What is a Camaro? It’s a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs, actually.

There are 5 Generations of the Camaro to date.

1st Generation : 1967-1969

• Rear-wheel Drive
• 2-door;  2 + 2 seating
• Coupe / Convertible
• Choice of 4.1L / 4.9L / 5.0L / 5.4L /5.7L /6.5L (and I was thinking I’m happy with a 2.0L engine)

2nd  Generation : 1970 - 1981

• Still based on the F – body platform
• A-Arm Front Suspension
• Leaf Springs to control the solid Rear Axle
• 1980 and 1981 Z28s included an air induction hood scoop, with an intake door that opened under full throttle.

3rd  Generation : 1982-1992

• Fuel Injected
•  Turbo-Hydramatic 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission / 5-speed manual transmission
• 16-inch wheels
• Standard 4-cylinder engine
• Hatchback bodies (this generation is 500lbs lighter than Gen 2)

4th  Generation : 1993-2002

• Updated F-Body platform
• Optional T-Top (Convertible) roof
• Choice of V6 / V8 engine (Standard powerplant in ’93-’95 was a 3.4L V6)
• in 1996, the 3.8L V6 was made standard
• All-speed traction control (optional)
• new 6-speed T-56 manual transmission / 4-speed automatic transmission
• the 1997 version had a revised interior
• Gen 4 was the last to have the F-body platform design

5th  Generation : 2010 – present

• Zeta-Platform
• The trim levels / choices are: LS, LT, SS
• LS and LT models are powered by a 3.6L V6 with 6-speed Manual or 6-Speed Automatic with manual shift.
• the (deadly) SS is powered by a 6.2L V8 engine mated with a 6-speed Manual shift (with this speed, you have to have control!)
• 20-inch wheels

This dashing Chevy has been competing and racing since 1969. Decades later, it still is the love of my life

My Dream Tour, as follows.

1. Madrid, Spain - I have my reasons. And apart from them, there’s just something about this “once-European-superpower” that puts it on top of my list.

Unlike the times of…oh, I don’t know, Catalina de Aragon, maybe, Madrid now boasts of modern infrastructure. However, it has kept its old-world charm. You may not need to tour the city in a white horse and a petit coat dress anymore, but Spain’s capital is proud for preserving its numerous museums, a considerable number of catholic churches (and most of them were built during the Spanish Golden Age), galleries and historical palaces (The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest palace in Western Europe). It also takes pride in Real Madrid FC, the wealthiest football club in the world, which houses itself in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. For the  Madridistas, football is not a sport. It’s religion.

Madrid is the 3rd richest city in Europe in terms of abosulte GDP. So people here enjoy high quality living. What’s more, State Education is free in Spain, and Madrid is home to some of the oldest universities in the world. I won’t even begin to talk about the night life in Madrid. The Bullfighting matches alone are enough to give me an Atake de Corazon.

2. Buenos Aires, Argentina - Besides my love for their imported corned beef and Gonzalo Gerardo Higuain, Buenos Aires is a place I see in my dreams every so often.

Los Portenos (People of the Port), as the natives of Buenos Aires are called, and the rest of the Argentines have Italian and Spanish origins. Thus, they adopt the Rioplatense Spanish (heavily influenced by Andalusian Spanish and the Neopolitan Language of Italy). Even the architecture of the Los Portenos resembles those of Paris and Barcelona.

Buenos Aires is called “Paris of South America”. But at the same time, this culturally-rich city has developed a sense unique in its own. The city boasts of theatres, hundreds of bookstores and public libraries that house literature about the city’s history. Every April, the city celebrates the “Buenos Aires International Book Fair” (one of the top 5 book fairs in the world), and in November, they do “La Noche de los Museos” (Night of Museums), when the museums in the city would be open all night long.

Los Portenos love the cinema, arts, music and dance. Tango music was born in Buenos Aires (good to know). This should also explain their presence of theatres around the city (It’s home to Teatro Colon, one of the most prominent in the w0rld). And since the Argentines may be half Italian and half Espanyol, football is just about as part of their daily lives as their morning cups of coffee (Diego Armando Maradona—football god, rings a bell?) And I cannot even begin to think of how they end the day when it’s time to party. Well then I guess I’ll just have to find out.

 3. Santorini, Greece -  Santorini is a volcanic island. How cool is that? It’s what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion (the largest in recorded history), destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island. Oh and yes, they say that the city this volcanic eruption destroyed may actually be Atlantis.

Now, Modern Santorini boasts of its wine industry. See, I don’t drink (I’m deathly allergic to alcohol, i know, i know, how unfortunate), but then again the Vino is not the only reason this island is heaven on earth. What we know as “cherry tomatoes” are actually Santorini tomatoes. Yep, they come from all the way here.

Since volcanic ash is abundant here, their popular low-lying cubicle houses are actually made from limewashed local stones with volcanic ash as color. This is what makes the island unique and quite a sight to look at from afar. As of 2001, there are about 12,000 people living here, but it’s no boring spot to be. Santorini actually has a beach, and its local cafes take pride in their world-reknowned greek menu. Oh and I hear they have quite a nightlife, too. And if the islands ever gets you going curious for more of their cultural heritage, hit the Prehistoric Museum.

Now if the idea of vacationing in a sunken volcano isn’t appealing enough for you, you’d be glad to know Santorini is just 200 kilometers away from Greece’s mainland and that they actually have a major airport (and yes it can accomodate modern jets such as Boeing 757s, thank you.) I will bet, however, you won’t want to leave.

4. Agra, India – I’ll skip cosmopolitan New Delhi and leave Mumbai to the leopards that roam the city. I’ll set a trip to Agra and see the Taj Mahal up close and personal.

This city is one of the best kept in India. Agra has some of the finest Hotels and Spas . It’s home to Asia’s largest spa called Kaya Kalp — The Royal Spa, located at the Hotel Mughal. Although be warned, a tour of Agra may be a bit less than the typical vacay you’re picturing in your head. Not everything will be pretty, tiled, air-conditioned or um…clean. But if you’re after an adventure, then this is the place to be.

Experiencing Agra culture means seeing one of the wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. The Taj was built by a Persian Architect and is actually a royal mausoleum. Agra Fort (or the Red Fort) is a UNESCO World heritage site and one of the city’s prides. It is the most important fort in India. The great Mugals lived here, and the country was governed from here. So be sure to grab a killer SLR before hitting Agra. You will want to snap away..

The city of Agra also houses restaurants that serve the best Mughlai cuisine in India. There are also a couple of 5-star hotels, if that’s what tickles your fancy. But then again, this is India. There’s no need for the choosy tour, for its rich culture is always at its finest.

5. Vienna, Austria – Monocle Magazine rates this city as one of the top 25 Livable cities in the world. Okay, disclaimer. I don’t want to live here. But I sure want to go.

Music, theatre, opera, museums, architecture, old universities, and food. I’m a sucker for them. And I hear Vienna offers its own collection of such. I know I said i don’t drink, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t interest me to find out that Vienna, along with Paris, Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, Barcelona and London is one of the few remaining world capital cities with its own vineyards. I’m a sweet tooth. And thanks to Queen Marie Antoinette’s passion for the same, the city has a long tradition of producing the finest cakes and desserts. 

I hear one of the cultural attractions in this city are its balls. Okay, don’t laugh. I don’t mean ball-balls. I mean dance-balls. Vienna is the last great capital of the 19th century ball. There are over 200 significant balls per year, some featuring as many as nine live orchestras. Balls are held in the many beautiful palaces in Vienna, with the principal venue being the Hofburg Palace at Heldenplatz. Viennese of at least middle class may visit a number of balls in their lifetime. For many, the ball season lasts three months and can include up to ten or fifteen separate appearances. Dancers and opera singers from the Vienna Staatsoper often perform at the openings of the larger balls.

Now unless you speak German, Austrian, Croatian, Slovene or Hungarian, bring a dictionary, a ball gown, a pair of walking shoes for the tour, and your reliable digital camera to document the experience of a lifetime.;)

1. Bring your own mug to the coffee shop. - Ditch the cute papercups and enjoy your drink in your own mug. Or save money and just make your own coffee at home and sit by the front porch.

2. Build an Herb Garden. – plant and grow instead of buying. You can start by setting up your herb garden with small pots and a few different herbs such as basil, chili, oregano, mint and the likes. Save a trip to the grocery, save on gas (you have no idea how much is spent in getting these stuff to the stores), and a little money too.

3. Use your MOB (my own bag). – help reduce the production of plastic bags by bringing your own MOB or using them to store or carry things. Besides, they’re much sturdy, stronger and hold more than your regular plastic bag. They’re reusable, obviously, and washable too. The idea is so smart, the person responsible for it should be thanked with a life-size monument.

4. Airdry - skip the dryer and save energy consumption by airdrying clothes. take advantage of a good weather when the sun is up. use the clothesline and your laundry should be dry in two hours or so. If the load ain’t too much, you might want to consider hadwashing as well.

5.  See the light - Use natural lighting as home as often as you can and save on energy. You can cut down on your utility bills, too. (just a thought…candles in cute holders that line the garden look way nicer than that flourescent bulb attached to the gate post).

6. Power Down – During cold nights, opt for a fan instead of turning up the air-conditioning unit. Or you can open a window and let the cool breeze hum you to sleep. Be aware of the time it takes your phone to fully charge. Remember that appliances still consume 25% energy when they are plugged, even if they’re not in use.

7. Watering Hole – fix that dipping faucet or a leaky toilet and the unused water can go to people in that part of the world where there is none.  Shower smart. By that I mean, shower fast and sing later. Soap, soap, soap, rinse, rinse, rinse and that means a wad of money and energy saved.

8. Setup a Rain Barrel – When it pours, open a drum to catch the rainfall. Okay, don’t roll your eyes. You can use it later to water the plants or clean the garage, instead of using fresh water from the faucet. Neat, huh.

9. Smoke Vapor. – If you can’t stop from lighting a cigarette, cut it down by using e-Cigs instead. This smart smoker’s gadget has nothing in it but water vapor, yet gives you the feel of a real stick. Find out more online.

10. Choose to Reuse. – I cleaned out my underwear closet and I found out I had a lot of bacon undies that were no longer wearable. Instead of throwing them away, I asked our househelp to cut the hems, saw them together and turn them into small rugs she can use in cleaning. Okay don’t laugh. At least they’re no longer useless now. Do the same for old shirts!

Accept the challenge and go green. It’s not so hard to do, ya know

Here’s my menu in random order:

1. a slice of Oreo Cheesecake

If i’m way too down to hit Starbucks to get a slice of this heaven on earth, I make my own with Jello-No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake Kit.

2. a big fat burger

Brother’s Burger has the best oatmeal bun, Wham! Burgers has the best patties. Either of the two when i feel like I don’t give a damn getting fat.

 3. an extremely cheezy pizza

Sicilian Express’ White Cheese or Pizza Blanca can put an instant smile on my face. There is a land called Cheese&Cheese and I am their queen.

4. Chinese noodle soup

There are quite a number of good places I can get really good Chicken Noodle Soups—fast. There’s North Park for no-MSG authentic Chinese cuisine, then there’s Chowking’s 24-hour delivery. I’m good with either.

5. Persian Kebab

The world is a better place because of Mr. Behrouz. He’s passed away but his legendary kebab lives on. And it will stay in my menu for many, many, many, many years to come. Cheers to you, sir, and your roasted tomatoes. (okay that didn’t sound right, but you get the drift.)

6. Sausage McMuffin with Egg

 Nothing against Jollibee but McDonald’s got his share of morning people who loves his muffins. I’m no morning person but I can have his Sausage McMuffin with Egg any time of the day if he served it anytime of the day. Its hot, gooey egg, melted cheese and spicy flat sausage takes me right smack to the middle of my grammy’s dining table.  This is epic.

7. a Mexican burrito

 The old Tia Maria, which is now this cool Mexican hangout called Cantina along Katipunan Avenue, serves the best and fattest burritos I’ve ever seen. At least within the country. it doesn’t stop there. They serve platters, single serving of each and every food on the menu in a big plate for the hungry Mexican wannabe.

 8. Blueberry Pancakes

 Aaaah, blueberry pancakes. The Pancake House does them best. Creamy pancake in generous blueberry syrup with real blueberries stacked upon each other. I used to have them every night when I was having my first kid. No regrets, people. No regrets.

9. ice cold Milk Tea

Called Nai Cha in Chinese, not only does it aid in digestion, it’s healthy, relaxing and well, just good. When I can’t get mine from Chowking, 7-11 has them in bottles.

 10. Milo milkshake 

I’m a Milo baby. No sugar, just milk and milo, a little ice, a little water (well I dilute the Milo in hot water first because it tends to clump together like poop when I dont) shake shake shake in my trustry blender…tada! Liquidated dessert in an instant!

2. Get an unwise haircut – something I will have to live with for at least 6 months.

3. Join a Cause and fight for it – anti-animal abuse, plant a tree, feed children, whatever will make a difference.

4. Jetski Alone – and see how fast I can go.

5. Open a Dollar Account – and make it grow.

6. Speak Spanish fluently – I speak Japanese, but I’m stuck at “basic level”. Way, way too hard.

7. Undergo a Past Life Regression Hypnosis – im a curious cat.

8. Tour Europe - France, Italy and Spain.

9.  Master all 7 Universal Laws of the Universe – and their exceptions.

10. Not die.