Ultima: My Mother's Day Story

A woman takes on various roles in her life - that of a daughter, a friend, a lover, a wife, and as a mother - and as herself, independent of all other roles she takes on. The mind frame of "this is who I am" of a woman is not constantly changing, it's just the way it is. With a heart that is full of love, a woman that lives for and cries for the people in her life, strengthening relationship bonds that are based on nothing at all and that of having been the vessel for the life, taking on all roles in a multi-tasking manner and it doesn't end. More than just giving love, care, affection, support, the roles include the graceful receiving of the returns, not in the form of payment as being a wife, daughter, and mother is priceless. In appreciation of all my children, I would like to focus this blog post on my eldest daughter, Ultima, who is known to all as Timi. 

When I gave birth to Timi in the US, the nurses would carry her all the time as she was a living doll, with a full head of hair with a adorable tuft. Her hair became a cascade of ringlets as she grew older, and my late husband, the charming, perfect gentleman, Rene Quema, used to fix Timi's hair every morning to place hair ties and ribbons. Rene was an excellent cook and a gourmet, and he trained Timi at an early age for fine dining to extracting the goodness of talangka. Timi was often invited to spend time homes of our neighbors in Makati who loved feeding her, such as Chariya of the 168 Thai Kitchen and the other neighbor who owned a Japanese restaurant.

Timi started cooking while standing on a chair that was placed in front of the stove. At the age of 5, she made her own breakfast which would typically be hotdogs, and I would wake up after she left for school to see the used frying pan, plate, glass, and utensils in the sink. At the age of 11, much to my surprise, after watching our favorite Martha Stewart cooking show, Timi was in the kitchen butterflying a chicken perfectly. Cooking and baking was a major source of our income for many years, and among the dishes that we sold such as bagnet and apple pies, the most popular was our leche flan that I had supplied to La Tienda, a Spanish restaurant, and our chocolate chip oatmeal cookies that Maxi would sell while she was in high school, bringing two large full bags daily and coming home with these bags empty.

Supercharged, our love to cook and bake transformed, and Timi and Maxi became the M.Y. San Sweet Treat girls. This was taken during our cooking event at Gourdo's at the Fort. 

We wrote my cookbook with Sarah banging away at the keyboard, Maxi creating recipes, and Timi checking it - and then came the big day that we had to get it approved by our sponsor, San Miguel Corporation. We made sample dishes and went to their kitchen to meet with a bevy of chefs for the taste test. Timi, at the age of 16, defended our cookbook to the hilt as Maxi presented the dishes. The pizza recipe was in question as it had no tomato sauce and Timi said that a certain pizza parlor had pizza that had no tomato sauce. We passed the rigorous test and the book got published by National. 

Peektures

Wacky poses of Almond, Maxi, and Timi 

Mi Ultima

Timi is now part owner of Samu Eats, a Japanese restaurant located at 33a Z-compound, Malingap St., Teacher's Village, QC. The food and beverages are excellent with new and unique items are being added regularly to the menu such as heart-shaped sushi, Spam sushi, and tokwa't bacon. The katsu meals come with miso soup, a salad, and red ice tea. Her Japanese restaurant has been featured by When in Manila, PepperPh, and Unang Hirit. 

Click this link to view the Samu Eats menu. 

Today is Mother's day. I get compliments from my friends saying that I have wonderful children, and I take no credit as I told my children that when they do something like study, when they stand up to get recognition, it is them alone that will be on that stage. The motivation must be from within, as I cannot push them, they have to fly out of the nest. I remember that once, Timi posted on Facebook that I never clipped her wings. 

As all relationships are based on trust, I am there for my children and they know where home is as they build their own homes, live their life, and I watch them fly. I can still fly with them but I lead not the way for they will go into the future and I won't be there. They know that I trust and believe in them as the foundation is strong and they don't fail me. I love being a Mom, cooking, baking, taking care of them, and it does come back like the time when the young Timi and Maxi surprised me by cooking sinigang, how Sarah won a cooking contest when she just learned how to chop garlic 3 days before the event and astonished the Tesda judges with our white sauce, how the table was set with what they cooked, the hundreds of Christmas cookies gifts we made to give away for years so we don't have to buy gifts for family and friends, how they call me to ask for recipe help and many other things like a gift of kitchen utensils from my youngest daughter, Almond. 

Timi and Sarah proving that you can have your cake and eat it, too. 

To be a Mom to such treasures is the reason why I am happy this Mother's day and every day. 

Cook Perfect Sunny Side Up, Scrambled, and Soft-boiled Eggs

"What?", yelped my daughter Maxi when I told her that we could eat eggs daily. "You just changed everything that I believe in!" 

I limited the number of eggs that I fed my family weekly. The standard two eggs a day was not to be done, at the very most, the intake of eggs was limited to 4 in week. The limit included concern for cholesterol intake and the belief  that burnt edges of 2 sunny-side up eggs if fed to a person continuously for a couple years would be enough to ensure their early demise! (evil laugh) 

Yet, according to the new nutrition guidelines to come out this 2015, eggs are not bad for you. Though an egg contains over 150 mg. of cholesterol - the shocking news is that cholesterol is ''not a nutrient of concern because cholesterol from food doesn't cause higher blood cholesterol levels." Mind-boggling, making eggs a good thing to consume more often, the bad in what you do eat would be the saturated oils such as what you fry the egg in, the natural fat that is unavoidable in pork, the fatty part that you can remove from certain cuts of beef, the marbled parts of beef that must be avoided - plus the fact that the accumulated cholesterol in our bodies isn't easily flushed out and do clog those arteries - so instead of having a change valve operation, you can buy a Rolls Royce instead or maybe a new Benz. Though eggs can be consumed daily, there still must be a limit to this kind of food intake especially if the person has cholesterol concerns.

Now that you can enjoy eggs more often, with the presumption that you do not have a high cholesterol level health concern, and you might want to use my tried and tested recipes on how to cook eggs. 

Perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs

Add enough oil, butter, or margarine to a frying pan to line the bottom or just a little to coat it if it is a non-stick pan (because eggs do stick to some of those non-stick pans!). Break an egg into a saucer which is done to check if the egg is still good by looking at the color of the whites and the yolk and checking that it does not smell rotten. When the oil is hot, slide the egg into the pan. When the whites begin to cook, become solid and whiter in color, add a teaspoon of water near the egg. This will cause it to splatter so back off a bit and it shall also make the egg easier to remove when done to make the perfect sunny side up egg! If you want to achieve a more solid cooked yolk similar to that of hard-boiled eggs, add a couple of teaspoons instead of one. Using this method, you'll be able to cook the perfect sunny side up egg. If you flip it when the whites have solidified, adding the water before the flip, you'll make an over-easy egg. You may add fine salt and pepper to taste. 

Perfect Scrambled Eggs 

This recipe for scrambled eggs is the one that my father loved. Though I have other scrambled egg recipes, this one has the wonderful  mix of whites and runny yellow yolks. Easy, you'll be able to make these perfect scrambled eggs in a few minutes. 

In a frying pan, add a slice or two of butter or margarine, depending on the number of eggs you will scramble. A slice is roughly equivalent to one tablespoon. I typically scramble 4 eggs to two tablespoons of butter. Add in the eggs and wait for the whites to slightly cook. With a fork, mix the eggs lightly to break the yolks. Allow it to cook a little more, then transfer to a plate. The heat of the eggs will further cook it so that the yolks remain runny, the whites stay soft, and the appearance is shiny. There is no need to add salt to this dish. 

Perfect Boiled Eggs

In a pot, add in the eggs and cover with water. Tightly cover, bring to a boil, and close the heat. Time it. Remove eggs from water after 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs and after 12 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

Cooking perfect sunny side up, scrambled, and boiled eggs is one of the easiest things to do but many people don't think they can make perfect eggs. It's not rocket science. Don't try, do it. 

Checkpoint: Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao Fight

Checkpoint is a rock bar located in what has been called the Pacquiao building which is Metro Star Mall in BF Homes Paranaque. The Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao Fight last May 3, 2015 was dubbed "The Fight of the Century" and with the glory of the Philippines at stake, people were getting ready to watch it which includes placing bets on who will win! There were different venues in my area to watch the fight like at Elorde at Sucat where the politician Roilo Golez watched, the free viewing at Pergola mall in BF, Mulligans for the expats and the new coffee shop, Barako Haus. 

As it is with us Southern peeps, the decision where to go is typically made last minute. When my daughter, Sarah, called me the night before to ask where I was going to watch, I said, "Of course I will watch the fight at the Pacquiao building!" Being a rocker Mom with a formidable listing of "sons" to include Ocho Toleran of Queso, JC Sebastian of Stick Figgas, Anton Saldana, Bong "Quality" Luib, and Miko Acu of the past Cosmic Love, I have been watching local bands in places like B-Side where I hang out with Anna Sobrepena and the starry-eyed singer, Lian Diorella Cruz, which makes it so great for me to hang out at Checkpoint because it is in my village - and did I mention that my daughter, Sarah, also works there?

Viewing the fight at Checkpoint was much more awesome than I expected. The breakfast choices were many and the tapa that I ate was soft and mouth-wateringly delicious. The fight was shown in HD and the audio was terrific. What I totally enjoyed was the crowd, as from standing up during the National Anthem, the cheering and the long loud booing, and the relaxed atmosphere of rockers wearing band shirts. and the families and friends that watched together. I will also never forget the hushed, angry yet sad silence after the fight. 

Checkpoint rock bar delivers great, memorable events each and every time they have one, which is often. It is open from Wednesdays until Saturdays and was open on a Sunday for the Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao fight. Serving cold beers at 55 bucks, and other drinks and food at highly reasonable prices, you'll get to watch local bands such as Razorback and enjoy acoustic nights like that featuring the captivating Kat Aurellano and cool guitar playing of Kenneth Takeuchi who are also Southern peeps. 

Go to Checkpoint rock bar, 3rd floor, Metro Star Mall, BF Homes. 

IT'S ON and only place where great music plays live 4 times a week in this area. 

To Do More Is What Is Asked For

As we crumple down the heavy burdens that we carry and state the unease of the love we have - we then realize that what is necessary is to do more. To tap into the depth of our spirit and get the strength to rise again is difficult but that is what life is, not throwing in the towel.

We perish every day

Dying to ourselves means sacrifice. That embrace the pain thing I can't figure out. I do know the meaning of sacrifice as I do give up things that I hold dear for someone else's life. Like in a song, "Whatever doesn't kill you make you stronger." this holds true and it is tough to believe the battering a heart can to take and not break before reality steps in.

Holding on to a drunken love was not right.

It was passion and beauty, the unfaithfulness did not hurt as it should have as it was a dream. Then, the love found me, waiting there, seated constantly, saying yes to my every whim, more than half a lifetime ago. It was Casablanca and within the white trellis walls, champagne bubbled with delight of the moments together. We ran across the streets hand in hand, collapsed to the floor, laughed until the dawn, refusing to leave each other.

Caught in between, giving up, as his gentleness enfolded me, the tears fell on his shoulder. Hold me, I had asked, and he did like he would never let me go. "Never say never as it is a long time.' and my answer was "Always." as I made the decision to no longer stay though he was always seated, waiting for me to come back. Over the years, he had asked, "Again? You left another man again?" and I would say his name, not saying another word, and he once said, "What am I to do now?". The cycle is complete, there must be no other lifetime, as I stood my ground, and it came to a point that I no longer hear him call my name.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

In the book, "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran, he speaks on love and as extolled as it is, it can be horrible, akin to suffering. The emotions are as such and I am not worthy of such. It is brilliant, wonderful, all things in its essence but.we are but human, we are just weak, we seek pleasure and have desires, and it is not the soul that speaks.

To transcend and embrace the offer.

As souls must be, it happens, once again arises, this love that lasts for eternity that must be fulfilled in this lifetime. To struggle and drown in tears is preferable as pain, tears, hurt, longing, these words are not in my vocabulary. It's like an evil trend in my life to see once again the same soul that has lived in waiting. No, don't wait as I cling on to safety, turning around everywhere as that engulfs me. No, I cry and run away holding on to my ground. No. I so hate that word.

Trust is a condom that you can buy at the drugstore.

I live today, holding on to what I see, and in knowing. What is trust, indeed, as knowing that love can hurt you, there is no heart on a plate, and with a measure of hate. I can see it wait and I must wait, and can't wait, as I do not transcend these matters even if I hear his soul calling my name, once again, loud and clear.

All an illusion, my mind says.

As I keep on thinking, nothing works. Sulking doesn't working, working doesn't work, running doesn't work, drinking doesn't work. In my mind I see what is to come and it isn't easy as it should be. An illusion. That unbreakable bond that holds me is strong but all in my mind. My mind hurts as I refuse to fall, even with knowing, as I must be wrong as that is what logic tells me. It's a decision and I am not making it as there is no reason to make it. My head hurts, my heart stops, my soul knows, and I feel so weak that I refuse do more even when asked.

I take the blame. Dying inside is easier by not seeing. Stopping things is easier just by hurting. It's a crazy world we live in and though perfect, we are but human and have our flaws. To embrace love, life, and seize the day isn't easy and one must do what they have to, yet, I do believe that life is not measure by out days but those special moments that take our breath away.

I have had that moment. Is that the only way? No. 

Budget Recipe: Burgers

Today I walked to the grocery as I usually do, to see what was on sale. I love buying ingredients that are on sale and since it is a Monday, the store I frequent restocks after lunch and has new promos going on for the week. I wasn't disappointed. Lots of items on sale to include the ground beef and the onions which are in season and cheap.

Budget cooking means that one must get good quality ingredients and plan the menu. I got less than a kilo of ground beef, half a kilo each of white and red onions, butter-flavored margarine, 200 grams of macaroni, beef cubes and bread. These ingredients are to be used to make two meals.

I have stocked up on the ingredients I use often such as salt, pepper, and condiments. I hardly ever buy cooking oil, opting to use butter-flavored margarine to cook as it is more flavorful and I do use that for baking unless the recipe requires oil. I make oil from the fat that I have removed from pork, beef, ham, and even chicken skin and fat by adding enough water to these and boiling it down, so that the oil is extracted and I use this to cook fried rice and other dishes such as pork steak.

I typically grill food using the stove top grill pan that I won a year ago when I joined the video recipe contest of Ajinomoto Aji-ginisa with an original and easy recipe for lemon-pineapple chicken.   

Now on to the budget recipe for burgers and onions. This burger recipe can be used to for shallow pan frying also and the burger may also be cooked in an oven or microwave. As you will see, while the burgers are grilling, the natural oils of the meat come out, making it have a more distinct flavor, reducing the fat content of the burger itself and resulting in a juicier, tastier burger. 

To make these grilled burgers, you'll need:

600 grams ground beef
1 piece of bread, torn into minute pieces to make into bread crumbs
1 beef cube (optional)
1 teaspoon of mustard
1 teaspoon of a sauce of your choice (A1, Worcestershire, liquid seasoning)
water or milk
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

How to make budget burgers

To the bread crumbs, add enough water or milk to make it soak then add the beef cube and smash it, mixing it well so the flavoring cube disintegrates. The addition of bread crumbs to the burgers works as an extender, binder, and makes it softer. 

Add in all ingredients, making sure to sprinkle on and distribute evenly on top of the other ingredients the salt and pepper so you don't get some parts that has more. Mix very well and form into patties or use a large shallow scoop to measure it and flatten the mix before sliding onto the grill. 

Heat the grill pan over medium heat. Test the grill pan to check if it is hot enough by placing your hand with palm facing down around four to five inches above the grill pan and if you feel the heat, it is ready. Place the burgers in the pan and let one side cook, to flip it when it no longer sticks to the pan and cook the other side. Burgers should only be flipped once and if you want grill marks, make it cook longer on one side before flipping it. Place the cooked burgers on plate or buns after these are done. To make grilled onions, slice these and grill with the addition of butter. Onions are done when slightly transparent and lightly browned. Pile the cooked grilled onions on top of the burgers. 

The addition of the mustard to these burger give it a slight tangy taste and placing in the sauce of your choice greatly aids in adding a dimension of flavor that bursts in your mouth. This budget recipe for burgers yield 7 medium sized patties that are about a fourth of an inch thick. It may be made to larger patties yet smaller and thinner ones saves on fuel as the cooking time is reduced. To make this budget recipe of burgers, it cost me 120 pesos. Delicious, first-class, and cheap and we ate this for dinner and still have leftover to reheat. Try this budget recipe and enjoy!

From my kitchen to your kithen with love,
Cindy

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Storms always end. When the waters are calm, it is time to prepare for the next storm. As the captain of a ship, when other ships travel in the same direction as yours does or are those that cross your path, you must not change direction, keep on following the map, to get to where you are going or you'll end up in unknown shores. 

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. He lied down beside her in bed. She complained of a headache. He said, "Take your meds." She stood up and walked to get them, slipped and hit the temple of her head at the corner of the table. Stunned, he carried her in his arms and rushed her to the hospital and waited outside the emergency room. Up to this day, the memory of the doctor opening the door and shaking his forefinger to the left and right to say more loudly than words that she is gone forever is the image that has stuck to his head.

He poured over the photographs of the times they had to together, and saw that she had wrote at the back of many of these. He read one that said, "You're so corny!" and another one that said, "You're so handsome." He couldn't believe what happened, such a shocking accident and the thought that is repeating in his head must be, "Should I have stood up?" as they lie in the same bed.

Decades has past and the altar has been made for the love that has been lost forever, and until his dying day the memory of how he did not stand up might still remain until he forgives himself for not noticing how badly she was feeling, she, who adored the ground that he walked on, gave him a family, and lied by his side until the day she died. Did he fail her? In his mind, yes, and holds a candle up for her as he sits out the rest of his life.

Another Lazy Sunday Afternoon

It was remission time for her, her beauty had been lost. She felt like a burden, lost because she had left her husband for him, lost because she had left her children for him, lost as she knew she was losing her life as the pain was returning. He lied down on the bed to take his usual nap and she stood up at the side of the bed, asking if he loved her.

He answered curtly, "Of course, I take care of you and have been with you for years through all of this. Even with all your problems, I have stuck by your side." He stared at her aghast at her question and wondered why she wondered if he loved her. When he woke up from his nap, she was nearly gone as she had tried killed herself. He brought her to the hospital and then the doctor said, she could live would be a vegetable, and the decision was made to unplug, as she had been ill for years and that was not life, it was just to be be breathing. He constantly brings flowers to her grave and has erased all the memories, hidden all the photographs, to start anew. The hurt remain, he takes the blame for not having answered with a simple, "I love you." and wonders why she had tried to take her life. He has moved on.

One More Lazy Sunday Afternoon

"I'm done with all my obligations to my family. This is my time, I have spent most of my life with them, and I want to be happy." I stared at him and listened, as he poured his determination out, as he said statement after statement. "This is for me. I want it for me. They don't need me, they don't want me, I feel strangled and it's just an obligation and I am changing my life." And, I answered him, "But they are your family!"

And so he did what he wanted to do as I watched him, strong, angry, determined to build his freedom to be with the one who he loves and surround himself with his friends that allow him not to live a life that is a lie. He introduces her to me, and we get drink and laugh as he moves mountains for her to set up a place for him to make her his 'slave'.

"I can't sleep alone at nights!" he laughingly says, "As I want to have sex every night!" and we get drunk again and again as his 'slave' has run away. So he goes and find others to fill the empty space on his bed as she calls him and he refuses to answer. "Did she call you?" he asked me, "I told you not answer her!" but I did and told him so that she needs someone to talk to and reminded him that he is my friend even if I didn't listen to him.

He got her back and locked her up in his place so he won't lose her. We don't get drunk that anymore as he has to go, for he refuses to have dinner until she cooks for him and can't ever sleep alone. He is roaring, hanging on to the people he wants in his caveman way, and slamming everyone else to protect them, as he smiles at me, both of us knowing that he has a life.

My Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Taking life in stride, I awake at dawn, unusual for me but it's been happening for a while. Seizing the day, I rush the mediocre chores, doing all that I had to so I have time to do what I must and what I want to. Jaded, I watch a man throw a fight as the money was to be used for power as it was needed to help people who need funding for education, hospitalization, and a better life, to stop chasing the glory and getting the priorities right, Robin Hoods, hoodlums, covered with their heart in the right place.

As I leisure away my Sunday afternoon with a few friends, wondering what am I to do next - I listen to stories of regret and one of hate and hurt the point that is is deemed necessary to pray for another person to die for her to take revenge and I look at a lonely woman who thinks only of her needs instead of what she wants in this life and what others may want, and my mind drifts, wanting to stay but not needing to as my other friends who were waiting always can wait as we are never in a hurry. 

Food has been tasteless for days as I forced myself to eat, thinking of my Mom who is pining away as Dad left her and his dying was not a good enough reason to do so. Acceptance is difficult. I have a life, mine to make, mine to own and to seize the day, and yet as I look around me, I see things not meant to be...

Life is not a game that one must throw in nor hold on to if it isn't worth living and loving daily, to embrace life and the beauty that is there, giving it all to seize the day. This moment, right now, is my life. My youngest daughter had asked me last week, "What are your plans, Mom?" and I said, "I plan to be always happy." and that's all I have, just today, to live my life without regret. 

Mojito Night at Cafe Cubana

Drinking Mojitos reminds me of sailing, the sea, and the various boat events that I went to. Sipping bottomless Mojitos was a breeze as the crisp clean air whipped my hair to look out to the sea and watch the different activities. From the hobby cat, to the kayak, to the sail boat and the yacht, the passionate roll of the waves made me feel grounded. At that time, to lie at a shaded part of the shore while being served Mojitos by a dashing, suave, tall, blue-eyed sailor who had eyes that could stare far into the sea had made my heart feel the endless tide. Those uncountable Mojito days and nights are a bottled memory, and as captivating as the sea was when looking at it with a sailor's eyes, as often as we sailed during the day, the endless walks by the sea, the stormy, lightning-filled nights, I refused to tie the knot of the rope for us to sail away and have let the bottled memory float out to sea as the ebb tide made the tracks disappear forever. 

For such a long time, I have refused to drink Mojitos but I did have a couple of these when I went to Cafe Cubana, located at BF Homes, Paranaque. It was a hot summer night and as always, I would have preferred to have a cold beer but there was a promo, and at the first sip, the crispy minty refreshing taste of the ice-cooled Mojito made me change my mind. I had one, then another. I had forgotten the bottled memory and revealed in the taste of the beverage as I no longer felt the sand of those shores. It was the experience of the night and respect for the company I was with and so I enjoyed the Mojitos for that night as Cafe Cubana makes good ones. 

Mojito

Inside Cafe Cubana 

Outside Cafe Cubana

It was fun and though I don't ever get drunk like with the 5 shots of brandy that I had last night and the endless buckets of beer with my friends in Tagaytay, it was the billiard game that was the highlight of that Mojito night. 

Billiard Table

The game I played proved that I was out of practice. Oh, how I love to play billiards, it's my sport of choice. I can play for hours every night as I did before. Then the food arrived, and we ate, and it was time to go home. 

The menu is a photo menu, and the food was quite good though I never did get to try the mini Angus burgers. The servings are large, the wait was not long. I will go back to Cafe Cubana to play billiards and try the other items on the menu and order beer yet as the lure of the Mojito promo ends too early for me and wonder if it could be extended.

My Birthday: Metrowalking and Chilling

April 12, 2015. Sweltering hot. It's going to be a long day, I thought, and it was my birthday.

The day started with a meeting in the morning then went home to cook sinigang due to insistent family demand. There was to be a lunch out but after we had the plural of rice which is extra rice, the stuffed stomach made us lethargic, too lazy to move. Yet, we had to go to Metrowalk as there was another meeting. Yikes, the one pm heat was overwhelming. We had to go and got ready fast, zipped out of BF Homes Paranaque and off to Ortigas. Meeting was over in less than an hour and it was time to go Metrowalking to relax.  Metrowalk is a mall in the Ortigas area. It is alive at night, teeming with people. There's typically a live band playing at the center of the mall. It's a place to hang out with friends and meet new ones. Restaurants abound such as i-Bagnet that I love as it serves authentic Vigan cuisine such as bagnet and empanada and my other hangout like Fluids bar owned by Peter Mendoza who is so much fun to chill with as we drink unlimited cocktails and talk the night away. But that afternoon, Metrowalk was quiet and my daughter, Maxi, insisted that I have a halo halo when all that I wanted a below-zero beer from iBagnet! So we went to Icebergs and ordered. 

Halo Halo 

Salad

It was a cooling, delicious, superb halo halo, choked full of ingredient.  Maxi and I divided it with her getting the ube ice cream while I had the strawberry. Maxi devoured the salad and I had a few bites - the harmonious blend with the cheese made it enticingly delicious. And, Maxi told the staff that it was my birthday and Icebergs Metrowalk surprised me with this plate with sliced bananas. chocolate drizzle, and ice cream! 

Since I had to meet with family and a couple of friends at 6 pm to celebrate my birthday, we rushed back to Sucat, hanged out at SM BF, and then walked to our favorite Chinese restaurant. It was still early so we went to this parlor and it had a karaoke and we were being serenaded by one of the staff! Maxi had a hair spa, I had my nails done, and my youngest arrived to have her nails done too. Then, off to dinner at Toho. Dinner was fine, all the favorites were on the table and I do enjoy simple celebrations, as for me a birthday is just like going from one grade to another. My kids went their way and during the ride home, I felt sleepy yet had to go online to answer some of the Facebook birthday messages and with over 200, I am not done yet as Facebook might block me because I repeat the comment, "Thank you" too often. 

Upon reflection of that day, the gifts I got meant a lot. The time spent with me to make my day special shows that it is important to them even though birthdays are not important to me. The messages that came from old and new friends, it felt good to be remembered. It was a perfect start to the third quarter of my life of which the game would be set. 

The Shi Lin Experience

Shi Lin is a Chinese restaurant with a number of branches to include the ones at the Fort and Alabang Town Center that I have dined at. The service is very good, the chairs are comfortable, and the ambiance is rather hushed unlike many Chinese restaurants where you hear the clanking of the utensils from the service area, which personally, I don't mind as the ambiance serves to heighten the various dining experiences. The food at Shi Lin is not greasy. It has a distinct and unique taste, unlike the main stream Chinese food that we are familiar with. The photo menu is a great aid for ordering and what I like about this restaurant is what is served looks exactly the same as the photo. The price is affordable and the food is filling. The Oolong tea is delightful, and even if I am not a tea drinker, I had a few cups. 

I have dined in this Chinese restaurant twice with my daughter, Maxi, and since my phone got reformatted, I lost the video of the cooks making dumplings at their Fort branch and the picture of the food items, such as the spicy spare ribs and buns served with sweet, thickened milk. I got to keep this one from our Alabang Town Center branch visit. Any of the rice dishes is a must try and we enjoyed the less fatty white chicken served with my must-have more ginger sauce. 

And, while we were waiting for the food at ATC, Maxi and I indulged in the all-time Filipino must-do which is taking selfies. 

Ready!

Selfie!

Crazy!

The Shi Lin Experience

The last time I ate at Shi Lin was with my Chinese friend which was great as the orders were different from what I would typically choose. I did request for spicy jellyfish and again I have no photo as I forgot to take one as all I wanted to do was eat. It was a blisteringly hot day and that took the edge off my appetite for lunch but what perked it up was the different kinds of dumplings that was chosen.

Wonton Soup 

Mushroom and Vegetable Dumpling 

Siao Long Pao 

Each and every one of these soimais were perfect - from appearance to taste. Now here comes my Shi Lin experience. Apparently, as informed by my Chinese friend, to eat the Siao Long Pao doesn't mean that you'll just pick it up with chopsticks, dip it in your sauce like soy sauce, calamansi, or chili, and stuff it in your mouth - thought that is not how it was said.

A quick demo from my friend revealed how a dumpling has to be placed a spoon with the addition of pinch or two of finely shredded ginger and a little Chinese vinegar, specifically the red kind, which Shi Lin didn't have so we used the black vinegar instead, and then to swoop it up into your mouth to indulge in that one perfect bite. For me, I wouldn't know the difference of the vinegars but the experience was quite a moment as this dumpling contains soup and it pops in your mouth, and the soup will envelope it with warmth and flavor as it gushes down your throat! This Shi Lin experience is one that I surely will repeat, again and again. If you haven't tried Siao Long Pao, I highly recommend that you do. 

Life is Not Measured by Days But by Special Moments that Take Our Breath Away

Tagaytay has always been the city that I plan to stay at when I retire. The cool, fresh air, the awesome vegetables, the quiet, ahh - especially during the hot summer months, I yearn, as I always want to enjoy this getaway place and one day, soon, hope to live a life of a vacation that will never end because life should be a vacation. 

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure to discover what I firmly believe is the most romantic spot in the entire area. Casa de Carlo is an event venue, perfect for weddings, debuts, and other special events such as wedding anniversaries. When I first visited the place, I fell in love with it immediately as the garden and the different areas are utterly beautiful, and I felt what the arrow in the photo below shows which is "Love Everywhere".

Jacuzzi

Event Area

Outdoor Lounging Area 

And much more to discover when you visit Casa de Carlo 

Life is Not Measured by Days 

But by Special Moments that Take Our Breath Away

 Carlo Callejo, Owner, Casa de Carlo 

I often go to Casa de Carlo to relax but there was one time that I just needed to go. This was last year, after my father passed away, I had to getaway to have time to think, to be able to rest, as it was a sad time. I packed up my bag and brought my dog to Tagaytay. Carlo, the owner, his loving wife, and his adorable daughter made my stay in their place a very pleasant one indeed.

Casa de Carlo is a bed and breakfast hotel. I always have a great time here and around this time last year, the few nights that I was there eased the pain of losing my father and I got to rest, to enjoy the food and beverages of the only place in Tagaytay that serves authentic Spanish cuisine which I will feature soon.

Hotel Room

Breakfast 

Lunch

Coffee 

Right now, as I am writing this, I feel the need to getaway again. It's more than the hot summer weather, more than the daily stressors that I have to deal with, more than the monotony of mundane tasks, as I need time to think at Casa de Carlo as it is beautiful, serene, cool, and wonderful. 

Losing Weight with Water

Ever wonder why even if you keep on drinking just water, the weight loss isn't enough?  There is a way to lose weight with beverages and that is by going on a liquid diet.

This liquid diet is not like that in a hospital, it is a daily healthy choice to make what you drink work for weight loss.

Among all the detox drinks, diet supplements, and other weight loss beverages, there is the essential, vital water that most people ignore as a weight loss drink.

Yes, water can help you lose weight.. and you'll learn how to drink water and lose weight in my new ebook,

ReFresh: The Liquid Diet Guide

Available at

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/ReFresh-The-Liquid-Diet-Guide-ebook/dp/B00VGLVAVK
Kindle, Google Play, Apple Store, and all other online bookstores.

Extra Income: Nuffnang Ads on My Blog

Blogging for personal reasons has benefits but there is not a lot of income to be made. As a food blogger and product reviewer, I do get food, events to attend, and other things such as samples, but the income from blogging isn't there. Google ads are like a drizzle in the desert and so I was convinced by a friend, Mary Jane Dionela of FrugalYetFab blog, to be part of Nuffnang.

To be part of Nuffnang, I signed up and entered my blog, go approved, and placed in the ads into my blog.

I haven't been blogging lately because I have been concentrating on writing an ebook but today I visited my blog and saw that the Nuffnang ads were live. I don't want to waste the chance to make extra income from my blog, so I am going to post more often.

When looking for extra income online, blogging can make money, as my friend Mary Jane is already earning from it, and so can I, and for that matter, so can you.

Amazing #-21lbsIn30Days Naturally

When we try to lose weight, it can be frustrating but this new diet pill is fantastic. Easy weight loss is achieved fast with this weight loss pill that contains Garcinia Cambogia and other ingredients such as African Mango.

Garcinia Cambogia is a fruit. According to WebMD,"Some research has found that garcinia cambogia can also improve cholesterol levels, lowering triglycerides and LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) and raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol). 

African Mango, the other ingredient in this weight loss pill, melts away the belly fat. To quote WebMD,  "A few studies have shown that supplements containing IG extract can aid in weight loss and lower bloodcholesterol levels."

This powerful yet natural weight loss supplement provides fast weight loss. The combination of extracts brings about the burning of the stored fat to turn it into energy, faster metabolism, and detoxification. The cleanse gets rid of the toxins that make a person feel lethargic. 

Lose 21 pounds in 30 days! Click here http://bst.is/RCLNW8

Unlike other weight loss pills, this one brings about healthy and fast weight loss the natural way. If you have been searching for the easy way to lose weight, then you will discover that this is the one that works for you to get rid of those unwanted pound fast.  #-21lbsIn30Days