all that's interesting + some extras
I'm a whisper in water. A secret for you to hear. You are the one who grows distant when I beckon you near.
We are big steak lovers and last night Jun and I had a sudden craving for steak, so we headed to one of our favorite streets in the city, Tahlia, where all teenagers and young professionals seem to flock during the weekends. Jun even remarked that this is the Malate of Riyadh and i couldn't help but agree.
Going back to the steak, we were supposed to eat at Chilis again but decided otherwise at the last minute because we concluded that we didn't really enjoy our dinner there the last time. Mainly because (1) the place is just sooo crowded and its really hard to get a table, (2) the food isn't that great and (3) the service is a bit of a disappointment.
So off we went to Outback. And boy we had a wonderful time!
1. It's located at the 2nd level of Localizer Mall and has its own private elevator.
2. Ambiance is very warm and homely.
3. The waiters are 80% Filipinos which is a big plus because you can almost be assured that you'll get good service.
4. The price is a tad expensive than Chillis but worth it because...
5. The food is just great. I mean really good. The rib eye steak we ordered was perfect and flavorful. And the Salmon with Basmati rice is a knock-out. I even tried their pseudo-cocktail Dessert Rose which was recommended by our waiter and even that is delightful.
7. We ended the dinner with their Dessert Sampler consisting of a Carrot Cake, Strawberry Cheesecake and Chocolate Thunder. It's not extraordinary but it's not bad either.
The Verdict? Outback is definitely a winner.
“When I see you, the world stops. It stops and all that exists for me is you and my eyes staring at you. There’s nothing else. No noise, no other people, no thoughts or worries, no yesterday, no tomorrow. The world just stops, and it is a beautiful place, and there is only you.” - James Frey (A Million Little Pieces) via Dominique James (FB)
Consider us captivated by the charm and fun ambiance of Ketchup, the famous american casual fine dining restaurant franchise located at Olaya, Abdullah Al Humdan Street.
The first thing that will grab you outright is the subtle glowing red presence of the restaurant from the street - inevitably rousing your curiosity and eventually luring you in. Initially, this rather loud character may come as intimidating and out of place considering the strict and conservative nature of the city. But then again i think it’s an excellent way of attracting new customers who are unfamiliar about the restaurant.
Surprisingly, once inside, Ketchup transforms into a warm and familiar red-laden-ketchup-inspired setting and all the initial strong impressions caused by its startling exterior vanishes. Nevertheless, the vibe is still sophisticated and cool.
Ketchup’s menu is a classic testament to the safe and familiar flavors of American food with a modern and exciting twist. Some of the items, we believe, are even tweaked to the palate of the local client (like the Gourmet Burger that we ordered), which is expected and wise since i think the locals here would find the usual American food to be bland and less exciting compared to the strong flavors of local food.
Service is good but we find that the waiters were hovering a bit too close for comfort (not sure if they are always like that or it just happened that we were the only ones dining in the Singles Section at that hour). Nevertheless, it was still a surprisingly pleasant experience.
Having said that, we highly recommend trying Ketchup; we'll surely be back soon.
Visit Ketchup's Facebook Page to know more about the restaurant.
(Edit: Some of the photos here are from Ketchup's FB Page)
It is important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability, or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life. Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are.
For the past few weeks, I have been on a trip of Hayao Miyazaki films. For those who are innocently unaware of Miyazaki, here's a short backgrounder about his genius:
Hayao Miyazaki (宮崎 駿 Miyazaki Hayao, born January 5, 1941) is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director andanimator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly five decades, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli, an animation studio and production company. The success of Miyazaki's films has invited comparisons with American animator Walt Disney, British animator Nick Park as well as Robert Zemeckis, who pioneered Motion Capture animation, and he has been named one of the most influential people by Time Magazine.
While Miyazaki's films have long enjoyed both commercial and critical success in Japan, he remained largely unknown to the West until Miramax released his 1997 film, Princess Mononoke. Princess Mononoke was the highest-grossing film in Japan—until it was eclipsed by another 1997 film, Titanic—and the first animated film to win Picture of the Year at the Japanese Academy Awards. His next film, Spirited Away, topped Titanic's sales at the Japanese box office, also won Picture of the Year at the Japanese Academy Awards and was the first anime film to win an American Academy Award. Many of his other films have won or been nominated for many awards.
It started when i got intrigued about Spirited Away, the movie that won him an Oscar and the rest is, well, a meaningful, anime-bliss history.
Miyazaki's films are magical, engaging and rich with messages about the intrinsic relationship between humanity, nature and technology. His films are wildly imaginative and beautiful and it is an experience to watch every one of them.
Below are a couple of Miyazaki films that i highly recommend watching.
Spirited Away
Princess Mononoke
An enjoyable but rather unusual story with fascinating, multi-layered characters that you don't often see in Western films of any kind, much less animated films. As always with Miyazaki, the artwork is breathtaking - he creates magical lands like no one else around - and the soundtrack is gorgeous. Be forewarned: although animated, this is a somewhat mature story for older kids; there are a few scenes of surprising violence that may not be appropriate for especially small people.
How'ls Moving Castle
One of the best Miyazaki films. While this fall short of the impact and bigger-than-life theme and message of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, it beautifully compensates by having adorable characters and a story that centers on true love, friendship, forgiveness and integrity. Miyazaki is a master in putting across relevant and thought-provoking messages while not being imposing; his messages, almost inherent and intrinsic to the story. Howl's Moving Castle is like the sound of birds chirping in a perfect, sunny morning - comforting, lovely and vivifying.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky
Like other Miyazaki films, this movie invokes a sense of awe and wonder in adults and children alike. It transports you into a whole new world where nature and technology are tightly knit together and how the excesses of human interests and ambitions can disrupt and destroy what is supposed to be beautiful and productive.
Kiki's Delivery Service
This ones targeted to a younger audience and is filled with delightful characters. There's nothing here not to love about this spirited girl, her whimsical (and often snarky) cat, her friendships and adventures as she discovers how to have faith in herself. Totally charming, a true delight from start to finish. (via GetGlue's Jenna Marie X)
Ponyo
The story of Ponyo is loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid - but it has all the lush artistic flair and magical childlike quality of a Miyazaki film. From the very opening scene, created with thousands of hand drawn animation cells, it's a breathtaking feast for the eyes. The use of color, light, and ethereal music is delightful. There is a quiet simplicity to many scenes, a focus on love and family bonds, a subtle message of environmentalism, and a whole lot of youthful exuberance to be had. A beautiful award-winning movie! (via GetGlue's Jenna Marie X)
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Certainly one of Miyazaki's major works, if not his best. From the story to the characters (strong females, no less) to the awe-inspiring animation, this one hits on all levels. Thematically focused on humanity and our treatment of the environment, it leans toward suggested improvements rather than condemnation, and is therefore more effective. To top it off, the landscapes and creatures are just so imaginative and fully-developed. It's hard to look away. (via GetGlue's Dan Chung)
Last August 30, Jun and I spent his birthday at our favorite restaurant in the city, The Noodle House (yes, again! Told yah that resto is our go-to place for satisfying food and great ambiance). We ordered their Al-Fitr menu and boy that was one spread of a meal, we were actually surprised as we expected that the portions will be served in reduced quantities knowing that the items belonged to a promo menu, well, we were wrong.
We weren't able to finish all of them so we took most of the food at home.
After our meal, with our 2 take-out bags in tow, I told Jun that we should have coffee in the nearby Faisaliah Mall, so off we went. Once in Faisaliah and after Jun settled in a corner table of the fastfood area, i immediately went to iTechia and picked up my gift for him (yeah, that was the plan when i told him to have coffee).
So Jun's birthday went pretty good and as planned and best of all i got him his gift on the day of his birthday. All good.
