tummy of the bunny

How does Malou prepare an easter feast without giving you a happy death at your dining table?

I have no heck of an idea.

Actually, you're not allowed able to think after stuffing yourself with Malou's feast.

You just crash on the bough, rub your tummy and pick your teeth.

If the world was at peace, I could easily adapt to this condition of being spoiled at her turf that is near my own place.

Malou and Richard are the couple who own my fave hang out in BF, Cafe Francaise. When they put out a sign that they were having a buffet, we were just game for it. So game that we were the first to arrive today to enjoy the bites.

The buffet table presented a menu that children cannot play with: Fish al limone, beouf de burgeonne and chicken paupette with pesto sauce.

There were also cream of mushroom soup, thin crust chef's pizza, green salad and carbonara.

Rice was fried mixed with chopped shrimps.

Dessert were leche flan and coffee cake.

"Try mo ito with the pesto kasi yan ang nagpapasarap dyan," Malou said as she poured the sauce on the chicken that was already on my plate. And it really was, especially because I am a pesto lover.

I saw three kinds of pasta noodles: penne, linguini and spaghettini. These are all for the carbonara.

It was also a make-your-own green salad, something dummies would not need a book for. Two choices of dressing were available: chef salad and pesto.

When a large group arrived to add the body count that lined up for the buffet table, Malou whispered to me and said, "Are you through? Balik pa kayo. Baka kayo maubusan."

She laughed at the naughty idea of it .

Richard stayed in the porch. When we got out of the car, he had that big smile and a quick wave at us.

"That's a good car. You don't see cars like that often," he remarked in his French accent. After exchanging brief notes on the Jeep I drove, we entered the resto while he was left outside.

"Tinitingnan nya yung car mo," observed my special gurl.

"Hindi. Binabantayan nya," I kidded in response.

Richard who projects a long night and a day of swigging knows cars, as much as he knows the people who frequent his resto. When we were on our way to the car, he stopped us to shake my hand and wish us well. And even when I was about to drive away, Malou gave a wave.

Friendly folks who are passionate in what they do, both in business and the family, are the kind of bunch you would like to bump into on an easter lunch.

* * *

Hoot will be relocating soon to Florida.

It is worth the change and he's looking forward to it because he's had enough of snow.

Eh di ba kakabili lang nya ng bahay? Pano na yun? my mom asked me.

Madali na yun. Mom, he can always sell his place and move on. I assured her.

When she didn't mention the BMW my brother recently acquired as well, I figured she forgot about that.

Eh yung kotse nya? Dadalin ba nya yun? she remembered (making light of the fact that a mother knows everything, even your thoughts).

Ibebenta din nya. I answered.

I've never been to Florida for a vacation simply because there were no relatives in that state. It would be lovely to travel there as soon as Hoot has settled. This gives me more reason to renew my visa this month.

And no, I won't get off the plane at the Miami International Airport and blurt out The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again.

But it would be something to be picked up by a yellow pimped out Hummer, driven by Horatio Caine who jumps out with gun in hand to secure the kropek pasalubong in my luggage.

* * *

kids should know that...

Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for southern Florida, where the climate borders on tropical and the Florida Keys, which have a tropical climate. It was named by Juan Ponce de Leon, who landed in St. Augustine on April 2, 1513, during Pascua Florida (Spanish for "Flowery Easter," referring to the Easter season). Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State," but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. (wikipedia)