MANILA, Philippines - It is only recently that I?ve truly realized that I no longer have to go down on my knees to look my grandchildren in the eye. That, in fact, I have to look up?high up! At 20 years old and downwards they are really, finally, adults, and we have something to share. There is so much I want to learn from their world.

I recently took my granddaughter Majalya Fernando, who?s second year Journalism at the University of the Philippines, to lunch in Trinoma and also to watch Johnny Depp slit a lot of throats. Our conversation over Greek food evolved into what she called ?A Gourmet Guide to the UP Campus.?

The most famous isawan, she begins, is Mang Larry?s. It?s in front of the Kalayaan dorm. There?s isaw baboy, isaw manok, tokwa, dugo, chicharon. The sawsawan is delicious for which you pay P1 per cup. The best barbecue on campus, however, is found in Beach House beside the Main Library. Unfortunately they?re open only for lunch. But there?s Kha?s place in the arcade near the swimming pool. It serves Middle Eastern food. Their specialties are rice biryani and ox brain soup and they have lassi.

Chin Chin, Majalya?s sister, joins us. She?s a theater major and likes to lunch in Lutong Bahay. Faithful to its name, the eatery serves tortang talong, adobong sitaw, sinigang na baboy, lumpiang frito and other nanay cookings. Sometimes she lunches in Lutong Kapit Bahay which is next door and was also once a reconstructed driveway, except that the latter is air-conditioned. But there is a dog inside. Where else can you get a shake for P20, halo-halo, mais con yelo, etc., dog or no dog?

For convenience, the two apos live in a campus dorm. Once Chin Chin made me ride an ikot jeepney (or was it a toki) so we could have langostino and paella at Chateau Verde, which is the garden restaurant near the infirmary. No one can beat its menu and dessert of lemon meringue pie. But Chateau is high-end and students don?t usually eat there unless they have their lola with them.

?Chokiss? which is the fond nickname for Chocolate Kiss in the Alumni Hall features to-die-for pastries. It was the first to set a high standard for campus cafés. It has now a rival in the newly opened Cordillera Café in Vargas Museum which has sculptured chairs and a never-ending queue.

Dormers with curfews find Bermont?s with its delivery service very convenient (4 p.m. to midnight delivery). Mojos, French fries, bbq with cheese and sour cream, foot-long hotdog, cheeseburger, siopao , etc., etc. Its hottest competitor is Aling Vicky?s where you can order the same staples?spaghetti, ham-and-egg sandwich, cheese stix, etc., etc. also by text. The theater people like to go to Aling Vicky?s in a horde. And, says Chin-Chin, if you help the resto by taking down everybody?s order you may get your meal for free.

The best thin crust pizza can be found in Long Island outside the Main Library. The most delicious carrioca, is from the cart on the side of the Co-op shopping center. You can see the carrioca balls frying?they?re like mochi- but ?crisp outside and soft inside. The rice filling just oozes out to your tongue.?

As for the best balut-penoy, it?s from the woman stationed between Balay Kalinaw and Ylang-Ylang dorm. (Majalya disagrees.) The balut are always warm because they are regularly bathed with hot water from the vendor?s thermos.

The most palatable siomai this side of the Oblation is reportedly that of ?Manong? of the College of Fine Arts (though neither of the girls has tasted it). Manong is so popular that the students made him a Friendster account of his own from which one can order. College of Music, in turn, has the best fishball stand on its sidewalk. The oil is changed often and the sauce has a hint of fresh kalamansi.

If you?re feeling charitable you may buy a (really small) bag of fried peanuts from Jesus Christ which is how they call the bearded guy in the waiting shed near Ylang-Ylang dorm.

Adorable artists

My eldest apo, Wendy?s son Franco Regalado, like Majalya, loves to write. Io and Carlo Regalado (Wendy?s also) are good artists as is Mol?s son Juaneo Fernando. Chin-Chin Fernando loves to sing and act and so does Rafa Fernando. A scholar and egghead, Arcus? son Rafa was voted as having the most adorable high school lips in the Bangkok International School. (They made anonymous imprints of the male students? lips on paper and he was voted.)

Rafa?s brother, Quinito, 19, reads a lot and has a remarkable recall for Philippine epics. Eleven-year-old Miguel Fernando loves to cook. He recently watched MCR (My Chemical Romance band, oldie!). All the rockers were dressed in black and all the songs were about death like Ghost, Famous, Cancer, The Dead, Welcome to the Black Parade, etc. The songs were really cool. Did I want them sung in my funeral? (!!!)

If ?hippies? defined the ?60s generation, Carlo said, ?emo? or ?emotional? is the ID of today?s. Emo is a fashion. Black is its color. Tight black jeans, black jacket and shirt, gothic everything. Even black nail polish especially created for males although there are emo girls too. Black for the pinky only or black for all the fingernails and toenails. Eyes are lined with black eye pencil. Black is the color of blankness. Hair dripping over one eye. An expression of feigned indifference. For emos, it?s cool to slit one?s wrist.

There?s emo art, Carlo continues. Such as a sketch of a girl or guy, head down, hair falling over an eye. Incidentally, the eye is dripping tears of blood. A black rose blossoms at their feet. Another example: there?s a leafless tree in the background. The girl has shot her self. The blood has splashed in the air, but is transforming into butterflies,

Emo is a statement. A culture.

Okay with me to be emo. Just omit the drugs.

Pinoy Life Formula:
Assume wala
Do dami
Smile todo
Sleep sarap
Laugh sagad
Once in a while, iyak
Most of all dasal.

Have a happy day!