Taki@dNet

Last week, our company team dined at Circles Shangrila Hotel and we had an awesome buffet.  This week, me, my wife and her leadership group spent time together at Spiral Buffet Philippine Plaza.  The food was so great as well.  Question is, which is the best buffet in town?  Some would argue its now Spiral, others would say its still Circles.

Here is now my assesment

Spiral

1.) Ambiance: 5 Stars
2.) Food: 5 Stars
3.) Service: 4 Stars
4.) Value for your money: 3 Stars
5.) Overall Satisfaction 5 Stars

If your looking for a great ambiance, then Spiral is the place, with great food presentation and spaceous area.  After dining, you can infact enjoy the garden area. Food is really really great.  Guess what, you should try their Ox tail Kare-kare.  I’m pikcy when it comes to Filipino dishes, especially kare-kare and very few restaurants impresses me - but spiral did.  And don’t you know that Spiral is (well according to some) the longest buffet in Asia.  Hence, its also known as "The Longest Buffet". I only gave 3 stars for its value for your money.  The price is 1400++, its quite expensive.  Well, why not, assuming the variety of food available.  I just didn’t like the fact that after our parking ticket got validated, and since we spent more than 3 hours in the place, I still had to pay 50pesos for exceeding 3 hour limit.  They should have not given this parking restrictions for those who’s ticket has been validated.  About the service, I just gave a four star because it took us time to call the waitress to hand on the bill.  Its quite frustrating assuming there are plenty of staff roaming around the area.  But overall satisfaction, I gave it a five.  Its really an experience.

Circles

1.) Ambiance: 4 Stars
2.) Food: 5 Stars
3.) Service: 5 Stars
4.) Value for your money: 3 Stars
5.) Overall Satisfaction 5 Stars

I only gave 4 stars for the ambiance because, for me, it looks just like Dads.  The food was extremely good as well, not much variety though as compared with Spiral, but who needs too many when they got the really good stuff.  I gave 5 for the service.  Value for your money is 3 stars.  Again, its too expensive.  The price is also P1400++ pesos.  Overall satisfaction, I gave Circles a 5.

So which did I enjoy the most? Well, I would say at Spiral simply because I spent it with my wife and church friends.  The buffet for both Spiral and Circles are awesome.  But what makes a dinnig experience even better are the people you dine with.  So just an advice, if you plan to eat at these restaurants, bring friends and special people with you.  Enjoy!

Dan Brown in his book mentioned that the last supper painting of Leonardo Da’ Vinci contained a hidden secret that was for centuries kept.  According to his novel, Leonardo da’ Vinci knew the secret and that he painted clues in the last supper.  The person at the right side of Jesus was allegedly Mary Magdalene and not John the apostle.

Dan Brown made this assumption because John the apostle looked like a woman than a man.  However, I don’t believe Dan Brown really studied the facts, but simply created a novel to shake the faith of Christians.  I’m gonna present to you the bible, the only book that has the authority to answer your question about the secret behind the Da’ Vinci Code.

Let me read a verse from John 13:18-25

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

18"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.’^[b]

19"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."

21After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."

22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means."

25Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"

Take note of verse 22 - 24.  Leonardo Da’ Vinci was a devoted Catholic, such that he even requested for the last sacrament before he died.  When Leonardo Da’ Vinci painted the last supper, he actually based his painting on a particular event that happened during the last supper.  He in fact based his painting on verse 22-24 of the book of John. 

If you examine the Last Supper painting, the apostles are looking at each other and on different directions.(22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.)

John the apostle was reclining against Jesus in the last supper painting. (23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ) We all know that the "apostle whom Jesus love" here in the verse is refering to John the apostle.

In the last supper painting, Peter, Judas and John are grouped together.  Lets leave Judas for a moment and look at the action of Peter.  Peter was infact whispering something to John. (24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." )

Now, regarding the fact that John the apostle looks feminine… Well, the last supper was painted on a wall.  In fact, Leonardo tried to expirement with the type of material that was not that durable.  The actual painting you see in the wall is not 100% accurate.  A little inaccuracy on the face of an apostle may cause it to look feminine.  Take note that John the apostle was considered the student type, the youngest among all the others.  Leonardo always paints the student type without a beard and a long hair.

For more references read the article below taken from: http://arthistory.about.com/cs/leonardo/a/last_supper.htm

Why is it falling apart?

Leonardo, always the inventor, tried using new materials for The Last Supper. Instead of using egg tempera on wet plaster (the preferred method of fresco painting, and one which had worked successfully for centuries), he thought he’d give using dry plaster a whirl. His experiment resulted in a more varied palette, which was Leonardo’s intent. What he hadn’t taken into account (because, who knew?) was that this method wasn’t at all durable. The painted plaster began to flake off the wall almost immediately, and people have been attempting to restore it ever since.

In conclusion, it has always been known that Leonardo Da Vinci was thinking of John the apostle when he painted the Last Supper.  Never did it came into his mind that Mary Magdelene should be painted on the right hand side of Jesus.

I brought my wife to the airport this morning.  Had to wake up 4am so that i can bring her to the domestic airport by 530am.  She’l be at Cebu until tomorrow evening.  I know it’l just be one evening where I wouldn’t be by her side.  But that one night seem to be years.  I miss her already.  I pray for her safe trip to Cebu.  Lord take care of my wife.  I rest her safety into your hands. Amen.

What is the biggest event that ever happened in History?  It was the time when a man died 2006 years ago.  The death of that man made it possible for us to approach the Creator with confidence.  His death made us righteous through the eyes of our Father.  It was the most amazing paradox: when death gives birth to life.

How do you know whether reading the bible or going to church is just a religion?  How do you determine if the things you do for God are plain traditions?

When Jesus came into this world, He emphasized the importance of a relationship.  The pharisees were focused on doing the rituals they have inherited from their forefathers without really understanding the reason for these rituals.  The bible says that the pharisees just kept on babbling words like pagans when they pray, but they don’t really put to heart the things they are saying.  Now, no one is spared into this trap, even Christians.  I read my bible everyday, I go to church every sunday, I attend a discipleship group every saturday, and I conduct a cell every thursday.  All of the things I do can still lead me into the trap of religiousity.  My question now is, how do I determine whether the things I’m doing for God is not a religion?

Let me read you this verse from Mark 7:5-7: So the pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?" He replied "Isiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men

This verse happened when the disciple’s of Jesus began to eat food without washing their hands.  But the pharisees said that they are not doing the things according to their tradition.  It was a tradition for them to wash their hands before eating their food.  But when Jesus’ disciples started eating without washing their hands, they began to ridicule them.  Why did Jesus said that some of what the Pharisees were doing are me rules taught by men?

To determine whether the things we do is a religion or not is based on the PURPOSE of why we are doing what we are doing.

In Psalm 33:10: The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

If our purpose of reading the bible is simply to conform with the tradition, to attend service because everybody is doing it, to lead a cell to show people that you are a leader, then all of these things are of the WRONG PURPOSE, and so it becomes a religion.  And in fact, as what Jesus said, it is hypocracy. 

God is longing for us worshiping Him with the right purpose. So what is the right purpose? Well, it should be because we love Him and because we would like to build a deeper relationship with Him.  God ultimately wants to have a personal relationship with us.  That is the reason why He called us His bride.  He wanted a deep, fresh relationship similar to the relationship between the groom and a bride.  If we miss this purpose for attending church, reading our bible, and putting up a cell, then I’m afraid they are just religious duties.

If we are going to put into heart the reason why we are doing these things then:

-we attend church because we want to spend time with God, and not because its a sin not to attend church.

-we read the bible because we love communicating to God, and not because its our responsibility as a Christian.

-we preach the gospel because we are so excited to share the things God has done in our lives, and not because its just our role as Christians.

Its been a while since I posted something here in my blog.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who has helped me become a better person.  I would like to thank first and foremost Jesus for dying in the cross for my sins. I would also like to thank my wife for being supportive in everything, for loving me, and for thanking care of me.  My parents for raising me up as I am today.  I would like to thank my brothers and sister for they were the people who stood up with me as I grew up.  I also would like to thank our spiritual family because they continue to help me grow as a Christian, I’m so glad i’m part of the VCF taft church. I would like to thank my OG specifically Al, Gerry and Felix, for as much as they learned something from me, I myself learn many things from them.  Thank you thank you to all of you.

Jesus, you Rock! Happy Birthday to you!

Merry Christmas to Everyone.

I’m about to leave the office in awhile.  I’m just so excited today because me and my wife will be spending time together at Century Imperial Palace later… (Haven’t been to that place before, but I trust the recommendation of Kat, our friend).  Can’t wait to spend our time at the SPA later and dine at a nice resto.  My beautiful wife deserves the nicest treat.  Oh… gotta go… bye…

Our leadership group is now in Lesson 3 of the "How to be a Real Disciple" series entitled "Carry Your Cross".  We will talk about how Jesus told us that we can only be a disciple if we carry our cross and follow Him.  I’m excited to see again my friends in our outreach group.  Hopefully there will be new people who would be joining us later.  If your interested our meeting place will be at Solomon’s Guest House (Near CSB hotel), Oct 15 (Today), 5pm.

I just want to tell everyone how happy I am today.  I just feel God’s presence, and I know I will have my rest with Him today.  God is trully an amazing God.  I glorify and magnify my redeemer, creator, friend and father.  Dear God, may everything I do today please you.  I ask more of you today.  I ask more of your presence.  Lord thank you for you have made this day an amazing day both for me and my wife.  I love you Jesus!

Hukaraba!

It’s really great live in a small appartment with a beautiful wife.  You get to learn many stuff you didn’t bother to learn before. I am learning many things such as how to take care of my wife, design the interiors of your home, and of course cooking meals. 

At last, after 24 years, I’m finally learning how to cook GOOD meals.  I personally like Filipino dishes.  Its easy to cook, but its very delicious.  My wife and I agreed to spend at the most 50pesos a day to buy ingredients at shopwise (Harisson Plaza) for our dinner.  The cheapest meal was a full meal for the two of us worth approximately 27pesos. In fact, most of the food we cooked for the evening are enough to feed 4 people.  (Can you imagine that 30 pesos can buy so much!)

Anyway, here are the list of meals we already know how to cook:

1.) Chicken / Pork / Tuna Belly Sinigang
2.) Tuna-ghetti (Tuna Spicy Spaghetti Cream) — My Wife’s Specialty
3.) Beafstew with Togue — My Wife’s Specialty
4.) Bicol Express — My Favorite Dish
5.) Chicken / Pork Adobo
6.) Pritong Daing, Pritong Tawilis, Pritong Tuyo
7.) Fried Barbecue Porkchop
8.) Menudo
9.) Giniling
10.) Pinakbet — My Wife’s Favorite Dish
11.) Asparagus in Oyster Sauce
12.) Classic Spaghetti — My Wife’s Spaghetti is really good!
13.) Garlic Pizza Pandesal — My Wife’s invention, its really good!
14.) Seafood Pasta — A friend thought us how to cook this!
15.) Tinola
16.) Nialaga
17.) Phuttanesca
18.) Pesto Pasta
19.) Hot Sweet and Sour Noodles

There are still many dishes we would like to learn. Post a comment of dishes you know how to cook so that we can try cooking them as well.