…Because a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Caricature from Marriott Manila




If there’s one person that has a penchant for delicious, gourmet meal, that’s mom. For someone who cooks up a meticulous meal for the family, it’s no wonder why she has discerning taste buds. With this, there’s surely no other venue where she can indulge and celebrate her love for good food other than Marriott Café. Bring the whole family for Sunday Brunch, where it offers an upscale but a cozy venue to enjoy a promise of bigger, better, and heavier selections for brunch. And not to mention, everything gourmet!
With 17 stations including Cru Steakhouse and chocolate room for only P2, 500 net per head, Marriott Café got everything what a family would crave for from the healthiest greens, house-made pasta, savory steaks, to well-crafted cocktails.
To pay tribute to the woman that matters most, for every minimum of P12, 000 net worth of receipt is entitled to an instant free caricature for mom! Since we believe that whatever hat she wears, mom is always at her most beautiful. On Mother’s Day, we’re adding a dose of cuteness with an exclusive souvenir caricature of her on Sunday Brunch.
And if the whole gang is in the mood to celebrate the day for dinner, Marriott Café offers Ocean Surf exclusively for this Sunday of mother’s day for only P1850 net per head. We know how most moms enjoy getting their hands dirty on rock lobster, crabs, oysters, clams, and shrimps.  That’s why our spread is stocked up only with the freshest and tastiest selections, whether it’s enjoyed as is or have our chefs make an exciting twist from it.
What’s lovely about this buffet is that, it’s not only about shells and seafood. The spread is pumped up with big slabs of beef and lamb slices from the carving station and other delicious options from the rotisserie.  Swing by at the Chinese Station for authentic dim sums, pork barbeque, marinated chicken, and Beijing style duck. The dessert station decks out as well large array of choices both for sweet toothed and weight watchers.
While for some who plans to go in an intimate, classy venue serving decadent dishes, Cru Steakhouse is the first in mind when making dining decisions. It’s also a venue of choice if you want to be settled in fine dining style of ambience with hands on service and pleasant staffs, who are very much adept on wine pairing too. For mother’s day, sous chef Rej Casanova whips up a surefire hit four course menu: Baby rocket salad with pan fried scallops, mushroom consome, grilled grain fed Australian ribeye with sautéed baby carrots & potato dauphinoise and creamy mushroom sauce or duo of baked mahi mahi and grilled jumbo tiger prawns, capped off with poached cranberries fresh apples vanilla bean ice cream—all these at P4, 000 net per head.
Sitting between your loved one while enjoying a perfectly composed and polished meal is always a great thing; but if it’s added with a weekend break in a snazzy hotel, whose mom wouldn’t love the idea? With this in mind, on offer is the special Mother’s Day room package. Spend a leisurely overnight stay in the deluxe room for only P9, 888++ single/double, inclusive of Marriott Café breakfast buffet for two with P1,000 worth of credits at Quan Spa and Jessie Mendez salon.
Discover Marriott Manila’s exciting take in celebrating Mother’s Day. From the world-renowned service, dining, and accommodation, it’s no wonder why it’s a favorite spot of every fun-loving family.
For inquiries or reservations, call 988-9999.


4 DA BEST - The Repeat!

 
I recently attended a bloggers conference with the stars of 4 DA BEST.

We interviewed Chokoleit and K Brosas, during the interview all bloggers sure do have a bunch of laughs because of their punchlines whenever they are asked and whenever they give their answer.  They sure know how to make everybody laugh.  They shared their insights about their shows and what is it going to be.  As for them, they would always challenge each and everyone.


They are going to have a repeat performance of their concert, previously their show lasted for 2 days but now they'll be making it a bit longer for their fans to enjoy.  They'll be having the show for 3 days this coming May. So marked your calendar and head on to ticketworld and SM Ticketing office to book your chosen day to watch the show and be happy



Press Release

Muling magsasa-sanib-pwersa ang apat na mahuhusay at kilalang komedyante na sina Pokwang, Pooh, Chokoleit at K Brosas sa anticipated repeat performance ng kanilang concert na "4 Da Best" The Repeat sa May 4 at 11 (biyernes), at 12 (Sabado) sa Music Museum.

Gaya ng inaasahan, super successful ang first two-nights nang pagtatanghal ng "4 Da Best" sa Music Musuem noong buwan ng Marso.

This time, hindi na talaga paawat ang apat na komedyante to give their best shot sa kanilang performances. Kaya asahan ang doble-dobleng pangangalay ng bibig at pagsakit ng tyan sa katatawa habang nanood ng "4 Da Best" The Repeat.

"Kung sobra silang natuwa sa una naming show sa "4 Da Best" naku, mas lalo rito sa repeat namin. Kaya yung mga nakapanood na nu'ng una. pwedeng pwede pa rin silang umulit na panooring ang concert namin," pag anyaya ni Pokwang.

"Wapak na wapak ang "4 Da Best" hindi dahil show namin to, no. Pero kami mismo sumusuko sa katatawa s mga pinaggagagawa ng bawat isa sa concert," pahayag ni K.

"Kung four times ang saya nu'ng una, dito sa repeat eight times," hirit naman ni Pooh.

"Iisipin ng iba na ginawa na namin ang lahat lahat sa una namin concert. Well, that's not true. Marami pa'ng sorpresa kayong makikita sa repeat namin. Mahirap ikwento, e, basta," promise ni Chokoleit.

Ang "4 Da Best" is produced by Amine Entertainment and directed by the veteran comedy concert director na si Andrew de Real.

Kaya magpa reserve at bumili ng ng inyong mga tickets; SM Tickets - 470 2222 at sa Ticketworld - 8919999. Ticket prices are: 2,750, 1980 and 1100.



Chicago’s Magnificent Mile


Exciting news here at Bunches & Bunches Ltd., we are today, for the first time, sending Cloud Cookies to Chicago! By Mother's Day they will be in the beautiful food market, Fox & Obel, just three blocks east of Chicago's Magnificent Mile. We haven't personally visited the store (yet!), but it looks just like the kind of market we would delight and drool over. In 2011, Fox & Obel won Chicago's Best Gourmet Market by The Chicago Reader (ahead of Chicago French Market and Whole Foods Market). Thank you for finding us Fox & Obel! We are so happy to be sharing Bunches & Bunches of love with the Windy City.

Olive and Thyme


"A Gourmet Cafe and Market Place...for people who love food," Olive and Thyme is getting a new shipment of freshly baked Bailey's Dog Biscuits and Cloud Cookies from us in time for Mother's Day, Spring Parties, and because we love our dogs everyday!

A beautiful store, just 12 miles north of Los Angeles:

Olive and Thyme is a family owned and operated Gourmet Cafe and Marketplace located in Toluca Lake, CA. Specializing in gourmet, fast casual dining, catering and Hollywood Bowl baskets. olive & thyme's stocked marketplace offers some of the worlds finest cheese, charcuterie, wine, salts and condiments. Founded by Christian and Melina Davies, they pride themselves as being the community’s leader and premier purveyor of the world’s finest gourmet food, wine and beer.  Friday is olive & thyme's famous burger night. Located at 4013 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake, CA 91505. 818-557-1560.

Jet lagged!

Our European travels are over for now...we're back in Ontario and excited to experience a third spring!
We watched the buds and blossoms in France and Italy, then in Amsterdam, and now, we see signs of spring back here in Ontario.

Amsterdam was amazing. We were so lucky to be there during tulip time and visit the Keukenhof Gardens, truly the epicenter of "tulipdom"! It is simply breathtaking.

Since we're dealing with a wee bit of jetlag and a touch of reverse culture shock, we'll write again soon after having had some time to readjust.

Until then, please enjoy some spring flower photos taken while visiting Keukenhof!



















Hable at Hickory Chair

The best part of High Point is getting to meet many of the designers in person.  Sisters Susan Hable Smith and Katherine Hable Sweeney of Hable Construction have collaborated on a fabric line for Hickory Chair and created a little artist's studio in the showroom. Not only do I love their fabric designers but their amazing mood boards that were also located as soon as you walked in the front door. 

Loved Susan's cute cat shoes from Divia



Susan was really painting when we stopped by the showroom. 


I loved this painterly watercolor pattern she created this season.






Susan's artwork also hangs on the wall. 








Loved the new polka dot Hable fabric on these campaign chairs.







The zebra print isn't by Hable but looks great as pillows and on the chair below.  I definitely wanted to take that one home with me!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

CIVIL WAR FOUGHT FOUR TIMES THIS WEEKEND



The annual Heritage Days Civil War Historical Reenactment took place at the Pierce CollegeFarm Centerin Woodland Hills, California on Saturday and Sunday, April 28thand 29th.  On each day, a few hundred soldiers in blue or grey stormed the battlefield at noon and again at three, each time followed by President Lincoln presenting his Gettysburg Address. 





The battle itself involved several cannons on both sides, and soldiers armed with rifle and pistol.  Much of the Union Army was behind a breastwork that offered some protection, whereas the majority of Confederate soldiers were in the open, and officers of both sides were on horseback.  There were bleachers sponsored by a fraternal group, and plenty of standing room along the lines of skirmish.  The hundreds of observers who packed the place were mostly family groups, photographers and, to my surprise, teenaged high school students who seemed genuinely excited at the event.





As both sides advanced, each trying to outflank the other, the cannon and long-gun fire continued, and a stretcher was rushed onto the field to retrieve a wounded soldier.  Observers near the temporary medic station were startled to see blood gushing from an open wound, and soon after, he was laid aside with his face covered, his hands folded across his chest.  A twin barrage of rifle-fire from both sides abruptly littered the battlefield with bodies, and brought even the most gabby observer to a gasping silence.





This being the third reenactment I’ve attended, I am again struck that the soldiers taking part often look much more like Matthew Brady’s photographs than the actors in Civil War movies do.  The reason is that these soldiers, like the genuine ones, didn’t have their uniforms issued en masse from Western Costume, but assembled them and had them sewn from patterns.  They don’t all match perfectly, and they take note of the fact that there was a vast difference in uniform design from regiment to regiment.



In addition to the battlefield, tent encampments were full of era-attired civilians, some demonstrating arts and crafts to passers-by, others more passively presenting a visible history lesson.  Beyond the encampments, tented shops sold clothes, uniforms, books, and food of the period.  Many a girl tried on her first hoop skirt; many a boy pleaded for a Springfield Rifle with an orange tip, and a kepi, blue or grey.  My favorite overheard exchange was at a stall where a man in his early twenties was buying four books, and also wanted to know, “What is the Gettysburgmap?”





“It’s a map of Gettysburg.”

“Is that a city?”

Gettysburg.  Like the Gettysburg Address.”

“Wait a second,” he said, fumbling out a pen.  “Is that a web address?”

I know, I know, but I’m cutting the guy some slack.  At least he’s buying four books: hopefully he’ll learn about Gettysburgfrom them.



Speaking of books, author David H. Jones was there with his book, TWO BROTHERS, ONE NORTH, ONE SOUTH, a novel based on the true story of the Prentiss brothers, who were divided by the War Between the States, and met in the battlefield.  It’s available in hardback and trade paperback as well as an audiobook.  You can learn more at www.davidhjones.net.    




Last year there was only a representative of the Sons Of Confederate Veterans, but this year there was also a representative of the Sons of Union Veterans of The Civil War. 



Among the displays by representatives of Civil War-related museums was a contingent from Fort Tejon, near Frazier Park.  I’ve detailed in the Round-up that with California’s financial woes, combined with the state’s financial incompetence, many sites of great historical value are endangered, and listed for closure.  While LosEncinos Parkand Santa Susanna Pass Park have been saved by generous and undisclosed donors, many more are still threatened, including Will Roger Park, Pio Pico State HistoricPark (home of the last Mexican Governor of California) and now Fort Tejon.  John Harman, a volunteer at Fort Tejonfor fourteen years, told me some of the history behind the fort.  “The Fort was established in 1854, initially garrisoned by various companies of the First Regiment of United States Dragoons…the Dragoons being a mounted force, but also trained on various weapons, including the mountain howitzer.  At the beginning of the Civil War, the first Regiment of Dragoons was re-designated the First Cavalry.”  

Among the historical events coming up at the Fort is a Dragoon-era period program on the first Saturday of every month – the next one is May 5th.  There is a Civil War Battle weekend on May 19thand 20th.  He went on to tell me, “At this time, the park is scheduled to be closed at the end of the fiscal year, on June 30th.”  If you would like to find out more about Fort Tejon, to visit, or to help in the fight to save the Fort and other historically important places on the chopping block, please visit www.forttejon.org.  Incidentally, the Pierce College Farm Center is also said to be in danger of closing.



Also present were representatives from THE DRUM BARRACKS, in Wilmington, California, the last remaining Civil War era military facility in the Los Angeles area.  Built in 1862, with 22 buildings on sixty acres, the Drum Barracks is the last remaining building, and houses the museum.  You can learn more, and enjoy an on-line tour by going to www.drumbarracks.org.  There’s a link there that features a great run-down of Civil War-related events all over Southern California.



One of the most striking elements of events like these is the realization that you are surrounded by so many people with a great passion and knowledge of history.  I was on the way back to my car when I spotted a young Union soldier walking my way.  I asked his name.  “Bridger Zadina.  Over the weekend, Corporal Bridger Zadina.” I asked him if he’d been involved in reenactments before.  “I’ve been doing it for about five years now.  It’s been a heckuva five years.  I’ve always been interested in history, and I’ve always had the desire to feel closer to my ancestors, and the struggles they’d gone through.  And I feel that by partaking in this, I can….educate the public about what happened before.  Seeing soldiers on a field; it’s not something you can get out of a book.  This summer I went to First Manassas, in Virginia, where there were 7,000 re-enactors in the field: that was a grand old time!  I actually got to fight in the same regiment – the 2nd Mississippi– same company as my family, the Brookshires, did.  It was quite an experience.  A little intense.  A little crazy.”  I asked him how old he was.  He said eighteen: he’s been taking part in reenactments since he was 12 or 13.  I bet even then, he knew what Gettysburgwas.    




'WESTERN X’ WEBISODE SERIES POSTS CH. 8



Back in November of 2011 I started following ‘WESTERN X’.  By far one of the most ambitious webisode productions I’ve seen, WESTERN X, the creation of Michael Flores,is available online through Youtube and ITunes, and tells its story in six to ten minute ‘bites’. Chapter #8 is now available, and I believe the whole will be fifteen chapters. Shot in striking desert locations and Western towns, its hero is named X because he awakens after a beating, not knowing where, or who, he is.
Overall the chapters are elegantly produced, with eerie music, striking editing and often beautiful photography. But they’re heavy on atmosphere and light on plot – there’s a lot going on at times, but while I assume it will all become clear down the line, at times, much of it is incomprehensible. But it’s certainly worth a peek. Here’s the official website link: http://www.westernxtheshow.com/.  That page has links to all the chapters.



EVENTS THIS WEEK
FIESTA OF THE SPANISH HORSE MAY 2ND-6TH

Daily horse shows and an equestrian musical showcase on May 5th.  At the Los Angeles Equestrian Center,  818-842-8444.  www.fiestaspanishhorse.org

FREE DOUBLE FEATURE AT THE AUTRY SATURDAY, MAY 6TH

On Saturday, May 5th, The Autry will present, at noon, a double-bill of Gene Autry Westerns: DOWN MEXICO WAY(1941) and THE BIG SOMBRERO (1949).

RANCHO FIESTA DAYS MAY 6TH, LAKE FOREST

Celebrating California life in the mid-19th century with music, dance, food, crafts, reenactors, presentations by local historians, and hands-on activities.  Heritage Hill Historical Park.  949-923-2230.  www.ocparks.com/heritagehill




TV WESTERNS ALL OVER THE DIAL!

More and more, classic TV Westerns are available all over the TV universe, but they tend to be on small networks that are easy to miss. Of course, ENCORE WESTERNS is the best continuous source of such programming, and has been for years. Currently they run LAWMAN, WAGON TRAIN, HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL, LAREDO, RAWHIDE, GUNSMOKE, THE REBEL, and MARSHALL DILLON, which is the syndication title for the original half-hour GUNSMOKE.


RFD-TV is currently showing THE ROY ROGERS SHOW, first at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Pacific Time, then repeated several times a week. They show a Roy feature every Tuesday as well, with repeats -- check your local listings.

INSP-TVshows THE BIG VALLEY Monday through Saturday,LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE seven days a week, DR. QUINN: MEDICINE WOMAN on weekdays, and BONANZA on Saturdays.

WHT runs DANIEL BOONE on weekdays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time, and on Saturdays they run two episodes of BAT MASTERSON. They often show western films on the weekend, but the schedule is sporadic.

TVLAND has dropped GUNSMOKE after all these years, but still shows four episodes of BONANZA every weekday.



For those of you who watch TV with an antenna, there are at least a couple of channels that exist between the standard numbers – largely unavailable on cable or satellite systems – that provide Western fare. ANTENNA TVis currently running RIN TIN TIN, HERE COME THE BRIDES, and IRON HORSE.

Another ‘in between’ outfit, ME-TV, which stands for Memorable Entertainment TV, runs a wide collection: BIG VALLEY, BONANZA, BRANDED, DANIEL BOONE, GUNS OF WILL SONNETT, GUNSMOKE, MARSHALL DILLON,RAWHIDE, THE RIFLEMAN, THE REBEL, and WILD WILD WEST.Some of these channels are hard to track down, but if they show what you’ve been missing, it’s worth the search.



THE AUTRY NATIONAL CENTER


Built by cowboy actor, singer, baseball and TV entrepeneur Gene Autry, and designed by the Disney Imagineering team, the Autry is a world-class museum housing a fascinating collection of items related to the fact, fiction, film, history and art of the American West. In addition to their permenant galleries (to which new items are frequently added), they have temporary shows. The Autry has many special programs every week -- sometimes several in a day. To check their daily calendar, CLICK HERE. And they always have gold panning for kids every weekend. For directions, hours, admission prices, and all other information, CLICK HERE. 




HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM



Across the street from the Hollywood Bowl, this building, once the headquarters of Lasky-Famous Players (later Paramount Pictures) was the original DeMille Barn, where Cecil B. DeMille made the first Hollywood western, The Squaw Man. They have a permanent display of movie props, documents and other items related to early, especially silent, film production. They also have occasional special programs. 2100 Highland Ave., L.A. CA 323-874-2276. Thursday – Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. $5 for adults, $3 for senior, $1 for children.



WELLS FARGO HISTORY MUSEUM



This small but entertaining museum gives a detailed history of Wells Fargo when the name suggested stage-coaches rather than ATMS. There’s a historically accurate reproduction of an agent’s office, an original Concord Coach, and other historical displays. Open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission is free. 213-253-7166. 333 S. Grand Street, L.A. CA.

That's about it for now.  I've been working all week on a doumentary about early TV comedians, and didn't think I'd get half this much written!

Happy Trails,

Henry

All Original Contents Copyright April 2012 by Henry C. Parke -- All Rights Reserved