What's up with Dan Brown's Inferno?

What's up with Dan Brown's Inferno?

Daming bashers at ranters.

I haven't read the book, though I might say Brown's statement is a bit exaggerated.

But then again, its FICTION right? Siguro naman entitled siya sa sarili niyang opinion. Fiction is sometimes a stretched form of reality (credit to whoever said that).

We live in the Philippines that's why we know that living here is not as bad as it seems. Sanay na kasi tayo kaya hindi "gates of Hell" ang tingin natin. Eh para kaya sa mga foreigners? Galing sila sa mga developed countries kaya almost utopian ang mundo nila. Therefore, ang opinion nila sa bansa natin is worse than it seems.

He sees the Philippines in his own eyes and what he sees may be different from what we see because we came from different places. Some say that Brown doesn't have any right to depict Manila in that manner as he has never been in Manila. Well people, meron ng media ngayon. Merong internet, meron international news channel. One way or another, pwedeng nakuha ni Brown ang image ng Manila out of news articles, documentaries, blogs or even first-hand account of his friends (who may have visited Manila).

Rather than ranting, we can prove that there is still something good in our country that is worth living for. At a glance, some may not appreciate the beauty of Manila because in reality, poverty is abundantly seen in Manila. Some are really resorting to "reacting on primal instincts for survival". But there are still a greater number of people who are resilient, with strong faith and will always find something to smile about knowing that somehow tomorrow will be a better day.

One thing I do know about being a Filipino is that we value our morality. We are people known for hospitality, respect and compassion. Nasaan na ngayon ang respect kung magra-rant tayo dahil lang sa opinion ng isang author? Paano ngayon tayo matatawag na hospitable and friendly kung ang opinion ng isang tao ay di natin kaya tanggapin at bagkus ay sinasalubong ng mga masasamang salita? Instead of being hospitable, nagiging hostile ang reaction ng mga tao. Is this what you call the welcoming nature of Filipinos? 

I do not mean to turn a blind eye on Brown's depiction of Manila in Inferno. As a Filipino, masakit marinig na yan ang nakikita ng ibang tao sa capital natin but it doesn't mean na wala ring basis ang sinabi niya.  No matter where he got his depiction of Manila (even if it is his imagination), let us not deny the fact that poverty (sometimes caused by overpopulation and eventually resulting to prostitution and child labor) is an existing problem in our country . Some may say that Brown's depiction is exaggerated (only a bit for me), some say it is almost near truth and some claim that it is inaccurate. But hasn't anyone noticed that nobody claimed that those problems DO NOT EXIST in Manila?

What I do hope is that people will take Dan Brown's opinion as an eye-opener for us. We cannot deny the fact that poverty is an existing problem in our country.  The government and other organizations are addressing the problems depicted in Brown's book. It may seem to others that this is hardly felt, but please keep in mind that in order to properly address those concerns, we should cooperate with those trying to help us. We cannot rely nor be dependent on the government and other organizations that they will magically solve our problems. We must also help ourselves.

Going back to Brown's Inferno, I've only read the plot summary from Wikipedia and from reading that (This is a bit of a spoiler so for those who are curious to read it, please do not read the following sentences):

I love how the ending of the book helps us appreciate the real value of one's life. I  just imagined that if the ending did happen - which will be very devastating and sad; [ I do not (in any means) want that catastrophe to happen] people will almost never resort to abortion, suicide or murder and each breath of life will be rejoiced knowing how precious and valuable it is.

Imagine a world like that? So while the world we currently live in is thankfully not as catastrophic as the ending of Brown's Inferno, I want people to appreciate the real value of one's life. (I wish people would rather delve into that than keep on ranting).

(Wow, this is a long post. I'm almost ranting (Well, am I?). If I am, then I am almost being a hypocrite. This is just my opinion so please bear with me.)

Adventure 1.2 : Mae San's Cupcake Invasion

Yesterday, I bought a couple of Mae San’s Cupcakes. Unfortunately, I left my cellphone at home so I wasn’t able to take pictures of their customized birthday cakes. Well, at least their cake displays are cleaner this time and organized.

A Character (sorry I can’t remember which..I promise I’ll take a picture next time I go there) rectangular cake I saw there costs P1,080  and P1,250 (for size 1 and 2, respectively). Angry Birds Theme Cake has 3 sizes (size 1,2,3) which costs form P1,080 to P1,400+.  One thing I noticed was that the cake toppers they used on their display cakes are mostly actual toys – not the regular cake toppers made out of molds. The Toy Story Set was made out of  plastic toys and the Winnie the Pooh and Hello Kitty Toppers were actual Stuff Toys placed on top of a podium or placed inside a basket. The background and other designs are made out of styro and sugar icing. The Disney Princess and Tinkerbell Toppers were made out of regular toppers (mold) but they almost actually resemble the characters. They also have Justice League, the avengers, Ben Ten, Barbie (actual Barbie toy) and Blues Clues.

So, I bought the much-anticipated cupcakes and to my delight, they come in individual cupcake boxes. (Yeay!)

I bought a Cookie Monster Cupcake, a Basketball Cupcake and a regular Chocolate Cupcake.

The character cupcakes (Sesame Street and Basketball) were heavier than the regular cupcake. They were chocolate moist cupcakes with buttercream frosting. The cake part was heavy though I can taste the cocoa used for the cupcake batter wasn’t the one with good quality. The Buttercream frosting was too buttery for me so I can’t eat it on its own. (hey, mahilig ako magpapak ng frosting..so, no comments from anyone please)

The regular chocolate cupcake was lighter with a sponge-like texture and a marshmallow frosting. The frosting was sweetened perfectly and it matched the spongey cupcake.

The verdict: the character cupcakes are yummier than the regular ones (cupcake-wise and frosting-wise). However, it is not the “wow” cupcakes that will let you crave for more. However, if your looking for cupcakes for giveaways for a sport-themed or sesame street-themed party, this will be perfect as each cupcake comes in individual packaging.

Adventure 1 : The Pink Bakeshop of Sta. Cruz, Manila (Mae San)

Yesterday, June 17, 2012, I decided to visit Mae San's Bakeshop. I've only heard of that bakeshop from a post at SmartParenting. One of the moms in that forum recommended their mocha cake. So there I was, on my trip to the Pink Japanese-Inspired Bakeshop at the corner of Oroquieta and Fugoso St. at Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Mae San was quite easy to spot at it really stands out. Something about the shop will entice you to go in and have a look. With my agenda of having a taste of their mocha cake, I immediately went inside the shop.

The first thing I noticed was their vast display of greeting cakes, cake rolls, breads and (yehey!) cupcakes! At the north-east corner of the shop was their display of celebration cakes - birthday cakes, wedding cakes, graduation cakes, etc.

Some of the celebration cakes on display were quite pretty. I especially the Hello Kitty Two-tiered Round Cake, the Angry Birds Cake and the Blues Clues Cake. (I'm so sorry I wasn't able to take pictures of them, but I'll repost them as soon as I visit the store again.) I only wish they dusted the cakes so that it will look nicer on display.

On the right side of the counter was their display of cupcakes, leche flan, tiramisu and blueberry cheesecake. Here's the photo:

(Regular Cupcakes- P22each; Character Cupcakes - P35 each)

As shown on the photo, they have the regular cupcakes with sprinkles on top and the character cupcakes ranging from Sesame Street Designs, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, etc.

Now, they also have a range of greeting cakes and cake rolls as shown below:

Cake roll flavors are Choco Roll, Mocha Roll, Mocha Caramel Roll, Yema Roll, Malacañang Roll, Brazo de Mercedes and more! Price ranges as follows:

Half Roll: 105-115

Whole Roll: 195-220

The rectangular cakes on the picture have two sizes: Size 1 and 2. (Simple huh?)

Size 1 costs P450 while Size 2 costs P550

The Choco Roll looks so yummy while the Mocha Caramel Roll also makes my mouth water. So instead of buying a whole roll, I decided to buy half of both flavors. I also bought a square of brownie and a pack of Piaya for snacks.

All in all, here are my purchases:

Choco Roll (Half)                     – P 115

Mocha Caramel Roll (Half)       - P 115
Piaya (5pcs)                             - P  30
Brownies (single)                      - P  23

TOTAL                                   P 383  

Choco Roll- The chocolate frosting is yummy! It’s almost similar to Red Ribbon’s Triple Chocolate Roll. They only differ in the cake itself. Red Ribbon’s cake is moister than Mae San’s. Also, Mae San’s Choco Roll has vanilla cream filling unlike Red Ribbon’s which has chocolate filling.

Mocha Caramel Roll - It reminded me of the butterball candy I ate when I was a kid. My hubby loves it. For me, the frosting is a bit too sweet (I don’t like cakes whose frosting  are too sweet. My hubby says it’s just perfect. So I guess, taste, as well as the level of sweetness is subjective). Well, it's caramel frosting so I guess it’s supposed to be sweet. I still love it though. The mocha cake blends well with the buttery caramel frosting. When I ate the cake the next day, the cake tastes better. The sweetness of the caramel balanced perfectly when it was chilled.

Mae San also happens to be a restaurant. You can order sandwiches, cake slices, mami, rice and viand menu and dine inside the shop. The place was actually a bit crowded when I went there.

They also have all kinds of bread displayed near the entrance. Bread rolls, loaves, banana cake, butter chiffon, hopia, ensaymada and many more! It's actually a bakeshop that caters to almost all types of bread normally found in bakeries plus the specialty cakes.

OVERALL: I would definitely go back to Mae San’s. For those on a tight budget but still want to eat a delicious cake, this is the perfect place for you. I especially prefer the Mocha Caramel Roll over the Chocolate Roll.

So with all my heart, this is all I have to say to that Pink Bakeshop on the corner of Sta. Cruz: I SHALL RETURN and eat some more!