Looking Forward to November....

I've been browsing my favorite blogs, reading the paper, and basically, have been trying to get updated on the latest events and happenings in the metro. Wow! There's really a lot to look forward to in November! I can't wait! Have a look at some of the events. You might be interested in going to one of them. ;-)

MICHAEL JACKSON'S "THIS IS IT" CONCERT/TRIBUTE
WHAT: See how Michael Jackson -- a true legend and talent, prepared for what his concert would-have been. He truly was an incredible talent. He knew music well, could outdance anyone, and had a very big heart. Get to know the real "MJ" through this candid documentary. He was just misunderstood, that's all.

WHEN: October 28 - November 11, 2009

WHERE: All local movie theatres

FOR MORE INFO: Click the City Site (cinema schedules)


YULETIDE SOUK BAZAAR '09
WHAT: A fundraising event brought by the Got Heart Foundation. They'll feature 100 independent designers and entrepreneurs. I imagine this will be an excellent opportunity to discover interesting, creative, and unique items that you can buy for yourself or as a head start for Christmas shopping! ;-)

WHEN: November 7-8, 2009, 10 am-10 pm

WHERE: Rockwell Tent, Makati City

FOR MORE INFO: PH Best Deals Blog, Got Heart Foundation



ANTON'S ULTIMATE TASTE TEST III
WHAT: This is a venue for home bakers, chefs, etc. to introduce their food products and get feedback on them. With a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and above, you can be featured in the Awesome Planet website too to get more business out of your start-up venture. On the other end of the spectrum, you can join this event to be one of the "taste testers." That's what we're doing. ;-) You'll need to register though and I think they have a cap of 300 people. Get more info in the Awesome Planet website below.

WHEN: November 8, 2009, 11 am-2 pm

WHERE: The Fort, Taguig City (The exact location will be revealed once you register for this event)

FOR MORE INFO: Our Awesome Planet Site


CONSUMER ELECTRONICS FAIR
WHAT: Learn about the new technologies and gadgets available in the market and purchase them on the spot! I'm not too sure about this but most of the stuff here will probably be available at discounted rates. So make sure to have your credit cards handy! But before that, make sure to click on the link below to register to the event for free. That means free entrance! ;-)

WHEN: November 13-15, 2009

WHERE: World Trade Center, Pasay City

FOR MORE INFO: CEL Manila Site


WORLD PYRO OLYMPICS 2009
WHAT: It's the first pyro musical competition between Canada, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Philippines, and the United States. This is an event professional photographers and "hobby-ists" look forward to every year. Because of its romantic atmosphere (a dinner offered in the VIP area), this is also a chance for couples and "would-be" ones to spend a special evening together -- underneath the stars and fireworks. ;-)

WHEN: November 21, 28 and December 5, 12, and 19, 2009, 6:30 pm onwards

WHERE: Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (near MC Home Depot)

FOR MORE INFO: World Pyro Olympics Site


FIT N' RIGHT FUN RUN
WHAT: A fun run SLASH fundraising event where part of the proceeds will go to the victims of Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng. There are cash prizes for those who win first, second, and third place in the marathon. Regardless of your ranking, you're automatically entered in a raffle to win a Lenovo laptop too! All these while trying to do something healthy! It's a win-win-win-win situation! ;-)

WHEN: November 22, 2009, 4 am call time

WHERE: Mall of Asia, Pasay City

FOR MORE INFO: Animetric's World Site

"Beautifying" Your Closets and Drawers

My husband LOVES hardware stores! I'm not too fond of them but I tough it out because he does spend hours on end following me around when I shop for shoes and clothes. It's only fair right? ;-) While he's looking at halogen bulbs and snooze-worthy electrical wires, I just try to amuse myself at the Gardening section or the Kitchen Gadget aisle.

Yesterday was one of those days. We were at the DIY Shop at Greenhills. Jojo's latest home project is illuminating that area above our kitchen cupboards. He was trying to go for that homey and subdued lighting effect in the kitchen. It took a while to decide what to get, measuring the wires, figuring out the right intensity of light, the switches, etc. etc. Again, I just tried to walk around the store to try and amuse myself.

It's a great thing that the DIY Shop at Greenhills has this Japanese Store-type area within it. Everything is sold for 88 pesos there. Admittedly, there's not a whole lot of interesting buys there. They've got the usual plastic ware -- coming in different shapes, sizes, and uses. There's Japanese ceramics, a bunch of knick knacks, kitchen ware, and many others. It's just like any other Japanese store in the metro. Nothing too exciting. But there was one thing there though that caught my eye. I'm talking about these pretty, scented drawer liners. It comes in five different colors and scents.

Since it's presented in a hard-cover folder, it's actually easy to mistake it as stationery. But inside it, you'll see five 22.5 x 17" drawer liners with a floral design, folded nicely. One set is more than enough to line a whole closet, really. I only needed two sets -- one for the closet in the master's bedroom and the other, for the drawers in the guest room. It took me a while to decide since they all smelled nice. But I eventually went for the Lily-scented one in beige and the Bamboo and White Tea-scented one in green. Between the two, I prefer the scent of the Bamboo and White Tea one. It has that fresh linen fragrance. Nothing like detergent, of course. I guess a cross between fresh linen and a Victoria-Secret type mist or something. The Lily one has a mild floral scent. A little bit on the "talc-y" side. But not overpowering. To be honest, I chose it because of the color. The beige and white combination would go well on our wenge closet. ;-)

The best part of all is that I got the drawer liners for only 88 pesos per set! That's only 176 pesos altogether! I'm not sure how long the scent will last. But I do know one thing. My closet looks very pretty now! ;-) I'm really loving them. I'm thinking these liners will make excellent stocking stuffers for Christmas. For its price, you can give each of your friends or relatives all five sets and variants of the drawer liners! If they're as "OC" as me, I'm sure they'll be loving them too! ;-)

Revisiting T.G.I. Fridays

Every Friday, my husband and I often go out for what we call our "Date Night." ;-) Yesterday was a long and exhausting day at work. And with the traffic, Jojo and I didn't get to meet up later that day until 7:00. I was waiting for him to pick me up at Bonifacio High Street. We had planned to go to Mall of Asia, initially. But because we were already starving, we decided to just stay put.

As usual, I was craving for something cheesy. Jojo, ever the "typical" guy, said that at the moment, he could eat anything as long as it had rice and the servings are huge. ;-) To suit both of our requirements, we found T.G.I. Friday's to be the perfect choice. We were third on the waiting list but surprisingly, we were accommodated in a couple of minutes!

There's a myriad of choices at T.G.I. Friday's. It was so hard deciding! Jojo wanted the baby back ribs. You would think it would be that simple. But with the back ribs, there's the option of either glazed in barbecue sauce or Jack Daniel's. I wanted chicken. But which one? As garlic primavera pasta, alfredo, in burger form, glazed and served with side dishes, or on top of my salad??!?? Man, when you're hungry, you just want to eat them all! ;-) Well, it took us a while. But Jojo eventually ordered the Half Baby Back Ribs with Tangy Barbecue Sauce (595 pesos). There's one side dish that went with it. Jojo got the fries and eventually ordered an extra side dish of Rice Pilaf (65 pesos). I ordered the Jack Daniel's Chicken (365 pesos). It came with corn-on-the cob and I opted for their cheddar cheese mashed potatoes.

Jojo was quite happy with his Baby Back Ribs. It was indeed, very tender. But he commented that the flavour of the marinade or glaze did not seep through to the inside. It was, nonetheless, still good. But he was being frank when he said that Rack's ribs were better.

I really liked the Rice Pilaf though. It was tasty and it went so well with the meat dishes. Jojo thought it was okay. He likes his rice more garlicky. I, on the other hand, just think he's a weirdo. ;-) Hahaha! ;-)

My Jack Daniel's Chicken was just the way I liked it. The sauce was sweet and a bit "plum-y." My three pieces of chicken breast fillet were tender and very filling. The corn was sweet and it went well with the chicken. A lazy part of me wished the corn wasn't served on the cob though. It gets stuck in your teeth and it can get a bit messy.

Although I loved the chicken that I ordered, it was not the real highlight of this meal. What I wanted to rave about was T.G.I. Friday's cheddar cheese mashed potato. I've tried a lot of mashed potatoes in my whole lifetime. But I would have to say that T.G.I. Friday's is the best! It was smooth and it glided easily in my mouth. At the same time, there were bits of potato skins in there that gave it texture in every bite. It's quite hard to spot the cheese just from looking at it. But when you take your bite, oh, it's definitely in there! Everything went so well together! For a cheese lover like me, this side dish was pure heaven. And it definitely upstaged the chicken! ;-) After that first bite, I remember telling my husband that I could eat T.G.I. Friday's mashed potato everyday and never get sick of it. ;-) I absolutely loved it.

So hurry on out to T.G.I. Friday's to fulfill that craving for an All-American meal! Don't forget to order that cheddar mashed potatoes though. Whether you end up liking or not liking what you ordered with it, trust me, the cheddar mashed potatoes will definitely be worth its price. ;-)

Awesome, Non-Mainstream Christmas Music Finds

The Filipinos are known to be a resilient bunch. You'd think that after Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) and Parma (Pepeng) devastated many homes, we'd be feeling completely down in the dumps. Rather, with strength and a strong sense of community to back us up, we deal with it, wipe the dust off of our sleeves, and get on up again. Now everyone seems to be all smiles again. The weather is a bit chillier now, the malls are beginning to get packed, there's Christmas trees and decor everywhere, and Christmas songs fill up all public intercoms now. Yes, it's Christmas season once again (all four months of it!) and there's no stopping the Filipinos from celebrating their most favorite holiday of the year! ;-)

To get you and any "Grinch"s that you know in the Christmas spirit, allow us to share with you some of our recent Christmas album finds. These are not mainstream and I doubt that you've even heard of these artists. In fact, Jojo and I have never heard of them too until now. Jojo enjoys discovering new and unknown artists on the web. He's focused his energy lately on finding Christmas albums. Some of the albums on the list sound quite sentimental and a few are upbeat. Either way, I hope that you'll enjoy these music finds. We'll even tell you where you can download them. ;-) Enjoy! ;-)

1.) WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS by Anthony Evans

I was taken by Anthony Evan's sweet and melt-your-heart vocals. Definitely a voice that will make you fall in love! ;-) I especially loved "Where are You Christmas" and his version of "The Grown Up Christmas List" and "O Holy Night." His is what I classify as "chill" music. Perfect background music for bonding with loved ones and friends around the Christmas tree. ;-)

Click HERE to download.

2.) CHRISTMAS IS... by Mark Masri

Some of the tracks on this album showcase his classical training. There are a couple of songs that have that "lullaby" orchestration. One song sounds like it's straight from a broadway production. There's pop, ballad, and the traditional/classic Christmas take in there too. Mark Masri collaborated with Jim Brickman and Olivia Newton-John on 3 of the songs in the album. I liked his duet with Olivia Newton-John, in particular. "Everytime It Snows" was totally full of heart. I think that's one of Mark Masri's strengths. Just like he did for the track "A Christmas Time With You, " it's obvious that he truly sings from the heart. Whatever your preferences are, there's something for everyone in this album. I think you'll love it. I consider Mark Masri's "Christmas Is" album a perfect one to listen to with a cup of egg nog or hot chocolate. In other words, perfect "senti" music for those who would like to emote...;-) Hahaha! ;-)

Click HERE to download.

3.) WINTER WONDERLAND by Emilie-Claire Barlow

Wow, her voice is so sultry and sexy! I love her voice -- most especially her low register. Just beautiful! I absolutely loved every single song in this album. She's a real delight to listen to. They're all jazz -- though a few songs are more upbeat than others. I consider "What are You Doing New Year's Eve" to be the perfect song for a slow dance with your partner. ;-) Emilie-Claire Barlow shows off her musicality, excellent breath control, and range in the uber-upbeat "Sleigh Ride." She's playful in "Santa Baby,"Baby It's Cold Outside," and "Jack Frost." There are a few senti songs too. But her version of "Let It Snow" will have to be my favorite among all of them. Overall, I think this album is perfect background music for when wrapping Christmas presents. In there, there are songs that can make you giddy. There are "chill" music in there too to alleviate some of the stress that the Christmas season may bring. Overall, it's a delightful album that can keep you company whatever you're doing this Christmas. ;-)

Click HERE to download.

4.) THE MUSIC OF CHRISTMAS by Steven Curtis Chapman

The strength and beauty of this Christmas album lies in the beautiful, inspiring, and touching lyrics of the songs in this album. Close to about half of the 12 tracks were written by Steven Chapman himself. For instance, "Going Home For Christmas" is a song that talks about the first Christmas after the death of an important member in the family. "Christmas is All in the Heart" reminds us about the real essence of Christmas despite the many struggles that we encounter everyday and during the season. "Precious Promise" retells the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of a beautiful promise through Jesus Christ. There are a few other songs originally-composed songs -- all bearing positive messages about Christmas and what it really stands for. Other than these, the album also has other Christmas classics such as "Angels We Have Heard On High," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," and many others -- mostly presented as a medley.

Steven Chapman accompanies his songs with an acoustic guitar. Because of this, the songs have that reflective, introspective, and sentimental touch to it. I think it's an album that's perfect to listen to in your car. When the traffic, chaos, and stress of the Christmas season gets to you, this album will definitely help to relax you and remind you of the true purpose of this season...;-)

Click HERE to download.

5.) SENTIMENTAL CHRISTMAS by Kathy Troccoli

From this list, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm partial to jazz. ;-) I love it when my Christmas songs are jazzy! They just go so well together don't you think? Another new discovery that fits this list perfectly is Kathy Troccoli's Sentimental Christmas album. Because of its orchestration, you can hear subtle hints of jazz in the songs. But altogether, Kathy Troccoli sticks to the traditional take on old Christmas favorites. The songs sound just like their original counterpart except this time, adding Kathy Troccoli's smooth, alto vocals. There's a touch of Big Band music in the songs too thanks to the trumpets and drums. The songs, overall, are upbeat and are sure to make you giddy about the Christmas season. ;-) I classify this album as perfect background music for Christmas shopping. It's one to put everyone in a good mood at the start of your Christmas party or Noche Buena! ;-)

Click HERE to download.

There you go! That's our list for now. I'll try to update as soon as I discover another interesting Christmas album. Have a musical Christmas season everyone! ;-)

List-Mania!!!

We admit. My husband and I are not exactly novel-readers. This could be attributed possibly to our short attention spans. ;-) But really, we prefer "Bathroom Reader"-type books or The Book of Lists. We enjoy learning trivia and delving into mysterious and unexpected bits of info about certain events, figures, and how things came to be. There's so much intrigue and conspiracies to uncover. It's all REALLY interesting stuff!

So you can just imagine my excitement when Jojo - my husband, shared NOT a book, but a website with such information with me. Think of the convenience, the accessibility, and the wealth of trivia and information I could find right at my fingertips! I'm talking about a website called Listverse at http://listverse.com/ . Here, you'll find Top 10 lists of anything unexpected and unimaginable! There's one on the Top 10 Most Famous Penises, Top 10 Fascinating Deathbed Confessions, Top 10 Mysteries of the Bible, Ten Truly Bizarre Relationships,
and many, many others!

This website is an excellent stress reliever at work. If you're bored, it's a website that can amuse you for hours on end! The website has been consistent with churning up a new list everyday. I'm loving all of them. They're as random as they can get and that's just the way I like it. ;-) Have fun! ;-)

Cheap, Chic Notebooks (Now say that 5 times fast!)

One thing to know about me is that I'm a big fan of lists. I write grocery lists, "Things to Do" lists, "Places to Go" lists, "Movies to Watch" lists, and probably any other list that you can think of. These lists come in handy when I'm too busy and overwhelmed or when I'm bored or even when I'm feeling a little down. My lists give me that "sense" of order and it reminds me of the many things that I can look forward to as well.

Mind you, when I write these lists, I don't jot them on just some random loose leaf sheet. I get really picky about what I write on. It has to be a notebook -- and a pretty one at that. The sheets have to be lined, white, and crisp. Additionally, the notebook has to be light and easy to lug around.

I find that Fully Booked has the prettiest selection of these kind of notebooks. I love those chic and graphic Jordi Labanda notebooks. They also have a bunch of other ones with a hard cover or even the moleskin type. The cheapest notebook that you'll find at Fully Booked cost around 350 pesos. It's not bad, actually. But I found an even cheaper alternative at the School/Office Supplies section of SM Glorietta. Just go to the third floor, near the Children's section.

I'm talking about these chic King Jim notebooks. You could easily mistake them as a Jordi Labanda. It's obvious where the inspiration came from. But the good thing is, these notebooks are VERY cheap! They have the same lined, white, and crisp pages. The cover is hard and sturdy too. Definitely "luggable." Their notebooks come in three different sizes to fit all purses. They also come in a number of styles and designs. Just have a look at the ones that I bought below. The larger blue one cost 89.75 pesos. The smaller one went for only 62.75 pesos. It comes in an even smaller size. Since my writing is big and lists are often long, I didn't think I would find use for a notebook that small. But I think that one went for less than 40 pesos.

Nice huh? Definitely a great find! I'm sure these are available at National Bookstore and other SM branches. I got mine at SM Glorietta and I was really happy with the selection that they had there. I'm not too sure whether the other branches will have the same varied selection though.

Alright, that's that. Now excuse me as I write my grocery list in my suuuper cool notebook...;-)

Cheesy Goodness!

Out of all the movie theatres here in Manila, the ones at Powerplant Mall are not exactly the ones with the cushiest seats or the best surround sound. There are other cinemas with much bigger screens too. And frankly, we find the PowerPlant Cinemas to be too cold! I always have to make sure to bring a shawl to keep myself warm! But regardless of all these, Jojo and I have vowed to watch our movies there every time from now on. So you must be wondering, what's the draw?

Well, it's all in the popcorn, really. ;-) The concessionaire there has THE best cheese popcorn ever! Not only are they ever so generous with the cheese powder, but I also love how the popcorn is more "chewable." You know, without the annoying hard kernels that get stuck between your teeth. ;-) It also has a slight buttery taste that complements the cheese. Jojo and I are absolutely loving the popcorn! Between the two of us, we get the large bucket(105 pesos). We go to the theatre early to see the trailers and previews. And just before the movie starts, we've usually wolfed down half of the bucket already! It's sooo good and really very addicting. It's a real treat for all cheese lovers. But of course, without the guilt! Loooove it!

We just saw the "Surrogates" last night. And now, I'm looking forward to dragging my husband to see "The Ugly Truth." It's a chick flick. But with PowerPlant's cheese popcorn as a bribe, I don't think it'll be such a feat to ask him to accompany me! ;-) Hahaha!

On the Subject of Grocery Store-Bought Bread...

One thing to know about Jojo and I is this: We both love our bread! ;-) Admittedly though, Jojo's tastes are very different from mine. Jojo likes white bread and steers away from whole wheat, rye, and the like. I, on the other hand, prefer bread that is out of the ordinary. The only similarity we have is that we both like our bread soft. So we're really not too big on baguettes.

With varying tastes, it's very rare to find bread that we both like. When we go grocery shopping, we'd have to buy 2 different loaves of bread to suit our individual tastes. With our latest finds, we don't have to do that anymore. Now we just buy one loaf of bread and fight over it! ;-) Hahaha! ;-) Let us share with you three of our latest finds. I think you'll love them too! ;-)

Elsie's Garlic Bread (78 pesos)

We were at Shopwise Libis and Jojo happened to be craving for garlic bread. He remembered buying this garlic bread from Makro which he absolutely loved. He had been looking for it for a long time but couldn't find it anywhere else. We decided to just check the aisles at Shopwise and just get any garlic bread from there, all the while crossing our fingers that it's the same garlic bread that he bought from Makro! He didn't remember the brand so he just picked out the one that we saw -- Elsie's Garlic Bread.

When we got home, we excitedly opened the package and tried it out. Since we like our bread soft, we just popped a few slices of it in the microwave as opposed to the oven toaster. It only needed to be heated for about 20 seconds. Jojo took one bite and from the expression on his face, I knew. It was the same Garlic Bread from Makro! Each slice had a generous spread of butter. I'm not entirely sure where the garlic taste comes from since there are no visible garlic slices anywhere. But the bread is soooo soft with just the right kunat (or ductility??!??) from the crust. Good stuff, I tell ya! And trust me. It's impossible to eat just one or two slices at a time! ;-)

Marby's Cheese Loaf (40 pesos)
Why are the good ones hard to find?!?? We had the same problem with this. We bought a loaf of Marby's Cheese Loaf from the Metro Grocery Store at Market, Market. We just wanted to try it out. After all, I'm a sucker for anything with cheese. And each slice had huge swirls of cheese! Jojo liked the fact that the bread was so soft too. It seemed like it was just taken out from the oven! Between the two of us, that loaf of bread lasted us less than a day! It was that good!

Since then, we've been keeping an eye out for it everytime we go grocery shopping. And everytime, we always end up being disappointed. Marby's Cheese Loaf is always "out of stock," as the salesladies at Metro Grocery Store always say. We checked out other grocery stores too and they never have it, either. That is, until we chanced upon it at the Waltermart Makati Grocery Store. There were only two loaves of it left. So of course we grabbed them both! ;-)

We love Marby's Cheese Loaf because it's a great breakfast if you're on the go. Just eat it as it is. No need to heat it up or spread anything on it. It's tasty as it is. Kind of like Spanish Bread in "sliced bread" form. ;-) Loooove it! ;-)

*Sorry I don't have a photo of this. Jojo and I wolfed it down before I could take a picture . ;-) I'll be sure to update this post with a picture after another trip to Waltermart Makati. ;-)

Pan-a-Cup Malunggay Bread (32 pesos)

Malunggay or "Moringa" is the new fad. It used to be virgin coconut oil on everything! Now it's malunggay -- on everything. ;-) In our home though, I doubt that our love for malunggay bread will just be a fad. I love it and contrary to what people may think, it is NOT gross. Sure, the bread may have specks of green in it, but despite that, it's very good! Just don't mind how it looks. ;-)

I have to admit though, I had the same reaction when we had malunggay bread the first time. We were at Kape Isla at Bonifacio High Street. They serve malunggay bread there with different fillings. I took a bite and I instantly loved it! It has a very very slight bitter taste which is similar to rye bread. I don't think I would like it on its own. But it goes well with a chicken salad filling, BLT, cold cuts and cheese, and lately, I discovered -- with Kaya jam and butter! Its slight bitter taste, for some reason, complements everything! The bread is soft as well but I enjoy it better when its toasted.

Wanting to create the same sandwich experience from Kape Isla, we bought Pan-a-Cup's Malunggay Bread at Metro Grocery at Market, Market. It had the same taste as the one at Kape Isla except that it's in pan-de-sal form. It's been about three weeks now and I've been eating it everyday for breakfast! And I still can't get enough of it! ;-) What I do everyday is I slice it in half, then toast it in our panini grill. After about a minute in there, I take it out and spread some Kaya jam (Nonya Kaya from Bread Talk -- 120 pesos/jar) and spread butter on top of that. Wow! They go soooo well together! And it's a healthy breakfast that's easy to make! Just make sure though that your butter is the fat-free kind. I use Magnolia Gold Lite spreadables.

So there you go...We love our bread so for sure, Jojo and I will be trying out all other different kinds too. We'll add more to this list if we discover a few other interesting ones. Keep posted! ;-)

Your 45 Pesos Can Go a Long Way (Literally!)

I often go to the bookstore when I need to while away my time. It's the perfect meeting place, or in my case, the perfect place to be while waiting for my ride (ie: husband). ;-) Traffic can be unpredictable and oftentimes, I end up waiting longer than the expected pick-up time. Yesterday was one of those days. I was at Fully Booked browsing and there was one particular magazine that caught my eye. I had to do a double take because I couldn't believe the price. It was a magazine sold for only 45 pesos!

I'm talking about the Sidetrip Travel Magazine. This is different from all the other travel magazines in the market, not only for its price, but also because its articles focus mainly on travel within the Philippines. It's about time we have one of those, isn't it? The only downside is that this magazine is only published quarterly. So the one they have in stores now covers July to October 2009. It said that it's their 7th issue. So they must have been around for about a year and a half now. I really hope that we can support this magazine. It would just break my heart if this magazine is discontinued. In fact, Sidetrip Travel should be published monthly!

I haven't read the magazine cover-to-cover yet. But so far, my favorite articles include: Old Restos in the Metro (A review of 2 restaurants that have been favorites for half a century now!), Great Weekend Escapes (covers 4 weekend destinations for Manilenos including suggestions on where to go, what to do, where to stay, what to buy, where to eat, and what to order!), and a special on Laguna as a tourist destination (explains how Laguna can be enjoyed by all kinds of people and all interests). Add to this a number of restaurant reviews, travel tips, shopping finds (this quarter, they have an article talking about ukay-ukay), event calendars, "People, Arts, and Culture" articles, directories, and even bus schedules! It's a small magazine (just a little bigger than Reader's Digest in size) but it's packed with soooo much information! Jojo's ever "enlightening" comment to me when he read the magazine is this: "This magazine is perfect for going to the loo!" Hahaha! ;-) Oh, MEN...;-) But you know he's absolutely right. It's not only for its sheer size but there's so many interesting articles in there that can amuse you and entertain for however long it takes you to do your business! ;-)

We're now in the beginning stages of planning our weekend getaway -- taking in suggestions from their "Great Weekend Escapes" article. Grab a copy of this magazine and plan your trip as well! There are sooo many beautiful places here in the Philippines. It's too bad that we, as a country, are not given due credit and exposure internationally as a travel destination. Let's explore the country ourselves and spread the word...

Going Healthy Ain't So Bad...

We just got the results from my husband's executive medical check-up. Everything looks good except that his cholesterol level increased and he needs to stay within average weight range. Vowing to be healthier, Jojo and I decided to make some changes at home. We understand that it needs to be a lifestyle so we're making the changes sloooowly but surely. Just teeny tiny steps to a healthy lifestyle. ;-) We're focusing on the food choices first. The "exercise" part will come in later. As we all know, that is one that's harder to commit to. ;-)

As for the baby steps, I started by making a balanced and healthy meal for our dinner last night. I didn't want to get us turned off of being healthy. So I knew that it couldn't be a drastic change. Taking a cue from one of Jojo's comfort food, I decided to make a bangus belly dish for our dinner. After all, I know that Jojo can't seem to get enough of the grilled milkfish at Reyes Barbecue. And fish oil, just like olive oil, has soooo many health benefits too. It was going to be bangus belly but I planned to cook it a different way.

To find a great recipe, I relied on this gem of a website: Connie Veneracion's Pinoy Cook. So far, I've already used five of her recipes for Korean Beef Stew, Fish in Chili and Garlic Sauce, Chinese Sausages with Kangkong and Sweet Soy Sauce, Chicken 1-2-3, and now, for Bangus Belly Steak. I mean, I followed each recipe to a tee and none of them did disappoint.
They surpassed all expectations and now, my husband thinks I'm an amazing cook! ;-) I served the Bangus Belly Steak last night for dinner. It was soooo good that we forgot we were eating healthy! ;-) Hahaha! ;-) The dish is ridiculously easy to cook too. When you follow the recipe, you'll be wondering why you'll have to fry and then bake afterwards. Why not just fry the fish and top it with the sauce right? Well, there's a science to it. The sauce seeps better into the fish when it's baked. This whole procedure enhances the flavor. Just follow it through. But you might want to add more onions. Maybe 2 more? The onions go soooo well with the bangus and the sauce. Everything is so tasty! Just make sure to keep basting until all the sauce is gone. And use Knorr Seasoning for the light soy sauce ingredient. It turned out great! Yes, even for an amateur cook like me! ;-)

Now allow me to brag about my kitchen "prowess." ;-) Feast your eyes on my Bangus Belly Steak. Yum!
If Jojo has that cholesterol level to be mindful of, for me, it's more of my circulation. I have a history of cancer on my mother's side too so I really have to work hard on prevention. Another friend suggested that I drink cranberry juice. I researched on it and found out that cranberry juice does not only help cure UTI, but it also acts as an anti-carcinogen, anti-oxidant, and prevents the formation of dental plaque??!?? We are sold! ;-) We rushed off to our favorite grocery store -- Metro at Market, Market. We were a little hesitant to buy just pure cranberry juice. It might be too tart and bitter for our taste. So we thought we'd try out cranberry juice mixed with something else. We found one. We got Ocean Spray's Cran-cherry juice. It's natural, fat-free, cholesterol-free, and very low in sodium! Yay! And the bottle promised that it would taste good too.

So what's the verdict? It did taste good! I know it's a weird comparison. But to me, it tasted like red wine! ;-) I love it! We try to drink one glass a day. Jojo is surprised when I even remind him about it. It just says how much I truly like it. Not just because we have to be healthy and all. But because it's really good! ;-)

Well, so far, it seems like Jojo and I are not making too many sacrifices for the sake of healthy-living. I guess you really don't have to. It's time that we disassociate healthy with "yucky" food. You can have the best of both worlds, can't you? ;-)

A Food Find at Makati Cinema Square??!???

Apart from purchasing pirated DVDs and CDs, who knew that there's something else worth going to Makati Cinema Square for? I can still remember my first time at Makati Cinema Square. The place was dark and it was screaming for a renovation. It looked so "underground" and frankly, it got me scared. It felt "illegal" to be in such a place. ;-) Well, fast forward to a few years later and the place still looks the same. Nothing has changed. The only difference is that I've been there too many times that it doesn't scare me anymore. ;-) I've noticed that there's a lot more foreigners there too -- all wanting their fill of pirated DVDs.

Yes, I might as well let it out in the open. Buying pirated DVDs is indeed, a guilty pleasure of mine. I often go there for the movies and lately, for this new food discovery SLASH constant craving of mine. ;-) I'm talking about the cuapao at Emer's Food Center.

Emer's is located in the first basement of Makati Cinema Square. You know that little dance studio there? Just go up those set of stairs, turn right, walk further, and Emer's will be on your right side. For only P45 per piece, you can't get a better deal than this! With it comes sweetly-marinated pork, sauce, Chinese celery, and a topping of crushed peanuts in this soft, steamed white bun (man thao). We never leave Makati Cinema Square without it. And when I'm not there, I'm often craving for it. ;-) It's too bad that they don't deliver.

Emer's, apparently, has been around for 28 years now. When you see the restaurant, you would wonder at first, why people would even bother going in there. Nothing appealing about the place. Somehow, even without the snazzy interiors, people still flock there. You'll have to wonder. Must be the food. And it is! ;-) I haven't tried their Pata Tim yet. But I've been told that they're known for that. We have tried their rice topping meals before though. The one in the picture below is the Pork Rice one, I think. All this for only P108! Very yummy food! And soooo cheap! Kinda reminds me of those Chinese restaurants in Banaue or Binondo. The only difference is: It's located in Makati!!! ;-) A big YAY for us who live in this part of town! ;-)

Cellphone Makeover!!!

Are you getting bored with your cell phone? Want to spruce it up for free? Just click on this link and have your choice from THOUSANDS of themes, wall papers, ring tones, and games for your phone! Or you can even choose to personalize it yourself by creating your own voice tone, effects, and background! It's a great website and I can guarantee that you'll be amused for hours! ;-)

We learned about this website from my husband's officemate. I'm not one to enjoy fiddling with my phone. In fact, I've never read a manual for anything in my life! ;-) I just don't have the patience. ;-) But I was honestly getting soooo bored with my phone. So sick of the "built-in" ring tone choices (Sony Ericsson greeting) and the same theme (Clarity) which I see and hear day in and day out! My husband, Jojo, came to the rescue and explored this website for me. All he had to was choose the type of phone to upload to and pick from the choices that will automatically come up. The hard part, really, is in making the choice. There's just too many to choose from! But once you have made your choice, you can easily transfer the file through bluetooth. Turn on the bluetooth on your laptop and on your cell phone and you're good to go!

Now I have about 20 themes saved on my phone. For today -- Monday, I chose the Animated Butterfly theme. I'll change the theme depending on my mood tomorrow. ;-) The games saved on my phone include Same Colors, Othello, Quiz for Fun, Rollercoaster Rush 3D, and Speed Machine. I haven't gotten to it yet but I plan to get a Virtual Dog too. ;-)

The "ber" months are officially here!

To be exact, the "ber" month started 12 days ago. ;-) You can tell that the holiday season is coming up by the number of events to look forward to. There's soooo many things going on! So if you're looking for something to do and a place to go, have a look at the list below. Click on the headings to be directed to a website which will give you more info on the event. These are mostly shopping events intended to prepare us for Christmas. But there are events there too to cover other interests. Have fun and hopefully I'll see you at one of these! You know I'll be there. ;-)

1.) Negros Trade Fair
Date: September 11-16, 2009
Location: Rockwell Tent, Makati City




2.) Mall of Asia Midnight Madness
Date: September 18-20, 2009
Location: Mall of Asia, Pasay City



3.) Manila International Book Fair
Date: September 16-20, 2009, 10 am-8 pm
Location: SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City




4.) Hobbes and LandesWarehouse Sale
Date: September 17-19, 2009, 9 am-5 pm
Location: Unit 3, Topy's Building, 3 Economia St., Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City



5.) New Balance Power Run
Date: September 27, 2009, 5:30 am
Location: Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig




6.) 8th Spanish Film Festival
Date: October 1-14, 2009
Location: Greenbelt 3 Cinemas, Makati City

Going Provincial at Hacienda Escudero

Through the years, a number of our balikbayan relatives have been to Hacienda Escudero -- commonly known as Villa Escudero. It felt like we were the only ones who hadn't been there.

The perfect opportunity for us to go there was when my Dad visited us from Calgary last July. It was also my birthday weekend. Knowing how packed they get during weekends, I immediately called Hacienda Escudero to make the necessary reservations. To secure the reservation, we just had to make a 1,000-peso deposit in a bank account, and then call them back after a day or so. It all went very smoothly.

We went to Hacienda Escudero on a Saturday. From our place here in Taguig, Hacienda Escudero is just a 90-minute ride away. We got there at around 9:30 in the morning. The four of us -- my Dad, my husband, my uncle, and myself checked in and decided on just going for the day trip (P1,250/adult and P625/child below 4 feet during weekends; P1,105/adult and P550/child from Mon-Thurs). While waiting, we were given welcome drinks by the staff. We each got a refreshing glass of Sago't Gulaman (a cold drink with grass jelly and tapioca).

The staff at Hacienda Escudero were very attentive. They were stationed at certain spots so you're not bound to get lost. From the lobby, we had the option of going to the museum first or to get on a carabao cart-ride to the actual resort. We decided to go to the musem first.

From the outside, the museum looked like a grand cathedral! It was very picturesque. The down side is that as soon as you step inside the museum, you're told of their strict rule. That is, no pictures allowed! I was very disappointed with that. The museum was beautiful on the inside. They have these beautiful chandeliers and the religious relics they have there are quite unique. The museum had a variety of items that were sort of just put together. There were dried insects, old coins and bills, dioramas, silverware, antique furniture, paintings, and many others. I really enjoyed the collection of Filipino wear -- showing how it had evolved through the years. The museum even had on display some of the clothes worn by Filipino presidents during pivotal events. I had a good time at the museum. But honestly, I would have enjoyed it ten thousand times more if the museum number 1.) was lit better; 2.) was less dusty; 3.) had taken better care and maintenance of their collection; and 4.) had allowed us to take pictures!!!! I think you can tell I'm still bitter about that. ;-) I don't think pictures (even with the flash) would do any harm. The harm is in the fact that the museum hasn't been taking care of their collection. Most of the items had dust all over it or were affected by the moisture in the place. I understand that the museum is open 7 days a week. But really, they should find the time to clean everything up. It would be such a waste. The place seemed too dusty that I was scratching all over upon leaving the museum. I think I have an allergy to dust. And the museum certainly did not help my condition.

We finished touring the museum in about 40 minutes. From there, we took some pictures of the little garden, the square, a few monuments, and the Escudero home. Of course, no one is allowed to go in so we just took pictures from the gate. ;-)

Before we knew it, we were already on our way to the carabao-ride "station." ;-) We got on the cart and chuckled when we saw the name of our carabao. She's named Mutya. ;-) The carabao that just left before us was named "Sexy." ;-) Hahaha! ;-) Filipinos are very silly. ;-)

We were accompanied by live music on our carabao ride. At the back sat a female singer and her guitarist slash back-up singer. ;-) They sang folk songs which put smiles on my Dad and Uncle's faces. I'm sure the songs brought a lot of memories. ;-) It was a very relaxing ride. The air was fresh and we could see open fields and trees everywhere. We secretly hoped the resort was farther! ;-) Sadly, after 5 minutes, we had already reached the resort.

Getting off, we saw all these signs pointing to the different activities that you could do. Let's see. During your stay at the resort, you can do any of the following: go swimming, fishing (you have to buy your fishing line and bait), go rafting, hang out at their restaurant by the river, have lunch at the Labasin Falls (buffet lunch included with the entrance fee), go shopping at their tiiiiiiiiny souvenir shop, have a buko juice drink from one of their stalls, play badminton (you have to rent the equipment), or "cam-whore" it with the numerous photo-op locations available in the area. ;-)

It was just a few minutes before lunch so we decided to just walk around and you guessed it -- "cam-whore" instead! ;-) Truly a Filipino thing to do in a Filipino hacienda, hey? ;-) Hahaha! ;-) We walked to the pool, their restaurant, that area by the river, and even took a peek at the nipa huts that you could book for overnight stays! Wow. We saw the suite and they even have a hammock there with a good view of the river. We were told they go for around P10,000 a night. Not bad considering that you can easily pack 20 small Filipino bodies in there...;-) Hahaha. ;-)

They started serving lunch at 11. At 10:55, we were already at the Labasin Falls. I got all excited seeing the waterfalls and the tables position right beside it. The water was cold and it's so much fun to eat with your feet submerged in the water! You'll have to be extra careful though because some areas are pretty slippery. Anyway, as for the food, I'm not sure if the choices change every week or they have a set menu. But our choices for that Saturday included a healthy ensalada, various grilled items (tilapia, pork barbecue, other seafoods), fried chicken, afritada (a stew with meat, potatoes, and tomato sauce), guinataang kalabasa (squash and string beans in coconut milk), pancit (noodles), kangkong (water spinach), caramelized bananas, and tapioca in sweetened coconut milk. Everything was good and tasty! They all went well together. We enjoyed eating with our hands (their plastic utensils were pretty weak) and on banana leaves too! Not the best Filipino food but simple enough and the flavors were straightforward. Nothing fancy, really. Just like homecooking! ;-)

We were told about the 3:30 cultural show at their restaurant by the river. We headed there after eating to reserve a nice table. My Dad and uncle had San Miguel beer while Jojo and I walked around to explore. We didn't bring our bathing suits so couldn't go swimming. I wanted to go water rafting but there was a slight drizzle so we opted against that too. Fishing was an option but we didn't see too many fishes. I thought it would be a waste of time. So Jojo and I just went to their tiiiiiny souvenir shop. That was another waste of time too. There wasn't a lot to see! Apart from taking better care of their museum, I think that Hacienda Escudero should focus on adding more activities for their guests. There should be activities to represent all interests. Maybe it's the "city girl" in me but I got bored easily. I needed something to divert my attention but there wasn't a lot of that. I guess I'm just not used to this much peace and quiet. ;-) But my Dad and uncle really enjoyed it though. They liked the serenity of the place. ;-) I was going to give Hacienda Escudero a "thumbs down." But something changed my mind.

At 3:30, we were ready to watch the 75-minute cultural show. Wow! I was EXTREMELY blown away! It was amazing. There was a lot of folk dancing, singing (rondalla as accompaniment), and even martial arts (Kali). The choreography represented the various dance forms and styles in each region. It was well-rehearsed and I was amazed with the precision of the dancers. I particularly liked the all-male segment where every other dancer had to jump from one person's shoulder to another in full speed and then balancing. My jaw dropped at the end when we were told that the dancers in the show were the trained staff of the resort. They were the janitors, waiters, drivers, cashiers, cooks, and what-not of Hacienda Escudero! Amazing. They all did a wonderful job. The show made me all giddy afterwards because I had an even better appreciation of the Filipino talent and the beauty in our art form.

At around 4:30, we were ready to go back home. Instead of a carabao ride, we opted for a jeepney to take us back to the entrance. We bought a few souvenirs from their more decent shop there. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. Sure, some of their facilities were worn out and unkept. But all of this is forgivable, really. I would still recommend this to Filipinos looking for something to do during weekends or balikbayans/tourists wanting to get a glimpse of provincial life here in the Philippines. It's a real treat for 1,250 pesos. I would pay 1,25o pesos for the show alone! ;-) Everything else is just an added bonus. ;-)