Cowboy traditions live on at Pony Boy’s Day

IT’S probably only in this part of Luzon where one could still wear leather boots and jackets, don a cowboy hat, listen to country music, ride a horse and do the line dance.

This old Baguio tradition was relived once again by Wright Park pony boys who started a tradition of horse racing and other western-style fun games several decades ago.

Fettuccine Carbonara Alfredo and Banana Loaf Cake

ONE of the nicest and healthiest things to eat are raisins. Yes, simple old raisins and yet, they are so under rated, and as a food, thought of as a decoration and garnish.

This is due maybe, except for very small patches of land, especially in the Ilocos, we are not a grape producing country. We hardly know about the making of and the nutritional value of raisins, and the various varieties of raisins. There is often great confusion on the difference between these dried fruits when used in cookery.

Graduation!

PARENTS, dads especially, invariably know when graduation time is just around the corner.

Like the dark clouds before the storm accompanied by the distant rolling of thunder, graduation is often announced by a sudden spike in school expenses: retreat here, prom there, final tuition fees here, yearbook and graduation fees there.

Vintage Glass Museum: A must see destination

BARANGAY Sum-ag now has its contribution in advancing the tourism program of the City of Bacolod.

The Vintage Glass Museum is a must see destination where one can see and appreciate the display of collection of over 2,000 glass pieces by a Sum-agnon Tomiko C. Casiano, (Tomas Claridad Casiano), a world class floral designer of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

Local historical events in the month of March

THE month of March has several significant historical events that are virtually unknown to many, save one World War II occurrence that is now enshrined in a memorial in Macabalan.

But these events, even if most of them happened over a hundred years ago, are for me very telling even to this day. It showed the courage and patriotism of Kagay-anons and how much they cherished their newly found freedom. They refused to be cowed by fear even if the new foreign enemy that they faced was the United States of America, then a rising colonial power in the world.

It’s fun in cool volley

PLAY it cool, play with a smile, enjoy the game and have fun.

What a great experience playing volleyball in the

The Cordilleran cowboy and his horse

THE photo of Mateo Carino saddled in his horse displayed the importance of horses during the early 1900s when Baguio was a pastureland for his cattle and other domesticated animals.

The horse was such an important work force during the era when Baguio and the rest of the Cordillera region were being explored. For the “Kadangyans” or the rich Cordillerans, it was used to roam their land and round up their cattle and other domesticated animals, used to carry heavy baggage to distant areas.

Masbad: 8MM

THE great thing about all these smartphones of recent years is that we’re being “untied” from our traditional videography and photography gears. If we used to carry our big cameras with us everyday to capture those moments, these days we just whip out our smartphones and launch any camera app in it. The same goes with videography or, quite possibly, filmmaking. We all have the option now of creating moving art with just our smartphones.

A seafood trip on a giant lobster

IT’S official— the cheat day is on an extended run and now a cheat month. The take-off of the-healthy-lifestyle-program aka diet + exercise was smooth and successful, well, for three days at least. Then the weekend treat came, the appointed time to cheat on the diet. After that day, I was never able to back on the plane ride to weight loss heaven. I still watch what I eat, though, and it’s the see-food diet. Since the love month was ushered in, I’ve seen plenty, and feasted on it.

Kaamulan Festival 2013: A glimpse of the rich culture of Bukidnon

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon – Thousands of tourists and locals gathered here Saturday morning and witnessed the spectacular presentation of rituals, songs, dances and colorful costumes in the street dancing competition, one of the highlights of the annual Kaamulan Festival.

Clad in their native costumes, contingents from the seven ethnic hill tribes of Bukidnon -- Talaandig, Higaonon, Umayamnon, Manobo Tiguahanon, Matigsalug and Bukidnon – gracefully swayed to the beating of the drums and painted the city with their exemplary performance in dancing, chant and rituals. They rode in colorful floats during the parade.

Hong Kong: A Varied and Vibrant City

UNDOUBTEDLY, HONG KONG is one of the world’s varied and dynamic cities. The view of HONG KONG island’s skyscrapers from across the harbor is one of the most stunning urban panoramas on earth, and this insomniac city is many places to many people: traditional temples and fortune tellers; rural escapism with waterfalls and pristine beaches; and a vibrant eating and drinking scene.

Plant-based diet, anyone?

COME to think of it, couldn’t something that Dr. Sanjay Gupta is saying today and something that Anthimus was saying in the 6th century hold a grain of truth?

I’m talking, of course, about the plant-based diet which Dr. Gupta advocates today as a means of preventing heart diseases, the same plant-based diet that Anthimus (A.D. 511-534) advocated for his king Theodoric, the Viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire in A.D. 742-814 in his book “Anthimi De observatione ciborum epistula ad Theudericum.”

Family day

IT SEEMS to me that since I've had children, I've grown richer and deeper. They may have slowed down my writing for a while, but when I did write, I had more of a self to speak from.

Last February 23 was one of the most memorable moments in my life. The typical life event worth posting in my FB’s timeline. It was my daughter’s Family Day and I considered it very memorable since it was the first time that my husband was able to attend the annual Family Day due to his work demands. And for this, I would forever be thankful to Lt. Col. Osias for allowing my husband to attend the said activity.

Abba’s Orchard School presents ‘Sun and Moon:’ A Miss Saigon Adaptation

THE Abba’s Orchard School Erdkinder (high school) program in cooperation with Mahoe Mahogany, Sunbee Travel and Tours and Homechoice Planners and Construction Corp. proudly presents its second musical play “Sun and Moon: A Miss Saigon Adaptation,” on March 7 and 9.

Gala performances are set at 7 p.m. with tickets selling for P250 each.

Lumpia and turon

WITH the so many people coming in for the Panagbenga Festival of the City, each one of us is bound to have at one time or another, people arriving and OMG, we have to have something to serve. But usually, if the callers are thoughtful, they might bring a dish of panic with them. Then we do have to have something to go with the pancit. Of course, we can just go to the corner store and buy a loaf of bread and make do with the pancit and bread. It would be quite nice though to have something in your freezer or fridge to go with the pancit such as turons.

Turon, also known as lumpiyang saging snack made of thinly sliced bananas and a slice of jackfruit, dusted with brown sugar, rolled in a spring roll wrapper and fried. Other fillings can also be used, including sweet potato, mango, cheddar cheese and buko or young coconut choose what you have or feel like using as filling, (pun intended)

Why I miss Phuket

PHUKET may not have been in my bucket list but I am glad I made it there. The supposedly jump off point to THE bucket list entry, Phi Phi Island, presented itself with more than what I expected it would. Boy, I had fun, lots of it.

I am not too hard to please, just take me to the beach and voila— instant gratification, fail-proof! The beach is one of my comfort zones and in Phuket, it’s very easy to get me into that. The shoreline stretches for kilometers and each beach area bears its own charm. Making it there on a low season was definitely a plus, the beaches were not crowded, thus, not a soul blocked my sun.

Supreme carrot cake

AN ALTERNATIVE and popular cake with added nutrients, vitamins and fibers, a healthy and superb carrot cake is sure to be a hit with everyone, young and old alike.

This was one of the earliest cakes I have ever done in my quest for a dessert that can I can fully enjoy with added benefits. And I was so happy it became one of my mainstays in my list of “favorites” even until now.

Vote and be a hero

“WHY Vote or Die Trying?”

This question has been raised many times. Some would think that the title sounds too morbid. Others even suggest changing it into something more appealing and less tragic. Yet, what they do not really know is that there is actually a reason behind all these words. Call it gruesome, there is actually more to it than you can possibly think of.

Teatro Ima at Arti to stage the 'Greatest Story Ever Told,' with a twist

WHOEVER said that the life story of Jesus Christ could not be told in a comic and even melodramatic twist? Imagine Jesus Christ cracking a joke, or Saint Peter singing a boastful song with a wacky cast that could surely tickle your funny bones and bring you to tears, all the while relaying the greatest story ever told in what could be a witty way of evangelization.

Teatro Ima at Arti brings its newest musicale presentation this Lenten Season dubbed "Tilauk ning Manuk," a fresh presentation of the life of Jesus Christ from the point of view of the Apostle Peter.

Witnessed: A fight in a beauty parlor

TO CLOSE the love month of February, here is an incident we witnessed recently in a beauty parlor. It touches on what true love is:

MATRON: (Talking while her hair is being “rebonded”) I was the ugly one in my barkada. The Ms Beauty of the group always turned heads. I’d get upset. Nobody noticed me, not even when I lost weight and had a waistline for the first time in my life!

Lenovo, MTV invite Filipino Millennials to make musical history in Asia

LENOVO, in collaboration with MTV, announced the launch of the Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB, an integrated social platform that will enable the most progressive, creative and talented Millennials from the Philippines to share stories about their communities through music.

Winning Millennials will connect and collaborate using their different skill sets in order to showcase their talents through an original MTV music video production relating to the theme of the “Pulse of the World.”

Panagbenga @ 18: An odyssey to the heart and soul of the Cordillera

THE 18-year odyssey of the Baguio Flower Festival or the Panagbenga, as it is now more popularly known, has not been without its misunderstandings, misgivings and misadventures.

But whose journey is free of challenges? A Panagbenga unhampered by obstacles is almost unthinkable. The hardships this most-awaited celebration in the city faced and continues to face are what defined the Panagbenga into what it is now - world-class.

Kaamulan Festival: A colorful celebration

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon -- This year’s “Kaamulan Festival” reeled off here last Friday through a splendor of cultural rituals, songs, dances and colorful presentations seen only in this part of the country.

Bukidnon Governor Alex Calingasan said this ethnic festival enables tourists to learn about the rich culture and heritage of the Bukidnon tribes.

Wants to know of fertility foods

DEAR Dr. Fritz,

I have been following your column since the day I read it. Now, I guess, it’s my time to throw some questions which have been hounding me. Are there fertility foods? Can food help our fertility chances?

The mysterious Agusan Marsh

AGUSAN Marsh is again in the news as its former “resident,” the one-ton crocodile – named Lolong—was declared dead a few hours after flipping over with a bloated stomach in a pond at an eco-tourism park in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.

Last year, the Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed Lolong as the largest saltwater crocodile in captivity, measuring 6.17 meters (20.24 feet). The reptile dislodged Australian crocodile named Cassius that measured 5.48 meters (17.98 feet) from the top spot.

Gold

IN 1950, the Municipality of Cagayan, Misamis Oriental became a chartered city by an Act of Congress. The bill sponsor, Rep. Emmanuel N. Pelaez, gave the new city a new name -- Cagayan de Oro.

As a young student, I had the privilege of listening to Pelaez speak on why he added "de Oro" to the city's old name, and his reason was that he knew of the fact that since time immemorial, the rivers and hills of Cagayan abound in gold. Pelaez was so right about this.

Ikebana in Panagbenga

FLOWERS cover the world with beauty, lightens the heavy burden of one’s heart, and owns a very special spot in an individual’s life. Flowers are made for different purposes: weddings, courtship, parties, sorrows and even death. Undeniably, the presence of flowers around us contributes to humanity, the world and the universe.

One flower arrangement that is quite unique in nature is the Ikebana. Ikebana originated in Japan but now brought to us this Panagbenga 2013. Students, parents and teachers joined the recent Panagbenga Ikebana Flower Arrangement competition held at the Baguio City National High School February 22.

The other side of Zamboanga City

ONE of the best things of being a journalist is that you get the best of both worlds as a privilege -- you can work and at the same time have some fun exploring different places and tourist attractions.

Recently, I got the opportunity to travel to Zamboanga City, the Latin City of the South, for a three-day media exchange familiarization tour courtesy of the Department of Tourism (DOT)-Zamboanga Peninsula Region and DOT-Northern Mindanao Region and Cebu Pacific.

DevCom students to stage election advocacy concert

A GROUP of Communication Media and Society (DC6) students will stage a free concert at the Lim Ket Kai Rotunda on March 2 in connection with the May elections.

The concert, dubbed “Vote or Die Trying,” is a collaboration of the students with the Development Communication Department, Kagayanon for Good Governance and Kagayanon for Good Governance-Youth. It is an advocacy of the students to raise awareness for clean and honest elections through a display of musical talent.

Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio

AS YOUNG children we often have our own memories of taking strolls in Burnham Park just enjoying the chilly weather in a picnic with the family relishing boating at the lake, experiencing the bicycle rides, gobbling cotton candies, sipping hot choco and feasting on street food galore.

But Burnham Park was more than just that last February 10.