tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28203024972594914922024-03-05T14:51:19.001+08:00A Serendipitous Lifesilverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-4219218709311464682012-02-15T00:39:00.002+08:002012-02-15T01:01:07.770+08:00A Cake Lovingly Made for Valentine's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xwxsl0rmKNez2BQ7coehk-CcGGcwyBROmksqInjxZD9W1quYrK6DlDDbHOUFb5-5n2FXBJq3-982VNrSMtLTULETb9mGq0n62c1Q7RzCXVI4MSo1unwkFQ9SBGOpfZ7kohqELhxZt-EN/s1600/red+velvet+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Xwxsl0rmKNez2BQ7coehk-CcGGcwyBROmksqInjxZD9W1quYrK6DlDDbHOUFb5-5n2FXBJq3-982VNrSMtLTULETb9mGq0n62c1Q7RzCXVI4MSo1unwkFQ9SBGOpfZ7kohqELhxZt-EN/s400/red+velvet+cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>My sister baked this red velvet cake for Valentine's Day, and I "sort of" helped her while she lovingly prepared the frosting, and set out the cake's decorations/design (okay, I actually just stood by her side and made comments whenever she asked for my opinion - but that's helping too, right? :D ). My hubby and I didn't have anything special planned for today, as we rarely celebrate Valentine's day. But this cake symbolizes the things that are most important to me - love, family, simple pleasures, and of course - FOOD! =)<br />
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Hope you all had a lovely Valentine celebration, regardless of what your love life "status" is ;)<br />
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I honestly marvel at the audacity of some people to pass judgment on others, moreso because these people think they're much better than others because: they're rich/they socialize with the "right" people/they think they're beautiful. These ultra-judgmental individuals have no qualms about flaunting their brand-name possessions, and will do anything to name-drop as often as they possibly can. They're not afraid to air their comments, which are often on the negative side (except when they're talking about themselves/their possessions). Those who dare to air comments/points of view on the contrary should prepare themselves to feel the wrath of these social bullies - and be bombarded once again with their seemingly astounding display of wealth. <br />
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Too bad for these bullies, brand names (and in general, money) don't automatically equate to class. Yes, we all have our own points of view, and we all have the freedom to air them - but feeling high and mighty, and much more superior to others while doing so is just plain wrong.<script type="text/javascript">
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I'll just paste the post I also wrote on one of the forums I belong to:<br />
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<em>My sis and bro-in-law, who work for one of the Big Three petroleum companies in the Philippines, had a chance to try <strong>Antonio's </strong>(in Tagaytay) last night. They were with their colleagues, 18 lahat sila na kumain in Antonio's. They were disappointed because the service was quite bad! The server assigned to them was really snooty (feeling ba nya porke he's working for a high-end establishment e clients are beneath him na?), and here are examples of his bad attitude:</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>-- One of sis' colleagues did not receive a serving of bread; when they asked (politely) the server, he apparently said in a snooty way - "Eh kasi naman, yung bread yung nasa right side. So dapat hindi siya ang walang bread" or something to that effect. Bottom line was, he was actually blaming the clients! -- <good and="" attention="" called="" management?s="" or i="" right="" the="" them,="" then="" there="" thing i="" wasn?t="" with="" would?ve=""></em><br />
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</em><br />
<em>-- Main course items arrived; the one given to bro-in-law wasn't the one he ordered (of course he'll remember what he ordered in the first place di ba?). Server said, "Hindi ba ito ang order nyo?" and proceeded on insisting on it for a while. BIL nicely insisted that he ordered a different item...after a while, nabigay din sa kanya yung correct main dish.</em><br />
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<em>Come dessert time, funny because yung nabigay kay bro in law seemed to lack presentation, compared to the others. Siguro napagdiskitahan na sya (though sis said he was actually very nice, maybe because he was in such a good mood). While everyone had some sort of ice cream/gelato with a sprinkling of pistachios on top, kay BIL parang latak na very small nuts ang inilagay.The whole group was still good-natured about it, even joking that "Hindi lang galit ang meron sila for you, poot na ito!" :p</em><br />
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<em>The good thing was that last night, most of the group seemed to be in a very good mood - they were celebrating the birthdays of two of their colleagues, and most of them were I guess just enjoying their time away from work. Kaya tinawanan na lang nila ang actions ni "Koya" (the server) -- or else, the restaurant would've gotten a really big complaint from that big group of diners.</em><br />
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Bottom line? I don't think this is a good image for Antonio's - having snooty servers/staff, that is. People are paying really good money to go to their place, and this is what they're treated like? My sis' group was a big one, and the business they brought in was considerable -- what would've happened if the snooty server was assigned to a small group of friends, or even a couple celebrating a milestone? Would he be much snootier? Or would he be more thankful that he had to deal with "just" a couple of people, as opposed to a large group?<br />
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I asked my sister if he considered Antonio's worth revisiting, and she said no - mainly because of the really BAD SERVICE they encountered last night. And I agree wholeheartedly - no matter how good the food is, or how well-known the restaurant is - it's just not worth going to if the staff treats paying customers like something they've scraped from the bottom of their shoes.silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-50779956219873744882010-02-27T21:29:00.001+08:002010-08-30T15:01:55.525+08:00An Extremely Bad Experience with SM Southmall's 3-Day Sale...<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freeiconsweb.com/Freeicons/Face_icon/Angry.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="http://www.freeiconsweb.com/Freeicons/Face_icon/Angry.png" /></a></div>It's been a long time since I last had the chance to post something here, and even if it's not really nice to make my "comeback" post one that's full of rant (and rage), I know I just have to let people know of what happened to us during the first day of SM Southmall's 3-Day Sale (Feb. 26-28, 2010).<br />
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To put it simply - what happened in SM Southmall was HELL...My Mom, my husband and I were there early, around 10am, to buy a bed for my parents. As this was my first time to go to a mall-wide sale that early, I was surprised to learn that there was an additional 10% discount if you buy an item before 12noon (from the department store), and if you are an SM advantage member (aside from the store-wide discount of 10%). Since we were already quite sure of what we wanted to buy, we hurried up a bit so we can take advantage of that additional discount. So we stood in line for almost 2 hours...only to be told (when we were just 3 persons away from the actual cashier) that there was some mistake on the sale procedures/whatever, and we would only get 10% discount - because we were members of SMAC (SM Advantage Club); the 10% discount that the sales staff were earlier so eagerly pushing into our faces was apparently not valid, even though we hold in our hands an invoice with the earlier discounted price. What MAJORLY pissed me off was that, they would tell us that small detail after they have issued the invoice, and when we're just a few people away from the cashier-- and after patiently standing in line for almost 2 hours?! The price difference was not the biggest issue for me at that moment, the EXTREMELY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE was!!! Those who know me would agree that I'm one of the most non-confrontational people in the world, but at that moment, I wasn't afraid or shy to let the people there know exactly what I think about their service...<br />
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My husband said I went ballistic, but that I still managed to keep my emotions and temper under control. My mom found a supervisor and told him about what happened, and I wasn't shy either in telling him, in a slightly loud but controlled voice - "the price isn't the major issue here. What you people are doing is just plain BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE". He gave me some line about looking into the matter, but I just ignored him and went on to pay for the bed. That same manager wanted to talk to us right after we have paid, but I just asked my mom and my husband if we can just leave the place ASAP, as I think my blood pressure can't take more crap from the people in the immediate vicinity. <br />
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I believe a few other people were victimized that day by SM's incompetent handling of their sales procedures/regulations. The supervisors, sales assistants and even the cashiers were all doing their share of finger-pointing as to who was to blame for that major booboo. Bottom line is, something wasn't really ironed out, yet it seemed that mega-retailer SM just can't pass up the chance to proceed with the much-advertised 3-Day Sale, regardless of the hassle and disappointment some of their customers will experience. <br />
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I hope this is the last time I have to write a rant post, as it's not really something I cherish and plan on doing on a regular basis. I won't be a hypocrite and say that I'm never going to buy anything else from SM from now on, because I think it's kind of impossible nowadays to travel for an hour or so, and not see an SM mall wedged between cities and municipalities (heck, Las Pinas has 2 SMs!). I just hope not to encounter anything like this anymore, in SM or in any other mall/store.<br />
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On behalf of the millions of consumers who regularly flock to SM malls regularly (out of necessity or out of frivolity), here's a message for the SM management: Clean up your act! You owe it to all of us.silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-40980912171908766572009-09-21T20:22:00.001+08:002010-02-02T23:10:26.613+08:00Super Simple Baked Macaroni Recipe<script type="text/javascript">
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For my GT sisters...=)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFuzEVFxOAu7C61s5Ode8Zca1coLJlvjKnmYN15Of7eF2Fsz3a1yh_9Hh4jIqekZvG8x8wMdZCGE6YZNAvITBr2N_K4p-JmEmpugRbF8hS07vYXuBeNKzy31ksw1_0eoFSWaXnEOGmD2V/s1600-h/bakedmac.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFuzEVFxOAu7C61s5Ode8Zca1coLJlvjKnmYN15Of7eF2Fsz3a1yh_9Hh4jIqekZvG8x8wMdZCGE6YZNAvITBr2N_K4p-JmEmpugRbF8hS07vYXuBeNKzy31ksw1_0eoFSWaXnEOGmD2V/s320/bakedmac.JPG" /></a></div><br />
BAKED MAC (serves 3-4)<br />
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1. Cook 200g (smallest package) of elbow macaroni (i use Del Monte Pasta Italiana) according to instructions on the package - don't forget to add a little salt and oil to the water; drain then set aside.<br />
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2. Saute chopped garlic, onions (the amount depends on your preference) for about 2 minutes or until soft. Add 1 can Century Tuna Light, then saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. If you want a chunkier pasta dish, don't break the tuna chunks/flakes into small piecces<br />
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3. Add 2 packs of Clara Ole 3-Cheese Pasta Sauce. Stir until well-combined.<br />
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4. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings according to your preference. I added some sugar, half a chicken cube, and a pinch of ground black pepper to bring the flavors together.<br />
<em>**Another version would be to add cheese spread (Chiz Whiz, Magnolia cheese spread, etc.) directly to the sauce, to thicken it and add more flavor. My sister does this and her baked mac is a hit with both kids and grown ups!</em><br />
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5. When you think you have achieved the taste you want, combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni. Mix well. <br />
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6. Transfer the mixture to an oven-proof dish (glass, pyrex, aluminum). Top generously with grated quick-melt cheese (make sure to pre-heat the oven before placing the pasta inside). Pop it into the oven for about 5-10minutes, or just until you see the browned and bubbling cheese topping.<br />
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7. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a while - this would be around 5-10 minutes so the cheese has enough time to cool (very hot cheese can burn your tongue/mouth! you won't be able to taste anything for days...). Serve with garlic bread on the side.<br />
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You can always adjust the ingredients according to your taste; I believe the secret to good cooking is knowing what tastes awesome to you (and to those you cook for), rather than following recipes to the letter. Don't be afraid to have fun while cooking!:)<br />
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The burger and gravy should be enough; however, I wanted to incorporate some veggies into the dish as well so I mixed Baguio beans, giving the whole dish a welcome crunch. The beans also helped minimize the guilt of not being able to prepare vegetable dishes more often (I'm trying my best to do more of those, promise!). <br />
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As I was preparing the chicken burger steak, I chanced upon the local horror movie "Ouija" on TV. My husband clearly didn't want to watch it, as he's not fond of watching scary movies. But I reasoned that we can watch it without getting too scared, since it was such a sunny day anyway. My powers of persuasion won, and we finished the movie without scaring each other too much:p<br />
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In making the gravy, I used the same pan where I fried the chicken burger patties in. I used about 1 tablespoon of butter, then sauteed lots of chopped garlic and onions, scraping the sides of the pan for the bits left from the patties (the burger bits added to the nicce color and texture of the gravy). I then added chicken broth, then flour dissolved in water (to thicken the gravy). After a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, I added the beans, and let the whole thing simmer for a while. The gravy was poured on top of the patties (nicely plated a few minutes earlier).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVUYgyy1_q7uKP1aUZy15JZ1roX-sLqXkf8jqx6paqivc7rl3ZgsIRRGN0NTKyxbG68j8Poa66ddDAxc87x18yKezvLiRqReClG9hWcahp-p1qy6_DwP_3EMWlO53lm2_eyQTyzfpXjpB/s1600-h/burgersteak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVUYgyy1_q7uKP1aUZy15JZ1roX-sLqXkf8jqx6paqivc7rl3ZgsIRRGN0NTKyxbG68j8Poa66ddDAxc87x18yKezvLiRqReClG9hWcahp-p1qy6_DwP_3EMWlO53lm2_eyQTyzfpXjpB/s320/burgersteak.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After serving this, we forgot all about the scary movie for a few minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A lazy Sunday at home, spent with the man I love, enjoying the perfect easy-to-prepare-but-still-sumptuous dish for lunch...I couln't ask for more =)</div>silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-13614203688953699472009-09-19T19:56:00.001+08:002010-02-02T23:12:52.830+08:00Breakfast Fare for DinnerI suddenly had a craving for tocino(Wikipedia definition: a cured meat product native to the Philippines. It is usually made out of pork and is similar to ham and bacon although beef is also used. It is often reddish in color and has a sweetish taste. Its name is derived from the Spanish word tocino, which is used to describe bacon or cured meat.) earlier today. I decided to prepare one of my favorite breakfast items for dinner - this might be a weird idea to some, but a novel and much-appreciated one by my husband (and by me, of course!)<br />
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We still had leftover rice from lunch, so I went all-out and made fried rice too! I made sure there were lots of crunchy garlic bits on top to give the rice an interesting kick and texture (yummm). And what the heck - I threw in a sunny-side up egg with the package as well! <br />
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This is what a plate of my tosilog looked like, before two hungry people attacked:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx-m0XfKDnma_vPhRkfXCuOJJNDI-CZCm1fvixRQbsRqM0QPmpTeLFrBObxhy0fcEsKYlHyPEyMdYjBhT5ZVzMu0VyHllrWOPe17gmuOiLLPoTIk5EvuzUC3SK8_HPGwuSAqNG_w03vQ5/s1600-h/tocino.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx-m0XfKDnma_vPhRkfXCuOJJNDI-CZCm1fvixRQbsRqM0QPmpTeLFrBObxhy0fcEsKYlHyPEyMdYjBhT5ZVzMu0VyHllrWOPe17gmuOiLLPoTIk5EvuzUC3SK8_HPGwuSAqNG_w03vQ5/s320/tocino.JPG" /></a></div><br />
After a few minutes of eating, with only the empty plates in front of us, my husband and I had one thing to say to each other...<br />
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"Good morning!" =)silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-4756076668140022772009-09-17T21:43:00.000+08:002009-09-17T21:43:23.009+08:00Sobrang Cheesy Talaga! - My Baked Mac =)<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I didn't have the energy (read: tinatamad ako!) to cook something complicated for dinner earlier tonight, but I also didn't want to resort to canned or processed food. With my husband's love for pasta in mind, I decided to prepare the no-brainer but still sinful <strong>baked macaroni</strong>. To make it healthier, I mixed light canned tuna with the 3-cheese tomato sauce, lots of garlic and onions. (Yeah right, healthy nga, dami naman kakainin!:p)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After topping the macaroni and tomato sauce mixture with LOTS of quick-melt cheese, I popped the pan into the oven for a couple of minutes, and this was the gooey, mouth-watering result:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU07Nt1f6FgQ3tvLfV5uu72Rz2-6CkuPlN8aUws-IIvxP14ESdQGy_YZF563xxDvGEzW9p9pWk4OQ51cR6Wx8c5Ybk4-vmjfjY1XFc3fRxhrrVb7nRQiwuH7zgtiH9dDin_VmdpDacLed/s1600-h/bakedmac.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaU07Nt1f6FgQ3tvLfV5uu72Rz2-6CkuPlN8aUws-IIvxP14ESdQGy_YZF563xxDvGEzW9p9pWk4OQ51cR6Wx8c5Ybk4-vmjfjY1XFc3fRxhrrVb7nRQiwuH7zgtiH9dDin_VmdpDacLed/s320/bakedmac.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I loved the toasted cheese part - it lent a nice crunch to the dish (and also kept the dish from being too gooey, though that's not such a bad thing!). I prepared a couple of slices of garlic bread too - the perfect partner to this simple to prepare dish that's a meal in itself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Needless to say, my husband and I almost finished the whole thing :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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But darn, I was very impressed with how efficient the Manila City Hall employees were! Upon entering the cavernous building, we were greeted by courteous employees, who politely asked us if we needed assistance. There were no people loitering in the corridors, no bored-looking employees who give you an i-can't-help-you-that-is-not-my-job line in a monotone. When we got to the cashier to pay for our requests, I expected to see ladies gossiping amongst themselves, not caring if the line in front of them reached all the way to Makati. Another shocker - the cashiers were very efficient, working very quickly even if there were just a few people in line. From filling out the request form to receiving the schedule for picking up our CTCs - the whole thing lasted 15 MINUTES (and that included waiting for 5 minutes for the offices/departments to open after their lunch break, since we got to the City Hall at around 12:55)! I was thinking, was I still in the Philippines?!:p<br />
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And best of all - every little window, every office door and every department was open to serve the eager public by <strong>1:00PM SHARP -</strong> how's that for giving <em>"<span style="color: black;">Filipino</span> time"</em> a new (and very much appreciated!) meaning?! :)<br />
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This post has a lot of exclamation points to show how impressed and happily surprised I am with the MCH's efficiency. I am deeply sorry - ashamed of myself, even - for thinking the worst about their employees' services even before I set foot in their building. <br />
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Maybe there is still hope for this country, after all. I believe we really can do it, one small step at a time...<br />
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Kudos to the awesome employees of the Manila City Hall! You guys rock! =)<script type="text/javascript">
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I woke up really late today - just before 11AM; not surprising since I nodded off at around 3AM (can't put down The Romanov Prophecy!). As soon as I got up, the first thing I did was start preparing the food for lunch. Since it was already late, I wanted to cook something that wouldn't take too much time and effort to prepare, but I also wanted comfort food. After checking what we had in our freezer and vegetable crisper, I decided on pork sinigang.<br />
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Pork sinigang brings to mind images of being in the comfort of one's home, warm and safe, while the rain steadily pours outside. This simple yet very comforting dish makes me want to go back to my childhood, when my sister and I would stay home because of the strong rains (no classes! yey!); we can get up later than usual, without the rush associated with a normal school day. Our mom would usually cook something swimming in hot broth - just what we're all craving for when the days and nights turn cold. I smile at the memory, thinking of how simple life was then - the extent of my dilemmas might well be how I was going to style my hair the next day, or how I can get away with sleeping later than usual that night. <br />
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As we grow old(er), life throws bigger and more complicated challenges our way. How we deal with those challenges mould us into who and what we are at present, and who we can be in the future. But I believe there are times that we should go back to the basics, and look at the grownup challenges the way a child does - who knows, a kid's simplistic approach to problem-solving might just result to surprisingly effective results!<br />
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Or we can just turn to a steaming bowl of pork sinigang to make things simpler, and a whole lot better...silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-10418346761590304292009-09-12T20:35:00.008+08:002009-09-12T21:03:19.106+08:00Cabin FeverIt's been a while since I last wrote something on this blog - as I was signing in to my account, a part of me wanted to say "sorry for neglecting you!", as if talking to an old friend. And I do consider this little space on the Web my friend, one who's always there to (virtually) listen to my ramblings. There's no better time to start writing here again, than now...when I'm experiencing a mild case of cabin fever.<br /><br />Wikipedia defines <strong>cabin fever</strong> as <em><span style="color:#000066;">"an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in, in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period (as in a simple country vacation cottage during a long rain or snow)".</span></em> Now, I'm not cooped up in a simple country vacation cottage (sounds quaint, right?), but it has been raining almost non-stop for the better part of a week now. I sometimes have the urge to go out of the house, but I really don't have a specific place to go to - and there's really no reason for me to go out. And besides, the bed weather makes me want to just laze around and not move too much. Yet, I still have this restlessness inside me, something that tells me I <strong>should</strong> be doing something outside the house (exercise, most likely!).<br /><br />I'm a little surprised I feel this way. About a week ago, my husband and I stayed at my sister's place for a couple of days; after that, I stayed overnight in the hospital with my Mom for her chemo session (hope it'll be the last, God willing). I felt really glad when we finally got home, but after a few days i was itching to go out again. I think it's time to meet up with some of my friends again; this restlessness may be cured by a session of girl-bonding (which I dearly miss, since I started working from home).<br /><br />Then again, it may just be the cold, dreary weather that's causing me to feel a certain degree of isolation.<br /><br />Time to put on my pajamas, the book I've been meaning to finish and my bed are calling me...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />try {<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-9392531-1");<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />pageTracker._trackPageview();<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />} catch(err) {}</script>silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-51460604967578944082009-07-04T19:52:00.003+08:002009-07-04T20:24:13.480+08:00The Defining Moment<div>My husband and I just came home from my sister's house, which is about 2 hours away. We stayed there for 5 days; we actually planned to stay for just 3-4 days, but since we had a flexible sched anyway, we decided to extend our "visit". It was like coming home to a second (third?) home, as I have lived with my sister and her family for more than a year before hubby and I got married. Every part of the house itself is familiar, though there have been a lot of changes since i was last there.</div>
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<br /><div>We now have a new angel in the family - my sister's 3-month old baby! My husband and I can't get enough of this precious one; we spend a lot of time looking at her, just admiring the way she sleeps. When our antics elicit a smile, I almost want to jump in triumph. Yeah, I know, <em>mababaw</em>...but that's how much joy this little miracle brings to me and to our whole family. And - she seems to love looking at my husband - her eyes follow him around the room often. She even loves to lie down on his arms, and eventually fall asleep. </div>
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<br /><div>My older niece is now a young lady, who knows what she wants and is starting to get very vocal about her thoughts. There are times when she gets in trouble for this trait; I can only pray that she gets past this stage and still gets to grow up to become a strong-willed, yet kind-hearted lady. She has been my constant companion during the time when I stayed with their family, and I hope that our bond will not fade as the years pass. </div>
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<br /><div>I miss talking to my sister. This is an activity that I took for granted when I was living with them; I just had to go to their room/study/kitchen/dining area, and I would get to chat with her about anything and everything. I suddenly remember the time when she had to go away for the first time to start her job. That was about a decade ago, but I the memory is still fresh of how my heart broke with the thought that I would not share the same bed, the same room with her anymore. At this moment, I'm feeling sort of the same thing, triggered by an SMS from her. She said that she felt a little sad when I tidied up and got all my stuff from their place; instead of feeling this way during my wedding, she said that this moment was the "defining moment" for her - that her little sister now had a family of her own. She then said that it made her a little sad, yet she was very happy for me. Sentimental crybaby that I am, this message was enough to start a crying fit.:p</div>
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<br /><div>I made a vow to myself to visit my sister and her family as often as possible. In reality, I know that might not be as frequent as we all want it to be; I know I have to slowly accept that things have changed, and there are still adjustments to be made. I believe my sister knows that whatever happens, I will always be her little sister - the one who ran to her when something is wrong, the one who turns to her whenever it feels like the world is turning against her. And all throughout these crying fits, her little sister has and will always be at peace with the knowledge that her Ate will not judge her, whatever the issue is about.</div>
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<br /><div>Hey, maybe this is <strong><em>my</em></strong> defining moment too...</div>
<br /><script type="text/javascript">
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When her parents were in the office, I was with our 5-year old bundle of energy, trying to answer her numerous questions to the best of my ability. Admittedly, when there are times that her questions were about delicate matters, I revert to my safest answer, "Ask your Mama/Papa later".<br />
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When her nanny was busy doing household chores, she would go to wherever I was, and say, <em>"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tita</span>, can you stay with me for a while?"</em> It breaks my heart now when I remember the times I answered, "Later" to her requests, because I was busy working from home.<br />
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When she got sick, I made sure that I gave her extra attention - asking her what she would like to eat, feeding her in the room while she was on bed, bringing her whatever she wanted to drink, checking her temperature from time to time, updating my sister and brother-in-law about how their little girl was.<br />
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I won't forget how excited she was when I told her last year that I would get married in a few months, and that she would be a flower girl. She started planning what she would do for the reception (she wanted to sing, and lead the prayer). She even asked if she can wear a pink dress instead of a lilac one, because she liked pink better than my color motif.<br />
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However, as the wedding day got closer, she started saying that she wasn't that excited about our wedding anymore. When I asked her why, she answered, "Because when you're already married, you won't be able to visit me anymore. And you won't stay here with us anymore." :( I tried to cheer her up by saying that of course I'll still visit her whenever I can. But I guess we both knew, deep in our hearts, that things would be changing big time soon.<br />
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I'm now married. I've moved in with my husband, and haven't been to my sister's house in a few months. The last time I saw my niece was on my wedding day, and I haven't been able to give her the attention I wanted because I was too busy with the preparations.<br />
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I miss my niece. I miss how she knows how to be quiet and not wake me up early in the morning because I work until the wee hours of the morning. I miss the way she tells me (after a little persuasion) how her day went at school. I miss how she talks about her friends, and what they played with. I miss how she loves the way I feed her (even if she can do this by herself, I know this is her way of making "lambing"), talking almost non-stop in the hopes of distracting her from eating oh-so-slowly. I miss the way she tries to delay her nap time with requests for snacks (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tita</span>, I'm hungry!). I miss the way she bargains for more than one book to be read to her before she sleeps. I miss the way she says that she isn't sleepy so she doesn't need a nap; afterwards, we'd have a hard time waking her up after a three or four hour-nap! I miss seeing the happiness in her eyes when she hears the doorbell in the evening, knowing that her Mama and Papa are home at last. I miss the way she always wants to take a walk with me and her nanny after dinner, just because she wants to go out of the house. I miss the way she asks for chips before going to bed, because she knows I am fond of eating them as well. I miss the way she asks if she can sleep with me in the study (where I sleep), because "I miss you". I miss the way she cuddles close to me in bed (even if she sometimes kicks me when she's dreaming :p ).<br />
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I told her, during one of those times when she repeats that she's going to miss me when I'm not living with them anymore, that "Whatever happens, even if I already have my own baby, you are the first BABY that I loved and cared for, and that will never change". She just responded with a smile full of trust, at peace with the fact that what I told her is true.<br />
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I miss my niece...</div>silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-17338261157856079332009-06-18T16:54:00.010+08:002009-06-19T00:33:40.469+08:00Back to Basics<div align="justify">I cooked lunch today, excited to make a dent on the food items we bought yesterday.:p I asked hubby what he wants to do with the chicken - would he like it with a soupy broth, or with a savory sauce? He opted for the sauce.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I started rifling through the cookbooks in the house, trying to decide which recipe to try. I ended up with three cookbooks open (plus a number of food websites open as well), when I suddenly realized that I should just go back to the basics. Why not go with something I'm comfortable cooking? Something that my own Mom cooks, and is sort of a comfort dish to me? That decision made, this is what I made (too bad I didn't take pictures):</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>Chicken with Oyster Sauce</strong></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">5 chicken pieces (combination of drumsticks and thighs)</div><div align="justify">canola oil</div><div align="justify">1 clove of garlic, minced</div><div align="justify">1 medium onion, sliced</div><div align="justify">10 pieces young corn</div><div align="justify">5 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pechay</span> leaves</div><div align="justify">1 medium carrot, sliced</div><div align="justify">oyster sauce (about 2 tablespoons)</div><div align="justify">your choice of seasoning (I used Maggi magic <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">sarap</span>)</div><div align="justify">1 cup water</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">*Saute onion and garlic in a little canola oil until the onion becomes transparent (make sure not to burn the garlic to avoid a bitter taste in the dish)</div><div align="justify">*Add the chicken pieces and brown them for a few seconds</div><div align="justify">*Add water and oyster sauce</div><div align="justify">*Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked</div><div align="justify">*Add the carrots and young corn, let simmer for a few minutes</div><div align="justify">*Add the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">pechay</span> stalks and leaves</div><div align="justify">*Sprinkle your choice of seasoning </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Hubby loved this! And I felt like I was home again, with my parents and my sister - just like when we were all a few years younger.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div>silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2820302497259491492.post-50408951682536642352009-06-18T09:44:00.007+08:002009-06-19T00:34:26.780+08:00Serendipity<div align="justify">Serendipity is defined by Wikipedia as <em><span style="color:#000066;">"the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely."</span></em> I believe all of us lead serendipitous lives, we just have different ways of looking at how fortunate we actually are. I am not claiming to be a virtuous person who always sees the good side of things - but I'm trying my best to do so. </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">(Okay, enough explaining...I actually just LOVE the word "<strong><em>serendipity</em></strong>"!)</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I've always loved the movie Serendipity (starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale). I guess I've always been a hopeless romantic-believing in soulmates, and that one person is destined to be with you no matter what challenges life brings you. I believe I met my husband through serendipitous circumstances, just when I was not looking for a relationship. But God had other plans, so here we are - newly-married, happy and embracing the adjustment period.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I hope to maintain this blog more faithfully than the ones I had in the past. This blog will be a bubbling pot of my thoughts, ideas, and everything I can suddenly think of and want to write about.</div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Hopefully I'll be able to express my thoughts in a coherent way :p</div>silverlilachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04622839373592759297noreply@blogger.com0