See You At Koreen’s Grill

Finally, Koreen’s Grill has transferred to Cebu City. The Resto-Bar is specializing on grilled food, seafood, yummy desserts and of course, accoustic nights.

Their new locations is at The Gallery along San Jose de la Montaña St, Mabolo, Cebu City. This food and entertainment strip is just right across the San Carlos Seminary and in front of IPI.

In case you wonder why I am trying to promote this resto-bar to you guys, I simply want to clarify that I am not the owner of the business and I am not the father of the little girl named Koreen. The resto-bar was named after the only daughter of Mehann and Chito Acosta. These couple also owns Diamed Marketing which is my current distributor in the Visayas area.

Koreen’s Grill used to be located at a town square in Talisay City. People from the “suburbs” would flock the bar because a) the food is simple but very delicious b) the food is really cheap c) every night is accoustic night d) courteous staff  and e) the details of the structure and the interior design is very Filipino. A lot of their clients suggest that they should put up a branch in Cebu City, now that people are already going out to dine and hang out in resto-bars.

It’s a good thing that the couple decided to move the restaurant’s location to a place where traffic and potential customers are dense. The Gallery is but a perfect location for this kind of food and entertainment joint.

Koreen’s Grill had its grand opening yesterday. They are now open for business in the city. Feel free to drop by The Gallery and visit Koreen’s Grill. Their best-sellers are: mixed-seafood, anything grilled from chicken to pork to pusit and panga ng tuna, grilled pork belly and the mixed vegetables. Not to mention their mango float and mango-pandan salad.

Their are live accoustic performances every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. See You Guys at Koreen’s Grill. I wish you would check out this joint and help spread the news to everyone.

Elisa and Her Head Tone

I stumbled upon a contemporary dance performance of Lacey and Kameron of the talent cum reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and I was completely blown away by their  take on the wonderful song which I came to hear for the very first time. Aside from the ever-famous leaping of Lacey’s crotch into the yummy arms and scruffy face of Kameron. Thanks to Mia Michaels. Her choreography was out of this world.

But I really liked the music that they used for the routine. Now I must have played that video for the hundredth time and still I could not hide the fact the I like the Elisa Toffoli’s “Dancing”. This track is really fantastic because personally I want to listen to it when I travel or even on a long drive anywhere or even just during bedtime. Its soothing and calming melody makes you want to take a break from the things you do or from anything that is stressful.

Now this is Elisa singing her wonderful song in Vatican City.

It’s difficult to find a copy of Elisa’s Dancing. I’ve been making the rounds of all record bars hoping that they may have the copy of the album “Then Comes the Sun” which was released in 2001. I’ve given up the search actually because most people no longer troop to the music stores to buy cd. Most people now download music from the net. According to sources, the use of Elisa’s “Dancing” in Lacey’s and Kameron’s dance routine last year had caused a resurgence in the interest on the Italian chantreuse. The song alone had been downloaded a lot of times last year. 

So I just content myself with the youtube video. She used a lot of high pitched head voice in this song, a style that made her apart from other singers. She a very talented Italian. She expressed her art in several forms like dancing, painting, writing poems and stories.

Now here’s a post about Elisa.

She has entered her native country over the course of three domestic multi-platinum selling albums and now with the release of her first British album, ‘Elisa’ (a greatest hits compiled from her three albums), Italy is finally allowing their protégé to leave the nest. They send her out with great pride, but also a twinge of sadness. For once Elisa’s beautiful, bittersweet, life-affirming songs bury their fangs into the rest of the world Italy knows it won’t be seeing nearly enough of her.

What special magic does Elisa weave? It’s very simple. Her songs are sung in English, but they speak the international language of soul. Not soul as in a brand of music, but soul as in songs that come from that human region. Songs that map every contour of the heart, songs that communicate love, pain, desire and feeling with a passionate insight rare in one so young.

“My songs are all about not trying to escape emotion,” Elisa explains. “I want to use my songs to express something true about myself, about all of us. They’re about the reactions to emotions and not about trying to escape those feelings. And the sound is eclectic because while my heart is always true it changes like the seasons. I write songs to evolve.”

Her output compares favourably with fellow sirens Tori Amos and Kate Bush, but the lineage stretches back much further, back to the day the eleven-year old Elisa went to see the movie ‘The Doors’. Entranced by the lyrical, mystical majesty of the band’s music, Elisa bought a book of poems by Jim Morrison and taught herself to speak English by reading aloud from it. And because all her favourite artists sing in English she figured she would too.

“In Italy, they thought I was English,” she laughs. “They’ve come to realise I’m not now, but that’s another thing I like. To surprise and shock people. I don’t want to be easy to predict. That’s what I love about artists like Bjork or Radiohead, that element of surprise.”

That element of surprise stretches throughout her personal biography too. The product of parents who never married, nor even lived-together but who were nonetheless together, Elisa has always been independently minded. She left school (and home for a year) at 14 and became a hairdresser. She then spent several years singing with a swing band in local bars, playing bass with a punk outfit and also locking down classical piano lessons along the way. Throughout these teenage years she honed her own songs, too, practising every day. She was trying to define her personal style, though, rather than searching for musical perfection. That’s never been her goal.

“For me, the ability to change and grow is far more vital than slickness. I want to recognise my own limits because that allows the music to be even more human. And I prefer an error to be heard because that makes it more soulful and it means you can trust the message of the music, too.”

Eventually, at 17, her songs found their way into the hands of Milan-based indie label Sugar and they agreed to sign her. Her trajectory towards the stars was subsequently very swift, although not entirely comfortable.

“I’m famous in Italy,” she agrees, “but that’s not something I search for. I see being famous as only method for people to hear my songs, a necessary one but sometimes it’s uncomfortable. But for me the most important thing is to communicate with people and so people need to know who I am. I like to therefore play with my image, to provoke a reaction even in my videos. I want to project the message of emotion through my music and I want everybody to get a sense of me.”

I get to sense her now. And I sensed that I could download her music in the coming days.

I am a DR

Heheh. I am not a doctor or a registered medical practioner. DR stands for something from a personality test that I took a while ago. I was just a little bit curious of what my personality is. Bro Bear said that he’s an SI (spontaneous Idealist). I, on the other hand, am a DR. The description is found below.

 

Determined Realist (DR)

(Just visiting? Take the free personality test and determine your iPersonic type!)

Determined Realists like to bear responsibility and welcome challenges (Check! But I dont know why). They are stable, reliable persons. External contacts are very important to them; they mix well and are very active. They are excellent organisers and are very happy when things are done correctly and punctually (hahah, I tend to walk out when people are coming late for a meeting) ; they can quickly react impatiently if others are not as conscientious, orderly and dutiful as they are. They prefer structured work which produces visible results quickly to abstract, long-drawn-out processes (So true. I like it black and white, dont want it blue). Determined Realists have no problem with routine as long as it serves efficiency. However, they very much dislike unexpected and unpredictable occurrences which mess up their careful plans. Once they have committed themselves to a cause they do this with dedication and are willing to make considerable sacrifices for it (Hahaah, talk about takeshi bear being a five-year planner).

Determined Realists do not avoid conflicts and criticism but face up to them and look for solutions. As they have a keen eye for the errors and shortcomings of others and are often quick at expressing criticism, they sometimes rub people up the wrong way especially when they lose their temper and jump to conclusions (I’m guilty, I’m guilty, I’m pintasero at times). Due to their marked sense of justice they are quickly willing to correct themselves and never take offence if someone speaks to them frankly (Manhid ba ako or am I really an active listener?). You do not have to seek hidden motives with them; you always know where you are. Determined Realists are often found in executive positions as they combine commitment, competence and the ability to assert themselves (uhmmm, management position yes two years ago, now I’m just a frontrunner. But let me check this first. heheh). In their spare time, they often also accept responsibility in clubs and other institutions (Rotary-Rotaract Clubs!).

Traditions rate highly with Determined Realists. They attend every family event and never forget a birthday or wedding anniversary (I forgot my father’s birthday once and my dad never failed to remember it). Family and friends are very important to them. With their open, communicative manner, they find it easy to get to know people and have a large circle of friends and acquaintances. They are never superficial, but reliable and loyal friends who are always there when they are needed (hand me some napkins please). Determined Realists take their relationships very seriously – they dream of finding a partner for life. In a love relationship, they seek above all stability and loyalty and here, too, they are willing to invest a lot in a harmonious togetherness (ahemm ahemm ahemmm. Bro Bear you’ve got to read this! )  hehehe. Determined Realists master crises or difficult phases with composure; they would never think of breaking a promise given. As a partner, one can always rely on their support.

Adjectives which describe DR

extroverted, practical, logical, planning, direct, structured, conscientious, responsible-minded, self-confident, critical, honest, orderly, reliable, controlled, objective, able to concentrate, resolved, purposeful, communicative, with a sense of duty, tradition-conscious, stable, able to deal with conflicts, solution-oriented, relationship-oriented, efficient, impatient, warm-hearted, competition-oriented

These subjects could interest DR

clubs (Rotary-Rotaract Club), associations (Sales and Marketing), going out (work requirement, stress control, report evasion hehehe), sport (ah uhm badminton, tennis, volleyball, pin a donkey’s tail and crack a piñata), travel (domestic trips), music (Carl Orff, I like Elisa now, Elliot Yamin, Tracy Chapman, Dave Matthews Band, GOD hope not with the so-called DJ OYE from Cagayan of the ever scary Mr. Butete – Hilo hilo low low), trekking (Osmeña Peak and the Dalaguete Highlands), camping, hiking, cooking (dream hobby, wanna cook pasta for Bro Bear), handicrafts (does ORIGAMI count?), nature (yes), strategy games (half yes), politics (yes i think hehe)

Owel. How about you guys?