My Birthday Weekend 2012

My Summer 2012

Cauayan, Negros Occidental - is a town south of Bacolod City in the island of Negros. It has the longest coastline in the province of Negros Occidental.

With friends

Just before going to the beach

My friend Erl - Sunscape

Coconuts against orange and blue skies

Avenger Erl

A Model's silhouette

Fatman with a beer - Silhouette

Honeydew is best eaten when it is chilled. I love it!

Watermelons are the best! Ultimate summer fruit :)

You can buy different kinds of summer fruits just along the highways of Valladolid, Negros Occidental (about 45 mins away, south of Bacolod City)

Cauayan Sunset - April 5, 2012

Lovers or not?

Overlooking Cauayan's islands and shores

Sipalay City's Public Beach

Artistic Diving Resort in Punta Ballo, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental

Peace Pond, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental

Boat. Barkada, Beer. Beach. Birthday.

Note: These pictures were taken with a Blackberry Bold 9000 and edited in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

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What's Cooking: Sugo alla Puttanesca

Welcoming Summer 2012 with Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Sugo alla Puttanesca by the FatGoddess

March 28 - It is now summer in the Philippines.  Although it started out with heavy rains, I am officially welcoming my Summer 2012 with Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, my own version of Spaghetti (due to popular demand from family and friends, I will do another blog about this) and a whole bunch of herbs in our new herb garden. (I bought my herbs from Mamabels Home Garden)


I will give you a hint on how I love food. If it is that gastronomic fireworks display moment in my mouth, then that dish or food is up there in my pedestals (alongside pepper, salt, cheese, spices, etc.).
Spaghetti alla puttanesca takes one slot in one of my great pedestals. (Don’t look for my pedestals in my house, it’s nowhere to be found).  It is easy to prepare, fast to cook and a perfect dish for anyone who is ready to grab a heavy meal.


Puttanesca for me is al dente pasta swimming in olive oil and a generous pool of sauce with crushed, diced ripe tomatoes with salty-sour capers bursting with the olives in your mouth tinged with the minced red chili peppers and salty crushed anchovies.


While doing this blog, I am watching Two Greedy Italians, one of my favorite food and travel shows ever. Genaro and Antonio are really spontaneous and funny. So true to these Two Greedy Italians’ quest of the ultimate Italy and its good food, I also wanted to know more about the history of Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.


Puttanesca's history is very interesting indeed. Several accounts existed around the mid-20th century and the ingredients are very typical of the kitchens of Southern Italy. This pasta's earliest mention was in a 1961 Italian novel and according to the Professional Union of Italian Pasta Makers it also became popular in the 1960s.

Old Map of Italy
(Source: www.encore-editions.com)

Some Italians say that SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA, which literally means "whore's style spaghetti", is a favorite meal of the prostitutes hence the name. Another source also referred that patrons of the earlier mentioned were popping in at times that they do not have time to prepare any food. So they just prepare something fast and easy with what is available. Good enough to serve, to take care of the client and to enjoy it after the... uhmmm meetings.


Several websites discuss the inventors of the dish and how the dish was created. And all forks lead to Sandro Petti, co-owner of a famous Ischian restaurant and nightspot Rancio Fellone. One story says that this restaurant owner was about to close his restaurant when clients showed up. He told them that he did not have anything to serve them but these clients were simply hungry and said, "Facci una puttanata qualsiasi!" - Just cook us anything! So this owner used what he had in his kitchen that night and created the Puttanesca sauce!


The sugo alla puttanesca (sugo means sauce) is cooked in so many different ways, different from one person to another but it has 3 common traits: little salty from anchovies, spicy from the peppers and fragrant from the garlic and oregano. It can be served with traditionally with spaghetti but penne, bucatini, linguine and vermicelli can be used too.

Spanish Oregano has tiny leaves and are very aromatic.
I just bought this today and
I love how it adds flavor to the sauce.
Tip: If you don't have thyme, you can use the
youngest leaves as alternative.

A lot of stories for this oooh-so yummy sauce, I love to hear and read about the many facets of this food. Just like in Negros island where I am from, we have great food and each has its own stories. Some food come from specific families or clans that they become synonymous with the dish.


Food is not just food for me. It is something made by loving hands of great cooks disguised as our my mothers, Papas (fathers), lolas (grandmothers), lolos (grandfathers), yayas (nannies), tias and tios (aunts and uncles), brothers and sisters. And everyone and anyone who heats up their pots and pans to fill our tummies and warm our hearts.


Okay now, let me share with you how I make my own version of Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.


RECIPE: SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA

Anchovies less than PhP 100.00 (less than US$ 3.00),
Green olives (sorry I cant find black olives since it is not locally produced) and Capers in vinegar 

Ingredients:


PASTA:
1 kg pasta
½ cup oil
2 – 3 tbsp. salt


SAUCE:
  5 tbsp. olive oil
     1 clove of garlic, minced
     2 onions, minced
     5-9 pieces of anchovies
     black pitted olives (you can also use green), drained and sliced
     capers, wash if salted or drained if preserve in vinegar
5 pieces of red hot chili peppers (or you can use 1 teaspoon of red chili powder)
     400 grams ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
     Some oregano, finely chopped


How to cook:
1. Cook the pasta in boiling water or prepare according to package instructions. Don’t forget to season the pasta with salt and add oil, and, you can add ground black pepper or a sprinkle of ground oregano and ground basil if you’d like.Very important: set aside the pasta water so you can use it for your sauce.
2. Heat olive oil in a deep sauce pan and cook the garlic until brown. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes in medium heat.
3. Add the anchovies, crush it with a fork.
4. Prepare a handle of everything: olives, parsley and capers. Set aside some for the serving later.
5. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, chili and some oregano. Add in a little of the pasta water and cook for 10 minutes in medium high heat to reduce the sauce, stirring from time to time. Add some parsley. Season with salt and pepper. (Special note from FatGoddess: When cooking anything, taste and season along the way. Taste, taste and taste. Enjoy the aroma from the garlic, tomatoes, olives. It’s like smelling the flowers, stir in a little love.)
6. Finally, toss the pasta with the sauce. Serve with freshly chopped parsley and some olives, capers and freshly ground pepper. You can add a few more bits of crushed anchovies.

I just love Parmesan Cheese!

Note: I found out that some believe that it is against tradition to add cheese, but I usually “snow” it with parmesan.


Enjoy life!

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Lost to Love

Poem by Ihvonie Sevilleno

November 26, 2011

For Chuchi

I lost myself to love.
I did not see this coming.
With the end of love,
I lost myself to the highway
But I let myself get lost anyway.

To love is a free crazy ride
It is like braving the gush of the waterfalls
To love is a free head spin
It is like jumping into an unknown cave
But you just do it anyway.

I touch my eyes and I thought it was rain
But this is something more like pain
And then I knew, it was all so true
I just found my heart
and it all turned blue.

Sing for me for the last time
Make me breakfast, Wipe my tear,
Reach for a flower for my ear
Raise your glass for this one time
Then, I can forget you for all time.

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USLS-IS HS Batch 96 - Medical Mission - Brgy. Cansilayan, Murcia

"I got tired of drinking parties for our batch reunion every year."
"I think we should give back to our community."
"I need to do something worthwhile for us and for others."

15 years out of high school, these are our Batch 96 from the University of St. La Salle-Integrated. We are a fun-loving batch who grew up and realized our bigger world.

The University of St. La Salle - Integrated School HS Batch'96 held their 1st Medical Mission at Barangay Cansilayan, Murcia last Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 8am-2pm. We (with batchmates Doc Mike David, Louie Yasay and SSA Batch 96 Coordinator Tata Torrejon) arrived minutes before 7am to help out in the preparation. And I was really surprised because when we arrived at the barangay's covered court, everything was in place and there were several people who were waiting for us outside the gate. Good job to our partners from the San Isidro Labrador Quasi-Parish.

USLS-IS HS Batch 96 with Fr. Roly Blancaflor

The 11 young professionals of USLS-IS HS Batch 96 namely Tad Caperonce, Dr. Francis Elumba, Dr. Michael Joseph David, Dave Dumdumaya, Alex Arnaldo, Dax Coscolluela, Jude Fornales, Lou Lopez-Pokharel, RN Rina Villanueva and Louie Yasay  partnered with St. Scholastica's Academy-Bacolod HS Batch 96 (Tata Torrejon, Catherine Bril-Jordan and Irene Catalbas-Arnaldo) and the San Isidro Labrador Quasi-Parish headed by their priest Fr. Noli Blancaflor (a very good friend of both alumni).

Our batchmates Dr. Francis Elumba of the Corazon Locsin Memorial Regional Hospital and Dr. Michael Joseph David of the David Medical Clinic spearheaded the Medical Mission.  Other volunteer doctors were Dr. JJ Perez (from USLS-IS HS Batch 98), Dr. Rina Elumba (wife of our batchmate Dr. Francis Elumba) and Dr. Alma Ruiz (a resident of Brgy. Cansilayan and has a clinic in the same barangay).

Dr. Francis Elumba seeing a patient

Dr. Michael Joseph David treating a woman brought by her two daughters to the Medical Mission

Riverside Medical College also sent 2 College Instructors and their 17 Senior Nursing students to assist the doctors. During their free time, they treated and dressed the wounds of children from ages 4-10.

Senior Nursing students from Riverside Medical College manned the Vital Signs Area and Medical Area and assisted the doctors in this mission.

Dr. Michael Joseph David, ENT examines the young boy while RN Rina VIllanueva assists him.

The Philippine Army - Infantry PA headed by Lt. Col. Nelson Trojilio sent men to support the group and to help secure the area.   Several other organizations and companies such as the Sugar Tee Foundation (c/o Mr. Nene Tanpinco), One-Med Marketing and  A-Complex Marketing of our batchmate Dave Depamaylo, LRI TheraPharma (c/o Strawb Acaso) and OEP Pharma of our batchmate Jad Golez, joined in to support this activity.

The Medical Mission served 350 patients from different places around the barangay, with 4-month-old infants to a centenarian grandmother and church member of the local parish. On the side, several kids and adults were given free haircut and all were treated to a snacks and a hot cup of arroz caldo. The patients went under consultation by the 5 doctors which were assigned to handle General, Pedia, ENT, OB Gyne, and Ophtha cases. After consultation, the patients were given free medicine according to their prescription from our doctors.

The volunteer doctors seeing hundreds of patients from 4 month old to centenarian grandmothers.

some of the pre-screened 350 patients.

USLS-IS HS Batch 96's aim to help an adopted community for a whole year to effect change in that place is  pushed by their classmates who are here in the Philippines and abroad. For this year, Brgy. Cansilayan has been chosen because of its proximity to Bacolod City and also, that the local leadership in the church and the barangay is strongly supporting this initiative and closely working with the group.

free haircuts for kids and adults

Free haircut for kids and adults with USLS-IS HS Batch 96 Alumni Louie Yasay and Dave Dumdumaya

The USLS-IS HS Batch 96 is planning to hold a Summer Medical Mission with Operation Circumcision for young boys to be paired with an awareness seminar on Reproductive Health and Solid Waste Management.

Next activities of our batch and in partnership with the SSA Batch 96 is a fun-run for the benefit of the activities we are planning to do so our activities will be self-sustaining already.

June - we plan to get sponsors to give free school supplies to disadvantaged children of Murcia.

We hope that we can get more organizations, companies and individuals to help in our cause that we believe in. And that is,

If you want to get to know more about our group and their initiatives, please contact 09213307861 or 0933-9603627 or email us at uslsishsninetysix@gmail.com. 

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On Pureza, The Story of Negros Sugar (Documentary Film - 2012)

PUREZA, The Story of Negros Sugar

A Full Documentary Film by Jay Abello

February 2012

Part 1

LIVING MI DULCE VIDA

by Ihvonie “Teytey” Sevilleno

Pureza, The Story of Negros Sugar is a full documentary film

Executive Producers J. ABELLO, JOEY GASTON

Producers FIONA BORRES, AGNES VILLAR

Director J. ABELLO

Writers JET ORBIDA, CHECCS OSMEÑA

Editor FIONA BORRES

Director of Photography J. ABELLO

Asst. Director LOVELLE BELLOCILLO

Visual FX Supervisor RICHARD FRANCIA

Sound Engineers ALBERT MICHAEL IDIOMA, ALEX TOMBOC

Music PEARLSHA ABUBAKAR

Researchers IHVONIE SEVILLENO, KAT VALENCIA

Living mi dulce vida in Negros, I thought I knew it all. Spoken like a true-blue Negrense, “Kabalo na ko na ah!”

Tawrrnngg… was I sooo wrong. Researching for a 200-year old province – our Negros Occidental – was HHHHHAAARRRRDDDD.

Preparing a Scene at General Aniceto Lacson's Ancestral House in Hacienda Claparols, Talisay City

 Finding books and research materials about Negros was not as easy as typing N-E-G-R-O-S on Google. Thousands of delicate pages, old newspaper clippings, heavy hardbound books, wooden chests and decrepit boxes of old photos were our companions for a year.  After 3 years, some pages are still haunting my dreams.

Moi, Researcher

Kat Valencia, Researcher while researching
at the Negros Occidental Historical Commission
Library beside the Provincial Library

As researchers, we had to bring our own “top-of-the-line” mobile digital archiving equipment.  This included laptops, point-and-shoot cameras, flash drives, removable drives and an old grey scanner (which seemed heavier because of its monstrosity of cables). For a year, we lugged them around so we could provide our writers with the information they needed.

My tasks in this location shoot at Hacienda Santa Rosalia in Manapla includes Photo Documentation,
Wardrobe Assistant and Production Coordinator

I have always loved libraries but I got overdosed with libraries while doing the film. We spent thousands of hours at the Rafael Salas Library of the Negros Museum, the Provincial Library of Negros Occidental and its neighbor the Negros Occidental Historical Commission Library. I also went to the Silliman University Library in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental and the Center for Western Visayas Studies of the University of the Philippines – Iloilo. And the list goes on and on, with thousands of pages, maps, political cartoons, articles and photos scanned to the highest resolution that our old thick scanner can handle.

The House of the Gastons, Hacienda Santa Rosalia, Manapla, Negros Occidental, Philippines
(one of our locations for the Cosplay Shoot)

Kat, Velle and I (and our countless assistants) visited ancestral homes and private libraries and went through numerous personal collections – all these to know more about US. I was basically a scavenger/hunter/forager for anything NEGROS and WHO to talk to in Negros. It seemed to be an endless quest for yours truly, the struggling “Sugar Expert IV (a sugarity)”.

(Sugarity:  noun: an original Pureza term related to Negros sugar and its industry.)

Ihvonie “Teytey” Sevilleno

Researcher/Production Coordinator/Director’s Soothsayer/Pureza House Dumaan and Official Cook/Marketing Person/Museum Worker

PART 2

MARRIED TO PUREZA

Direk Jay Abello on the Cosplay Shoot (Chroma)

I remember how we called ourselves - work addicts and OCs – because of the passion we gave to our work.  The repercussions were so great that we had sleepless nights and numerous trips to 24-hour McDonald’s stores.  By then, we had a regular quitting of Production Assistants who got overwhelmed with our sugarities and such.

Makeup for our "Uncle Sam" (Direk Milton Dionzon)

Direk Jay Abello with the cast and production crew at our Pureza - Giant Exterior Chroma Wall (available light)

Migraine-inducing meetings went for, sometimes, 72 hours.  These meetings had Direk Jay, Sir Jet and Miss Checcs endlessly talking and writing on our humongous white boards in PeacePond and Pureza house. How I wished then that those white boards were large digital touch-screens so I could copy-paste their notes unto MSWord! By the end of the 72^nd hour, I resorted to taking photographs of the notes on those white boards.

Ms. Checcs, Fiona Borres, Kat Valencia and Lovelle Bellocillo:
We will always be Pureza Girls!

With Pureza, it was like a wedding. Something blue, something borrowed and something new. Pureza was not only blood, sweat and tears but tons of laughter, friendship and family. After three years, I am not divorcing Pureza. But we are all coming home to finally tell OUR story. Finally.

===========

Negros Pureza Foundation and Bonfire Productions, Inc.

in cooperation with

the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and 7th Films

present

 “PUREZA:  The Story of Negros Sugar”

SYNOPSIS


For the first time in Philippine cinema, a full-length documentary film on the struggling sugar industry of the island of Negros and how a piece of crystallized grain could affect a whole island of 3 million people!


At the turn of the 20th century, Negrense “hacienderos” (sugarcane land owners) were the richest and their farm workers the highest paid in the country. But in a span of a century, the Negros sugar industry plunged from its proverbial pedestal into its inglorious present state.


Why is the industry in peril?  Is it, indeed, a flailing sunset industry?


Filmmaker J Abello, a former sugarcane farm manager, offers a glimpse of the island’s turbulent history through dramatic and controversial video:  lavish parties of Negros sugar barons, candid interviews with hacienderos, never before seen footage of Negros Island…and more.


“Pureza: The Story of Negros Sugar” traces the history of the Negros sugar industry as it faces strife and discord in the advent of the 21st century. 


 PRODUCTION STAFF:
Director – J. Abello
Editor – Fiona Borres
Executive Producers –J. Abello, Joey Gaston
Producers– Fiona Borres, Agnes Villar
Writers – Jet Orbida, Checcs Osmeña
Director of Photography – J. Abello
Sound Engineers – Albert Michael Idioma, Alex Tombok
Music – Pearlsha Abubakar
Visual FX Supervisor – Richard Francia
Asst. Director – Lovelle Bellocillo
Researchers – Ihvonie Sevilleno, Kat Valencia




COSPLAY ACTORS:


Oying Osmeña
Milton Dionzon
Mandy Alimon
Eero Martinez
Dante Amaguin




DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY:
JAY ABELLO


An industry disciple working on over 25 feature films in the Philippines, countless TV shows including soap operas and TV commercials in a span of 10 years, Jay Abello is a movie fan by heart.  He describes the movie set as “one of the most romantic places you can ever be in. You’re in the middle of nowhere and you have all these lights and production people trying to make something out of nothing and it’s a new world altogether.” 


He also believes that he is a film student at best and has always traveled and accepted projects based on this—“I just want to learn more about film.”


Among Jay Abello’s best works is doing cinematography for the films Brutus (Tara Illenberger), Donor (Mark Meily), Kano’(Coreen Jimenez) and Nino(Loy Arcenas).   He has also directed two feature films (Ligaw Liham and Namets!) and Pureza is his first documentary feature.


DIRECTOR’S INFORMATION:
Unit 1806 Tower 3
Avida Towers
New Manila
Quezon City
Mobile: 0917-8588813
Landline: (02) 2151205
Email: behonest@jayabello.com


PRODUCERS’ INFO:


NEGROS PUREZA FOUNDATION, INC.
North Drive Corner Margarita Streets
Villamonte Public Market
Bacolod City
Contact Persons: Andrea Gallos or Jojane Morcilla or Mel Mendoza
Mobile: +63 907 706 1332 or +63 932 306 5277 or +63 917 301 2878
Landline: (034) 433-5034 


BONFIRE PRODUCTIONS
FSS Bldg 1 Annex
89 Scout Castor St.
Diliman, Quezon City
Contacts: Fiona Borres or Zandra Garay
Mobile: +63 928 551 6724
Landline: 632-3762346
Email: fiona@bonfire.com.ph
Visit www.bonfire.com.ph


For those who are asking for the Screening of Pureza: 
SCREENINGS:


PREMIER (By Invitation):
Screening 1 – February 7, 2012 | 6:30PM, Cinema 3, SM Bacolod
Screening 2 - February 7, 2012 | 9:00PM, Cinema 3, SM Bacolod


BACOLLYWOOD | CINEMA REHIYON 2012
Screening: 6PM, February 11, 2012 at Robinson’s Place-Bacolod
Please contact Secretariat for Tickets - 0916 8782878


February 17
3 REGULAR SCREENINGS
(Open to the Public, Tickets at P 120.00)
Regular Cinema Hours at SM Bacolod, Tickets will be available at Cafe Uma


For schools, universities and large organizations, please contact NEGROS PUREZA FOUNDATION for screening.

Here's the full Trailer:

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USLS-IS HS Batch 96 - 15th Year Reunion Party!

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