Early Barbecue

Monday morning.. What a perfect way to wake up through a BARBEQUE smoke! Lol. It’s already past midnight so Mom’s birthday is over. Lol. Yes, it’s her birthday and I found her cooking barbecue outside the house (she was at the terrace!!) earlier.. way too early! Lol. I know, I know.. I should be the one doing it for her ‘coz it’s her day but it’s too freakin’ early! Lol.

She woke up 5am and went to the farmer’s market.. and I was just about to catch my Zzzzzzz at 5am. Are you kidding me?! Lol. Too bad I wasn’t able to cook for her because I got work later in the afternoon. My first day at work! Lol. Congratulate me! Lol.

Yep! Back to work for me.. Soooooo expect less blog entries in the coming weeks.. months. Lol. But I’ll try my best to post even just once a week. Lol. I just love the people supporting and have constantly liking my posts and followers commenting on my entries. So I guess they will be one of my motivating factors then. Besides, WordPress has been a great companion of mine for the past months I have been a bum! So I can’t just leave it like that, can I? Lol.

Anyway, too bad I wasn’t able to see how she marinated that delicious pork barbecue, knowing Mom she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve. Just like me, Mom like’s experimenting in the kitchen.. Yeah.. that’s how we roll in our kitchen. Lol. But I tell you, it’s really delicious! Thanks Nanay and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Broccoli and Orange Buttered Pasta

One morning I found that my oranges were getting too ripe. The last thing I want to do is to throw it so I checked my kitchen if there's anything I can do apart from making a juice out of it. Lol. I found a broccoli in the fridge and thank goodness my Mom bought a pasta  the day before so I decided to make an early lunch.

 Broccoli and Orange Buttered Pasta

Stuffed Peppers (No-Bake)

No-bake stuffed peppers

French Toast Roll-Ups (Banana and Peanut Butter)

I woke up craving for some toast rolls but then I got no bananas to fill my rolls with peanut butter. I was too lazy to go to the market. Lol. But my cravings prevailed… well not until after dinner time. Lol. I'm not sure if it's weird to eat french toast at night but I just had to have some!

It's More Fun In The Philippines - Part 1

"It's more fun in the Philippines" is our country's slogan launched in 2012 by our Department of Tourism to attract more tourists around the planet! It extra ordinarily label simple things you can enjoy more in the Philippines. 

I happen to discover these photos I took and edited back in 2012. I want to share them just so to give you more ideas why its more fun in the Philippines. :)

Cat fight. More fun in the Philippines - Taken at the observation deck of Mines View Park, Baguio City. From it's deck you will see a spectacular panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines. It's a spectacular view to regard.

Welcome To Happily Ever After!

A great marriage is not when the “perfect couple” comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences. ~ Dave Meurer

My friend and his fiancé got married on December 18, 2013. It was surreal. He was my schoolmate back in college and it was known how silly  and crazy he was then. So when the news came out that he will get married and settle down. We all cannot believe it. Until we heard his vows. Lol.

Here are some of the photos taken. I didn’t take much because I want to applaud and enjoy the moment that I could not take my eyes off the couple! lol. They’re just perfect!

Here comes the bride!! 

Sunday Kitchen Day

Cooking keeps my sanity, especially cooking whatever is left in the fridge. With all the meat consumed this holiday I opted for some fish and it happened that I still got some cream dory I bought day before Christmas.

Besides, it was Sunday. My kitchen day! Lol. I’m not sure what other recipe you can do with a cream dory apart from deep frying it. I guess the make or brake of it is with the sauce. Let me share with you my kitchen day. lol.

Prepare everything

Vietnam – Cambodia 2013 – Part 6

The others didn’t sleep at all (I think..) but my roommates and I had to sleep even if it will only get us 3hrs of it. I woke up at 3:30AM as our rented shuttle for Mui Ne will arrive at 4AM but for some reason our shuttle was late. So while waiting for it, I went to this convenience store to satisfy my cravings.. ice cream. lol.

Money money money. Sleepless in Victory Hotel. (Photo credit: Mark Veneracion)

Boracay 2013 - Happy Birthday, Jaydee!

A friend wanted to celebrate a birthday in a beach. So she had to fly us out of Manila to the island of white sand beach called - Boracay. Situated on the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, you will see hailed by many travel blogs/publications/agencies a paradise.

How to get there: 

By Air: 

Boracay, being part of the province of Aklan, has two airports. One in Kalibo (province capital) and Caticlan airport in Malay. The following domestic airlines fly to Kalibo and Caticlan: Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Airway and Seair.

Tip: Some domestic airlines offer seats sale every now and then. You just have to be quick in booking a seat because the place is so in demand, seats may not be available sooner than you thought.

By Sea: 

Several ferries operates from Batangas to Caticlan port. From Manila you have to travel 2hrs to get to Batangas port and from there, travel time to Caticlan port is about 9 to 12hrs. So far the best ferry to take is 2GO (www.2go.com.ph)

Hotels, resorts or even transient houses have filled the shores of Boracay. For reference, you may want to visit http://www.myboracayguide.com/beaches-resorts-rooms-accommodations-boracay-hotels.html

The crew!

Davao 2013 – Day 3 (Davao Crocodile Park)

Day three was all about the kids meeting the animals at the zoo particularly, crocodiles! The kids were very excited. We went to Davao Crocodile Park, one of the major tourist attractions in the city.

Located inside the Riverfront Corporate City along diversion road, Ma-a Davao City. The park may not be a fully engaged zoo with gigantic mammals and all that but it does have exotic animals from birds to reptiles.

Having being named a crocodile park, the place showcases a 'state-of-the-art' crocodile farming system in the country, equipped with modern facilities. For visitors like us who wants to be educated about the animal’s life into the wild and in captivity, this is a perfect place.

The park is open everyday: Monday to Thursday - 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM // Friday, Saturday and Sunday - 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Puerto Galera Birthday Getaway 2013

The language of friendship is not words but meanings. ~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Galera Easter Weekend

Easter weekend!  I got an invitation from my friend over the phone for an all expense paid vacation somewhere in down south. I thought they were just trippin' because it's gonna be April Fool's the following day so I did not take it seriously. Until I realized that it was actually for real. lol. They said it's like their birthday gift for me since it will be my birthday two days after that.

So the following morning, I found myself packing up things for the getaway. It was so spontaneous that I forgot to bring IDs (Note: I never go out of town w/o my identifications)

Located on the south part of the Philippines, Puerto Galera known to be one of the top diving destinations in the Philippines. It is the northwesternmost municipality in the province of Oriental Mindoro.

We left Manila at 8AM - took a bus ride to Batangas port which is 2hrs away from the country capital. We hitched on a boat which took us almost 2hrs and I was just appalled to see the number of passengers waiting to get on board and be back on the city. Remember this was a holy week getaway so it was pretty much expected that people will be flocking on the beach for the weekend.

From the boat docking station in White Beach, Puerto Galera, we went to White Beach Hotel, where we rested for a while and had our lunch. It was almost lunch time when we checked-in.

We fell asleep after we had our delightful meal. I woke up at around five in the afternoon. I changed to my swimming clothes and headed down to the beach with Jose so I could take a glimpse of Puerto Galera sunset.

They said all sunsets are just the same. But if you're someone from the city and never really get to see the sun kiss the horizon that much any ordinary sunset would be a spectacular one.

It was my first time on that place. I have heard a lot of things about it from something teasing to fabulous but most of the time teasing, lol. Knowing that the place is most of the time populated I never really included it on my "Places-To-Go-list". However, this experience have changed it.

I enjoyed myself on the beach. The sand may not be a fine white one but the water is pretty clear. There are a lot of restaurants at the beachfront where you can have a drink or snacks while watching the some handsome dudes or lovely chicks. lol.

Dinner time was my fave, who wouldn't? lol. We had grilled pork, shrimp in tamarind soup base and my fave aubergine salad - it was perfect!

We strolled along the stretch of this party filled beach. We saw tons of fire dancers endlessly twirling around and manipulating the fire and it was awesome to see them forming the fire in different shapes, my fave was the butterfly-like shape.

There are also some gay performers who were really extra-ordinarily commendable doing stand up comedy. What's even more nifty about it was that you can watch it for free while you're on the shore as they perform outdoor in front of the restaurant! You do not need to pay for entrance fee just a wholehearted applause is enough but it doesn't hurt to give 'em a tip though. After all you've saved much from not paying anything to see them.

We ended our night having a bottle of beer and even though I am under medication, I felt like hanging out on a beach without a beer is like having a one night stand without protection.. It's a NECESSITY! lol.

Anyway, we went back to our room and tried our best to get a peaceful sleep as there was an event at the beach that night sponsored by a famous brewery in the country. Imagine the base of the music vibrating into our room. Luckily I got wasted with a bottle of beer that the noise didn't bother me already.

I woke up early the next morning and changed into my swimming clothes again to go for another dip. For 2hrs we enjoyed the water and went back to the hotel and fix ourselves and things as our check out time was 11am.

After check-out we had to stay in a restaurant wait for our boarding time which was 3pm. By 5pm we were already on a bus to Manila. We arrived in Manila at 7pm but didn't get home 'till 8pm 'coz of heavy traffic.

I would like to thank Joseph and JD for a very spontaneous and amazing treat. I hate surprises because I hate the feeling of being caught off guard. However, I appreciate that my friends are thoughtful enough to make me happy on days before my birthday. That's why I love 'em! Boy, I'm lucky!! 

BlackBerry French Toast

Found some slices of bread in a fridge. 

I soaked it in a mixture of beaten eggs and milk. 

I then fried it in a pan greased with a little butter until they are browned and cooked through.

Day-old bread is often used as dried bread will soak up more egg mixture without falling apart.

I'm a big fan of cinnamon so I sprinkled some of it and sugar. 

It was perfect!

Partner it with scrambled egg and bacon perhaps?

Eat well!

Green Breakfast

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
― Ruth Reichl

Breakfast this morning was a bit on a theme. lol. We were going green! Using my so loved basil plant I made a spicy pesto pasta the night before for dinner from scratch (Basil, Olive Oil, Garlic, Chili and Pine Nuts). We got a little left over which I heated up for breakfast. 

Mom was nowhere to be found when I woke up. Then she arrived with some broccoli and asked me to steam it, and so I did. Then I saw the fresh potatoes we bought yesterday from the market. Made me think of making omelet! 

So with 3 eggs, butter, potatoes, sweet onion, cheese and herbs - basil and oregano - I get to make my favourite Potato French Omelet. 

Just for the fun of it, I put a show in front of my Mother, I was flipping the omelet from the pan without messing it! lol. She was pleased to see I was able to fold the egg perfectly! I bet she was proud! lol.

And where else can we graze all these grits but at the terrace! It was perfect! Definitely perfect way to start your day. Eating hearty breakfast with people you love most! 

Desserts with Mom

Mom and I have been very productive last Tuesday. We were able to sort out her clothes, clean the house, get my medical abstract from the hospital, repot the plants that are dying and we're able to FINALLY position mum's queen size bed, which turned into like a California king bed because of the  big bed frame, in my room (no more Japanese style bed) It was crazy.. And with today's weather I was sweating like hell! lol.

We finished at around 5pm. We had an early dinner at home and decided to have dessert somewhere. I remember going to a cafe somewhere near in the area when I was a kid and by 8PM we found ourselves in a jeepney going to Padre Faura.

Café Adriatico

As we were walking along the frisky street of Padre Faura, we saw a Japanese convenience store and saw a pickled ginger I love eating (Beni Shoga) So we bought a medium pack of it.

Finally we arrived at the Café Adriatico, an adored cafe in Manila, beautifully furnished with an old world impression starring Manila on its heyday.

It's been years since the last time I was here with my mother,  I have a bit of a blur idea of how their food tastes therefore I cannot really say much about all their food since we only went there to have desserts BUT judging their last course of the meal, I must say they were excellent.

Their food may be expensive but if you want an ambience close to an 1800's and experience a collection of divine Filipino and Spanish-Mediterranean dishes, then it is worth it.

Café Adriatico is known for having Chocolate Eh (thick and rich) and Chocolate Ah (watered and thin). Chocolate Eh has a bitter sweet taste while Chocolate Ah has more sweetness because of the milk added as per our server.

Mom had Halo-Halo espesyal (special), I asked Mom how was it and she liked it. She said that the amount of shaved ice, milk and other ingredients (fruits, beans and other sweets) was perfect. She was actually wondering what kind of milk was added as it was too tasty to be an ordinary evaporated milk. lol. Oh by the way, it was topped with vanilla ice cream too!

I had "Mango Jubilee" and "Chocolate Eh". The Mango Jubilee is basically made of mango balls with vanilla ice cream served in a glass. It was scrumptious in many ways. It may be too sweet because of the ripe mango plus the sweetness of vanilla ice cream but it's a perfect dessert for someone craving for something sweet.

I guess I made a wrong decision to order the "Chocolate Eh" for my "Mango Jubilee" but it cannot be denied that the "Chocolate Eh" is superior! I can already imagine pairing it with their "Kesong Puti with Pandesal" That could have been perfect!

What was entertaining was Mom, telling some old gossips of Manila on it's prime. From the enigma of some wealthiest family in Manila to the dirty world of politics. lol. I don't know how she got those classified informations but it was really entertaining. lol.

After settling the bill we bid goodbye to our server, gave him a tip despite our bill having a service charge and rode a taxi. It was a great night spent with my Mom. I cannot wait to have another spontaneous night out with her.

Happy Birthday Mom!

We celebrated Mom's birthday last March 10. The celebration also happened to be like a thanks giving for her, just this January mom was seriously ill that she needed 3 bags of blood for her transfusion.

Mom woke up at 5am to go to church. I woke up 30mins after to make a birthday breakfast. I made pancakes and some salad. I want to make the day cooking free for her. I manned the kitchen this time. lol.

Pancakes and Cucumber, tomato w/ egg salad

The celebrant.

My friends wanted to come and celebrate with us. Jaydee was the first one to arrive. She went straight to Mi Casa with a cake in the morning from her work.  Thank you Jaydee and Olive!

While waiting for the others I was pretty much busy cooking for the "feast". lol. I was cooking shanghai rolls, pasta, grilling some fish and asked a little help from mum on how to make her specialty, Pakistani Chicken. Then Jose chipped in some buffalo wings. Thanks Bang!

The second one to arrive was Valerie, she brought with her a chocolate cake and cutie cup cakes. They were very tasty I tell you.

Cakes and cup cakes! Yum!

Mum was so excited to blow the candles but then other visitors have not arrived yet. So we kind of bluffed the blow the candle scene for the sake of pictures. lol.

Act as though she was.. lol

Finally the visitors have already arrived. She got to blow the candles on her cake! She looked so happy! I'm happy too!

Taste testing time! The cup cakes that Val made were really tasty and moist. Love the cream cheese on top!

The colours of the icing are mum's favourite colour. The cake was topped with powdered sugar.

My friends enjoying the food!

The last one to arrive were Jody and Donna. They brought some cassava cake which was also delish! Thank you guys!

After a magnificent meal we stayed at the terrace, had some drinks and amazing chat. Mum was also joining us from time to time. It was a fun night.

The Austria couple

I can't thank my friends enough for spending their precious time with me and my mum that day. Mum said she was very happy that she get to spend time with them and get to know them more.

Mom is thankful for another year that God has given her. She was very thankful that we get to celebrate her day even in a simple way. After all the trials and struggles she endured the past year, I'm glad I can see her so pleased and joyous.

No daughter who would not want a good life for her parents and no parents who would like their child in a bad situation. I am lucky that she's not expecting much from me.  All she want is to see me settle down with the right guy. lol.

My relationship with my mum has been an open book to my friends. After what happened to her early this year, it just hit me that I am not ready to lose a mother. That I would do anything to give her a good life, which she has given me growing up. I felt like this time, it's my turn.. It's my turn to take care of her.. It's my turn to give her what she wants.. It's my turn to surprise her with good things.. It's my turn to be more caring.

It may sound a cliche but i can so atest to it - When everyone has turned against you... Our parents are the people who will always be there and love us the most in this world.

Good Bye and Thank You 2012

Photo Credit: Raj Qsar / Pinterest

Goodbye and thank you 2012.

Before the clock strikes twelve and welcome a new year. Please allow me to thank you.

Thank you 2012 for every bits and pieces of blessings and most of the time challenges (even so) a BIG thank you to you. For I know that these challenges are your ways of preparing me to a bigger and better opportunities.

2012, you have been a witness to all my struggles and triumphs. I thank you for recognising my existence and vulnerability for it has taught me to be humble.

I thank you 2012 for extending the blessings and challenges not just to me but to my mates and family, as well, even frenemies.

You don't know how thankful I am 2012 for a splendid blessing of good health to me, to my family and mates. For every morning that I see myself alive and breathing to every night that I can close my eyes and cannot wait to see the next day, thank you.

Oh 2012, as the clock strikes twelve, I will be here waving goodbye to you. I don't know what the next year has in store for me but I am here ready to embrace it.

Please don't be sad 2012, I will be here watching you as you fade away waving goodbye to you. Our memories together will forevermore be remembered.

Goodbye and thank you, 2012.

Mango and Apple Crumble Pie

Officially it's Christmas! What else are you looking for aside of opening your gifts? FOOD!! And which meal course is your favourite? DESSERT of course! lol. Every household celebrating Christmas in the Philippines will definitely NOT pass on this part of the meal. It is like imperative to have sweets after your main course. Usually, frozen salad (Fruit Cocktail, Coconut and even Macaroni Salad). There also came a time when this refrigerated cake has been a darling of the holiday. 

As for me I made a pie. I just followed these instructions I saw. It's my first time to make one. So forgive me. lol. But I still wanna share how I did it... You know.. For the sake of sharing. Since Christmas is all about sharing. lol. 

Ingredients:

CRUMB:

12 pieces Graham Crackers (crushed)
3 tablespoons sugar
(225g block) Unsalted butter

FILLING:

2 pieces of Apples (Cubed or Thinly Sliced)
1 Piece of Mango (Sliced)
1/4 Brown sugar
Cinnamon powder
1/2 Tablespoons flour
5 Tablespoons water

How To Make:

1. To make the crust: Melt butter in a pan. Add the Graham crackers and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes or until the ingredients are already combined.

2. Pour half of the cooked crust into  a square pan and evenly pressed it. Refrigerate the crust for 30-45 minutes. 

3. To make the filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, flour and water in a pan. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until apples are tender. Add the mango slices. Cover cook for 10 minutes or until the sauce have thickened. Set aside filling and chill it.

4. Spread the filling over the refrigerated crust. Spread the other half of the crumbs over the mango/apple filling. Firmly press the crumbs. Cover and chill before serving. You may top it with a whip cream or vanilla ice cream before serving. For this, I only got some cream and found extra slices of pears for toppings.

Counter Clockwise: Cinnamon, Cream, Apple and Mango in a pan, Brown sugar, Mango slices and Apples in a pan

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Christmas To All!!!

Cheers to everyone all over the world celebrating the birth of our Savior. Merry Christmas to you and your family! 

The Great Microwarehouse Sale Is Sooooooo Back!!!

And yes it is back! No need to explain more guys! The picture says it all! 

Visit the Decagon Silver City - Frontera Drive corner Julia Vargas Ave., Frontera Verde, Pasig City

See you all!! 

Image courtesy of The Great Microwarehouse Sale Facebook Account

Coming Soon..

Oh yes.. And it is coming soon.. really soon.. I am excited!

Image courtesy of The Great Microwarehouse Sale Facebook Account