LUKE AND ROBERT, HALLOWEEN

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM LUKE AND ROBERT BRAINARD, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ELMO AND TIGGER!

COOKING LENGUA ESTOFADA FOR THE MARYKNOLLERS

Today I am cooking tongue. I should say "Lengua" to make it sound more dignified, but it's tongue nonetheless - a huge cow's tongue around a foot long, still with the grizzly covering that needs to be peeled off. It's in boiling salted water right now, and later on I'll peel that outer skin off. That's the ugly looking part, with little pimply bumps, the sight of which can make a person reject eating tongue for life. But since I grew up eating Lengua Estofada and Lengua Escarlata and Lengua Con Setas, and no longer have the cook Menggay around, I have to do the dirty work. The sight of the ugly uncooked tongue doesn't bother me because when I look at it, I can imagine the cooked tongue on a platter, with velvety red-brown sauce covering it, some mushrooms, plantains, and onions, maybe carrots and sweet potatoes surrounding it. Very elegant. Mouthwatering.

I've learned to appreciate the ritualistic feeling of preparing the comfort foods of my youth. It feels healing, like I'm connecting to some part of myself that sometimes I forget is still there! The part that eats tongue!

I had a difficult time finding today's tongue. My Filipino market, Seafood City on Vermont, didn't have tongue; neither did Von's; and fortunately Albertson's in Santa Monica had tongue. The wonder of it is that it was inexpensive; it was only ten dollars for one cow's tongue. Think of it, one big cow gave up it's life so I can cook that tongue. I wouldn't give up my tongue for just ten dollars! But maybe it's cheap because many Americans do not eat tongue. I think only Deli's serve tongue, in sandwiches, and we have some friends who have distant memories of tongue being served in their homes, but they no longer serve them in their homes.

My American family does not eat tongue. That is an understatement. My American family abhors tongue. They are terrified of tongue. When they see the huge cow's tongue coiled in my huge cooking pot and they see strange foamy scum floating on top, they turn away in total disgust. "It's Ok," I say, "I'm throwing away that water. It's just to remove the outer skin."

I'll admit that when the children were young I used to tease them by holding the uncooked tongue in front of my mouth, so maybe that little joke has permanently damaged their relationship with beef tongue forever. I'd tried to convince them that it tastes just like beef, but just by looking at the slices of tongue, they could tell that the texture was different. I assured them it's tender, and tasty, and melts in their mouth. They were unconvinced. Once I cooked tongue along with some beef stewing meat; that is the two kinds of meat cooked in the same liquid/marinade - and they swore they could detect the taste of tongue on the beef and refused to eat the beef stew. So really, I stopped cooking beef tongue for the family. And there's no point going through all that work just so I can have my Lengua. But this weekend, I'll be seeing a couple of Maryknoll college classmates, Maria Ciocon and Med Villanueva, and like me, they were raised to appreciate such fine food as Lengua - so I'm cooking tongue for them - for us.

After I peel the rough outer skin, I will brown the tongue in my big enamel pot, then I will sautee onions and carrots, then I will pour in burgundy, soy sauce, beef stock, garlic, bay leaf, pepper (I have to check my recipe book - and then I improvise as I go along) - and stick all of that in the oven for a good 2 hours or longer. Then, I'll adjust the taste, and I will let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days to let the meat soak in all that wonderful juice. Then it will be ready for serving, with some full-bodied red wine, and rice, because we eat rice with most everything, and rice will sop up all that delicious sauce.

That's the plan.



Read also:
Cooking with Cecilia Brainard - Quiche
Cooking with Cecilia Brainard - Linguine with Clams
Cooking Lengua Estofada
Food Essay - Fried Chicken Caribbean-style
How I Learned to Make Leche Flan (or How I Met my Husband)
Cooking with Cecilia - Leche Flan (Vietnamese Style) 
Easy Filipino Recipes from Maryknollers
Cooking with Cecilia - Beef Bouruignon
Cooking with Cecilia - Chicken Soup for my Bad Cold

(Photo shows Cecilia with her famous Beef Bourguignon
Bottom Photo shows Cecilia, Med Villanueva, and Maria Ciocon)

tags: Food, wine, cooking

MOVIES: DARJEELING LIMITED & DAN IN REAL LIFE

I thought "Darjeeling Limited" would be an Indian film, in the tradition of "Water" by the Canadian Indian filmmaker, Deepa Mehta. It wasn't. It was set mostly in India, and had some Indian minor characters, but the main characters were three brothers, presumedly wealthy Americans. They are in India on some kind of spiritual quest and also in quest of their mother who has a history of abandoning them. The movie actually starts with a short clip of one of the brothers and his girlfriend in an hotel in Paris. This is called Part I, and Part II is the main part with the 3 brothers hopping on and off the Darjeeling Limited train, and other means of transportation as they travel through India visiting spiritual sites, and finally visiting their mother who lives with nuns at the foot of the Himalayas.

The film is a bit slow, but there was enough there to hold my attention. The interaction among the brothers is interesting - it's amusing, with some tension. Their interaction with others: the assistant of the oldest brother, the train stewardess, the local people also adds to the tapestry of the movie. This isn't a plot-driven movie, and so the closeups, the raised eyebrows, the sighs, the dialogue are all important. We find out that these brothers had lost their father, and the mother had not shown up at his funeral. The brothers find themselves in a funeral of a boy in India. It was interesting to watch the rituals involved, and while there was no big emotional impact, on a subtle level the viewer was supposed to relate this to the father's funeral that these brothers had witnessed.

So the movie flows in a subtle way, small things happening to them, their journey through India, and the viewer gets to know the brothers a bit more - not a lot - and they are charming and funny, and the Indian scenery is different and colorful and captivating. So, nothing big here, no important message, but it was a pleasant enough way to spend almost two hours.

The other movie, "Dan In Real Life", is described as a romantic comedy. It is about a widower who attends a family gathering with his three daughters. There, he meets and falls in love with his brother's girlfriend. She also falls for him - and this is where I start to have problems because I'm not comfortable of the flirtation between Dan and his brother's girlfriend, right in front of the brother and entire family. The girlfriend breaks off with the brother, two hours later she's necking with Dan in a bowling alley, but then that seems to be OK because the brother quickly picks up another hottie, and so Dan and his daughters go off to find the love interest.

This movie reminded me of "Sideways", another romantic comedy; that one was about a man about to get married who takes off with his friend to the California Central Coast wineries where he picks up some woman as a last fling. Again, it was a technically well done film, and yes, I'll admit there were funny parts, but if I really thought of it, it was appalling that a man would be so unfaithful to his bride-to-be.

Maybe it's beause I've been raised by nuns all my life. That must explain why my values are different and why I see through these technically well-done films, and see the characters for what they are - shallow with (what I call) questionable morals. Sister Cecilia here, raised by Belgian and American nuns from Kindergarten all the way to College; avid fan of Thomas Merton, C.S. Lewis, Gandhi, Jesus and Mary too.

Do I sound cranky? Let me end this in a lighter note, I heard from a writer friend in France, Michael Genelin (murder mystery author, Sirens of the Water)who met another writer friend in a Halloween party on the Seine, Bonnie Melvin (author, A Normal Life).

What a small world we find ourselves in!

CANADA & NEW ENGLAND

I didn't have internet access for a while, thus the silence. We boarded the Grand Princess in New York and headed north, to Boston, Bar Harbour, St. John, Halifax, Sydney, Cornerbrook (Newfoundland), on to Quebec where the cruise-part of the trip ended. From there we took the car to Montreal.

After that unusual heat wave in New York, the weather continued to be erratic - at times chilly, rainy, and then warm once again, even in Montreal, just a few days ago. During the early part of our trip, the leaves hadn't turned. A cold snap is needed for the leaves to change color, and it wasn't until Bar Harbour when we finally saw leaves that had turned color in the Acadia National Forest.



There's much to talk about - the sights we saw, the history of the places, and all the fun we had in the cruise ship as well - I don't know where to begin really.

The place that enchanted me most was Quebec. Quebec, the only walled city in North America, sits perched on a hill, with ramparts around it. We stayed in the Marriott in Place D'Youville and right in front was an ice skating rink where people skated - the children were the best to watch, some with their training poles (like walkers). Quebec has numerous stone buildings from the 1800s and earlier, and it feels very European. The people speak French and are fiercely proud of their Quebecois culture. I laughed when I saw a newspaper article about Quebec wanting their own citizenship requirements. My French daughter-in-law says the French spoken in Quebec is different from that spoken in France; and it would be, of course. But some food dishes seemed authentically French - French onion soup with a thick layer of cheese; escargot in garlic-butter; croissants of course, other dishes. They did have Quebecois food - I had reindeer stew, and there was an interesting dish called Raclette, which consists of an assortment of vegetables, cheese, meats that's slowly cooked and eaten with a potato pancakes.


When I went antiquing in Quebec, a dealer made some comment about not having a lot of sterling silver items, just silverplate, because the people in Quebec were poor. I also saw a folkloric performance, dancing and music which sounded a lot like Louisiana Zydego. The costume looked like farm clothes; and instruments were variations of kitchen utensils.

But I suspect that these settlers of this cold place were tough and tenacious, having had to fight the British, and to resist being Anglosized.

The one thing that made me sad was the situation of the Catholic churches there. There are numerous beautiful churches, but few people go to church, and so some of these churches are being turned into condominiums (the facade is preserved); and others operate more like museums. They are beautiful but lack life; and they feel sad. But there are churches that are still used and you can feel the difference when you walk into the church - the Shrine of Sainte Anne de Beaupre for instance is a living, vibrant church. In fact this is a major pilgrim site for devotees to St. Anne, mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus. Many miracles have taken place here, and there are walls showing crutches and canes, proof of miraculous cures.

All for now, more next time.

P.S. Oct. 31 - John Allen writes to say, "I've been enjoying reading your blog since you and Lauren went to Philly. I have one historical correction. Despite what you heard in Quebec there are three walled cities (charming as they are it's a good, pleasant thing there are so few) in North America: St Augustine (founded 1565), Quebec, (1608) and Charleston, S. C. (1680). All three are fun places to visit."

I did more research and the following statement is correct: Quebec City is home to the only preserved and maintained walled city in North America.
Other walled cities in North America are in St. Augustine, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina.
READ ALSO a 2013 article re Quebec

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!

The last time I visited New York City was a few months after 911. My friend Susan Montepio and I went to Connecticut for a conference at the University of Connecticut, and afterwards, we went to New York. We stayed with her niece in uptown New York. New York then was very somber; there were few tourists around; people were surprisingly helpful and kind to us. We visited Ground Zero and still saw the fluttering notes on the wire fence surrounding the gaping land where the Twin Towers had stood.

This visit, New York, is quite different. It is crowded; it is teeming with life, and energy. There's been an unsual heat wave here and people have been in a kind of summer mode, eating al fresco, promenading about, many windows are open, and occupants actually wave their hands at us as we cruised by in the double decker circle line tour bus. And New Yorkers are once again gruff and rude! It's actually refreshing and funny, and really it's just their way of talking. The tour guides scream at the occupants: SIT DOWN! DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO SIT DOWN? And while my sister in law was haggling with a street vendor over a faux Coach purse, she said, "Oh, it's only $25 over there," the guy says, "You're a liar." It was so rude, we had to laugh.



Ah - but let me give you a brief rundown:

Day 1, we took an uptown and downtown tour with a stop in Battery park, walked to Ground zero, etc. The tour was great because I've visited New York before but never really saw the whole thing - I'd seen parts of it in snatches, but the bus tour goes all around Manhattan, giving you a very good idea of what the place and people are all about.



(We are staying in 414 Inn, on 46th near 8th, walking distance from Broadway and Times Square.)

Day 2: we took the ferry to the Liberty Island where the Statue of Liberty is, and we also went to Ellis Island. The statue of Liberty is still gorgeous - the sight of her is breathtaking - just beautiful, well-balance, her green patina a wonderful contrast against the blue sky. I've been to Ellis Island but it was the first visit for Lauren and his sisters, so it was fun to experience the place with them and their mom.

In the afternoon, we saw the musical Wicked, which was great! Glinda was very funny; we had a stand-in but she did an excellent job portraying the self-centered but charming Good Witch. I'd read the book and it was nice to see the musical version of the book.

Had dinner, and outside the restaurant, all up and down Broadway were street vendors. Sundays, the ticket-people are off, and so all the illegal street vendors come out. We started buying faux Louis Viutton and coaches purses, so cheap - $20, $25, and we picked up other purses for $5 dollars! And pashminas for $5 each - (even if fake, nice). etc. etc. We topped the evening with ice cream.

Oh, here's a bit of trivia about New York: it has 30,000 restaurants and only 5 gas stations.
~~~
(Photo above with Statue of Liberty shows: Merwyn Bergquist, Paula Alix, Lauren Brainard, me, Kim Del Tiempo

Middle Photo shows: Paula Alix, Kim del Tiempo, Lauren Brainard, Merwyn Bergquist
Bottom Photo shows: Kim Del Tiempo, Lauren Brainard and Paula Alix)

UPDATE GETTYSBURG, PA

We visited the Eisenhower National Site, which was the home and farm of Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower. They bought the farm in 1950, after Eisenhower's 30 year military career. The farm/ranch is huge, and while the cattle is no longer there, apparently there had been 100 heads of cattle there, some of them prizewinning. The house of Eisenhower is spacious enough and unpretentious. It's a two-story house with a living room, a sun room, a dining room, a den, and office, and servants' quarters, kitchen; upstairs there are several bedrooms. It's decorated in the 1950s style, and the living room has gifts from foreign dignitaries, such as an antique rug from the Shah of Iran, painting from Prague, table from South Korea, etc. After Ike, American presidents were no longer allowed to keep such gifts.

Today's highlight was the tour of the battlefields of Gettysburg. This battle took place in various sections in this town over a period of three days. Some of the fighting took place in town, some of it on fields nearby. The area is huge, and now there are markers from various States to honor those who died or fought there. The figures are staggering: in a 3-day period some 52,000 were killed, maimed, or missing. General Robert E. Lee had gone north and attacked in Pennsylvania; he lost this battle. The South continued fighting for 2 more years, but had to surrender.

It's interesting history and names such as Jeb Stuart, Gen.George Meade, Gen. George Custer, Pickett, Ewell, Jenny Wade, etc. featured in this famous battle.

We saw a light diorama show before we took the actual driving tour, and it was a big help because the area covered is large (battle theater). The diorama gives you the idea of where north, south, east, west are, and where the skirmishes and fighting took place.

Apparently, it took some 50 years, before locals allowed Southeners to build memorials on the battle ground.

I am still considering if such waste of life is worth it all. Lauren says it is, because the South wanted to secede and continue slavery. I am not sure it is quite as simple as that, and I keep thinking of the Declaration of Independence staged in Philadelphia where a group of people broke off from England to have their own way of life.

More dire news about Burma: the military junta continues to terrorize the people there, and I have no idea what the world can do. While the UN and the world dither about what to do, monks, people who have simple staged a peaceful protest are being hurt and killed.

I know that this military junta will not get away with it, but I do not know - and I am curious - how and when they will reap what they have sown.

Valley Forge, Amish, Buddhist Monks in Burma

From Philadelphia, Lauren and I drove to Valley Forge where we visited the Center and drove around the National Park. The site is where George Washington's army camped from the Winter of 1777-1778. Some 2,000 cabins were built, and Washington had his headquarters there. The early part of their stay there was desperate and around 50% of the men abandoned camp (from 12,000 to 6,000). Then there were several things that happened. The Prussian Von Steuben joined Washington's army; Von Steuben trained 100 men military tactics and these men in turned trained others. The other important thing that happened was that France sided with America, which turned the tide of the war. The British had also done a couple of things that weakened their side: they decided to focus on saving their Caribbean colonies; and they withdrew from Philadelphia.

The Valley itself is beautiful, green, lush, although in 1777, the trees had been cut and the forest denuded.

What I understood, which was a new idea to me, was that the Americans were at this point quite organized. I always had the idea that they were a ragtag guerrilla group, but they were more sophisticated than that.

On the way to Gettysburg, we drove through the Lancaster area where we saw quite a lot of Amish people in their horse and buggy, or biking or working in their fields. The farm restaurant where we had lunch had a magnificent view of some farms where a couple of Amish farmers were working. There was something reassuring watching them with their teams of 4 horses as they cleared their land; perhaps it's their simplicity, their closeness to the earth that gives me that feeling. The Amish, Quakers, Buddhist monks - they seem to me to be people of God (I am generalizing of course).



The farms the Amish have are huge and they have silos and barns, giving the impression that they are well-off financially, although they are very low-key and keep to themselves. The Mennonites are the ones who have more contact with the tourists; they run shops, stores, and use machines, unlike the Amish.

Now here's an interesting sight: Amish barn-raising with the use of the crane - yes, we saw this. But there was a chance this was a Mennonite barn-raising, and Mennonites use machinery.

AND NOW another update about the Buddhist monks in Burma, this news from the BBC and USA Today. Can such tyranny continue?

"• The BBC reports that about 4,000 Burmese monks detained during pro-democracy demonstrations will be shipped from Rangoon to prisons in the north. For now they are being held at a race course and a technical college, according to sources from a government-sponsored militia. They spoke with BBC radio's Burmese service.

The monks have been disrobed and shackled, the sources said, and the monks reportedly are refusing to eat.

• There is recent news that Buddhist monks are trying to leave Rangoon, and have been seen in railway and bus stations. Bus drivers have reportedly been refusing to take them for fear they will be refused petrol.
. Curfews and night time raids continue in Rangoon, and there is a climate of fear as well as anger there. The Monks are still refusing to accept alms from the military; many are on a hunger strike; the detained monks are refusing to change out of their traditional robes. Meanwhile, there are reports of people taking turns to guard monasteries against night time raids."

PETITION ON BURMA

Terrible news about Burma continues. The Buddhist monks in prisons are staging protests by refusing to eat. More reports are popping up about the numerous monks killed. Here's a petition that came from a Philippine source:


From: "Ricken Patel - Avaaz.org"
Date: October 1, 2007 9:49:40 AM GMT+08:00
To: "herbert@focusweb.org"
Subject: Burma: A Global Roar

Dear friends,

Burma's generals have brought their brutal iron hand down on peaceful monks and protesters -- but in response, a massive global outcry is gathering pace. The roar of global public opinion is being heard in hundreds of protests outside Chinese and Burmese embassies, people round the world wearing the monks' color red, and on the internet-- where our petition has exploded to over 200,000 signers in just 72 hours.

People power can win this. Burma's powerful sponsor China can halt the crackdown, if it believes that its international reputation and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing depend on it. To convince the Chinese government and other key countries, Avaaz is launching a major global and Asian ad campaign on Wednesday, including full page ads in the Financial Times and other newspapers, that will deliver our message and the number of signers. We need 1 million voices to be the global roar that will get China's attention. If every one of us forwards this email to just 20 friends, we'll reach our target in the next 72 hours. Please sign the petition at the link below -if you haven't already- and forward this email to everyone you care about:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/t.php

The pressure is working - already, there are signs of splits in the Burmese Army, as some soldiers refuse to attack their own people. The brutal top General, Than Shwe, has reportedly moved his family out of the country – he must fear his rule may crumble.

The Burmese people are showing incredible courage in the face of horror. We're broadcasting updates on our effort over the radio into Burma itself – telling the people that growing numbers of us stand with them. Let's do everything we can to help them – we have hours, not days, to do it. Please sign the petition and forward this email to at least 20 friends right now. Scroll down our petition page for details of times and events to join in the massive wave of demonstrations happening around the world at Burmese and Chinese embassies.

With hope and determination,

Ricken, Paul, Pascal, Graziela, Galit, Ben, Milena and the whole Avaaz Team

_____________________________________

MASSACRE OF BUDDHIST MONKS IN BURMA

Very, very disturbing news from Australia's Herald Sun about Burma or Myanmar - here quoted:

"October 02, 2007 12:00am
A SENIOR Burmese intelligence official claims thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle.

After defecting from the military junta and fleeing to the Thai border, Hla Win told a reporter from London's Daily Mail: "Many more people have been killed in recent days than you've heard about. The bodies can be counted in several thousand."

The horrific details emerged as Burma's top general continued to snub the UN's peace envoy, who is in Rangoon on a mission to convey the world's outrage to the junta.

With protests quashed and many monasteries empty, fears are growing for those who have disappeared into Burma's grim jails.

Observers say many detainees have been taken to the city's notorious Insein prison, the Government Technological Institute, the police battalion number seven compound, the Kyaikkasan racetrack and possibly elsewhere.

Mr Win said he fled when he was ordered to help massacre holy men.

Other exiles along the frontier confirmed that hundreds of monks had simply "disappeared".

Pro-democracy campaigners inside Burma yesterday released a graphic video showing the semi-naked body of a badly bruised monk, floating face down in a Rangoon river.

Mr Win, 42, a former chief of military intelligence in Rangoon's northern region, said: "I decided to desert when I was ordered to raid two monasteries and force several hundred monks on to trucks.

"They were to be killed and their bodies dumped deep inside the jungle. I refused to participate in this," he said.

Dissidents hiding along the Burma border said thousands of monks had been locked up and were being beaten inside blood stained temples."

Above Photo of Dead Monk, courtesy of Democratic Voice of Burma and BBC

Philadelphia and Map of Old Cebu

Lauren and I arrived Philadelphia yesterday and toured today: Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and American Constitution were signed, Constitution Hall, Christ Church where Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Betsy Ross, John Adams, Francis Hopkinson and others worshipped; cemetery of Christ Church where Benjamin Franklin and other signers of the Declaration are buried; Betsy Ross house, Benjamin Franklin's house, etc. The history is fascinating of course, but what hit me most of all is the fact that the Constitution is not a done-deal; it is a living document. It took a while before African Americans actually got their freedom, it took a while before women could vote; there is a need for constant vigilance about freedom.


This is my first visit to Phillie and didn't know what to expect. I thought maybe it would look like Boston, but it's different. The old section is gentrifying, and many of the old brick buildings are still intact. We also drove around the downtown section, saw the high rises, and the museums. Phillie is not without charm, at least the old section. It is clearly gentrifying, and even with the restored colonial buildings and the art galleries, restaurants, and hotels, there are still some seedy sections. But it feels safe to walk around even at night, and it feels as if it will develop even more.
On another topic, here is a map of Old Cebu, known as Escondrilla's map, dated 1873, courtesy of Melva Java and Louie Nacorda. Another Cebu trivia: Sangcianko street used to be Vasco de Gama, info courtesy of Resil Mojares and Louie Nacorda.

MYANMAR BLOG FOR CURRENT NEWS

The political situation in Myanmar breaks my heart. Here's a news excerpt dated September 22. There have been more protests and subsequent crackdown of Myanmar's military junta. Recently they have been raiding Buddhist monasteries to prevent the monks from protesting:

"Detained Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi stepped out of her home in tears on Saturday to greet Buddhist monks marching past the compound where she is confined by the military junta, witnesses said.

Armed guards usually block the road leading to the rambling lakeside house, but in an unprecedented move, they allowed about 1,000 monks to walk past the home where she was been detained for most of the last 18 years.

Under rainy skies, Suu Kyi walked out with two other women and cried as she paid her respects to the monks as they marched past in the mid-afternoon, the witnesses said.

The monks stopped outside her home for about 15 minutes and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "May we be completely free from all danger, may we be completely free from all grief, may we be completely free from poverty, may we have peace in heart and mind."

The witnesses said she did not appear to speak to the monks, who have been leading a series of protests against the military government since Monday."



For more current news, go to Ko Htike's blog:

http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/

OLD CEBU TRIVIA

Louie Nacorda sent in this Old Cebu Trivia about Zulueta Street in Old Cebu:

"Anyway, I found some Old Cebu trivia that could be of interest to us:
Zulueta's old name was Calle Pizzaro;
Mabini was Calle Maria Cristina;
Logarta was Calle Cadiz;
Lopez Jaena was Calle Hernan Cortes,
and the whole area was under Pueblo de Parian.

These info compliments of Don Domingo de Escondrillas, Cebu cartographer,
circa 1873."

COFRADIA SAN JUAN BATISTA IN CEBU

Louie Narcorda, founder of the Cofradia of St. John the Baptist in Cebu City, sent some pictures of their recent celebration of St. John's feast for his beheading. Here's some information about St. John the Baptist: He was the son of Zachary and Elizabeth, cousin of Mary. The Angel Gabriel told Zachary his wife would have a son even though she was old. St. John lived as a hermit in the desert. When he was 30, he began to preach. Jesus went to him in the river Jordan to be baptized. John recognized Him and said, "It is I who should be baptized by you." John was beheaded by Herod at the request of Salome. St. John's feast is celebrated on June 24. His beheading is celebrated on August 29.





~~~~
Photos:1) top left foto - L-R: Dr. Joy Gerra, Doña Luz Mancao vda. de Sandiego,
Dr. Mae Cabahug Mendoza, Janet Trocino Hermosa and Jenara Regis Newman;

2) top right foto - front row - L-R: Val Sandiego, Soly Taladua, Inday
Abarre, Joy Gerra, Cookie Newman, Luz Sandiego, Linda Martinez, Janet
Hermosa, Ofelia Sandiego, Josefa Gorordo de Revilles.
back row, L-R: Louie Nacorda, Ferdinand Ventura, Jerry Martin Noel
Alfafara, Gavin Bagares, Chilet Hermosa, Bingo Redoble;

3) Lower left foto - L-R: Val Sandiego, Margie Matheu, Chilet Hermosa,
Cookie Newman, Msgr. Cayetano Gelbolingo, P.A., Vicar General of the
Archdiocese of Cebu and spiritual director of the Cofradia de San Juan
Bautista, Janet Hermosa, Pepita Revilles, Inday Abarre and Louie Nacorda.

4) Lower right foto - L-R: Louie Nacorda, Jerry Martin Alfafara, Chilet
Hermosa and Nandy Ventura.

1896 CEBU GENEALOGY - JUANA LOPEZ DIOSOMITO

My friend Gavin Bagares in Cebu sent me the following historical materials that have to do with my great-greatgrandmother, Juana Lopez y Diosomito. The first report is dated 1896 and involves Juana buying two houses in Cebu City from Prudencio Sanson Camara (ancestor of Gavin). The second article below is dated 1901 and involves a real estate deal with Prudencio Sanson Camara once again. 

 This is the oldest historical document I have about any of my ancestors. I always thought Juan Lopez came from Naic, Cavite, but the documents below indicate she came from Tondo, Manila. The little I know about her came from my mother (Concepcion Cuenco Manguerra) and also from my aunt Lourdes Cuenco who had written saying Juana Lopez loved to dance. It was never spelled out who the father of her daughter Remedio Diosomito was, but there were some references of a Spanish Admiral - hmmm - 

 Aside from dancing, Juana was a sharp business woman, as we can well see from these documents that indicate she was investing in real estate. My mother said Juana bought houses and rented them out. Her daughter Remedios learned to do the same thing, and my granduncle (her son), Archibishop Jose Cuenco wrote in his autobiography that after his father died, Remedios supported her large family from these rentals. My own mother also learned to do this, and soon after my father died, my mother made daring investments in San Lorenzo and Bel Air villages in Makati, Manila. Mama said she went to Ayala and Mr. Fitch advised her not to be afraid to invest. Mama did: 3 lots in San Lorenzo and 5 in Bel Air. The photo shows Juana Lopez, seated right side, with Filomena Cuenco (standing), and Concepcion (child holding doll). The other child is Maria, a sister of my mother who died young. Here's another history trivia: President Sergio Osmena's father was a Sanson, not an Osmena. He was a love child and while the Osmenas and Sanson accepted this fact, at some point, it was the second wife of Sergio Osmena who didn't want this information to be public knowledge. In fact, many historians know about this. 

 --------------------------------------------------------- - 1896: Doña Juana Lopez Diosomito of Baybay, Leyte, purchased (for 3, 000 pesos, pacto de retro) two houses in Cebu City, one of mamposteria and solar on calle de Prim, facing the Plaza de General Loño, and the other of cal y canto and solar on calle de Prim, in the barrio of Maloco, from: Don Prudencio Sanson Camara, negociante, married, n and v* of Cebu City (Cebu Protocolos, Doc 11, 1/27/1896/1411: 74-77) * n and v represents natural and vecino, respectively - GSB 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Protocolo Cebu [or PC] 1424, No. 111, 26 Abril 1901, S52-S55 ... de una parte D. Prudencio Sanson Camara, mayor de edad, de estado casado, propietario y vecino de esta ciudad... Y de la otra D. Juan Niwel Sidebottom, natural de Manchester, "Ynglaterra," mayor de edad, de estado soltero, comerciante y vecino de esta poblacion en nombre y representacion de la Casa Smith Bell y Compania, en virtud del poder otorgado a su favor por D. Francisco Stuar Jones, socio gerente de la entidad mercantil colectiva Smith Bell y Compania... Primero: Que teniendo D. Prudencio Sanson Camara cuentas pendientes con los Senores Smith Bell y Compania de eta plaza, las cuales no es posible liquidar en este acto; para garantia de la espresada Sociedad por el alcance que pudiera tener a su favor al practicar la liquidacion definitiva, hipoteca [mortgage] las dos fincas siguientes: una casa de mamposteria con su correspondiente solar senalada con el No. 8 en la calle de Prim frente a la laza del General Lono de esta ciudad... mide 9 metros 20 centimetros de frente por 14 metros 80 centimetros de fondo: Segundo: una casa de cal y canto, con su solar correspondiente sita en el barrio de Maloco y en la calle de Prim de esta ciudad... dichas fincas las adquirio por retroventa de Dona Juana Lopez... Segundo: Las deslindadas fincas responderan siempre del saldo que contra el D. Prudencio Sanson Camara pueda resultar en la liquidacion definitiva que practique con los Senores Smith Bell y Compania, en los negocios que actualmente tiene con los mismos... PC 1424, No. 102, 22 Abril 1901, S16-S19B ... de una parte Dona Juana Lopez y Diosomito, mayor de edad de estado viuda, natural de Tondo Manila vecina de Baybay provincia de Leyte y con residencia en esta ciudad... Y de la otra D. Prudencio Sanson Camara de estado casado, mayor de edad, propietario y vecino de esta ciudad... Primero: Que por escritura otorgada en esta ciudad ante D. Joaquin Domenech y Costa Notario publico que fue de esta provincia en 27 Enero 1896, compro al D. Prudencio Sanson Camara las fincas siguientes: primero una casa de mamposteria con su correspondiente solar senalada con el No. 8 en la calle de Prim frente a la plaza del General Lono de esta ciudad... mide 9 metros 20 centimetros de frente por 14 metros 80 centimetros de fondo: segun de una casa de calicanto con su solar correspondiente sito en el barrio de Maloco y en la calle de Prim de esta ciudad... por precio de tres mil pesos, con la condicion de que si antes del 15 Julio 1897 le devolvia el vendedor dicha cantidad deberia otorgarle escritura de retroventa... Tercero: Y utilizando el derecho de redencion retrovende al D. Prudencio Sanson Camara las fincas deslindadas ... por el mismo precio de tres mil pesos... regards, gavin

SOME OLD BRAINARD PICTURES

Husband Lauren was given a bunch of old pictures and I've posted some of them. I never met Grandpa Mac (McKay), the father of Lauren's Mom. What I know about him was that he had a band and played several musical instruments. The musical gene carried through to Lauren's mother (Merwyn) who sings beautifully. The baby below is the baby picture of General Robert Francis Brainard, Lauren's father - interesting isn't it? - a general's baby picture. He was the only baby in his generation so he not only had doting parents (George Francis Brainard and Ella May Fuller) but aunts (Ines and Mary) and uncle (Jerry). Except for Merwyn, they're all gone. I knew the General, Grandma Dina (Ella May), Aunt Mary, Uncle Jerry and wife Tillie Robson - but didn't know Ines nor Grandpa Mac.

Time moves on - and as full as our lives seem to be, we're sometimes reduced to black and white pictures and only a handful of people will have some memories of us.


Here are some old photos of Lauren and his family!


Lauren and Larrie Brainard with Grandpa McKay

Robert Francis Brainard, as baby

NEWS ARTICLE RE CHRISTOPHER BRAINARD, Santa Monica Daily Press

Judge temporarily blocks owner’s intentions to the relief of tenants
By Kevin Herrera
Santa Monica Daily Press Staff Writer
August 8, 2007

DOWNTOWN LA The embattled tenants of The Teriton apartments can breathe easy ... for now.

A federal judge believes tenants of the San Vicente Boulevard complex have enough evidence to move forward with a housing discrimination lawsuit against their landlord and has granted them a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking any attempts to evict them.

Central District Court Judge George Wu ruled Monday that there was a “probability of success” and that there may have been a violation of the Fair Housing Act when the apartments’ landlord, Or Khaim Hashalom, repeatedly informed tenants and city officials that it had plans to evict those living at The Teriton and replace them with Jewish refugees from the Middle East.

A representative from the alleged religious organization said it no longer has plans to house Jewish refugees at the North of Montana site, but rather low-income families of all backgrounds.

Tenants have been served with eviction notices under a state law allowing landlords to remove them when getting out of the rental business, and could have received unlawful detainers as early as Tuesday, according to Christopher Brainard, an attorney representing the tenants.

“This is big,” Brainard said. “This means that, for now, my clients don’t have to go anywhere. Or Khaim Hashalom had a right to commence unlawful detainer actions (Tuesday) and everyone would have been kicked out. But now, that is stopped.

“They can’t evict anyone until a further order of the court.”

Rosario Perry, the chief executive officer of Or Khaim Hashalom, could not be reached for comment. In a previous interview, however, Perry said the organization had no plans to file an unlawful detainer for at least two weeks after Aug. 7, as part of an agreement with City Hall, which was planning to ask for its own injunction.

Or Khaim Hashalom, which formed in January 2006, is being sued by both tenants and City Hall in federal and state court, respectively, for housing discrimination because of previous statements made by Or Khaim’s executive officers that they planned to demolish the since-landmarked structure and replace it with condos for sale to Jewish refugees persecuted in Iraq and Iran.

Teriton residents are asking the court to award compensatory damages in the amount of $5 million per tenant, as well as punitive damages and attorney fees, for the alleged discrimination based on the tenants’ race, national origin, religion and disability.

The City Attorney’s Office is requesting that the court order civil penalties be paid in the amount of $2,500 per violation for each day an infraction occurred. City Hall is also asking for additional civil penalties for each violation against a senior citizen, along with punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.

Or Khaim has filed its own lawsuit against City Hall, challenging the Teriton’s landmark designation, which prevents them from demolishing the 28-unit apartment building, which was built in 1949 and designed by architect Stanford Kent.

The organization charges that the building does not meet the necessary criteriato be a landmark, and also that the landmark status creates an unfair financial hardship on a religious institution.

The lawsuits filed by City Hall and the Teriton tenants challenge Or Khaim Hashalom’s status as a religious institution.

The City Council approved the landmark status last month after finding that the low-rise structure, designed in the vernacular Modern/International style, was a rare representation of the somewhat luxury housing for the working class that became as emblematic of early 20th Century Los Angeles. The building is situated in a potential historic district known as the San Vicente Courtyard Apartment Historic District.

The building has been surveyed by City Hall three times in the last 25 years, and at first was deemed not significant on its own, but as part of an historic district, according to city staff reports.

However, during the last survey, the building was found to be individually significant because of a lack of such buildings in the area, and because little is known about the type of building and period of development in Santa Monica.

Judge Wu has ordered parties on both sides to return to court for a status conference later this month, Brainard said. Attorneys for Or Khaim told the court that they will file for reconsideration regarding the preliminary injunction.

Christie Savage, a former tenant of the Teriton who recently moved out due to fear of being evicted, leaving without a place to live, attended the hearing and was pleased with the judge’s decision. Still, she’s concerned about her former neighbors’ future.

“I couldn’t really understand all of what the judge was saying but it sounded like he wants more information, so that’s good,” Savage said. “But I feel like we are sort of on hold once again, waiting to see what happens.”

kevinh@smdp.com
all rights reserved

FROM POINT CEBU "COLON'S PROMINENT RESIDENTS"

I stumbled across this article which is quite interesting: (credits to Point Cebu and Ybarra)

Colon’s Prominent Residents

During the late 19th century, Colon was first and foremost a street full of residential houses built in rows. For every store, shop and office on the ground floor, there was a family or two living upstairs. Some came from the most prominent families of their time and ours, others from once-prominent families now long forgotten, having moved out of Cebu, their descendants scattered all over the archipelago and abroad.

From the Colon section of Parian lived the Gantuangcos, whose descendant, Concepcion Gantuangco-Briones, wrote in 1980 an important first-person account of life in the old Parian district. The Gantuangcos lived on No. 66 Colon Street. Across the house lived the Lu. Do Family, whose children Paterno and Cayetano, would later make a name in the coconut oil manufacturing industry in Asia. It was here that Lu Do (or Oya Owa), who came from Amoy, China, built a copra-buying station on property leased from Fr. Venerado Reynes in 1896.

On this same row lived the Rallos family led by patriarch Florentino Rallos, who became Cebu’s Municipal President (Mayor) in 1907-08. The Rallos property was said to straddle the Parian Estero up to Manalili Street. Up until World War II, the family had kept an old caruaje, an heirloom piece at their Colon residence.

On the same row also lived the Osmeñas and the Singsons. The shipping office of Don Victoriano Osmeña was on the ground floor of this big stone house, which had two main doors – one opening to Colon, the other to the dark and narrow Sudlon Street. At the corner of Colon and Norte America (now D. Jakosalem) was the stone camarin and bodega of Don Tomas Osmeña, with a yard so big that it occupied an entire block. Don Sergio Osmeña, meanwhile, lived still farther, along the corner of Colon and Pelaez streets, where he had his law office on the ground floor. It was also here that Cebu’s first daily, El Nueva Dia, which he published, had transferred from Calle Comerio (later M.C. Briones).

Don Mariano Albano Cuenco, a lawyer from Carmen, Cebu came to Colon in the 19th century and built an imposing house located between the corners of D. Jakosalem and Mabini. Its ground floor later became the office of the Imprenta Rosario, a printing press founded by Cuenco in 1907 and taken over by his wife, Doña Remedios, who became the first woman publisher I Cebu. The printing press published, among others, the revived El Boletin Catolico in 1915, Cebu Daily News in 1923, and the English-language newspaper Republic News. The politically prominent Cuencos continue to own the property today.

During the first decade of the 20th century, the ground floor of Don Agapito Garces’ house at the corner of Mabini and Colon streets served as venue for early films. Another Garces, Doña Josefa, owned another property along Colon around 1914.

Father along the old part of Colon lived Don Victorino Reynes, foremost realtor, art collector and a famous philatelist. Don Victorino owned a shop at his residence o No. 86 which was across Teatro Oriente. At the junction of Legaspi and Colon lived the prominent theater owner Don Jose Avilla. Near this house, the Estero of Parian tapered off and vanished.

Across the Los Hijos de Pueblo clubhouse on the corner of D. Jakosalem lived Don Esclastico “Capitan Tikoy” Veloso, whose hose once served as office of the Real Audiencia. The ground floor was later converted into a shop where stagecoaches were made and repaired. Beside the Hijos clubhouse was the residence of the Martinez-Franco clan, with its ground floor hosting a busy foundry for making cawa (cauldrons). Don Domingo Franco owned the house together with his wife, Doña Lucia Chiong Veloso and her sister, Doña Charing Veloso-Martinez.

At the corner of the Junquera and Colon lived Don Mamerto Escaño whose family originally hailed fro Leyte. Increasing investment exposures in Cebu forced the Escaños to establish a foothold in Cebu. Like all the rest, the family made the most logical choice – Colon.


- Ybarra

CHECK OUT "THE CEBU HERITAGE WALK"

I stumbled on this website "The Cebu Heritage Walk" - check it out, . It has incredible pictures, a lively discussion of Cebu's architecture, history, movies, Carcar, churches, etc. etc. Arnold Carl seems to be moderating this group. There's a series of pictures of historic buildings in Carcar that's absolutely breathtaking.

My Russian dentist spoke of her ambivalence about visiting Russia. She lives somewhere between Moscow and Siberia, up in the Euro mountains, where she says people drink a lot. She talked of how small the place was and how the students bonded while in school. When she returns to visit, she is always surprised at "what has happened" to them - how did they get old, fat, or whatever. She said she saw a male classmate in the street, and she was happy to see him, but he didn't remember her, had shaky hands, and asked for some money from her. She also talked about the boy who was her seat partner, how big he was, but he was a C student. She on the other hand was small, but an A-student. So, she said, she was well-protected by this boy, and she did his homework for him. But she says that when she goes to Russia, she uses her American passport because she has more protection this way. All I can add is that when we were in St. Petersburg for a couple of days while on a Princess Cruise, the Russian immigration officers were univerally mean to all those who got off the boat to tour St. Petersburg - dour, and mean, and bureaucratic, nary a "Welcome, to St. Petersburg!"

I'm back, I'm back in Santa Monica, and wading through all my stuff. I also start my online class tomorrow, and that's new to me. I'm looking forward to this. I have 15 students and already they've started to introduce themselves and discuss their work space.

MORE PICTURES OF PHILIPPINE VISIT

Photo above l-r: Chinggay Utzurrum, Terry Manguerra, Gavin Bagares, Cecilia Brainard, Erma Cuizon
Photo, middle l-r: Louie Nacorda, Resil Mojares, Joy Gerra, Gavin Bagares, Val San Diego
Photo next l-r: guest, Cecilia Brainard, Louie Nacorda, Pepit Revilles, Chinggay Utzurrum
Photo next l-r: Angel Manguerra, Yaya Elena, Tina Manguerra, Miguel Manguerra
Photo next l-r: Tanya and Jojo Manguerra, Patti Aberasturi, Terry Manguerra, Chessy and Marty Manguerra, Cecilia
Solo Photo shows Titang Gonzalez
Bottom photo shows Araceli Lorayes, Sister Consuleo Varela, and Lilu Gimenez

WAITING IN CEBU FOR CARGO

I was supposed to have returned to the US early Sunday, but had to stay on because of delayed cargo from Manila, which I must receive here in Cebu.

I will point fingers here because this kind of mistake is unforgiveable, especially for an outfit that charged an arm and a leg. Never, but never use Lane Movers and Storage in Manila! I trusted them, contracted with them a door-to-door service to ship from furniture and household items from Manila to Cebu. The manager, Dennis de Guzman met with me once, and when I paid him, never showed up again. The packers did show up - and they seemed efficient. But Dennis never showed the day of the packing. The other thing Dennis did that was annoying was to give an initial quote, without mentioning that crating and insurance would be extra - and the costs were large - so the final price was a shocker. Insurance was mentioned to me AFTER the packers had whisked away my things.

But here's the really unforgiveable part. I made it very clear to Dennis that I was scheduled to leave for the US on a particular date and I had to receive the cargo in Cebu before then. He understood me clearly. Then this is what happened. I was told I'd get the cargo on Monday, then it was delayed, then I was told it'd get in Wednesday, then Thursday, and meantime, I'm scheduled to leave Sunday. The recent report from Lane is that my cargo will get in Monday - tomorrow. I had to cancel my Sunday flight to the US, with great difficulty as it is high season, not to mention the upset to my schedule and my family's disappointment.

So let us see if the cargo arrives tomorrow.

Meantime, Lane blames Sulpicio shipping for bumping off my cargo. A nephew said Sulpicio does do this. It seems unthinkable that I contracted Lane to send my cargo on July 16, and here it's July 30 and I don't have my cargo. This is not international shipping.

My big advice: DON'T USE LANE MOVERS AND STORAGE AT ALL.

People and Places I've Seen This Past Week

Mila and Sito Santillan, Lilu Gimenez; Cynthia Posa, Araceli Lorayes, Nadne Sarreal, Karina Bolasco, Marily Ysip Orosa, Ambeth Ocampo, Guia Lim, Ina Garcia, Titang Gonzalez, Rene Wage.

Places: Japanese Restaurant in Rockwell; Ermita's Remedios Circle; Las Pinas Boys Choir performing in Phil Am Life auditorium; Sentros in Greenbelt 3; Breton's in Greenbelt 3; Old Manila; Glorietta; Dusit Hotel; Greenbelt Chapel; Don Bosco Chapel; Landmark; SM,Katutubo.

and I'm sure there are more people and places which I've missed.


Photo Above l-r: Nadine Sarreal, Cecilia Brainard, Karina Bolasco
Photo Below l-r: Sito, Cecilia, Mila

What Does One Do in Manila?

And what does one do in Manila?
1. Eat at Fat Michaels - now, unfortunately I can't give you the address of Fat Michaels because it's in the middle of nowhere. It's not that far from Makati, but it's not in Makati. It's near a building that says something like Makati View apartelle. It's a 1950s house that's been converted into a restaurant - very homey, artsy, eclectic indeed. And so successful, you need to make reservations. So successful they've opened a Fat Michaels in The Fort - fine dining here, which means more expensive. Order their Black Paella, and their salad is very nice, also their iced tea.

2. Eat at Cafe Juanitas - This restaurant is in Pasig, owned by a doctor turned restaurateur. It's an enchanting place filled with flamboyant, colorful, and unusual items - I understand the things in the restaurant are all for sale. Every corner is filled with a surprise - quite a fun and magical place. Try their callos, and fried fish.



3. Have a drink at the Handlebar in Bel Air Makati - bikers' bar this one; then have paella in nearby Alba's and La Tienda.

Photo above shows Cecilia and St. Theresa's HS classmates and Sister Consuelo Varela dining in The Fort
Photo next shows Guia Lim (VP Union Bank) in Cafe Juanita

MORE OF CEBU

What does one do in Cebu?
1. Go South and visit the old churches in Carcar, Argao, Boljoon and more. Aside from the Spanish colonial churches, you'll see old houses, and the countryside is green and beautiful, the seaside pristeen;
2. Eat at S.T.K. Ta Bay on #6 Orchid Street where they serve the best authentic homecooked Cebuano meals. Order shrimp sinigang soup, not the mixed seafood because you end up with unedible shells and crablets. Also try their fried garlic shrimp, scallops, and grilled tuna belly. All very good!
3. Well, you have to do the Historic town tour: Santo Nino Basilica and Museum, Magellan's Cross, Fort San Pedro, Cathedral and Museum, Casa Gorordo Museum. Take a peak at the Cebu Malacanan near Fort San Pedro, and the Yap-Sandiego house on the way to Casa Gorordo. Between the Cathedral Museum and the Yap-Sandiego house is the Shamrock where you can pick "pasalubong" - native delicacies for gifts. The small street fronting Santo Nino Basilica has little outdoor stalls that sell Cebuano delicacies such as bibingka, budbud kabug (Fridays), tagaktak, masareal, and more.
4. Other restaurants to try: Ocean Seafood on Sanson Street, near Gorordo; Bols Arciaga Restaurant that also sells native products.

Photo shows Cecilia, Manager of Thai Restaurant, Erma Cuizon, Gavin Bagares, Susan Evangelista, and Bingo after great Thai food

CEBU CITY BOOK LAUNCH AND OUTINGS

Saturday, June 30 - Karina Bolasco, publishing manager of Anvil, arrives Cebu from Manila, 9:10 a.m. I go to Mactan Aiport to meet her. At 1 p.m. Erma Cuizon picks up Susan Evangelista at the Mactan Airport; she's flown in from Palawan. We lunch, then Karina runs off to meet with a librarian. There is a heavy downpour at around 3:30, and we are slightly worried because the book launch of Ala Carte: Food and Fiction is at 5 p.m. The rain stops at around 4:30, but roads are wet, traffic bad. When we get to the Aboitiz Center for the launch, the guests have not arrived. WILA, who is the cosponsor of the event, decides to let the guests eat merienda first, which initially puzzles some of us, but it turns out to be a wise decision, becuase it gives people time to arrive. The program starts at around 6 p.m. Gingging Dumdum is the emcee; Ester Tapia speaks on behalf of WILA, and Karina Bolasco speaks on behalf of Anvil publishing. Then the reading begins, and we have: Carlos Cortes, Erma Cuizon, Susan Evangelista, Karina Bolasco, and Cecilia Brainard (me). Brief words by me, closing by Gingging, and then book signing. Around 50 people braved the wet roads and awful traffic, but they are a fantastic audience and were also generous in buying books. Seen among the crowd: Lucy Franco Garcia; Helen Franco Misa; Inday Blanco; Louie Nacorda; Linda Alburo, Jun Dumdum, Juliet Basa, Gavin Bagares, Andy, Tina, Angel Manguerra; Jojo, Tanya, and Inez Manguerra, and many more.

After the launch, Erma, Susan, Karina, Jun and Gingging Dumdum, and I came to my place for snacks, wine, some unwinding, and literary talk.



Sunday, July 1 - Karina, Susan, Erma, and I go to Plantation Bay for brunch; Karina leaves noonish back to Manila. The remaining three of us spend the rest of the day lounging in front of sparkling blue sea and watching a man raking the white beach clean. Later, a trip to Marco Polo so Susan to give Susan a bird eye's view of Cebu; then dinner at Ocean Seafood off of Gorordo.

Monday, July 2 - Susan, Erma, Gavin Bagares, and I do a tour of Southern Cebu, visiting Boljoon, Argao, and Carcar - great countryside, and old churches! Dinner in a lovely Thai restaurant in Talamban.

Ahhhhh - no rain on Saturday and Sunday!!!!



Photo above,l-r: Erma Cuizon, Susan Evangelista, Cecilia Brainard, in Boljoon
Photo in middle show Susan and Cecilia kicking back in Plantation Bay
Photo in bottom shows backside of someone

OLD CEBU TRADITIONS

The chapel of St. John the Baptist in the Parian District in Cebu City, is small and unimpressive, and so people may disregard it as another community chapel, one of many in the Philippines. What most people do not know is that this chapel sits on land that had belonged to the Jesuits in the 1700s, and in those days a huge church had stood there. It had been a very wealthy church, funded by the wealthy Chinese Filipino merchants who lived in Cebu's Parian District. As it turned out, the Jesuits were driven out of the Philippines, and the Church fell in the hands of the Diocese of Cebu. The church was torn down. Bit by bit the land was taken over the city and by squatters so that now, the land the chapel rests on has been considerably diminished. Unbeknown to many is that in that small chapel there is a cross that dates back to the Jesuit days of the 1700s. It's stands behind the altar.

Yesterday, the feast day of St. John the Baptist, people overflowed outside the chapel of St. John. After Mass, there was a procession. The three Santos images are centenery statues of Christ, St. John the Baptist and a charming dreamy angel that makes me think of a Mexican lass. This year, the confradia of St. John the Baptist, headed by Louie Nacorda, added banners with images depicting various points of St. John's life. There were a number of little girls dressed as angels who were supposed to accompany the banner-carriers, but for some reason, they ended in the back of a van, without any lights nor decoration - the poor girls went unnoticed.

The procession starts from the Chapel, curves around the Heritage Monument, past Val Sandiego's antique house that is all dolled-up, and then it turns right on Lopez Jaena toward the Casa Gorordo. In front of the house, the silver carrosa carrying the images stop, and the members of the Confradia sing some songs. At the same time, some people from the second story of the Casa Gorordo throw calachuchi petals down on the statues. Apparently, in the 1850s, it had been the custom for the procession in front of Bishop Gorordo's house - the Casa Gorordo.

The procession continues, winding its way through the Parian district, and then it returns to the chapel, and the images and silver carrosa are returned to the Casa Gorordo.

Meantime, outside the chapel, there are food vendors selling briskly to the locals; and further down Lopez Jaena, the Confradia hosts a dinner and performance to members and guests. The delightful folk singing and dancing are all courtesy of Val Sandiego's Dance Troupe.



It's a lovely revival of an old tradition, one that Pepit Revilles and Louie Nacorda have resuscitated. They say every year more people show up, and spotted last night were Chinggay Utzurrum, Gavin Bagares, Erma Cuizon, Linda Alburo, Beth Reyes, and some 95 other people.

Thank you Pepit and Louie for this charming tradition!
Photo shows antique Santos statues of St. John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and an Angel
Bottom photo shows Val San Diego's Dance Troupe

LET'S BRING BACK OLD SPANISH COLONIAL CEBU

Today, June 24 is the feast day of St. John the Baptist, who happens to be the patron saint of the old section of Cebu City, the Parian District. For the past 9 days, a novena has been said at the Parian Chapel next to the Heritage Center. For the past 3 nights, other devotees to St. John the Baptist, have also been praying at the Casa Gorordo. Louie Nacorda heads the group of 13 devotees to St. John the Baptist. They meet a couple of times a year and are committed to saying prayers to St. John on Thursdays.

The triduum prayers this past 3 nights were held on the lovely verandah of Casa Gorordo, which boasts of tiled floor, wood awning with creeping vines, pleasant breezes, and magnificent view of the garden.

I happen to love Casa Gorordo and have used this as the setting for several of my stories. Built around 1850, the house has airy rooms, tiled roof, and has numerous features unique to the architecture of the area. It is a favorite tourist spot in Cebu City. When I am in the Casa Gorordo, I am back in Old Cebu. In fact, the Parian district, wherein Casa Gorordo lays, brings me way back, to the 1700s when three story mansions owned by wealthy Chinese merchants lived here, and when boats carrying merchant goods sailed up and down the criss-crossing canals.

The Parian district, which is near the famous Santo Nino Basilica, Cathedral, Fort San Pedro, and the Cebu Malacanan Palace, is gentrifying. The area had been the ritziest in Cebu from the 16th century until World War II destroyed many mansions and the old families moved out to more popular subdivisions. Perhaps this has been a blessing-in-disguise, because the resulting stagnation prevented massive demolitions for modern buildings. True, many houses are run down, but the basic features are there, and the roads and bridges are still there.

The Aboitiz Family acquired Casa Gorordo in the 1980s and turned this into a museum. Eventually, they also bought and built the Aboitiz Study Center across the Casa Gorordo. Other develpments in Old Cebu followed: A Heritage Center was built next to the Parian Chapel; the Cathedral convent was restored and recently the Cathedral Museum opened. Val Sandiego also acquired the landmark antique house across the Parian chapel and has been busy restoring it. President Gloria Macapagal built a Cebu Malacanan on the old Post Office next to the sea. The Santo Nino Basilica has undergone restoration and expansion, and is filled with worshippers every day. Historical identifying important landmarks in the area were put up.

There was talk of having an outdoor market next to the Heritage Center, but this idea died. It would be good for Cebu's local government to reconsider this idea because it would stimulate tourism as well as help with Cebu's economy. Close off traffic, have little stalls selling food and souvenir items, and more tourists will come. As it is tourists do visit the area because when you are in Cebu, you must see Magellan's Cross, the Santo Nino, Fort San Pedro, the Cathedral, Casa Gorordo, etc. Cebu's claim to historical fame is that it is where the Spaniards first settled, and that the Portuguese navigator (who sailed for Spain), Ferdinand Magellan, was killed in nearby Mactan.



Indeed the Old Section of Cebu is filled with history - the 1700s Jesuit seminary is still there, although this is now a warehouse. The old bridges that went over the canals, albeit, the canals are dirty.

When I walk around the Old Cebu, I see the great potential in the place. If only the city government would post more police to increase security; if only the city cleaned up canals and roads, if only the city helped people like Val Sandiego and other history lovers who would like to bring to life Old Cebu once again, but who need assistance. I even have a little dream: If only the Aboitiz family would do some development in the area, which might encourage others to do the same.

It can be done. The City of Vigan, Northern Philippines, (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) for instance restored many of its Spanish colonial houses. In Vigan, the city officials concentrated on developing one street as a showcase area. The surrounding areas went along with the gentrification. Vigan is a favorite tourist spot for international visitors to see Spanish-colonial Philippines.

If only the government of Cebu and the Cebuanos themselves ... if only they could see the great potentional in the Old Section of Cebu City!

Photo Above shows mural of Old Colon Street in Val San Diego's Historic house;
Photo in Middle shows painting of Old Colon Street in my Cebu apartment, with artist of both mural and painting, Chris Almaden

UPDATE - TRAVEL TO CEBU, PHILIPPINES

I was surprised to find new changes in LAX, International airport. Just last January, when you arrived the International Airport, LAX, you had to drag your suitcases to the X-ray line; you had to wait for clearance from the TSA checkers, and then, you had to point out which were your bags, and TSA personnel carted your suitcases to the airline checkin counter; you walked along with him.

Now you proceed to the Airline checkin counter, then airline personnel places the tags on your bags, then you bring your bags to the X-ray section.

It's a lot quicker this way. Last January, we needed 3 hours to get processed; but during this recent trip, I was processed in around 40 minutes.

Here's a tip - don't bring bottled water, but bring an empty bottle so you can refill it in the airport. I paid $2.80 for the smallest bottle of water in LAX, and the Korean checkers took that away from me during my stopover.

Arriving in Cebu is much, much easier than arriving in Manila - it's not crowded at all, and people are friendlier.

FATHER'S DAY - Mariano Flores Manguerra

Today is Father's Day and I'm remembering my own father, Mariano Flores Manguerra, born March 8, 1894, and died October 29, 1957. He was born in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, son of Pablo Manguerra and Maria Espina Flores. Papa's full-blood siblings were: Pablo Jr., Concepcion, Estefania, and Pura. His father, Pablo, had other children. Papa's mother (Maria Espina Flores) had a brother named Jose Flores, who had a daughter named Mariquita Flores (first cousin of Papa, then). Mariquita married Justice Villamor and they were the parents of the Philippine hero-pilot Jesus Villamor. Papa was a civil engineer. He attended Valparaiso University in Indiana, and when he returned to the Philippines became a professor of Engineering at the University of the Philippines. Papa had a first wife, Catalina Abad Santos, who died; they had no children. 

 Papa's second marriage was to Mama (Concepcion Alesna Cuenco). They had 4 children: Maria Victoria, Mariano Jesus, Ana Maria Teresita, and me (Cecilia Catalina). 

Aside from attending Engineering school in Indiana, he worked there. He also worked in South East Asian countries. During World War II, he was in the guerrilla movement in Mindanao. He brought his wife and 2 children with him to live in places like Malaybalay, in Mindanao. His third child was born in Mindanao; a fourth child (a boy) miscarried during the war. I was born after the war. Aside from being a Professor of Engineering, he worked as a District Engineer in Talisay, Cebu, and later became an independent Contractor building highways in Cebu and in Dumaguete. He had also built buildings in Jaro, Iloilo and Baker's Hall in Los Banos, Manila. The highways and buildings are still there. 

 Papa died of a heart attack while on a holiday in Hong Kong, on October 29, 1957. 

 (Photo l-r: Ana, Mariano, Cecilia, photo taken circa 1956)

La Vie En Rose - Edith Piaf

We saw the movie, "La Vie En Rose," which is about the life of French singer Edith Piaf.

Generally I find movies about entertainers predictable, because it usually traces the rise of the performer and it's always cliched with the standard divorce and drug addiction. But this movie feels different, no doubt because the setting is France. It's non-linear, flipping back and forth in time, and the performance of the actress Marion Collard was spectacular. By the end of the movie, the audience was in tears.

Edith Piaf grew up dirt-poor in France. Her father was in the military when she was little and the mother abandoned her with the grandmother so she could pursue her singing career, which went nowhere. The maternal grandmother didn't take care of Edith. When the father had a furlough, he found Edith sickly and unkempt; he brought her to his own mother who ran a brothel. The women in the brothel, especially one in particular, took care of Edith. When the father returned, he took Edith away from the brothel and brought her to the circus where he was a contortionist. The father had a disagreement with the circus owner and he and Edith left. It was while they were begging in the streets of Paris when the father forced Edith to sing. It turned out the 9-year old could sing, and she continued singing in the streets of Paris for money. She had a break when a cabaret owner offered her the chance to sing in his cabaret; he was the one who named her "The Sparrow." She later found another mentor who trained her to perform for the music hall. From then on, it was history, with Edith performing not just in Paris, but in New York.

Despite this success, the hungry, frightened, abandoned little girl was always there. She seemed always looking for approval, for love, and performing meant everything to her. Her life was one of loss. She was rejected by her mother; she lost the woman in the brothel who took care of her; she lost the cabaret owner who gave her her first big break; she lost her lover when he died in a plane crash.

She was also a lush, just like her mother whom she despised, Later on Edith became addicted to stronger drugs. She was a broken person by the time she was in her 40s and died when she was only 47.

Here are some thoughts about this movie:

- There is something touching about a broken person, and it was really Edith's brokenness that won me, more than anything else. I was curious about a person who was a basket case, but who had tremendous talented. She didn't seem to be a nice person: when she was famous, she was bossy, and always drunk. But there was always that little girl that stared at the audience after a performance, looking for approval.

- I also wondered about artists who self-destruct. They can be so talented and have so much, and yet, remain quite unhappy.

I also thought about how God dispenses with His gifts liberally - you never know whom God will touch with His gifts.

- Another thought that came to me is that when people have gifts from God, they need to use this for other people, instead of getting caught up in the glamour of things and become greedy for more attention. Things have to be kept in perspective: God is the source of this gift, and this gift must be shared with others. The gift should not be for the person's greater glory, but for God's greater glory.

- Ultimately, a gift from God is also a responsibility.

- Still another thought: it is important always to add spirituality to one's life, whether one is famous or not. Being grounded in God will help people in their journey, whatever it may be.

About the movie "La Vie en Rose" - I highly recommend it.
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More Information re Edith Piaf:
Born: December 15, 1915 in Paris, France
Years Active: 30 's, 40 's, 50 's, 60 's
Died: October 11, 1963 in Paris, France
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Photo: Album cover of Edith Piaf