Episode 3 Review: An eventful episode this was! Jonathan was the MVP during the merged Reward-Immunity Challenge. First, he began swimming and dived deep to get a ladder on the sea bed. Then, he carried this heavy ladder all by himself and allowed his tribemate to climb up and get the bag hanging above a platform. Jonathan won the challenge for his tribe after landing six bags on a flat surface attached to a pole. A first in game history, Jeff Probst commanded the two remaining tribes to stop playing. They were struggling too much due to high tides. The second part of the challenge resumed. Rocksroy almost won it for his tribe but it was Drea who landed the last bag on the highest flat surface. Omar and Chanelle went to the top of the hill to play the ambitious Protect-OR-Risk My Vote. Surprisingly, both chose to Risk; therefore, Chanelle could not vote when she and her tribe arrived at the Tribal Council. Mike could not vote too. Votes and re-votes were tied, leaving Hai and Daniel to discuss who to vote out. The decision must be unanimous or else, Hai, Daniel, Mike and Chanelle were forced to draw rocks. Hai stayed loyal despite of a heated discussion. Daniel decided to go with him to seal the unanimous decision. 5 of 5 stars, STUPENDOUS
Lesson Learned: “Tonight will be the ultimate test of trust for us. This is the first Tribal to establish who’s with who and I just gonna make sure I will be on the right side of numbers.” – Hai
I am surprised. This Filipino movie exceeds all my expectations.
Warning: Better watch the full movie first before reading my review and interpretations below.
Gayuma is categorized as erotic drama made by Tuko Film Productions and directed by Cesar Hernando – may his soul rest eternally. It is strictly for open-minded responsible adults.
Movie review: Mike (played by Benjamin Alves) is a young handsome fine arts student in University of the Philippines. Mike lives alone in a big old house. This house is ‘stereotyped’ with ghost stories about his grandfather’s past. Once in a while, Aunt Malena (Cherie Gil) visits Mike. She brings food for him and joins him during breakfast. Malena is the daughter of Mike’s deceased grandfather.
Joy (Elora Españo) is Mike’s girlfriend. They do not see each other often, because both are busy. Both are art students but Joy gets busier than Mike all the time. She is one competitive woman. She is the kind of girlfriend who commands what to do – “Mike, let us do this,” and “Mike, we should do this.” Whenever they are together, they eat somewhere then make love later.
Their relationship becomes a chore than a romance. The relationship go sour but never officially break up.
Then, there is Stella (Phoebe Walker). Stella is a mysterious nude model frequently seen by Mike inside the art classroom. Mike wonders why she disappears whenever they are together. Either she excuses to go in the comfort room or just go silently.
There is no problem with Mike. He feels comfortable whenever he is with Stella no matter how brief the moment is. Until one day, Mike reveals to Stella that he is in love with her. Mike and Stella have sex.
An art exhibit happened to honor Mike’s grandfather. Mike feels stressful the whole day. He even fails to communicate properly with Joy, who arrives outside the exhibit complaining why Mike forgets to pick her up.
Mike finds Stella in the exhibit. Mike finds her irresistible so they go home together. Inside his room, Stella reveals to Mike that she was the student of his grandfather. They had a romantic relationship but his grandfather left her. Stella died due to broken heart. For the last time, Mike and Stella had sex.
Joy finally convinces herself that Mike is not well. She goes to his house but things are too late. Mike is half-naked and dead on his bed.
Movie analysis: I am not a psychologist nor a psychiatrist. I am not an art student too. The analysis I make are limited to what and how I understand the flow of this stupendous eye-opener story.
Gayuma is a strong character-driven movie. The plot is slow, especially the first hour. The story focuses on Mike as an art student who sees and hears things that do not exist. There is an early scene that shows Mike is hearing voices but when he takes a look at the classroom, the room is empty.
Mike is left living alone. Mike spends his time exploring the old big house. He finds his grandfather’s journals. He reads it. He dreams about it too. Joy is the only person he can share these weird stories and somehow, he expects her to be with him always.
Joy is busy, however. Mike is left with no one. He feels sad and tells his aunt he is getting sadder. He even shares his sadness with Stella.
Stella, however, is not real. She is not a ghost of the past either. Mike created her in his imagination. Stella is his hallucination. She is the kind of girlfriend Mike wants and needs, that whenever he needs her, she stays with him.
The way I observe it, Mike is consumed with all the stories he reads from his grandfather’s journals. These stories become real to him until his mind sub-consciously created someone who is not real. Mike’s unhealthy coping to fill his emptiness.
All those sizzling sex with Stella are Mike’s hallucinations. Mike is either masturbating or he is sleeping restlessly when it happens.
Mike’s hallucinations are uncontrollable from the start. As a student, he feels pressured too. His grandfather is a popular artist, therefore; expectations for Mike is high. Expecting high for himself while nursing a sour relationship with a girlfriend is too much for Mike.
There is no one but his hallucinations, without knowing that in the end these habits are unhealthy for his well-being. Death is inevitable.
** **
Those scenes with a psychic are simply added to bring the plot to another level. It attempts to scare and it is scary, though untruthful and unrealistic. Mike does not need a psychic. He needs a psychiatrist.
Episode 2 Review: This was a simple straight-forward episode. Nothing over-the-top serious drama happened. Camp life began to heat up. One survivor needed to embrace vulnerability to survive the harsh elements while on the other camp, an advantage twist was found. One hid it, looked for it again and get lost. It was a funny scene. The Immunity Challenge was a classic mess. The production kept repeating this challenge as it was neither the most entertaining to watch nor the most annoying. It was simply messy, the Survivor-style. Three survivors played as callers and the rest of the group looked for puzzle pieces while blindfolded. The three tribes were neck-in-neck to finish the circular puzzle. One tribe lost and boom, they were in the Tribal Council. The Shot in The Dark was played again. Nothing happened, and Jeff Probst revealed the majority voted out the one who played the twist. 4 of 5 stars, GOOD
Lesson Learned: “Strength in this game comes in all different shapes and forms. Physical strength is one thing. Mental strength is another. Social game is another. All connected is what you need. You can’t just have one.” – Jonathan
Kopi lah Roti is one of the popular restaurants here in Davao City, Philippines. The word “Kopi” is a Malaysian term for a type of traditional coffee mixed with condensed milk. “Roti” is a bread, preferably a toasted one for a match with coffee.
Combine these terms together, and you will have Kopi lah Roti, a true Singaporean-Malaysian inspired Kopi shop.
One Saturday afternoon, I went directly to Kopi lah Roti after my regular physical therapy in Davao Doctors Hospital. I had a free delicious lunch with my aunts and Federer-fan and tennis club player, Mario Tadena.
From front to back left to right: Mario Tadena, Lea Martin, Zeny Martin and ‘babyface’ me
Zeny D. Martin is the youngest cousin of my dad. She is my aunt and she is also the owner of Kopi lah Roti that began in 2007.
It is easy to judge I am biased for blogging about this Asian restaurant. But wait… in defense of myself, I have not trained myself to be biased. All my professors in BS Psychology taught me how to be fair and objective.
I am not a biased person. To prove it, Kopi lah Roti ranks second in my list of favorite restaurants here in the city. What ranks first is completely another topic.
Two,
People can say anything about a restaurant. There are various variables: food, location, ambiance etc.
To me, it is mainly about the food quality. Eating inside a restaurant is an extraordinary moment either you dine-in alone or with somebody special to you. Therefore; the food you ordered is a decision you can never forget.
Kopi lah Roti delivers well in terms of food. This is the home of the delicious warm coffee, in which you can drink any time of the day.
Milk tea is life! You have heard this phrase any where and any time.
Seems true considering Kopi lah Roti’s Teh Tarik is a good substitute for non-coffee lovers. Teh is a cold milk tea that is featured in i-Juander, a nationwide Magazine Show in GMA News TV.
They say this is the type of tea that requires a level of finesse to prepare. Teh is prepared using a wide-mounted pot and some dance steps to mix the ingredients.
Three,
Sad but it is okay, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in 2016. It means I have a sensitive digestion. That is why, I refrain from drinking anything except water during our free lunch above.
The year was 2007 when I ordered Kopi for the first time. The taste was excellent. It is miles different from all the coffees I ordered in other shops. It is also tempting to drink until the last gulp.
The adventure inside Kopi lah Roti is incomplete without ordering the tasty Roti. The term “Roti” refers to a delicious bread.
Chef/Aunt Zeny divided it into four types: Peanut Butter Toast. Kaya Toast. French Toast. And, French Toast with ice cream. These Roti are ideal for quick breakfast or snack with friends after school.
The Kaya Toast is inseparable with Kopi. It is one memorable moment with friends once the friendly staff hands you the Kaya Toast and Kopi. You get what you paid for with this combo.
Four,
Kopi Bun is my personal favorite with or without a coffee. This bun is soft, tasty and friendly to my unpredictable digestion. Chef/Aunt Zeny and I celebrated Christmas of 2021 together. We TikTok’d for the first time while we consumed a warm bun fresh from the oven.
A box of 6 Kopi Buns is for everyone and for any occasion. This is a special gift to your family or acquaintances.
Five,
Kopi lah Roti is located in 1050 Jacinto Extension, Corner Araulo Street in Davao City. It is easy to find it. Just remember Central Bank as the landmark. It opens every day from seven in the morning until nine in the evening.
For reservations, dine-out orders and franchising request, you can call my Aunt/Chef Zeny for further inquiries.
Everyone is also encouraged to write a short review or request on Facebook.com/kopilahroti/reviews Your reviews are appreciated and are important for the staff.
Six,
Stationed inside Kopi lah Roti is Happy Cakes. Chef/Aunt Zeny loves to bake anything. She underwent professional training in Paris and New York.
Happy Cakes by Zeny M is a home cafe that treats so good. Below is a list of cakes you can order during birthdays, anniversaries or fiestas.
Bestselling is the choco caramel cake, which strongly reminds me of the taste of a candy bar from the movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory.
For sure, you have a great design inside your mind right now. Feel free to discuss it with Chef/Aunt Zeny. She can turn your imagination into reality. Her designs amaze me.
The five-layer white cake she made during her 52nd birthday was simple, beautiful and elegant to the eyes. The overall presentation was a class, not busy.
Seven,
Happy Cakes is not limited to cakes. The Lemon Walnut Torte, Korean Garlic Cream Bun, Home-made Donuts, Healthy Cookies and Healthy Breads are recommended desserts too.
Last Christmas, Chef/Aunt Zeny allowed me to taste her version of Tokyo Style Cheesecake. This cheesecake has a balance taste of sweet and eggy.
Zesty Meals accepts small, average and large food tray orders may it be chicken, seafood, beef, pork, noodles and pasta.
Eight,
Happy Cakes opened 2022 with its new masterpiece. The overall design of Carousel Cake takes the competition to another level. It is the one cake that is divided into eight flavors: Choco caramel, Yema, Red velvet, Ube supreme, Tres leches, Carrot, Chocolate ganache and Cookies-n-cream.
The Carousel Cake was featured on Davao Food Guide on December 29, 2021. The mouth-watering picture above was originally taken by them. Chef/Aunt Zeny sent me one too a day after New Year’s Day.
Nine,
Chef/Aunt Zeny is an accomplished dentist before she became a chef and entrepreneur. Dentistry is her first passion. The Martin Dental Center is located at the second floor of Kopi lah Roti. When you enter the restaurant and you turn left, you will see the stairs going up to the center.
Ten,
Martin Dental Center (MDC) offers professional dental services such as dental cleaning, teeth whitening, oral surgery, bone grafting, panoramic x-ray, lateral cephalometric x-ray, TMJ tomography, intra-extra oral photographs, diagnostic model cast, bite wing x-ray, single periapical x-ray and dental implants.
MDC also offers a standard package that includes four types of x-ray views – panoramic, cephalometric, study cast and study photos.
Top Core Dental Corporation distributes quality dental equipment and supplies, which are made by Cavex Holland BV.
** **
There you have it. These are the 10 good reasons to like and love Kopi lah Roti. These reasons are limited based on my perspective, in truth, there are more than 10 reasons to show some love.
The brand name itself sounds cute, unique and memorable. The word lah puts an emphasis with a pause between Kopi and Roti. Hence, when you say it, Kopi bridges into lah before you get into Roti.
Never forget though that behind these words is an accomplished dentist, a well-traveled chef and a competitive entrepreneur. This is what defines my Aunt Zeny is. This is who she is.
Address her as doc, chef or aunt, no one replaces her as the mastermind behind the success of Kopi lah Roti. I am one proud nephew, I feel happy for her success, and I got no qualm if she leads the Martin bloodline while raising a blue flag with a white capital Z on it.
Photos Courtesy of: Official Facebooks of Kopi lah Roti, Happy Cakes by Zeny M, Martin Dental Center
Episode 1 Review: This was a memorable pilot. One, two survivors went home. The team behind the camera were left without a choice but to let the first survivor go due to health reasons. Two, the second survivor played his Shot in The Dark during the Tribal Council, declared not safe and voted out. The first minutes of the edit looked like it followed the sequence of the events from the previous season. It went out this way, “We are excited to be here standing in front of Jeff Probst,” then camp life, I was impressed both tribes chose the Savvy Challenge. At last, the total number of triangles in the puzzle was revealed. Then, there was the Risk My Vote or Protect My Vote twist, which I do not like at all. This ambitious twist was not something I will remember after watching an episode. It was almost like the Ghost Island twist, that if not for the quality of survivors then Season 36 would have been a massive failure. The advantage right in the middle of a group challenge was something new. It required an instant decision-making without a plan. You needed to rely on your gut, nothing more. 4 of 5 stars, GOOD
Lesson Learned: “We have a plan. Stick with the plan. And be done.” – Rocksroy | Photo Courtesy: CBS
I AM SURVIVORDEAN 