The Meal at Cav Part 2

Regina decided to skip the second course because she was anticipating a big serving of her main course.  On the other hand, I love soup and I will not skip the chance of trying out Cav’s Crispy lobster Wonton.  This dish – you have to try.  It is composed of lobster bisque with the perfect seasoning and in the middle are two pieces of Lobster Wonton’s.  My mind couldn’t make up which one is better, the wonton or the soup.   It was so good that I was close to licking the soup off the plate.

 

We then moved on to our main courses.  Regina’s dish is a 48-hour roasted lamb.  Did that sound good?  Well – it was magnificent.  This review is coming from someone who doesn’t even like Couscous and Okra.  I ordered the Baked Tiger Prawn.  I don’t think anyone can go wrong with Tiger Prawns.  The prawns were seasoned well and it was tasty.   It made me wonder how the chef made it because I can taste the flavor from the outside to the inside meat of the prawn.

 

After that meal,   I was one happy camper.  I actually hate mentioning this as a footnote – but I did opt for the wine pairing option.  I learned from previous experience that as much as the wine pairing can set you back right up front when you make that decision – it actually ends up better because good food without good wine is at best casual dining.   So in the past when I did not choose to get the wine pairing option,  I ended up ordering a lot more wine to compliment the dishes.   The Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Noir served with the first two courses were the right pair.  However, I thought that the Zinfandel paired with the Tiger Prawn was a miss.  I must say though that the Zinfandel was a perfect match for the dessert.

Speaking of dessert – you would have to wait till my next post.  I always write about the dessert separately and when you read that post – you will agree that it deserves to be highlighted.

I said this in the beginning and I’ll say it again – I’m happy that I ended up having a meal at Cav instead of just binge drinking on the wine.  I truly had a great meal.

The Meal at Cav Part 1

The A la Carte menu at Cav looked promising.  I asked Regina if her menu has the food prices because it’s typical for fine dining restaurants to have two sets of menu.  One set has the price in it and the the other one without the price which is given to the women.  I like restaurants who still practice that.  I’m told by my parents that it used to be like that for most restaurants – but I think with the realization that women now can pay for their own meals, the practice has been stopped apart from the really fine dining restaurants in some hotels.

I guess I have to come in full disclosure that I wasn’t expecting much as far as the food is concerned.  I was at Cav for the wine – not the food.  I must however say that I was pleasantly surprised with the dining experience.  I can only call it amazing and I must give my compliments to the chef.

Our meal started with the Amuse-Bouche – which had two components: the pumpkin tart and the green pea soup.   I confess that sometimes – I actually look forward to the Amuse-Bouche instead of the main meal because I’ve yet to experience it lousily prepared.  Cav’s is no exception.  It is odd to have two components to it but it definitely opened up our palates to the succeeding dishes we ordered.

 

For our first course – I ordered the Young Arugula Salad and Regina ordered the Homemade Duck Sausage.   Regina and I exclaimed that we wish we could master the art of creating Parmesan crisps which the Arugula Salad was served with.   I am not a fan of Arugula and Regina is not a fan of watermelon – but both of us agreed that putting them together was genius.  The Duck Sausage on the other hand was disappointing.  We just felt that the combination of the duck sausage, pistachio and potato did not leave us with happy thoughts.

Like any great meal – after the fist course – we must pause and ready ourselves for the subsequent dishes.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Meal at Cav.

Dining at Cav Wine Shop and Cafe

Cav is not a new establishment.  It has been there since the Bonifacio High Street has opened.   A lot of wine enthusiasts welcomed the concept.  With a swipe of a card, you can choose from a wide array of wine selection.  Note that I intentionally didn’t call out the patrons as Sommeliers.  In my opinion, the Sommeliers do not approve of serving wine as such.

Last week, I chose to check Cav out after waiting for almost a couple of years.  I just quit smoking and as I have expressed in my tweet – the best way to celebrate the success of overcoming an addiction is to binge on another one.  So I asked Regina to come with me in my drinking binge since I need someone to drive.   Yes – as much as I like drinking – I’m responsible and I refuse to be a drunk driver.

We dressed up for the event – not formally – but pretty enough for the chance to dispense wine like it’s water.  The problem is that I actually just woke up and realized that it would not be wise to get drunk without having dinner first.  This is why we decided not to go binge drinking at Cav – but to actually have dinner at the place.

Let me tell you – I am happy that I was hungry – because the dining at Cav is a marvelous experience.  The ambience, the food, the service, and of course – the wine pairing is magnificent.   We ended up spending approximately 70 USD for the meal and wine.  That’s a very good price for an exceptional experience.

Like most dining experiences that are unforgettable – I’ve written about this in multiple installments.  Drop by again for a more detailed view of the food, the dessert and the wine at Cav.

My Favorite Popcorn

I love popcorn.  I was a big fan and I’m still a big fan of Kettle Corn popcorn but I think I have discovered a new favorite popcorn.  It is Chef Tony’s popcorn.  It’s a bit pricey.  They cost close to 200 pesos a tub.  However – it’s gourmet and I love it.  It costs much but it's well worth it!

OMD (Oh My Dog) I’m Adopted!

Daddy had a revelation for me today. I can’t say I was shocked but it was a bit of information that I had to hear. I’m adopted.

There had always been signs that I was able to detect. We don’t look alike. I’ve got my floppy ears and I have hair all over. He is always standing using his hind legs while I’m always on my fours. Although I thought that it was just part of me growing up. That I’ll be walking on my fours now but as I grow up, I will be like him confidently standing tall.

I must admit though – that although I’m adopted … I’ve always felt that Daddy is my real parent. He gives me everything … I depend on him for a lot of things. He gives me food … regularly. He takes me to see my Doctor when I am sick. I was given all the vaccinations that I should have as a puppy. But the best gift he has for me is when he pets me as I go to sleep or when I’m tired from playing around all day. And soon … he says he will send me to school so I can learn skills that will help me be the best doggie in the world.

Did I tell you that he is also very patient? He walks me everyday. Although – I’m actually wondering why he doesn’t let me walk ahead of him. Now I learned to just follow him … which is a good thing because the other day, I saw a cat which I thought would have been good to play with … but as soon as I tried to jump ahead of Daddy, he stopped me and there was a car that was driving too fast and I think that if got hit by that car I could have been seriously injured. Sometimes I also wonder why he doesn’t answer when I call out to him with my mighty bark. So now I don’t bark too much … I realized that it’s not the way that can get his attention.

So I’m adopted … and I guess that means that Daddy had some choices when he was looking for a puppy. I’m glad he chose me.

Breaking the Habit

It’s been a couple of weeks since I picked up a cigarette.  I didn’t plan to quit.  It just happened. 

A couple of weeks ago,  I got sick.  Something I ate didn’t agree with my tummy and I had to skip work for extreme stomach ache.  It turned out that I had gastro-enteritis.  Therapy for my ailment was quick and easy.  One side effect of it though is my inability to smoke.  Every time I tried to pick up a stick of cigarette I ended up with a sick tummy.  So I stopped smoking.

It is now 14 days since I got sick and up to now, I have not smoked.  I am happy about it.  I have actually been meaning to quit smoking for such a long time now that this is a welcome change.

I have gone through the test of my wills.  I hung out at the smoking Veranda at our office and I didn’t smoke.   I went on a drinking binge the other night and I didn’t smoke.  I had big meals and I didn’t smoke.

So – now I congratulate myself for taking another step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Meet the Philospher Canines

I think I should change my dogs’ names to Philosopher’s names.  Most of the time, I capture them in deep thought.   I guess, I would also do that if most of the day, I do nothing.  None of them seem to like watching TV – so they definitely have not been made idiots by the box.

 

I will name Midori my Beagle – Sartre for the existentialist philospher I never really understood.  I tried to read his book “Being and Nothingess” and could not even get through the first half a dozen pages.  My relationship with Sartre is the same relationship that I have with Midori.  Knowing in my heart that if I try once again – I might get them this time around.

Char Siew the Shar-Pei on the other hand deserves the name Marcel.  For the Blue Eagle readers – yes I am referring to Gabriel Marcel.  Like Sartre I had difficulty understanding him.  However, after you read Sartre ( or attempt to read it ) and with a lot of experts’ guidance – you can project that you understand him.  This is how I think Char Siew and I are right now.  I seem to understand him – and he seems to follow my commands.  However, deep inside I know that i’ve only scratched the surface in comprehending what makes him tick.

Filipino Food at Mesa

One of our corporate headquarter boss is in town.  Prior to his arrival, he already indicated that he wanted to try Filipino food.  We actually have a lot of restaurants serving Filipino food but Regina and I know of a couple of them which got good reviews: Cafe Juanita and Mesa.  Cafe Juanita is at the Fort Bonifacio – so we thought that for this visit – we will take our guests to Mesa.

Our overall review --- you will definitely not be disappointed with a dining experience at Mesa.  They have interesting dishes – and they have a good cook/chef.   We ordered half a dozen dishes – and all of them were cooked well and seasoned properly.   We actually have different favorites.  Personally, my favorite is the Catfish served in a soup spoon.  It is like your catfish salad – but with an interesting presentation.

Our guests loved the two ways Krisp-chon.  One way is like your Peking Duck wrap.  The other way is it prepared and sauteed with Garlic and Chili.   They prefer the Sauteed version.

Other noteworthy dishes include their appetizer sampler.   If you like Calamari – you should try Mesa’s calamari.  You should also try the Prawns cooked in Coconut curry.  Yummy!

An interesting dish is the Standing Chicken.  I have a picture here showing the chicken … it is a modification of the SEATED chicken ( or pinaupong manok ).  Our guests think it’s actually a HUNG chicken.  Although interesting – this was not in our favorites.  It’s still seasoned and cooked well – but nothing extraordinary.

 

The clincher here is the price of the meal.  We actually paid 3,200 pesos for the meal.  With – half a dozen dishes ordered including the lechon and the roasted chicken --- that’s definitely a good price.

I hate to add on the negative side --- but I do want to say this.  Service requires some improvement.  I think I had to ask twice for things.  At one time I asked the Restaurant manager to change our plates after the appetizer --- it never came – and that was the Restaurant manager.  I asked for the bill twice.   I also heard the table next to us complaining that they ordered dishes that never came.   From our end – we pre-ordered the Krisp-chon and a fish dish --- and those two came out last.

I noted all of these on the improvements required on service – but as my guest observed – I’m just a snob.  He was actually a happy camper after the meal. For Regina and I – that’s actually what we wanted to hear.   BTW – he insisted on paying – and I guess the price is definitely a winner too.

Long and Winding Road to Talisay

We took a long and Winding Road down from Tagaytay to Talisay.  It was an almost half hour ride.  There were times when we were worried that bandits will stop our car and there was no way for us to escape.  Thoughts of land slides also came to mind.

We reached the foot of the crater safely.  We drove through Talisay and looked for the heritage houses.  We were unsuccessful. 

We decided to just take the Star Highway back to Manila instead of driving back uphill through that same long and winding road.

I Miss Carnivals

I miss going to Carnivals.  Growing up, small carnivals will be setup within the town plaza on Christmas or the Patron Saint’s Fiesta.  I liked riding the Caterpillar  and didn’t like the Ferris Wheel that much due to my fear of heights.  I always get duped into trying my luck on the various games hoping to win a prize.

Midori People Watching

The Queendom of Oz

Spent the whole hour of my morning walk with Midori listening to Wicked’s soundtrack.  This inspired me to pull up some pictures of the Queendom’s citizens that can match the Original Wonderful Wizard of Oz characters.   I had fun compiling these photos.

 

Wizard of Oz



The Wicked Witch of the West and the Wicked Witch of the East



The Tin Man
 
The Scarecrow



The Cowardly Lion
 
and Dorothy and her Magic Slippers



... Featuring Toto the pet dog

Travel Diary – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I love Malaysian food.  This is why we were really excited to go to Malaysia.  When we were in KL, our excitement transitioned from food to the sites.  KL proved to have a lot of sights for tourists like us.  Our favorite among them is Genting Highlands.  It’s a Theme Park built on top of a mountain.

To get to the park,  you can ride a bus from the Central Train station in KL.  The bus will take you to the Sky Gondola station.  I am afraid of heights – so as much as this ride had an awesome site,  I was actually nervous all through out the trip up the mountain.

We were there in November – so the cool mountain weather required a light jacket.

This is my favorite ride in the park.  It’s the Spiderman ride.  I’ve been in regular coasters where you sit inside a cart.  I’ve also been through roller-coasters where your feet dangle in the air as you go through the loops and dips.   This one is different because you are positioned like someone flying through the rails.

The other roller coasters were tiny.   They are meant for kids but adults like us still get a kick out of the experience – especially when one sees the view from the mountains.

Genting Highlands also features a casino – which is operated by Resort World.   After all the rides outside – we had a great time playing the slot machines.

I recommend this activity to anyone visiting KL.   It may not be your famous tourist site like Disneyland or Universal – but the fact that it’s on top of a mountain makes this trip worthwhile.

Midori and Char Siew trying to Peacefully Co-exist

We are trying to establish peace and order in the House of Queens.  The introduction of Char Siew in the household requires training for Midori and the rest of the Queendom to ensure the safety of both dogs.  Char Siew is a Shar-Pei.  Shar-Peis do not naturally like being with other dogs.  On the other hand,  Midori is a Beagle – whose pack mentality is very strong.  They like other dogs and they want order in their pack.

From day 1, we knew about this difference and we tried to manage it and even consulted a dog behaviorist over e-mail.  The Dog behaviorist thinks that the dog would be fine.  I told myself – if the expert thinks the dogs are fine – then they must be ok.

We continue to observe the interaction between the two dogs.  Their wrestling seems to be progressively active.  We don’t let these wrestling matches last long.  Most of the time we stop it when Midori successfully pins Char Siew down and it seems like she is strangling him to death.  We then place Char Siew in his crate and we make Midori stay in a corner.

Part of the effort to keep the peace and order are their daily walks together and five minutes of staying side by side.   These are what the experts say in the internet.  Right now – I’m just hoping that all of these will work.

Char Siew is a Mythical Creature

Char Siew is my Chinese Shar-Pei puppy.  I read somewhere ( as in just follow this link ) – that Shar-Peis are considered Foo Dogs because they resemble the Chinese Foo Lions.  I can totally agree with that.   As proof, here are pictures of the Foo Lion and Char Siew.

Makati Requires Dogs to be Registered

We did not know that Makati has filed a city ordinance requiring dogs to be registered.  The deadline is on April 17 and we discovered it just last week.  I don’t really have issues with this requirement – however – I do have issues with the prerequisite to get the dogs registered.

Registration requires a certificate of vaccination – specifically for Rabies.  Apparently,  in the Philippines,  the law requires dogs to be vaccinated every year.  However, if you ask the manufacturer of the Rabies vaccines – they should actually be good for three years.   I think the law is irresponsible and should really take into consideration the medical opinion that too much vaccination is dangerous to Animal health.

I also read the provision on stray dogs.  The city will capture stray dogs and if unclaimed in 48 hours,  they are going to either a) look for someone to adopt them, b) euthanize them, c) or donate them for scientific studies.  Clearly – our laws – as much as they intend to be humane to animals ( like this same ordinance have multiple provisions for protecting their rights ) --- still has provisions on it which opens them to abuse.  Why would they donate these dogs for scientific studies?  They are better dead than kept alive for horrible testing.

As I indicated in the earlier paragraph – the law largely protects animal rights.  They also make sure that the owner is responsible for their pet.  It also discourages breeding for profit.  Last thing to note is that it outlaws sale of dog and ( possibly cat ) meat.  So I do commend the city of Makati for passing t law but I really hope they amend it to remove the provision on donating the dogs for scientific studies.

BTW – they also encourage owners to neuter or spay their dogs.  They offer discounts to owners on fees for dogs who are spayed.  Discounts are minimal amounts but it’s definitely towards the right direction.  I’ve heard so many times that it is sayang to have Midori spayed.   I still think it’s the right decision for Midori and the thousands of homeless animals who get thrown out by their owners because they realize they can’t handle them.

House of Queens meets Siomai House

I don’t eat street food.  My mom discouraged us heavily from eating street food.  Growing up – I remember my siblings and I would think that buying Ice Scramble, fish-balls and barbecue from the street vendor is like eating the forbidden fruit.  So yes – we occasionally did live on the edge and disobeyed mom’s strict orders.

As a grown up,  we learned the hard way that there is wisdom to what my mom practices.  My sister caught something from eating isaw and from then on she also suffered from gastroenteritis.   So as adults --- we now don’t like eating street food no matter how good it looks.

This weekend,  I had an exception to this rule --- I met SioMai house and found it too tempting.  Boy – this SioMai is good.  A friend told me that this food stall is one of the best selling food stall in Luzon.  You should try it next time.  They only sell SioMai --- but the SioMai is something you will surely come back for over and over again.

My Furry Nightingales

Last night, I found myself suffering from extreme stomach pain.  It was accompanied by frequent trips to the bathroom.  I think I had food poisoning – unfortunately I can’t pinpoint what it’s from.  The only culprit I can think of is the mango that I ate yesterday for breakfast.

Needless to say, I was miserable and could not report for work.  I also asked Regina to take me to the hospital around midnight so I can get some prescription to alleviate the pain.  Apart from the stomach pain I was already developing migraine which I think is triggered by my allergies.

In times like these, I am happy that I am not alone and I can rely on my two best friends: Regina and Ryan.  I may not be with my family but at least I know I’m not going to languish in misery.  What I found amazing though is that apparently – our four legged residents: Midori the Beagle and Char Siew the Shar-Pei seem to understand that I was in pain.  They were especially sweet last night and in fact Midori even wanted to stay by the bedside – something that she doesn’t normally do when she’s inside our room.

I’m on a lot of meds right now and the stomach pain is gone.  I still have my migraine.  Hopefully – I’ll be back in shape just in time for work later today.

Socializing as a Dog Owner

I have actually met a lot of people through my dogs Midori and Char Siew.  The funny thing is when I meet them – I actually remember the dogs names and not the owners’ names.  I am not sure what Miss Manners will say about that – but the truth is – I don’t really care much for knowing their owner’s names.

When Midori has not yet undergone her Ovariohysterectomy, we even get proposals to have her mate with other Beagles.  I politely decline and tell them that I don’t have plans of getting her pregnant – I didn’t think it was right for her and I especially don’t think that it’s right for the puppies.   I surely can’t keep a litter of puppies in my house and I will always be worrying about giving them a good home when I give them up.  Given that Midori is a spoiled dog – I don’t think any other home will be good for the puppies.

Midori - as a Beagle - is very curious.  She wants to say "hello" to all dogs.  This means that she likes smelling other dogs' privates.   It's funny that she's the one who makes the first move --- which is good --- since I'm the opposite when it comes to meeting people.  I'm not the first one to say hello - that's why I've been accused of being a snob.   This is an accusation that I of course do not deny.

Sosi Markets in the Village

I call the weekend market at the Velasquez/Salcedo Park – the sosi market.  Sosi of course is the contraction of the Filipino colloquial term sosyal (high society).  This of course denotes that the products being sold are mostly high quality ( or organic or hand made ) but it also means that the prices are higher than what you can get from the local grocer or market.

We are not fans of the market in the House of Queens because we think that it contributes to unnecessary weekend traffic in the Salcedo Village.  Saturdays and Sundays,  we were hoping, will give us respite from the usual vehicular traffic of the weekdays.  So the market definitely takes that away from us.  I am however craving for good home made salad – that’s why we decided to walk over to the park and get our salad greens, fresh fruits, organic salad dressing and nuts.  The resulting product was amazing and it kinda made me thankful that we have the market in the neighborhood.  Just kinda … not yet a full convert.

 

Apart from the salad ingredients, we did score some organic cleansers and deodorizers for the dogs and our linens.  Recently, Madre de Cacao was prescribed for our two beagles because they say it’s got antiseptic and antifungal properties   I do remember the plant and the leaves from my childhood days in San Pablo, Laguna.  If you get a chance to see the actual plant, ask a local if they know how to make the leaves pop like firecrackers. Going back to the cleansers – we got the pet deodorizer,  the enzymatic cleaner ( ideal for the house training of our puppy Char Siew ), and linen spray – which I need because I’m allergic to dust mites.

I guess you can call our weekend very organic.  I wonder if this opening will give me an itch to regularly checkout the market from now on.  I don’t expect it – but who knows?

Dating Diary Entry - Year 2006

I am currently watching a replay of Sex and The City - E: True Hollywood Story. I've actually seen this episode at least half a dozen times but every time I watch it - I get hooked. If you have been living under a rock for the past decade - the show is about women in New York and their stories of looking for love in the Big Apple. The stories can either be outrageous, heartwarming, heartbreaking, funny, scary, weird. This inspired me to think of my own experiences looking for sex, love, hook-up, date in Manila.

Top most in my list is my experience back in 2006. I seriously can't remember the guy's name. I can only remember that I met him in one of those Sing-Along bars. He was one of the cute waiters and like many waiters in these places - they will readily give their phone numbers to their patrons. It's part of what most queens go to those places for.

The next day - I sent him an SMS and got no response. I assumed that it was actually because he was not interested. Two days after, I did receive a response. Apparently, he lost his job on the night that I met him. It was his first night as a waiter and apparently - even if my friends and I enjoyed being served by him - the owner of the bar thought he was too slow and not fit or the job. That is why he wasn't able to respond.

We decided to meet again. We went out with my friends. I didn't get a good look of him but in bright lights - he is really good looking and has a slight resemblance to one of the Gutterez twins - the good looking one. We continued contact after that and one time --- he could not text back because he didn't have load. I didn't know how to pass load and I wanted to continue texting with him so I decided to just buy him 300 pesos worth of load.

He was very grateful over the amount of load he had especially since it was the first time that he got that much in his SMS credits. It was worth more than 50 pesos. We continued to exchange messages and I learned that he is one of eight children. He lives with his relatives in Manila.

Growing up, I have heard stories of many gay men who became "Sugar-Daddies" for their lovers. In many cases - it started out that way but it then turns into a loving relationship afterwards. With this encounter, those stories came to mind. So I did recognize that sending him that otherwise insignificant amount of money through the load may have been a mistake.

The long and short of it is that we went out again ... had some fun ... and then I stopped replying to his text messages. For me that date had a lot of potential but a big part of me was still very cautious. I can feel attracted to younger men who have no money but it ends there. I refuse to entertain the fantasy of it being a relationship because as much as I want to be in one, I also want to protect my bank account.

A Church for Eveyone?

Recently, there had been a lot of Tweets and blogs written around the position of the Catholic Church on a number of issues but mainly on the RH bill. On top of this is the recent declaration of some Catholic schools to seek exemption from the provision on an Education act banning schools from kicking out female students who get pregnant while enrolled in their institution.

Like most Filipinos, I was raised Catholic. I went to Church every Sunday. I went to two Catholic schools. I was an active member of religious organizations in those schools. Recently though, I have slowly turned away from the Church - more specifically Its religious ceremonies and more importantly some of its previously accepted dogmas. Obviously - the most important part of it is the Church's stand on homosexuals. I just can't reconcile the position that it's a sin to be Gay --- and that I am am therefore condemned to be in hell for accepting who I am. If it was indeed a sin to commit homosexual acts --- wouldn't it also be a sin to lie to myself and act heterosexually when I know that it's not what I was meant to be?

This position on sexuality has extended to other practices --- which also includes the position of the church of the women's right to choose, the ability to get a divorce, and to recognize that a child borne out of wedlock is as legitimate as any other child. My niece was born out of wedlock and part of the heartache for the family is the fact that some of the most prestigious Catholic Schools will not accept her. Truth be told that she is now studying in a Catholic School --- one which I have learned to have a more progressive stand on the issue. However --- one must ask --- why would the Church continue to hold on to the Dogma that using artificial contraceptives is not a sin? Contraceptives used responsibly can address a lot more of the issues that we face today --- especially that of poverty due to overpopulation. I am definitely not naive to think that family planning can solve the poverty problem that we face today. However - it is crucial part of it along with the ability to manage and share the resources across the populace.

In College, when the controversial topics around the previous actions of the Church in history like the Inquisition, book burning, and the excommunication of men of science; we were told that the Church is a pilgrim Church. This means that the Catholic Church continues to reflect on key issues that the world faces today and accept the fact that its an institution of God run by men. Therefore, the acts of the men who run the church is not infallible. Although, this is definitely contradicted by another dogma: that the pope is infallible.

I am truly disappointed over the position of the Church on these issues. I am wondering if in my lifetime, I will see it progress to see the truth behind who we are as men. I hope that in the future, the Church will start to accept homosexuality and stop calling me an abomination.

Establishing Order in the House of Queens

The introduction of Char Siew into the House of Queens posed some concerns in the household.  It’s been almost two years when Midori joined us and her growing up was not easy to adjust to.  She has destroyed a lot of our furniture, shoes, clothes and even mobile phones.  This is why we are very careful with Char Siew – ensuring that he gets as disciplined as possible while he is still a puppy.  This is important so we can prevent the same experience with Midori from happening all over again.   This is important also because Shar Peis are actually bigger than Beagles --- so an undisciplined Char Siew can lead to disaster.

The most concern that we have is on the dynamics between Midori and Char Siew.  Midori as a Beagle is naturally friendly and they are actually pack dogs.  They like other people and dog’s company.  That is why it’s typical for a Beagle to suffer from separation anxiety.   On the other hand,  Shar Peis are known to dislike other dogs.  They are not as anti-social as cats but they are definitely not like Beagles.

As early as now – we can see this difference.  Midori almost always eggs Char Siew to play with her.  Char Siew on the other hand will play a bit but easily gets bored with it and walks away.  For now – is not a problem – but when Char Siew gets as big as  Midori or worse – when he gets bigger than Midori --- Midori might end up injured if Char Siew gets annoyed with Midori’s clowning around.

I was concerned about this enough that I immediately sent a message to one of the most popular dog behavior specialist in the country:  Jojo Isorena.  He said that the dogs are fine.  One of the best decisions we made is to bring in Char Siew as a puppy.  This actually helps in establishing the order between the two.    I do hope he’s right and while he was able to calm me down --- I’m still watching the two dogs closely.   I allow them to wrestle but I make sure that Midori establishes that she is top dog and Char Siew accepts it.  This way – as Char Siew gets older – he learns to respect Midori’s authority and even if he gets bigger,  he will not act aggressively towards her.

I wonder how many readers of the House of Queens have dogs or pets.   Do you have your own stories to share?  Do let me know and write about them on the comments sections.  I’d be very interested to know if there are other overly concerned pet owners like me.