2013-May-18: Are these the boys you’re looking for?

I first heard about The Sci-Fi Cafe from Suresh, via our Via Astris (The Star Trek Club of the Philippines) Facebook Group. He had just stumbled on the place himself last week, which had its soft-opening on May 5.

On The Sci-Fi Cafe official Facebook Page, it is described as;

The Sci-Fi Cafe is a concept restaurant located in Robinsons Galleria, 4th floor West Wing, featuring pop culture reflected in sci-fi movies serving burgers, pizza and pasta.

The Sci-Fi Cafe is a concept restaurant located at the 4th floor, West Wing of Robinsons Galleria Ortigas Ave. corner EDSA, featuring pop culture reflected in sci-fi movies through the use of prop replicas, 1/6 scale action figures and movie posters as the overall theme of the restaurant serving American comfort food.

I made time to bring the wife and kids to check it out on May 18 and hoped the food wasn’t too bad either. Little did I know that The Sci-Fi Cafe had had its grand opening earlier in the day. Hence, my two sons were pleasantly surprised to see Iron Man (two of them!), Black Widow, and Hellboy cosplayers greeting guests at the entrance.

2013-May-18: Caption this!

The menu is filled with science-fiction-inspired item names and uses a very familiar font.

Credit: The Sci-Fi Cafe

Menu prices for the eats are above-average, drinks are pretty standard. Prepare at least PhP 400 per hungry geek.

Credit: The Sci-Fi Cafe

We ordered the Nacho Libre, Armageddon pizza, Chocolate milk blends for the boys, Wintermelon iced tea for the wife, and a can of Mountain Dew for myself.

2013-May-18: The Ten Forward Table. Where’s Guinan? Two chocolate milks, please!

I expected the pizza to be bigger and the chocolate milk tasted a bit watery. I suppose the menu is still undergoing fine-tuning. The nachos are for the win and the Wintermelon iced tea was an instant favorite. The Mountain Dew was, well, Mountain Dew.

2013-May-18: Live long and eat nachos!

Three versions of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) were put on display after Star Trek Into Darkness was released: The Enterprise from T.O.S., the Enterprise from the J.J. Abrams reboot, and the Sovereign-class NCC-1701-E.

2013-May-18: A closer look at the Star Trek items. Thrusters on full…

Get a closer look at the three starships here.

2013-May-18: Swallow your food, Johann!

Can you identify all the ships hanging from the ceiling?

2013-May-18: It’s a trap!

There are also quite a few action figures that the younger kids can identify from popular Disney and Pixar films.

2013-May-18: Toy Story toys – and they’re like, “Meh…” because of this and this.

Quoting Jack Nicholson as The Joker in the 1989 Batman movie, there are just too many “wonderful toys” to take in all in one go.

2013-May-18: Even moar stuff; Iron Man Mark I and Iron Monger helmets, Darth Vader’s helmet, Terminator bust, Star Wars Rebel Alliance Fighter Pilot’s helmet, I Robot bust.

Thanks again to Richard and Bennette who were happy to have us pose for a photo with the lightsabers and the Stormtrooper helmet. I was actually grinning from ear to ear with the helmet on. Well, of course I was.

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

Desiderata (Latin: “desired things”) is a 1927 prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann. Largely unknown in the author’s lifetime, the text became widely known after its use in a devotional, subsequently being found at Adlai Stevenson’s deathbed in 1965, and after spoken-word recordings in 1971 and 1972.

Watch the video after the jump.

“Sing like no one’s listening,
love like you’ve never been hurt,
dance like nobody’s watching,
and live like its heaven on earth.”

Happy Birthday, my Beautiful Boy, Darling Boy. See you in the morning. Bright and early.

Watch the video on YouTube: Fun – We Are Young (Solo Drum Cover, sort of)

Erik Selvig: Was that a bad thing, finding out that you don’t have all the answers? You start asking the right questions.

Thor: For the first time in…in my life, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.

Erik Selvig: If anyone is ever going to find his way in this world, you have to start by getting it that he doesn’t know where the hell he is.

- Thor (2011 film)

Marina Abramovic and Ulay started an intense love story in the ’70s, performing art out of the van they lived in. When they felt the relationship had run its course, they decided to walk the Great Wall of China, each from one end, meeting for one last big hug in the middle and never seeing each other again. At her 2010 MoMa retrospective, Marina performed “The Artist Is Present” as part of the show; a minute of silence with each stranger who sat in front of her. Ulay arrived without her knowing it and this is what happened.

via Marina Abramovic Meets Ulay [YouTube]

I’ll just leave this here.

For Nat, and the madlang pipol.

“She can do whatever she wants, pare. I just wear ear plugs and enjoy the show.”

Happy Birthday, Anne Curtis! I love your dress. Srsly, it’s very clever. The MTRCB can be such a bunch of prudes sometimes (except when they bash that sleazebag Willie Revillame).

Another pic and a vid of the whole “over-provocative” (oh, please) song/dance number after the jump.

Did she go commando, or didn’t she? I don’t care.

The money shot: Wait for 3:14 in the video below.

Spoiler: The dress is made up of a high-slit skirt worn over a black high-cut (“tangga”) swimsuit.

So, is there a parody Twitter account for Anne Curtis’ Left Leg yet?

UPDATE: Here’s another photo of Anne Curtis allegedly exposing herself while singing Rihanna’s “Diamonds”, found floating around the Internet:

Related links:

• ASAP 18 – ANNE CURTIS BIRTHDAY PROD (February 24, 2013) [YouTube]
• MTRCB questions ASAP for “over-provocative” number [Yahoo! OMG! Philippines]
• ASAP faces MTRCB probe for Anne Curtis number [Rappler]

GUS FRING
Why did you make these decisions?

WALTER WHITE
For the good of my family.

GUS FRING
Then they weren’t bad decisions. What does a man do, Walter? A man provides for his family.

WALTER WHITE
This cost me my family.

GUS FRING
When you have children, you always have family. They will always be your priority, your responsibility. And a man, a man provides. And he does it even when he’s not appreciated or respected or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it. Because he’s a man.

From Breaking Bad [Quotefully]

May angels lead you in.
May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
May perpetual light shine upon you.
Rest easy and rest in peace, dear Oro.
(December 4, 1988 – January 21, 2013, age 24)

My nephew Oro’s funeral service was this morning. He was my father’s godson. My eldest son was his godson. It is often the good ones whom God takes first. Oro was no exception.

We who are saddened
by the certainty of death
are also comforted
by the promise of immortality.

- Preface: Mass for the Dead

Ride All You Can at the Fun Ranch from E.J. Padero on Vimeo.

An afternoon at the Fun Ranch in Pasig, on Johann's 4th Birthday.

Happy Birthday, dear Johann!