Tuesday, December 7, 2010

the life of this foodie blog hangs by a thread

One of my stylist friends responded to my post-binge plea/tweet of assistance on dieting with the following:

@BernardNio @sheenalogy Tapos food blog ginagawa mo? Tsk tsk tsk...
 And this really called my attention because.... Oo nga noh?


Thus started my crusade for a rigorous diet/fitness program.

but this goes largely in conflict with my food blog. oh, just when found the right direction! 
pano na yung mga naka-pending kong pictures to be uploaded, restaurants scheduled to venture to (yep, my foodie boss and I even marked my calendar for our foodie sched)? 

I thought I should stop writing about food altogether.  


I need to do this for the following reasons:

1. I have what's called as PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which not only makes me metabolically imbalanced almost all the time but also puts me in cancer risk. Simply put, I'D BE OVERWEIGHT IF I DONT CONTROL MYSELF, and its not just cause I eat too much. My OBGYN actually told me I have to really take Metformin to lower my blood sugar levels and to take Oral Contraceptive Pills because they help regulate my periods, but I refused. That means I have to control this through exercise and diet. Yep, this gym/diet program is not for vanity's sake, its for my over-all health. 

2. There's a big, big project I have to do in January. Well, this isn't really for me, but this is for one of my best friends. ;) And there isn't any excuse for this. this is for PROFESSIONAL REASONS. yeah, well. Renee Zellweger did it, Lea Michelle did it, Natalie Portman does it for work. haha.

3. I have a wedding to attend!


4. Aren't those reasons enough?










































but I will soooo miss writing. And how am I supposed to survive those holiday-bingefests?


How does Padma Lakshimi eat those plates upon plates of dishes in Top Chef and look and still remain as thin as a Victoria's Secret model?!


 Then there's Giada de Laurentiis. How can it be that cooking Italian food every single effin day looks as if it doesn't add pounds to that frail frame? Her head even looks too big for that really thin body! SO. UN. FAIR.


(Nevermind Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart, though)


So I thought of a way to go about the food-tasting and stuff: 

Limit myself to just 3 BITES of each dish. yes, 3 BITES. That should be enough to judge the taste/quality of the food, right? first bite, first impressions, second bite, what happens when I taste more. Third bite to satiate me. This plan is based on the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility, something I learned out of high school Economics class:


This is the premise on which buffet-style restaurants operate. They entice you with "all you can eat," all the while knowing each additional plate of food provides less utility than the one before. And despite their enticement, most people will eat only until the utility they derive from additional food is slightly lower than the original.

For example, say you go to a buffet and the first plate of food you eat is very good. On a scale of ten you would give it a ten. Now your hunger has been somewhat tamed, but you get another full plate of food. Since you're not as hungry, your enjoyment rates at a seven at best. Most people would stop before their utility drops even more, but say you go back to eat a third full plate of food and your utility drops even more to a three. If you kept eating, you would eventually reach a point at which your eating makes you sick, providing dissatisfaction, or 'dis-utility'.

Yep. 3 bites.

So.


This foodie blog will still roll. :)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

deviating from the "foodie" blog plan and letting fashion take over. for now, at least.

well, my excuse is, I have a wedding to attend, and I'd be the bridesmaid of my childhood friend Aileen. this wedding is big deal, not only because Aileen has been one of the closest people to me but also coz this is the first wedding amongst my grade school circle of friends.

so, I took to Polyvore.com and created a few sets. yep, I spent days looking for the styles of dresses and spent my whole Saturday picking out the top two. i want something I can still use as cocktail dress for other events. yep, versatility is the name of the game, thats why I got these designs.

the theme is teal and Aileen has already given us the fabrics for the dresses. Can you help me decide which look is best?


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

this blog is being pushed as a food blog by many friends

however, I lack the right tools to transform this space into something pretty.

people get bored by words. it doesnt take almost a year of experience in the field of Communications to actually understand that readers love VISUALS.

so what entries do I owe you?
  1. whatever happened to the search for Metro Manila's best five-star hotel cappuccino ?
  2. the search for the perfect office desk accessory 
  3. the art of drinking tea (as per officemates' request to rename this blog as "Ang Tea Bag at Ako")
  4. my cubicle-mates' quest to taste each of the 25 desserts dubbed as Philippine's finest by Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  5. the Yakimix/Ongpin adventure pics.
  6. I also owe my high school bff the honor to chocolate-trip around Makati one time.
Yep.

Now that I laid down my lofty plans, I can see what form my blog is shaping--indeed, a food blog.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Comfort food

Cheese pasta
I'm not a chef nor a foodie and I'm a newbie cook, but I try to cook whatever (kahit pritong itlog or hotdog!) whenever strong emotions take hold of me. I find the repetitive strokes performed when cooking (stirring, flipping stuff, kneading, etc) extremely comforting. To my dismay, I came home to an empty fridge, empty cupboard and empty pots and pans. Well, everyone at home's been busy, and people have been taking their meals outside.

But I simply had to make something. Anything that would take my mind off a lot of things.

Cheese Pasta

1/2 kilo spaghetti noodles
half a stick of butter
a big bar of Quickmelt cheese
an egg
chili powder
salt
1 tbsp olive oil

I cooked the noodles as per package instructions. I saved a cup of the noodle broth. In the same pot, I put in olive oil and stirred in the noodles. I let the butter melt in, and I stirred in the cheese. Then I put in the noodle broth. Then I stirred in the egg. I let the egg coat strands and strands of the noodles. I watched the strands thicken with cheese, broth, and egg. I seasoned it with chili powder and salt.

I served it to my family just in time for midnight snack.

It was superb. I read a recipe of this in Smitten Kitchen, but that one calls for parmesan, and I dont have that at home right now. But this was hearty, nonetheless.

I had a bowl. It was comforting.

I just hope it is enough to get me through this night. This time to give comfort to others :)

Yes, my job is to Facebook, but I also have things to do aside from that.

My office desk. THE HALF OF IT.

The reason why this blog is not regularly updated.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

what got me anaphylactic

well, almost.

i belong to a sub-minority of the world population: seafood allergics, and i am specifically allergic to crustaceans.

but today was the day that several house-help of ours came back from a long vacation--that alone is reason to celebrate, because, as previously mentioned, the turn-over of house-employees here is very, very fast.

they brought home LOBSTERS.

I simply had to take a bite. My dad insisted on cracking them lobsters open for me. I helped him and my fingers got pricked by antlers.

Lobster shells. ARGH. SO. @!$#%$ ITCHY. MY. HANDS ARE. COZ OF THESE THINGS.

And because I wanted to entertain myself (because lots of things have been happening and I needed to do something "creative"), I threw the lobsters in a pan, sauteed it with minced garlic, spanish paprika, chili flakes and butter.

I had three tiny pieces. oh. that creamy, buttery, fiery-spicy goodness.

that does not look appetizing at all, but believe me, it was HEAVEN. at least for someone who doesn't eat crustaceans often (well, I do, when my parents aren't around)
 
after which, my hands and face swelled. my torso was blotched with red marks. i was scratching my whole body. my tongue felt thick. my heart was racing, and i was starting to feel light-headed and hot. so i washed my hands and everything that had contact with lobster.

then coz she was really scared and really panicky, my mom reached into the freezer and fed me:
yes, a tub. and tons and tons and tons of water.
ah. my allergies have now subsided. well, hello, diabetes. nice to meet you! :P

i therefore recommend the following:
  • I am no chef, but say yes to this little something i whipped in a whirl: lobster+garlic+butter/olive oil+spanish paprika+chili flakes= Langosta al ajillo. I was craving for gambas al ajillo but since what we had in the kitchen was lobster......well, kinda like gambas, but gambas is "prawns" in spanish. "langosta" is lobster. :) 
  • Say yes to eating anything you're allergic to, complain to your mom/husband/wife/bf/gf that you're short of breath, then tell them you need something sweet (how cruel, how manipulative!); chances are they'd give you tons of yummy sweet stuff. (not that I asked for THE TUB, but Mom insisted).
  • Second bullet's a joke :) Stay away from your known allergens!! Carry with you your prescribed antihistamines/epinephrine pen shots at all times.
  • Sweets aren't an antidote for allergies. I don't know what the hell happened but I was ok after the ice cream and the water. Or, maybe tonight, its the H2O, but i'm not sure. It has always been like that: mom feeds me with spoonfuls of sugar/candies whenever I accidentally ingest things I'm allergic to.

i'm currently down to 1/4 of the ice cream. hey, I'm not complaining. I am just. so. umay.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

because taxi drivers were refusing to take me home

...I had to kill time, till it was past rush hour. I had to make them desperate to get passengers, to the point where they'd stop and ask if I want to ride or not (which often happens when you aren't in a hurry to go somewhere, or when you aren't in the mood to take a cab, or when you don't  have enough money to ride in one anyways).


Opposite my cab-hailing spot was Teriyaki Boy, better known as oh-the-Japanese-fast-food-chain-a-notch-higher-than-Tokyo-Tokyo. It was post-work out and I know I was gonna ruin my diet, but I was in the mood to splurge on ANYTHING given the fact that I haven't entertained myself in weeks and I thought I deserve to have a little treat, so I went inside and ordered Teriyaki Boy Chicken Ju. 

3 chopstick-bites later, I got tired of my chicken and saw something curious:
I needed something different. It came in the form of this thing.

It says in the caption,
Macha Ice Cream: A classic Japanese ice cream with our own twist. Premium green tea ice cream with crunchy tempura flakes on the side. P78.



As you may well know, I am a tea addict. Specifically, green-tea addict. There was a time I went temporarily blind for...an hour, because of too much tea (aka too much stimulation/BP elevation/blockage of the arteries in the eyes). So this was something very interesting, given the fact that well,
  • it had tempura flakes
  • its green tea ice cream, something not available in my nearby Mini-Stop
  • it is from Teriyaki Boy, which is very commercial, and now they're offering something...different. and healthy. 
And so I ordered.
Pretty: like a green jade ball nestled on a bed of crushed pearl.
It looks like an avocado ice cream, yes? Since my office cam phone was too low-tech to capture that pretty verdant decadence, I should now tell you that it looked leafy green.

So I had my first spoonful.
  • I tasted that certain leafy-ness typical of green tea minus the overt bitterness, but it was most subtle. And it was pleasing that way.
  • Its sweetness was not overpowering, light in texture and taste. Its texture borders that of Gelatissimo's offerings and classic sorbet. This is perfect for people who get "umay" easily; also for people who'd rather take their green tea in morphed forms (green tea frappe-lovers, ganyan).
It tasted like EBI TEMPURA at first, so it was quite a shock when it actually turned out to be palatable when combined with the ice cream. If Teriyaki Boy would continue to sell this, they should fry separately the tempura flakes for their green tea ice cream.

But what the ice cream lacks in fat (given that its "green tea" daw), it makes up for in the oily tempura flakes.
  • However, the crunch of tempura flakes goes well with the creaminess of the concoction. It was quite surprising, actually: usually, the crunch of a cold sweet treat, such as ice cream--comes from nuts, or for frozen yogurt--cereals. With this one, from tempura flakes--batter-y, salty, crunchy. Eaten together, it is like eating fried bread with cream ala-North Park, albeit cold. Like a cold, creamy donut. :)

Light.

This might not get liked instantly by many, but it is one of those treats which you acquire a taste for.

Ano beh P78 na nga lang eh! Plus its Arce Dairy. I asked ate waitress if it was exclusively made for Teriyaki Boy. She said the ice cream is available in the market, and they just tied-up with Arce Dairy.

Those pictures are taken by moi, thanks to my hand-me-down low-tech 2.0 megapixel cam-phone.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

you cannot deny what you need when you find yourself googling this at 2:08 in the morning

No, I am not sad. I am just really tired.

  • No, I am not about to post my repertoire of misery. That would be losing the point of making this into an interesting blog (interesing is equal to not spilling the contents of your emotional grocery bag in public: life's lemons, sour-grapes, apples-of-ones'-blind-eyes [might be an exception], salty tears, blood, sweat). 
  • A lot of things have been going on lately and I haven't found the time nor that spark of creativity plug, so its been quiet here. 
  • And I need a real human hug, it has been so long (I've let at least 2 months pass by without a tight hug, OH MY GOODNESS that is so not right) and since there's no human in sight (well, within 10 meter radius, at least), I had the craziest idea to find myself  a HUG MACHINE. Or build myself one. Yes. At TWO IN THE MORNING.

So I typed that thing there in Google and I found this.

No, that is not something from FunnyorDie.com nor from any of those joke sites. There, my friend, is the LEGIT THING: it is from Carnegie Mellon University. Yes, the Ivy League.

Apparently, this is the thing that I've only heard from my NCLEX reviews (yes back when I still had dreams of pursuing Psychiatric Nursing full-time [oh, you didn't know? Yep, I'm an RN. UST Nursing '07 but I'm in PR now]). This is for people with Autism. Helps calm them down, this Hug Machine does.

I got a whole lot of blog topics lined up. A shame I dont have much pics to go with them [EHEM CAMERA DONATIONS. EHEM.] Will write about them soon.

To drive my point home further (about my intense need for a hug [greater than the desire to open the fridge mid-dawn]), I even typed it into YouTube:


Oh, me and my intense fascination with the Windows 7 Sniping Tool made this possible.

And got this funny video:



Yes, even if I do not qualify as a "man", I'd take this any given day. Heck, I'd take any kind of hugs today. (Yes, ANY).

Sunday, October 17, 2010

been to so many places around the world in just one afternoon.

It felt like summer despite frightening forecasts of the big debut of an end-of-the-world typhoon.

The sun was our friend, and we indulged on its generosity. And so, in fresh white outfits, big bags, sandals and shades, Nowie, Marion and I scoured the Legaspi Market for a hearty brunch today.
 
Be greeted by the pulsating beat of drums (forgot to ask what instruments those are) upon entering the market.

Where they sell those tiny quiche. I got Salmon and Broccoli, P50. It was a bit dry and a bit bland.

Pretty stall. Upon closer inspection, they sell French pastries.
Yogurt shake (strawberry, mango, blueberry) for P60. Servings are big; fresh ingredients. Very refreshing, tangy, sweet, perfect thirst-quencher. Highly recommended.

P130/styro. Authentic. So much pistachio in every bite. Stacks of phyllo pastry interlaced with butter and nuts. Surprisingly light (despite the butter), not too sweet. (naglalaway na ko as I type)

Bumped into the legendary pole-kitten-slash-savvy-corporate-magnate-slash-hot-in-her-pixie-cut Tin Rodriguez, who happens to live just across the park. Also, Lian, get well soon!

Also pretty-in-her-pixie-cut, freshly-jetset, collar-bone-bearing, all-glorious-in-her-all-white-sundress, our very own Nowie

Hands down one of the best burgers in town: can compete alongside Burger Ave with its juiciness. Each bite is packed with so much flavor, well-seasoned. Five stars. :) Can't go wrong with burger+ rice for less than a hundred pesos. 

oh, amo el arroz, but my love-affair with it has been cut short. Spanish fare in Legaz: everything could have tasted great, especially the Paella Negra (which I've had before), if it were fresh from the horno. Pricey, though. Hope they amp the flavor of their paella. 3/5.
Manfredd's wine stall, where Marion and I had our comprehensive Wine 101 within 30 minutes, months ago. Manfredd has wine selections from all over the world, and he even has wine from lesser-known places. I remember him telling us that good wine can be found in Kosovo. His wines are fair-priced. Range: P600 and beyond. He wasn't there a while ago, though.
Have to taste Thai fare from this Thai culinary master. Next time, though.

Cute guy and his hot Russian chef girlfriend. We got Golubzi, those Russian cabbage rolls of pork and rice with sauerkraut. P100/3 pieces. Price is okay, could have been better if the cream was more flavorful. Will try pasta next time. 

I had Ricotta and Spinach +Tutta Carne  pizza (10" for P180! Really good! Thin, chewy crust, fresh ingredients, not very oily), salmon quiche and Banana Nutella crepe from the French creperie (P80, better than Cafe Breton). Marion and Nowie had burger+rice (very, very sulit).

Half- Ricotta and Spinach, Half Tutta Carne. Yes, delicious. Hot. 4/5.

Banana Nutella crepe

Salmon/Broccoli quiche

Golubzi (Russian cabbage rolls)

Marion's half-eaten burger and rice. ohemgee I want it so bad. now!

Also sold in Legaspi Market are footwear (espadrilles, those really cool pocahontas-like shoes, etc) art, organic food and produce, clothing and jewelry, and even plants (from the landscape artist where we got Uershula, Marion's uersh-uersh condo plant, may it rest in peace). 

These stalls are actually a reprieve from the usual sunday pasyal in malls. Oh, and so much culture in one place.

Very happy with our mid-day romp at the market

kung matatatakan lang ang passport eh naka-apat na tayo today (French, American, Italian, Russian).

Time to bring out those foreign language phrasebooks once again, because we might just need those Je m'appelle's and muy delicioso's and quanto's for Sundays to come.

*photo credits to Nowie and her brand-new Lumix. 

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Lessons on spirituality from a cab driver

FADE IN:

EXT. MAKATI AVE, NORTH PARK- DAY

Sheena tries to hail cabs in front of North Park, bids her bosses goodbye. She flags down a cab, rides.

INT. TAXI- DAY

Sheena plops down the back seat. Manong driver, a guy with glasses and salt-and-pepper hair, maneuvers the cab quietly.

SHEENA
(chirps happily) Manong, sa Pandacan po.

MANONG DRIVER
Magkano ang binabayad mo don?

SHEENA
(hesitant) Uh, usually pag galing dito, eighty pesos po.

MANONG DRIVER
Eighty??? Huh eh, dagdagan mo na lang, mga benteng patong.

SHEENA
(pissed but smiles) Ok po.

Manong driver covering the meter with goodmorning towel. yes this is a stolen shot by me.


Manong driver covers TAXI METER with white "GoodMorning" towel, does not bother to press the "Start" button, like what's usually done by every cab driver.

MANONG DRIVER
So, sister, born-again ka na ba?

SHEENA (V.O.)
What the #$@!? MATAPOS MO MANGHINGI NG DAGDAG, NGAYON MAGTATANONG KA IF
BORN-AGAIN AKO?!

SHEENA
Opo, sa ___________ church pa nga ako nagsisimba.

MANONG DRIVER
So nakatanggap ka na sa Panginoon? Kelan ang Spiritual Birthday mo?

SHEENA (V.O.)
Oh.....my......GOD. Why the hell do I have to tell?!

SHEENA
October __, 19___ po.

MANONG DRIVER
Ah ako, Feb ___, 1993. Sinecelebrate mo ba?

Manong driver launches a full sermon about celebrating spiritual births, how he spends all of his sweldo to celebrate every year, HOW GOD TALKS STRAIGHT TO HIM. 

MANONG DRIVER
Ah, alam mo sister, pagpapalain ka ng Panginoon kung babasahin mo ang Bible ng 3 to 4 times, saka ka
lang talaga pagpapalain ng Panginoon, gagamitin ka nya sa kanyang mga gawa. Nabasa mo na ba
ang Bible?

SHEENA
Manong laking Christian school ako, malamang!

MANONG DRIVER
Walang patid? As in tuloy-tuloy na Genesis to Revelation?

SHEENA (V.O.)
IKAW NA! IKAW NA MANONG!

SHEENA
Hindi po. (Suddenly feels REALLY, REALLY GUILTY)

MANONG DRIVER
Ah kasi ako, 3-4 times, at ginagamit ako ng Panginoon, binibigyan nya ko ng mga prophecy!

SHEENA
Pano nyo nalalaman na Diyos talaga ang kausap mo?

MANONG DRIVER
Alam mo, pag puspos ka ng Holy Spirit, malalaman mo. Alam mo sister, advise ko talaga sayo magbasa ka ng Bible. Advise ko din talaga sayo eh mag-practice ka mag-speak-in-tongues, magmemorize ka ng verses.

Thats manong driver.

SHEENA (V.O.)
Eh @!#!@%#$^$%&%^*&(*^% Holy Spirit-Talk ito!!!!! Pano ako maniniwala sa mga pinagsasasabi mo if
NAGDADAYA KA SA METRO NG TAXI MO! OH DO NOT DARE LECTURE ME
ON HOW TO BE @#@%#$%#$^%$ SPIRITUAL!

SHEENA
Manong, dito na lang ho sa tabi. (hands out P100)

MANONG DRIVER
Thank you sister, GodBless you, take my advise.

Sheena steps out of cab, slams the cab door. Manong driver speeds away.

FADE OUT.
THE END.

Talk about hypocrisy.




Monday, October 11, 2010

Every sin has a name, and this one's called popcorn.

(note: I'm starting to believe that this blog is my mental floss. Or my very own "yosi" equivalent. It is breaktime here in the office, and I have approximately 15 minutes to write down stuff (aka useless, uninteresting mind-farts).


I've always had a fascination for popcorn. I remember how my now-senile Lola Pacing used to cook kettle corn for me during afternoons in place of real merienda (and she figured out early that the best way to shut up a giggly, chatty, inquisitive three year-old is to shove buckets of salty, buttery goodness she called papkern into the latter's mouth), and when she migrated to the states, she sent me balikbayan boxes filled with cartons of microwavable Orville Redenbacher's "Gourmet" Popcorn because, as she said, she can't be here to make merienda for me (aww). There was Jolly Time and ACE (also Popperoo, local ba yun?) but nothing compares to my darling Orville.


Lola's fault: why I got into my popcorn fixation

However, my puppy love Orville just does not cut it anymore, so I went in search of the best popcorn around the metro. I first found:

Freshly-popped. Sweet and Salty. Minimal grease. Very cheap. Rating: 3/5.
Holy Kettle Corn came at the time when I was too tamad to microwave (meron pa bang mas tatamad sa "too tamad to microwave???") Orville and Lola Pacing turned...... too senile.....to remember my home address for those boxes upon boxes of state-side popcorn. Holy Chettle Chorn is definitely better than Goldilocks' and Oishi Caramel Popcorn and Mr. Naglalako-ng-Popcorn-sa-kalsada's pink and green and blue popcorn.

By the time I was old enough to date a-storm, I had been having this every movie date:

Every sin comes with a name, and this one's White Cheddar Cheese plus three scoops of butter. Price: P45/small bag. This is going to clog your arteries. Finger-lickin' good, I rate this... 3/5 (a tad too salty, a tad too greasy [duh, pa-add ka ba naman ng isang stick ng butter eh]) but makes you smile like an idiot 4 seconds into your first munch!).

Then I started having this, because it was Taters' "healthier" cousin:

Can't find a picture of their popcorn. However, they serve the same flavors, though they've been claiming they're Neo-Vegan. They pop their kernels with olive oil (or so they claim). Same price, but their Greenbelt counter is easy on the eye (with that cool color pallette [ah so ano to, interior design critique blog?! gumaganyan ka pa sheenalogy ha!]) so I like buying my popcorn here than Taters. Verdict: same as Taters, 3/5
I tried MuscleBeach (because they're an international brand and they were in Charlie's Angels, [beach scene, Cameron, Lucy, and Drew disguised themselves as Muscle Beach store tenders while scoping out Demi's character]) but it tasted like kanto pop-corn (Verdict: 2/5), so when I had my first bucket of this,:

I felt like crying. There are whole walnuts inside and each pop is round, like a ball, and coated with white-chocolate goodness. It tasted like a solid, crunchy version of a Starbucks frappe (which flavor, my tongue cannot identify, basta). But then its too sweet and you get "umay" after a while. But it's too expensive, like maybe more than P150, and often times more expensive than a movie ticket. Verdict: 4/5.
One day, there's a shop that opened at the stall where Mag:Net used to stand, Chicago Popcorn Shops. It has a funny typograph as a sign for the stall that contrasts with the pretty italics of the shiny, beautiful, oh-so-lusty red and copper canisters stacked on the counters (sorry I have a thing for canisters, specifically TINS).:
...I was completely won over. Well, I know their Chicago Mix tastes like ordinary caramel popcorn mixed with ordinary cheddar cheese popcorn, but the chocolate-drizzled ones were swoon-worthy (or OA lang talaga ako). At P180 per mini-tin, you get to keep the tin and you can have it refilled for P110. Yep, expensive. But they make the effort to individually coat each caramel pop-corn with choco-drizzle, so for me that's okay (ambabaw ng dahilan!). Plus, this brand makes you feel that eating pop-corn is so "haute", and taking home a piece of luxury everyday is possible (ANO DAW?!) Verdict:4/5.

So, walang 5/5? Wala. The search for a better brand of my sin goes on.

note: none of the photos I used are from my archives. I Google-searched each pop-corn brand and voila, these pics came up and I had them posted here.