Lady Dolly

Random: Write about Myself at Age Seven

2016-03-17T22:59:00.001-07:00

I started this “random topic generator” because even though there’s so much to write about, I am still lacking the motivation to so. The topic given to me is to write about myself at age seven. So here it is.

I was a tall kid, taller for my age, with dark complexion (ulikba), and curly black hair. I am always outside the house, in our front yard playing dry leaves and mud. I even formed bread using mud with different shapes, shape of leaves, hearts, and stars. I played house, cooking, and sari-sari store. I used candy wrappers as my money. I climbed mango trees, aratilis trees, makopa trees and trees that I already forgotten. I got bitten by neighbor’s dog. I went fishing. I played in the rain. I was never the clean kid, never the shy kid, and never the sad kid. I am a happy kid. Also, I just graduated from kindergarten.

At this age, I think starts the formative years for me because I will be entering grade school. My penmanship was improved though I don’t really have a beautiful hand-writing. I tried to read books though the only books I have were the books provided by the public school I attended in grade school. It was just walking distance from our house.

I am a tomboy when I was a kid. I always ran and involved on many fights. The memories that are still very clear to me until now were the fighting I made in school. Some of these fights really haunted me until now. One was the time I punched my classmate. I don’t even remember the reason. The grandmother of the girl I punched even went to school to tell me that fighting and punching are bad and it was unexpected from a girl like me. She was really nice though because she was talking to me nicely. Also, the girl I punched died on summer before we entered our fourth grade. She died because of asthma. Maybe that was the reason why it haunts me.

Another fight I had was with my another classmate who eventually became my best friend. Our teacher was absent that day and the class was a total chaos. There was a ball on a shelf which was very soft, I guess it was a stress ball, I held it and squeezed it. My classmate saw me and pinched me at my back and said “don’t touch that!”, I was hurt because of the pinching and I tried to get revenge by pulling her hair. Then, the class went ballistic, formed a circle and cheered to us. When I asked my best friend about the incident, she didn’t remember anything.

Dinner at Lugang Café

2016-02-29T03:25:00.002-08:00

Lugang Café is a nice place and has a good ambiance. The food was great, a little pricey but all worth it. The service was slow but quite understandable because the place was jam-packed when we ate there. We had Chicken Topped w/ Scallion and Ginger Oil, Tofu w/ Preserved Egg and Pork Floss, Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai, Golden Fried Rice w/ Egg and Shredded Pork and Oyster Omelette w/ Sweet and Spicy Sauce. I forgot to take photos of the omelet because I am too busy with my food. I must say that I can recommend all the dishes that we tried. I love each and every dish we ordered. I will make sure that when I had the chance to eat here again, I will try different dish from their menu. I really fell in love with this restaurant.

Chicken Topped w/ Scallion and Ginger Oil

Tofu w/ Preserved Egg and Pork Floss

Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai

Golden Fried Rice w/ Egg and Shredded Pork

Make Her Smile

2016-02-26T00:51:00.001-08:00

I am browsing some old documents and old photos from my computer. And I am deciding which ones to keep and which ones to delete. I am trying to declutter my computer because of the needed space and all, then I found this post which I got from somewhere I can’t remember. I needed to delete this since it is not at all work-related. But before doing so, let me post it because when I read it, it made me smile. This reminds me of Mr. Amari Soul's "Reflections of a Man". I hope someone who will read this, specially women, will also have a smile on their faces even just for a little while.

1. Tell her she is beautiful (not hot, fine or sexy)

2. Hold her hand at any moment....even if it’s just for a second.

3. Kiss her on the forehead.

4. Leave her voice message to wake up to.

5. Always tell her u love her every second of the day.

6. When she is upset, hold her tight and tell her how much she means to you

7. Recognize the small things....that usually mean the most.

8. Sing to her no matter how horrible your voice is

9. Pick her over all the other girls you hang out with.

10. Write her notes. (She loves them)

11. Introduce her to family and friends....as your girlfriend.

12. Play with her hair.

13. Pick her up, tickle her, and play-wrestle with her.

14. Sit in the park and just talk to her.

15. Tell her funny jokes, tell her stupid jokes, or just tell her jokes.

16. Throw pebbles at her window in the middle of the night...just because you missed her.

17. Let her fall asleep in your arms.

18. Carve your names into a tree.

19. If she's mad at you, kiss her.

20. Give her piggyback rides.

21. Bring for her flowers just because.

22. Treat her same around your friends as you do when you’re alone.

23. Look her in the eyes and smile.

24. Let her take as many pictures of you as she wants.

25. Slow dance with her, even if there isn't any music playing.

26. If you’re in love with her......tell her

Singapore Galore

2016-02-11T04:48:00.001-08:00

Again, for the third time, I went to Singapore last week. We decided to go to Singapore to visit our friend and former officemate. We planned to apply for a job but unfortunately, it was Chinese New Year and most companies have 4-day holidays. I am glad to say that this recent trip was new to me for two major reasons. First, I discovered new places which I didn’t know about on my first and second visit. Second, I stayed in a capsule type inn which is surprisingly, I enjoyed a lot.

On my first and second visit, we went to Clarke Quay, Mustafa, Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa, Orchard, walk throughout the Orchard street and Marina Bay. Now, we went to Singapore Zoological Gardens, Lucky Plaza, picture taking outside the establishments in Orchard, Mustafa, Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sand, Gardens by the Bay, Merlion Park, Chinatown, Haji Lane, and Sultan Mosque. We also went to Legoland Malaysia for one day.

We stayed in The Little Red Dot. 125 Lavender Street, Singapore. Look how small my room is. At first, I am not comfortable but eventually, I enjoyed the place. It's my first time to try this capsule type of accommodation. The rate is S$18 per night with free breakfast, WIFI, and Airport transport which is in first come first serve basis.

The first item in our itinerary is the Singapore Zoological Gardens which is unexpectedly, I enjoyed a lot. This is also my first time to Singapore Zoological Gardens and this place is a lot better than Manila Zoo.

The mandatory Universal Studios Singapore. I have been here trice yet still feels like the first time.

Word of advice, bring slippers with you whenever you are going to a theme park. There's a lot of walking and standing and sometime running. Your feet get tired too. Just make sure that you had a pedicure unlike the feet of the person in this picture :)

I have been craving for Laksa days before we fly to Singapore. So on our way to Red Dot just after we went to Mustafa, I tried their famous Laksa. This is the best Laksa I ever tried.

Haji Lane. There are lots of unique stores along this lane. The buildings facade is covered with graffiti. This street is so colorful. A must-see for other tourists.

Since we needed some boost because of the long walk, we tried a cup of cappuccino from Blu Jaz Cafe along Haji Lane.

At the end of Haji Lane, lies the Sultan Mosque. The building itself is very exceptional. A very beautiful structure indeed.

We also went to Chinatown to try their Singapore Street Food. We tried their Prawn Siopao and Seafood Laksa. Unfortunately, the Laksa in their food court is much better than we had here in Chinatown.

At Marina Bay Sands, apologies for the pictures. We are so near and unable to capture a decent photos of the building.

We also went to Malaysia for Legoland. We traveled by bus for about 2-3 hours. We left Singapore Flyer at 9:30AM and arrived in Legoland at past 11AM. Make sure to bring your passport with you and your flight itinerary. The immigration might asked for your return flight tickets.

Since we were not able to visit Sentosa because of time and budget constraint, we decided to go to Merlion Park instead. The Merlion is considered as National Emblem of Singapore.

Remembering Baguio with Family

2016-02-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

I read the news this morning that Baguio is now at its coldest. I really love this place because of its cold weather and the architecture. And no matter how many times I've been there, I always find myself wanting to come back. The two major trips were with friend during panagbenga and the other one was during our college field trip.The rest were just stop-over during climbs in Benguet Province.

The “first” of the many family outing we have been was in Baguio. We went here to celebrate my sister's birthday. We stayed in one of the transient house inside Teacher's Camp because it was the only place I can afford that can accommodate large number of family members. The house has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen with complete kitchenware.

What I really love about this trip was we were able to explore Baguio. We went to Lourdes Grotto, The Mansion, PMA, Camp John Hay, Wright Park, Mines View Park, Session Road, Baguio Cathedral, Strawberry Farm, Good Shepherd's Convent, some museum and park, Bell Church, and we ate at Choco Latte de Batirol.

This picture was taken at Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, Baguio

We also went to their night ukay ukay and bought some bags, perfume, and jackets.

We went to La Trinidad and expecting to harvest strawberries ourselves but to our dismay, there were no strawberries at that time, only lettuce.

Strawberries on Bilao

Things I Want for 2016

2016-01-07T04:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, it’s January 2016. Let me sink that all in. Okay, now I’m good. Did I ever tell you that I am not comfortable of anything that wasn’t planned? Yes, I always plan. I always set my goals, I love planning and dreaming, and love having unattainable, unrealistic, and impossible dreams. This year, I haven’t set any goals. I realize that last night while I am reading Paulo Coelho’s novel, “Adultery”. And yes, the panic attacked. I am too busy thinking and over-thinking all the problems that 2015 has brought to me that I didn’t have the chance to plan for 2016. What the hell is wrong with me? So today, while my batch execution is currently running and all I can do is to wait for it to complete, I am having a deep thought of what I want right now.

I want a healthy and happy family. This is something I can’t control. I can try but I am certain that there is a chance that things might happen. Problems come and go and that’s also a relief for me, because they go. Hopefully, during those difficult times, my family will be stronger together to face anything that may come.

I want to get out of debt. Like what I have written in my previous post, I mortgaged a condominium and almost all my salary goes to its maintenance. Probably a wrong move for me but hey I am already here. There’s no use of blaming myself for the decision that I made even though I gave it a lot of thought before. I have been cutting expenses and living within my means but I think that these things are not enough. What are the lottery winning numbers?

I want to start a small business. This is a long overdue goal for me. I have been planning to start a small business since 2010. Guess what? I haven’t started anything at all. I have a lot of ideas, designs and planning. I just don’t have the gut for its execution, also with the capital constraint.

I want to learn how to cook. Lately, I have been trying to cook Filipino dishes. And yes, I am just trying LOL. My dishes lack aroma, not enticing, but definitely edible I must say. I will just keep trying and trying until I make everything so perfect that even chefs will bow to my talent (keep dreaming, it’s free).

Things I Didn't Do

2016-01-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

I wrote this blog on a draft-mode (not edited yet) sometime in December and never had a chance to post it.

I am still in denial that 2015 is about to end and 2016 is just around the corner. I feel that I didn’t grow during this past year. I didn’t grow emotionally, mentally, and sad to say, financially. I am still in the process of assessing what went wrong and what did I miss to feel this kind of feeling. Later on maybe I will do some root-cause analysis so that I will not make the same “mistakes” on 2016.

Emotionally, I feel that I am away from my family. When I am at home, I feel like I am not there. I am there physically, but I am not there. I really want to spend time with them. I want to think that the reason for this feeling is that I became too occupied with my job but hell no. It wasn’t the reason.

Again, I didn’t enroll in any Master’s degree, didn’t attend any dressmaking courses, didn’t pursue writing, and didn’t build my own business. I don’t know what is really wrong with me. At least I am pursuing to learn on how to cook Filipino food. I just don’t want to blog about it because I, myself don’t trust my cooking. These are the things that I wanted to pursue for years now. I did try to enroll on a dressmaking course but unfortunately they don’t offer classes on weekend. They do have night classes around 6PM to 9PM but my work doesn’t permit it. My only option is on the weekend.

On writing, this has been my long time dream and still unable to compose even a prologue of a single novel. I guess reading tons of novel of different genres doesn’t make me a writer same as living inside a house for a lifetime doesn’t make me a carpenter, an architect or an engineer. I am reading a lot of articles about writing though. A lot of How Tos, dos and don’t s and so much more. The effect of this is really immediate, but when I stop reading the article, all the ideas also stop with it.

Best Singaporean Food in Town Ttk Authentic Singapore Foods

2015-12-04T09:02:00.002-08:00

I still can't believe myself that I just discovered this place recently. Being a foodie and being with friends who are also foodies, we always try different restaurants and cafes if all our schedules allow us. A friend of mine, who is assigned in Alabang told me that he will be reporting to Makati the next day and my first response to him is "Where are we going to eat?" We have a lot of options such as Indian(New Bombay), Persian(Persia Grill), Mediterranean(Sultan Mediterranean Grill) and Japanese(Ramen Kuroda) food. We wanted to have Laksa so he suggested Singaporean cuisine. The only place I know that serves Singaporean food is 101 Hawker Food House. He suggested this restaurant which he already tried ages ago. And to make the story short we ended up to Ttk Authentic Singapore Foods. The place is located at Metropolitan Ave. Noli Santos International Tower, Santa Cruz, Makati City. I ordered Seafood Laksa and Prawn Balls, my friend had the Chicken Laksa and Hainanese Chicken, and my other friend ordered Nasi Lemak and kikiam. The food was great, the ambiance was nice, and the staff were very friendly. I know that this will not be my last visit. And that is something I am looking forward to.

Seafood Laksa

Prawn Ball

Kikiam

Hainanese Chicken

Chicken Laksa

Too excited for November

2015-11-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

November, I have been waiting for this month all this year because I am going to Japan! Again. The first time I went to Japan, the season was spring. There were cherry blossoms everywhere though I only went to Tokyo. This time, the season is fall. Where, hopefully, the leaves are just turning orange or red or brown. And hopefully, the weather is not that cold or the cold is just enough for me to handle.

I have been preparing for this trip since the day I booked the plane ticket. I already have my Japanese Yen with me. My visa is already approved, Multiple Entry baby! *tap on the back* I have been busy researching different attractions in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I have been browsing the World Wide Web on the activities that we must do when we get there. And of course, the tastiest place where I can eat ramen or sashimi. I itinerary is still in draft mode but so far there are places are already included in our final list. These places are Disneysea where all the magic happen :)in Tokyo, Universal Studios Japan for our Harry Potter adventure in Osaka, lots and lots of temple in Kyoto and lots of sightseeing in these three cities.

Before I become too excited, let me reminisce the first time I went to Japan

The view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko

Disney castle at night which changes color

The morning parade and we are luckily located in front of the castle

Spoon display in Ippudo Tokyo

Apologies for this photo. I did my best. This is the most decent photo of Tokyo Tower that I took. We were so near and I can't capture the whole tower. We were just across the street.

Hello Kitty store inside the mall near the Gundam Robot or whatever it is called :)

Gundam, no idea :)


Photo taken at the Shibuya Crossing

Another photo taken of Shibuya Crossing from Starbucks

The best ramen I ever had. NOT KIDDING! Ichiran, Shibuya

And of course, the photo of Hachikō

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Pink Cherry blossoms from Ueno Park

Ueno Park

Sensōji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple

Sensōji

Meiji Jingu

Baler Experience

2015-11-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

My family is a local traveler as myself, so it isn’t a surprise if we always take advantage of a long holiday whenever there is one. This time we went to Baler Aurora. The trip itself was really exhausting. And having 2 kids, senior citizens and stubborn passenger (myself) as passengers is not really a joyride. It was the longest ride I ever had (figuratively). Our departure time from Bulacan was 12midnight and we arrived at AMCO Diguisit Lodge at past 6:00 in the AM.

Here are the views from the outside of our room

The challenging part for planning an out-of-town trip with families with lots of family members with different demands is booking an accommodation. They wanted an apartment type or a house with two bathrooms and kitchen and at least 2 bedrooms. Luckily, I found AMCO Diguisit Lodge. The lodge is a little far from Baler’s municipality and 30 minutes away from Sabang beach but it was still ok. It has a swimming pool within the vicinity, it has 2 bath rooms, 1 kitchen, and a balcony. The only thing that I had a hard time accepting was the dormitory type room. Well, it was still ok. The staff were accommodating and nice.

We started our little trip with strolling in their city, tour in Museo de Baler, some picture taking on Balete tree, and trek to Mother Falls. The next day, we went to Sabang beach for a little excitement, surfing. The cost of one mentor or guide is 300 for an hour of surfing session. You can ask for a discount but I recommend you to not haggle with these guys. Teaching you to surf is their livelihood and ensuring your safety on the beach is more than worth it for your 300 pesos. The next activity in our itinerary is dinner before heading home. We chose Bayler's Restaurant in Sabang. Overall the food was great and affordable.

October...

2015-10-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

It is October already. I am still in the process of believing that 2015 is about to end. So much has happened this year that maybe, just maybe I let it all passed without me enjoying it. Or I am so happy, so thankful, and so grateful that I don’t want it to end.

Here is the list of the things that happened to me this 2015:

I celebrated my 30^thbirthday. Well, this is really not a big deal for me. 30, 3, and 0 are just numbers. I am not one of the many who is making a big deal over turning 30. Being 30 for me is just the same when I was 29, 28 etc. where I tried very hard to make a life while making a living, making mistakes, trying not to make the same mistakes, failing, learning from the failure, and I still keep trying or move forward. I know I have so much ahead of me. I have my plans and God’s plans.

I went to 2 outings locally with family. Bataan and Baler are the places we went for an out of town this year. There are perks of having family members who are not comfortable to settle in one place for a long period of time and admittedly guilty for being supportive and one of them (laughing here!). We went to Bataan to visit some of our distant relatives. And also, to enjoy the beach. My sister and my aunt are always making plans. All I need to do is to agree. I love having an out of town with my family so agreeing to this is not really a difficult decision for me. Next trip was Baler, the longest ride I ever had or felt like it. Nonetheless, it was all worth it. The falls, waves and food are great. My family was happy; they enjoyed every single thing we did when we were there.

I went to 3 out of town trips with friends and climbed a mountain. This year we went to Talisayen Cove in Zambales, Alibijaban Beach in Quezon Province, Surigao/Siargao trip and climbed Mt. Kibungan in Benguet. Did I say that I am not comfortable to settle in one place for a long period of time? Here’s the proof of that. Luckily for me, I have friends of whom I share the same interests. I should have climbed more often but unfortunately, I am having a “little” problem financially that makes me unable to support my climbing activity.

Made a somewhat super major investment and basically, the reason why I am living from paycheck to paycheck. May of 2014 when I decided that’s it is about time for me to invest on something big. So big that I really didn’t anticipate that I will become broke (exaggerating here!). Well, I had some lifestyle tweaks here and there for me to survive until pay period. I bought myself a condo unit with 15 years amortization period. I didn’t regret anything from my decision and hopefully will not regret this in the near future or ever. The only comfort I have is at least I will no longer rent a place to stay here in Metro Manila. And I really love to learn how to survive being broke so I keep reading articles and books about investments and savings.

The Leaders of the Pack Just Got Married

2015-09-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

The wedding of our lead pack and first lady was so monumental as if we are all got married. At long last, the much awaited wedding of my two great friends happened last Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Folk Arts Theater. It was very solemn, happy, and full of love. It was perfect.

We usually get together and see each other during a climb in our mountaineering outfit and gear. But this Saturday was different. I saw my friends the way I don’t usually see them. The ladies were wearing their dress, on their high heeled shoes, and totally made up. The guys are in their semi-formal polo, clean, and shaven. So we savor the moment and took a lot of photos as we can. This only happens once in a lifetime.

It was raining hard with lightning and thunder. There were droplets of water falling from the ceiling so the table where the bride and groom supposed to be was on the side of the altar instead of the middle. We believed and the pastor said that the rain was a blessing. The entourage was very intimate. I love the part on which the curtain where the bride is waiting opened and then walked the isle. I never saw my friends, the bride and groom, so nervous and happy. The vow was so lovely, beautiful and hilarious. We were all teary eyed at that moment. The groom even made a poem for his bride. The food at the dinner reception was so great, delicious and unlimited :) They had an after party but unfortunately, I am unable to join them because I guess I am having a wardrobe malfunction.

I am very grateful and happy for these two. I wish them more happiness and many LOBO babies. Now that we are not all busy, let’s climb and conquer another mountain, shall we?

Photo credits from Oyis

Chicken Adobo/Pochero

2015-08-27T03:44:00.001-07:00

I am already making the marinade since I am planning to cook Chicken Adobo for our breakfast and packed lunch the next day. Then, my cousin asked me to cooked pochero instead. Since we have cabbage stocked in our fridge and it is almost rotting, I decided to give in to her request. I don’t really have the correct ingredients for Pochero so, I settled on what is available from our kitchen. So I guess this is again, another experimentation on my part.

Chicken Adobo/Pochero

Ingredients

1 kilo chicken, dressed

1 medium size tomato, sliced

1 medium size red onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. of soy sauce

1 tbsp. of vinegar

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 can of Pork & Beans

1 whole cabbage

2 laurel leaves

Black pepper

Salt

Pepper

Cooking oil

Instructions

1. Marinade chicken on soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper, laurel leaves, and oyster sauce.

2. Simmer the chicken on its marinade. Set aside.

3. Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes in cooking oil.

4. Add the chicken with its marinade

5. After 5 minutes, put the pork & beans. Cover and let it simmer.

6. Add the cabbage.

7. Seasoned with salt and pepper according to your preferred taste.

ALMOST Pork Kaldereta, Mechado, Afritada, or Menudo by Lady Dolly

2015-07-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

I really don’t know what this dish is called. It is almost kaldereta, almost mechado, almost afritada, and almost menudo. I am not a fun of carrot so I didn’t put it. Red bell pepper was not available in the nearest store so I decided to cook without it. The end result is quite decent, tolerable and very much edible. So I guess this dish is ALMOST a success.

Ingredients

¼ kilo of pork

1 medium size potato, cut into 4

1 medium size red onion, sliced

1 medium size tomato, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

Calamansi

Tomato sauce

Soy sauce (a friend told me to use fish sauce instead)

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Marinade pork and potato in soy sauce, calamansi, salt and pepper
Simmer the pork marinade in low heat for 2-3 minutes
Remove the pork and potato, set aside the marinade
Heat a frying pan then put butter in the pan. Fry the pork and potato until golden brown.
Sauté garlic, onion and tomato until caramelize in texture.
Put the fried pork and potato. Mix well.
Add the marinade.
Add tomato sauce and a little amount of water. Bring to boil for 7-10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.

My Alibijaban Island Experience

2015-07-02T02:55:00.001-07:00

Alibijaban Island is a place somewhere in Quezon Province, Philippines. I don’t want to set any expectations so I will say that this place is very far from Metro Manila. So if you want to travel here, it will take a lot of planning than the usual.

Being a traveler, beach bummer and mountaineer, I am very much used to commuting in any part of Luzon, I guess. Traveling to Alibijaban Island will not be an exception. We took a bus at 10:00PM from JAC Liner to Lucena. The fare is ranging from P210 to P230. From Lucena Terminal, we hired a van to San Andres. I am not aware of the cost of the rented van since I am not the one who organized the trip. We already had a contact person for the boat beforehand so our contact person or the owner was already waiting on the port. And since we were traveling in a large group, we rented two boats that can accommodate us comfortably for 15-20mins which is the travel time from the port to Alibijaban Island.

The island is not entirely remote nonetheless naturally beautiful. It is actually inhabited but we can still say that it is still underdeveloped. There is a community, sari-sari store, halo-halo store, 2 sets of bath room which are maintained by two different persons. The cost of water is P10/pail which is I guess a little too pricy but somehow acceptable because the deep well is too far from the paid restrooms for tourists. Also, there are other groups other than us so the island was a little crowded.

With regards to the food, we asked our contact person to do the cooking for us. We want to enjoy the weekend, island, and each other’s company. We have rice, pinangat na alumahan, and steamed lapu-lapu.

On the other side of the island is where the mangroves are planted. This part of the island is more isolated than the one where we stayed. It is maybe because of the mangroves. We went there during our sandbar activity which I hated the most. The boat operator that brought us to the sandbar left us for nearly 3 long, excruciating hours. We spent almost 3 hours on that sandbar without shade and sun blocked.

Overall, our stay was enjoyable, pleasant, and relaxing even though the music of the other groups were a bit loud.

Pinangat na Isda by Lady Dolly

2015-06-29T20:52:00.002-07:00

This is my another attempt into serious cooking. One of my favorite fish dish is Pinangat na Isda. I cooked this just this morning for breakfast and also for packed lunch that I will consume in the office. Here is the recipe of my Pinangat na Isda.

Ingredients

2 medium size Alumahan, cleaned and cut into two

2 medium size tomatoes, sliced into two

1 medium size white onion, sliced

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Place the fish in a pot
Put the sliced tomatoes, onion and salt and pepper
Pour little amount of water. Water should level the fish
Cooked on a medium heat for about 10 minutes
Serve and enjoy!

Steamed Tilapia by Lady Dolly

2015-06-28T22:59:00.002-07:00

Ingredients

2 pcs. Tilapia, Medium size, cleaned, and make 3 diagonal cut on its flesh.

2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 medium size tomatoes, sliced

1 small ginger, sliced

1 medium size red onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 stem of spring onion

Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Put salt on Tilapia on both sides. Also put salt inside the Tilapia’s stomach and head.
2. Put sliced ginger inside the Tilapia’s stomach
3. On aluminum foil, put layers of tomatoes, ginger, garlic, red onion, spring onion, salt and pepper.
4. Put the Tilapia on top of the layered tomatoes, ginger, garlic, red onion, spring onion, salt and pepper.
5. Again put layers of tomatoes, ginger, garlic, red onion, spring onion, salt and pepper on top of the Tilapia.
6. Pour 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
7. Wrap with aluminum foil and seal on all sides.
8. Repeat instructions 1-7 for the second Tilapia.
9. Make sure that the boiling water is ready.
10. Put the wrapped tilapia on a steamer and steamed for about 25-30 minutes.
11. Serve and enjoy!

I apologize for not taking a picture of the finished product. My friends and I were already starving and didn't had chance or should I say forgotten to take pictures before we dig in.

Adobong Pusit by Lady Dolly

2015-06-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

This is one of my serious attempts into cooking after I graduated from college. So be kind. I got this recipe from some of my online research but mostly the recipe came from my mother and my father who are very much into free-style-cooking.

Ingredients

1 kilogram of fresh squid, medium size and cleaned

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 red onion, diced

2 tablespoon of soy sauce

2 tablespoon of vinegar

2 tablespoon of cooking oil

½ cup of sprite or 7up

1 medium size tomato, sliced

Salt

Pepper

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan or wok and pour in cooking oil.

2. When the oil is hot enough, sauté garlic, onion and tomato until caramelized. Don’t wait until they turned into golden brown.

3. Add the squid and soy sauce. Mix and cook for about couple of seconds.

4. Add the sprite or 7up. Bring to boil for 2 minutes.

5. Add the vinegar. Do not mix.

6. Add salt and pepper according to your taste preference. Simmer for 2 minutes. Do not overcook.

7. Transfer to a bowl then served. Enjoy!

LOBO and Friends

2015-05-09T00:40:00.002-07:00

I found a gold mine and unearthed these gems. Those were the days were our shirt still fits, our shoe laces can be reached, and we can sit on the ground without having a hard time because of the huge baby fats on our belly. I miss the girls. I miss the friendship. I miss the mountaineers pride or yabangs. I miss LOBO. And yeah, separation anxiety attack here it comes.

My Mendokoro Ramenba Experience

2015-05-08T23:38:00.000-07:00

All articles, reviews, and blogs written about Mendokoro Ramenba tells this is the Ramen Yoshuken of Makati. All ramen addicts such as myself, even though I still haven't try the Ramen Yoshuken, know that Ramen Yoshuken tops the most sought after ramen in Metro Manila. If this is the case then, Ramen Yoshuken is not for me. But this is too early to tell. I will still try ramen yoshuken, it is still in my ramen bucket list. It’s just the restaurant is in Alabang and that is too far for me and my friends.

Mendokoro Ramen didn't suits my taste for ramen. I found it very bland and the soup is not the way I want it to be. The soup for me is a little weak. And the noodles are very gelatinous. Well, the taste of the ramen really depends on someones preference. I ordered Shoyu for my ramen and Aji Tamago for extras. They have limited menu and the price is the same price with most of the ramen restaurants. They are offering Shio, Shoyu, Tantanmen and Miso for ramen. Aji Tamago and Chashu for extras.

The place is really not the typical ramen restaurant you can see here in the Philippines. It is a counter type which I like very much.This type is very much the same with the ones you can see in most ramen house in Japan. You can see how they cooked and prepared your ramen. The place in on the ground floor of V Corporate Center building in Soliman Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City. If you know WildFlour Restaurant, it is in the same building on the other side of the street.

My view from my counter seat. You can see the ones who prepared and cooked your ramen for you.

My Shoyu Ramen.

And this is my extra Aji Tamago.

My Café Mezzanine Experience

2015-04-02T05:03:00.001-07:00

I’ve been to Café Mezzanine twice. This was my third time and it was extra special because I went with a close friend after a very tiring and disappointing day at the Divisoria malls. Maybe I was too stressed out and had stress-eating or maybe, I was just that hungry. We went to divisoria, hoping to find a long gown that I can wear to a friend’s wedding. But unfortunately, there are so many gowns but I can’t find the gown that can be appropriate for my body type and that will fit my taste, financial capacity, and standard which is a weird one by the way.

The Café Mezzanine is so easy to locate. It is beside Binondo Church along Ongpin Street just after Eng Bee Tin.We found this restaurant by accident. During my first visit in Binondo, it was the Primer Bodega Sale. After our shopping galore, our friend told us to try the restaurant on the ground floor. But at that time, the place was jam-packed so we went upstairs which is the Café Mezzanine. We thought that it was the same restaurant downstairs. I am not disappointed with the place because the ambiance was quite all right. The food is a typical Chinese food and the service was quick.

What I love about this place is their refillable coffee, the Mezza Blend. I tried the Mezza Blend during my first and second visit here. I am a coffee addict and after having a very long, tiring and exhausting day in Binondo, treating yourself for a cup of coffee is almost heaven. I didn't order coffee during my third visit because I am having a problem with my stomach and I am terrified that a single cup of coffee might trigger anything. Enough said.

We ordered Yang Chow Fried Rice, Pork Asado with Egg and Lemon Chicken. The Yang Chow Fried Rice and Pork Asado with Egg are just adequate. Nothing but ordinary, nothing too fancy, and just the way you expect on a Yang Chow Fried Rice and Pork Asado. What was disappointing was the Lemon Chicken. It tasted weird, the smell of the chicken meat is not fresh. The smell is not stale but we are sure that the meat wasn't fresh. Or maybe they accidentally used the wrong oil, maybe the smelly one.

Nonetheless, we got full, happy, and ready to do our next activity. I will still go back here because of the Mezza Blend or try their other menus. Maybe their pansit, lomi or their dim sum.

The only picture that I didn't forgot to take during my visit at Café Mezzanine. Their Yang Show. The serving was so enormous enough to feed a family of five (I am not kidding!).

The Book Challenge

2014-09-20T06:30:00.000-07:00

There’s a new challenge spreading online specially in social network, Facebook. Maybe you already read it or some Facebook friend tagged you on their post and you have to iterate the books that are significant to you. You don't need to overthink about it, just give the list of the books that first come up to your mind. So, since I am a book lover, I must say, here are my list:

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, A Time to Kill by John Grisham, If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon, Once and Always by Judith McNaught, To KIll a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, The Diary of Anne Frank.

I believe everyone must read Harry Potter. I don’t know if this is just a personal opinion because I grew up watching the movies and read the books during my adulthood. The fantasy of you flying on a broomstick, studying in a boarding school like Hogwarts, having 2 amazing friends like Ron and Hermione, have an owl when posting mails, hippogriff for a pet and having a MAGIC WAND! Who wouldn’t love Harry Potter series? I also think that these books are not just fantasy fiction. There is a lot of moral lessons here like killing is a sin, bullying is bad, you have to study and work hard to be accepted in course/subject for you to become an auror, love your friends and your families and in the end the good will always prevail. Well that’s all, let’s stop being cheesy here.

I love Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan because of the modern twist on the stories of Mythological characters. Well, who knows, maybe I am also the daughter of Athena like Annabeth. Kidding aside, I love Mythology. I love the concept of gods and goddesses and their demigod children. I even consider the concept for my wedding theme. I love their white and gold dresses, columns, huge buildings, lightning, trees etc.

As I read the first chapters of A Time to Kill by John Grisham, I was really crying like hell and I can’t even breath that I needed to stop reading once in a while and continue again once I am calm. I was really affected and sad about the story. This is the most tragic and the most beautiful novel I have read. After reading I found out that there was a movie adaptation starred by Matthew McConaughey. So, I also watched the movie. I got the same reaction, same crying, same amount of tears. If you are trying to relax and want to get out of depression you are currently feeling, I don't recommend you to read this book or watch this movie.

I love Tomb Raider, Electra, Alias, Wanted and Catwoman. You know what do they have in common? Yes, woman protagonist. Maybe this was the reason why I enjoyed reading If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon. I love his main character in this novel. The main character is very naive but smart, witty and even dangerous. I am not sure if there is a movie counterpart for this but I think If Tomorrow Comes will be a great plot for a movie.

I have always been captivated by England settings. That is why I am very fascinated with writers like Jane Austen and Judith McNaught. Once and Always was the first novel I read written by Judith McNaught. I was really amazed and fell in love with it. I love the heroine’s character, Victoria. I love the way she tamed her half wolf half dog pet, Wolf. She is the kind of character that is too good to be true, too beautiful, too talented and too perfect yet you will not find it hard too believe. I really love this novel.

I thought of To Kill a Mockingbird because I remembered that this was the book that I can’t stop reading even at the middle of the night. I love Atticus’ character. I admire his philosophy and the way he fought for the rights of his black friend.

What I love about Dracula by Bram Stoker are the detailed description of Count Dracula and his castle. I really love his castle to the point that my dream house is something like the one in the novel, and yes it should also be located on a mountain. I admire the way Bram Stoker’s write about details. I admire the way he describes Count Dracula and my imagination really formed his face. And remember this book because I was really scared at the time I was reading this.

Who wouldn’t love Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen? No one. As I have said, I love stories with Old England as the settings. I love the ball, gowns, the way they converse, the way they pick someone as a potential husband or wife. This book is just too long though. I got a little sleepy every time I read this which is very helpful. I really needed some sleep.

I also fell in love with the The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I think these are the next big thing after Harry Potter. This is however is just a personal opinion. They said it was Game of Thrones, but I haven’t read it yet so who knows. What I love about this novel is of course the girl heroine again. The strong character of a woman, her love for her little sister and her talent for archery. It made me want to learn archery.

I thought of The Diary of Anne Frank because this book is so sad and so frustrating and I can feel the fear and boredom of Anne Frank. I decided to read this book because there’s this movie starring Hilary Swank that I watched. She was an English teacher and she made her students read The Diary of Anne Frank. I got curious about the book so I decided to read it and I never regret doing it.

My Ajisen Ramen Experience

2014-09-19T02:44:00.000-07:00

I have read so many good reviews about this ramen restaurant near in our office and as a ramen addict, I feel the need to try it. So, one rainy evening, I went to Ajisen Ramen to try their ramen. Its location is along VA Rufino besides Maybank. They are open 11am - 9:30PM during Monday thru Thursday and until 10:30PM during Friday and Saturday.

I am not sure if I didn’t ordered the right ramen and appetizer but I really didn’t enjoy eating here. The place was great and cozy. The staff was nice and accommodating. But the food, the ramen and the maki, they are not that great, at least not as great as written on their reviews.

I ordered Chizu Maki for appetizer, which is stuffed cheese beef roll and Spicy Ramen which is one of their specialties. The noodles are thick and firm which is fine for me. The broth is not that tasty unlike in the other ramen restaurants where the taste of the pork is very distinctive from their soup. There are only two small thin size pork. There’s cabbage which is ok and new for me. The egg is hard boiled which is I don’t prefer. I love soft boiled egg in my ramen. The Chizu Maki was nice. I don't know if it was served with condiments. I really don't know. The staff didn’t orient me about it. I think it is better serve with condiments.

Their Spicy Ramen, it costs me P 285.00

This is their Chizu Maki and it costs P 178.00

Everything I wrote here is just my personal opinion. We have different taste buds and maybe some people might enjoy their food.

Unplanned Tagaytay Getaway

2014-09-16T06:08:00.001-07:00

I am not the obsessive-compulsive type of person but I am not comfortable at all for not planning anything specially a trip or a weekend out of town. I could have at least an initial draft of itinerary for the day. That was what happened during our all-of-a-sudden-I-am-here-in-Tagaytay weekend getaway with friends. It turned out amazing actually. I enjoyed every moment, every on the spot planning, that what-should-we-do-now and where-to-go-now planning. I just go with the flow and it was really quite exciting.

One Saturday morning, a friend called me, with another friend also on the line, we had a conference call to be exact, and told me that they are planning to go to Tagaytay so I better take a bath and bring some extra clothes with me in case we decided to go for an overnight. Knowing me, I panicked. I grabbed all the toiletries, clothes (which was difficult because some of my decent clothes are in the laundry since it was a Saturday), power bank and anything I thought I might need. When I am like this, I always tend to forget something, I am quite sure of it. Certainly, I forgot my slippers and my towel, thank goodness the inn we stayed in for the night provided towels.

Another thing, we don’t know how to go to Tagaytay by commute. The last time we went there was by a bus from the terminal in Pasay Taft behind Chowking and Mcdonalds. I thought the terminal was moved in Coastal Area. My friend searched for a way to commute and told us that there are shuttle with Tagaytay route near Metropoint Mall. So we decided that our meeting place will be Mcdonalds Pasay Taft. When we were there we saw a bus with a sign Tagaytay. So the bus terminal is still there. We took the bus to Olivarez, Tagaytay.

We’re in Tagaytay, so what now? No plans, no destinations, no hotel reservations, we were out of nowhere. Then we decided to eat first in Bag of Beans and from there we planned everything we want to do and searched and inquired for a possible hotel or inn. We ended up in Java Jazz Coffee and Lodging House.

We went first to Bag of Beans for dinner. I love it here. It is quite pricey but I still love this place. I love their pasta, pancake and coffee, who wouldn't love coffee in Tagaytay? I love the ambiance here.The first time I dined in Bag of Beans, we were in a different branch, the one with the view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. Here the ambiance was solemn, nice and quite.To my “dismay”, just kidding, there’s someone who proposed with his girlfriend with dancers, flowers and with all will-you-marry-me acrobatic stunts. Congratulations to them :)

This is the photo of me with my lovely friends in Bag of Beans

I ordered Seafood Pasta in Red Sauce and Blueberry Pancake. Delicious food dined in a beautiful place with great friends, what more can I ask for? Their Seafood Pasta is my favourite, not only here in Bag of Beans. Whenever I am craving for a pasta, I always look for a seafood pasta in red sauce. Theirs is extra ordinary. The pasta was soft, a little sour which I love because of the tomatoes and the servings were enormous. For the blueberry pancake, well I guess I am also a pancake lover. I already tried their Buttermilk pancake which was great but this time I decided to try their Blueberry Pancake for a change. The pancake was soft and tasty. The serving was also good for 2 or 3 persons.

After Bag of Beans we went to Java Jazz Coffee because it is also a lodging house and we planned to stay there for the night. This one was quite a surprise for me. The coffee shop was homey, the ambiance was elegant. There are lots of paintings that are for sale. According to staff, they are from students from a university which I forgot the name. The food was also great. We had arroz caldo, pansit, coffee and chocolate drinks.

This is a photo of us drink coffee and chocolate drink at Java Jazz Coffee

I really enjoyed the Japanese style table here in Java Jazz Coffee. The ambiance was very homey and cozy.

These are the paintings and artworks displayed and for sale. The middle in the lower part was my favourite

I thought that we will end up in a so so inn. Well beggars can’t be choosy. The room was good for 2 but can accommodate 4 persons. We just asked for extra beds. The bathroom was for sharing with the next room which is fine. They provided towels but not bath soap and shampoo. The service was nice and the staff are accommodating. It costs us P 2,000.00 for one night with free breakfast.

Who would go to Tagaytay without eating Bulalo? No one. I don’t like Leslie’s because the last time we went there, the food, the service and the staff were at their worst. We also didn’t like Josephine’s because their buffet was ok, just ok. So this time, we tried Bulalo Point. And I guess I have a new place to consider when I am visiting Tagaytay. If a friend ask me a good place to eat, I will definitely recommend Bulalo Point. Their Bulalo was tasty, a little salty which is what I like in a Bulalo, the meat was huge and soft, the vegetables were little crunchy. We just got wet and cold because it rained during the time we ate there. They should have anticipated the rain and prepared for a cover for their veranda (I am not sure what to call it)

Buko Tarts, Ube Tarts, Pineapple Tarts, Buko Pies, Ube Pies, Pineapple Pie, I guess any kind of pastries for pasalubong (Filipino tradition of a homecoming gift), you can find it here in Rowena’s. I will also recommend this place. I love their buko tart. Their pastries are not too sweet compared to others. It is located in Baranggay Francisco and across Filitico Tagaytay.

My Ippudo Philippines Experience

2014-09-11T23:29:00.000-07:00

I am a ramen lover not because it is the craze here in the Philippines. I am really just a fan of noodles and soup. Combination of these two is happiness serve in a bowl. I have been trying different ramen with different restaurants here in Manila. I have been to Ukkokei, Ramen Nagi, Kuroda, Kichitora of Tokyo, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka and JIPAN Cafe and Bakeshop here in the Philippines. Luckily, I have been able to try Ichiran and Ippudo in Tokyo Japan.

I have no idea that there will be an Ippudo branch here in Manila until a friend told me the news. We were excited because we had experience eating in one of their branches in Tokyo. We had hopes that the taste and experience would be the same. We didn’t plan to eat there until the hype has died down. Knowing my fellow Filipinos and fellow ramen addicts, they will get crazy to fall in line and be the first to try something new and in demand. But the ramen is calling and I can’t resist. Late afternoon on their opening day, we decided to beat the rush hour and try what Ippudo Philippines can offer.

The service was great. There is a long queue outside the restaurant but this is expected given that it was their opening day. The good thing is they offered seats and provide cold tea for the customers lining up. The Japanese woman who was listing and calling the names of the next customer was also nice and pretty. The table became available after more than 30 minutes of waiting. The ambiance was nice but a little different with the one in Tokyo and a little noisy given the number of people dining. They don’t offer take outs.

We had Oroshi Gyosa for appetizer, which is according to our waitress is their specialty. I must say that she is correct. The Oroshi Gyoza is a must-try. I am not a fan of gyosa because of its oiliness but this one is different. The serving is enough for 2-3 persons. And the cost is P210 per serving. For the ramen, I ordered Karaka Special, P490, and my companion ordered Akamaru Special, P490. There is an option not to order the special ramen which has no meat and egg. The ramen’s taste is the same with the one in Tokyo, the servings as I remembered is quite smaller here, the price is almost the same and the experience is as if I am in Tokyo once again. Ippudo made me miss Japan and made me want to come back.

Here are some of the pictures taken during my Ippudo Philippines experience.

Oroshi Gyoza, P210.00

Akamaru Special, P490.00

Karaka Special, P490.00