Image from Adarna.com.ph

"Masaya at Maganda"

ni JamosX

Minsan o madalas, 'di bale na.

Ang buong akala'y wala nang lunas.

Dahil batid ng lahat 

Na wala ka na, wala.

Sa tuwing nakikita, o napupuna,

Mga larawan ko,mo at nating dalawa.

Hindi mapigilan, mga alaala.

Dahil habang buhay, ako'y tatanda

Sa mga araw na tayo'y

Nagtatawanan at laging masaya.

from the internet unknown source.

Bakit nga ba kailangan maghiwalay?

Bakit kailangan na ang isa'y mauna?

Bakit may nabubuhay ngunit sa huli ay namamatay?

Bakit nga ba...bakit, oh bakit ba?

Saan patutungo kung ika’y hindi

Na muling makakasama?

Akala ko'y hindi na matitinag

Ang pagsasama at kasiyahan

Na araw,buwan at taon nating binuo

At pinagsasaluhan.

from FactsandDetails.com

Kayo sana'y masaya

At walang problema.

Sa lugar na punumpuno

Ng Ligaya

At sana nawa'y, inyong pagmasdan,

Alalayan at tulungan,

Kaming mga naiwan.

Araw-araw akong sumisige sa buhay.

Araw-araw na nagsusumikap

Sa pagtitinda at pag-o-online benta.

Minsan nahaharap sa mga pagsubok

Tulad ng pagatake ni Hagorn, Pirena

At Avria.

Pero laging tinatandaan,

Na ang buhay sa lupa 

Ay pansamantala lamang.

 Sana nga, may buhay pa

Sa kabilang dako ng pagkamatay.

Dahil mahirap sundan ang inyong habilin.

Na ang buhay ay maganda at masaya,

Na ang buhay ay higit pa sa ginto

Ang tunay na halaga.

from Lifeofannie.blogspot.com

Sana'y muli na tayong magkita.

Nang magbalik-tanaw sa noon na natapos na.

Muli nating namnamin ang sarap

Ng mga alaala.

Mga alaalang may dalang halimuyak

Na sa tuwing nalalanghap,

Tayo'y bumabalik sa mga eksenang

Ating ginampanan.

Isang pelikulang hindi mapapantayan.

 Maraming salamat sa lahat,

Ngunit kami pa rin ay naririto sa mundo.

Patuloy kaming maglalakad

Sa daan na aming tinatahak.

Hanggang sa huli, hindi susuko.

Tulad ng sabi nyo,

 Ang buhay ay maganda at masaya.

Ang laban na ito ay hindi bibitawan.

Ang laban ng buhay ko ngayon

Ay para po sa inyo,
Aking ina.

from Fine Art America

p.s.  Thanks to all the sources of my images. ingat po.

        "It's Fortune, or nothing at all!"...this was what our mother used to tell us when she was still alive.  And by Fortune, she means Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant. According to the best cook in my life,  this resto serves the best Chinese cuisine in Pampanga, and maybe even better than those found in NCR or Metro Manila.  As I've mentioned, my Mother does the cooking in the house.  And her expertise?  You've guessed it right...Chinese Food.  Therefore, according to her,  no one beats her cooking except...(drumroll)...the Fortune Restaurant.

The Best Sweet & Sour Pork

        Fortune Restaurant is located in downtown Balibago area in Angeles City.  Balibago is considered as the nightlife center of our city.  The famous strip of resto, bars and cafes along McArthur Hi-way is at the heart of Balibago. And also,  the world famous Fields Ave. of Angeles city is also found in the area.  In October,  in lieu of the city's Fiesta celebration,  the dance party "Tigtigan, Terakan queng Dalan"  is also held at the same area.  During this party, for a minimal entrance fee, people get to drink beers Unli-style!  Lots of stalls in the event sell food or pulutan that you can pair up with your beer.  If you're a beer addict, then you have to visit our city every October.  Haha!

Shrimp with Broccoli

Kris & Bam wannabees.

        Going from Angeles city's Poblacion or city proper,  you will find Fortune along the left side of the McArthur Hi-way road going to Mabalacat.  It is a couple of blocks away before Fields Ave. and the road leading to Clark Freeport Zone.  Before mama passed away, we had to eat in this restaurant for at least once a month...it is because according to her, it is not just the best Chinese resto, but it also is the only resto that satisfies her "taste impairment", being a senior citizen that has stepped-in on the old aged segment of our society.  When we visit Fortune with her,  we must and always have to order the Steamed Eel specialty.

Eight Treasures soup

        According to Chinese medicine, Eels boosts stamina and provides additional energy that is very beneficial to old/senior people like my mother.  Almost the same way that drinking ginseng tea or ginseng infused food servings benefit us.  I'll talk about the Steamed Eel Entree when we get to order it in the future.  Another mother's favorite is the resto's Seafood Tofu in Hotpot.  This one is served sizzling hot in a "hotpot" or an oriental ceramic "pot".  A handful of seafood tidbits are sautéed and slow cooked with Tofu slices and choice vegetables in the pot before being served.  Since it was me who my parents used to go to Fortune when mama was alive,  I also get to order my favorite......the Chinese Style Beef Tenderloin.  This meal offers tender Beef slices cooked to perfection with a sweet, tangy sauce and is also served in a sizzling plate.  In the past, they didn't used sizzling plates in presenting this entree...but for the past four years, when they had a new Lead Chef, the started to serve the Beef sizzling style.  It is far better than before...so I liked it more than ever!

Patatim or Stewed Pork Leg

        We ate at Fortune last Saturday.  Together with the kinakapatids, my father and a cousin.  We had the opportunity to eat with the kinakapatid who came from Austria to visit our father.  Just like traditional Chinese restaurants, our table is round with a lazy Susan glasstop that rotates for our convenience.  We ordered Shrimp with Broccoli, the bestselling Sweet & Sour Pork, Eight Treasures Soup, YangChow Fried Rice and our Father's favorite.....the Patatim or Chinese Pork Leg Stew.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

        The best thing about YangChow Fried rice, is that you can eat it as it is even without toppings.  But since we are in the Philippines, we can't eat with rice alone...we need to have other ulam.  Eight Treasures Soup features 8 very special ingredients cooked in a broth based soup.  Father's favorite, Patatim, on the other hand, is a slow cooked Pork Leg with assorted authentic ingredients such as White Fungus, Mushrooms and sliced Bamboo shoots.  But if it's your first time to try Fortune,  never fail to pick their Sweet & Sour Pork......it is the best in all of Pampanga and Metro Manila imho.  Yes, the best!

Quan Kong Chinese Business deity

Live Lobsters

Live Lapu-Lapu or Grouper fish

        After the sumptuous meal, I chanced upon the resto's "aquariums" featuring the highly honored or priced Lobster and Lapu-lapu(grouper).  Sometimes, you also get to see their live Horseshoe Crab, unfortunately that day, they were sold out!  I also took a shot with the resident deity in almost all Chinese businesses...Quan Gong or Kwan Kong.  A famous Chinese general who was so popular that he leveled-up and became a mini-god or deity that governs businesses or more specifically, strategic competition or in line with the applied Sun Tzu's concept of business wars.   Given the opportunity,  I also was able to take a selfie with the Resto's celebrity icon/Manager/endorser/mascot, Ms. Janette.

        Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant is the best place to eat when your craving for an authentic Chinese cuisine taste!  They offer a lot of choices in their menu that is more affordable for family get-togethers and group party celebrations.  For birthday celebrations, you may also request their waiters/attendants to perform a very special Happy Birthday song for the celebrant!  Don't forget to visit this resto if you're here in the city of angels like me.  You'll surely come back for the best of the best in Chinese Food. 

Fortune Restaurant Frontage

        It was a Saturday when we had a delivery service to a town called Bulaon in San Fernando, Pampanga.  Surprisingly,  the downtown market area of Bulaon was not any different from what happens in our Angeles city counterpart.  It was a busy place like in our business area.  However, the only difference I believe is the width of the sidewalks and streets.  Bulaon had narrower ones compared to Angeles City.  On the way back,  we stopped over at a local Filipino-style eatery.  In english, they call it cafeteria or canteen...but for us, we call them Carinderia.

        The Carinderia that we visited is called Manok's Canteen...well yes, it used the English counterpart given the influence of western culture in the Philippines. Haha!  This is a staple carinderia for us when we deliver goods in different areas of Pampanga.  The place used the word Manok's or Chicken since it specializes in fried chicken that is sold on-the-go...however, they only offer this specialty in the late afternoon and evening where their target are those customers who buy these to pair up with beers or other alcoholic beverages.

        In the morning, Manok's offer early brunch or lunch food menu where Rice & Ulam combo is lined-up by students, workers and walk-in families. The Carinderia has a very local ambiance with walls painted in candy-green color while the chairs & tables are red.  Manok's also offers sari-sari store items such as chichiryas, candies and cigarettes.

        By 9:30 in the morning, the canteen already has several ulam or viands available.  In the Philippines it is very common for people to eat rice paired with an ulam of their choice. On that day, I chose to eat Rice and an ulam called Dinuguan while my sidekick chose Rice and the world renowned Filipino Sisig.  Dinuguan is made from Pork's Blood or Dugo ng Baboy...thus the name "D-in-UGO-an".  The ulam also utilizes Pork as a main  ingredient plus vinegar and lady finger chillies.  There are two main types of recipe for Dinuguan, the first makes use of liquid/quashed Pork's blood while the second uses clotted, solidified Pork's blood.   The first is the more expensive recipe given that it uses Pork meat as a main ingredient while the second is a cheaper alternative where solid Pork's blood is coupled with chopped pork intestines.  Personally, I like the cheaper version not just because it is half the price, but I also love eating ulam with pork intestines. 

        On the other hand, the world famous Pinoy Sisig is made from thinly chopped pork ears and pisngi or pork "cheeks".  The chopped meat are mixed with a generous amount of chopped sibuyas or onions; then is seasoned with spices before being sautéed to perfection.  Some modern innovations of this putahe/ulam are variants with egg and chicharones for a more crunchy feeling in every bite!  Sisig is believed to be a specialty of Angeles City Pampanga.  This year in 2017, the local government of Angeles city decided to formally organize the first Sisig Festival in the country.  So if you're planning to visit Angeles City in 2018, be sure to stop by in June to catch exciting activities and events.  

        Other ulam that Manok's canteen offers are Kaldereta, Giniling, Tortang talong, Kamansi, Pork in tausi sauce, Chopsuey, Kilayin, Paksiw na Bangus and Sipo Egg.  They also offer hotdogs, fried egg, Tocino and fried galunggong (fish) as alternative ulam.  Traditionally, in Carinderias like Manok's Canteen, people line-up in front of a counter where ulam varieties are viewed via a glass covered display area.  The food server then scoops up the ulam into a platito(saucer) and cups rice onto your plate.  Carinderias also offer specialty drinks such as softdrinks, bottled orange juice and other packed fruit juices.  But remember, to save up some moolah, drinking water is 100% free!

        The next time you find yourself in Angeles City,  don't forget to try out some ulam from Manok's canteen.  You may opt to take it out, packed in clear biodegradable plastics or simply eat your lunch on one of their cool tansan(bottle cap) shaped monoblock tables.  Don't forget to take a selfie by the Sprite Lebron's mix poster if you still find it there.  Haha! Ingat and eat well.