Shopping for Goto Love It!

I just wanted to share some random photos from my phone. These are some scenes of how our life was before we started Goto Love It! ;)

It's Official

Yes, it is official... I quit my job!  Now i am a full-time restaurateur.  Wish us luck! :)

Pasalubongs

I am always flattered whenever good friends bring home something for me after an out of town trip. It feels even better when they go out of their way to bring it to me personally.

A few days ago, Nikko brought me some pasalubong goodies from CDO and Camiguin. Also a few days ago, i savored good breakfasts of Danggit fresh from Ivy's trip to Cebu. Today, i got yummy ensaymada from Ms Teckie.

I recall receiving food and stuffs recently from random friends... very thoughtful friends. Earrings from Jenah, perfume from Sheila, lengua de gato from Eugene and strawberry candies from Edz from their trip to Baguio on this year's Panagbengnga Festival. Simple things but they mean a lot.

Free stuff give a smile on my face but more than that, as cliche as it sounds, it's the thought that counts. ;)

The GOTO Diaries

It's been 21 days since we started the most challenging chapter of our lives - putting up a restaurant.

The concept has been planned months ago when Arnel and i have eaten goto with beef tripe in Baguio in September 2011. My love for the simple dish started when i was interning at Manila Doctors Hospital where goto and tokwa't baboy was a staple dinner/midnight snack to nightowls on duty. In Laoag, however, there are only a few options of gotohan and none of them suited my taste - that inspired me to insist on put up a gotohan in a carinderia-like setup... as simple as that. Arnel agreed with the idea which made me so happy.

Along the way there were struggles - we wanted to do several things that our mind was not focused on the original plan. Ideas flooded our head until we could not decide which one to handle first. Then one day i told him i wanted to quit my job; 99% of me wanted to give up on being an employee. The remaining 1% was because of the hope that one day i will be contended with how much i was earning. You see, i wanted so bad to buy this piece of land but i could not afford it. I also wanted to go abroad and see London as part of my goals before i reach 30. Just a few days before handing out my resignation letter, i got promoted - another obstacle. All the events led us not to where we originally planned yet we still pursued (thank God for the gift of guts).

It's frustrating and challenging at the same time; well, more of the latter.

Now, here it is! In a few days' time i hope to see friends old and new trying out our menu. :) Lord, let this be a success.

I am so excited!!! ;)

Getting There

Phew! I've never felt so relieved the day is over.

Today my former boss (and now just a colleague of the same rank) said something bad about how i do my job basing her opinion on an obvious fact that i was busy doing something that has been ordered by my current boss (who is not actually my boss yet because she is still training to be one) as if it is so easy to think of a million things at the same time.

Another order from a boss came today, an order than i followed with all my heart, only to realize 53 powerpoint slides after, that i still do not have a contract proving that this task is really in my job description, so it is not fair that i do what she says i am supposed to do.

And another order came to me today, this one from the person who is actually paying for my salary. That order i cannot, and will never say no to. He speaks and orders me kindly so he is all good.

The only thing that made me smile today is when Gov was so nice during the meeting; she even thanked me for attending it.

I am getting to the point where i am about to leave this shit. All work and no credit.. and yes, there is credit to those who are purely talk. Deafening, sickening, annoying talk... i hate people who talk a lot assuming they are smarter than i.

I hate them. All of them. If they could just shut up and help me do the work then we could have all contributed to the company.

My 40-day Sacrifice

Lent, unlike most of us, is about making a major sacrifice. This year i decided to quit eating pork and beef for 40 long days.

I am a meat lover - i had my first steak at Stuart Anderson in Hawaii - and vowed to love my steak medium-rare for the rest of my life. I was only 12yrs old; steak has become a staple menu for special dinners at home since.

It's been 10 days since i started the goal to be meat-free. Working in Gerry's Grill has gotten me exposed to Crispy Pata, Pork Sisig and Beef Kare Kare so you could just imagine the gravity of temptation - everyday's a torture. Sometimes i ask myself why the hell i put myself into this crappy situation when everyone else does not seem to care about the said Catholic tradition.

Mornings define a breakfast of tuyo and danggit, my lunch limited to dinengdeng, laing, ampalaya con itlog, beans fried in garlic, Sugba Kilaw (minus the Liempo); whenever i run out of options, i settle with Empanada (without the longganisa) or just plain scrambled egg.

I just had dinner with the boyfie where he enjoyed Saramsam's Dinardaraan and Pinakbet with Bagnet. I indulged in Spicy Sashimi... but i wish i had a bite of the bagnet. :(

You see, this is what sacrifice is about. God gave us His life... what's slight diet modification compared to that?

I only have 30 days left in this challenge... i guess this is better than not having anything to eat, right? Lucky for me, surely tomorrow there's something green or something fishy waiting for me in the fridge.

you GOTO try it.. soon!

LDP Building, Balintawak St. 

Laoag City