• I don’t understand the fuss over that Kris Aquino Bench billboard near the corner of Quezon Avenue and EDSA. I heard that a congresswoman finds it "too sexy" and wants it out of (her?) sight. If you ask me, only the dirty-minded will find anything wrong with that billboard which is such a welcome sight for traffic-weary motorists and commuters. Like beauty, "obscenity(?)" is in the eye of the beholder. As John Keats wrote, A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Kris on that Bench billboard is a joy forever!
• From reader Ryan Ballentos: I got this from the Internet – Controversial filmmaker Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, Total Recall, etc.) will soon be turning his cameras toward Beast of Bataan, a big-screen adaptation of A Trial of Generals by author Lawrence Taylor. According to Variety, the film "follows the war crimes trial of Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma at the end of World War II." Screenwriter Mark Jean wrote the adaptation and, although no cast members have been announced just yet, Mr. Verhoeven plans to get the production rolling by the end of the year. It is safe to assume that Filipino actors will be needed for this movie and very possibly they will partially shoot the film in the Philippines. Isn’t it cool to have Bataan in the title of the movie?
• Rejoinders: From reader Joan Santiago – The author’s name mentioned by Rafael Rosell in your recent write-up is spelled Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist, Veronika Decides to Die, etc.) and not Poelho Cuello. Mea culpa! In the same article, Sonaire Spa was misspelled Fonaire, the one on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City, where Rafael pampers himself.
As I was saying, times have indeed changed. Not so long ago, if an actress gets pregnant out of wedlock, she’d keep a low profile and quietly slip out of the limelight. Now, she tells it to the whole world on national television, brazenly announcing that she desperately wants to have a baby...at all cost?
Mickey met Archie after she broke up with her non-showbiz boyfriend. A member of a dance group, Archie was recruited by ABS-CBN for its sister station Studio 23’s Wazzup, Wazzup! He said that Mickey had long been his crush, so when they met...well, you know what happened.
In her grand announcement, Mickey didn’t mention if she and Archie were getting married. After having sired three other love children with three other woman (oops! sorry for being repetitious), will Archie let himself be tied with a marital knot?
Well, wazzup wazzup?
The new appetizers:
• Golden Pouches (Deep-Fried Wonton Wrappers Stuffed with Herb Ground Pork), P155 per order;
• Wonton Wrappers with Creamy Mushroom Sauce (Fried Wonton with Sauteed Mushrooms in Cream Sauce), P155;
• Wonton Wrappers with Creamy Spinach Dip (Fried Wonton with Sauteed Spinach in Cream Sauce), P155; and
• Wonton Wrappers with Cheesy Beef Sauce (Fried Wontons with Sauteed Beef in Cheese Sauce), P165.
The new dishes:
• Dotted Chicken (Diced Crispy Chicken in Sweet Chili Sauce with Sesame Seeds), P195;
• Quick-Fried Prawns with Hot Sauce (Stir-Fried Prawns in Coconut Cream Sauce with Spices), P295;
• Shanghai Codfish in Hot Pot (US Codfish Simmered with Ginger and Onions), P395;
• Boneless Tilapia in Florentine Sauce (Seared Tilapia Fillets, Caramelized with Spinach and Onions), P185; and
• Crispy Squid with Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce (Deep-Fried Squid Coated with Bits of Taiwan Pechay), P195.
• Today, May 11, 1 to 5 p.m. at Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center, Binakayan, Cavite
• May 13, Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. also at Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center
• May 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. retreat also in the same venue
• May 17, Tuesday, 1 to 5 p.m., same venue
• May 20, Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church, Molino, Bacoor, Cavite
• May 21, Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m., again at Coming Home Retreat and Meditation Center.
(For further inquiries, call 046-434-8759 or 046-878-0069 between 1 and 7 p.m, Monday through Friday. Ask for Richard.)