Saturday, March 08, 2003

Oh joy and rapture! On my way to the International Women's Day event at the Women's Building, driving around for 30 minutes looking for parking, on the corner of South Van Ness and 16th St, was a sign --Irma's Pampanga: Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese Cuisine! Irma's used to be right on Mission till it closed and has now resurrected itself. Irma's is probably one of the best Filipino restaurants in the bay...swear on my Catholic guilty bible! OK, so you wouldn't give it stars for ambiance, but who cares, it's fabulous food. You have to try the turon (fried bananas).

Now, if I can only find parking...

When I went to Hawaii, I took the bus from the airport. On the bus I met this old Filipino/Porteguese man. He gave me a tour of Oahu telling me where all the Filipino restaurants along the way. Then he told me about Filipino restaurants in San Francisco, Reno and just about everywhere else he had travelled. These restaurants were the first places he would go to upon arriving some place. He held the map of the world in his stomach.

That's just a hint of the love affair with food that Filipinos have. Food is everywhere. It's a part of every celebration, whenever a guest comes over it's offered, even while drinking.

To end this blog, I offer you food and love, with the Balot Haikus, previously published in "Eros Pinoy" and performed at the book's US opening, Clit-Chat. Balot, fertilized duck egg, is quite a delicacy in the Philippines. Please, no more than 7-10 days old. It's also known as an aphrodisiac and a natural viagra.

Staring creation
In the eye, I turn off the
Lights. Mmmm? masarap.

Opening slowly
my mouth sucks salty luscious
liquids of pleasure.

It calls from the streets.
I follow. Hold two hot orbs.
Open. Salty. Wet.

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