I never thought I’d find uhong (wild mushroom) while cleaning my backyard. There’s only one mature and another sukol (young mushroom). I know it’s edible because back in Iloilo we have them from the farm or sometimes buy them from the farmers and mushroom gatherers.

The rainy season is usually the time when wild mushrooms germinate. Have you noticed that when there’s lightning there’s usually mushroom growing the next day? Lightning causes high accumulation of nitrate compounds in the atmosphere which triggers the sprouting of wild mushrooms.

Mushrooms grow in decaying organic matter such as wood, leaves, animal manure, and decaying anthills and termite hills. The variety I found belongs to the genus Termitomyces (thanks to  A Scientist in the Kitche)since they grow on anthills and termite hills. The subdivision where I live used to be a sugarcane plantation. I presume there used to be an anthill in the area in my backyard where I found the mushroom.

Wild mushroom is a  personal favorite so my mother would always buy some for me  whenever they’re in season and if I happen to be in Iloilo. She usually cooks it together with laswa (Ilonggo vegetable stew) or simply sauteed in tomatoes, onions and pork fat.

Unlike Volvariella volvacea (straw mushroom) variety which is easily cultivated, the Termitomyces mushrooms are quite difficult to cultivate thus they are only available during the rainy season.  This is why they can sometimes be expensive. Farmers and mushroom gatherers usually keep their source a secret since they know there are also other people looking for them. Unless the anthill is inside your backyard, you cannot claim it as your own. It is a race of who gather the earliest after a thunderstorm. So far, there has been no serious fighting over the mushrooms. Caution should be observed by those who are not familiar since not all mushrooms are edible.

It’s such a waste to leave it to rot so what so what did I do with my one and only mushroom? I added to binagoongang baboy. It added its distinct flavor to the dish. I hope more mushrooms will sprout in my little backyard.

The Twilight Filipino Version is not going to be titled Takipsilim as what’s been going around the net in the past two years.  This time it’s for real and it’s entitled Imortal with Angel Locsin and John Lloyd Cruz in the lead roles. Although it’s not the same story as Twilight, it’s quite obvious the concept is the same as Twilight.

ABS-CBN is jumping in he bandwagon of vampire movies and TV programs. Imortal is said to be a sequel to Lobo and Angel Locsin will still play the role of a wereworlf  leading man John Lloyd Cruz as the vampire. Imortal will be directed by Chito Roño.

A lot of fans of Angel and John Lloyd are already excited for the airing of this fantaserye on September 1, 2010. A different story from Twilight is a good decision since basing on the comments when rumors of Takipsilim came out two years ago, a lot of people are not too excited to a Twilight Filipino Version. Lobo already has loyal followers and Angel has earned an Emmy Nomination for Best Actress for her performance Lobo. Hopefully, the viewers will give Imortal the same enthusiasm.

Watch the teaser-trailer below.

Image credit: imortal.abs-cbn.com

Her answer may have cost her the Miss Universe crown but the tables have turned unexpectedly in favor of Venus Raj. It’s her that the media are talking about thanks to her “major, major” answer. More than the proclaimed Miss Universe Ximena Navarrette of Mexico. It gave us something to talk about other than the tragic Manila bus hostage-taking.

A lot of people have criticized Venus in her answer and the question of whether it’s about time we require an interpreter for candidates have surfaced. I think it’s not a question of having an interpreter. She said she will still have the same answer if asked again so it doesn’t really matter if she answered in Tagalog or English. If your answer sucks, then it sucks no matter what language you say it.

Venus can bask in her new-found fame and she can become a model, even an actress if she wants to. Given her background, it’s her big break to help her family. Not everybody gets a chance like that.

Read more about what the foreign press has to say about Venus Raj’s ‘major major’:

• The Philippine Bus and Miss Universe
• Making Sense of Miss Philippines’ ‘Major Major’
• No Major Major Mistakes for Miss Philippines
• Miss Philippines stumbled on question
• Miss Philippines: A life of no ‘major major’ mistakes

Image Credit: CBSNews.com

“May you live in interesting times.” This is a Chinese curse which is also said to have been based on the Chinese proverb “It’s better to be a dog in a peaceful time than be a man in a chaotic period.”

Indeed, the Philippines is in interesting times after the Quirino grandstand hostage taking. It is even difficult to be a Filipino right now especially for our OFWs in Hongkong.

Who pulled the trigger?

Fingers have been pointed in every direction. My anger is towards the PNP who, time and again, have proven how incompetent and corrupt they are. There was the torture and now the hostage-taking. It’s just unfortunate to those who do their job well.

Imagine, a man like Rolando Mendoza reached the rank of a Captain with the kind of psychological make up that he has? Don’t they have psycho test as a pre-requisite to promotion?

Some people say he did not mean to harm those hostages. First rule when you are learning to use a gun, never point at anyone, even if the gun is not loaded, unless you are prepared to shoot. So, was Mendoza prepared to kill? Of course he was! You don’t point an M-16 at people you are not ready to shoot.

His brother likewise leave a bad taste in my mouth. The arrest should never have been televised. You are an ordinary citizen, then you hear this policeman declaring that he will not go with the arresting officers because they will kill him. Wouldn’t you fear for your life? Coming from a policeman, that is like an admission that they are doing it, executing people they arrest.

Whoever draped the Philippine flag over the coffin of Mendoza should be ashamed. A friend said that if it is possible to strip him of his nationality then that should be done. The country lost its face in front of the world and just imagine how much we will be losing economically because of the incident.

If you were monitoring the hostage-taking then I’m sure you were appalled at the utter stupidity displayed by the supposed elite force SWAT. Imagine how an ordinary policeman would perform. Heads should roll.

They are innocent

As a nation, we are not the type to miss criticizing our government if we find it at fault. Press freedom is something we enjoy in the Philippines and sometimes to our own disadvantage. Our deficiency was there for the world to see because of this press freedom. Most of us are also disappointed with the way President Aquino handled the situation but his apology to the Chinese government is something we are all thankful for.

We, ordinary citizen, are condemning the horror of the killings and we condole with the families of those who lost a love one. Just like the Chinese, we are also tightly knit as a family and the loss of one at such a tragic incident, is something we can relate to.

But to take it out on our OFWs in Hongkong is unfair. They don’t have anything to do about the incident. They are there to work in order to support their family. Just because a fellow Filipino has done wrong, it does not make all Filipinos criminal.

Filipinos and Chinese have a long history. Way before the Spanish came and colonized the Philippines, even before we were even a country, our islands have been trading with the Chinese. Most Filipinos have Chinese in their blood and our culture has been deeply influenced by the Chinese.

We humbly apologized for the deplorable deed of one of our countrymen. We hope this incident will not have a lasting dent in the relationship of our countries.

This promdi does go the big city every now and then. Every occasion to do so is a test of  my surviving skills in the concrete jungle that is Metro Manila. One thing I’ve learned in order to get around the metropolis is to bring loads of cash for taxi cab or bring a friend who knows the way. I chose the latter.

I was fortunate to be a blog partner for the Money Summit and Wealth Expo by Learning Curve so there I was, frolicking around Manila. It was my first time to land at the NAIA 3, so that tells you how long I haven’t been to Metro Manila.

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We stayed at Bayview Park Hotel so we were quite near the major sites along Roxas Boulevard. So, guess where a promdi like me would go whenever in Metro Manila?

Quirino Grand Stand

We arrived in Manila on July 1, 2010 so we’re late for the inauguration of President Noynoy Aquino. But that doesn’t mean we can’t go the Quirino Grandstand. Workers were already clearing the area when we get there.  Imagine just a day before there were thousands of people who flocked here to witness the inauguration.

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Manila Ocean Park

Walang ganito sa probinsya namin! Sayang, we did not get to go inside. I’m saving my money for shopping, that’s why. My favorite motto is “take nothing but pictures” so that’s all I did at the Manila Ocean Park.

We also checked out H2O Hotel. It has a nice interior and a good view of the Manila Bay sunset. The staff were friendly and they let us have our pictures taken at the lobby.

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Manila Hotel

We’re feeling sushal. I felt a little awkward at first. You know, a shy promdi girl venturing inside one of the Philippines’ most sushalan hotel. Ok lang if we plan to stay there but all we want to do is to make usyuso.  The lobby of  Manila Hotel was so big I sort of felt the eyes of the staff were on us when we entered. And they have their own x-ray machines! Not one, but two! Oh dear, good thing I did not bring my balisong. They scan you when you enter and when you leave the hotel. Just in case you bring out some fine cutlery with you.

Manila Hotel was built in 1912 so it’s already a historical landmark. Many famous personalities have stayed here and Douglas McArthur may be the most well known among them. Paintings of Amorsolo adorned the hotel’s lobby. It’s a pity we’re not available to attend the walking tour of Carlos Celdran.

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Mall of Asia

There are SM Cities almost in every major city in the country but there’s only one SM Mall of Asia. Of course, this promdi has been there several times but MOA will always be part of my itinerary. I bought some bags on sale and ate at Teriyaki Boy. Ngek! Teriyaki Boy? Haller! wala kaya nun sa amin.

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Rockwell

Of course, we will not miss to go to Rockwell. This is where most of Makati’s sushalan people can be seen on weekends. We saw  Adel Tamano, Gretchen Barreto and Tony Boy Cojuanco. We bought some shirts at Collezione and ate at Korean Restaurant Kaya.

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After four days at the metro, I long to go back to the province. It’s so expensive to live here. But then, it’s nice to visit once or twice a year. It’s nice to play manol during these occasions.