won't you take me to -- China town!

Nakapagdesisyon na ako na this year I will go on a gastronomic adventure in where else but China Town !

Seryoso ako dito at pagiipunan ko talaga ito! Sa ngalan ng siomai at dumplings!

Magpi-pilgrimage ako sa bayan ng mga instik at lalamon ng bongga!

And becase i'm ending every sentence with an exclamation point --- kalma.

Here have a taste of what's coming:

Ano? Tara! Sama ka na :)

Alcatel One Touch 918n Glory

This is the story of how a reluctant little girl was converted to an android believer.

A year ago I was bent on NOT using touch screen phones. I would always be like "they're too fragile and they won't be able to keep up with my badgering fingers". Unlike most of my friends who oh-so-welcomed the android technology, I was one who stirred away from that. I always thought of myself as a QWERTY kind of gal.

So when my brother took a plan for three phones (one for him, for me and our not-so-baby sister) and it was for an android phone -- that's it i'm out. Then I thought about it and what the heck, it's a free phone. I'll give it a go.

Boy was I wrong -- I was hooked to my One touch waaaay than they were. I started learning the ropes from how to download apps to customizing stuff.

There I was, totally at home with my android phone until recently I got into passwords. The brain-drain that I was, I forgot the password I entered. Luckily with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of cursing I stumbled upon a very helpful tip online.

How to factory reset your Alcatel ONEtouch:

1. Turn off your phone
2. Press the Voulume Up button and the Power button at the same time
3. Wait until a little cute android mascot appears with a little exclamation point
4. Choose factory reset option
5. Then Yes-- wipe everything
6. Smile because you have factory reset your phone ♥

Off Pitch and Off balance (still working on the Title)

“Jess come on we’re already 5 minutes late! Just throw anything on. It will be fine!”

I watch my sister as she ignored our dad downstairs.

“You should probably tell him that i’m not going again to one of his stupid concerts.”

So yeah, our dad’s kind of a famous country singer. Don’t get me wrong, being a kid of a famous person is great. More allowance and free food. Okay – the screaming fans are a perk as well but I must remember they’re screaming their tonsils out for dad and not us.

“Are you gonna tell him or not? Jen are you even listening to me?!”

I realized i was staring at the rug so I looked up.

“Do i have to?” I say moaning “he’s not gonna be happy about this you know, you've already missed his last two”

“So? I’m not one of his fan girls and i am N-O-T going!”

She said the word ‘not’ with her usual conviction and i knew that whatever i say won’t change her mind.

“Fine. At least wish him good luck” a taste of guilt arise in me as i get up from Jess’ bed and dragged myself downstairs.

There he was, even sitting down i can see he’s frantic demeanor. Agitated – i bet because he badly wants Jess to be there. ‘you girls are my inspiration’ that’s what he always say.

Working up the courage to open my mouth but before a word even peeped out, he turn his attention to me and gestured his hands up. I know what that means, 'is your sister coming?' I shook my head in reply and i swear i saw the twinkle in his eyes disappeared for a while.  “Well better get going, no use forcing her to come.” He lets out a sigh.

I feel like it’s my responsibility to keep them together you know, my dad and my sister. Ever since we lost mom two years ago my sister completely cut-off my dad. She said we wouldn't loose mom if he took better care of her. It’s always his music. Always his fans. Always one thing or another and never mom. Never us. Growing up the three of us were inseparable. Me, my sister and mom. She’ll always put us on little adventures in the yard and come up with these ridiculous games we played all day. It’s like living with Alice and we were in wonderland. I reached for my locket and opened it and there she was, smiling like she used to. Her hair deep chocolate brown with hints of auburn. Hazel eyes and a smile that could make any guy fall for her.


It’s wasn't always like this you know, Dad was not always this country-star-bent-by-record-label-rules. There was even a time when i felt we were actually the happiest family in the world. But as all good things, it never lasted. When dad struck gold with his third single we were all happy for him. I remember when mom dressed us up and we all huddled over the radio. 

I didn't know what was happening but she and Jess  told me Just you wait! It’s a surprise! They always had this thing, mom and Jess. They were buddies, best friends. I guess that’s why she never forgave dad for loosing her.


The stadium was vibrating with excitement. I can see the people anxiously waiting and screaming my dad’s name. WE LOVE YOU Keith Morgan! All I could do was smile, I turned my direction to dad and I see that he was stage-ready. I give him a big smile and two thumbs up. He smiled back like a little kid that reached his brown eyes. He’s still a looker, even at his age with two kids and a widow. Is that what they call Husbands who lost their wives? Oh i don’t know but he’s been through a lot.

5 mins to show time!

He rises up paving through the team of stylist or `his preppers` is what he call them and heads my direction. 

“It’s a big one kiddo, wish me luck!” he leans in and kissed my forehead. I smiled at him encouragingly. 

“Knock ‘em dead cowboy” and he heads on. 10 seconds later the lights dim and the people roared and I knew this was that kind of night. Another night where he serenades the world and they melt for him. That’s my dad I muttered to myself.


After we lost mom, I thought we lost him too. Dark circles always hovering around his eyes. The man that radiates warmth – no trace of him at all. He was gone and so is she. Jess was 13 then and I was 10. Even though we were still little, we took care of him. We had help of course. Grampa and Grama was there for us but with your mom gone and dad a zombie, it’s just not the same. 

One night Grampa took Dad’s guitar from his studio and laid it in front of him, 'sing her a song'. 
I remember that moment, when Grampa said that and dad looked at his guitar longingly.. the same look we shared when mom’s casket was being swallowed by the ground.


He stared at it for hours, I know because I stayed with him the entire time. Then as if the simplest of actions, he stretched out his arm and reached for it. Hesitant at first but he kept on – wrapped his arms around and cradled it like he did mom when they thought we weren't looking. 

His first strum hung in the wind and echoed the room. He strum again and again until finally forming a melody. It was a song unfamiliar to me but it reached me deep inside 

-- and before i knew it tears clouded my eyes and i was lost just as he was. 

He played the song over and over – each time he did the life slowly came back in his eyes. I lay there beside him and I knew. Dad’s back.


If he was famous then, that song catapulted him to stardom. Suddenly he was on the cover of Rolling Stones, he was on TV with Leno and O`brien. On every station in the country. He was a made man. That’s when i noticed Jess slowly fading away. The daddy’s little girl that she was – no longer.
It started with missing breakfast because that’s the only meal he had time to share with us. Then she stopped waiting for him to come home. Stopped calling him or texting. Then she completely shut him off.

As expected the concert went more than well.

I watched clips of it play over shows the next couple of days.


“Why are you even watching it again? You were there weren’t you?” Jess managed to say while she was eating a bowl of cereal.


“Because it’s funny how they loose it every time Dad gets to chorus!” I said as I let out a chuckle


“They're air heads. He’s not even trying his best.” Rolling her eyes.


“He is to! Jess you know he loves the stage and he wouldn’t give a second rate performance”


“Loves it enough to leave us behind”


Looking at her now “Jess you know that’s not true.”


She glared back to me “oh what do you know! You were just a kid back then.”


I swallowed. There’s no point in arguing with her. Even if we were at it for a day – once she made up her mind -- 

It was like moving the stars – impossible. 

She looked at me and saw that what she said cut deep.

“I’m sorry Jenifer .. i didn't mean to” she says with the voice i didn't have the heart to ignore.

“It’s okay Jessie-bug” I turned and smiled at her patting her head.

That’s pretty much my sister and I. How we've been these past two years. Sometimes I feel like i’m the older one between the two of us. "Keep her pleasant" is what my dad says and in a sense that’s what I do.


“Good morning my lady bugs!” dad greeted us with so much energy he’s practically bouncing off the stairs.


“Morning daddy!” I grinned at him and got up to get a bowl of cereal.


“No studio today?” I asked as i gave him the cereal


“Nope! Just me and my princesses today!” his hand in a boy scout’s position

I love how he’s like this whenever he has the time.


“I’m off to school.” Jess said standing up carrying her bowl over the sink

“Ow c`mon sour puss –“ nudging her jokingly “—let’s take a day off! It’ll be fun! I promise!”

“Ugh. Dad i have exams today. I can’t miss school.” Pushing him away from her

“I’ll even call your principal and tell him you’re on official daddy duty” he says with a smile

“It’s called responsible parenting. Look it up dad—“ grabbing her back pack “—you’re two years late for that anyway.” Slamming the kitchen door behind her.


Dad let’s out a sigh as he dig through the bowl of cereal, “so, where are we going dad? Better not be another karaoke bar” rolling my eyes jokingly

This brings a smile back to his face “You wish kitty-kat” running his hand over my hair

Why Jess does this I will never understand, i can never talk like that to dad.

We ended up staying home eating pancakes `til noon.

Stuffed and a bit sloppy with all that maple syrup we head up to the garden. He was strumming his guitar and I was busy with my notepad scribbling lines.

“You sure love to write don’t you Jen?” still strumming his guitar

I smiled in reply “well dad with you two nuts going at it all the time, it’s my way of holding on to my sanity”

“Ha-ha Funny little Missy.”

“Dad, you think we can lay music over some stuff i wrote?” i said peeking through my notebook

He looked up like i said the most wonderful thing “are you kidding? Of course we can!—“ standing up “let’s see what you got there”

It was more than magical, the feeling of making music and making it with my dad.


When night time came we went inside and he said he can’t wait to go over the studio and record our song. I’m glad that he enjoyed it as much as i did. How i wish Jess would give him a chance.

When I got upstairs I was surprised to see Jess already there, she was humming. Humming the song my dad made for mom. The one that brought him back to us. 

“Hey stranger” I said body slamming her.

“Hey fangirl”

Grinning i said, “oh jess i had so much fun today! Dad and I made a song! Can you believe it? An actual song with melody and stuff and it didn’t even suck! Ha!”

“Yey for you” with all the sarcasm she can muster

“oh whatever! It was fun and I’m a song writer now!”

suppressing my delight and I swear there was a hint of proudness there somewhere.

We talked and talked all night and finally went to bed.

This was a good day I thought to myself.