AXN-Beyond Embassy party flop

Nurse Joker (Ayds), Capt. Jonathan Archer (Nick), Star Trek TOS Communications Officer Uhura (Jovan), Sydney Bristow (me), Sexy Pirate (Shey), Star Trek Voyager science officer (Duds), bankrobber Joker (Mark P.), Star Trek Voyager's Capt. Katherine Janeway (Kasuy), Tie Fighter (Ron)   (NWAer photos courtesy of Ron)

This is, without a doubt, one of the WORST parties I have ever attended ... and, believe me, I've been to a few doozies.  So ... some friends and I decided to check out the AXN-Beyond "Out Of This World Party" that was held last night at the Embassy Club.  As the invitation stated, we had to be in costume, and you know the NWAers, all we need is the slimmest excuse to be in costume.

First of all, the invitation(s) is/are confusing.  The one I received in my email weeks ago said this.




Then a few days ago, THIS came out on the AXN-Beyond website:




This is confusing ... what time are we really supposed to be there? And then, to top it all off, the party was announced in Facebook also and it said that 7pm to 10pm was for VIPs only and 10pm onwards is for the general public.  Just to be sure, Kasuy and I went there early to find out for ourselves. We confirmed it ... cosplayers were to show up for the 10pm.  Forget my 7pm invitation (which I and a few others) received directly from AXN-Beyond.  That was obviously a mistake.  7pm to 10pm was reserved for agencies and the press.  The promised prizes was only for the earlier event and they had NOTHING planned for the 10pm onwards.

They tell us that we have to be in costume and for our efforts we get goodie bags and posters.  They were nice, but ... that was it?  There was no program of any sort planned?  What a pathetic party!

Some of the people from AXN-Beyond were nice enough and stayed long enough to mingle with us (NWAers) and even took some photos with us.  As to be expected, the most photo ops were with Nurse Joker and our resident Tie Fighter.

Some cosplayers did come in later (at around 10:30pm, I think) but they gave of the aura of "hired help" to "spice up the party".  I don't know if it worked because I didn't feel any difference.  The party was F-L-A-T.  We tried to give it a chance ... we really did.  We stayed up to a little past 11pm and then had to give up.  There was NOTHING redeeming about the party ... at all.  All AXN-Beyond did was provide a venue for cosplayers to party.  We don't need to go to The Embassy Club for that.  We geeks know how to party, we've been doing it for a long time.

The NWAers gave it a good try, though, and we did manage to have some fun.

Truth to tell, I believe we had more fun after we left.  The pirates moved on to Jill's and partied there, the X-philers ... well, they disappeared but I guess they must have found their own fun, too, and the rest of us proceeded to Ron's clinic at the hatch building and "partied" there.  Unfortunately, I had to leave earlier but I believe the rest stayed until much later and a few even slept over.

I have a card for free entrance to Embassy for the next 3 nights ... does anyone want it?  I certainly don't.

We should party at Hard Rock again.  They know how to welcome cosplayers.  Such a shame, though.  AXN-Beyond is supposed to be a sci-fi/fantasy channel ... and they don't know what to do with people who comprise their ACTUAL viewing public.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

I understand why so many people like Twilight the best of the series. It is because it is the happiest of the 3 books (so far). It is the romantic (getting to know you) story of Edward and Bella. Most teenagers I've spoken with have mentioned that they didn't like New Moon all that much and I can understand why.

New Moon is a book that dwells on Bella's depression when Edward left her. It is angst-filled almost from start to finish. I went through a similar experience so I could intimately relate with her apathy and catatonia and seeming recklessness. While New Moon is not a happy book, I feel that it was necessary, if only for the purpose of serving as a transition between Twilight and Eclipse. For the most part because New Moon is where Bella actually gets to know Jacob Black and becomes close to him.

I have a confession. While I am enamoured with Edward Cullen, I totally agreed that Bella and Jake make sense, even though Jake is 2 years younger than her (and looks about 25). It's not just the fact that he is more human (because he is). It was something else. Bella's relationship with Edward, the way she acted around him reminded me of Catherine (played by Linda Hamilton) and Vincent (played by Ron Perlman) in the 80's TV series Beauty and the Beast (insert music of "The First Time I Loved Forever") will know what I mean. They were almost always romantic, standing close and whispering to each other, etc. With Jake, Bella was more natural, more uninhibited. More ... herself.

And then there is the difference of cold and hard as stone and warm as the sun. Edward and Jake are polar opposites --- in color, temperature, malleability, temperament, etc.

It is difficult to choose. And I know in the end she needs to choose just one. Poor Bella. This will be a tough choice for her to make.

New Moon, for me, is a "must read".

For those who haven't read the book yet, click here to read the first chapter of New Moon.

Chef for a day

I had lots of fun in someone else's kitchen.  Pots and pans like you see on the Food Network (albeit looking like they've seen a lot of use), knives so sharp you have to be extremely careful, and professional chefs to teach us how to turn out beautiful, delicious dishes.

I was invited, along with other bloggers, to join a Discovery Class last Saturday, 10 May 2008, at CCA (Center for Culinary Arts). The Discovery Class is part and parcel of the regular course offerings for new students of CCA to help them decide whether they are inclined to culinary or baking. Personally, I couldn't decide. As some of you know, I love being in the kitchen. I love to cook and I love to bake. And I am all for learning something new.

Fifteen people attended the morning session, majority of whom were bloggers. We were divided into 3 groups of 5 and each of the groups were tasked to prepare the same dish --- Caramelized Salmon with Orange-Shoyu Sauce. We also made sauteed mixed vegetables as a side dish. Our teacher for the morning session was Chef Menoy Gimenez. I had a lot of fun under his tutelage. His teaching technique is efficient, informative, and fun. I was lucky enough to be part of a group that could mostly cook and are OC so our process was also efficient and our work area was always clean AND we were all pretty good at following instructions. Check out what our finished product looked like.




In the afternoon was the baking session with Chef Anne Atanacio and we prepared Saffron Panna Cotta. This session was more casual and personal. Chef Anne showed us how to prepare the dish and then allowed us to make it ourselves. In the meantime, she would chat with us, tell us anecdotes, get to know us, and teach us when we needed guidance and jumped in when we made cooking mistakes. In the afternoon session only 9 participants were present so we were split into 3 groups of 3. My group finished first because we did not make any mistakes (thankfully!) and were eager to taste our finished product.

I, personally, had a lot of fun in this class and I fully intend to make these dishes again at home.  For me, though, the question of culinary or baking was not answered.  I want to do both!

If you are interested in taking the Discovery Class yourself, this is offered every Saturday at CCA.  The class costs P3,800 for a full day session (3 hours in the morning and 3 hours after lunch), all materials included.  CCA is located along Katipunan Avenue across the street from the Ateneo gym. The ground floor of the building is the Cravings restaurant.

I would love to enroll but that will have to take a back seat for now. I'll get Erika through college first, then we will see if there is a chef in me.

My only regret ... we couldn't bring home what we made.    I wonder ... any chance I could sit in on another Discovery Class for free? hehehe  But seriously ... I'd love it if I could.