Comfort

The days and nights are chilly once more. Now is a perfect time to read a good book in bed with blankets around me and a nice mug of hot tea.

Open For Breakfast

We always eat out for Sunday breakfast and this is where we're going next week.



Everything looks so yummy!

Dengue Watch

Got this in my inbox from the ECHOStore

Sleeping Aid

Lately, I've been sleeping less and less. Well, I do sleep late, as in 12mn but I also keep on waking up several times each night. I've stopped (ok, lessened) my caffeine intake during the day, but it has hardly helped.

I'm a tea drinker and while I was at the grocery last night, I remembered that I should replenish my stock of Celestial's Sleepytime tea. Hopefully this will do the trick.

Typhoon Alert - 8 Super Tips To Help You Keep Your Ground!

Copied the article from here. It's better to be prepared at all times.

Here is a quick run-down of the things you can do before it arrives:

1. Repair broken doors and windows, and make sure your exits are free of obstructions in case you need to get out (or in) quickly. Tape over big glass windows that could be shattered by flying debris. If you have time, cover windows with plywood or storm shutters.
2. If your area is flood-prone, plan to move to an evacuation center or to higher ground before the water level reaches one meter (or a little over 3 feet). Try to park your car on high ground. Secure your garbage indoors where it won't be carried away by the flood and create more health problems.
3. Store enough food and fresh drinking water for a few days. You may well lose power, so stock up on candles, batteries, rain gear, and thick blankets.
4. Secure items like furniture in your yard or on your balcony. Better yet, bring them indoors. Also remove anything from your roof that might be easily blown away.
5. Clear out gutters and drains around your house to avoid adding to the flood damage problem the typhoon will visit on your area.
6. Carry a battery-powered radio with you to listen to the news about the typhoon. Know what's happening in your area. Stay alert for announcements for emergency evacuations, and be sure you know what the evacuation routes are, where shelters are located, and how to get help if you need it.
7. Even when the typhoon seems to be over, and the sky is clear, do not leave your home or shelter until the authorities tell you it is safe. You may be in the eye of the storm, where all is peaceful and quiet. But this is deceptive: you still have to go through the other side of the typhoon.
8. After the typhoon, check your home and property for potentially dangerous damages. Clear large items from doorways and paths. Be sure to check electrical appliances and outlets for possible shorts that could start fires. Make sure your gas service is being delivered properly for the same reason. Inspect trees for damaged branches that might still fall on your house. And have your car inspected for water damages that may not be apparent until you want to go somewhere!

UTI Remedies

It's been said that certain juices can cure UTI, but I never got to try it till now. Last week, I knew for certain that I developed UTI since I was feeling all those tell tale symptoms. But I was too lazy to have a urine test and wait for the results and then visit the OB.

So I bought a box of cranberry juice and guzzled it all up in two days. Then when I dropped by Robinson's grocery, I saw bottles of Lipa buko juice. In the three or four days that I drank juice, I noticed a significant improvement in my UTI. And it's practically gone!

Instead of spending for antibiotics, I ended up saving a lot and getting a big dose of Vit C (care of cranberry juice) and a whole lot of natural benefits.

Can You Find The Fish?

Sorry for this pic. lol. I took such a close shot. And it's burnt on the sides because I didn't put much olive oil.

This is one dish that's a staple at home because it's so easy to prepare. I just patted some salt and pepper on the fillet of sole, drizzled some olive oil, squeeze a sliver of lemon, added a generous helping of dill (picked from the garden) and topped with some leftover lemons.

In it goes into the oven for 20 minutes or so (depending on the size of the fish). It's a healthy and yummy way of serving fish.

Decluttering One Step At A Time

I've read all there is to read on decluttering. All the tips and tricks, but of course it all boils down to actually going through your things and setting aside what's to be thrown out and what's to be kept. And this has to be a part of your routine, otherwise clutter will just pile up again.

We're in between bazaars now and I've got a bit of free time, so here's my game plan:

1. Work one area at a time. Like last night, I worked on the foyer for around 5 minutes. I only did an initial sweep of the huge pile of bills and letters. I will be more thorough tonight.
2. Weed through all the papers and bills, throw or file the papers. Best if you have the trashcan beside you.
3. For every 1 item we bring into the house, 2 items must be thrown out.
4. Don't tackle everything in 1 day. Do some decluttering and organizing in 5, 10 or 15 minute sessions. Small steps...

Hopefully, this week, I can accomplish a lot.

What's for Lunch?

I cooked a big batch of spaghetti bolognese and now we have a lot of leftovers. Guess what I had for lunch? : )

Stuck On You

I hate how stores like to stick their prices on all of their products and it’s so hard to remove. Most of the time, I’m rubbing and scratching at those sticky price tags. Why can’t they just tie the prices with ribbon or use an adhesive that’s so much easier to remove. But I doubt they’ll do that soon. Hello, SM? And you know how National Bookstore likes to stick their price tags on all the ballpens? They’re not just content with the price tag, they have to cover it with scotch tape too.

So till they come up with something better, I’ll clean up with Goo Gone. Just a few swipes of this on the left over adhesive and then it’s clean and gone. No more dirty fingernails. But for a small bottle, it costs something like P150. By the way, I got this from Handyman.

For The Dads Now

Shoo Fly

I bought this citronella plant two weeks ago and so far, it seems to be thriving in our garden. I wanted to plant this near our front door, but I didn't have a big enough pot.

The lady whom I bought it from said that I can boil the leaves and use the water as an insect repellent spray. I need to wait for more leaves to grow before I try it.

I'm all for keeping those dengue carriers at bay, especially now that it's been raining often.

From Japan Home to Our Home

I like going through the different racks at Japan Home because there are always some good finds.

On my recent visit there, I was able to buy these:



This solves my shoe space problem. When we had our bathroom designed, I made sure that we (or at least I) had ample space for my clothes and shoes. Turns out I still lack shoe space (or I just buy too many shoes?).


I bought several of these because these are just so handy! My mom uses long plastic bags for the umbrella when its wet, so instead of her using those unfashionable plastic bags, not to mention, unenvironmentally friendly too, I got her a couple of these water repellent umbrella cases. Now, she can keep one in the car. I also got a couple for myself too.

Organizing In the Kitchen

In our kitchen, I used to keep scraps of paper and pens inserted among other things in one plastic basket. Then the scraps of paper started to multiply and so did the pens. It started to annoy me that when I needed a pen, I couldn't find any. It was all buried under the mess in the basket. The helper didn't even think of arranging it.

On one trip to the nearby Handyman, I saw this wire mesh. It's the right size to hold pieces of paper and some pens and pencils. It even has a magnet at the back. I decided to get it and stick it on our ref. Now, I don't have to scrounge around for pen and paper.

So This Is How The Plant Looks Like

I can't recall if I've ever seen a cauliflower plant. So when I came across this, I had to take pictures. The plant itself is so leafy while the cauliflower is nestled right in the center.

Pineapple Porkchop

I cooked pineapple porkchop yesterday and I tried to cook it based on memory since I didn't get to write down the recipe when my mom taught me this dish.

I didn't measure any of the ingredients because I just eyeballed everything.

I had 4 pcs of porkchop and marinated it for a couple of hours in soy sauce (I like the low sodium variety), calamansi and garlic.

Fry the porkchop pieces. On the side, I mixed some pineapple juice with some of the marinade and a teaspoon of cornstarch powder. Set this aside.

After the porkchops are cooked, set aside. I only removed a bit of the oil from the frying pan, then I poured in the pineapple juice mixture. By the way, my mom just uses the juice from the canned pineapple tidbits. But I like my porkchops with a bit more sauce so I use a lot of juice, about half of a canned pineapple juice.

Then I put back the porkchop pieces and let simmer a bit. When it's nearly done, I throw in some pineapple tidbits.

Our Home Office

We had this office desk made recently from a design we saw in an Ikea catalogue. It's not exactly an efficient desk. By efficient I mean that there are no drawers where I can keep supplies, papers, etc. But we love the clean lines of the desk. It's a mess right now since it's covered with various papers and the room where it's at is an even bigger mess. We'll get around to fixing everything up sooner or later.

Expo Mom

I got this in my email and just though of sharin it here. Below also are the schedule of activities for the two day event.

MAY 9, SATURDAY

10:00 am-EXPO MOM OPENS

11:30 am- FORMAL OPENING & WELCOME

1:00 pm - Sponsor's Portion

1:30 pm- What every woman needs to know about cervical cancer

2:00 pm- Kindermusik for Toddlers & Kids by Teacher Jeannie Castillo

2:30 pm- Baby Sign Language by Jaymie Pizarro

3:00 pm- Sponsors Talk: Baby Ready with J&J

3:30 pm- Attachment Parenting & Baby Wearing by Jen Tan

4:00 pm- Yoga Kidsby Michelle Aventajado

4:30 pm- Musical Number by My Masterpiece Multi-Arts school

5:30 pm- Onstage Games

6:00 pm- Mom Massage Demoby Vier Tajonera

Raffle Draw

8:00 pm CLOSING

MAY 10, SUNDAY

10:00 am- EXPO MOM DAY 2 OPENS

10:30 am- Musical Numberby My Masterpiece Multi-arts School

11:30 am Onstage Games

12:30 pm Gymboree Portion

1:30 pm Healthy Mealsby Dona Elena Olive Oil

2:00 pm Belly Dancing for Expectant Momsby Dr. Faye Cagayan

Onstage Games

2:30 pm Your Baby Can Read! Talk

3:00 pm Happy Belly Health & Fitness by Rome Kanapi

3:30 pm A Moms Life Talk Show(tentative)

4:30 pm Mommy Fashion by Contour Fashion/ D&A Fashion

5:00 pm Expo Mom Get Together with Live Acoustic music by Paolo Santos

Raffle Draw

8:00 pm Closing


*Schedules may change without notice.

Ginger Tea

I've been overexerting my body once more and when I got caught in a bit of rain last week, I developed an itchy throat which worsened to a sore throat. And eventually led to a cough.

My usual remedy for this is salabat (or ginger tea). I prefer it over medicine like lozenges and it does the trick. After 1 day of drinking it after my meals, my throat was itch free.

I prefer to make my own tea from scratch instead of buying the powder version found in the groceries. I just slice some ginger and heat it up with a cup of water. After a few minutes, I pour the brew into my cup and add a teaspoon of honey. Honey, after all, does wonders for the voice, as well.

Not many like to drink salabat. When I was a kid, I drank it like medicine, but now, I just take it like regular tea. It's cheaper and best of all, it's natural.

Fresh Lavender

To go to Provence, France to see the lavender fields is a big dream of mine. I even had a calendar of Provence and it just fueled my dream even more.

Recently, I met this couple who has an organic store and they showed me their lavender plants. It made me so ecstatic! Lavender growing in Manila?!?! Of course, it's not exactly like the ones in France, but it's still lavender. I was told to smell the leaves and it filled my hands with its scent. Oh, wow!! Can you just imagine what it would smell like if you were standing right in the middle of a lavender field?

Oprah Says

I went to an organic store recently and saw these vegetables. I keep on forgetting what it's called. But the owner said that this was featured in Oprah's show and Oprah says that these are a very healthy kind of spinach and found only in tropical countries. I'm always on the hunt for new veggies to give to my little girl so I bought one bunch. But they were so cheap at only P10 so I bought more.

The owner of the store said they eat it as a salad and she even made me try one of the leaves. Hmmm... I didn't like it raw. It can also be cooked in butter and garlic. That sounds much better and that's exactly what we did with the vegetables.

Pineapple Porkchop

I've tried making pineapple chicken and in the three times I made it, I was never satisfied with it. So finally, I asked my mom's help since I didn't want to waste perfectly good porkchops.

Well, whatdya know? My pineapple porkchop turned out really well. But I have to work on my plating and presentation. One thing at a time. hee hee

Refreshing Snack

I rarely find this fruit in the groceries or in the markets. It could be also that I don't go out of my way to look for this fruit. Anyway, one time while I was doing my regular grocery shopping, I saw some balimbing fruit for sale and they were huge. I decided to buy one (since no one at home is fond of this fruit), after all, it's been years since I last tried this.

After washing the fruit thoroughly, I had it sliced thinly and placed in the refrigerator. Then I snacked on this. I love the crunchiness and the juiciness of the fruit. It's the perfect summer time snack. And a healthy one at that.

From A Long Lost Era

Long before the ipod or even the walkman, there was this...



When I was a kid and we'd have Sunday lunch at my lola's place, I always admired this even if I never heard it play. There's a certain charm to it that has always attracted me. A couple of Sundays ago, we went to my lola's place and I decided to take a pic of it.

For All The Moms

I couldn't help but smile while I was watching this. This is best shared.

WW 03.04.09 Medley of Flavors

Thai Inspired Dish

I cooked this several weeks ago and I've already forgotten the name of this dish. Anyway, it's easy to cook and it's flavorful and hearty.

Instead of using ground beef, I substituted it with ground chicken. It's a healthier alternative. I'll post the recipe for this dish before the week is over.

A Quick Breakfast

I wonder why parsley is sold in big packs in the groceries, when recipes don't require a big bunch? So with a whole tray of parsley, I had to think of other ways to consume it.

I decided to shred some parsley for my omelet and I added a generous serving of cheese. Quick and easy. But I had to answer the phone when I was cooking this and it got overcooked. :(

Fresh Greens

Here are a couple of vegetables that grow in our backyard.



The pechay are quite small compared to those that are sold in the market. I wonder why? The lettuce are abundant and we've harvested it all and made into salads.

While I can't say exactly how much I saved from buying produce in the market, it gives me a good feeling to know that we can grow our own veggies in our garden. It is a good learning experience for my little girl too, because we show her the progress of the vegetable's growth and point out the names of each one (although I know she won't remember it). She likes to watch the helpers too, when they dig around the soil and water the plants.

Not only does the little girl benefit, but it also gives our helpers a past time aside from their daily chores. And it gives them a feeling of accomplishment to see their efforts paying off when they harvest and cook the vegetables.

The Big Squeeze

Whenever I cook a dish that requires some lemons, I do not discard the fruit after I’ve squeezed it.

Sometimes there’s still some juice left to squeeze into my glass of water to make some lemon water or to prevent peeled apples or potatoes from turning brown. Other times, I use it for cleaning the bathrooms especially on the chrome fixtures. Once in awhile, I use it to clean and sanitize my wooden chopping board. I also use it to clean my face.

There’s another trick that I haven’t tried and it’s to squeeze some lemon to the boiling water when cooking rice. This prevents rice from sticking together into one sticky glob.

But no matter what, I always rub the lemon on my hands then rinse off with water. I love how fresh my hands smell after and it does leave a lasting scent too.

Natural Cold Remedy

My husband is not a big fan of my homeopathic remedies. But I prefer to use natural means to get rid of slight ailments or to aid whatever pills we have to take in.

I learned recently that this specific oregano is most useful for colds. This is different from the oregano herb used in cooking. The leaves are quite aromatic and have a furry texture. Although I haven't tried it, I'm going to cultivate this plant in our garden and when the time comes that we have the colds, I will make this into tea.

One version I heard of, is to pound the leaves and mix it with rice washing and make it into tea. While I can't imagine the taste, I think I'll just pound the leaves and steep it in hot water. And maybe add some honey?

Spice Up Your Dishes

Our household can't live without sinamak (chili infused vinegar), it's a staple in most of our meals. We always have it with fried fish, tapa, and other grilled foods. But as much as possible, I do not get the ready made spicy vinegar from the grocery. I like to make my own, while choosing which vinegar (white cane vinegar, coconut vinegar, etc) to use.

This time, I got this particular vinegar made out of nipa palm sap (sukang sasa) with a blend of pure honey. I carefully washed and sliced some siling labuyo (bird's eye chili)and garlic. And I threw in some whole black peppercorns for good measure. I didn't have native onions nor ginger that time so I just threw in a lot of chili. Some also put bay leaves in their sinamak. Hmm.. maybe I can throw in a leaf or two.

I let the spices sit a few days before trying it out with one of our meals. The resulting sinamak was a complementary blend of sourness, sweetness and spiciness.

Chicken Stir Fry

This is a quick and easy dish to do, especially on weeknights. I can't remember the exact proportions of the ingredients, I just usually eyeball everything and season according to my taste.

Ingredients
chicken fillets, cubed
onions
garlic
chili
2 tbsp thai fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 cup basil leaves (packed)

Heat up some oil, saute the onions, garlic and chili. Throw in the chicken pieces and fry until golden brown. Mix the thai fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and water together. Pour the mixture onto the chicken. When almost done, add the basil leaves.

Serve with rice. By the way, when I made this, I bought enough chicken to feed 5 people.

When I made this at home, the husband liked it very much. And to prove that he isn't biased, I brought some leftovers for my lunch at work the following day. It was a hit among my officemates, as well.

Floral Arrangement Under 5 Minutes

Our parish organized a procession and they asked the residents to set up a small altar outside their respective homes.

We had set up ours on a small table with a candle but it lacked flowers. So we hastily brought out a small square vase and snipped whatever leaves, ferns and flowers were available in our garden.

And this is what we came up with.

I do take mine black

You Are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: grumpy and stressed You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Ensaimada 101

A couple of weekends ago, an elderly relative passed on her ensaimada recipe, along with her baking tools to me. When I was a kid, she was always busy in the kitchen baking and cooking. And her ensaimadas were a staple at home.

I have a long way to go before I master baking this pastry, although it is relatively simple to do.





And the finished product -

The oven went haywire so we used a small electric oven and that's why some parts of the ensaimada are slightly toasted.

Need to Brush Up on Emily Post

You Have Good Manners 67% of the Time

Your manners are quite excellent. You are well versed in etiquette. Of course you have the occasional slip up, but you even apologize with grace.

How Are Your Manners?

The House Test

What the House Test Says About You

You consider yourself important, but no more important than anyone else. You love attention, but you don't feel like you deserve more of it than anyone else. You aren't against being community oriented, but it's not really your thing. You tend to prefer to focus on your family and not the neighborhood around you. You are a calm, contemplative, and smart person. You take ideas very seriously. You take good care of your physical appearance. You dress well, stay in shape, and do your best to look great. You are moved by what's exotic and unique. You often have the mentality of a traveler, even when you're not traveling.

The House Test

Lunch at Murray's and D'Vine

The husband and I ate at Murray's and D'Vine. I was disappointed that the menu selection was too short, although I know they specialize in burgers, I was hoping for other dishes to choose from. I did get to try the scallop burger and even if it was huge, I still finished it all. It's not as heavy as a beef burger, that's why. The husband had the spicy burger sliders, which are 3 small burgers that are on a skewer. I would have wanted to try the ostrich burger but I wasn't feeling too adventurous that day.

The ambience was cozy and intimate. Given their name, they had a good selection of wines from all over the world. And they were all nicely displayed around the restaurant. But the music that day was just not appropriate for the place as they were playing all hip hop songs. I doubt if they're trying to project a hip hop image or target that set?

Do’s and Don’ts in Era of New Poverty

I read this in today's issue of PDI and decided to share it here...

***

By Thelma Sioson San Juan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

IN my gym/club, I’ve gotten used to this regular distraction: a national politician in his middle age (thus not infirm or decrepit) comes with security entourage, from motorcycle escorts, back-up cars (plural) to bodyguards.

As he works out, the security detail stands by. After workout, the factotum brings in our politician’s personal stuff, from shirt to socks (undies, too, we presume) and shoes—and helps him get dressed. All this logistical/security support for a fitness workout!

Don’t even try to imagine what other logistics our politicians can’t live without.

Trappings of power are nothing new; they’ve come with the territory for ages. But, in the Philippines, at no time has their display been more obnoxious than they are now.
Perhaps it’s because our era has seen the end of our sense of decency, decorum and delicadeza (and you thought the Martial Law era was bad).

Bodyguards, police escorts are ubiquitous—whether at the golf course (remember the front-page news?), church, hotel, hospital, school, malls, you name it, they’re there at the beck and call of our public servants. Stuck in a bumper-to-bumper traffic in Edsa, you’re stewing in your car and hear the oppressively shrill wang-wang of a big shot’s siren escort (ambulance, you don’t mind) signaling the rest of the motorists to make way for the majestic entourage—as if there’s an extra yard of road to maneuver in.

So why can’t they go through traffic like everybody else? Either that or they fly off Edsa.
That brings us to what is most uncool in these hard times,

and the don’ts:

That wang-wang. Kill it. Such contraptions are for life-and-death situations, not for when you’re late for your ribbon-cutting or your “afternoon delight.”

Don’t wear your bodyguard like you do your Cartier. We remember tax deductions from our salaries every time we see bodyguards. Don’t “brandish” bodyguards, who, in turn, shouldn’t brandish guns.

Don’t wear your power. A wise, powerful editor once told us, if you really have power, you don’t need to show it. Showing off is tacky in these humbling times, or at any time.

Don’t display your wealth. Ostentatiousness is so nouveau. Hidden wealth is best kept hidden, because every time we see signs of it, we feel bad for our country, our children and our children’s children.

Don’t believe your own press release (especially if you wrote it yourself). People buying their own hype is today’s tragedy.

Don’t max out your credit card. An aunt, who worked her way up the corporate ladder (mining industry at that) and who died rich—and who didn’t believe much in credit cards—told us: Don’t spend money you still have to earn.

Don’t be a “brand junkie.” Being a sucker for brands is so yesterday.

The do’s:

Work, work. To be idle rich is bad enough, to be idle poor is pathetic—and bad for your cholesterol level. Work ethic? That seems like a thing of the past to today’s generation.

Be honest, even as you buy fake brands. Authenticity is not a brand. It is character.
Acquire the taste, not necessarily the brand.

Read. Not just lip-read.

Invest wisely. Not in business necessarily, but in people and relationships. Nurture a talent. That investment is long-term.

Help yourself to some food for the soul.

Even if you can’t be rich, be real.

Find true religion. That’s not a jeans brand. It’s religion.

Preserving My Daughter's Thoughtfulness

One evening while we were in the garden, the little girl pulled some leaves and flowers and handed each one to me. After I had a bunch in my hands, I decided to preserve the leaves by putting them in water. I showed the little girl how much I appreciated her sweet gesture by displaying the arrangement in our living room.

A home always looks better with some fresh flowers/plants.

Snack Time

One Sunday afternoon, I prepared a light snack for the husband and I. I got out whatever crackers I had in our pantry, generously spread some cream cheese and topped it with a bit of fresh parsley.