Island 731 by Jeremy Robinson

“Robinson puts his distinctive mark on Michael Crichton territory with this terrifying present-day riff on The Island of Dr. Moreau… One of the best Jurassic Park successors.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review
Mark Hawkins, former park ranger and expert tracker, is out of his element, working on board the Magellan, a research vessel studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But his work is interrupted when, surrounded by thirty miles of refuse,  the ship and its high tech systems are plagued by a series of strange malfunctions and the crew is battered by a raging storm.

When the storm fades and the sun rises, the beaten crew awakens to find themselves anchored in the protective cove of a tropical island...and no one knows how they got there. Even worse, the ship has been sabotaged, two crewman are dead and a third is missing. Hawkins spots signs of the missing man on shore and leads a small team to bring him back. But they quickly discover evidence of a brutal history left behind by the Island’s former occupants: Unit 731, Japan’s ruthless World War II human experimentation program. Mass graves and military fortifications dot the island, along with a decades old laboratory housing the remains of hideous experiments.
As crew members start to disappear, Hawkins realizes that they are not alone. In fact, they were brought to this strange and horrible island. The crew is taken one-by-one and while Hawkins fights to save his friends, he learns the horrible truth: Island 731 was never decommissioned and the person taking his crewmates may not be a person at all—not anymore. 

Why read this book?  I was intrigued by the historical significance behind this book which is the existence of an actual island where the Japanese experimented on prisoners of war (POW) during WWII.  It made me curious as to how the author was going to spin his story around this and hoped it wouldn't be too gory.  Unfortunately for squeamish people like me the author was pretty much graphic in his descriptions.

Cons of the book: (Potential spoiler)  I really really dislike how in thrillers most of the characters die and this one is no different.  I mean can't I read one where everyone actually survives such an environment.  Okay so it's unrealistic but I'd really like to find an author who finds plausible ways of keeping his characters alive till the end of the book instead of being very creative on how to kill them off. 

Pros of the book:  Like I said it was pretty graphic and not just the gory parts.  I could actually imagine the layout of the island from the author's description which is pretty rare for me.  Oftentimes I end up glossing over details of the scenery because the narration was just too tedious.  I am not the most patient of readers obviously.  The characters also had something going for them that made you want to root for them or want them to be the monster's next meal.

What really struck me about the book is the chilling thought that, even with advanced mapping and radar technology, there could be an island somewhere out there that dealt with that kind of horrific experiments as I write this.  It could be privately funded or cloaked by clandestine government organizations.  This isn't an attempt at a conspiracy theory but simply a thought that came about because of the news that many scientists are feeling pressured by all the stringent measures put in place by human rights advocates.  Who's to say that they aren't experimenting out there?  We all want cures to all the diseases that plague us and not everyone is willing to respect fundamental laws of nature in order to achieve it.  Maybe they will end up with the results they were aiming for but at what expense?  So this book should serve as a warning of the consequences that might arise from playing GOD. 

(Book image and description from Amazon.com)

Throwback Thursday 2

Flour Child

Today I received my order from Flour Child and it was heavenly!!

To start with the outside packaging was simple and eco-friendly.

The logo design was clean, simple and classy.

But most of all the cookies were yummy!  Notice one of the snickerdoodles already has a bite?  Hubby bit into that coz he couldn't wait to taste it.  Admittedly it was our first time to try snickerdoodles but we all agree that this one by Flour Child was really good.  The cookie had the crunch but it was also soft at the same time.  My son loved it so much that he took the bag to his room and kept it there.  Hubby and I had to share whatever was on that plate.

For those who do not like their cookies too sweet you can opt for the oatmeal raisin cookies.  I liked how it was textured with the oatmeal and the raisins were perfectly flavored.  I've had some other brands that were lumpy and floury with the raisins having no taste anymore so I was happy I found a good one in Flour Child.

We will definitely be trying out Flour Child's other products soon!


For orders:


https://www.facebook.com/flourchildph?fref=ts


#3 Constellation St.,
Bel Air 2
1209 Makati

0917 540 2431
flourchildph@gmail.com

Dencio's Capitol Hills, Quezon City

Dinner tonight was at Dencio's in Capitol Hills, Quezon City coz I have been craving for their Sinuglaw which is a mixture of inihaw na baboy with kinilaw na tanigue (fish).  Of course I don't have pics again coz we were too hungry, specially the little boy.

The place was nice and since a typhoon just passed the temperature was cool & the outdoor setting would have been great specially with the view of lit up buildings in Ortigas.  Unfortunately outdoor meant smoking was allowed and so we had to opt for the indoor eating area.  It was clean and the servers were pretty attentive considering the restaurant was full even if it was a weekday.

The food.

My kinilaw na tanigue, (I claim it as mine since I'm the only one who likes it) was a big disappointment.  To my taste buds it was the vinegar they used since the texture and taste of the fish was okay, although not great.  That change in the kilawin process, at least for me, affected the overall taste of the tanigue.  I think Kanin Club, for now, holds the first place status for the Kilawing Tanigue dish.  At least the inihaw na baboy was good.

Our other order was the assorted sinugba or assorted inihaw dishes which comprised of liempo, pusit, pork bbq on a stick and tuna.  A combination of hunger and tasty food, my son finished of the liempo and almost a cup of rice.  I wasn't going to eat the fish since I don't really like them grilled but this one was pretty good.  Between the three of us we finished our orders.

One of the reasons we loved the inihaw was because of the sauce they served with it which is also one of my gripes.  The sauce was yummy because it was full of MSG.  I wish restaurants would find ways of making food tastier without resorting to the use of this magic ingredient.

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen Edsa Shangri La Mall

So sorry but this post has no accompanying ramen pictures.  For one we had no real breakfast and this was lunch at almost 2 in the afternoon.  When the ramen arrived we literally dug in and remembered too late I had a blog to post to =P In spite of the cons I will list down later, we love their ramen enough to come back for it.

Since I was so hungry I decided to order edamame but the ramen was served before my appetizer.  The picture below is actually of empty shells.  When I first saw the bowl I wondered if I would be able to finish it but as evidenced by the pic, I did, all by myself.  

When we told my son we were eating at Ikkoryu he wasn't happy at all.  His favorite eating place in Shangri La is Cyma and he calls it "wopa" after the word the servers yell when they present their flaming cheese, an order of which the little boy can finish by himself.  The past few time we have eaten at Ikkoryu, he did not like any of the food.  But this time, when he tried the Karaage again, he liked it so much he demanded for some take home.  

Here's a picture of the place when the number of people had dwindled already.

Pros:

1. Great food!

2. Servers, once their attention has been called, are efficient and nice.

Cons:

1. Smoke, which we assumed was from their cooking stoves, enveloped the dining area and made our eyes water.
2. It was so much warmer inside the restaurant than the mall itself.

3. It was a little difficult to get the waiter's attention.

4. Food was a little pricey.

We hope improvements would be made on these points but honestly we would probably return anyway because the food was that yummy.

Yabu: House of Katsu Robinsons Magnolia

Yabu is one our favorite restaurants and we were lucky enough to be treated to lunch by one of hubby's uncles who was celebrating his birthday.  Most of the time we dine at their branch in Megamall while this is only our second time here.  The first time we were in Robinsons Magnolia was courtesy of winning a full course dinner for 2 via one of the restaurant's Facebook promo.  It was their pre-opening treat as well as a survey on the quality of food and service.  The food was excellent as always but the service needed a bit of tweaking since their servers were not well versed on the menu.

Fast forward to today.

When we arrived for lunch at 11am we were already 5th in line for seating since the place was already full.   We were given a paging device to let us know when our table was ready but we opted to stay close anyway.  The wait was not really a problem since there were still members of our party still missing.  After about half an hour we were seated.

The place was still exactly the same as when we first dined there. 

The food was still wonderfully crunchy on the outside while retaining the tenderness of whatever katsu dish we had ordered.  Mine was the Mixed Seafood Katsu 2 and I must admit it was deliciously bursting with flavor in every bite.

One of the reasons I love Yabu is because of their unlimited cabbage.  I happily replace rice with this "healthy" option while my son actually enjoys eating this vegetable as long as it is drenched in sesame dressing.   Another reason would be the unlimited fruits.  I love how, although it's just a side dish, Yabu chooses the finest fruits to serve.  Which brings me to the ultimate reason we all enjoy this restaurant, while the food is wonderful it is really how they give value to total customer satisfaction that draws us in time and time again.  From the food, to the service plus the ambiance.  It is a quality which is still lacking even in some expensive fine dining places.  This is not to say that Yabu is cheap when it is in fact a bit pricey but I believe we are getting our money's worth.

The only con I can think of in this branch would be the lack of a bathroom within the premises but I think that would be more due to mall policy than the restaurant's.


 For more pictures and information:
http://yabu.ph/

Throwback Thursday

Since I am so busy procrastinating to actually create something new I am going to join the Throwback Thursday band wagon and post something that I have already done before.

Yummy Love!! =)

A Buzzing Sneak Peek

This one is taking me a long time due to procrastination and distraction.   For now here's a sneak peak of that project using an old stamp set.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

Warning: SPOILERS - But really, who hasn't read this book? =D

Okay, so a lot of people have written reviews for this book.  They either loved it or bashed it to death, then the Vatican decided to put their two cents into it and ensured it became a bestseller many times over.  Whatever others say, I totally LOVED this book!!!  Which is why this is my first ever book post.

One of the things that haters of this book pointed out is the writing style.  They claim that Dan Brown can't write.  In what manner can't he write?  I really do not know since I am not a writer myself nor can I claim to have a good grasp on written or even spoken English.  What I do know is what entertains me or not.  Call me pedestrian but I will not read a book, just because people say that a book is written well, if the topic isn't to my taste.  There are great literary books out there but that's just not the genre I am into.  Besides, if he truly could not write, why did it become such a topic for discussion that even the Church wanted to ban it? 

Being a Catholic, practically from birth, I really did not see what the hype was all about that had the Vatican stepping in to stop people from buying and reading the Da Vinci Code.  The book is fiction and we all need to separate that from actual proven fact.  The author is merely presenting a possibility that Jesus may have had descendants.  I for one do not believe that would have given them divine powers because when He was on earth, it was as a HUMAN BEING!  If they were Blessed then good for them!  Most Saints became one because of their healing powers even without being related to Jesus by blood right?  Was it because of Mary Magdalene?  Is it really so bad to have Jesus fall in love and elevate that person to wife and then have children with her?  Isn't our church's motto, "Go forth and multiply?"  I am not being cheeky here, simply asking a question why her status in life could not have been different from what was implied in the Bible when in fact the prelates themselves admit that there are many ways of interpreting the Holy Book.

As for Da Vinci himself, he lived so many centuries ago and I truly doubt there is anyone out there who could lay claim to knowing what the man was really thinking when he created his artworks.  What we all have are suppositions and Dan Brown simply exploited that in order to create a wonderful conspiracy theory.  Having read this book before it became a super bestseller was kind of gratifying just because I could say I was first.   I liked how Dan Brown got my heart racing in his previous books so I thought I'd try this one to see if it was good too.  It was definitely heart pounding as well as thought stimulating.  It allowed my mind to do some mental exercises and so that I didn't get stuck in my comfort zone.  Popularity does not make him a great writer but since I am not qualified to assess his writing skills, what I will say is that he is very entertaining with the way he pens his books.

 

Dedication

Considering it's a Sunday, it was a bit hectic today so I only made it to the food part of the Dedication I was invited to in the afternoon.  And what food it was!  I was too shy to take pics of the table laden with delectable finger food, but my three trips to it should have been an indication.  My friend, a wonderful pastry chef, did the dessert while her sister prepared all the luscious food along with the perfectly paired sauces.  Too bad hubby had some photo thingie going on so he wasn't able to try this.  It truly was a fun afternoon filled with great food and even better company.  I haven't laughed so much in a long time!


I only managed to take a pic of the first plate since it was the most presentable.  Notice I already took a bite on one of the mini sandwiches before realizing I should take a picture for the blog.  I tried to place it strategically so it won't be noticed but a bite is a bite hehe =) 

Sweet Maria Cafe

Dinner tonight was at Sweet Maria Cafe.  It's a fairly recent discovery but we've eaten here a number of times because they have yummy comfort food.  Again, this is not a gourmet restaurant but a family one that you would love to come back to time after time.  Unfortunately, because of its size they have limited seating which meant that they could be full, like this night, and meant we had to wait some time for our take out.  But even though we had to eat the food at home it was still pretty good. 

My son really loves their Beef Salpicao.

I don't know why but this pasta dish, Seafood in Olive Oil, has become my favorite.  Not too heavy and the taste is just right, not fishy at all.

We all love their sausages, either hungarian or kielbasa, which ever is available.

The place is also very clean and the decor, which hopefully I can take pics of and update this post with, is tasteful.  Service is quick, if the place is not full, and servers are very courteous.

Check out their facebook page for more info.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Maria-Cafe/183939611711396?fref=ts



*Disclaimer: The photos attached were taken during one time when we dined in.  We were too hungry to take pics of our take out earlier =D

Cased Mini Treat Tote Box

Today a very good friend of mine dropped by specifically to give me something!!  Lo and behold she comes bearing beautiful washi tapes (Japanese paper tapes)!!  She said she remembered me when she saw these at the kiosk they were browsing.

I was just wishing in my head for some yesterday because I saw a cute link on a friend's Facebook page on how to use them.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/56-ways-to-decorate-with-washi-tape

But best of all, the big roll is the Paris one I have wanted to buy for months now but it was always out of stock! This is a case of good things come to those who wait.  A big thank you to my friend Jamie!!! You are super sweet!! =)

A little trivia about me: I seem to be better at copying the work of others than coming up with my own idea.  Thankfully there are so many crafty bloggers out there who are very generous with sharing their talent.  From one of them I copied my project for the day. 

http://www.inkingidaho.blogspot.com/2013/07/regarding-dahlias-boxes.html

She, in turn, was kind enough to give the link to the free tutorial which saved me a ton of time trying to figure out how to make it.

http://dostamping.typepad.com/dostamping_with_dawn/2012/10/video-stampin-up-mini-treat-tote-box.html

My version.

Cased Armoire Sneak Peak

I saw this beautiful armoire from one of the crafty bloggers I subscribe to & decided to try & copy it without any tutorials. It's been 2.5 days & I'm not completely finished yet.  There are still embellishments I need to buy (if I can find the appropriate one) before I can post the final piece.  So for now here's a sneak peak.

Kamirori - Petron Katipunan

Dinner was at Kamirori in Petron Katipunan to fulfill the little boy's request of chicken mayonnaise (Japanese Fried Chicken meal).  Sorry no pics coz we dug in as soon as the food arrived.  We've been coming to this restaurant for a few years as a family but I've always loved it since it opened when I was still in high school.  It has moved to 3 or 4 locations in the Katipunan area through the years but the quality has pretty much remained the same and the service has always been great.  Another plus is that the place is clean. Mind you, the food isn't unparalleled Japanese cuisine but it is good.

Katsu Cafe

For a quick lunch, hubby and I finally got to try Katsu Cafe in Katipunan.

Hubby posited that it may be better than our favorite katsu restaurant, Yabu.  Of course I automatically answered it can't be since there wasn't a long line of people waiting.  To which he said  that it could just be that people didn't know about it yet.

Surprisingly the food was pretty good.  I ordered Beef Katsu Curry which came with soup.

Hubby ordered the Pork Katsu Set.   Yabu's edge to this dish would be the unlimited cabbage salad which I love eating instead of rice.

One of the restaurant's functional decor.

Check out the menu.

Overall I would say I still love Yabu the best but to satisfy my katsu craving this place would do the trick.  The food was yummy, price is reasonable, place was clean and the staff, although just one person, was efficient.


Katsu Cafe
329-I Katipunan Ave. cor B. Gonzales
Loyola Heights
Quezon City

Derma Day

Didn't get to play since I exchanged craft playtime with a trip to the dermatologist. 

Why blog?

First and foremost this blog is intended to inspire me to create something new everyday and post it on here.  Since eating is my first love (hence the size and weight hehe), I thought, why not post food stuff that I have come across?  Then of course there's my love of books.  Although I'm a romance novel junky, I have ventured out into the mystery/thriller genre as well.  Paper crafting (stamping, quilling, dry/heat embossing etc) was introduced to me c/o my younger sister.  Unfortunately I buy a lot more than I make so I need to do this blog and hopefully it will give me a swift kick to the butt to get working.  Of course while I type this, I am not getting any work done.  So here I am kicking myself to my work area =)

Please forgive me for the poor quality of the pictures. 

Latest work

Inside of my latest work