party anyone?

i sooooooo wanna party tonight! gosh...i need a-a-a-a-a-a-alcohol!

Party Food: Fritata

I have another culinary treat for everyone who has been wiating for another recipe post.I appreciate all the great feedback and i hope y'all keep them coming. Your sweet comments inspire me to post more food-related entries. But please, instead of telling mke over facebook or sending me an email, id appreciate it if you leave a comment here instead. :D

It will be easier to retrieve in the future.

NAyways, today's recipe is a simple Fritata. With very little ingredients, and an easy procedure, i am sure this will soon be one of your favorites!

What you need: Onions, garlic, bell peppers (optional: mushrooms, leeks, tomatoes, bacon, sausage, corned beef), eggs, cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika (if you do not have paprika, leave it out completely or substitute with a different herb. If you want it to taste italian, add basil. if you want it to taste mexican, add some cumin. you could even add in some curry, if you like a mid-eastern flavor)

lets start:

dice some garlic, bell peppers and onions (since im a lazy chef, i simply cut my onions into rings)

saute garlic, Bell peppers and onions in a non stick pan, with a flat base. this is required for a fritata

While sauteing your onions, garlic and bell peppers, peel some potatos, and slice them using your peeler, to get paper thin chips. Place the potato slices in between sheets of cloth to dry them out.

Set aside the sauteed onions, garlic, and bell peppers. On the same pan arrange your dried (dry them for 5 minutes or so) potato slices. try to fill most of the pan with your potato slices.

Once your potato slices have been cooked through (make sure that your fire is set on "low"), top them with the sauteed veggies and some paprika.

(here's a closer look)

Beat eggs, add in some salt and pepper. You may also add some fresh milk, if you wish
Pour the beated eggs over your potatoes and veggies, and top with slices of cheese.
cover with a cookie sheet or a plate, so the eggs would start cooking from the steam (other wise, the top would be left raw)
flip your frying pan over the cookie sheet so the "raw" part is on the under (where it was previously the top) and slide it back in the frying pan (this cooks the whole fritata completely)

this is how it should look like.

slice your fritatas into triangles or into little bars and serve with ketchup or mustard. i sprinkled mine with some bacon bits. it looks bland, but its crunchy, soft and flavorful!

i hope you enjoy making this yourself. if you dont get it the first time, dont fret. i can teach yolu in more detail.

Davaoeno Partyphile

A couple of days ago, as I was partying at Metro Lounge, a High School friend came up to me. After she had discovered that I wrote a column about the Davao party scene, she asked me, somewhat sarcastically, “Where do you actually party in Davao? Are there actually good party places here?”

The questions she asked me, and the way she asked me, reminded me that our local party scene isn’t nearly as exciting as Manila or Cebu partylandia. For a couple of days, I felt uneasy, and I wanted to know whether her feelings towards the Davao party scene were shared by most Davaoeno partyphiles. I decided to take a poll on Facebook to get the pulse of Davaoenos about what it truly means to party--Davao style. One of the owners of a hot bar in the metro gave his two cents:

“The Davaoeno partyphile goes out during weekends and payday, likes to hang around to places that offer cheap beers (early part of the party) then transfers to a place that has lots of people because they want to be seen (that they are cool). There is one thing that we need to change and start educating the Davaoeno partyphile. They have to start dressing up if they want to go clubbing. Not just the typical shorts and slippers. “

And although these statements seemed derogatory to Davao partyphiles, I agreed completely. I don’t think it is a bad thing though; it is simply the way Davaoenos are. And no matter how many times we complain about the Davao party scene not being hot enough, it will not change over night. One must just learn to live with, and more importantly, enjoy it.

So What? This Is Our Party

So what if Davaoenos aren’t willing to spend for overpriced lager and costly cocktails? At least we do not pretend to be filthy rich and that we don’t mind spending thousands on our drinks.

So what if we don’t dress up when we go out to party? At least people see us and get to know us for who we are, and not for what brands we wear. At least, we do not feel the need to disguise our true selves with fabulous clothes. At least we are confident enough with ourselves to go out in whatever it is we feel like wearing, just because we believe that we are great, just the way we are

So what if our party scene is not as hot as the party scenes in other key cities in the Phillies? At least we get to experience a truly Davaoeno party scene. No pretensions. No nonsense. No social climbing.

Partying is a State of Mind

I have always said that partying is a state of mind. It doesn’t matter where you party, when you party, or who you party with; a true partyphile brings a party with him/her, wherever s/he goes. Partying is about having fun, no matter what. If dressing up is your thing, then, by all means, dress up. Don’t care how many people stare at you when you step into a bar of T-shirt clad, flip-flopped partyphiles. If you have turned yourself into a fashionista, show that off!

If you have an appreciation for fine spirits, and you enjoy cool cocktails, then by all means, order that. Nobody has been stopping you all these years. You could even promote your favorite wines and spirits to your other partyphile friends, as I am sure, they are just scared of ordering a 200 peso drink they’re not even sure they’d enjoy. Instead of complaining, maybe you could start changing the Davao party scene?

Partyphile Education and Reaching Partyphile Nirvana

Nobody has been introducing the finer things in the party life to newbie partyphiles, so don’t expect people to start ordering cocktail creations, all of a sudden. Even “Sex on the Beach”, shocks local partyphiles. Not everyone knows it is a cocktail; and you can’t blame them. What drinks do bars really offer? They have been complaining that all people order is beer, but have you recently observed a bar actually highlighting their signature drink. If partyphiles are unaware of the special drinks they serve, then how could they be expected to order anything other than the tried and tested beer?

What I’m saying is simple. The Davao party scene is fresh, it is just starting. Partyphiles need to be educated about the new trends in partying. And although some of us try so hard to start changing the local party scene, we can’t do that by ourselves.

Until more people promote the Davao party scene, instead of bashing it, Davao partylandia will remain the same.

But even that is not a bad thing, because a partyphile parties from the inside.

My dear partyphile reader, you must understand that partying transcends the local trends. One of these days, you will realize that you do not need to be in a crowd to have a party. So don’t allow yourself to be held back by what others say. Let your hair down and do what you feel like doing, and only then will you reach partyphile Nirvana.

Confessions:

If you have guests this Kadayawan, don’t be embarrassed to give them a truly Davaoeno experience. Start off by drinking cheap beer along Torres, move on to hotter clubs for some dancing, and cap the night off, with the Davao partyphiles guilty pleasure: Nilagang Kalabaw at Bulca Chong. It might be jologs, it might be baduy, but it sure is fun!

So what if it doesn’t come close to Manila’s Embassy or, even Dolce? At least you have made them experience what it means to party simply, party for fun, and party--Davao Style!

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile, the radio show, on 105.9 Mix Fm every Wednesdays 6 to 9 in the pm. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile, log on to http://party.i.ph

Billboard's Top Ten, Reviewed

Music is one of the most important elements to any party. It sets the mood, and to some extent, dictates how the crowd should behave. If you are looking for new songs to play on your next party, here is a rundown of the top ten Dance/Club songs based on Billboard Magazine for the first week of August.

Top Ten: Love Game by Lady Gaga

The new divette (baby diva) of Pop music strikes again with this catchy tune. Electropop is all the rage right now and Lady Gaga delivers another danceable ditty like it is nobody’s business. You will love the song once you get over how dirty the lyrics are.

However, I am not sure that much may be said about Gaga’s artistic relevance in this song, because it sounds to me like it was very well calculated to become a Pop hit (read: to sell). Well, it achieves that, and so much more. The chorus has been quoted again and again (and has even been featured in Urban Dictionary) because of the line “I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”, which has left all the green-minded partyphiles guessing. Over all the song is catchy, fun, and danceable. It was clearly made to be played in clubs, and partyphiles have responded and put it on the tenth spot. I give it 3 (out of 5) shots of tequila.

Top Nine: Love Etc by the Pet Shop Boys

This song definitely took a lot of time to get used to. It sounded much like something new pop tarts would do like Lily Allen and Lenka. However, this is from one of the oldest and most respected Electropop groups in the world: the Pet Shop Boys.

This single sounds light, sunny, summery and very English; which is never a bad thing. However, I think it lacks a bass line that most kids from our generation would look for. The song seems to end too soon, and there isn’t anything about the song that stands out to me. I am amazed that it reached the top spot on the Billboard dance Charts a couple of weeks back. Thank god, the video for this song was amazing and there are a couple of other remixes to this song that is quite likeable. The Pet Shop Boys could do so much better, and because of that, I give this song 2 shots of tequila.

Top Eight: Crazy Possessive by Kaci Batagglia

This song about being crazily possessive towards one’s love interest has not proved to be as popular ion the Philippines as it is in the rest of the world, but I like this song. It starts with a bang, and Kaci’s vocals are powerful enough to ride the hard beat. It sounds like a Lady Gaga track, if Gaga was blessed with enough pipes as Batagglia.

The song sounds edgy, and at times angry (which is perfectly in harmony with the message of the song) with Kaci singing in a full, nasal, sometimes auto-tuned voice; but the tender parts where Batagglia almost whispers the words are what makes the song unforgettable. I give it 4 shots of tequila.

Top Seven: Money’s Too Tight to Mention by Simply Red

This song was actually released back in the 80s, so this isn’t anything new. However, the British group, Simply Red released this again with their Greatest Hits record. I would not, ever, party to this song, just because I seldom appreciate songs that are older than me.

But, the song is quite relevant today, with the recession and all. I give it 1.5 shots of tequila. Billboard, how can you dance to this tune?

Top Six: Fire Burning by Sean Kingston

I always thought of Sean Kingston as a one hit wonder. With this song, he proves he’s got more of his brand of reggae-pop up his red, rolled-up sleeves. The song is repetitive, catchy, and upbeat; it is fun, sexy, and is a perfect candidate for LSS. Kingston’s thick Jamaican accent is very evident, and his vocals have matured since his first outing, with a fuller, less-squeaky tone. The flowing background vocals work very well against the staccato beat and main harmony. This track is bangin’ from start to finish, without a dull moment in between. It starts with a bang and just keeps on going until the very end. All in all, a very hot track, somebody call 911, indeed.

Kingston proves even big guys know how to party. I give this song 4 shots of tequila.

Top Five: Patron Tequila by the Paradiso Girls featuring Lil Jon

This is one of my favorite songs to play on my radio show, and this song is currently making the rounds in all the hottest bars in the country. With lyrics like “By the end of the night I’m gonna have you drunk and throwing up”, this song was definitely made to be played in clubs.

The song, originally recorded (but not released) by Keri Hilson, has been given new life by the gorgeous Paradiso Girls, the Brit version of the Pussycat Dolls, under the same manager, Robin Antin. Unlike the Dolls, the Paradiso Girls only have three singing ladies, the fourth member is a DJ, and the final member, a Filipina named Shar Amor, is the group’s resident rapper.

I do not know if Patron Tequila payed the Girls to sing this track, but the song is as heady, hypnotic and likeable as the Mexican’s poison of choice. I give this song five shots of Patron tequila. How can I not?

Top Four: Sing by Wynonna

This song isn’t exactly a party song, it’s more of a country ballad, however, it got to the fourth spot because of the remixes included in the single.

The remixes for this song are, in my opinion, more beautiful than the original, and I think, Ms Judd should seriously contemplate on switching genres. Maybe she could be the next big house diva, much like Moony. It is surprising how a “country” song could turn into such a beautiful party ditty. For that, and for Ms Judd’s effort to try to keep up with the times, I give this song 3.5 shots of Tequila.

Top Three: Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry

Waking Up in Vegas marks Perry’s return to up-tempo pop songs after that somber ditty “Thinking Of You”. However, this song is a bit cutesier than her first three hits, and somehow, I think Miss Perry lost her edginess in it. I imagine this song to fit in real well in Miley Cyrus’ or Ashley Tisdale’s bubble gum pop/rock albums.

Nevertheless, this is a pretty good song. The lyrics are clever, the chorus is catchy, and it almost sounds like a tourism ad for Las Vegas, which is not always a good thing, but for this particular song, it works. I give it 4 tequila shots.

Top Two: Hush Hush by the Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger sounds great in the first part of the song where she sings the mid-tempo R&B ballad with heavy, sometimes breathy, vocals. She proves that she has an actual vocal range and can sing it with the best of them. She pours her heart out as she sings “I don’t want to stay another minute…I don’t want you to say another word, hush hush, hush hush”, and you could feel genuine emotion there for a second, until it proceeds to become a bizarre and terribly out-of-place cover of the Disco hit “I Will Survive”. From strong vocals, Scherzinger immediately switch to an annoying, almost yodeling voice with a twang that is anything but attractive.

I personally do not understand why they would sample Ms Gaynor’s song in this mid-tempo ballad, but somehow, one of the producers thought it would be cool. It isn’t; it sounds awkward and forced. After releasing Jai Ho, which was amusing and obnoxious all at the same time, I thought the Pussycat Dolls would actually give us a good song, unfortunately, I was wrong, and we have to live with this song for probably another two weeks, because that is how long I predict it will still be on the airwaves.

By the middle of the song, YOU would want to tell the Dolls to “hush, hush”. I give this moronic musical mash-up two shots of tequila.

Top Spot: Give You Everything by Ericka Jayne

I first heard (and saw) this song on Youtube, and I was smiling and bobbing my head 30 seconds into the song. It is a fun ditty which I hope makes it to the hottest local bars in the metro, because this was definitely made for all night parties. Ericka Jayne is like a mix of Madonna and Lady Gaga, if you could imagine that, but Jayne is a bit cheekier with somewhat of a British sensibility about her (although she’s American).

From the opening beats, you are hypnotized and caught up in the musical loops of this song. You suddenly find yourself looking for a dance floor and a cold drink. It sounds like the ‘90s bubble gum pop everyone used to dance to, but more current, less corny, with an edge. She doesn’t really show her vocal prowess, and she doesn’t need to. She sings the song simply and it works.

I give this 5 shots of tequila.

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile, the radio show, on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesdays, 6 to 9 PM. For comments, suggestions and more confessions from this partyphile please visit http://party.i.ph

Drink Of the Day!

Today's drink is the Gimlet.

Pour some gin and some lime cordial in a mixing glass with a lot of ice cues, strain into a glass. Add lime wedges/slices for a more citrusy effect.

This refreshing drink is perfect for any party, so gather your friends tonight and serve them some gimlet!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy)Geri Halliwell ( Ginger Spice, Spice Girls), and my favorite pop artist, Andy Warhol

Party Performers

If you find someone who could do this at my next party, and do it for free, il thank you everyday for the rest of my life