I've heard alot about the great eats in the Pampanga/ Clark area and finally I had a chance to try one of the favorites and on top of my list.
After a day at the Clark Speedway, zooming through the chicanes on our bikes, tres amigo's, Bing, Dino and myself decide to stay the night and sample some of the imported (recipes from mexico) local delicacies, namely the IN Famous (Tres Amigo's anyone?) Zapata's. Our guide and gracious host Kat not only gave us a place to stay but drove around 3 lazy bikers.
We ordered almost everything recommended to us by "Miss Ganda" (not her name but she responded quickly whenever we called her that. ) our very friendly, very smiley waitress. I don't know if it was coz we spent most of the day in the sun on our bikes and missed lunch but everything was superb! We ordered shredded beef taco's, Fajita's and Enchilada's. The only downside was that they were out of Guacamole which would have made everything perfect.
If you guys are in the area I highly recommend you drop by.
Zapata’s
480 Don Juico Ave, Clarkview Angeles City (Right on the perimeter road adjacent to Clark)
This video was epic... in distance... in bad singing ... and love. The children and grandchildren all took part and sent videos (on the last minute!!) for me to edit.
This was my cousin, Alia's idea and I just added on to it. Way to go guys Apoh Nina loved it!
Being a Geek and a Biker at times are a perfect mix. After an awesome ride, like I had last weekend to Bataan, you can share your digtally captured experiences the minute you log in with family and friends.
At times, especially now during the rainy season, it doesn't mix well at all! My solar chargers rarely get used. My panties are always wet. And the threat to my gadgets are constant. This is why I love my Otterbox cases. My new gadget love, the Panasonic GF1 (check out me ode to her at techie.com.ph) and her slightly older and sibling the G1 are always protected and dry in my Otterbox 2000 and 3000 series cases. These are perfect accessories for any adventure geek.
How I spent my Saturday; Bike Maintenance Seminar sponsored by BMW Autohaus and hosted by BOSS. Bike lecture by Toto and Nestor, Intro to GPS by Teng. Bike wash by Noy. My first Practical Airsoft Competition at PAPI with Tye.
The session with Under Ground Logic was the most technical we've had so far. It started off with some major PC issues, which was very disheartening. Luckily Aids and his crew were upbeat, positive and have a never say die philosophy. Their perseverance and dedication paid off. The kids learned a lot about video editing and the UGL team inspired them to shoot and edit their own videos.
There was even talk about a Smokey Mountain News Network! The Buhay Ko kids, using the facilities at YFF, the cameras we have donated and what they learned from the workshops, would write, shoot and edit their own news about things going on in Smokey Mountain.
Thanks Ty for taking the time to introduce Grace and me to competitive shooting using your STI Airsoft set up. It rocked bro! I think a couple more sessions and we can level up to the real deal ;)
I've always had an obsession for bags and what people carry with them. You can tell alot about a person by what's on them most of the time. I have to admit that I even have more bags aka man purses than my wife.
My current bag of choice is the Lowepro Classified 100 AW. It's the perfect bag for me. I'll be doing a quick review later about why I love this smart little piece of kit.
Here are the basics that I carry with almost daily.
First off is my wallet, it's nice and small and has just the basics. I don't carry around a lot of cash so it's just right. I think someone gave it to my Dad for Christmas and I just pocketed it. It's nice and simple, soft black leather Fino wallet.
Second are my keys and attached to it is my Lacie 4GB Key thumbdrive. It's a cool little thumbdrive with a solid feel to it. It has taken a lot of damage while it's been with my and it's working fine.
Third is my iPhone. I hate to sound like a tendoid packaloid but I really love my iPhone 3GS. It rocks paired with my Globe Super Surf and Super Duo plan. I use it as a portable wifi hot spot which my iPad and laptop can sync to. It's also a great gaming platform. It is near perfect except for the ridiculously short battery life.
Fifth is my GF1, is my current favorite camera. It's basically a mini SLR. Check out my review on Techie.
And finally 6th is my Kodak Playsport HD camera. It's a relatively inexpensive camera that shoot full HD and is waterproof!
7th but not least is my iPad. When I have this on me I feel like I am living in the future. It's the ultimate media consumption device. Loaded it with hundreds of ebooks, comics, my photo's, and games. I will never have a dull moment. I have even set it up to stream video from my home media server!
If the 10 year old Ibba saw all this awesome kit that I bring me everyday he would be blown away. He'd say "Old Ibba, you're DOPE and PHAT and still FAT!"
Wasn't really planning to post this. But while I was showing off my new toy to Carlo Estrella, I took some picts using the "Art" setting of the GF1. The wifey looking as classy as ever :)
"Buhay Ko sa Smokey Mountain" aims to teach 25 scholars from the Smokey Mountain Community how to document and share their lives via prose, photos, videos through personal blogs. The workshops will be taught by prominent Bloggers, Photographers, Writers and Directors. The Manila Jaycees, together with Young Focus Foundation, are working together to empower these kids with the tools and skills to tell their story.
About 2 months ago, I came up with an idea. The concept was pretty simple. Use my most basic geek know how, blogging, photography, videography some post prod and teach it to kids in Smokey Mountain.
The motivation is teach them to document their lives and share it with the world. I'm not special, my life is pretty good, I like bikes and toys and even I have a blog! A boring blog, which is sporadically updated but I have one nonetheless.
Imagine teaching these skills and giving tools to these kids who have so much going on in their lives. Empowering them to share their triumphs and struggles with the world. My daily struggles revolve around waking up early, traffic and parking. It's embarrassing actually, these kids have lived through more than I can imagine and their still just kids!
So I had an idea and luckily I had just joined a group that wanted to help. The Manila Jaycee's. I was sponsored by my friend Charlie Paw, he is such a nice guy and has been nothing but good to me and I just couldn't say no. Needless to say, I joined the group with some trepidation. I always thought these things where networking for networking's sake. I'm part of a lot of groups which create real social interaction and friendships through common interest, be it Motorcycles, Sci Fi, Video games, photography, food etc. I really didn't get the concept of JCI Manila in the beginning. The appication/ invitation process didn't help either. It was all formalities and fancy schamncy. Not my cup of tea. I'm a T-shirt/ cargo pants, mcdo kind of guy. I only wear formal attire at weddings.
Long story short, our initiation to become a full member was to do an outreach project. I wasn't into the "normal" outreach stuff, medical dental missions, giving out food etc. If I was a doctor I would have done medical missions, If I was a lawyer I could have helped out those being oppressed by da Man. But I'm a geek! There is no real clear way a geek can help. Until now :)
Then an epiphany. I know how to take pictures. I'm not great but a few of my shots have been published in the Inquirer, Mabuhay, GamesMaster and T3. So I can teach really basic photography. I also edit my photo's in picasa, again I can teach basic photo editing. I love shooting video, doesn't matter if it's on my phone or digicam. Ok so I can teach videography. I enjoy editing and uploading stuff in FB and youtube. So I can teach basic post prod. And I know how to make a simple blog...
Being a tech geek means I'm a bit of an early adapter. It pains me to admit I've got quite a few cameras that I no longer use and are just gathering dust. It's old tech and not really worth selling, but they work. So I realized I could donate them to the kids. I figure other geeks out there have the same situation going on. I could probably get a few cameras from friends.
This all came together when I presented my idea (part of my initiation) to the JCI Manila board.
They really liked it and my project was green lit. JCI was focused on helping the kids in Smokey Mountain and had tied up with an NGO called Young Focus.
I was part of a team of JCI applicants and they mistakenly voted me as the chairman for the team. I seriously lucked out with this team. They rock! Alvin, my number 2 is the whip cracker. This details oriented and is an incredible task master. Howard Paw of Digital Walker and Game magazine, had all the connection to make this project work. VJ Sianghio business is Film for movies, he's taking up a course in Photography and has taught in other community out reach projects. Dexter Que, part on an events planning group, he has been instrumental in fund raising for the project. It was a geek dream team. Randomly selected but perfect for this project.
Memorial for a fallen brother rider: Ricky Sandoval  (Who died in a tragic accident, July 12, 2009, on a sweeping bend along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway)
By Randy David July 26, 2009
To the Hombres who were with Ricky on his final motorcycle ride that fine sunny morning of July 12 -- exactly 2 weeks ago today there could not have been a more powerful reminder of our common mortality of the fleeting nature of life, of the brevity of earthly time than to be with a fellow rider at breakfast, and then, some few minutes later, to find him sprawled on the ground, lifeless, his gleaming massive bike like a fallen steed suddenly stopped on its tracks.
This image, so arresting in its vividness, stunned all of us.To our logical minds, there was no doubt whatsoever that a brother-rider had just died in a very bizarre and unexpected way. Yet to this day, we continue to search ourselves for the many layers of meanings that this tragic event might be trying to convey to us.
It would be easy to say: It is time to get rid of our bikes, and find ourselves a more benign sport, like maybe, golf. But we don't think that would put the matter to rest for many of us. Our bikes are our bridges to open expanses, to horizons that melt before our eyes as we move forward with the summer wind. Not many hobbies can provide a comparable experience. And so, please allow me to share a few meditations on why mortal beings like us seem to be rushing toward our death by embracing a perilous delight like motorcycling.
We have always known that we are engaged in a dangerous and deadly passion, though, for obvious reasons, we prefer not to let this nagging thought encumber us as we ride. Precisely because we are riders on two wheels, the need to take care is something we regard more gravely than perhaps the driver on four wheels. Knowing that they can always be fatal, we never take the possibility of accidents for granted. And so when we take risks, we do so with pious calculation. Indeed there is method in our madness.
Which is not to say we don't miscalculate. We sometimes do. And when we do, we become conscious that what we may lose in the process may not be just our self-esteem, but life itself.
It is because we are aware that death could be waiting around the bend that we do take care. For this reason, it is sometimes said, not without justification, that big bikers are generally safer drivers than those on four-wheelers.
I know that nothing in what we say here can bring enough comfort to the loved ones that Ricky left behind. For death is always easier on the dead than on the living. It is the same for us. None of us will ever be able to ride this stretch of SCTEX again without remembering what happened here two weeks ago. For this and other reasons, on the suggestion of our fellow rider, Addie Topacio, we want to name this section of the highway Ricky's Bend.
From this moment, therefore, till the day we retire our own steeds, we will slow down on this mortal spot each time we pass this way, say a quiet prayer for our fallen friend, and thank him for the ultimate sacrifice he has made in order to remind us -- to take care always. Thank you, Ricky.
Just to end, may I quote from the beautiful lines written in tribute by another fellow rider on that fateful Sunday, Sam de Leoz:
Over the hallowed gravesof our fallen brother riders; May the winds of heaven whisper hourly benedictions.
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I've heard alot about the great eats in the Pampanga/ Clark area and finally I had a chance to try one of the favorites and on top of my list.
