Now you can all make national phone calls for free using Gmail. You can also make international calls at a very reasonable rate. Woot!

While strolling in Boni High Street…

Kat: BQ si Coach Rio oh!

Husband: Onga noh!

Kat: Pa picture tayo gusto mo?

Husband: Wag na kakahiya, sa sunod nalang

Kat: Kunwari ka pa tara na!  Wala nang susunod, mag sisisi ka lang gaya ko nung kaharap na natin si Derek at di tayo nagpapicture

Husband: Having second thoughts…

Kat: Dali ako na magsasabi

Husband: Second thoughts gone and said SIGE!

While following Coach Rio… Kat uttered “Coach”. Coach Rio turned and smiled…

Kat: Pede magpapicture? sabay smile

Coach: Sure

The result…

Ang daya blurred ang picture namin ni coach huhuhuhu  

The grease, dirt, oil, and other particles our eyes cannot see…

My emotional quotient is higher than ever and I’m so proud!!! I was able to withstand the urgency of the situation… I was able to ignore the immense need to wipe the stove top until after cooking (1 dish). Wow, it feels like passing the marshmallow test! Awwwesomeeee!

So how should one clean a stove top? I usually use a coarse rug in wiping off the oil and dirt to make sure the markings are removed. But before doing that, I wet the rug first with water and a little bit of Lysol Concentrate just to be sure that I’m not merely spreading the dirt all over my stove top. After that, I wipe it dry with a clean cloth or chamois, also to make sure that no water markings will be left behind.

P.S. No matter how hard it is to resist the urge of wiping splattered oil from your stove top while cooking, resist it, to avoid accidents.

When you have very limited ingredients available in your fridge, you just have to be a bit creative and try to combine what you have in your kitchen. This happened to me last week – when grocery shopping was long overdue.

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 kilo scallops
• 10 pieces button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Heat pan and pour the olive oil.
2. Add the butter and melt it.
3. Add the garlic and cook until brown.
4. Add the mushroom, scallops, and basil.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes.

This dish is not only easy to cook, it is also unique and yummy.

This is a long overdue post but better late than never right?

Anyway, early this month, we went to Boracay for the very first time! Woot! Thanks to Ian and Nestle for inviting us to their wedding, if it weren’t for them, we might not have witnessed Bora’s magic.

Anyway, since this post is about Astoria, let me start with the hotel’s good points:

• It is newly renovated (formerly called Boracay Gold Crown Resort), and when I say NEW, it means clean, clean, clean! No icky feeling for me haha!

• Modern and minimalist design. I’m not really a fan of native hotels so I’m really very happy that we booked Astoria. See the photos here.

• HUGE rooms. There 2 double sized beds in every room (I think) and 4 persons can comfortably occupy the room.

• They have sampayan yehey! No matter how clean your room is, imagine if there are wet clothes everywhere, must be a major turn off. But, Astoria implemented this super clever idea and hubby was very happy about it.

• Affordable. Yep! Very affordable! We only paid 4k+ NET per night with breakfast for 2. Beat that!  If you’ll be going there, better book here because Agoda offers a cheaper rate than the hotel itself. No need to worry because Agoda is the accredited booking facility of Astoria.
• Awesome pandan juice welcome drink. Yummy, yummy, yummy.
• Near the shopping areas and restaurants

As for the bad points, they’re no deal breaker, that’s for sure.

• No hair dryer. Good thing I brought one ;p
• Sour coffee =(
• Food was just okay and there were very few selections
• Bad service, period.

Anyway, for me the good points really outweigh the bad ones. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay there and if we’re coming back, we’ll definitely choose Astoria again (unless we receive an instant cash gift from above, that’s enough to pay for a 2-night stay at Discovery or Shangrila. How can we say no to that?

 ————

Astoria Boracay

Station 1, Boracay Island, 5608 Malay, Aklan
Tel. (+63 36) 288.1111
Telefax: (+63 36) 288.3536

I must admit, I’m one of those who thinks that making fried rice is difficult and time consuming until last Monday, when I decided to wake up early and give fried rice another chance. I’m surprised because it only took me roughly 20 minutes to cook this complicated-looking dish. So, for those of you who are always in a hurry, feel free to try this recipe out.

Ingredients:

• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 cups of cold cooked rice, hand-mashed
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 1 cup of mixed vegetables
• 2 pieces of chinese chorizo, chopped

Procedure:

1. Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a non-stick pan with cooking oil.
3. Saute the garlic until brown and then add the chorizo and mixed veggies.
4. Add the beaten egg and mix until the egg is cooked.
5. Add the rice, season with additional salt and pepper depending on your taste and stir often until cooked.

Timing:

• Preps: 3 minutes
• Step 2 to 4: 5 minutes
• Step 5: 12 minutes

Inception was awesome, but this is certainly HOT!

Anyway, here’s what I think of the resto:

First of all, the location is convenient because you can park right outside their restaurant. Secondly, their Monggo na Mayaman is to die for! The place is also awesome because the interiors stayed true to the Filipiana theme and I’m impressed with the implementation.

After that, the good stuff ends because their food serving is very small but expensive and paying an additional 10% service charge isn’t really thrilling.

This is how expensive their dishes are, and I am so hoping that they reassess their rates:

• Their monggo soup costs 240++ for 1 small bowl just enough for 2 people
• Their rib eye bistek costs 340++ for 1 small slice of beef

Aside from Monggo na Mayaman, we also ordered Bistek Filipino but it didn’t taste special and was kind of hard. Lastly, we had to ask for a receipt before they issued us an OR. I mean, every restaurant I know gives a receipt automatically right? Here’s how it happened:

1. Bill came
2. We paid
3. We received our change but the official receipt or even the bill-looking receipt was not there
4. We asked for the receipt but they gave us the bill-looking thing again
5. We were about to leave with that piece of paper but they stopped us
6. The girl at the counter told us that they’ll issue an OR instead

Weird huh?!

For information about 1521, read this article.

———

1521 Restaurant
547 Shaw Blvd., Brgy. Wack- Wack
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (+632) 794-0433; (+632) 794-0433
Mobile: (+63917) 8606687 ; (+63917) 8606687
Email: fifteentwentyonerestaurant@yahoo.com

There are times when all people ever think about is their own feelings, but if people are brave enough to swallow their pride, they’ll see things in another perspective.

Thank you Bro for giving me the strength to do what I had to do.

Photo credit to http://www.hydropics.com/

His songs gave me the lazy sunday afternoon, cloudy skies, staring blankly feeling and I love feeling that way… Actually, listening to his songs made me contemplate on revamping my blog (again) and changing my domain name. I hope I find answers soon. But for now, here’s a little piece of him, enjoy!

After 27 years of existence, at last, nakarating din sa Bora!!! Thanks to Nes and Ian for inviting us to their wedding kasi kung hindi pa dun, di pa din siguro kame pupunta ng Bora =) During our first day there, hubby and I had our 3pm lunch at Smoke Resto (with Inggo’s recommendation), and no regrets for that

The chicken curry rice topping that husband ordered was superb! I mean, the chicken no longer tasted like chicken (you know how boiled chicken tastes right, that’s what I mean), but tasted totally in sync with the curry. The sauce was perfectly creamy, the chicken, potatoes, and carrots tender and cooked just right.

On the other hand, the sizzling bicol express was behind in quality… too bad. The pork was not tender enough, the dish lacked coconut sauce and it was kind of dry.

Since I really loved their chicken curry, we went back during our last day with friends and ordered Bulalo soup, lechon kawali, spicy kangkong, chicken curry, and buttered shrimp. Here’s what we thought:

• Bulalo soup – others found this great tasting but for me, it was just okay… there were lots of meat though, so I guess it’s worth the price 
• Lechon kawali – yummers!
• Spicy kangkong – tasted sweet instead of spicy due to lack of chili, we forgive Smoke because they warned us beforehand
• Chicken curry – as expected, everyone loved it
• Buttered shrimp – all of us found it ironic that Bora restos failed to serve quality seafood dishes but thank God because we found one resto who did serve fresh shrimps hooraaay!

On another note, don’t expect lavish interiors because Smoke Resto is bordering turo turo slash carinderia kind of resto. But hey, who cares? I don’t, as long as they serve yummy curry, I’ll keep coming back.

As for price range, the rate of their dishes range from Php 80 to Php 200. I think the curry rice topping is approx 120 while the bulalo that fed all 5 of us was around 180 pesos. Totally not bad right?!

————————————

Smoke Resto caters and delivers too. You may contact them at (036) 2886014 and (036) 2884565.

We watched Eclipse last Friday and I really had a great time. I felt different emotions while watching and it was awesome. Poor husband because he had to endure me hitting his arms and sides while watching Bella kiss Jacob and while watching Jacob embrace Bella on her sleep… I felt jealous for Edward.

But on the other hand, I also felt Jacob’s pain… I agree that he is the best guy for Bella because like what Jacob said, Bella won’t have to say goodbye to anyone and she won’t have to change herself if she chooses him… oh, and because he is hotter than Edward lol! That said, yeah, I am with Team Jacob!

This is one of my favorite scenes: Doesn’t he own a shirt?! hahahaha

In with the new “do”! Oo! talagang “in” na “in” ang bagong hairdo ni asawa.

Akalain mong pagkalabas palang ng sinehan sa Greenbelt 3 and within 10 seconds, nakabilang ako agad ng pitong kalbo! San ka pa!  

Pagbaba naman ng sinehan, sumalubong agad si Big Buddha so walo na.

Pagdating ng parking, pagkatingin ko sa tv ng mga drivers, kalbo din ang starring… siyam. Bago kame pumasok ng kotse, yung car na nakapark sa harap namin, kalbo din ang may ari and about to get in din sa kanyang car… Sampu… bow!

Went back to Antonio’s for the second time and the place looked more beautiful in broad daylight. The food was better than I remembered and the service was above average.

My order: Seafood Sampler @ PHP 1,600

From left to right:

Prawn Thermidor – I think this dish was the best among the three because it gave me the right amount of flavour without becoming too salty, and creaminess without overpowering the natural flavor of the prawn. This dish actually made me regret that I ordered the Seafood Sampler instead of the Mixed Seafood Thermidor

Crispy Cod Fish Glazed with Kombu Sauce on Peppered Egg Noodles – The glazed fish came off a bit too sweet for me and it kinda reminded me of turon (banna fritters). On the other hand, I loved the noodles so much, I think it tasted better than chinese misua being served in popular chinese restaurants.

Pan Seared Scallops on Celleriac Mashed, Truffle Cream Sauce – This tasted delicious but it didn’t offer something new and unique the way the thermidor has; it tasted like a normal scallop ;p

Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Cardamon Beurre Blac @ PHP 1,650

Schwein Haxen (Roast Pork Knuckle), Sauerkraut, Chateau Potato, Cabbage @ PHP 1,000

(not sure with this one yet, I’ll have to check)

Organic Free-Range Roast Chicken Leg with Bourbon Tomato and Boiled Potato @ PHP 1,200

My friends were raving for this… its aroma  reminded me of my all-time favorite Fazolis’ chicken.

Mixed Seafood Thermidor (scallops, prawn, mussles, and cod fish) @1,450

*drools* I wish I ordered this instead =(

My order: Sorbet (guava, green mango, lamolime, green apple, watermelon, calamansi) - This tasted like an ice shaved off from an ice candy. After tasting this one, I immediately swapped with Nats because I couldn’t bear eating one more spoon of it.

I swapped Sorbet with Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce or Caramel Sauce

This one tasted a liitle better because of the bread and ice cream but I did not like the very generic taste of its chocolate. This is so far the best among the dessert offerings of Antonio’s.

Overall, Antonio’s is so worth another visit. Their main course dishes are awesome but don’t expect much on their dessert because you’ll be dissapointed.

For full feature list of this new software, visit Apple’s website.

Not only that, the new default layout called twenty ten gives you all the right reasons to update and try out WordPress 3.0.

 One of the problems I encountered when I started running was my music playlist. I have tons of songs in my iPod and I only know a few upbeat songs. In my attempt to solve this problem, I started downloading top 40 compilations of different countries and it actually helped For those who are encountering the same problem, I’m sharing my first playlist for running, enjoy!

• Ayo Technology – Katerine Avgoustakis
• Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus
• Ego – The Saturdays
• I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
• Morning After Dark – Timbaland Feat. Nelly Furtado
• Pyramid – Charice Feat. Iyaz
• Pencil Full of Lead – Paolo Nutini
• Sexy Eyes – Billy Crawford
• Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
• Look for Me – Chimpmunk Feat. Talay Riley
• Meet Me Halfway – Black Eyed Peas
• Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas
• Do You Remember – Jay Sean Feat Lil Jon and Sean
• Grace Kelly – Mika
• Baby – Justin Bieber
• In the Zone (Brave New Girl) – Britney Spears
• California Gurls – Katy Perry Feat. Snoop Dog
• If We Ever Meet Again – Timbaland Feat. Katy Perry
• Down – Jay Sean and Lil Wayne

Anyway, here’s a little something I got from the Nature Valley Run last Sunday. Even though I didn’t run because of my injured (extracted wisdom tooth) self, I went there with hubby to show support and get my freebies ofcourse!

Looove this picture of coach Rio =)

Update 6/18/2010:

• Phornography – Britney Spears
• Bad Boys – Alexandra Burke Feat. Flo Rida
• Broken Heels – Alexandra Burke
• Naturally – Selena Gomez and The Scene
• Love Stoned – Justin Timberlake
• Forever – Chris Brown
• Love Dealer – Esmee Denters and Justin Timberlake
• This Ain’t a Love Song – Scouting for Girls
• Playing with Fire – N-Dubz Feat. Mr. Hudzon
• In for the Kill – La Roux
• Tik Tok – Ke$ha
• Fight for this Love – Cheryl Cole

Let me know if you want a copy of the mp3s and send me your email address

Finally! I was able to replicate the specialty of hubby’s cousin;p This version of adobo is spicy and supperrr yummy! Here goes…

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg pork kasim (pork with fats) cut into cubes
• 3 pcs. siling labuyo (Capsicum frutescens)
• 1 cup Coconut (brand name) soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Del Monte vinegar
• 8 to 10 cloves of garlic (the more the merrier)
• 1/4 teaspoon whole pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 pcs. hard-boiled egg

Procedure:

1. Put all the ingredients, except the vinegar, in a sauce pot. Boil over medium heat for 40 minutes.
2. Add the vinegar and egg and boil for another 30 – 40 minutes.
3. Make sure that the pork is already tender before turning off the fire, otherwise, cook for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

I always feel like 24 hours a day isn’t enough to do all the things you have to do. I mean, there’s the clothes to wash, iron, and fold; food to cook; house and car to clean; movies to watch; blogs to read; social networks to update; places to go to; friends to meet; errands to run; and of course,  self  to maintain and pamper. Whew! That was a long list =)

Truth is, I just wanted to list all the things I have to do so I won’t forget and I can plan ahead. You see, listing your tasks is a simple way organizing your life.  You can use a pen and paper to do this, but you can also opt to take advantage of today’s technology.

Hubby and I opted for the latter in managing our medical, sports, and travel appointments. We chose Google Calendar because allows us to: 

• View several calendars at once — upon approval, you will be able to immediately see your friend’s calendar. You can also view Philippine holidays and daily weather, etc.
• Invite people with Google accounts to appointments — once they accept, the appointment will also be added to their Google calendar; think online version of Microsoft Outlook
• Receive appointment reminder either through pop-up, email, or SMS
• Add tasks
• Sync with iPhone/iTouch via Internet (no need to attach the phone via USB)
• Create appointments via iPhone/iTouch

Note: Click the thumbnail to view the screenshot of my calendar in full size.

Actually, the best part of Google Calendar is… it’s free! So, isn’t Google hot?! I strongly recommend that you guys start managing your life by managing your appointments and tasks, this way, you are able to plan ahead and make use of time efficiently.

So I have a new favorite I recently bought his concert DVD and my oh my, he rocks! I think he’s hot, even when he’s wearing a bathing suit. =D

I have to admit, I grew tired of cooking, tired of doing house chores, and tired of office work; especially during the times when I know that I am no longer following streamlined processes due to absence of advanced tools and efficient instructions, and existence of pseudo life and death deadlines hmp.

After all those long hours in the office, endless copy and pasting, check-in and check-out, and space deletions, I managed to come up with a new recipe. I’m glad that hb and his boss liked it – a priceless consuelo.

Ingredients:

• 5 to 8 pcs. of asuhos fillet (available in grocery stores)
• Half pack of Nestle cream (approx. 125 ml)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 4 tbsp. salted butter
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tbsp. basil (fresh or dried)
• All purpose flour
• Cooking oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 egg beaten
• 3 thin slices of cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 1 cup water

Procedure A: Fry the fish.

1. Mix egg, salt, and pepper.
2. Dip the asuhos fillet in the egg mixture.
3. Dip the asuhos fillet in all purpose flour.
4. Deep-fry the asuhos fillet until light brown.

Procedure B: Prepare the sauce.

1. Heat pan and then add olive oil first before adding the butter.
   Tip: Maintain low heat throughout the process.
2. Saute the garlic.
3. Add  the water, cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, pepper, basil, and nutmeg. Mix using a whisk.
4. Add cheddar/parmesan/basil according to taste.
5. Add the asuhos fillet and wait for 5 minutes before turning off the fire.

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So……!

I’ve been very busy these past few weeks campaigning for my presidential bet ;p To my fb friends, I know that I’ve been pestering you with videos, pictures, and links… sorry about that but I need to at least try and introduce you to the man who has restored my hope for a better Philippines. I’m proud to say that Sen. Richard Gordon has truly inspired me in so many ways… *sigh

Okay enough about politics, this post is supposed to update you with the recent happenings in my life. To start off, hubby and I have successfully engaged ourselves in not one, but two types of sport wee!

We’ve been running regularly for a month or two and so far so good! We are both following the “Couch to 5k” program in iPhone/iTouch. At the end of this program, we should be able to finish a 5k run without stopping (i wish!) . And yes, we are really trying to take this thing seriously – imagine me driving from MOA to UP once or twice a week just to practice. We usually finish at around 11 PM… tsk.

As for our first formal run, we recently joined the Greenfield Sunset Run in Laguna and both of us have successfully finished the 5k run in less than an hour yey!

So, this is how I looked when I was just about to finish the race… ew! 

Aside from running, we’ve also been attending boxing at Elorde Katipunan every Saturday. My favorite part? The post boxing stretching and massage c/o coach Erwin ;p

 

We usually pay 250 per 1.5 hour session but since we registered ourselves as members for only 500 per year, we got the discounted rate of 200 per session. We also got further discout (per session rate down to 150) by buying 5 sessions in advance.

Here’s our gloves:

Until my next post!

Crunchy Ilocos Longganisa

I’m happy to announce that we have finally received the shipment of freshly made Ilocos longganisa yay! Also, since we are receiving a lot of orders and inquiries lately, I’d like to use this medium to announce how you can avail of our yummy longganisa =)

Meet up points (Monday to Friday between 11 AM to 8 PM) – NO minimum order:

• Eastwood, Quezon City
• Mall of Asia (MOA), Pasay

Free delivery areas (Monday to Sunday between 10 am to 1 pm; 10pm to 12 midnight) – there is a minimum order:

• Mckinley Hills, Taguig - 3 kilos
• Ortigas (Rockwell, Megamall, Medical City, Robinson’s Galleria – 3 kilos
• Fort Bonifacio – 3 kilos
• Makati CBD – 3 to 5 kilos, depending on exact location

Pick up locations (please contact me at 09175808366 for this option):

• Riverfront Residences, Pasig City
• Strata Suites 300, San Juan City

* If you are very near the said locations, let me know and we might be able to deliver =)

NOTE: THESE DELIVERY OPTIONS MAY CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

PLEASE CONTACT 09175808366 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

I would just like to share this amazing article I got from Facebook =) Arrogant indeed!

ARROGANT DICK GORDON by Louis Pawid

 

May mabuting puso

Tumutulong sa kapwa tao

May nakatingin man o wala

DESERVE ang iyong tiwala

AIM HIGH PHILIPPINES!

Gumising ka na, buksan ang iyong mata
Sabayan ang pagsikat ng bagong umaga
Bumangon ka na, wag kang mag-alala
Sa biyahe ng buhay kasama kita
Sa hamon ng bukas, sa bawat pagsubok
Abutin ang tagumpay hindi tayo susuko
Ikaw ang pinaka–hihintay mo
Ikaw ang pagbabago, tayo ang pagbabago

CHORUS:
Bagong bayan, bagong puso,
Bagong pag-asa, bagong kamalayan
Pilipinas tulong-tulong, hindi uurong
Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…) Repeat 4X

Gising, bangon, tumayo na
Harapin mo ang bagong umaga
Sumabay ka na tatagan ang iyon puso
Manalog, mangarap hindi ka mabibigo
Tayo ang makabagong bayanihan
Tayo ang bayani ng bayan
Ipagmalaki mo ang iyong kulay
Ngayon natin ipakita ang ating husay
Pumiglas sa gapos ng kahapon
Wasakin ang pader ng iyong utak ngayon
Sa pag-asa ng bukas taas noo
Matayog ang lipad ng pangarap mo
Sa bawat laban lahat tayo ay bida
Sugpuin ang kalaban, ang tuso, ang siga
Panahon na para buhayin ang pangarap
Tayong lahat magsisilbing liwanag.

CHORUS (REPEAT 2X)

Bagong bayan, bagong puso,
Bagong pag-asa, bagong kamalayan
Pilipinas tulong tulong hindi uurong.
Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)
GORDON AT BAYANI (woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)
GORDON AT BAYANI(woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)
GORDON AT BAYANI(woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang bagong bayan… (woooh… woooh…)
GORDON AT BAYANI (woooh… wooooh… )

Tayo ang pagbabago
Ngayon na ang pagbabago, Bagong Bayan
Gordon at Bayani. Tayo ang pagbabago
Ngayon na ang pagbabago, Bagong Bayan
Gordon at Bayani.

Here’s the continuation of my conversation with a friend…

Why I Will vote for Gordon:

Active member of red cross for 40 years (burahin mo na lahat ng fantastic accomplishments nya below pero eto palang solb nako =) it simply means he has a kind and caring heart)

Friend: So was Annette Schücking-Homeyer, who kept quiet when she witnessed Hitler’s murderers in action.

Me: Again, 2 persons cannot be the same… Gordon chooses to be out there helping people rather than just sending money or goods

Friend: And some people choose to empower people through non-media covered microfinancing lessons and self-funded trainings that they might help themselves in the process.  

Me: And some who choose to empower the Aetas (from further north) by letting them study and instilling this value: “bawal ang tamad – pakainin ang sarili, bawal ang bobo – mag-aral tayo”

Principal author of Automation Law, Veterans Law, and several others in his 5 short years in service

Friend: So did marcos, so did erap, so did arroyo, and look where that got us: http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/former_senators/ferdinand_marcos.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erap_Estrada#Senator_of_the_Philippines,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Arroyo#Senator,

Me: You cannot compare one vs. the other… sabi nga nila, maski kambal, may differences pa din… Gordon is not Marcos, Gordon is not Arroyo, nor Erap.

Friend: Exactly my point. You cannot compare Gordon and Aquino based on accomplishments alone. Factor in intent, honesty in all dealings, transparency, morally-attuned conscience to serve with or without affiliation, and the quiet conviction to stand against injustice not against one issue but ALL issues (impeachment case vs, arroyo, graft case against Mike Arroyo, graft case against Fidel Ramos, and the other times Gordon stood by people who took advantage of a system that made them who they are today).

Me: I am not… I based my choice on accomplishments, attitude, competency, and morality.

Led the Subic transformation despite:

• Mt. Pinatubo
• “Sin city”
• Cancellation of US Bases
• Government budget: Salary allocation for 300 people only

Friend: Uhmm, read pcij’s article on the expo pilipino graft and corrpution case, and you’ll see how much money went into and around subic’s transformation

Me: I will…

Crystal clear plans:

• Decongestion of metro manila
• Mindanao peace and livelihood
• Strict implementation of laws
• Salary increase for teachers
• Change IN men attitude

Friend: Again, plans are plans until they are in effect. everbody has them, even eddie gil.

Me: Yep but with plans, you see how serious they are at executing these plans =) For example, re Mindanao:

Friend: Again, kudos to gordon. but let’s also remember that it was ramos’ investitures to gordon that made this possible, because he was part of that administration. if he was with the opposition, would he have the same clout or impact he had then? again, taking nothing away from gordon, he was a competent manager. but you need to be part of a competent organization to utilize whatever skills you have so they can be put in good use.

Me: Sabi ko nga, budget for 300 workers lang ang inilabas ng gobyerno para sa mga manggagawa ng subic… kaya kinailangan ni Gordon manawagan for volunteerism.

He Walks the Talk

He was responsible for WOW Philippines’ success

Friend: Arroyo was responsible for GATT, which also promoted the Philippines the same way wow philippines was intended to.

Me: Yep, but without the same pressure that Gordon had to overcome:

“Through his “Wow Philippines” campaign, the country became well-known abroad, and tourists started coming. Despite the challenges of the times, with the removal from office of the sitting president, the SARS outbreak, the Oakwood mutiny, the Dos Palmas kidnapping, and numerous bombings, not to mention the global terrorism problem, Secretary Gordon kept tourism afloat. In doing so, he lived up to his mantra – “tourism means jobs; where tourism advances, poverty retreats.” 

Gordon surpassed the most difficult challenges with output =) Sino ba an leader na makakabangon after Pinatubo plus removal of US Bases in such a short period of time? He has proven that he can rise above adversities, yan ang kelangan ng Pinas!

Friend: Again, taking nothing away from Gordon, this indeed points to his credibility as a leader. meanwhile, this also points to the effectivity of ramos as a strategist. did gordon excel in a role presented to him? of course! but again, like you said, you can’t compare incomparable scenarios because Noynoy wasn’t in that situation. if he was and he failed, thumbs down to him. he wasn’t. the points go to gordon. but i don’t believe noynoy loses any, as well.  

Me: Agreed!

Friend: Anyway, in truth ang consideration ko lang sa presidency ay si Noynoy and si Gordon at muntik ko nang palitan ang desisyon ko ng mag-rap si Noynoy nang mukha syang tangang leche siya! hahaha!

But.. all things considered, i’ll vote for him not because of his (yes, very thin) resume but because of his ability to stoke people’s imaginations of and desire to participate in making a better tomorrow for the country, not merely manifesting as volunteerism but genuine political participation. with Noynoy, you feel you have a stake in this – in his decision to run, in his possible victory, in his governance, in the correction of our political framework. a vote for Noynoy is a vote against Arroyo and what she symbolizes. A vote for noynoy is a vote against Manny Villar and his very damaging corporatocracy and against all politicians who invest money in elections only to profit in office. a vote for noynoy is a vote against traditional politicians who prepare for the presidency and its rewards since day 1 in public office. most importantly, a vote for noynoy is a vote for the genuine interest of the people.

Noynoy will not solve ALL our problems. he might even create some more while in office. But his victory will be a reminder to future arroyo wannabes that you can’t get away with everything every time; that there is a day of reckoning; and that there can be retribution for a people served unwell.

Gordon, Villanueva, hell even Delos Reyes, can lay claim to the same points – but only Noynoy came to the presidential picture not of his own plans but because of the people’s faith in what they consider the best alternative to the present. Noynoy is merely (and, might i add, a worthy) symbol of the people’s revulsion to the current administration. It isn’t Noynoy we’re putting in office – it’s our collective call to right this country, the same call that he knows he will answer to if he strays away from that contract. Noynoy understands he will answer to the people. None of the others understand that as much.

Me: Ang sa akin lang:

• Dati wala akong paki, dati pakiramdam ko hopeless na ang lahat at wala nang magbabago pa sa Pinas pero all of that changed when I got to know Gordon (2010 lang yan!) Nung kinilala ko cya via research, I realized na hindi pala totoong lahat ng pinoy tamad, lahat ng pinoy hopeless, lahat ng pinoy walang disiplina, and walang someone na pedeng magbago nun.
• Ang sarap basahin ng mga sinabi mo in violet, if I hadn’t done my own readings, I would’ve chosen Noynoy just for the heck of it, kaso napagtanto ko na really… “voting is more than a feeling”

…But then again, I might not have voted at all.

• Kasi nga sabi sayo wala nakong paki at na-hopeless-an nako.
• And sa totoo lang, kahit dati pa man (wala pa akong nababasa at wala pakong alam sa politics and all that) I feel that … ehem ala Ted Failon… “With all due respect”… he’s too lame (malamya) for presidency. Sabi ko nga sayo, mas bobotohin ko pa si Kris kasi si Kris, nag uumapaw ang personality, tapang, and all that.
• Just like how you expressed your thoughts on Noy, ganun din ang pakiramdam ko kay Gordon… dahil sakanya, nagbabakasakali ulit ako sa future ng Pinas… I think ang root cause ng mga problema natin is lack of discipline that is why I am all for iron fist, self-reliance, good leadership, thinking highly of oneself, and nakita ko kung pano nya I practice ang mga tinuturo nya and that is the kind of leader we need.
• Red cross – kanina ko pa inuulit ulit… di dahil sa popular tong organization na to kaya ako bilib. The reason is, aminin nating mahirap maging volunteer. You are working not because you are being paid, you are working because you want to help people.
• And yes, I really think he is very very qualified to become our next president kasi pinag-aralan nya ito (history and law courses) and ni practice nya (chairman, mayor, cabinet member, senator, etc.)
• Last but not the least, manalo man cya o matalo, at least nagpakatotoo ako sa sarili ko at ginawa ko ang sa tingin ko ay tama at hindi dahil sa survey o dahil sa may ayaw akong manalo.

Mahal tayo ni Lord so kung ano man mangyari this election, di nya tayo pababayaan.

Friend: As long as hindi si Villar, magkasundo na tayo dun! okay na sakin yun! And, as long as you have the right reasons, you can’t go wrong with your vote. Ganyan din ang rason ko when i voted Roco last time, even though there was virtually no chance of him winning. The value you put in your vote is what’s important, the consequence of that may not lead to your candidate winning but it leads to your betterment as a person and as a citizen.

A Gordon or Aquino presidency is better than a Villar corporatocracy or an Arroyo oligarchy. Dahil dyan, you have my respect. i’m glad when people like you prove this right:  “The Wasted Vote by Conrado de Quiros, Inquirer: 19 Feb. 2004″

Me: Well, I proclaim red as my color. Ikaw wla ka bang balak magbago ng isip? =D

Acknowledgement:

http://antipinoy.com for the Mindanao table above.

A friend forwarded Winnie Monsod’s article — “Why I Will Vote for Noynoy” — to me a couple of days ago…Although Winnie denied writing this article, I’m posting the link here anyway: http://noypi-ako.com/why-i-will-vote-for-noynoy-winnie-monsod/

And so I replied:

Me: Tsk… sorry friend, I’m all for Gordon =)

Here are the reasons why I will not vote for Noynoy:

No major accomplishments during his lengthy term – slacker

Friend: If you mean no ‘new’ laws introduced, it’s because the problem was not law creation but law implementation, it was improving on what we have rather than creating a budget for laws that re-echo previous ones. Some bills he worked on, majority of which may not merit applause but benefits your children’s children:

• Productivity Incentives Bill
• The Budget Impoundment Control Act Which Seeks To Strengthen Legislative Oversight Over Executive Spending
• An Act Limiting The Re-Appointment Of Presidential Nominees Bypassed By The Commission On Appointments (CA)
• An Act Banning The Re-appointment Of A Regular Member Of The Judicial And Bar Council (JBC) Who Has Already Served The Full Term
• An Act Requiring The Regular Maintenance And Preservation Of All Public Infrastructures, Establishing Mechanisms For Its Implementation And For Other Purposes
• An Act Increasing The Penalties For Non-Compliance Of The Prescribed Increases And Adjustments In The Wage Rates of Workers, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 6727 or the “Wage Rationalization Act.”
• An Act Adopting the Doctrine Of Superior Responsibility To All Actions Involving Military Personnel, Members Of The Philippine National Police And Other Civilians Involved In Law Enforcement
• An Act Amending Section 4 Of RA 9184, Otherwise Known As The Government Procurement Reform Act To Further Restrict Exemptions To The Requirement Of Public Bidding
• An Act Amending The DILG Act To Further Clarify The Relationship Between Local Chief Executives And Their Respective Local Police Chiefs

Me: Baka naman bago pa mapakinabangan ng mga apo ko ung laws na yan e nabago nanaman… Aanhin pa daw ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo, at least nakita agad ng mga matatanda ung benefit ng Veterans Law, at makikita natin sa darating na Mayo ang benefit ng Automated Election Law.

Friend: Not taking anything away from Gordon on this, but didn’t he also say that the best of legislators don’t make the best presidents? sorry can’t find that quote in the inquirer, but it is what it is. Isn’t that a contradiction in itself? I’m sure Gordon’s point was one’s legislative body of work doesn’t necessarily translate to effective governance, an argument Noynoy can make any time of the day if levelled the exact question you pointed out.

Me: Kapag ang tao, “achiever” gagawin ang lahat ng makakakaya upang matutuhan ang pedeng matutuhan. Hindi komo “ay hindi ko specialty yan” ay umaatras na. Instead, nag-aaral upang matutuhan ang mga bagay bagay. I think Gordon is an achiever. He was a good legislator maybe because he is a lawyer; he was a good legislator, maybe because he is passionate; or maybe because he did not waste time slacking and did his assignments.

A president is a leader. He is already a great leader even before he entered the senate. – KitchenBQ

Me: Imagine this, you served 3 years in senate and 9 years in congress pero how many bills ba ang nai-file? Was it 8? And I think that includes creating a Tarlac City day… Gordon served 5 years, filed 228 bills, and passed 8 laws.

Friend: Again, kudos to Gordon. this proves he is indeed a competent legislator. is that synonymous to being a good executive, particularly in the context of electoral politics in the country? even he has to disagree.

Me: He was a good executive back in Subic, even before he entered the senate. Hmm you said kudos to Gordon for merely 200+ bills, well, we have to give it to Villar! He wrote/co-wrote 400+ bills! Woot!

Me: Kelangan natin man of action on what we need now, hindi ung panay postpone sa future; setting aside laws, look at what he did in Red Cross – advancement of facilities

Friend: Again, kudos to Gordon, but does this mean that not being an active participant, even leader, in a renowned cause-oriented group takes away from your character? Maybe or maybe not. Your argument presupposes that a banana is a good fruit and, since an apple is not a banana, it is not a good fruit. Yes, Gordon is a good and capable man. it still doesn’t prove, though, that Noynoy is not.

Me: I was telling myself the same but surely, there must be a situation or two wherein Noynoy could have become “someone” aside from being the only son of Ninoy and Cory. I tried to search for that in forums, blogs, news, and other mediums… I’m not saying super socially aware ako (because I’m not) but I did try to look for that when I realized that voting is more than a feeling

I must tell you that before I knew Gordon, I thought default to Aquino na ang vote ko but when I started to watch presidential profiles and forums, listen to arguments, and read articles… I just can’t find the right reason for voting Noynoy. So I broaden my search and thus discovered Gordon.

Being the son of Cory and Ninoy does not mean he has the same traits
as them; mas boboto ko pa ata si Kris kesa ke Noynoy

Friend: True. but he never claimed that. In fact, “ipagpapatuloy ko” meant that his parents were not perfect anyway, and that there was an opportunity to improve upon what they started in the first place.

Me: Sana kayanin ng powers nya… His dad was too great, his mom was too selfless and noble

Friend: Kaya ng powers natin. It may be an Aquino presidency, but it will also always be our responsibility to point him to the right direction. The fact that it was people’s sentiments that got him running in the first place, It should also be our sentiments that gets him moving.

Me: Precisely!

• Kaya nga dapat ang leader ay may enough passion and experience
• Kaya nga dapat ang leader ay someone who walks the talk!
• Kaya nga dapat ang leader ay someone who has a great vision and plan for our country

Acknowledgement:

Thanks to http://utakngtilapia.com for the graphics posted on this article.

Need I say more?

I am starting a new category dedicated solely to politics and 2010 elections. My goal here is to help the Filipinos decide who to vote this coming May.

Let’s start with Dick Gordon.

You’ve tried it and you loved it… you want more, I’m giving you more!

This is the crunchy version of the famous Ilocos Longganisa, try it and I know you’ll love it more…

 Procedure:

1. In a pan, drop the longganisa and then add 1/8 cup water.
   
2. Cover the pan.
3. Set the fire to medium heat and bring the water to boil. Wait until the water has completely evaporated.
   Tip: You may opt to remove the water after a few minutes of boiling the longganisa to fast track your cooking.
4. Turn off the fire and cut the longganisa into half so allow stored water and oil to come out.
   Tip: Be careful in doing this because the water stored inside the longganise might squirt due to high pressure and temperature.
5. Set the fire again to medium and cover the pan. Wait for a 3-5  minutes.
6. At this point, most of the oil from the longganisa have come out. While holding the handle and the cover of the pan, toss the longganisa to ensure that all sides are cooked equal.
7. Wait for a few minutes more or until the longganisa is cooked before turning off the fire.
8. Drain excess oil before putting the longganisa on top of paper towel.

Ilocos Longganisa from Cagayan Valley still sells at PHP 350 per kilo. Order now! Contact me at my new number +639175808366.

“Dancing Inmates” from Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), a maximum security prison, were treated to a visit by Michael Jacksons long-time choreographer Travis Payne and dancers Daniel Celebre and Dres Reid to learn performances from THIS IS IT.

My 2010′s resolution is to be healthier! This one is a bit tricky because it comes with a lot of sub items so I’ll just focus on the following for now:

1. Start munching fruits and veggies.
2. Explore raw food – salads, sashimi, etc.
3. Drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday.
4. Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
5. Run at least 4 times a week.

Why am I posting my resolutions? That’s because I really really want to win Gisele’s contest so I could have an awesome customized blog design =D Lord please let me win please please please….

You guys still have time! She’s still accepting entries until 12 midnight GMT+1 (norwegian midnight) of January 20 so hurry! All you have to do is the following:

1. Subscribe to her Blog via RSS or email.
2. Post about this contest on your blog using the banner below, and LINKING to this post with the guidelines.
3. Come back to her site and leave her a comment with a link to your post, and include your New Year’s resolution for 2010!!
4. Optional: If you use Twitter, retweet about this Contest in Twitter to get twice the chances (and remember to leave me your twitter username in the comment)!!
5. Only 1 comment per person, so make sure you put all the info in your comment. Extra comments will be deleted.

What you can win:

• A custom blog theme/template for selfhosted WordPress or Blogger (no WordPress.com, sorry, it’s not possible).
• With up to 15 credits in istockphoto images for the design (if you want more images, you’ll have to purchase them).
• And up to 3 revisions of the blog sketch!
• You will also get a 125 x 125 px banner for it!

Important Guidelines

• The design will include fonts that are free for commercial use (but you can choose to buy yourself a professional one, there’s some really cheap ones).
• The theme/template will include a credit link in the footer.
• The prize does not include plugin customization, or anything like that outside the theme itself. Uploading content to the blog is your responsability.
• If you have images you want included in the design, you must own them, or have a license for them. Using images right out of Google or other places won’t be possible.

It’s been a memorable year =) Looking forward to building more memories with you …

So many things have happened to me this past year and I’ll try to account them all here so that when 2011, 2012, and so on comes, I have something to look back to…

1. I got married and it’s been great! We are about to celebrate our first year anniversary on the 11th.
   
2. Pearl Farm – A great experience and overall a good choice for our honeymoon. What made this vacation even more fun was we got to spend it with sis and cousin.
    
3. Riverfront condo turnover – The actual turnover was last January but we moved in on May 1 because of the interior design and construction.
   
4. Feb 14 – Celebrated V day at Clark by attending the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.
   
5. Feb 18 – I transferred work from Lawson PSSC to ACS of the Philippines.
   
6. Tried a few good restos: Mr. Kurosawa, Spiral, My Thai, Abe, Cafe Adriatico, Feli J’s, Thai Silk, Jatujak, Chiggy’s, and Pamana.
   
7. Birth of Kitchen BQ.
   
8. Satisified my curiosity by experiencing The Boutique first hand.
   
9. Got introduced to Ilog Maria and their products.
   
10. Survived Ondoy and Pepeng – Thank God!
11. Mourned over Michael Jackson’s death and watched “This is It”.
    
12. Received a few great gifts: 2009 Best Restos book from boss, DSLR and Belle de Jour planner from hb, wallet from tita, and notebook from a friend.
13. Received a few more gifts from God – Good health, complete family, kind second family, loving husband, great career despite the recession, and a great startup kit for 2010 ;p
14. Went to HK and experienced Disneyland, Ocean Park, and the city itself.
    
15. Attended Trend Micro’s Iconique Christmas Party – great party as usual.
    
16. Attended ACS’ Perya Christmas Party – Our booth was called “In Your Face”, here’s why.
    
17. Attended MJT’s Christmas Party – Had loads of fun!
    
18. Decorated our home for Christmas – This was one of the most difficult things I had to do because of my lack of creativity.

Speaking of Christmas decor, Three Kings is almost over and right after today, most homes will start putting their Christmas decors away. To tell you honestly, I already did that yesterday when I got the chance (house help came over).

Here’s one way of storing your Christmas decors to ensure that they will still be in good shape for next year =) After all, it’s not easy and pocket friendly to buy a new set every year.

Cheers! Have a great year ahead peeps =)

Wish list? Actually I can’t think of any material thing I want right now (except for new shower curtains)… I just want my parents to stay healthy and live a long and happy life, want a reunion with my siblings, and want my friends to remain here in Pinas pleassseeee…You see, I only got few close friends so when they leave, it really is devastating waaa!!

Anyway, here’s a Christmas greeting to all of you:

Christmas Greeting from Singing Snow Man from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.

Have a blessed Christmas and an abundant new year people!

The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning “Christ‘s Mass“. It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.^[6] “Cristes” is from Greek Christos and “mæsse” is from Latin missa (the holy mass). In Greek, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ, and it, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ since the mid-16th century.^[13] Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.

Kitchen BQ would like to greet everyone a Merry Xmas and a great new year ahead! Please watch this great video and be reminded of what Christmas is really about… Him.

I am finally sharing this recipe from Maya Kitchen, where I attended a 1-day “Pasta” class. This dish is so yummy and it’s one of those dishes that’ll surely stand out in Noche Buena.

Ingredients for the chicken filling:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup chicken meat, cooked and diced
• 1/2 cup sweet ham, diced

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 75 ml evaporated milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese
• Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Prepare the filling: Heat butter in a skillet and stir fry the chicken meat and ham until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Prepare the white sauce: Melt butter in a skillet, and then stir in the flour.
3. Gradually pour in the evap milk and cream of mushroom.
4. Cover over low heat, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
   Tip: Using a whisk is strongly recommended.
5. Stir in half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook your pasta.
7. Assemble: Place about 4 tablespoons of the chicken filling at the center of each pasta, and then add over 2 tablespoons sauce.
8. Arrange canneloni on a buttered ovenproof glass dish.
9. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle witht the remaining cheese.
10. Bake in a hot oven of 375 Farenheit for 20 minutes or until the mixture boils.
11. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

Enjoy!

As promised, here are some more ideas on how to decorate your homes.

I know it’s kinda too late for this because in a few days, it’ll Christmas already; but hey, Pinoys celebrate Christmas until January. ;p

BTW, this is our first Christmas together as a married couple so we really tried our best to come up with a decent decor even though hb and I are not the artsy type. Oh, and the photos below will show you how far we’ve come lol!

1. Put some garlands over your curtains – use the curtain rods to hold the garlands

2. Santa Figurine – can also serve as your key holder (santa’s head is detachable)

3. Place a center piece – you can have some candles to go with it

4. Decorate your ref – just put some flowers or any Christmas ornament

5. Don’t forget to decorate your terrace!

The last photo isn’t our terrace by the way. It’s our neighbor’s =D

Red Panda from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.

The Red Panda (taxonomic name: Ailurus fulgens, “shining cat”) is a small arboreal mammal and the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs. It eats mainly bamboo, but is omnivorous and may also eat eggs, birds, insects, and small mammals. It is a solitary animal, mainly active from dusk to dawn, and is largely sedentary during the day.

Eating panda from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.

Right after poo-ing, this cute panda ate as if nothing happened.

And lastly, these cute toys!
Ocean Park Toys from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.

I grew up in Cagayan Valley and that’s how I came across one of the best delicacies of Ilocos region (Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, etc.) - longganisa or Philippine Chorizo. Ilocos longganisa is often referred to as derecado or mabawang na longganisa because of it’s distinct garlicky and salty taste. This type of longganisa is best eaten with vinegar (especially Pinakurat vinegar) to further enhance the taste.

Ilocos longganisa is truly a favorite. Since we moved here to Manila, we rarely got the chance to eat this delicious delicacy simply because we cannot find anything like it at grocery stores. Just recently, mom was able to contact her best friend who resides in Cagayan and requested that she sends us some longganisa -yay!

Mom was also able to contact her sister who also lives in Cagayan and asked her a huge favor, that is to let us share this very delicious longganisa to Kitchen BQ readers ;) For orders, you may use the contact form in this site or text me at 0917 5808366.

So how do we actually cook longganisa? See below for the steps:

1. In a pan, drop the longganisa and then add 1/8 cup water.
   
2. Cover the pan.
3. Set the fire to medium or high heat and bring the water to boil. Wait until the water has completely evaporated.
4. At this point, oil from the longganisa will come out. Do not lower the heat to produce a slightly crunchy crust.
5. While holding the handle and the cover of the pan, toss the longganisa to ensure that all sides are cooked equal.
6. Wait for a few minutes more or until the longganisa is cooked before turning off the fire.
7. Drain excess oil before putting the longganisa on top of paper towel.

We had a somewhat late breakfast at Mcdo because we watched America’s Got Talent the night before and slept really late.  Hb ordered Sausage N’ Egg Twisty Pasta meal which came with hash brown and coffee while I ordered Grilled Chicken Fillet Burger which also came with has brown and coffee (if I’m not mistaken lol!); total bill was HK $44.60.

After breakfast, we rode the MTR to to Admirality and got on a bus to Ocean Park.

We were supposed to pay HK $30 for the bus ride to Ocean Park but we paid 15 instead – not intentional. Here’s what happened, hb and I decided to try and use 1 Octopus card for both of our fares, anyway we knew that we can pay in cash just in case. But, after trying to badge the card for I think 3 times, the driver lost his patience already and just asked us to go in and take our seats instead of making us pay in cash. See, not our fault =D

Observation 1: Hong Kong people are always in a hurry.  Even when I bought yogurt in 7-11, I remember the people around me getting impatient because it took me quite a while to put my change into my wallet and finally get the yogurt I bought.

Entrance ticket to Ocean Park costs HK $350 per person. Similar to Enchanted Kingdom, you can enjoy all the rides for the said amount.

Due to some constraints (long walks, long lines, etc.) we were only able to enjoy a few. Actually, we left at around 5 pm and we could’ve enjoyed a few more rides but we were exhausted and were literally dragging our feet on our way out of the park.

We planned on going to Central to shop immediately after but our exhaustion just won’t let us, so headed straight to the hotel to get some zzzzz….

This is Kitchen BQ’s version of Gising Gising served in LJC restaurants and I’m really hoping I did justice on this one because LJC’s Gising Gising is just superb and really delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 bundle river spinach (kangkong) stalks (leaves and stems removed, and chopped to small pieces)
• 10 pcs Thai basil leaves
• 30 grams ground pork
• 20 grams Fiesta coconut (gata) mix (it is always better to use natural coconut juice but I did’nt have that yesterday)
• 2 pcs chili pepper (siling labuyo), broken into 2 each
• Salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 medium sized onion
• 1 cup water

Procedure:

1. Heat pan then saute garlic and onion using as little cooking oil as possible.
2. Add ground pork and saute some more.
3. Once the ground pork is already cooked, remove excess cooking oil and then add the kangkong.
4. In a bowl, add the coconut mix, salt, and pepper. Mix well before adding to the pan.
5. Add the chili pepper and basil. Bring to boil.

Enjoy! I personally enjoyed this dish, hope you enjoy it as much as I did =)

Are you always frustrated in trying to prolong the life of parsley just so you can use it on different recipes before it finally dies on your fridge? I always am! In fact, I even tried to put it on a container with water just so I could prolong its life… but to no avail. tsk

Anyway, I’m sharing a solution that I’ve watched from the heaven sent Martha when she guested Eleonora Scarpetta to cook Chicken Cacciatori. Here’s How:

1. Get the freshest parsley you can find in the market.
2. Wash carefully and dry with paper towel.
3. Place on top of paper towels and wait for a while to let it air dry. Remember that the parsley needs to be very dry before putting it in the oven.
   
4. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees celcius for 10 minutes.
5. Spread a baking sheet on top of the oven tray and place the parsley on top.
6. Place the tray inside the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the parsley is crispy.
7. Once done, get the tray and place the parsley on a strainer.
8. Crush the parsley with your hands.
   

Honestly, the entire process is not easy but like Martha said, having parsley within your reach is just like having gold in your kitchen and I totally agree!

Ahhh finally… my feet touched the lands of Hong Kong =D lol!  Actually I just missed riding an airplane and being on a foreign land to explore stuffs and appreciate things. People tend to forget to appreciate the little things that surround them when they are in their usual routines.

Oh well, first stop was lunch; hb was kinda hungry already so we did not scout for any more restos outside airport and settled in at Maxim’s. Too bad the crew assists so fast and I was not able to choose my order carefully, boo! I ordered for a beef wanton mami while hb ordered for hainanese chicken, which was soooooo yummy. I never liked hainanese chicken but when I tried hb’s order, i just said wow! hehehe I won’t talk about my order anymore because it was disappointing.

After eating, we headed straight to Newton Hotel located at the Fortress Hill station of MTR. We rode a 2-layer bus just so we can see the sceneries and target areas to visit =D In approx 1 hour, we arrived at our destination.

 After getting some rest, we decided to walk around and window shop until we arrived at Causeway Bay! Wow that was like walking 2 MTR stations hehehe

We ate dinner at a Japanese resto and had a great experience. By the way, I tried their Kiwi juice drink, kinda weird but nice… I’m decided to really increase my fruit intake so I’ll do whatever it takes =)

FYI ladies, here are their contact numbers (I had a hard time looking for their contact numbers online so I decided to be a little more creative ;p

• American Home: +632 3744576, +632 3762287
• ELBA: +632 7146002 – 03

I shopped for some gifts and personal stuff last week and was pleasantly surprised to know that SM is offering 0% interest payable in 6 months (instead of the usual 3 months) for a minimum purchase of PHP 5,000. What’s more surprising is, you’ll start paying for the monthly amortization after 3 months! IMAGINE! So, go go go to your nearest SM department store and shop to your heart’s content.

By the way, the Beauty by SM in SM Makati has recently re-opened after an extensive renovation. Because of that, they have all sorts of promo that you might want to check out. I was able to grab a lotion that costs PHP 800++ just for shopping more than PHP 1,500 =D

Oh, and another thing, they are selling a lot of new stuffs that you can only find in Rustans (or not even) before. Sample? Think of Thierry Mugler, FCUK, Lola, Clinelle, OPI, Bath and Body Works, and more!

Airlines advice you to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight and they actually have valid reasons for telling you so… The reasons include, falling in line to pay your travel tax (sometimes not necessarily done in airport), falling in line to check in your bags, falling in line to get your bag inspected (and you’ll have to remove your shoes, belts, etc. in this step), falling in line in immigration, and the list goes on…

We arrived at the airport 1 hour before our flight and we were literally out of breath due to running around the airport, tsk…luckily, we managed and we were able to sit in the boarding area for like 5 mins!

We left Manila on time – 11:00 AM.

Cathay Pacific is great because you get to have your own screen with own remote control and own headset so you can enjoy a variety of shows. I was only able to finish 1 show, 10 Hottest Holywood Couples, because the trip was kinda short =) Not sure with the title though, but I am sure that Brangelina got the number 1 spot.

Christmas is fast approaching so Kitchen BQ is giving you some ideas on how to best decorate your homes =) I’m not saying that our home is already decorated but it will soon be once we arrive from our weekend vacation to Hong Kong yay! I’m very excited =D

I may not be updating this blog everyday for the next few days because we’ll need to prepare for that vacation and I may have limited connectivity there. But! Once we return, I’ll be posting lots of photos, restaurant reviews, and many more so please bear with me.

Meanwhile, check out the things you can do to decorate your home.

1. Santa Statue
   
2. The Village
   
   
3. Stuffed Animals
   
4. Toy Drummer
   
5. Christmas Tree
   
6. Garlands, Hanging Santas, and Lanterns
   

More Christmas ideas when we return from Hong Kong!

God is good, God is great! Luck was again on our side when hb won in yet another office raffle weee! 2 years ago, he won a mobile phone; last year, he won a Samsung laser printer;  this year, an Acer LCD monitor… sweet! 

Ingredients for the dumplings:

Ingredients for the Soup:

Note: If you are using pork or chicken stock, adding pork bullion cube is optional. Also, if you are adding actual shrimps to the soup, you can omit adding shrimp bullion cube.

• Christmas Shop Expo on November 25 – 30 2009 @ Halls A, B, and C of the World Trade Center
• NOEL Discovery Bazaar on December 18 – 20 2009 @ Hall C of the World Trade Center

Woke up a little earlier than usual today to prepare an awesome breakfast for hb =) He has been requesting for fried rice for quite some time now for breakfast instead of bread so I did so today.

Since I have smoked fish in the fridge, I decided to use it in my fried rice instead of the usual chorizo and he seemed quite pleased with the outcome.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cold cooked rice (kaning lamig), mashed by hands to separate rice grains
• 1 to 2 smoked fish, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, corn)
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat pan and add half of the cooking oil and cook the egg.
3. Set aside cooked egg and chop into thin strips.
4. Heat pan again and add the cooking oil.
5. Saute garlic, smoked fish, mixed vegetables, and egg for 2-3 minutes before adding the rice.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper depending on your taste and stir often for 8 more minutes.

Tsk tsk tsk… This is just sad =( Womanizing is one of the most painful deeds you can ever do to your wife.

This dish is taught to me by my mom and although it is simple to make, it tastes awesome =D

Ingredients:

• 4 pcs Bisugo
• 1 tomato
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 cup water

Procedure:

1. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
2. In a deep frying pan, fry the fish over high heat until cooked. Set aside.
3. In another pan, add 1 tsp of cooking oil just so you can saute the galic, onion, and tomato.
4. Add the fish, water, soy sauce.
5. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste.
6. Add the beaten egg and bring to boil.

I won’t be available to watch the the advanced screening of New Moon on friday because my KJ (kill joy) friend invited me to a dinner get together. Good thing I have these to keep me occupied =D

I was crazy about Edward back in the Twilight days but now… tsk boy oh boy! Look at Jacob…

No offense to movie critics really… it’s just that I’m really shallow when it comes to movies and I have no professional background whatsoever so what I’m about to post, this is just me.

It has become a habit to read some critics’ review before I decide whether or not to watch a movie. When a movie seems interesting and the critics says it’s bad, I end up not watching the movie at the cinema and just watch dvd afterwards or not watch the movie at all. Either way, I end up regretting my decision because there will always be this someone who’ll tell you that the movie was great.

But when I like the movie so much, I skip the reading the reviews part and watch the movie first before I read the critics’ review – this is what I did with Transformers and am very thankful that I did watch the movie because a movie like Transformers 2 can’t possibly be 19% right?! I mean COME ON! It can’t be that BAD!?

Anyway, what happened with 2012 is a different story. Because I love end-of-the-world movies so much and couldn’t wait till weekend, I read up some movie critics’ reviews for some spoilers and they said all bad things imaginable. They were very effective that I almost ended up not watching the movie. Good thing a friend of mine said the movie is good so hb and I gave it a shot and we are grateful we did because watching the movie was one hell of a ride! I think it is one of the most realistic end-of-the-world movies out there and believe me, I’ve seen a lot!

Only a few hours to go and the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto will begin!  Can’t wait but I need to get some sleep to gather enough energy in cheering for Manny tomorrow. And can I just say that I’m really happy that the person who is getting all this attention and money is proud of his color, one proud Pinoy =)

Too bad I became aware of this too late already boo! I was able to shop for my inaanaks last thursday and I only saw this poster on friday. One day too late boo again!

Anyway, for your benefit, I’m posting this as soon as I was able to get a good look at the sale details:

• Sale Period:  November 16 to December 29 except holidays, sundays, and ofcourse on extreme weather conditions
• Payment Options: Cash basis only
• Address: Warehouse 19, Armal Compound 2, M. Eusebio Avenue, Pasig City
• How to get there:
  Coming from Tiendesitas, take a U-turn going to Eastwood and look for Eagle Ave, that is on the right side (you will pass by Mom and Tina’s), make a right turn. You will pass by Sandoval bridge and at the end of the street turn right. When you see Maybunga Barangay Hall on your right, turn left, that is Stella Maris. At the end of the street, turn right, that is C. Raymundo street. When you see the Mercury Drug on your left, turn left, that is Mercedes Ave. When you see Rustans, turn left and you will pass by a chinese school, turn right, that is Eusebio Drive. Go straight ahead until you reach Armal Compound. They usually hang a banner outside.
• Contact: +632 9161553, +632 9161542

Okay what should I do with my $3M ++ money in my fantasy world – Sorority Life? The bank refuses to accept more money from me because I’ve already exceeded the deposit limit of $53M what the?!

A yummy surprise greeted me in the office this afternoon =) I was requested by my boss to go to Oceana (our Christmas party venue) and attend food-tasting offered Oceana for the the Christmas party committee of our organization.

As of now, I’m only sharing the pictures of the food we’ve ordered and will give the verdict after our Christmas party because I know there are still room for improvements; after all, the reason for the food-tasting is to get our feedback on how they can improve the taste of the dishes.

Special thanks goes to Carlo for his Nikon D40 camera; and Barbie + Rhenz for the beautiful photos.

  Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon, Cream, and Bacon

Pepper Crusted Seared Tuna Nocoise

Pan Roasted Mahi-Mahi Fillets with Pesto Cream Sauce

Penne Pasta with Pancetta Cream, Wild Mushrooms, and Fresh Peas

Beef Pot Roast with Mushroom Bordelaise

 Fresh Mango Tarlets and Creme Brulee

Fresh Mango Tarlets

———————–

Oceana is located at San Miguel by the Bay, SM Mall of Asia Complex. You can contact them at +632 7032515 or visit their site at www.cca-manila.com.

Got this information from House on a Hill and I am so totally re-posting because I am a certified fan of Corningware, Corelle, Pyrex, and Visions. Imagine those brands at 70% off, heavenly right? So go to the Kitchen World showroom now at the third floor of Eastwood Mall.

Yep you read that right! Fresh Christmas tree is actually available here in the Philippines so go get one from SnR now! All you need to do is to order and make a PHP 500 peso deposit.

This recipe is similar to those being served in chinese restaurants like Mann Hann, Super Bowl, and many others. I’m not saying that this recipe tastes like the ones served in those restos, I’m just saying ”similar” so you get the picture of the finished product. The taste of dish is not only garlicky, it is a fusion of chinese flavors.

In cooking this dish, you’ll need a steamer like the one in the picture or if your rice cooker has a steamer, that can be used as well. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg fish fillet
• 2 tablespoons Knorr seasoning
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  Tip: Use a garlic press for for a tastier output.
• 1 stem of leek, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of grated ginger

Procedure:

1. In an aluminum foil inside the steamer, place the fish along with the other ingredients.
   
2. Put water at the buttom of the steamer.
3. Cook for around 30 minutes using low heat.

This is another one of my favorite recipes because it is very easy to prepare. You just have to thaw a few slices of salmon, rub it with salt and freshly ground pepper, drizzle a little seasoning and then its off to the oven!

Ingredients:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Knorr seasoning
• Salmon

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven for 10 minutes at 190 degrees celcius.
2. Rub salt and pepper to salmon.
3. Drizzle some Knorr seasoning.
4. Put salmon over tray with baking paper and insert the tray to the oven.
5. Wait for 20 minutes more and your pepper crusted salmon is ready.

With Christmas fast approaching, almost every mall I know is scheduling a sale! Here’s Trinoma’s Green Light Sale that’s happening on November 12 to 15.  Here are the highlights of the sale:

• Shop and enjoy while being able to help via Ayala Foundation. For every PHP 1,000 single-purchase receipt presented at the concierge, PHP 1.00 goes to the typhoon victims.
• Meet Chef Heny Sison while she shares kitchen tips and recipes for Christmas on November 12 at 2 pm, cinema lobby.
• Attend the Christmas kickoff entertainment and fireworks show on November 15 at 6 pm, Trinoma Park.

For more information, visit their site.

 Is there such a thing as instant when it comes to cooking great tasting pasta? Actually there is, thanks to the makers of bottled sauces like Prego. If you are in a hurry and wanted to create a pasta dish that’s quick and hassle free, try this recipe.

This is actually my first time to cook Pasta Marinara and even though I didn’t have mussels to go with the shrimp and squid, the dish still tasted yummy.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 bottle of 737 grams of Prego Tomato Basil Garlic Sauce
  
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste (optional)
• 1/4 cup water (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
• 1 piece of medium onion, chopped (optional)
• 8 pieces medium sized shrimps
• 1 medium size squid, chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Procedure:

Performing step 3 is optional. You can go ahead and just heat pan with the Tomato Basil Garlic sauce.

1. Cook the spaghetti. For tips on how to do it, see the The Noodles post.
2. Heat pan with olive oil.
3. Saute garlic and onion until cooked.
4. Add shrimp and squid, saute until cooked.
5. Add Tomato Basil Garlic sauce.
   Tip: Use tomato paste as an extender. If you do decide to add the tomato paste, add the water as well. If not, you can opt not to add the water.
6. Bring to boil.

For different ways of serving pasta, see the The Noodles post. Happy cooking!

Mom wanted me to dispose of our Timeworks FX exercise machine because she can no longer use it. Mom has a back problem and her doctor advised against using it. 

Time works is a 4-minute fitness machine that is scientifically proven to give you a complete full body workout in just 4 minutes.

Time works fx benefits:
Gives you full body workout in just 4 minutes, Tones hip and buttock, Sculps sexier thighs, waistline, and ABS, Firms and tones your arm, back, and chest, Lets you maintain flexibility, Folds for easy storage

I could’ve gotten this myself to help me lose extra pounds but I don’t have enough space for it at home. Boo!

Anyway, this machine is in good condition and it was used just for a couple of times. Brand new costs PHP 12,995.00 but we are only selling this for PHP 6,000. If you’re interested, just contact me via my Contact page.

Finally, I was able to watch the movie last Saturday. I was very worried when I heard about the typhoon scheduled to land during the weekend. What’s worse,  the storm signal here in Manila was raised to 3! My God, that typhoon could’ve picked a better schedule. Grrr!

Anyway, even though we’ve experienced very strong winds at around 7 am, thank God because at 9 am, the weather has greatly improved and we were able to pick up my parents from Antipolo and proceed to Greenbelt.

 The movie was amazing! It captured Michael’s genius at 50, it showed his sensitivity to people, great talent, and love for his craft. Here are some excepts from one of Michael’s closest friends – Elizabeth Taylor:

To say the man is a genius is an understatement. He cradles each note, coaxes the music to depths beyond reality.

You owe it to yourselves and your loved ones to see this again and again. Memorize it and say to yourselves, “I saw genius in my lifetime”

And we have this piece of film to remind us forever and ever that once there was such a man. God kissed him.

I was speechless and teary eyed after the movie. Elizabeth has summarized the entire ”This Is It” experience spot on!

Anyway, the May 2010 election is fast approaching, my thing or not, voting is my right and responsibility as a Filipino. If I want change in this country, that change should start from me. I should be more aware of what’s happening outside “ME” and focus on getting to know our leaders so that I can vote responsibly. So, shall we get to know Noynoy Aquino?

Hindi Ka Nag IIsa Music Video

Noynoy’s 30 second TVC

Greetings from Kitchen BQ staff and crew in Restaurant City haha!

1. Name
2. Address
3. OVI Mail Address
4. Mobile Phone Number

Contest period is from October 27 to November 20, 2009 only.

10 winners per category will be awarded,  each winner will get PHP 1,000 EGC!

I am contemplating on studying again, I just need to be able to:

1. Choose a good school
2. Choose a great course
3. Earn sufficient amount of money for my tuition fee

For item number 1, I have already narrowed the school options to just 2 and my reasons for choosing them are their location, curriculum, and great website (does this even count?lol!). I believe that a great website counts because if an institution decided to exert an effort in providing good information to users, then that must be how they are with teaching their students as well.

Option 1: Global Academy Culinary and Hospitality

• Their branch in Ortigas is also strategic for me.
• They offer saturday schedule (1-7pm) for their 8 months course wowowowwww! I don’t even have to wake up early! And I can still continue to work, which can help me pay up for their whopping tuition of PHP 119,950.00 just for the Diploma in Professional Arts.
• They also offer great curriculum and you can finish their diploma courses in less than a year.
• Their website is really pleasing to the eyes, it is clean and very informative.

Option 2: Center for Culinary Arts

• Their branches in Katipunan, Eastwood, Farmers, and Pasay are all strategically located and I can easily get to them just in case I choose CCA.
• The curriculum for their 6 months Fast Track Pro-Chef Certification course is just what I needed; the only downside here is their schedule (Monday to Thursday – 8 hours a day), which will prohibit me from working, and if I don’t work, then I won’t be able to pay their whopping tuition fee of PHP185,000 for this course.
• Although their website may not be the best in their field, it is pretty much organized and it presentes almost all of the information you need (except for the cost of some of the courses).

Hmmm if you were me, which one would you choose?!

Thanks for branding Kitchen BQ Rhenz =)

Since hb had to work last saturday, mom, dad, and myself went to SM Megamall for some family bonding moment…

We had lunch at Goldilocks that was no good graar! BUT! at least mom was able to score a great Elle luggage bag at 40% off! We got the bag for only PHP 6,999 from its original price of PHP 11,499.

It’s Gourdo’s anniversary sale this October! Go and grab some kitchenware over the weekend. Gourdo’s has branches at Gateway Mall, Greenhills Promenade, Greenbelt, and Fort Bonifacio Global City.

See you there!

 
Hey guys, sorry for the late notice about this sale but you can still catch up with the Philux Rockwell sale this weekend =D

For those who do not know, Philux produces quality furnitures made of solid wood. I know because we bought our bed frame there and so far so good!

In this dish, we want the garlic and butter taste so we will only be using taste enhancers.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup salted butter
• Iodized salt
• Pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 250 grams fish fillet

Procedure:

1. Season fish fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Coat fish fillet with flour.
3. Heat pan and then add the butter. Turn off the fire once the butter has already melted.
   Tip: You can opt to add a little cooking oil to ensure that the butter does not burn.
4. Add the garlic and saute.
5. Once the garlic is already brown, turn on the fire again and then add the rest of the ingredients.
6. Cook over low heat for around 8 to 10 minutes or until the the fish fillet is cooked.