“Luxury = You should do good while you are living well!” Exquisite!
What a beautiful first experience of pairing tequila with 4 course meal plus dessert. Four entrees were prepared by Chef Armando Quiroz, Executive Chef of the City Club, a special worldwide membership, where Cris and Benel Liban belong.
The dishes were done exquisitely well, almost Michelin-star rated, in my humble opinion – more so for the first course of oysters with caviar and the duck Mole with pickled kumqusts.
It was a special grouping of about 30 members sharing this well curated dinner. It included a Global Director of Education and Outreach of Tequila Komos – her name is…She described how Tequila Komos is prepared in a high quality manufacturing process, with agave grown in the forests for 6 to 7 years, then, harvested, processed, and aged, ranging from 2 years to 7 years.
We tasted four varieties: Anejo Cristalino (paired with oyster and caviar and ahi tuna ceviche with watermelon); Reposado Rosa (paired with Roasted Poblano Carbonara); Anejo Reserva (paired with Sesame Seed Seared Duck Mole) and Chocolate Pear Fillo.
“At Tequila Komos, we believe life is a special occasion and every day is worth celebrating, and that tequila should be inclusive, global, and approachable.”
What impressed me was the sustainability practices. Agave plant waste is made into biofuel pellets, transport pallets, construction bricks that will be used to build a school and a woman’s shelter.
Not only did the tequila score a range of scores from 98, 99 to 100, their sustainability practices give you a sense of calm that your footprint in drinking this refined tequila is being made smaller in waste value and bigger in social impact use! She ended by saying “Luxury is you should do good while you are living well.”
To folks who can afford $120 per bottle to $450 per bottle for the Extra Anejo, know you are contributing to respecting the land where agave forests are grown for 7 to 8 years before being made into tequila and where its waste products are renewed into building bricks, pallets and biofuel pellets.
Thank you very much Cris and Benel for sharing this luxurious experience with me. The best part – tequila bottles are made of porcelain and reusable as flower vases. We were allowed to take them home!
“ If you go to someone’s home and they offer you their food, they’re giving something of themselves. Once people give, then their heart is involved. Giving – making your contribution – is what brings community alive. “ Cesar Chavez
I have heard this quite a few times — it is valuable to honor a contribution, however small. It makes a difference in keeping a community together. I have observed this, like other Americans, when it was concretely done by the Obama presidential campaign. President Obama validated the smallest contribution, a $3.22 donation sent by a retired senior. Pres. Obama gave it such center stage importance.
The campaign focused on small, as well as grand participations, and behind-the-scenes strategy-making. This practice of gratitude has built a culture of mutual caring and continues to sustain a community to stay together. And in staying together through the recognition of contributions, whatever the amount, the equalizing factor of a democracy is kept vibrant.
I believed this practice allowed the Obama campaign to thread together the hearts of the few initial supporters initially until they ballooned to 3,000,000 volunteers who participated through various commitments: hosting fundraisers, knocking on doors, organizing phone booths, writing blogs, street rallying, and for op-ed writers, utilizing newspapers through their columns. All were acknowledged, through Obama’s website and with personal letters of thanks.
These acts of appreciation by Pres. Obama and Cesar Chavez bring another individual who practiced the same show of gratitude — Lean Alejandro.
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Lean and lanky, he was often teased and likened to a bean stalk. Lean was married to Lidy, a good-looking woman who is known for remembering precise details, including analyzing patterns and behaviors of folks she meets. She is very observant of people and listens perceptively. She is also equally generous with sharing her own travels and interactions with different cultures.
Before Lean was murdered by unidentified men in the Philippines, the couple traveled abroad, courtesy of Lidy’s parents. They made trips to visit family in the summer. During these trips, we were usually their first or last stop. Being their first stop would mean picking them up at the airport and being their last stop would entail a trip to Lidy’s parents house — a 60-mile journey from Los Angeles county to visit and bring them to the coast.
What I remember most were the laughs, the endless eating, and analysis of the political climate back home.
Oh, how he enjoyed life! On the way back from the airport, he would eagerly recall the details of his last visit. He would remember everything, from the steamed crabs that we had at the pier to the spot where we went fishing which we showed him.
Lidy, usually would have a more precise recall. During that time, Santa Monica Pier was quite clean and fishing was allowed from the pier. We would catch barracuda and even some perch. But, after fishing, perhaps Lean remembered the coast so well — the breeze, the languid waves lapping back and forth and he would associate our fishing with buying steamed, cooked crabs.
We would drive to Redondo Beach to buy steamed crabs to take them home and eat them with rice, vinegar and garlic. We would laugh so hard as we pried open, with difficulty, the crab claws. He made an analogy of the crabs with a person whom he encountered.
He had many reflections, perhaps foreshadowing how he needed to make the most out of what turned out to be a very brief life. Lean died at the age of 27.
He had grand stories to tell — stories of how he persuaded folks to change their perspectives.
And his story took us to the Lords of the Rings. He loved it so much that J. Uy of the Philippine Inquirer, Sept. 19, 2007 wrote: ” I ( Lidy ) introduced him to the ‘Lord of the Rings.’ But he didn’t tell his friends that he got it from me. Macho kasi,” said the feminist firebrand, ( Lidy ) chuckling at the memory of her husband, Lean.
Lean spoke in layered volumes, disclosing at times his dilemma, using the Lord of the Rings analogy: “Does the fellowship have what it takes to complete its task, or will the powers of evil overcome those of good leaving behind a world ravaged by the rage of Sauron, the Dark Lord? “
The Dark Lord of course, he was insinuating in the context of the Marcos dictatorship — a regime that instilled fear among Filipinos. Former President Marcos was known for unreasonably sending the opposition in prison, stifling the media, and taking ownership of key industries.
Lean was then aspiring to run for Congress, at a young age of 27. As a student leader, he attracted legions and inspired crowds. He got along with everyone — the poor, the middle-class and the wealthy elite. He was welcomed in the mansions of the rich, in churches, even in a humble slum dwelling. He inspired folks with simple words and with his abundant humor. He had a knack for creating slogans spontaneously: “ The struggle for freedom is the next best thing to actually being free,” or ” In The line of fire is a place of honor.”
In her August 2008 article, Marlu Villanueva-Balmaceda of Philstar.com, had this to say: “I liked Lean because he was oozing with confidence, he was so articulate, and he was totally charismatic. He was like a magnet. Even if he was talking ideology, it all made sense to me.”
My most vivid memory of Lean was how he shook my hand and how he would hold my right hand with both his hands, how he would look into my eyes and smile. He would thank us profusely for the slightest thing — from picking them up at the airport, even to taking them out for coffee. He was always generous with his gratitude.
Lean understood the price of good, effective leadership. He knew his life would be on the line, and he was acutely aware that it could end prematurely. Yet, he never failed to thank folks that he encountered in his path.
Twenty two years later, those who murdered of Lean Alejandro have still not been brought to justice. Up to now, those who pulled the trigger on Lean and Ninoy Aquino are still unidentified.
Rumors abound that both Lean and Ninoy were assassinated by the radical arm of the military, the same people who made six coup attempts to depose the presidency of Cory Aquino.
We may never know who killed Lean. But what we do know is that his widow, Lidy Nacpil Alejandro, now remarried, is moving forward with her progressive vision. Lidy has traveled to more than 220 cities in the world, speaking on behalf of progressive causes. Her latest journey was made for the Freedom from Debt Coalition, to educate people on how massive foreign debt cripples industrialization and development in developing countries.
Today, Lean’s legacy and the community he built lives on in our hearts, immortalized in a wing of Vinzon’s Hall in the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, named after him. Photographs of his life as an activist are displayed in his memory.
I plan to pay my respects and gratitude on my next visit to Lean — a good, fun friend who was ahead of his time. He gave up his life so we can have our freedom. I utilize this freedom by continuing to vigilantly write about issues he fought for — a democratic, free world for everyone, rich or poor.
It was at first a choice of eating at a Pinoy restaurant but, I changed my mind when Mike said, “Tita, that’s too simple!” I don’t know what it is with me, it is easier for me to treat my family and friends but to myself, I hesitate. Is that a form of feeling less than?
So, Ana and Mike and Don joined me at Genwa and travelled in peak traffic last night for our dinner, an advanced celebration of my 72nd.
Last night was a very sumptuous and overwhelmingly abundant Korean barbecue: marinated wagyu, ribeye, galbi, mushrooms, onions, scallops, lobsters and unlimited ban chan of turnips, tofu cakes, pickled jalapeños, green salad, potato salad, and my favorite – purple rice.
Anyhow, we had “baon” for my dinner tonight, as Ana’s.
I have grown fond of these loving friends of mine. Each get together, we freely share perspectives and I have gained wider perspective about life, travels, generosity of time and attention, health and safety, small businesses, and music.
You get a sense of their great musical voices when the trio sang Happy Birthday for me. It was so special-had tears threatening to cascade.
Speaking of miracles, I visited Monastery of Poor Clares with JV and attended mass with him and Rina on July 19. We wrote our prayer petitions together in Rina’s serene and very calm patio, rich in blooming plants and wildflowers, including hydrangea.
Rina immediately thought of giving me her robust Queen of the Night plant with three budding small blooms. She even gave me the fish fertilizer to go with it. Last night, it bloomed soon after I got home.
A divine gift – as when I got home, I witnessed the blooming of the Queen of the night’s flower, whose fragrance permeated the kitchen and dining room. A thoughtful gift from Rina Bentajado and carefully loaded into my car by Jv Samson!
Here’s the other miracle. The day of July 19, we dropped off our prayer petitions imploring God the Almighty through Lord Jesus and Mama Mary to grant a full measure of healing and good health and wellness for Rina – that was 930am. When I got home at around 3pm, same day, I got a letter from Monastery of Poor Clares responding to my prayer intentions, postmarked July 17 and inside, a note, dated July 15. Seven days later, I got another generic response from the monks acknowledging my prayers. Isn’t that a divine miracle, a direct line from the heavens, a friend said, “The Lord is surely keeping an eye on you.”
Hubby said it could have been a response to a prior visit. Nope, as JV and I did not visit the chapel until July 19 and I got a response dated two days earlier. Hubby requested to see the postmarked letters – I showed it to him. Would that have made him a believer in miracles?
My daughter, C nodded when I shared her my divine experience, acknowledging it was a miracle.
What a beautiful gift of friendship and nature’s love for us! Thank you God for these miracles! You are indeed with us!
Not done with his activities agenda, mind you, he is 18 months old, he took the numbers book in Tagalog ‘Isa, Dalawa, Tatlo…ito ay abalo! by Jocelyn Francisco, Ph.D. and art by Jamie Lee Ortiz.
By the way, I interrupted him going upstairs. He whined a bit. But I explained I need to change his diaper, then we can go for a stroller walk. He cooperated fully: switched on the light, then as I was washing his butt, he would collect water with his hand and applied the water onto the medicine cabinet. After, he knows how to switch off the light.
He wanted to climb on the sofa. I said, you can after we put on your diaper. He cooperated. I got his diaper on. He got up and stood by the drum.
He started drumming. He went to the sofa and stood up to #raymondhewitt drum and started pounding. Notice his #rhythm and this was done without coaching. @mondavid5 – he will need music lessons from you soon.
I then recited: “R is kind, R is handsome, R is loving, R is compassionate, R is adventurous, R is smart.” He clapped his hands with gusto.
He wanted to be cuddled. I held him for a few minutes and now, he is napping two hectic hours later.
Would you believe I was able to cook breakfast while doing all these?
I asked for a date. We were supposed to go to the beach yesterday. But, when he was ready after watching the Olympics, I was taking a nap. The heat got to me.
So this morning, I repeated my ask. He said, “can I meet you there?” He biked to the Farmer’s Market and I got to buy my fresh produce. We shared a croissant and had our coffees.
This father and daughter duo got us listening for awhile. They were really good. Then, this selfie and hubby gave me his caption to this selfie.
Jv Samson took me years ago to this chapel in Santa Barbara. Each time, I carry a burden in my heart and after mass, my heart feels lighter as I have had divine manifestations here. One time it was the Pieta image in the exposed Holy Eucharist.
This Thursday, July 18, 2024, we left LA at 5am, and after a few miles, dawn was giving way to sunrise. It made for a glorious image. We went for coffee after mass and dropped off our prayer intentions at 930 am. That’s Thursday morning.
By the time I got home, it was 4pm, July 18, Thursday.
Yet, the letter from Poor Clares Sisters was dated July 15, 2024 acknowledging they are lifting up my prayers for Rachel (RIP) and for Enrique de la Cruz , my hubby’s sustained good health in his next Camino.
The outer envelope was postmarked July 17, 2024, three pm in Santa Barbara. How can that be? Can you recognize the miracle?
It was as if my letter was mailed from heaven, and one day earlier than I wrote my prayer intentions. I couldn’t believe it.
We usually have breakfast with Rina Bentajado then head back to LA. This time, my friend and I went to Roblar Winery, where Rina has a membership. I loved all their wildflowers tastefully curated.
Rina added to the joy of the day by giving us too many gifts. The most important for me was Moonflower or Queen of the night, that has three blooming plants.
We had such a great time exchanging healing stories including books on shifting mindsets, expecting God’s daily nuggets of grace.
What a beautiful experience with two God-centered friends of mine. Please grant them long lives, Lord, and disease-free to enjoy the blessings bestowed on them.
at the Farmer’s Market.
