Power98 Mario

I’m A Foodie & Proud Of It!

mario — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:51:46 +0000

Squid Ink at Changi Airport

Here’s a confession…

As a little boy I helped my Mum and Dad in our little food stall right in front of my house in Manila. Most of our customers are from the music factory in front of our house back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. That’s where I’ve seen Mum’s skills in cooking all sorts of stuff from fish to pork, beef, chicken, including popular desserts like our version of “ice kacang” and “grass jelly” drink back then. I was Mum’s “ice kacang” assistant and at the same time her pest in the kitchen. What can I say, her food and cooking is simply yummy! My friends love her food to the point of coming home on Sundays and simply having dinner at my place. Those were the days. When my “Lolo” or Grandpa was still alive and kickin’ I used to accompany him to distant places where he heads a group of cooks for a big banquet or for a small gathering. “Amang” or Grandpa was a very skilled man (and also a playboy!) and he’d bring with him his bag of kitchen utensils. It was really amazing what he brought with him in the past, all the sharp and big knives, all the scoops and stirring equipment he had, it was far too many to remember.

Shun Li Yong Tau Foo @ Henderson Market

So, If you want to ask me about food from the places I’ve settled in (past to present), I’d be glad to share with you some ideas where and how to prepare them. After all, besides music that we play at POWER98, food also is our connection no matter where we really come from.

"The Uncle" of "SELERA" @ Adam Road's most popular Nasi Lemak stall. Choice of the CEO's!

My very successful "Roast Pork" home made and yummy!

These are just some of my simple, yet most pleasurable adventures here in Sunny SG!

Happy Birthday Singapore! Luv ya with all my heart!

“Come Back To Me” by David Cook (Agnes’ request)

mario — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:05:51 +0000

I haven’t seen Agnes for years. We were primary (elementary) school buddies. I used to visit her place as a little kid to do our assignments and to simply chat. This song was requested via my facebook page. It made her cry.
The power of music – I believe in it through good and bad times.

Who knows I could sing at your wedding:) I actually do that upon request from Church folks or within my own circle of contacts.

For more on my music/unplugged videos simply visit http://www.youtube.com/user/mariolajarca

Cheers!

SuperMario

Hannah’s Piano Recital

mario — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:28:53 +0000

It happened just last Sunday, 4th July @ NUS YST’s Conservatory Concert Hall. What an amazing place that almost resembles Esplanade’s main concert hall. The same hall where big artists like Diana Krall, Jason Mraz, or Brian McKnight would perform. The place was simply grand!

I’ve enjoyed most of the performances and even some of the portions where my 8-yr old kid Hannah played as well. It makes us proud as parents to see our kids grow, mature, and somehow progress skillfully on things that we never thought they’d like to be better at. I’ve learned to play the keyboard on my own while I was in college. The first pop piece I played was Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting For You.” Then it was followed with some of my favourite rock ballads and other pop faves. Music was an escape to life’s merciless beatings during my younger days. Basically, high-school and college for me were my surviving days in a creative way. I did survive, well, barely surviving ’til now. “Must work for milk!”

Back to Hannah’s recital. The only terrible and most disastrous part was that her music school hired an incompetent Emcee. One guy who knows nuts about what the kids were doing or the sequence of the programme. There weren’t proper intros and outros of the segments and his adlib almost always contain “well, what do you think? should i be a drummer or a pianist or a violinist?” To me, all I care about at that time are all about “the kids performing” it’s their moment Mr. Emcee – you are NOT important at all!”

Wifey simply told me, “worry not, we’ll tell the school about this lousy Emcee.”

If you’re an aspiring Emcee or Journalist or DJ. Here are some tips:

1) Closed questions are a “no no no” (e.g. do you love playing the piano?)

2) Interviewing a person shouldn’t be your focus, your goal is to have a conversation along with your OPEN QUESTIONS. (e.g. you play the piano really well…what would life be for your without music or your piano?)

3) Do your research. Get to know the background of the person(s) you’re gonna talk to.

4) Learn your demographics before hand. As an experienced Emcee, you should know that your audience is more important than you modulating your Emcee voice on stage. Who are they? What do they do? Are there musicians in the crowd?

Well, there ya go. Free tips from me to your:)

I’m still waiting for my wife to complain about that Emcee. Seriously. Hey, I’m Singaporean too lah!

Well, hello there! (Happy Father’s Day)

mario — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:32:38 +0000

Our former party-DJ-spinner Neil’s phrase is catchy. “What’s Up Ketchup?”

My life has been turned upside down, inside out like an overused bottle of ketchup indeed! I haven’t slept much these past few days due to workload and ensuring that work is done. It also doesn’t help when so many friends from overseas are visiting me here these past few weeks. I try my best not to bring myself to Sentosa again and again and again!

Well, Father’s Day is here. I just wanna share with you that my little rascals have been involved with a couple of concerts of their own. My 2 year old kid – Lana was enrolled at a performing arts school and has been singing Glee songs on repeat mode eversince she joined Popstars at Kids Performing on Robertson Quay. Hannah (my eldest) joined a choir and has been busy with that too. They’ve performed at Fusionopolis and made me cry while video-recording their live set there. I’m a cry-baby! They’ll soon perform at the Marina Bay Sands and that brings pride to my heart. I’m trying my best not to over praise them. Tonight, Wifey shared with me Lana’s teacher’s feedback that “she’s got a good heart, very sensitive soul, that she asks her teachers how they are if they fall sick and when they come back to attend to them…I’m really touched by Lana’s innocent and sweet gestures and thoughtfulness.”

Below is a photo one morning in my room. She simply waited for me to wake up and showed me that she made this for me long before Father’s Day takes place. I couldn’t ask for more. To all the Dads reading this – Happy Father’s Day to ya!

Big Hugs!

SuperMario

I Love U Dad