Dinner by Seven Thirty

My Little Flower

2013-05-15T14:33:00.001-07:00

It's springtime. Everything is in bloom and so is this little flower of mine. Not a toddler any longer but more like a little lady. At times I can't help but feel sad watching her grow. The other day she asked about sleeping over at grandma's and I just can't get myself to say yes. In my mind she's still my baby. I have to be there if she wakes up looking for me in the middle of the night!

She is blooming very well too which makes me a very proud mom. Her passion for art has filled our walls with beautiful drawings and my desk with kind notes. There are days that we run out of energy keeping up with her, but we try to soak it all up and savor each moment. Also, I try to take big bites of her baby cheeks while I can.

Confession: I have not washed my face in a year.

2013-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

It's true. I stopped washing my face since I stumbled upon the oil cleansing method and I have not looked back. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops when I first started using the method but I thought I'd wait awhile. After about over a year, I am 100% convinced that oil is so much better than soap or over the counter cleansers for cleaning the face. My facial skin isn't flawless to begin with, and it isn't the best model so I am not posting a before and after picture here. But, I am confident to say that ceasing to use all bubbling agents has done wonders to my face.

I was hesitant to use oil at first because I have very oily skin. After some researching I found out olive oil and jojoba oils are a close resemblance to our own sebum so it tricks your skin from producing oil when applied. Thus the result is having just the right amount of oil on your face. So basically, you have only one product for cleansing and moisturizing - and it's all natural and chemical free!

To start with, you have to experiment to find the oil that works best for your skin.

Below is some information I found from the internet on comedogenic and non-comedogenic oils.

Low Pore Clogging Probability:

Almond (Sweet Almond) oil

Anhydrous Lanolin

Apricot Kernal Oil

Avocado Oil

Castor Oil

Emu Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Jojoba Oil

Olive Oil

Peanut Oil

Safflower Oil

Sesame Oil

Sunflower Oil

Medium Pore-Clogging Probability:

Corn Oil

Cottonseed Oil

Crisco

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Mink Oil

Soybean Oil

Sulfonated Castor Oil

High Pore-Clogging Probability:

Cocoa Butter

Coconut Oil

Wheat Germ Oil

Most people who use the oil cleansing method suggest using olive oil or castor oil. Castor oil is light, which is good for those with oily skin. Olive oil is heavier so it's good for those with dry skin. Depending on your skin type try to experiment on a mixture of the two by increasing or decreasing the proportions between the heavy and light oil.

Some guidelines:

For normal skin : use one part castor oil to one part Olive oil.

For oily skin, use three parts castor oil to one part Olive oil.

For dry skin, use one part castor oil to three parts Olive oil.

If you find Olive and castor oils doesn't work for you try substituting with different oils from the list. Castor oil can be substituted with lighter oils like jojoba, almond or avocado oils.

I found pure jojoba oil works best on my skin as it feels the least oily and it has the least smell. I add about 5-7 drops of tea tree oil for each 4oz of jojoba oil and that's it. The tea tree oil is added for its antiseptic properties, to combat those acne causing bacteria.

So how do I cleanse with it?

1) Massage oil on skin using palm or with a cotton ball if you want a little scrub.

2) Wet a washcloth under hot water then cover your face with it. Steam your face with the washcloth until washcloth gets to room temperature. This opens up the pores and removes impurities.

3) Rinse the washcloth with water and gently wipe off the oil.

4) Splash your face with cool water (to close the pores).

5) Pat dry your face with a clean towel.

Easy peasy right? And really there's nothing better than not using chemicals on your face.

Sometimes, it's the little things.

2012-09-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

This week i am thankful for...

1. this inabel throw

because it's from my Mommy, with love, all the way from my hometown. And because this is hand woven the old Ilocano way.

2. this iced tea ...

because it was perfect for the hot summer we've been having.

3. these blueberry muffins

because I am not good at baking but this one came out delicious. And it was a good bonding moment with my little girl.

4. this cherry pitter.

I thought it was a useless tool until I found out my little girl loves cherries and I had to remove pits one by one with a knife. This pitter makes it so much easier.

5. this container

because not a piece of it is made of plastic. Enough said.

i hope you had a beautiful week. what are you thankful for?
have a nice weekend!

Day One

2012-09-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

The little one started preschool on Tuesday. At three and a half, she is ready. In fact she was very excited.

The first day, my husband and I brought her to school a 8 o'clock. I have planned to take a picture of her in front of the school but she ran straight to the classroom. And once inside I could not make her pose for the camera. She was so happy and very very excited. We lingered around a little bit to see how she is all taking it and then made our exit. She was brave. Not a tear was shed (well except the ones by me). Like how I read in books I said my goodbyes casually. She must have misunderstood and replied, "but mommy, I wan't to stay here!"-- to which I responded that she is staying but I have to leave. She smiled at me, gave me a kiss and a hug, as if she's assuring me that it's going to be okay.

I left the school teary eyed and with so many thoughts running through my head. It all felt like back when she was born, being overwhelmed by the responsibility of taking care and raising a child. I had to remind myself that this is just preschool and what's important right now is that she is happy and gets to play with other children. Still I couldn't help but think. And why not? She is in her formative years. "Early lessons have lasting impact", they say. I pondered on what I wanted her to learn - letters and numbers, how to write and read. Awhile back I mentioned that I want Sophia to indulge more in play than academics in her early years. However, some days I find myself worrying that she has not learned how to read yet. Pardon me but I blame the existence of Facebook that now it is easier than ever for parents to brag about how smart their kids are. Maybe it's just me but I do feel the pressure! I am proud though that she can spell her name right and can write it down, even if it is crooked.

Still I believe that while academics are important, at this age I want more for her to learn how to make friends and interact with others, how to be independent, how to think, how to behave properly, how to pray. We picked our church's preschool for a reason- because their philosophy aligns with our family values. The fee and the hours does not fit well into our budget and schedule but we are willing to do the sacrifice we need to do to make it work. As I left the school parking I felt at peace with our decision of sending her there.

At the end of the day, I was excited to pick her up and eager for her stories on how her day went. She didn't want to leave the school but at the same time she was delighted to see me when I walked in. She had so much fun, she even gave me a tour of the classroom before we left. However she was a little disappointed that they spelled her name wrong. She couldn't stop talking about it. {Thankfully it was fixed the next day.}

And then comes her story, "Mommy, there's this boy sitting behind me. He said I have cute shoes!"

.
.
.

Slow down, sweetheart. Not too fast. No boys until you are 30, okay?

Baked Branzino

2012-08-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

My husband is picky with seafood. I might have mentioned that before. He is more picky than our 3 year old daughter who when asked what food she likes proudly responds, "fish and rice!" But finally, for the record, I got dear husband to eat fish off a baked whole branzino that I cooked. What I mean is usually he would only eat filleted fish. For some reason he cannot stomach the sight of a whole fish with head, bones and tail served on the table However on one of our dinner dates at Angelini Osteria I was intrigued when he said he would want to try their branzino dish one day, a whole branzino baked in a crust of salt. His comment gave me hope. I thought perhaps I could entice him with grilled whole fish in the form of branzino. I had a feeling he would be more open to trying branzino because he saw it prepared in a fancy restaurant and also because it sounded Italian. Silly, I know. But I do think he is racist when it comes to fish. No kidding. He dislikes tilapia which he usually sees swimming inside fish tanks at the Asian market.

I brought up the suggestion one day, mentioning that I saw some fresh looking branzino at Whole Foods. However I had to promise him that if I cook it whole I would debone the fish first before plating his. He agreed. I was smiling from ear to ear, the guy have no idea how delicious the meat is near the bones (which is going to be all mine).

So I went to Whole Foods to get the branzino. I think it has become a regular on their iced cases. The price was right, $11.99 a pound, and the fish had gleaming clear eyes which means they are fresh. Each branzino ran about 1 to 1.5 lbs each. I bought 2 pieces because I was not confident one would be enough for the three of us considering the 3-year-old could easily eat half a fish.

Whole fish is easy to cook and cooks quickly. You need only to drizzle some olive oil, salt and some herbs, throw it on the grill or oven and that's it. I would prefer mine grilled but on this day we ran out of propane to fire the grill so I had to cook it in the oven.

Baked Branzino with Gremolata

1 bunch cilantro (1/2 portion coarsely chopped)

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated (thinly slice green parts)
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup drained capers
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime, zested and juiced

1 lime, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
2 whole branzino, about 1-2 lbs each, have the fishmonger scale and clean the fish
coarse sea salt and black pepper

1. Prepare the gremolata by combining the chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, jalapeño, capers and garlic in a bowl. Finely grate the zest of one lime and then squeeze in its juice. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover and let sit until needed.

2. Cook the fish. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat dry each fish with paper towel then drizzle olive oil over each fish to coat. Season each fish inside the cavity and outside with salt and black pepper. Divide the lime slices, remaining cilantro sprigs, scallions (white part) between the two fish. Transfer fish to baking sheet and place in the 450° oven. Cook fish for 15 to 20 minutes or until just opaque and flakes easily when pierced with a fork.

3. Serve fish with gremolata on top.

*A good side for this dish is a mango salsa

make your place

2012-07-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

i invested in this book by raleigh briggs. it is loaded with hand-written recipes for sustainable and natural nesting. it presents simple instructions for concocting all-natural products from tinctures to facial cleansers. any person who wishes to go back to the basics and get rid of toxins in their household will benefit from it.

sautéed young/green garlic

2012-07-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

as i have mentioned previously, green garlic (or young garlic, or spring garlic), is a delicacy in my hometown. i do not recall what time of the year these are abundant in the philippines but i remember it being planted after rice is harvested because they use rice straw for mulching. garlic is one of the produce my uncles grow in the farm they inherited from my grandparents, aside from rice and more common vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants. growing up i would volunteer to help my uncles pluck young garlic in the field behind our house. why pluck them out? to make more growing space for the "main" garlic, which will be harvested later when it is matured and cured. {for in-depth information on how they grow garlic in my province go here.}

green garlic looks very similar to green onions. some would have a bit of bulb, while others would have bigger heads with the individual cloves starting to form. the simplest way to tell the difference between a green onion and a green garlic is the smell. but if that fails look at the stalks. green onions have tube-like stalks, young garlic stalks are flat open.

i have seen young garlic at the farmer's market and sometimes at whole foods, but they are expensive ($4 for a small bundle) and seldom available. just for fun i have planted some in early spring in my tiny window box alongside other herbs. the harvest was scant but it was sufficient to satisfy my craving. last week, i was pleasantly surprised when i came upon so many of them! this harvest came from my mother-in-law's boss's backyard. the generous lady, jen, who grows them, gave me a generous amount to my heart's content. i kept a handful for myself but i shared most of it to my grandma. she believes garlic helps regulate her blood pressure. she recently stopped taking her blood pressure medicine and has opted to just munch on garlic chips. if it is sufficient to keep her bp under control i do not know. however she eats mainly fish and vegetables so i am not all that worried. besides for an 85 year old, she is in good health and can still whip my behind if she needs to :)

anyhow, what to do with green garlic? you can make green garlic soup like molly did, you can make a tart or pesto like erin did with her garlic scape, or cook it with spaghetti. the recipe that follows however is one that most resembles what my mom used to make. simple and filling when eaten with rice.

the recipe goes like this...

cut up some pork and brown it. i used bacon because it is what i had available. if you want it healthier you can just use olive oil. all you need is a little fat. instead of pork, you may also use shrimp or tofu.

when bacon is browned remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil.

add the tomatoes and sauté until it softens.

add seasoning to taste- you may use kosher salt, sea salt, patis (fish sauce), soy sauce, bouillon, chopped up anchovy, or whatever you prefer to use. i added a pinch of cumin to mine although it isn't really necessary. if it's too dry, add a little water. it depends on how soupy you want it.

add the white portion of the young garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.

next add the green part. check for seasoning and adjust as needed.

cook for a couple minutes or until the leaves start to wilt. do not overcook.

remove from heat and that's it!

post script: don't worry about it being too garlicky. young garlic is much milder and sweeter than regular garlic. you won't get garlic breath afterwards i promise.

scenes from the weekend

2012-07-23T09:22:00.002-07:00

we got to fly a kite finally (a check on my life list). my husband brought home all sorts of kites a couple of years ago; a rocket, a fighter plane, an eagle. we have been looking forward to see those fly but they are about 5-6 feet wide so it is difficult to find the place and good wind conditions to fly them. this week a friend gifted sophia a smaller one, one with brobee on it, my daughter's favorite yogabba gabba character. she couldn't wait for the weekend to go to the park to fly it. saturday was hot and humid, and there was barely any wind but we managed to fly it successfully at the top of the hill at the tar pit.

sometimes, it's the little things

2012-07-20T09:14:00.002-07:00

this week i'm thankful for....

1. this cybidium yellow orchid

because it has been flowering for months, and it's butter yellow color is beautiful.

2. this church at the top of the hill (viewed from the porch at my grandma's house)

because it sparks holiness within me every time i see it. i've always been curious what church it is and found out it is st. andrew ukrainian orthodox church.

3. this pup (my grandnephew)

he's a boxer and his name is tyson. i think that's funny. my daughter enjoyed playing with him even though he is a little mischievous.

4. ferns

because i see them everywhere these days and those tiny dots on them are such nice details.

5. green garlic, or young garlic (whatever you want to call it)

because they are a delicacy in my province and it's difficult to find them anywhere here. i found them growing in the backyard of a mansion in beverly hills of all places! they gave me a generous amount and i shared most of it to my grandma. she loves these! i stopped by her place and stored it in her fridge this morning while she was still asleep. sneaky! {recipe for this to follow}

i hope you had a beautiful week. what are you thankful for?
have a nice weekend!

the museum of flying

2012-07-17T08:37:00.001-07:00

last weekend was full of activities. saturday i joined sophia for parent and child swimming class. terror in the shallows (both me and her) i tell you, but we made it.

we then had a quick lunch at spitfire grill with my mother-in-law, followed by an impromptu visit to the museum of flying right next door. the museum reopened in february at its new location at the santa monica airport. the museum's main features are : a replica of the wright flyer, the fedex boeing 727 nose section, the yak-3 world war 2 soviet fighter aircraft, a mini flight simulator for children to learn about pitch, yaw and roll, and a T-33 cockpit trainer. entrance fee is $10 which is a bit overpriced in my opinion but i just think of it as a small donation for the museum's expansion project :)

{my favorite. the yakovlev yak-3 was a world war ii soviet fighter aircraft. this beauty registered 14 victories.}

corn and blueberry salad (briefly)

2012-07-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

this recipe is adopted from an issue of better homes and gardens magazine a couple of years ago.

i'm not sure why it took me 2 years before finally making it.

i honestly would never think of combining corn and blueberries. it just seems weird. but this recipe was an a-ha moment. the dressing brought the flavors well together. the result was a tasty, crunchy and refreshing salad.

the recipe says it is a do-ahead type of salad, good within a 12 hour period. also it says to let it sit overnight but mine turned out well in only 1 hour.
(note: the original recipe called for red onions but i used radish instead)

ingredients
3 ears fresh corn
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed well
3 small persian cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup sliced radish (or finely chopped red onions)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Dressing
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey (or to taste)

1 pinch kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
1. bring salted water to a boil and add corn. cook, covered, 5 minutes or until tender. when corn is cool enough to handle, cut corn off the cobs.

2. in a serving bowl combine corn, blueberries, cucumber, radish (or onion), cilantro, and jalapeno.

3. for the dressing, combine lime juice, oil, honey, salt, and cumin in a screw-top jar. cover and give it a good shake.

4. pour dressing over salad and toss. cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

note to self

2012-07-15T23:38:00.000-07:00

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony."
-- William Henry Channing

sauteed pea shoots

2012-07-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

summertime for me means spending time together cooking - him on the grill, me by the stove and the little one doing small preps. the little one picks the veggies, just like how it was with me when i was a little girl. that was how i learned to be comfortable in the kitchen. i watched my mom cook, and helped her in one way or another even if it's just to stir the pot. i'd like for sophia to learn in the same manner. it is going to be a few more years before i can trust her with a knife or to stir in hot pots but preparing the vegetables is something i can let her do without worries. surprisingly she is very patient at it. i, on the other hand would prep vegetables in the fastest way i can, using every short cut i know.

with these pea shoots though she was a little disappointed that there was almost nothing to do. i bought them from the asian store and they were pretty much ready to cook. so what i did is to let her wash the shoots. one by one. :)

anyhow, i just might make this pea shoot crostini before summer is over. it was in fact what i intended it for. however we grilled pork belly for dinner tonight and pea shoot sauté seem to be the perfect side dish. plus some sort of carbs of course.

SAUTÉED PEA SHOOTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
8 ounces fresh pea shoots
1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

salt (to taste)

rinse pea sprouts in cold water and remove excess water using a salad spinner.

heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

add sprouts, salt and half the chicken broth. sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes, tossing the greens every now and then for even cooking. add broth a little at a time if it's too dry.

serve immediately.

moringa (marunggay)

2012-07-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

my brother got lucky to have found a moringa plant at the farmer's market on saturday. he took the young moringa home, ready to be replanted at my grandma's backyard for us to enjoy in the months to come.

marunggay (or malunggay) as called in the philippines is hands downs my favorite vegetable- leaves, fruit and flowers. in the north western tip of the philippines where i came from, the marunggay leaves is a staple, a common ingredient in a dish we call inabraw or dinengdeng (a stew of mixed vegetables). i consider myself lucky that i live in a place where filipino vegetables isn't a rarity. even after many years of residing in the u.s. there are days i crave for the exotic vegetables i grew up eating. on those days i would simply visit my lola (grandma) whose fridge always seem to have a serving of inabraw, ready to be eaten.

back to marunggay, in the past few years there have been studies on the many health benefits of this leafy green vegetable. it was even featured on dr. oz once, i suppose, as mentioned here. marunggay leaves they say contain twice the protein in milk, three times the potassium in bananas, four times the vitamin a in carrots and seven times the vitamin c in oranges. and that's not it, marunggay helps strengthen the immune system, controls blood pressure, relieves headaches and migraines, prevents diabetes, reduces inflammations and arthritis pains, heals ulcers, prevents the growth of cancer cells and is useful for lactating mothers in increasing their breast milk. the list goes on.

so how do you cook marunggay leaves? marunggay is very versatile and can be stewed with a variety of other more common vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini and okra. the authentic ilocano inabraw calls for diluted fermented fish paste we call buguong but i usually substitute with chicken broth for a more american-husband-friendly version. (my husband cringe at the sight and smell of fish sauce or fish paste.)

my simple marunggay soup is as easy as boiling a couple of cups of chicken broth with a sliver of fresh ginger then adding a cup of marunggay leaves. the leaves cook quickly, just a blanch, about a couple of minutes with the pot covered, and that's it. never overcook it. you want the leaves to stay green, not brownish. my dad's trick so it doesn't overcook is to transfer the dish immediately to a serving plate so it stops cooking. for more details on how to cook marunggay hop on over to pinakbet republic. the blog also has a variety of dinengdeng posted if you're interested.

{back when i was still breastfeeding my little one, my grandma would make me chicken soup with marunggay when i go visit. she claims it increases breast milk production. i didn't really notice the difference to be honest but i was also taking fenugreek and blessed thistle capsules at the time for that same purpose. some of my friends however agrees that it helps with milk production.}

is your life too plastic?

2012-07-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

watch the bag it movie and i guarantee you will start to cringe at the sight of every grocery plastic bags, or maybe even any kind of plastic. it is a documentary shot by a man (and his wife), as he educates himself on the scourge of plastic.

that we use millions and millions of plastic grocery bags only to throw it away in the trash is just an eye opener. the video goes deeper into the subject. we all know plastic bottles and containers go in the recycle bin, but not all of us know the difficulty and the costs involved in recycling plastic. then there are those plastics that cannot be recycled and just ends up in great pacific garbage gyre.

i won't go into details. it's a great documentary on how plastic has invaded our lives and is now destroying the planet we live in, and our very own lives.

briefly, i'd like to jot down a few little things we can do to help alleviate the accumulation of plastic wastes (as mentioned in the movie):

don't drink bottled water
choose products with less packaging
think outside the bag, bring your own container
buy less stuff
buy used
recycle comes after reusing and reducing
avoid plastics with #3, 6, 7
simplify your life

Homemade Coffee Cinnamon Body Scrub

2012-07-03T23:49:00.001-07:00

a long soak in the tub becomes such a treat once you have a young child. thank goodness my daughter is old enough now that i can finally take my sweet time in the shower. while there might not be enough time to indulge in bubble baths with candle light, surely there is more than enough time for a good scrub. there is no more excuse for my neglect.

the skin on my arms tells me i am due for a body scrub. it looks dull, and it feels tight and dry. it's begging me for some tlc.

so i decided to make my own scrub out of ingredients i have available, and with some help from the book make your place. i made a concoction of sugar, coffee and grapeseed oil. i chose grapeseed oil for it's anti-aging benefits, because it helps reduce the size of pores, and because it is a lighter oil than olive oil. and i chose coffee because.... i love the smell of coffee! later on i read that coffee has many healing properties when applied to the skin and that it protects the skin from damage by the sun.

if this body scrub will do wonders for your skin i have no clue. but it's worth a try. after all it is so easy and quick to make. if anything i can guarantee that you will love the smell (if you like coffee). for me, i don't see the point of using store bought body scrub ever again. the smell was divine, and it left my skin feeling softer and smoother without spending a fortune. the only problem is i keep wanting to lick it. the good news is, all ingredients are natural and edible so there is nothing to worry about.

COFFEE CINNAMON BODY SCRUB

1/4 cup still-damp coffee grounds (used)
1/4 cup dry ground coffee (unused)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
about 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil (just enough to make a paste like mixture with the above ingredients)

to make, put all the ingredients in a clean jar big enough to hold everything. mix ingredients together. store in cool dry place. the scrub will keep for 2 months.

to use, rub the scrub around your clean damp skin for about 30 seconds or so. if scrubbing the whole body, do the legs first, then the arms, then torso. always rub towards your heart. rinse and pat dry.

locavoring

2012-07-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

tank, midi shorts, espadrilles, basket, produce bags, abby hat, water bottle
layout by fey. photos from links.

going to the farmer's market is one of my favorite activities. there is something about the sight of fresh fruits and vegetables, and hearing merry conversions held between buyer and farmer. today is farmer's market day at the park in my neighborhood. unfortunately i am at work instead of being there perusing and filling my senses with the scents and vibrant colors of summer's bounty. i mean c'mon!

so here. i put together a make-believe farmer's market day. i hope you'll indulge as i daydream at my desk.

a few notes:
sustainabletable.org says that, “by purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.”

one convenient way to buy fresh and seasonal produce is by participating in csa programs. this link provides great information on various community supported agriculture (csa) in los angeles. have you tried any csa program in your area?

Los Angeles Zoo

2012-06-28T14:27:00.001-07:00

last weekend was full and good! we got to visit the LA zoo one last time before our annual membership expires. we are not planning to renew this year. membership at the LA zoo is worth it, but we figure it would be nice to use the money for something different this year. we will go back eventually, we are just taking a little break :)

some tips for visiting the zoo:

1. don't have high expectations, this is far from the caliber of san diego zoo. however it is big and good enough for the price.

2. buy tickets online as the lines could get long on the weekends and holidays. prices are: $16 adults, $13 senior, $11 children

3. go in the morning when it opens at 10am. the animals are awake and active, you beat the crowd, and it's much cooler. it gets hot and quite crowded in the afternoons specially on weekends and holidays.

4. byof (food) and drinks. food there is expensive and mediocre. example, they call "2 Churros + 2 Drinks = $15" a deal. the churro and popcorn are pretty good though.

5. parking is free! that's very rare in los angeles. in case the zoo parking is full, you can also park on the lot across the street (free too).

6. get the family membership if you live in l.a. and have at least two children to bring (your own kids, nieces, cousins, etc.)

7. on warm days, wear shorts, sleeveless shirts and hats. also wear sunscreen, it gets hot out there.

8. grab a map at the entrance. the lay out of the place is a bit confusing and quite a hike so you don't want to get lost.

9. the tram is a rip off. wear comfortable shoes and walk! and bring a stroller for your kids.

10. there's a playground at the top where kids can play (while you rest).

11. if you must buy drinks, buy the refillable cups and save it. you can bring it again to use on the next visit. just bring the cup to the register and pay for the refill. cheap and green!

12. plan to see the elephant training demonstration, daily at 11am.

13. allow some time to just sit and watch the chimp exhibit.

14. speak with the workers, they are helpful and offer good information about the animals.

15. good to know. some of the animal exhibits there are rescued from traffickers and collectors from illegal animal trade. these rescued animals cannot be returned back into the wild due to possible exposure to new virus contracted in the city so the zoo keeps them. example, reggie the alligator.

some photos from our visit.

sometimes, it's the little things

2012-06-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

this week i'm thankful for....

1. this decorated paper cup,

because in it is a seed of a sunflower. the idea of growing a plant from seed got my daughter excited (and me too!) she and i decorated it and sophia has been watering it diligently everyday. she is waiting patiently for the seed to sprout.

2. this carafe,

because the size is perfect for my lemon water. having a lemon water readily available means i am less likely to grab a bottled water.

3. this sweet pea sprouts,

because even if the sunflower seed above is not showing any signs of life, this was enough to make my daughter happy and proud.

4. this minor home improvement project,

because at last there is something adorning our bathroom wall. i have been meaning to do something nice on that wall for two years.

5. this coconut chocolate ice cream from Trader Joe's,

because it was the perfect treat on a hot summer afternoon. it is dairy free (and vegan), yet so deliciously creamy and smooth. yumm!

i hope you had a beautiful week. what are you thankful for?
have a nice weekend!

tabletop terrariums

2012-06-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

i felt our tiny apartment needed something green to liven it up a bit so i bought these beautiful terrariums at the farmer's market last weekend. i purchased two, one for our dining table and one given as gift to a family member celebrating her birthday. inspired by west elm i thought of making it myself but the vendor at the market were selling them at a good price, $15 for the bigger one and $12 for the smaller one.

the succulents will keep inside the glass for at least four months. when they are taller they can be transferred to a bigger pot. they are very low maintenance, mine needs only 7 sprays of water once a week. the smaller terrarium needs only 2 sprays once a week. i'm pretty sure i will be able to keep them alive.

less stuff, better life

2012-06-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

source

the purging continues... first i have to admit that getting rid of the things we already own is harder than i thought. sometimes i would stare at an object for a while and think, "what if i will need this after i throw it away?" {you know how sometimes throwing things out backfires} one of my friends actually advised me once not to throw things away because one day the need for it will come. somehow it's buried in my brain and it's slowing me down from getting rid of things.

but somewhere in the world wide web i came across a minimalist prayer which came in handy during deliberation. it says, “Lord, help me keep the things we need and get rid of the things we can unload, and give me the wisdom to know the difference.” gotta love the analogy to the serenity prayer ☺

still the process of elimination has been slow. so far I have only been getting rid of the obvious - things that are rarely used and that are outdated.

my first stop was sophia's room. i find that with kids you just accumulate so much stuff. specially with a first child, and a girl, you want to buy everything in the beginning. clothes are just too cute, and then there's all the baby products that you think will help make things easier. i learned the lesson the expensive way that what works for other babies may not work for mine. for example, i have 3 baby carriers barely used, because sophia didn't like them or they were uncomfortable for me.

i began purging sophia's toy bins which were brimming with toys from when she was a baby. as much as i hold sentiments for her first toys, i was sort of relieved at the thought of not hearing her baby musical toys go off ever again. you know, like those types that sound annoying but does not have an off button. i only kept the ones that are still appropriate for her age and a few ones for sentiment's sake. the rest i put in a bag to hand down to the next baby in our clan. i also secretly threw some old boxes and easter/halloween baskets that just annoy the heck out of me. thankfully, she didn't even notice they were gone!

my second stop was our kitchen cabinet, full of worn out tupperware, sippy cups, take-out containers, and other discolored plastic containers. i threw quite a bit in the recycle bin and i am elated at how much easier it is now to organize and find matching containers. i would like to eliminate all plastic containers at some point, and lately i have been recycling glass jars to use as an alternative for storing food.

my third stop was our closet, and it is a continuing process. i toss out a piece at a time. basically very time I come across a shoe or a piece of clothing that i have not worn for over a year, it goes into a bag labeled "for donation." sophia's clothes on the other hand are set aside, some lent to a friend. i am still hoping one day sophia will have a little sister :)

for the most part changes has been slow, and i admit to failing on the no-buying rule. however, buying is much less frequent than before and i buy things now with more careful deliberation. the image above is what i strive for: so minimal, uncluttered, and very peaceful.

bacon fried rice

2012-06-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

fact: i grew up a rice-vore. i used to eat rice at every breakfast, lunch and dinner. growing up, my breakfast was mainly fried rice and fried eggs. yes, rice for breakfast. it is completely normal. rice is fuel for us filipinos, we eat it at every meal. and why not? it is what gave our ancestors the energy to go out and work on the farm at the break of dawn. i may not eat it as often anymore, but fried rice for breakfast for me is bliss. it means i could go on for a long while without feeling hungry. on many days i dream of the wide variety of fried rice and egg combinations served in the philippines. we call fried rice, sinangag and egg, itlog. they are the two basic components to many creatively named combinations such as tapsilog (tapa-beef jerky, fried rice and egg), longsilog (longganisa-pork sausage, fried rice and egg), hotsilog (hotdog, fried rice and egg), tocilog (tocino-sweet cured pork, fried rice and egg) and bangsilog (fried bangus-milk fish, fried rice and egg). i'm sure there are many more.

last saturday i decided to reward myself with a good breakfast- bacon fried rice and fried eggs. ok, fine. plus another piece of bacon on the side. basilog, or is it baconsilog? anyhoo, i ate it in front of my husband who gave me weird looks. "rice for breakfast?" but i didn't care, it was a delightful feast specially whilst enjoying a good cup of coffee. life is too short, indulge once in a while.

BACON FRIED RICE

2-3 cup day old rice (above, i used a combination of brown and white rice)

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup frozen peas

3 slices bacon, cut 1/2 inch long

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon spanish smoked paprika

coarse salt and ground black pepper (to taste)

heat wok. add bacon and cook until browned. discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil.

add onions and sauté until soft then add garlic.

cook garlic, stirring, for about a minute.

add rice to the wok and toss, breaking the clumps in the process.

add the soy sauce, black pepper and smoked paprika.

taste a spoonful and adjust seasoning as you prefer.

move the rice to the sides and create a space in the middle of the wok. pour the beaten egg in it.

stir the egg gently as you would in scrambled eggs and when cooked, toss it with the rice

add the green peas and toss again.

remove from heat.

serve with a fried egg on top.

there is nothing like a spoonful of fried rice and runny yolk.

yumm!

home inspiration and ideas

2012-06-15T09:11:00.001-07:00

Pillow cases made from Ikea rugs.

source

Lay fabric flat. Fold one side in, with length the size of the pillow. Making 1/4-inch stitches, sew the sides together by hand, forming a pocket. Insert the pillow. Fold the other end over; stitch down corners to secure flap leaving an opening for removing the pillow.

Using rugs could get more expensive than just buying a ready-made pillowcase but the same idea could apply using the cute dish towels ikea currently have ($4 to $6 per pair). how about using the same technique on these dish towels for a shabby chic look?

ikea dish towels : evalill, , sickan, varligt

eighty eight

2012-06-14T10:25:00.004-07:00

she is my grandma... the wife of my mom's mom's brother {get it}? sounds like a distant grandmother but in reality she is so much closer. she is sort of a mother and grandmother rolled into one for me. she does not have children of her own but she has been a "mother" figure to me and my cousins. she has given me so much love, inspiration and words of wisdom over the years that i lived with her. i look up to her as much as i do my own mother. she is a kindhearted woman, always in good spirits and full of life. and never for once in the 8 years that i lived with her have i seen her get mad or in a bad mood. {i've always thought people get grouchy with age.} i aspire to be like her when i'm old. i hope to take after her cheerfulness, grateful heart and a positive outlook in life.

she turns 88 years old today. doesn't she look good for her age? {yes, the picture above was taken this year} she is one of the most beautiful woman i know, beautiful inside and out. she won't tell her secret to beautiful skin and long life but from living with her, i think i know what it is: drink lots of arrowhead mountain spring water, eat salmon (or other fish) everyday, use jergens lotion, moisturize face with ponds cream and be happy.

happy birthday my lola!

summer is almost here

2012-06-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

grilled peaches

plus

grilled pork tenderloin and perhaps some green salads

equals a perfect summer weekday dinner

ok so my home is under siege. i'm sick. sophia is sick. i have not been able to go to work since friday due to sickness which i thought to be asthma or allergies. today i'm quite certain it's some sort of a bug which sadly i have passed on to my little girl. instead of being outside enjoying the warmth of the sun, we are napping in bed under the covers. or to be more precise, i am blogging on one side of the bed while sophia is napping right next to me. "sleep with me mommy," she begged. I could snuggle with her and watch her sleep all day long, but i don't like waking her up with my persistent cough. so instead i decided to write a post while sitting right next to her, carefully suppressing and concealing my cough.

but despite my current state i can't help but be excited about summer. it's my favorite season, and to ring it in i present two of my favorite summer recipes. they're a perfect pair.

BALSAMIC GLAZED PEACHES WITH BLEU CHEESE

adopted here

in a saucepan, simmer together 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, over medium heat until reduced in half. remove from heat and set aside.
oil grill grate and preheat. cut 4 medium peaches in half and remove seed. place peaches on grill cut side down and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. turn peaches over and brush cut side with the balsamic reduction. cook for another 3 minutes.
remove peaches from grill and sprinkle crumbled blue cheese on top. drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the remaining balsamic reduction.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

adopted here

marinade pork tenderloin in a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, about 2 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper (adjust to taste). let sit for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
sear meat on high heat for about 2 minutes on both sides then lower heat to medium and cook for another 20-25 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes. cook until internal temperature is 160°F.
let the meat rest before cutting to allow its juices to be redistributed and reabsorbed back into the meat.