#caloriecounting on your Birthmonth

September. Could you believe it? We're now on the 'Ber' months and sooner than we will notice, we would be bidding goodbye to 2017. We're aging faster than we could notice.

Speaking of aging faster, September i my birth month. 2017 just could not say goodbye without adding another year to my age, can't it? Hahaha

Do you also get that inkling to feel extra nice about yourself on your birth month (or on your birthday, at least)? Its like..a preparatory emotion for your bigday. I'm sure you know what I am talking about! The most common thing we do is get an up-do or some splurge on a new blouse or dress.

That feeling drove me to this ⬇

Yes, #caloriecounting, #dietinabox (but don't be fooled, I will be getting that up-do too! Hahaha)

Today is my second day and expect to hear more about it after my 5-day trial. Another blog for another day.

For now, is are you a September baby too? Happy birthday and cheers to us!!!, if it is.

What do you usually do to feel extra nice on your birthmonth?

Xoxo

Travel: Sumilon Sandbar

This island has 2 sides.. the resort-owned, expensive side and the government-owned, cheap but equally beautiful side. No offense to Maribago Bluewaters (and maybe I should not judge it any more than what I saw of it from photos of friends who have visited it), but the other side of the Sumilon island also has its grandeur and beauty.

You can reach Sumilon Island by taking a 3 to 4 hours land trip from Cebu City to Oslob, where you can take a 15-minute boat ride to the island.

Boats ranges from Php1500 to Php4500 and the bigger boats can transport 30-50 people. There is a Php20 entrance to the island.The boats don't station in the island too (because they transport other customers) so make sure to arrange the time of pick up with your boatman before they leave the island.

Bring your own food and beverages if you plan to stay for hours because there are no stores in the island. There are shaded benches that you can use to leave your food, relax after swimming or just chill and enjoy the sea breeze.

Just see how clear the water is!!

oppss.. please excuse our failed attempt for an underwater selfie. :)

Have you been to the Sumilon Sandbar?
Are you planning to go?
Let me know what you think of it..

xoxo

Crazy.China.Rich

 The movie inspired me to read.

Well, for this case, the news of an upcoming movie inspired me to read the novels. At first, it was just the Crazy Rich Asians. But the first novel gave me so much hangover that I failed to resist and moved to the next novel - China Rich Girlfriend. And then to the third one - Rich People Problems. I was done in less than 2 weeks!

My hangover was so intense that I cannot stop reading. I am reading while commuting, during lunch breaks, when I am not eating with someone during dinner (which at some point came to me breaking our rule of no gadget in the dinner table), while the little one is watching Disney Junior, in the bathroom, during coffee and restroom breaks, and on wee hours of the night. I was crazy over it! Kevin Kwan's novels are addictive and I wish he would write more books.

See if you would like to read them..

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia's most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back. Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick's formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should--and should not--marry. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazilyrich.

On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore’s It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia’s most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it’s like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.

When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside--but he's not alone. It seems the entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe, ostensibly to care for their matriarch but truly to stake claim on the massive fortune that Su Yi controls. With each family member secretly fantasizing about getting the keys to Tyersall Park--a trophy estate on 64 prime acres in the heart of Singapore--the place becomes a hotbed of intrigue and Nicholas finds himself blocked from entering the premises. As relatives claw over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu, but tormented by his ex-wife--a woman hell bent on destroying Astrid's reputation and relationship. Meanwhile Kitty Pong, married to billionaire Jack Bing, finds a formidable opponent in his fashionista daughter, Colette. A sweeping novel that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a schoolyard kidnapping to a gold-leaf dancefloor spattered with blood, Kevin Kwan's gloriously wicked new novel reveals the long-buried secrets and rich people problems of Asia's most privileged families.

Synopsis are from www.goodreads.com

Does the above inspire you to start reading them?

Or have you read any of these novels? How did you find it? Let me know...

If you want e-book copies, leave a comment below. :)

Banana Oatmeal Muffin

It took me 3 tries before I was able to perfect it. The first one was overcooked and slightly dry. The second one tasted like oatmeal muffin only, no hint of banana at all! I used the wrong variant of banana..and learnt in the process that not all bananas are equal.

So first lesson, use Lacatan variety. They give more banana-ish flavor. You can, of course, use artificial flavoring, but I personally prefer, the natural tastes (the artificial once kinda have like cough syrup or some child medicine tastes).

Second, I always hear this from cooking shows - "every oven is different". I thought that is just a cliche. But lo and behold, this Banana Oatmeal served me that lesson, in a cold saucer holding an overcooked muffin. Ahahah So.. (1) I learn to get to know my oven and (2) to test the muffins 5 minutes shy from the cooking time specified. Stick a toothpick and if it comes out clean, its time to get those muffins out of the oven and let them rest.

They say 3 is a charm. That is definitely true for me with this Banana Oatmeal Muffin experience. After the 2 attempts/mistakes, I finally got it right. AND yummy! *big smile


You'll Need:
3 ripe Lacatan Bananas (mashed)
1 Egg
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
1 and 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 and 1/4 cups Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Butter

For the Toppings:
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp melted Butter

You'll Do:
1. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and brown and white sugar.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the wet ingrediets - egg, oil, butter and vanilla.
3. Combine both wet and dry ingredients. Add to it the mashed bananas.
4. Divide into 12 sprayed or lined muffin tins.
5. In another bowl, combine the toppings ingredients. Sprinkle mixture over each muffin batter.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

A few things:
1. You can use 5 tbsp of butter instead of using oil + butter. I just find using the combination giving better results. The butter gives the muffin a creamy taste while the oil keeps it moist.
2. I saw in some Nat Geo - People show that freezing the Bananas for at least 24 hours before using it for baking would result to more banana-ish flavor. I've still got to try this trick (or myth).

There you go folks. Enjoy and may this have alleviated (somehow) the burden of baking. :) hahaha

Xoxo

Some Serious Planning - Meal Planning

If you are a mom, you can relate to me when I say that meal planning is a constant and real struggle. Constant? Like, how many times do one eat in  day? Struggle? Like, people have incredibly HIGH standards when it comes to food.

No matter how many food blogs you follow, recipe newsletters you subscribe to or food shows you watch, when you go to the grocery and plan as you shop, you can really say (or post) #thestruggleisreal

That is why when I came across Rustan's Supermarket holiday promo the Weekly Meal Planner, I immediately grabbed it. Actually, I was teased to availing it by a magnificent, glistening prize - a 50's retro style SMEG fridge too (I have always WANTED ONE!). But I also know that the planner would really come in handy, specially on work days when one is multitasking work deliverables and feeding hungry tummies.

I used the planner ever since and it has shorten my grocery shopping time and helped me improve the meals I serve to my family. I get to plan a balance meal for the family and it helped me stay on budget too.

The planner is quite bulky to carry during grocery shopping so usually I only take a picture of it, and use the digital copy as my grocery list/guide.

You, how do you do your serious planning? Please share your tips. :)

Xoxo

Hey, how's it going?

Short, I know.

I know it's been a while and a short and simple "hey, how's it going? isn't enough. But for now, let's keep it at that. I know I would have a lot to tell. A lot happened and one at a time I will tell it all - from the new baby to the new career.. still figuring out where to start though.. and how to start.

I guess, this is the start.

After the baby and the career change, I finally had the time to cope with all the changes. Now, I am sitting down and writing again. :) Which is totally nice, I say.

I am still into cooking, not much with travelling (new baby and new career, as I have said), into twisting, changing and building little things inside our house still (just like most wives), and hmm, what else? into planting now, particularly herbs, cactus and succulents. I suck tremendously on the last part. I started with 5 varieties and now, I am down to one. Gladly, life is a balance. I fail on the cactus and succulents department but I am flourishing on the herbs department. Currently I have a few healthy Basil, Parsley and Dill and my cooking gets to benefit from them almost everyday.

What I did recently, which almost depleted the leaves my these herbs is herbed butter. I made one batch which came so handy with a grilled and fried pork, beef, chicken and even fish.

 

It sounds so fancy and complicated, but really, it is very easy to make. Don't be deceived!

Really all you need is butter, any fresh herb you like and plastic cling wrap. I had basil, parsley and dill on hand (did I mention I have mini herb garden?) so that's what I used. Make sure that your butter is soft enough to be mixable with the herbs, at room temperature is preferred.. but I know, we don't always have all the time to wait for the prima donna butter to soften so.. soft enough is enough.

I make a bunch and just store it in the fridge. I pare it with pork chops, fried or baked fish, baked veggies and one time, on toast!

Enjoy!

Travel : The City of Pines

Four hours and a very comfortable ride, we arrived at the City of Pines.

We arrived early dawn and even at that holy time of the night, there were Dept. of Tourism representatives who met passengers to provide assistance. Unfortunately, we found out later that it would be better to scout the net for hotels and hotel rates then let the tourism people guide you to the hotel of your choice, rather than letting them give you choices (they have tie ups with certain hotels, not necessarily the hotels that would give you the value of your money). Oh, sorry if I am starting with a not-so-good note. Promise this is the first and last, as my Baguio experience was as Fine as the Pine trees! lols

View from our hotel. No more pines, just houses -and McDo.

Right after settling our things in the hotel and grabbing breakfast, we started our IT. (Sorry, I cant recommend our hotel, as it turned out, it was not the best choice. It had good location and "okay" rooms but as we soon found out, we could get a better room with the same level of accessibility in a cheaper price..just my thoughts why I should not recommend our hotel.)

First stop : Mines View Park ~ Strawberry Taho, picture taking in rental Igorot costumes, more vanity and picture taking and a lot of pasalubong shopping. Yes, first day and we went pasalubong shopping right away! The cheapest pasalubongs is in Mines View, that's why.

A must-see - the Cordillera World. They have handmade products from Cordillera and Sagada. The store has this nostalgic feeling.

Second stop : Good Shepherd Convent ~ The famous Ube jam and the refreshing Strawberry Lemonade. I am not a fan of lemonade and strawberries, but the combo, in a drink, it was surprisingly delicious and refreshing! Of course, if I could only hoarde as many ube jams without paying $$$ for extra baggage, I would!

Good Shepherd Convent is just a block away from Mines View Park. In the sidewalk leading to Good Shepherd, a lot of pasalubong and Mt. Province and Sagada produce are in display. Hays, the produce are so "beautiful"! It makes me wanna live in Bagiuo.

We had a little detour, we went back to our hotel to drop what we shopped so far and to have a quick lunch.
Third stop : Wright Park Riding Circle ~ The Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum venue and a few minutes of scary horse back riding.

Fourth stop : The Mansion ~ Wright Park is just a few meters away from The Mansion -there is no need to take a cab! We knew that Wright Park is just near The Mansion, but how near, or how far is relative..specially if you are not familiar of the place. After like a block of uphill walking, we thought both points is not as near as we hoped it would be. So.. we took a cab. And, to our humiliation, it was just another block away! Lols! (Had Sagada oranges, jump shots and more picture taking)

Fifth Stop : Baguio Botanical Garden ~ The epic Igorots in costume and their wacky/korean poses! The funniest part of day! You have to give any amount to any native who would join you in the picture. But mind you, ALL of them would join so be ready with a few coins. They would insist for a wacky version/pose too!

We made it up to the gates of PMA but we were wearing slippers so we were not allowed to get in. Tip, PMA has dress codes. No shorts and slippers!
Sixth Actual Stop : Camp John Hay ~ I was surprised to see Starbucks inside. They made it like the shopping stores in US, no two-storey stores. There were store, a posh hotel and even IT/BPO companies inside.

We also made a stop at SM Baguio, and.. its still a mall. :)
Last Pits off for the day : 50's Dinner ~ It's a cool place to cap the day. Good food with generous serving. It's not a wise choice if you are already very hungry..we had to wait 30 minutes before we can get a table. Apparently, the place is famous to the local.

I hope I could share where 50's Diner is. My apologies, I already forgot. What I could remember is that we had a hard time locating it too. Not because its hidden or something, we are just not familiar with the streets.

So there. End of Day One. Wish to share a not-this-long Day Two!

xoxo

PS: I googled 50's Diner and this is the address.
Gen. Luna Rd, Lungsod ng Baguio, Philippines
You can use google maps to locate it. Its in an intersection, that's what I could remember. :)

What is in your sandwich?

Allow me to share the best-to-date sandwich I have crafted. Guilt-free, very healthy, easy and (again) the yummiest sandwich I made. It looks and tastes awesome!

This is a seasonal sandwich because of the avocado, but this would be a variation to the usual avocado shake or cold salad (i'm not even sure if that milk, mashed avocado, with sometimes mango, concoction that we seasonally make is called salad. hahaha) that we Filipinos anticipate to have during avocado season. In fact, I think, we Filipinos only concoct shakes and cold salad out of good old avocado..or at least that's what I have observed growing up.

Well, we discover little things everyday. And I surely would add this to the recipes I would anticipate to make every avocado season.

You'll Need:
2 slices of whole wheat bread
2 leaves of romaine lettuce (you could also use iceberg lettuce, or arugula. though arugula maybe too strong for this)
cheddar cheese
S&P
marinara sauce (optional)
the marinara sauce is left-over from the previous days' spaghetti. if you have one handy, let it join the party then!

You'll Do:
Simply, layer your lettuce, avocado and cheese on top of the bread, sprinkle it with S & P, and DONE!

Enjoy, guilt-freely! :)

xoxo

Potato Hash with Poached Egg

I posted this a while back in Instagram, I have been meaning to share this here yet I cannot find the original picture anymore.. so please bear with my Instagram-filtered picture.

I want to share this recipe because it is a pretty straightforward, no-sweat to make recipe, yet it looks and tastes like it came from a chef's kitchen. It is just 5-6 ingredients + your S & P, and you would have a pretty impressive dish. This is best for breakfast but could be a good side dish too. Yes, presentation is a key.. but mind you, plating it is as easy as counting 1-3. Perhaps I should name this the Easy Potato. Lols.

So, I said that you would need 5-6 ingredients, because it is up to you if you would go basil + parsley or just basil. When I cooked this, I only had basil so it was just a 4-ingredient dish. The potato itself  has pretty simple seasonings. The trick to the taste of this dish is the yolk. Once you break the perfectly poached egg, the yolk would fall into the potatoes, does giving it a very creamy taste.

You'll need:
Potatoes, diced, about half-inch thich
Fresh basil, minced
Canola oil
eggs
a little vinegar (for the poaching)

You'll do:
1. In a pan, add the potatoes, S & P and a little water. The water would help soften the potatoes quicker and absorb the S & P.

2. Let the water evaporate completely to add a little oil. Saute for 2 minutes to let the potatoes caramelize.

3. Add the basil.

3. Poach your eggs, the normal way you do. In case you are not familiar or not that confident with poaching an egg, the instructions on this page is pretty straightforward.

Plating: Simply top a heap of potatoes with the poached egg.

There you go folks, your Easy Potato. Enjoy!

xoxo

Lucky Or Not

*Photo taken from Google

I know I did this -Ohh, how lucky we are. I know! But maybe, all luck wasn't poured my way that day or my luck had a 12-noon expiration. Oh, but don't get me wrong. I had a big blast on birthday, however the #birthdaycation that we originally planned didn't actually happen, well at least, not as  how we planned it to be.

I still got my #birthdaycation. Its just that the planned vacation ended up to be unplanned. All itineraries and reservations were cancelled. Let me share' a bit what happened, because in fairness to our airlines, they accommodated us well. First day of the 5-day #birthdaycation was supposed to be our trip to Coron, however due to bad weather and zero visibility the nearest we got of Coron is it's airspace. The pilot announcing that our flight would be reverted to the nearest airport -Mactan International Airport, was funny at first. We were at first excited to land again, anticipanting what the airlines' plans were for us, and sorely, anticipating to post our experience in social media sites. LOLs  However, when it downed on us that our flight was completely cancelled and we were to go home, we were a bit disappointed. My #birthdaycation hashtag was no more. Our airlines thankfully rebooked our flight via a connecting flight to Manila the next day.. even our return flight was moved a day more.

"the airspace i am talking about.."

Day 2 and all plans were still a go! The first announcement we heard while settling down in NAIA was that the Busuanga flight that was scheduled before us was delayed due to the same reason. So we were, okay.. it's just delayed. I told myself by noon time, this weather would soon improve..yes, I was reassuring myself. However, noon came, siesta came, afternoon came, only our announcement for boarding didn't come, it was delayed and delayed.. Then finally, the sad news of the first trip to Busuanga returning home.. that was the final confirmation that our Busuanga trip won't happen that day -the second day of anticipation!

Two days of our vacation was already spent but the tour we've accomplished was just the NAIA tour. gosh! After checking that the weather has no plans of improving itself in the next 2 days, we decided to change destination. We considered a few places, learning from experience, we checked the state and weather of our prospects before deciding where really to go. (Believe me, I was so hyped with the idea that we are going to Sagada instead of Coron that even the idea of wearing the beach outfits I brought with me in the cool weather of Sagada didn't bother me at all! However, safety was a big issue and Sagada just had bombing reports so it was scratched from the prospects).

Planning Plan B

After thorough assessment of all "factors" that would affect a vacation, we decided to with Tagaytay. Thanks to high speed net, free airport charging ports and portable devices, we were able to do little planning for our Tagaytay back-up-destination.

A view of the Taal Lake from Sky Ranch

Tagaytay is part of our Bucket list, and being able to visit the place (instead of Coron) was still an achievement. More than the destination, the vacation was a refreshing, relaxing moment for us. Beach or mountains, I was still able to do that thing that I love when travelling -observing other cultures. Tagaytay maybe in the same country as home -Cebu, but the people and the culture there is surely not same as what we have in Cebu.

So, when you to on a trip, do you do planning? Do you prepare a Plan B?

xoxo

Lutong Hapon sa Joed's

*Late post.

Another firsts with my TT gurls. Our ventures lately has not been travel nor coffee but food.

Joed's is somewhere in Panagdait road. If you're planning to go, be on your street-wear, you may want to bring a fan and a hanky. Just picture it this and you would know the "get-up" needed, you sipping hot Ramen in a low ceiling, less ventilated space.

Last warning, the following scrolls is food porn.

The Menu.
The price range is more evident than the actual food, i know!
At least this would give you  an idea of the price range.

I enjoyed their California Maki.

The Ramen is okay, but I can't say that I am a fan of it.

The aftermath.

And the verdict.. hmmm...
Joed's, I would say, would give you the worth of your  penny -Jap Food that is just enough for what you pay for. Of course, if you are a sucker for real Jap Food, you would know that the real Jap Food would come with a price.

Has 2 branches - G/F Enmore Residence Hall 257-A, Don Jose Avila Street and second one is along F. Cabahug Street, Mabolo (near Sarosa Hotel).

Hours:

 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM

xoxo

Ohh, how lucky we are

This isn't part of the list I created for my come-back posts, however, my twitching fingers and itchy feet and excited soul can't help but share..

In a few days I am going to Coron for my very first birthday getaway! Yes, my first.

Hope this funny map would serve its purpose to you - either being the funny or the map.

Where to start, again?

It's been a long while. I know.

This place has been a comfort zone for me. And I didn't know why I gave this up. I always, always, wanted to start again, but its only (really!) today that I visited my site again. And guess what, that was just the extra push that I needed to do this again. And here I am, typing, typing what my mind simply thinking now, blabbing.. really blabbing. I thought, let me rekindle my relationship with my blog and document all the details and fun I had preparing my wedding. (Yes, I got married.. or more of, we had a church wedding. Yes, I finally agreed to it. I promise myself I would have a long post for it. I am proud that I arrived to that decision, and would love to share what changed in me that made me do that decision.) Now that I finally have rekindled my relationship with my blog, I might just do that long post here. While typing the first sentence, I thought too that I have a lot of new recipes that need to be shared. And I might just do that now. 

But here I am, still blabbing. I miss this, and I am even confused where to start.  

Before I lost myself to my own blabbing and reminiscing, I have decided where to start so, let me do what I intended to do. 

This would be a long process, and just like any other event, it start with the "pre". Part I is the "pre" -the prenup. While we are on this context, I am surprise to actually see the that term "prenup" is still associated with the old "prenuptial agreement". Google it, its like the top 3 results for the word. I know, it's kinda oldie and to my opinion, impractical. I mean, only the royalties and super rich is acquainted to that term. For normal people like most of us, the term "prenup" connotes a happier and more exciting meaning. Well, I know at least for all girls, it means just that.

When I think dream before of my own prenup, only one photographer comes into my mind is Josephine Sicad. We were old colleagues, and when I saw her Esessions (engagement sessions), I said to myself back then when I was a no-believer of church weddings, if I am to have a prenup even just for the sake of prenup (but no actual wedding), I would have no other choice but Jhoe. She is Singapore based and when I contacted her back December of 2012, she agreed right away. And what made it more Yes!-universe-granted-my-wish kind of moment was that she had plans of going home (home for her is Cebu). Not just that made my wish geographically possible, but made us save a few dollars because we don't have to pay for her airfare. Lucky!

We had 3 sets, first 2 was taken in Transcentral Highway, near Ayala Heights, where the view is breathtaking. Lush and fresh. We started to shoot around 8 am and finished around noon. But looking at the pictures there, you think that they were taken early morning. The lighting was perfect, the weather was exceptionally forgiving. It was a cloudy day and there were even a few drizzles, but the it didn't pour. Thanks to our weather angel!

Yes, this is a promise to our angel. 

Part 3, was more in tune with the theme of our wedding, The Godfather (yes, the movie). These photos were taken in Sugbu in SRP.

Had a great time with this shoot. But, I'd tell you in advance, I had greater time during the On the day shoot. Will posting it soon..