Theme Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine based out of Brooklyn, NY that focuses on contemporary Asian culture. True to it's name, each issue of the magazine follows a different theme.
The current theme for the current Theme is "For the Love of Food." And, as luck would have it, I happen to be mentioned in a wonderfully written piece by food writer, Drew Lazor, entitled "Gastroporn."
In addition to finding the above article online, Theme also features a soundtrack of food-related songs that I'm actually listening to right now. (You're looking good fly colored Asian.)
The Food Issue of Theme Magazine is out on newsstands now, so do pick up a copy and check the magazine out.
I will definitely be cutting my hair, as in like, this weekend.
Next time I do anything via Skype, I will lean back a few feet from my webcam.
I will never again do a TV segment in the same room as any loud pets (this will be explained further, below).
Despite the above, this most recent appearance went pretty well compared to my first appearance on Kababayan LA. I actually got to talk a bit about my blog and about Filipino food. And while Janelle and her producers could see me (upper half only, wink-wink) via my webcam, I, sadly, couldn't see the Oh So Lovely Ms. So from my end--I was only able to hear her voice.
A few of you may remember that I made an appearance last year on a (very, very, very) local television show called Kababayan L.A.
And if you are one of the two or three people that remember that little factoid, you may also recall that the interview kinda fell short in that I really didn't have a lot of time to talk about Filipino food--the conversation, for whatever reason, centered around the very general topic of blogging.
Despite the little hiccup of a food blogger not talking much about food, I chalked the whole thing up to experience and appreciated that I got to sit a few feet away from the Oh So Lovely Ms. Janelle So.
As it turns out, the Oh So Lovely Ms. So contacted me again very recently and asked me to come back on the show. Why ask me back? I initially assumed that she had the hots for me. But she vehemently denied that over the phone when we spoke.
The real reason she asked me back on Kababayan L.A. is because she wanted me to partake in the show's new segment called "Viral Thursdays" (I didn't make that name up, though I wish I did) in which she talks to bloggers.
Besides my hair don't, a few other things will be different on my second appearance on Kababayan L.A.:
I insisted that we talk about Filipino food. We'll see how that goes.
I won't be in studio. Instead I'll be interviewed via Skype and my webcam. I imagine the show's producers want me as far away as possible from the Oh So Lovely Ms. So.
I may opt to go sans pants (it's just another Thursday for me), on account of only my upper half being visible.
Since I'll be in the comfort of my own home, I'm not too stressed about this like I was last year. But that isn't a guarantee I won't make an ass of myself.
Anyways, if anyone in SoCal is going to be at home on Thursday Feb. 19, tune into LA 18 at 4:30pm to watch me on Kababayan L.A.
And if you miss the show, I'll post the vid when it becomes available.
And if you are wondering more about what else Tony ate in Cebu, hop on over to Market Manila for a behind-the-scenes look at what Tony called "The best pig ever."
Also, here are some of my own recipes for a few of the dishes that were mentioned on No Reservations tonight. Are my versions as good as the real thing in the Philippines? Hell no. Of course not. But I hope they are at least a good introduction to anyone wondering about Filipino cuisine.
As a food blogger and natural glutton, I've often found myself invoking the name of God after my many many stints of pain-inducing overindulgence. For instance, the following phrases have passed through my lips on more than one occasion:
"Please God, don't let me barf all over myself."
"Please God, don't let me shit myself."
"Please God, don't let me die."
"Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em."
The first invocation above is usually mumbled and slurred after an extended period of alchohol-fueled carousing, or what I like to refer to as "Tuesday." The second in the list is almost always expressed through clenched teeth and with a cold sweat covering my brow--usually after eating something passed it's prime that I knew I shouldn't have eaten. And finally, the third invocation on the list is reserved for when my belly has been stuffed with terribly unhealthy, yet terribly delicious, pork products.
I've been asking the Big Guy to spare my life more and more these days as I've been clogging my arteries at an alarming rate via the Five Point Pork Exploding Heart Technique.
In exactly one week from today, the Travel Channel will finally be airing the long awaited, much anticipated episode of No Reservations: Philippines. Ah yes, it's been a long time coming, but Anthony Bourdain will be presenting Filipino cuisine and culture on a worldwide stage on Monday February 16, at 10pm ET.
As such, I will be giving away the Anthony Bourdain photo you see above to one of my lucky readers, courtesy of the Travel Channel. It's an 8.5 x 11-inch photo of Tony in Indonesia. And best of all, the photo is autographed by Tony himself. Since this photo was sent to me by the Travel Channel, I'm sure the signature is legit.
For a chance to win the autographed photo, just leave a comment in this post and tell me what Filipino dishes you hope to see in next Monday's episode of No Reservations: Philippines. If you don't know any Filipino dishes, shame on you.
For an insider's look at Tony's visit to the Philippines, see this post at Market Manila, wherein Marketman shows Tony around Cebu and then treats Tony to a Lechon feast.
And for another preview of Tony in the Philippines, check out this video (thanks Alisa) of Tony and Ivan Man Dy trying out some Filipino street food:
If Marketman's post and the preview video don''t whet your appetite for No Reservations: Philippines, I don't know what will. So don't forget to tune into the Travel Channel to watch...
No Reservations: Philippines Monday February 16, at 10pm ET
Tell a friend. Heck, tell all your friends. Tell everyone you know. Send out mass emails about this episode and air time, twitter it, face book it, tattoo it on your forehead, yell it out your windows!
All
comments for this post will be accepted as entry for the giveaway and
this contest will end on Monday February 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM Pacific
time. I'll randomly select one winner and announce that winner on
Tuesday February 17.
