Sampaloc's Original Bakeshop

 It's 12:30 in the afternoon at this picture but people are storming the front. Might add, I notice that the street side is fully occupied with cars owned by the costumers of Tinapayan. Sounds like the 'Good Shepherd' of Baguio -- people surge regardless of time and where they come from. It just mean one thing, the breads in this bakeshop are worthy to any reason because it's awesome. 

Everything about bread is here. They have cassava bread, the classic likes of pandesal, monay, mamon, empanada, ensaymada, different kinds of flavored roll, asado bread which taste better than a siopao. Hence I must say that their brownies are the best seller. Perfect dessert or snack. The taste doesn't have overpowering chocolate flavor but it has something in it that will force you to take a bite all over again. So much that it's the favorite, I wasn't able to take a picture.

Not just the bread but service here is excellent. They will never let you bark like in a wet market where people are shouting just to get attention. They're accommodating, you can call them by their names because they have an ID. Hairnet is hygienic. And they're all nice except when doing the math. :)

Here's the address:
1650 Dapitan corner Don Quijote, Sampaloc Manila. 
Contact #
732-21-88

They also have a branch at
Fiesta Market Market Global City, Taguig City.

 

Hope

Hope is always available to us. When we feel defeated, we only need to take a deep breath and say "YES," and hope will reappear. 

The Shark Story

It was told to me by a good friend on a tiring night. Sounds like a bed time story but it's more than that, it soothes my soul and I think I can sleep well in a while.

The story goes like; there's a experiment about a shark on a large aquarium, they placed a fresh meat on the other side but it's hindered by a glass - transparent, so that the shark can see the meat. The shark was provoked by the meat but it can't be reached because of a barrier. The shark banged the wall but can do nothing. The experiment went until the 6th month where the glass that impede the shark from getting the meat was removed. The reaction from the shark was still the same, uninterested, seemingly resigned from pursuing the meat even though it wasn't mission impossible anymore.

That somehow correlates the attitude of human. We tend to surrender over hardships, yes we are mere capable of losing hope due to strain of time and difficulty of trial -- but like the shark story, the time that the shark lost hope, time arrived when the situation is possible for what was hoped for however it was completely neglected because hope is in absence.

I don't know how I am going to call a story like that but it's indeed inspiring. Patience may take a lot of nerves but as long as the focus is present along side with hope, even if there's a barrier, time will come that the wall that make our lives difficult will someday be removed. And when that moment dawn before you, hopefully you haven't submitted yet the hope that will make you move thorough and achieve what's opted.

Faith

Believing is anchored along with life. Hoping for tomorrow that it will go the way it was wished is an everyday thing for anyone. Difference in every expectation but same mere faith to hold on to, it may differ with what kind of food but it all boils down to taste, taste that has been craved for.

Believing can arrive with logical reason and fly high with blind belief but that's not the point it's all about devoting one's faith until the day it finally happen.

There is one thing that I've wished for a long time. I already put hope and actions altogether though it seem far. I think it's the perfect opportunity to defy faith. Believing that the very day will dawn regardless of situation and time. I suppose that's the very nature of faith.

A Tough Lesson.

August 23, 2010 - A group of Chinese tourists from Hong Kong was held hostage by an ex-policeman, Capt. Rolando Mendoza. The short hand of the clock rounded twelve long hours as the negotiation turned into a tragic conclusion. Ten hostages were killed along with the hostage-taker on the assault by SWAT.

It was an event that put the reputation of the Philippines in shame. Even though there were survivors, which was thinly unexpected, it was still far from success. I've heard a lot responses from different perspective, most of them are either in a blame game or in the bandwagon that will let you forget, tara, let's-move-forward. Fact is lives have been lost and we are sorry for that but that would go meaningless if such scenario will occur again.

A lot of people are missing the point why a tragedy dawned in the first place. At some point I was wondering why would a well-decorated policeman gone crazy and engaged his life on a do-or-die situation, maybe injustice might have been the root. There must be something wrong which clearly trigger the anger of the hostage-taker. It should be looked upon and can't be neglected.

The aftermath was undeniably mortifying. The world watched the hostage drama unfolded and sure they've seen how a maul flew out of an assault team member's hand on a mission to break into the bus. Hence how a smooth negotiation turned to the roughest. The golden rule in a negotiation is never let the hostage-taker be provoked or agitated but surprisingly it was never observed. The police forgot that the tourist bus has a TV. The hostage-taker was provoked when he saw the arrest of his family which was uncalled for. It could have ended peacefully. The demand was about to be met until everything went to sour because of a mistake.

The SWAT unit had a hard time taking out Capt.Mendoza but no doubt, they had the hardest time getting rid of the bystanders who don't have a single firearm. The policemen on the scene became bystanders themselves. They failed to protect the crime scene which was sacred to investigation.

What I've mentioned are all facts. I've never claimed to be righteous but just being factual. People often cursed those who tell the truth, thus having the word just to move forward. But oppositely of what they believe they're being pessimistic by being a hypocrite. Wrongs should be pointed out. Being subjective to this matter won't get us anywhere instead by objectively correcting the wrongs is appropriate. The importance of learning from mistake should be emphasized. The stress of a lesson that would bring us forward is being forgotten. Let's not make this tragedy be a thing of the past, it's a tough lesson but certainly a lot of things for contemplation - it can make a whole difference in future time.

Friday Night Inuman.

Out of the blue, me and my college friends decided to have a good time on an unplanned Friday night gathering. Rain didn't stop us to be crazy hence the old time foolishness got the better of us.

It felt like back-to-the-past, perennial tease on the air the whole time -- a fight about to break out because of it, bragging stories, girls hooked up, and the like of more craziness. Euphoria still even though vodka made some puke and look like a bunch of idiots. Nevertheless it was total fun seeing those friends with vintage same cocky attitude but thrive with their own lives. Getting drunk with these folks is worthy even just once a month, just once a month, like a prescription because I want to have fun but I still don't want to lose my sanity.

Friendship with schoolmates shouldn't end after graduation, along the course of life it should be remembered because when you're sick or down, work will not be there beside you but your friends. 

Hey That Nurse.

I was hospitalized for a surgery last week. Such a difficult situation but I have no choice but to do so. I'm not interested to talk about my illness however during the course of my stay at the hospital. A fascinating nurse caught my attention.

Ms.Precious Dumlao

She is my nurse during night shift. Those horrible gloomy nights were turned heaven-like when she was around. When she enters my room, an angelic voice I'll hear-- so feminine-- softly calling my name.. The thing is she calls me Jullian. The only people who calls me by that name were my ex girlfriends, that's why my heart felt close to her in no time. 

I can't imagine a nurse bringing up a topic about NBA basketball. Isn't she superb? Every time she'll come around to check me up, a scoop of basketball will be discussed and I don't care anymore if I'm high blood or not. That's how she's good to converse with but she get her job done. I remember one time she asked me if whether I'm a fan of Lakers or Celtics. I didn't know that she's an anti-Laker, she shook her head and told she'll miss intentionally the needle for my dextrose. Thus, she inserted it on my vein on a single attempt. I was traumatized before because I had a painful experience with a stupid nurse who can't pin it in, like 20 tries. I was put in an acupuncture session without notice. But hey my nurse now wasn't all about her lovely smile that she wore, she's a sharpshooter too.

An endearing smile she has. =)

What can I say more? Oh she's caring too. The night after the surgery, my nose was bleeding bad. A small line of blood river dried upon my face. She entered the room and notice it on a moment. She asked for a tissue, she wet it, and wiped gently the blood out. Even though I was having a hard time breathing on my mouth (because my nose was still swelling yet) it felt like heaven-- an angel was at my aid, I know I'm being taken cared of well so I'm okay. After she left-- I didn't have problem resting while hardly breathing.

On the day of my discharge, I wasn't able to see her. I left the hospital on the afternoon. How I wish I would be able to send my goodbye to her and thank her for a wonderful job. She's a graduate of UP College of Nursing. I must say that her colleagues in work are alike in terms of quality service. Salute to the school that provided her education. Hence to Ms.Precious Dumlao who is the best nurse I've ever seen. 

Parang gusto ko magkasakit ulet whenever I come to think of her. Of course I'm kidding but hey she's sexy too. =)