What’s UP, Los Baños?

From the comments in Taga-UPLB ka kung…

1. Alam mo ang LB Square ay dating Eva Lanes
2. Alam mo ang Vega ay dating vacant lot
3. Alam mo kung saan ang DMST
4. Alam mo shortcut (pag malalakad) papuntang forestry ay ang copeland
5. Ang swimming pool lang alam mo ay yung sa Jamboree, UPCO, botanical garden at yung mga nasa bayan (Immaculate/Immaculada?)
6. Kilala mo mag asawa namamasada ng jeep na si guy & pip
7. Alam mo ang new registrar building ay ang dating old chem
8. Alam mo ang shortcut from International House to Infirmary.
9. Taga LB ka pag nakakain ka dun sa 24-hour tapsilogan sa kanto ng crossing… (meron pa rin dun, hanggang ngayon, after overnight sa theses dito kami tumutuloy noon)
10. Alam mong normal lang ang pancit canton eating contest, inuman contest, at kung ano pang maisip na contest (nung mauso ang harry potter, lahat ng book may pacontest)
11. Malamang nakasali ka na sa mga raffle na tagpipiso lang isa, isusulat mo lang pangalan mo sa mga napakaraming blank sa isang papel na may mga naka-assign na mga numero… pweding cake, CD, o ticket sa concert ang premyo…
12. Umuulan ng singko kapag patapos na sem. Swerte mo pag di ka umulit ng Math 17.
13 Kung anu-ano ang ginagawa mo makakauha lang ng GE subjects. taga elbi k kung,…..
14. Alam mo na ang Jollibee crossing ay dating gasoline station(caltex)
15. nakabili ka sa Namarco (ung nasunog na malapit sa main gate), Quality Store (kung saan may tindang Bricks ice cream at kinseng Twin Popsies, diyes kung kalahating Twin), Pogi and Sexy Store (para sa paboritong kalihim), Hongkong Store (beside Eva Lanes)
16. Nakapagpakodak ka sa Star Studio (unang-una mula sa gate)
17. Nakita mo pa ung monument ng carabaos’ heads sa magkabila ng main gate at ung farmer and carabao na center island after the main gate
18. nakapag-present ka ng program sa DZLB na noon ay nasa basement ng Humanities
19. Nakatambay ka sa second floor ng Humanities Bldg na dating library
19. Nakapagpagupit ka sa gilid ng—ano na nga ung tawag sa tambayan ng BE?—para sa ROTC. Coop pala!
20. Naka-attend ka ng Open House ng Women’s Dorm at pati na sa Men’s Dorm ng babae
21. Nakabiyahe ka ng commuter train hanggang Manila sa special student price na 25 centavos
22. Alam mong may bomba sa Doce at Chit

Still, taga-uplb ka nga kung…

1. Pabalik-balik ka pa rin para sa mga extra-ordinary na events, tulad ng ginagabing graduation rites (nag-alis na nga ung niece ko ng shoes nya dahil masakit na ang paa nya sa katagalan ng seremonyas!)
2. Kaya mo pa rin kumanta ng “u.p. naming mahal” kahit inis na inis ka sa UPF at hinarangan ang lahat ng kalye na iyong daraanan
3. You discover something new na old na rin anywhere you go, squash soup, for instance
4. Parati kang may dalang cutter blade, razor blade, o pruning shears sa bag mo (para pag-uwi mo sa siyudad, may bitbit kang cuttings ng gumamela o kung anu-ano pang halaman)
5. You never stop learning, like—amid the current rice “crisis”—rice being a “political crop”
6. As you are leaving UPLB, iniisip mo na ang muling pagbabalik

Tentative Outline with Suggested Topics

Introduction
Unit 1 - The Story of the Slopes of Makiling, UPLB’s Planting Ground

This unit introduces the reader to UPLB’s and neighboring communities’
history, past and present landscape and inhabitants food-related folklore (i.e., Maria Makiling lent cooking utensils to folks of Bay but the latter did not return them…) historical tidbits (i.e., food during the Japanese occupation, food served in revolts)
Unit 2 - The Harvests of Elbi

2.1. The Harvests
This chapter presents collective/individual memories of some of LB’s agricultural/processed products (i.e., thoughts of chocomilk from DTRI, LB version of the traditional gumamela bubble recipe, cocktail recipes from Biosci’s honeywine or Food Science’s fruit wines).

2.2. Of Markets and Marketers
This chapter introduces the reader to the food buying practices in the area. The suggested topics include: “pamamalengke” to the uninitiated usual/occasional market lists specifications of the nosy and meticulous
rituals unique to LB shoppers and their shopping preferences character of the different LB markets’ and their special/unique products tales of traditional roadside vendors (i.e., those selling mice, snails, snakes), and hawkers. other activities in the markets (i.e., rummages of UP students)

2.3. Divergent Palates
This chapter orients the reader to the culture of UPLB community members particularly to their diverse roots and itinerant nature spicing up the Los Baños food scene. This section will feature: restaurants in the area (including LB’s dining/take-out capital – Grove) individuals’ and organizations’ favorite recipes with local, regional and international flavors foreign influences and ingredient sources indigenization of regional and international dishes/tastes
favorite foods and caterers in the area

2.4. Taste buds in the Academe
UPLB residents are unique in their foodsense. Through the years they have enjoyed academic environs (including brilliant neighbors, programs and activities) which largely contributed to their being critical, even in the choice of food/diets. This chapter will tell of the various opportunities/events seized by the different UPLB generations which have affected their food practices and health. These include: diet consciousness in LB diet fads that came, went and returned for re-makes food events, nutrition counseling, programs (BIDANI and BIDANI balls) at Institute of Human Nutrition and Food feeding/food distribution (i.e., gift packs during Christmas/fiestas) programs of churches, schools, doctors, adult and student orgs kiddie cooking classes at the CDL (with matching food drawings)
Unit 3 - Partaking in and Celebrating the Bounty

3.1. Inside the Elbi Kitchen
Kitchens in LB, be it in the homes, orghouses, church convents, laboratories and faculty lounges, buzz with activity and interesting conversations. Sights and actions in the kitchens tell and teach a lot of the community’s prevailing culture and that of the old and new schools. This chapter thus shares with the reader essentials of the Elbi kitchen-what is never absent in the cupboard or fridge what variant of this goes into this dish and what doesn’t work some kitchen tips (i.e., measurement of ingredients as in rice, etc) other things done in the kitchen (i.e., concocting herbal stuff in the kitchen, product development) kitchen designs/architecture and kitchen tools.

3.2. Feasting in Los Baños
This chapter will take our readers to dining events of the past and present consumed, relished and celebrated by LB. To be particularly featured in this section are dinners/meals and dinner settings of: church celebrations (there are a handful! - St. Therese, San Antonio de Padua, Church Among the Palms, Victory Church Fellowship, Lakas Angkan, etc) family occasions (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, milestones—including infants’ and children’s ‘firsts’, graduation, summer breaks, holidays) school reunions, loyalty day picnics civic fundraisers, meetings parties after a cultural show or thesis defense, graduation/recognition parties funerals

We may also include here: tales on etiquette (there was a course offered by Home Tech then regarding social graces) caterers and personalities famous for their parties/food left-over food management use of food waste (i.e., slops, garden use, etc.)

3.3. Extended Feasts
Existent in LB is a culture of eating after a meal. Some students have their after-dinner gimiks (read as B-O-O-Z-E or B-E-A-N-S). A number of yuppies proceed to the coffeeshops, if not to the bars of LB square or Grove. This portion thus describes the food that really punctuates some resident’s meals. Of interest here are: favorite hang-outs (i.e., Agrix, frathouses, watering holes, coffeehouses) best-selling pulutan and alcoholic drinks concocted by students and beerhouses/bars drinking games streetfood at night after-booze shops (i.e., lugawan, 7-11, ministop)
Unit 4 - Sating Appetites, Savoring the Land

This portion will serve as the summary and conclusion of the book (also the food tourism portion of the book). We will leave the reader excited for “pabaons” like buko pie, espasol, etc.

I got this announcement on the mail recently.

Be a part of the CHE Centennial Coffeetable Book: UPLB Eats! : A Centennial Keepsake of Recipes and Food Memories…

Calling all UPLB students, faculty, staff, alumni, residents, friends and foodies…

Let out those nostalgic and recurring thoughts of food in and around UPLB. Help immortalize and celebrate the Los Baños community’s bountiful and colorful food scene. Be a part of the CHE Centennial Coffeetable Book: UPLB Eats! : A Centennial Keepsake of Recipes and Food Memories

Share your food stories and recipes today!

Start constructing those essays on food facts, memories and experiences on:

• Local food folklore
• Traditional and contemporary food and food uses/practices for all walks of life, across the lifecycle
• Food places/hubs/hang-outs
• Food activities and programs

or on anything that has/had influence on Los Baños’ (and its environs’) food use and meanings or alternately on the foodscene’s effects on the inhabitants’. The tentative outline below might be of help to you in starting up.

Send in your tried and tested recipes, artwork (poetry, photographs, illustrations) and other interesting materials relating to UPLB/LB’s food culture.

Prescribed Format for Entries

Essays should be no longer than 500 words. For those submitting recipes, we highly encourage you to submit as well anecdotes/description and photos of the recipes and recipe information as cooking tips, yield (no. of servings), preparation/cooking time and serving suggestions.

Electronic copies of documents and images are preferred. Entries should be submitted in MS Word (for text) and JPEG format (for photos/images). Images should not have sizes/resolution lower than 3.2megapixels or 300DPI (for scanned images).

The entries should include the name of the author/s (articles may have multiple authors), address, email address, phone number, UP batch and course or UPLB position/affiliation.

Let us all take pride of and celebrate our community’s foodways. Write your recipes and food essays today!

Submit your materials on or before April 30, 2008.

For submissions and queries, please do not hesitate to contact:

Prof. Melanie H. Narciso
Institute of Human Nutrition and Food
College of Human Ecology
University of the Philippines Los Baños
Office Phone No.: (49)536-2445
Email: nienarciso@aol.com

Note: The Coffeetable Book Committee regrets that not all entries may be included in the book due to space limits.

The graduation will be later today. Check out how UPLB is prepping out for the big event later on…

The stage looks promising, perhaps a waterfall later on?

The Fertility Tree also gets ready to witness farewells.

The stage up close.

Vanguards practicing for the Colors Ceremony.

Follow the sign…

The stage from afar

Banners dot the UPLB Campus heralding the graduation rites.

If you were to graduate again, who would you want to be the guest speaker? If I have any say on the matter, ban all politicos - they have nothing to say except promote themselves to the public. We need speakers who will inspire us, who could give meaning on being a UP graduate! With the hundreds of UPLB alumni out there who are excelling in the field, why can’t we get one each year to be speaker? We have many outstanding scientists worth hearing them talk not only on their work but also the wisdom they can share. Di ba kayo naiinggit na walang kumakalat na emails about the speech of a UPLB guest speaker that is worth passing around? A message that would go beyond the graduates, but reach out to others as well?

Since I started this question, I’ll answer it first. You can answer up to three, any person you can think of (kahit na si Superman pa, kahit di UPLB alumni…).

1. Dr. Dolores A. Ramirez - She taught Bio30 to generations of UPLB students. I would love to hear her talk beyond science.

2.Norman Borlaug - how about another green revolution?

3. How about an OFW na UPLB graduate?

UPLB Graduation will be on April 26, 2008. For those who are going  back to LB to attend the graduation, here are dining spots you might want to try:

Grove (going to Demarses)

Bonito’s - try their pastas (freshly made), grilled thin crust pizzas, paella, grilled burgers and pork barbecue (Harry Platter, anyone?).

Baan Thai - enjoy Thai food in Los Baños. Must try dishes are their seafood salads, fried rice and curries.

LB Square

Big Dads - their sisig is good! Just hold off on the mayonaise they serve it with.

Jungle Java - great place to hang-out with friends for beer. Try their seafood stir fry for pulutan.

From Agrix to Crossing

Congga - another great place for beer and videoke. If you want to go away from the crowded LB Square, this is the place to go for beer or not. Try their chicken sisig and apple-carrot slush shake.

Ning’s Thai - another Thai place. Try their pa siu noodles, chicken with nuts and spring rolls.

Phuong - You probably know Mrs Phuong who sold spring rolls during the Feb Fair many years ago. She has a wide selection of Vietnamese dishes so just take your pick.

Isis (Icis?) - Great place to chill out, not so loud and smoky anymore. Try their pizza, crispy pata and salads.

Reith (near BPI Family Bank) - the fastfood place for home-cooked Filipino dishes.

Umali Subd

Joes Place (Pearl Street) - for Italian pastas

Ellen’s Fried Chicken (along Raymundo Gate) - no explanations needed.

Bordo’s (F.O. Santos St) - the place to go if you like burgers

Lola Linda’s (near the Mosque) - Filipino food served in a garden setting

These are by no means complete. Just some of the places with good food and a place for bonding with your classmates. And I am not paid for this list, ok?

Happy Eating!

I got tagged by Hailey from my other blog, but I thought this would be more appropriate here.

So what’s your answer?

Student number? –91-44*** (the proper way now is 1991-44***)
College? — College of Arts and Sciences UP LB
Ano ang course mo? — BS Biology
Nag-shift ka ba o na-kick out? — nope
Saan ka kumuha ng UPCAT? CEM Lect Hall, UPLB
Favorite GE (General Education) classes? — Chem 16 and 17
Favorite PE? — Soccer!!!
Saan ka nag-aabang ng hot girls/boys sa UP? sa Humanities steps or sa SU
Favorite Professors? — Dr Payawal, Dr Mendioro and Dr Cuevas of IBS
Least favorite GE (General Education) class? — Wala akong maisip
Did you sign up for Saturday classes? — nope
Nakapag-field trip ka ba? — yes, Ilocos trip ng Humanities (was that 1 or 2?)
Naging CS ka na ba or US sa UP? — CS lang at horror, este, honor  roll
What Organization/Fraternity/Sorority were you a member of? — barbarian ako
Saan ka tumatambay palagi? — Sa SU nung freshman pa with my blockmates , then IBS
Dorm, Boarding house, o Bahay? — Women’s Dorm for 4 years!
Kung walang UPCAT test at malaya kang nakapili ng kurso mo sa UP, ano yun? — Vet Med or Agri
Sino ang pinaka-una mong nakilala sa UP? — Yay! Di ko maalala
First play na napanood mo sa UP? — Si Isko’t Iska (short for Iskolar ng Bayan play to welcome freshies)
Saan ka madalas mag-lunch? — Sa SU o kaya sa dorm.
Name the 5 most conyo orgs in UP — no comment.
Name 5 of the coolest orgs/frats/soro in UP — no comment.
May frat/soro bang nag-recruit sa yo? — none
Masaya ba sa UPLB? — Yes!
Nakasama ka na ba sa rally? — Yes
Ilang beses ka bumoto sa Student Council? — once, nung freshman ako then hindi na.
Pinangarap mo rin bang mag-laude nung freshman ka? — I did. My GPA was 1.745 - abot na abot diba?
Kanino ka pinaka-patay sa UP? — Kay “Y” - crush ko from freshman to 3rd year… Well, codename namin sa kanya ng blockmates ko
Kung di ka UP, anong school ka? — UPLB lang
First Year Block — Block 19!
Very First Subject — Chem 16 lab
Favorite Elective — Plant Path 115
Pinaka-terror na teacher — I enjoyed all my teachers
Most Favorite Major Subject – MCB 101
Least Favorite Major Subject — di ko maisip
Favorite UP Tradition — Open House ng dorms
Most Memorable Thing You Did Just For Bonus Points — wala akong maisip

I am tagging the following bloggers I know are UPLB grads:

Daragang Magayon
Filipina Soul
Rural Vet
Another day

I didn’t notice these set of pictures which my sister took last February 14 along Grove until recently.  At the  start of the week preceding Valentine’s Day, rose vendors would start gathering near UP Gate to sell roses. It starts cheaper then and becoming more expensive by the eve of February 14 and then starts to get cheaper again by the evening of Valentine’s Day. And what of Mernel’s of the heart-shaped chocolates?

I’m not so sure when so many vendors started selling roses at the Gate. During my college days, it was only Aning’s at Crossing that existed.

Check this blog from Prologue Computers - http://prologuelb.blogspot.com! Remember Prologue? I wouldn’t have survived my BS theses without them - from their computer rentals, those huge diskettes and helpful personnel. They are still at Anest Tower with telephone number: 536-2057. Head over to their blog to see what’s new, computer tips and the latest products available. Send in your inquiries, too.

Kung marami na kayong hindi alam, tiyak na old uplb alumni na kayo! So, dalawin ang inyong alma mater sa March 6 sa centennial-foundation day festivities at sariwain ang masasayang kahapon.

1. Kilala mo si Mang Pogs.
2. Nalilito ka kung saan nakalagay ang banga ni Mariang Banga.
3. Tubig na lang ang tingin mo sa gin.
4. Ginamit mong reviewer ang mga old exams para sa mga midterms, prefi at finals sa bio, math, stat, chem, physics, eco etc.
5. Hindi ka sumasagot ng UP (yupeee) kapag tinanong ka kung saan ka graduate.hahaha! sagot mo elbi.
6. Taga-elbi ka kapag kilala mo yung professor na nagbi-bike ng naka-barong na kupas. (Si climax! kalahating albert einstein, kalhating mang pandoy)
7. Ok lang pumasok sa mga klase kahit naka pambahay/pantulog attire ka.
8. Pag nagtanong si manong driver ng “may animal ba dyan?”, at may sumagot ng “meron po” ay di ka natawa.
9. Pag nagtanong uli si manong driver ng “may mens ba dyan?”, at may sumagot uli ng “meron po” ay di ka natawa.
10. Di ka nahihiyang magbitbit ng malaking payong.
11. Taga-elbi ka kung pagkatapos mong magbakasakali kay Mang Pogs, diretso ka na kay Mr. Midnight
12. Bumibili ka ng blue book sa Coop.
13. Alam mong hindi pwedeng ibato ang Batong Malaki.
14. Nung pinanood mo ang movie ni aga at regine na shot at elbi (sa may gaygay gowns) at nagtawag ng taxi si regine e nagtawanan kayo ng mga taga-LB at clueless ang iba.
15. Alam mo kung nasaan ang White House.
16. May tanline ka ng tsinelas.
17. Alam mong mas masarap ang pancit canton na niluto sa ‘heater cup’
18. Sanay ka maglakad.
19. Thursday night ang gimik night mo.
20. Alam mo na ang pinakamalaking banyo ay ang Ellen’s Fried Chicken, at Sizzler’s ang tinitingalang kainan.

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