Whenever I think of Boracay call me spoiled, a sucker for comfort or a stickler for really clean sheets and bathrooms Discovery Shores has become a second home for me. Jun Parreno, the GM, is a good friend, as is Mrs. W (Wisniewski), and harking back to the time when Shores was just a blueprint on a table, I was taken by the vision, enthusiasm and dedication that became a reality... and more! On a recent sojourn to the island, the hotel staff put up a banner in my room that proclaimed “Welcome Home, Mr. Cu-Unjieng” to personalize my visit, and it was the accolades heaped on its fine dining establishment, Indigo, that was foremost on the mind of Belle Ching, its senior F&B manager. Curious to go beyond the excellent buffets at the Sands, I invited some friends for dinner at Indigo, and with the balmy breeze whetting our appetites and conversation, it was a decision well made a happy, culinary discovery!
Belle offered to create a degustation menu for the night; so for starters we had the simple and light sampler sesame-crusted tuna, a duo of salmon and jalapeno, a springtime vegetable terrine, and devilled eggs, baby shrimps with a lemon vinaigrette. The consensus was that the tuna and duo of salmon and jalapeno were the outright winners! A cognac-laced classic lobster bisque followed, and then there was a US prime rib steak surf and turf, so accompanying the steak was a grilled prawn, pan-fried polenta, fresh tomato and tarragon “bois boudriin.” The dessert sampler had as highlights a frozen ovaltine kulfi and glazed spiced pears. An old Philippine hand (here since 1997), Colombian David Pardo de Ayala is Discovery Shores’ corporate chef, so one just knew that classic dishes would have a dash of innovation and surprise, and our taste buds would be constantly challenged, and yet remain “happy campers.”
The Miele Guide was created in 2008 to give distinction to Asia’s preeminent chefs and restaurants, and published annually, it has become akin to an Asian version of Europe’s Michelin Guide. In the latest Miele Guide, Indigo was given a two thumbs up, a rare feat for what essentially is a resort hotel. Indigo is certainly a dining experience Discovery Shores can be proud about. But beyond the food and amenities, it’s the feeling of family that lingers whenever I visit the resort. Upon my return to Manila, I realized I had left a pair of board shorts to dry on the balcony of my suite, and before the next weekend came around, I got a text from Randy Salvador, the Shores rooms division manager, informing that my shorts were ready for pick up at their Manila office. Now, if that isn’t service beyond the call of duty, I don’t know what is!
That better life
If there is a common thread running through these three excellent novels, it’s how seeking a better life and the role cash and money play in all this, is the stuff drama relies on. Whether it’s the denizens of the Upper East side of Manhattan, the reality that Democrats and liberals have had to face in the last 30 years, or the Silicon Valley instant billionaires and the shaky ethical foundation they stand on; there’s much to savor in these books.
The Recessionistas by Alexandra Lebenthal (available at National Bookstore): Written by one of the insiders in the world of investment banking, Recessionistas is both a cautionary tale, and a thrilling read. That it’s written by a woman makes it doubly revealing, as Lebenthal fleshes out true characters from this “monde” whether they be the wives that dine and “do” charity, or the ones who make careers of it in this rough, male-dominated Masters of the Universe milieu. It’s the elite of Upper East side Manhattan that take center stage investment bankers, hedge fund managers and we see them playing the game of survival as the financial community faces upheaval due to the recession. Vividly capturing the essence of a social strata, this is a must-read!
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (available at Fully Booked): After The Corrections, the question most would ask is whether lightning can strike twice. I know I may be in the minority here, but while Freedom is a substantive read, it is a ponderous one, a novel that could have done with some editing. Patty and Walter are liberal America, the ones who gentrify neighborhoods, and raise children in a less than disciplined manner. She’s an ex-basketball jock and he’s a lawyer, and their common friend is Richard, an aspiring Bob Dylan-type musician. The novel basically deals with what happens as these people grow up, how their values stand up against reality, children who rebel, and the need to make the quick buck. It’s the detail that becomes both strength and weakness here.
The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman (available at National Bookstore): We first meet sisters Emily and Jessamine in 1999. Emily is CEO of a data storage start-up called Veritech, while Jess is in college, working part-time at a bookstore selling rare-to-find books. Emily’s boyfriend Jonathan has his own start-up, ISIS, in the works. The ethical and moral implications of the actions of these Silicon Valley habitues are what make up half of the book; the other half dealing with Jess, her love affairs, and her search for balance as someone who exemplifies the counterculture of America. The minor problem I had with this novel is that I found myself more interested in the Emily and Jonathan chapters. Her novel on research labs, Intuition, is still her best, in my estimation.