AN UNFORGETTABLE ANTIPOLO BARBECUE

Even if my boys Mati and Andrei are quite big already, I still have separation anxiety from them. Let's just say  I cannot bear having the little lords sleepover at another place! Once, Mati had a week long vacation at my brother's house and I thought to myself "never again!" It's not that I didn't trust the people he's with. In fact, Mati was very well taken cared for by my brother's family and they seriously fattened him up! Ha ha ha ha!

Oh well! Maybe that's just me being me. I remember that up to Grade School I would have trouble staying at my aunt's place that one time, I asked my Mom to pick me up in the middle of the night because I got so homesick. I guess all my attachment at being together stems from my strong belief that "Home is Where the Heart Is". I'm at my happiest when I'm with my family: my parents, my brothers and sister who bully me, and now the Chinese Adonis, and the little lords. So with that, it's no wonder why it's quite unbearable for me if somebody from my new family is away since it's like a part of my heart is incomplete. Seriously.

Before our trip to the US, my brother Kuya Jay planned a sleepover in his house in Antipolo with the little lords and my Ate Jojit.  I really did not want to let them but the boys and sister were persistent. So fine. I packed their bags and gave a checklist on what they should use and where they'll find it.

I haven't even finished with their other bags (I packed about 3 including a bag filled with snacks) when they rushed to our vehicle going to Antipolo. You might even say that they didn't want to risk saying good bye to me since I might change my mind. So I went out and said my farewell to them while they gave me these forced smiles. Ha ha ha ha!

Let us go already!!!

Well if the little lords think that they have already escaped from their "ultra lovable" Mommy (tee hee), they thought wrong! Kuya Jay and his wife Karen invited us for a barbecue underneath the stars. Normally the Chinese Adonis and I would turn down invites on Saturdays since it's our date night and all. But the words BARBECUE and LITTLE LORDS sprang to mind so we cancelled any other plans.

We were invading Antipolo and the boys TONIGHT.

Yub and his shaken, not stirred, martini... :P

And it's all thanks to our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE!!!!

When we got to Antipolo, the little lords were so surprised and a bit disappointed. They really thought we went there to pick them up again. Ha ha ha ha!

Truth be told, the thought never entered our minds once we saw Kuya Jay's favorite new toy

... his griller!

Karen had some tables and chairs set up at the second floor veranda for our outdoor ANTIPOLO BARBECUE.

The view at the second floor was awesome (save for my double chin and the clothesline... tee hee). To cap it off, the sun was going down while we were doing our preparations for the ANTIPOLO BARBECUE.

Something tells me that this is going to be an unforgettable night!

Andrei was enjoying the sunset his way by having a martini with olives courtesy of Kuya Jay.

Kidding! That's Eric's! He he he!

While we were having chips and drinks, Kuya Jay fired up the grill!

Of course, child labor is always welcome so we had Andrei fanning up the coals.

Kidding! My brother was really impressed that Andrei was so curious and wanted to help out. He was so used to my bunsoy being the cry baby and all. 

First to go for our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE were some jampacked beef patties!

Plus pork liempo that has been marinating!

In you go for our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE!

My brother asked Andrei to slice up some cheese. Don't worry, me and Ate Jojit were there while he was working it with the small knife. 

While Andrei did THAT, Kuya Jay put the first batch of buns to warm it up.

Mati's plain hamburger (no veggies and catsup) hot off the grill!

He bit on this hot and beefy sandwich with mucho gusto.

Same goes for Andrei who was all too eager to eat the ANTIPOLO BARBECUE burger he helped to prepare!

Up next on the ANTIPOLO BARBECUE grill were some fat shrimps rubbed with creole seasoning which Kuya Jay and Karen got in New Orleans when they were there the previous month. 

Our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE lasted up till night time! 

Check out Mati still eating.

Sorry for the poor pictures! We only had the lamp post for lighting. 

My ANTIPOLO BARBECUE burger!

I love the taste of freshly grilled beef burger!! So savory at every bite!

We didn't have french fries in our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE but these packed nachos with salsa were mighty good!

Little Rocio of course, was obsessed with "see-food". He he he he!

She'll get so angry with me that I called her LITTLE.

Grilled Pork!!!!

Yub was our "slicer" for our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE night. I bet he snuck in a few bites of what he was cutting up. 

Case in point....

Kuya Jay then took out the piece de resistance of the night...

STEAKS!

Of course, the troop during our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE got ready for it. 

My bro is a lawyer by day... Master Griller by night.

I just coined that last part. He he he he! Well we all thought so at the end of our dinner! 

Just got me thinking that he and Karen were truly MFEO's (Made For Each Other). They are both lawyers who loved eating and cooking! 

YUP! Cooking AND eating runs in the family. Especially the latter. He he he he!

What I love best though is that they always treat us out. HE HE HE HE HE!!!

I'm sure you'd agree with me once you get a taste of all the perfectly cooked meats that were oh so juicy during our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE! My sister, the Chinese Adonis, and I cannot stop raving that my Kuya and Karen thought we were just teasing them. 

Sorry for the nasty pic!

Such flavorful shrimps! The creole rub really did wonders!

Yihhaaaaa!!

We were all having a delicious dinner during our ANTIPOLO BARBECUE. Too bad our parents and my other brother did not feel like driving up the hills to join us.

It's okay. MORE FOR US then! He he he he!

Of course, what made the dinner more memorable (besides the awesome food) was that we were eating under a bright and watchful moon. The ANTIPOLO breeze also made us all cool and cozy!

While Mati was drinking the night away... 

Little Andrei wanted to help out his Tito Jay.

And suddenly, heaven opened its doors during that chilly and starry night and gave us these mouth-watering creations...

STEAKS!!

Our compliments to the chef! My Kuya Jay cooked these wonderful pieces of meat BEEE-ootifully! I loved that it was still pink in the middle! It's ALWAYS medium rare for us!

Except for Yub who likes it well done. Ngiii...

OMIGERRD! I just can't stand it! These perfectly grilled steaks were so tender, buttery, and supremely juicy! 

My sister and I cannot stop yakking its praises while stuffing our silly mouths with it! We really loved it!

Honestly speaking THIS has been a very unexpected but AWESOME surf and turf meal. I missed my Mom, Dad, and Kuya Jon all the more because they would've loved all of the food! 

After dinner, the kids roasted some marshmallows for dessert.

And finally after a lot of talking and eating, we were DONE!

The Chinese Adonis, Ate Jojit, and I really enjoyed this wonderful ANTIPOLO BARBECUE dinner. Up to now we would still rave about how delicious the food was and how everything was just over the top fun for us.

Thank you so much Kuya Jay and Karen! It was truly an AWESOME night!!! Hope we could do it again VERY SOON!!! 

Afterwards, Kuya Jay treated us for a late night coffee and dessert at this cozy place in Antipolo. Sorry I forgot the name. Will get back to you on this one.

When it was time to say good bye to the little lords (as they will be staying for the night), there were no tears nor "I'll-miss-yous". You could say that besides being assured that they would be fine and happy for the next day as we did for this night, it was also because I was so full to think clearly and be my usual weird self. HA HA HA HA!

So.There.