The Best Little Duck Place in London!

Bobby de Ocampo is a man of many talents. Former Finance Secretary, a laudable accomplishment that can only be adequately captured by successive and excessive capitalization. Debonaire gentleman singer, who manages to shine despite his wardrobe's lack thereof. And most importantly, at least during the time we spent in London, Guide to Gastronomic Delights of the Epicurean Persuasion Extraordinaire!

London's Chinatown is famous for its Oriental cuisine. In fact, many of my friends who claim Chinese ancestry do not hesitate in recommending one restaurant or the other along Shaftesbury or Gerrard streets due to the exceptional quality of the food served. Alas, most of these places are really restaurants that are better experienced with the tender loving wallets of one's parents.

As Mr. de Ocampo had spent some time during his "ill-spent youth" in London as an otherwise gifted, yet itinerant scholar, I wasted no time accepting his invitation to have lunch at his old hangout in Chinatown. I was not disappointed.



The duck was moist and tender, and there were generous amounts of it poured on steaming white rice. Some of the tourists who ate lunch there at the same time as we gleefully attacked the cholesterol laden feast before us asked for sauce, but we didn't even bother. I consider myself something of a roast duck connoisseur, having sampled duck at some of the finest eating places in Asia. Two years ago, I had the pleasure of dining with the Chairman of the Shimao Group in Hongkong. The duck served at this quaint little hole-in-the-wall in London compares favorably with some of the most expensive duck I've been freely extended invitations to sample.



And if my good friends Paulino and Mica are reading this entry, do yourself a favor and hop on the Tube after work today. You won't regret it.

London Food Trip: Chelsea Bun!

While I'm waiting for the official photos from International Week 2009 to be released, allow me to share some of the wonderful culinary adventures I had while in London.

My first decent meal in London was shared with friends along Brick Lane, an area noted for its exotic cuisine. And while the meal itself suffered in comparison to the outrageous marketing claims plastered on every other curry house along the street, the time spent catching up with friends was worth it. The experience of meandering through the vibrant streetlife of Brick Lane, replete with cultural oddities and some inspired graffiti, was an enjoyable way to end the meal. Many thanks to Paulino and Mica!

Mica played an even bigger role in my next remarkable meal in London, which was at this delightful cafe along Limerston Street called Chelsea Bun.


The weather on that day was absolutely wonderful. Mica commented that it was days like these that reminded her why she loves working in London, and she was right. The sun was out, and city was resplendent in the bright hues of summer. Armed with the security that sunshine affords all men and women who grew up in a tropical country, we took our time perusing the ample selection before settling on the Malibu Omelette and the Chorizo and Goat's Cheese Scramble.

The Malibu Omelette is the very definition of what trust in the Lord's plan entails: it makes absolutely no sense, which is probably why it works. Take four farm fresh eggs, add Scotch salmon, avocados, Mascarpone cheese and cayenne peppers. It shouldn't be good, but it is.


In comparison, the Chorizo and Goat's Cheese Scramble, is a more familiar gathering of old, eccentric friends. The combination chorizo, goat's cheese and cayenne peppers make this omelette at once flavorful, tangy, and just a little bit loopy.


Since as of this writing, the official pictures from Alpha have not been uploaded, expect more gastronomically inclined entries in the near future. After all, one of the most appropriate metaphors for the unity in faith that characterizes all Alpha champions is wonderful, flavorful, uniquely cultivated food. Enjoy!

I Believe in Signs!

It's been awhile since I posted anything remotely resembling a travelogue. That being the case, I will resist doing so. The advent of Facebook has more or less nipped the electronic travel journal in the bud for anyone who isn't Our Awesome Planet, which remains the standard for excellence in my neck of the woods. But for those of you who insist, here's a sample of what I could be blogging about later:



As I was gleefully making my way back to my hotel room in Turnham Green, I was reintroduced to one of those true rarities in popular aesthetics: a remake of a popular work that is not only better than the original, but forces one to reinterpret the original through a totally different perspective. Well, if you don't consider some of the better stuff on American Idol.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce The Mountain Goats, with their version of Ace of Base's The Sign. Enjoy!

To Visit the Queen?

After many delays, I'm finally in London. Today, I'm to deliver a short report on the wonder that is the Alpha Course in the Philippines at International Week '09 at Holy Trinity Brompton.

As I hurriedly fine-tune...

No, that won't do. We might as well be completely honest at this point. As I hurriedly try to whip out a presentation from the decaying, wretched, jet-lagged creature that was John-D Borra, I began to realize just how much my life has changed in the last two years. Once, I was a brilliant, slightly self-important, promising academic whose sole ambition was to teach for the rest of his life. Now, I'm a humbled, grateful soul, eager to confront the many different challenges that the Lord, with an obscenely joyful twinkle in His eye, scatters on the path that He has set me on.

It's alternately infuriating and edifying. It's both an opportunity and a colossal folly. It's both sacrifice and grace. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Well, maybe for small pieces of the world, such as those wonderful slivers of happiness that call Manila their home. But otherwise, I'm pretty much blessed just dragging what remains of my vibrant, happy self through a chilly London morning.

Enjoy!

Celebrating Faith: International Week 2009

My brother-in-law Bodie and I are heading to the British Embassy tomorrow to apply for our UK visas so we can attend International Week 2009 at Holy Trinity Brompton. As many of my longtime readers know, I have been involved with the Alpha Course for quite some time now, and thanks largely to the tireless work of our Lord's laborers, we have made tremendous gains in the Philippines.

Recently, Dr. Benie A. Sy gleefully recounted to me over the phone Archbishop Antonio Ledesma's moving meditation on the need for reevangelization and dialogue amongst Christians in Mindanao. I had not finished luxuriating in this very positive development when Pastor Grace Santos called me to express her joy at the way the Alpha Course has brought many people to know Christ in her church. She had just visited Benie in Mindanao, and reaffirmed her commitment to our Lord's work through the Alpha Course.

It's almost enough to make me want to celebrate with a cold one. From the looks of things, I'll be happily recreating the picture above (taken in 2007) with friends in London this year.

God is good!

Flying Home!

I'll be the first to admit that I have provided better blog entry titles in the past, but I can't really be bothered. Whatever literary pretensions that I have harbored in the past (and a cursory look at my blog history is enough to induce more than an involuntary shudder at the painfully self-indulgent titles I have given inconsequential entries) pales in comparison with the joy that lifts my heart when considering my immediate future: I'm coming home!

Of course, just as soon as I come home, it's off to the salt mines once again, what with my mentor, Dr. Antonio Torralba, desperately in need of a man to do the I AM STRONG talk, "Matters Concerning Young Men" in Pangasinan...

Still, my heart soars already. I'm coming home!

Snapshots

Things have been so wonderfully busy lately, that there simply hasn't been any time to update this blog. The conference has been fantastic, and the people have been so welcoming and honest that it feels very much like home. That being said, I suppose you'll have to content yourself with this quite possibly alcohol-induced random bit of beauty that I snapped a shot of outside the National Gallery.

You just have to love London. Despite the six cans of Strongbow that border the artist's workplace, evidence of a drinking spree that I refuse to admit to as a certainty, a sobering message that bubbles over with true sentiment emerges. "And please, trust me. It will be beautiful but it takes time."

London Bridged: People and Food!

Despite the copy of Time Out London that was so graciously lent me, I decided, perhaps due to the lack of friendly banter and food that hadn't been pasteurized to within an inch of its life on my long sixteen hour flight to London, that the best way to encounter the city would be through its people and its cuisine, period.

In this sense, I have been blessed in the person of Dianne Fairman, our gracious host and proprietor of the B&B (Bed & Breakfast) my friend Hanniel and I are staying in, and Chris' Fish and Chips, a delightful old-fashioned fish and chips joint along Turnham Green Terrace, a little off Chiswick High Road.

Dianne Fairman is the proud mother of three grown children (a boy and two girls; her son directs shows for the BBC on an intermittent basis, while her two daughters are actresses who've met with some success in television) of Polish descent who operates the B&B at 34 Riverside Grove, Strand on the Green, London. In addition to ensuring that the rooms she lets out are immaculate, she maintains a beautiful garden at the back, and tells the most delightful stories about her adoptive city. A loyal football fan, she was quite disappointed with the FA Cup Final which Chelsea won, 1-0, over Manchester United. Other than the dreadfully dull pace at which majority of the match was played, she was outraged that the five sublime seconds of inspired football which allowed Chelsea striker Drogba to nudge a floater past United keeper van der Saar happened when she was walking her friend's dog, Misty. Her outrage typifies the best of British "unflappability": humorous and adroitly self-remonstrative.

It was Dianne who recommended, before the various pubs had permanently altered my perception of what a "proper fish and chips meal is", that I head on down Chris' Fish and Chips. Her recommendation was spot on: the fish was hot and flavorful, as were the chips. It was, without a doubt, the finest fish and chips meal that I've ever had, which isn't saying much, but I really don't care at this point.

People and food: that's how you introduce yourself to the joys of a city. The next item on my list? Ale!

Alpha Conference: A Bridge to London

I would like to apologize to the city of Cagayan de Oro, which, despite the allure of its succulent food and the promise of adventure via white water rafting, nevertheless lost out to London as the next stop on my travels for the summer.

I'm heading to Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican church right across the 2nd largest Catholic cathedral in London. the London Oratory, to attend the Alpha Conference. For those who are unaware of this remarkable initiative, here's a brief description:

"Alpha is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed setting over ten thought-provoking weekly sessions, with a day or weekend away.

It is low-key, friendly and fun – and is supported by all the main Christian denominations."

I'm attending the sessions related to developing Alpha in a Catholic context, which I personally find very exciting, what with my deep admiration for Scott Hahn and layman preacher Bo Sanchez.

Still, the journey of a thousand miles has to begin from the decidedly mundane surroundings of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, an airport which, in itself, constitutes a trial of faith. I remain optimistic though. Hope springs eternal. I feel change whistling in the wind.

Picture of the London Oratory comes courtesy of The Victorian Web.