trip to Hamburg, Germany... and restaurant reviews! (Yes, there's some really good food in London!)

"I wish I had..."

As big as London is, its funny how small a world can be.

I randomly ran into an old colleague from Chicago over the weekend while traveling on the tube. Now its one thing to "randomly" run into someone you know once, but twice?

I ran into this same colleague walking in South Bank over the summer, but I was running late for a movie and I never had the chance to talk and have that short 2-3 minute exchange of "hey what's up, what have you been up to" routine...

As fate would have it, I run into her AGAIN this weekend!

Sure enough, we exchange numbers and finally meet up this evening.

She's one of those free spirits that doesn't get caught up on normalcy.

Her recent affair was working for the UN in Liberia and is just rolling off after 2.5 years. Before that, she took a year off and traveled. Now here she is again, taking a few months off traveling again to decompress. What a life. =)

We discussed her experiences in the past few years: taking a year off, working for the UN, her plans in the next couple of months.. and one thing she said stuck in my mind:

"I don't want to look back one day and think to myself: I wish I had..."

I find it intriguing to talk to people that have experiences in 3rd world countries and work for companies that are involved in humanitarianism.

I sometimes think about how lucky I am having the opportunity I have living and working here and the experiences I go through, but man, anyone working in less fortunate countries abroad and working for the common good, now that's amazing.

I find it admirable when people just decide to: "Take a year off to travel."

She was telling me how psychologically difficult it is to remove yourself from the thought of "not having a paycheck" and "not worrying about your bills." But eventually she said, you get over it.. after the first couple of months off. =)

Random stuff

My favourite blog posts are when I ramble on about broad range of topics.. so here it goes:

Trash TV
Okay, maybe its not "trash" TV, as much as it is addicting, but these are shows that I keep asking myself.. why am I watching this trash? I blame it all by chance. I turn on the "tele" after a long day of work to serve as background noise so I can surf the internet and veg out. What comes on? This "reality" TV show on MTV called "The Hills." Ironically, Tim mentioned this show to me during my visit back home. I get the unlucky chance of turning on the tele during a 3 hour marathon. great. Of course, in 3 hours they don't go through the whole "season". So I "obtain" the rest of the season on the web. Result: I stay up till 2am in the morning on Tuesday finishing up the season (8 episode marathon) because I love watching other people's drama, especially drama from rich beautiful women from Hollywood.

Hilarious commercial
I have to share this with everyone. Especially with the kind of humour I have. Right before the "previews" of "No Country for Old Men" this commercial came on. Absolutely loved it. Hope you like it too!


More Trips Planned!
Hamburg, Germany in two weeks and Istanbul, Turkey for Easter weekend!

And back to The Hills...
Awesome quote from the show:

"I take you for who you are.. and the person you are.. and the heart that you have.. and I don't let anybody interfere with that... and I think truth and time tells all."

I truly believe in this. My interpretation to this is that, time will only tell the "truths" of a relationship. Getting to know someone takes time and its something that you shouldn't rush at all!

TISGOMB Post #1

My mate and I were at a bar and we noticed a couple on the dance floor.

The woman was petite. Maybe a little less than 5 foot. The man was tall. I'd say 6'5''. So, with that much of a height difference, my mate goes and asks me:

"So how do they kiss while they're having sex?"

I didn't know the answer to this question because I've never dated a woman that was over 6 foot. (But I have dated someone taller than me, but that's another story!)

As ramblings go.. I then ask:

"Is there such thing as a really tall overweight person?"

He answers matter-of-factly:

"No there isn't."

I haven't seen one, have you?

I'm talking about close to 7 foot "tall!"

Of course I'd like to state that I have nothing against: overly tall or/and overweight people, or couples with huge height differentials. =)

--
In any case, I write this because I thought to myself..

"This is so going on my blog." - now known as TISGOMB posts. (inspired by the show - How I met your Mother.)

Which reminds me, I have a few of more "TISGOMB" posts still pending... consider it a way to inspire more blog posts this year..

And the year begins..

Fresh new year, fresh new start.

Time for new year's resolutions.

After a year goes by, I like to look back and reflect on what goals I've achieved. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and a bit of purpose. Unfortunately last year's post I forgot to list what I wanted to accomplish in London last year.

Well, this time, I'll go out on a limb and list some things and see where I fair at the end of the year!

• Play Golf. I brought my golf clubs back to London. Time to use them and work on my game. Where I'll play? How I will lug my golf clubs around without a car? Dunno. I'll figure it out.


• Ride my bike. I moved it to London with me, but after more than two years, I have yet to use it. I'll start with recreational riding. That is, if London gets a summer this year.


• Read more. I'll be bold and say I'll finish 7 novels before the new year. Some may say that's a small number, but that's averaging 6-7 weeks a book. I'm a slow reader. I bought all these books and they are just sitting on my bookshelf. If I cut down on my webs urfing time, this goal should be attainable.


• Pick up a new skill. Proper Cooking? Salsa? Haven't figured this out yet. I've been searching for classes to take, but to no avail.

I'll try and continue with the usual suspects: traveling, working out, and well, improv. Improv is a bit up in the air. I'm looking for another way to express my artistic side: perhaps creative writing or another form of theater.

In any case, at least I'll have this post to reflect on 12 months from now and see where I stand!

31 years and counting...

Hello.

Its been a good break. A very introspective one for that matter.

It always seems like I don't have enough time with everyone. Maybe that's telling me something!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

With all this buzz about "change" in the democratic elections.. I'm starting to think about "change" as well.

Every time I come back, I always like to think things never change, and things are the same as I last left it. But catching up with friends and family, its interesting to hear how things are different and evolving.

That said, 2007 was a small stepping stone for change. I think 2008 will be the year of "change" for myself. Some self imposed changes and some change probably out of my control. But I think overall, its time. Its time to re-prioritize what's important in my life. You gotta do that once it a while to shake things up a little. Once in a while you just have to ask yourself:

"What makes me happy?"

Because life's too short to be otherwise.