Palawan [Sea]food-trip: KaLui

As how it tags itself, “better by reservations”. This is one of the most crucial yet essential things to do when going to KaLui (pronounced as “Kalúwee”). This is primarily for the reason that the place cannot cater a lot of people in a span.

It was drizzling when we arrived at KaLui’s eerie facade. If you look at it from a far, it appears to be an ordinary, exclusive bar. But once you enter in its interior, you would say that “first impressions don’t last.”

Together with my office mate, we were about to get inside in order to comfortably plump ourselves when suddenly, the food attendant barricaded us at the front door and told us that the tables are full. It crushed my appetite as if I was in a hunger strike. (Bazinga for the last part!)

I didn’t believe him the first time but when I rested my eyes on a framed note, I was completely convinced and almost lost hope.

The food attendant told us that if we could wait until 9:30PM, we could probably have a table. Keyword, probably. It was 6:50PM, by the way. So we tried to wait for a while. About 3-5 minutes later, he tried to call his fellow FA inside the resto via earphone intercom (like agents), if there will be any chance for us to have our dinner. Fortunately, there was an available table for us!Well, what do you know?!

The interesting thing about this restaurant is that they impose a barefoot experience policy inside the area. In other words, you cannot go inside with your shoes or slippers. Instead, you leave them inside the small lockers or mini-baskets.

After which, we headed our way to the vacant table at the halfway point of the restaurant. It was also the drizzle that added to the ambient feel of the place. Yellow dimmed lights, native architectural design, classic portraits and artworks, acoustic instrumental music, and good service. All of these welcomed us as we sat with pure comfort.

Our order:

• KaLui Special of the Day Set - Fish Steak, Prawns, Veggies of the Day, Fish Roll in Coco Cream, Rice and Starters (set à la family, pwede for two). (P395 or $9-10)
• Palawan Seafood Sisig (P195 or $4-5)
• Coco Banana (2) - Fruit Shake. (P65 or $1.5-2)
• Extra Rice (2)

Sneak Peak (Note: Low-res pictures)

  

After a quick stroll of the vicinity, I was heading my way back to the table and from afar,  I saw that my workmate was already sipping a tiny bowl of soup. I quickly perched onto my chair and took some sips while waiting for the main course.

In a few minutes, dinner was served!

  

  

When all is [eaten] and done, one thing I can say is this:

It’s all because of the sauce!!!

The coco cream was undeniably very palatable as it slides down through my throat with sugar and spice. It was like an epitome of the curry sauce. I would want to go back for it again soon. The sauce of the Veggies of the Day was also interesting.

A few moments later, when we were about to get our bill out… the FA served us a coconut bowl of fresh cold fruits. That was actually a complimentary dessert for their customers. Bits and cuts of watermelon, pineapple, green mango, banana and papaya. And of course, coconut meat of its insides. Let’s call it, the finishing touch!

There were a lot of tourists and foreigners who dined like the Americans, Brits, French, Asians and many others.

If you are a seafood enthusiast or a vegetarian, well, this will not just be your haven. It will be your heaven. The food, place, and service are impressive. What they may probably lack is free service of a glass of water, because it’s self-service.

About the cost? Well, the price is right. No need for tips because the service charge has it covered.

The reason why people get stuck is because they chose to get stuck. Moving on is hard. But it’s never impossible. Just keep swimming.

Live. Love. Laugh.

Visit my blog.

Visit my new blog where I transitioned from having “.wordpress” to having none but “.com”.. Well, I’m still with WordPress and I love it.

http://dustgaudan.com

Enjoy your day!

Dust Gaudan [dot] com

I have transferred to a self-hosted domain, http://dustgaudan.com.

I might still blog in this site but I’ll probably give a stronger priority to the domain cited above.

Kudos everyone.a

What do you see?

Aurora Borealis? Nope. It’s actually black and some shades of grey.

Batman? Close. Although it is under a competing franchise.

Spotlight? Nah. Not even close.

Star Wars? As much as I want to say yes, no.

Star Trek? Seriously?

Black Hole? Yeah, it’s black. But it’s not a hole. It’s flat.

Alien invasion? No way.

Black wallpaper? Well, if you want to leave it that way.

Hint: Movie.

Tim Burton? Nice try.

Hint: Superheroes.

Symbiote Spiderman? Superhero”es”.

Symbiote Spidermen? Are you kidding me? But it’s close.

Hint: Captain America.

The New Avengers? Close! Close!

The Avengers? Bingo!

How is it related to The Avengers? Good question.

The bigger screen invades the big screens on 27 September 12. SM Lanang Premier introduces Davao’s first IMAX Cinema.

Click here to know more about it.

@SMLanangPremier #somuchmore

How to Pick Out the Perfect Book

Imagine this.

You’re in a bookstore with some extra cash and you have the strong urge to buy yourself a good book. The only problem is you have no idea just what book you want. You draw a blank on what books your friends have recommended or the book on the to-read list you left at home.

How do you make sure you get your money’s worth on literature?

As daunting as it may seem to look for the perfect book in a sea of seemingly infinite options, there are many ways you can narrow down you options.

First of all, start by looking for that specific section in the bookstore where your usual choices are. If you usually buy biographies, go look in the non-fiction section. Fantasy fan? Go to the young adults section where fiction books abound. If you’re not sure where a certain genre is, don’t be afraid to ask a bookstore employee. The less time you spend wandering, lost around the bookstore, the more time you have to find that perfect book.

When you get to the bookstore section of your choice, start looking at the book titles and covers. While it is a common belief that a book should not be judged by its cover, the designs on the front of a book say a lot about what its about. Sentimental images of a man and woman or silhouettes of holding hands imply a love story. Guns and jewelry on a cover connotes a modern action story. The title can help you get a general idea of a plot as well. Key nouns like the “Hunger Games” or the “Fight Club” give crucial clues on what the book is about.

Lastly, the best way to get a quick grasp of a book is to read its blurb. A blurb is what you call that little summary you usually find at the back or behind the cover of the book. It’ll give you the names of the main characters, the beginnings of the plot, and even a look into the author’s writing style. Beware of books that have misleading blurbs! Try looking through the book itself, if you can, to get a better feel and see if it’s really for you.

It’s never easy to find the perfect book. With all your options, it’s inevitable that you sometimes pick out the wrong one. But keep in mind that the perfect book is out there. It’s only a matter of time until you find it.

Feature: How-to / Utility
Writer: Marisse T. Sonido
School: Assumption Antipolo - High School, Rizal, Philippines

Movie Review: Fireproof

Have you ever felt like giving up because you know that nothing you do can ever change what is going to happen?

The movie “Fireproof” talks just about that. Caleb, a firefighter, and his wife Katherine, a medical representative, are having problems with their marriage. They blame each other for not supplying the each other’s needs, from as shallow as food to as deep as respect and appreciation. Caleb then receives advice in the form of a “love dare” from his father. After 40 days of strictly following each dare in the journal and after the couple’s realizations about their marriage, Caleb and Katherine embrace each other’s persons again.

“Fireproof” encompasses a lot of values essential in life. First of all is Christ-centeredness. God is always present in any situation in life. Even in marriage, without God, there wouldn’t be a motivation and a commitment to love each other. Second is fidelity. Marriage vows aren’t just words; they are a promise and a commitment you should never break. When Caleb was at the brink of letting go and giving up, his father and his firefighter friend reminded him of his marriage vows. Even if a person continuously hurts you, you must not give up on him/her because you don’t know what the result will be.

There is always hope if you believe.

“Fireproof” is definitely a recommended movie for anyone from any age range. The movie contains a lot of values and presents situations relatable to ordinary people, especially to families. The movie definitely gives new insights and sheds a light on society’s current problems and the values that will hopefully solve them.

Feature: Movie Review - Fireproof
Writer: Maisie Joven
School: Assumption Antipolo - High School, Rizal, Philippines

BWB2012: Think Before You Click

First thing’s first.

Do you think before you click?

Well, this question appears like a splinter gun that can be answered in several different perspectives.

When you are looking for something…

You google it. You just don’t ask anyone about your query. It may spell pride but that’s how things work especially in this digital age. We’re no longer bounded with the knowledge we get from our teachers in the academe or dusty books well-kept in libraries. We google it.

However, we sometimes tend to get irrelevant surprises as we get the hang of browsing through the web (such as advertising pop-ups, sensual banners, are-you-dumb tests, etc.). Apart from being counterproductive, we become engrossed with these peripherals. We lose focus. Worst, our gadget might become a fortress of solitude of unknown viruses. Ergo,

When you are blogging…

You will publish it. Most of the time, we get succumbed to the idea of mediocrity. We want to publish a blog because we just want our sites to be filled up. Keyword: JUST.

Imagine if it was in real life. You might be writing on drafts and subsequently scrunching them up because you get frustrated in coming up with your masterpiece. After a long period of just scribbling trash, you decided to use them instead because you realized that they’re okay. Just okay.

You may blame the writer’s block but we all know that it’s an undying excuse of any writer––or a run-of-the-mill writer for that matter. Needless to say, excuses are for losers.

If you feel like you cannot materialize, then socialize.

If you are still unsure of clicking that “Publish” button and you think that you cannot think well (pun intended), then look for an inspiration. Look for that driving force that would fuel you up with what’s necessary. Until you reach to the point that you’re content, then your content is ready to go.

When you are writing something controversial…

Think even harder before clicking it. It might bring you into a tight spot and who wants that to happen? Blogging is indirectly under the jurisdiction of the journalistic code of ethics. This goes to show that we should be responsible enough with our actions. Nothing beats self-governance.

With the Cybercrime Prevention bill enacted in the Philippines (Republic Act No. 10175), bloggers will now be more careful with what they post, more specifically with their content.

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22 Sept 2012 –– Davao Bloggers, in partnership with the U.S Embassy Manila, organized

a 3-day live-in conference (Malagos Garden Resort, Davao) with intensive hands-on workshop (Blogathon) that delves into the facets of blogging, creative writing, video blogging, photo blogging and Social Media. It is an excellent opportunity for bloggers of all skill levels to learn the best blogging and Social Media practices while utilizing the available tools for creating an effective online presence. The bootcamp also aims to educate the participants on how to leverage the power of Social Media for positive social change and responsible online engagement.

In partial fulfillment of the blog bootcamp, the organizers grouped participants to stir up the value of responsibility as an active part of the blogosphere.

Below is a short video clip made by the “Thinkers and Clickers” group (later became Team Oishi) which tackled the social relevance of the article above.

Participants:
LiveDavao (edit) | TheLayoutShop (video) | GyEmannuel | Just-Chocolates | PerkyGreenie33 | CreativityDistrict | PastTheSenses | Angel-Keepsakes | WanderfulDavao | Eugenio1018 | LouiePac | OC-Craft | LCB17

Remember to think it before you ink it. Think before you click.

LiveDavao: SM Lanang opens on September 28

SM Lanang Premier brings the definitive shopping experience of a premier SM Mall to Davao City with its modern structure and cutting-edge design, upscale retail mix, dining concepts, and world-class entertainment and convention facilities never before seen in Mindanao.

SM Lanang Premier sits in a strategic location in the northern part of Metro Davao, an area long been known as an affluent residential, commercial and leisure address in the City.

Lanang is just 2.5 kilometers  away from the Davao International Airport, 4-6 kilometers from the domestic and international seaports, and within close proximity to several hotels, business areas, and tourist destinations.

It is also accessible to neighboring major cities and provinces like Panabo, Tagum, Davao del Norte, Compostella Valley, Mati and Davao Oriental.

• 46^th mall of the SM Supermalls
• 4^th SM mall in Mindanao, the first Premier mall
• 4 level mall With total land area of 100,000 SQM
• Ample parking is provided: 1,535 parking slots with outdoor parking area
• Basement parking equipped with Park Finder

• The Atrium at the Ground Floor with different international brands and major SM retail anchorstores:  SM Department Store, SM Supermarket, Kultura, Forever 21
• Forever 21 opens their 6^th branch in the Philippines, the first in Mindanao.
• The SM Store (2-level Premier SM Department Store)
• SM Supermarket
• BDO

• More retail outlets, fashion and specialty shops including flagship stores of major national brands such as Penshoppe and Bench
• SM Cinema (5 Digital theaters plus Center stage and IMAX)
• SM Bowling Center (opening by end of 2012 )
• SM Science Discovery Center (opening by end of 2012)
• Access to the Sky Garden with 7 inline tenants
• Access to the Park Inn Hotel via bridge way (opening by Feb 2013)
• Fountain Court 2^nd Level

• ACE Hardware
• Our Home
• SMX Davao Convention Center
• SM Cyberzone (the ultimate tech and IT lifestyle center of the SM Supermalls, it is the largest chain of IT retail stores in the Philippines which offers vast number of global consumer electronic brands)
• Quick-serve restaurants and fast food chains

• The Flat Café with Starbucks overlooking the Atrium

• Sky Garden has 7 casual dining restaurants with refreshing pockets of greens and water features. It connects to the  mall’s second level and can be easily accessed from JP Laurel.

• The Fountain Court is a two level strip of casual and fine dining restaurants with a spectacular view of the Fountain with an eclectic mix of Fine Dining and trendy restaurants new to Davao: Claw Daddy’s, Vikings, Morisco by Don Beppe, Hog’s Breath Café, Mr. Kurusawa, Sumo Sam Legacy, New Orleans Café, etc.

The Park outdoor event venue with a breath-taking 122-meter musical fountain, the first of its kind in Davao and in Mindanao, the longest in the country.

SMX Convention Center

SMX Convention Center, the leading and largest private facility of its kind in the Philippines, will be opening another venue in one of the country’s fastest growing cities and the biggest outside Metro Manila.  Davao City is a natural choice location for another facility that supports the Philippines’ MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions) industry that is now a major tourism driving force.

Located at the 3^rd level of the soon-to-open SM Lanang Premier Mall in Davao City, SMX Convention Center Davao will be launched in the third quarter of this year. It boasts of 4,745 square meters fully-carpeted function room space that is divisible into three separate rooms, depending on the requirements of the event.  Fivewell-designed meeting rooms will also be in place to cater to smaller functions.  Be it a meeting, a convention, an exhibition, a concert, or a social event, SMX Davao can accommodate from 25 to 5,000 persons or up to 380 exhibit modules.  Clients can enjoy customized packages to suit their needs and budget.

As the first SMX outside Manila, its opening will definitely create a buzz among event organizers based in Mindanao as well as those from other places who are considering holding their events in Davao.  Clients can expect the same exceptional facilities and exemplary service that SMX is known for.

The Park Inn by Radisson (opening in 2013)

Park Inn by Radisson Davao, also a part of the SM Hotels and Conventions Group, will be open to serve the accommodation needs of event organizers and attendees in the first quarter of 2013.

• Opening in 2013, the Park Inn by Radisson Davao is a 200-room hotel will be the third hotel of SM Hotels and Conventions in the country.
• Connected to the mall through a bridge way for easy access.
• The hotel is envisioned to be “very edgy, hip and trendy with vibrant colors.” Amenities include an all-day dining restaurant, meeting rooms, an outdoor swimming pool and a gym.

September 28

September 29 and 30