birthday and farewell

After our big morning pitch, the entire office and I went to Club Filipino to mark two things (well, not all of us; we left Cosi Cosi the Jack Russel Terrier on the 9th floor).

First was my partner Marc’s birthday. Second, it was the last day at work of one of my writers.

So it was funny and bittersweet, as things like that go, and we ate well, focusing on the good food and the good times instead of the sadness that leave-taking imparted. Crispy pata, kare-kare, pancit molo, grilled prawns, sinigang na baboy, blue marlin, lots of rice and good stuff to drink.

It’s a good thing we all chose to walk to and back from the restaurant. My God, we needed to burn off some calories.

It's interesting how, as Filipinos, we tend to mark almost every event with food. And I mean everything. We need only the barest suggestion of a reason, and before you know it, your family and friends and neighborhood is there to celebrate or commiserate with you.

Is it because food comforts? Nah. We just love to eat.