More than Italian!

It was my dad’s fiftieth birthday when we decided to munch in on something different from what nomadic Filipinos are dying to eat. My dad is a product of a half-Chinese half-Spanish bloodline so Spanish and Chinese cuisines are our typical dining endpoint.

After an early morning mass at Antipolo Cathedral, we drove our way to Robinsons Magnolia to try out Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Cuisine. It was suggested to us by my aunt who recently migrated to Australia. She said the food was great. Well, maybe it is for us to try!

The day before, I was searching for Lombardi’s on the net. To my surprise, most of the searches brought me to Lombardi’s New York. I thought it was the same restaurant as what we have in the Philippines. It just wowed me that Lombardi’s is in fact, a Filipino owned restaurant named after an Italian Chef with a Filipino heart.

We were welcomed by the restaurant’s inviting ambience and conspicuous interiors. The atmosphere made us feel at home. As dad slide himself in on one of the vacant seats, I knew he was really excited to dig-in on new delicacies.

My dad ordered Saltimbocca Alla Romana, a main course with Scalloppini Chicken, Prosciutto and Sage while mom had Pizza Aisalumi enriched with lavish tomato sauce, mozzarella with Italian Ham. As for my favorite niece, Spaghetti con Polpettine should probably appease her.

If you happen to like thin crust pizzas, then Lombardi’s is a great place for you. Though, they’re not that extravagant on toppings, the spices were perfectly harmonious and weighty.

The meat was finely mixed with spices that tested me and my mom’s inquisitiveness in cooking and food tasting.  The cuisines were very appetizing that dad even suggested us to come back at Lombardi’s on mom’s birthday.

Lombardi’s Authentic Italian not just made us taste authentic Italian delicacies but as well as remarkable authentic Italian experience that made my dad’s day. I suppose our experience at the Lombardi’s in Robinsons Magnolia was indeed a treat not only for dad, but for the rest of our family!

STARS COME TO LIFE

Our childhood crazy dream of getting close to stars became an astounding reality.

When we were just kids, we had our bedroom ceiling painted in black then filled it with glow-in-the-dark stars patterned from the constellation we saw in the encyclopedia. Our bedroom was our most comfortable place back then. Our evening was never complete without staring at our imaginary outer space right before we close our eyes. We count the stars in the ceiling rather than count sheep like other kids used to do. Star gazing became our siblings’ simple joy. Before, we used to spend most of our summer nights on tents we setup at the backyard pretending we were real astronauts exploring the space. It was not too late when we realized that becoming an astronaut was just a wishful thinking.

After more than a decade, I and my co-astronaut-wanna-be siblings made their paths far from what we imagined when we were kids. All our dreams changed and going outer space became far beyond our dreams than they were before.

Indeed, it was a blessing-in-disguise when one of our relatives invited our family on their engagement party at the Seven Suites. The event location is said to be the first and only Hotel Observatory in the Philippines. Standing proud at the suburban heights of Antipolo, we are stunned by the astonishing view of the metropolitan’s city lights and night sky.

We couldn’t wait our turn to see the stellar view that night. Thanks to their in-house astronomer and that 12”diameter telescope (almost same as what we’ve seen in PAG-ASA back when we were kids), it brought back the old memories of our childhood when star gazing was our siblings’ best bonding moment.

The occasion made more intimate because of its elegant ambience and spacious accommodation. The couple looked very attractive on their gown and suit, complimenting the nostalgia brought about by the evening.

The place is very accessible that even we came all the way from Quezon City, getting there on time is not a problem at all. The vicinity is very calm and relaxing, indeed a perfect place for bride and groom who wants to experience a piece of heaven above earth.

As I went back to my condo, I can’t help but stare at my bedroom ceiling that night, remembering the details of our imaginary outer space and the beauty of the stellar view at the Seven Suites.

Stars established our curiosity and bubbliness when we were young and as I grew older, I realized that these celestial bodies revealed an entirely different perspective. I was captivated by its prevailing significance of romance and serenity. We may not have a bloodline who is an astronaut by profession, but I know those little stargazers will definitely dwell inside us.