Coffee? Free Wifi? In phase one BF Homes Paranaque, where do you go? There's no place that's near Ruins, right? For your information, there is.
Barako Haus is located right beside Pizza Hut, in front of Waki and Pancake House. A chill place, there's our favorite brew and free, strong wifi! I have had the ultimate pleasure to try the Sunflower frap which is in the middle of the picture, and I guarantee that you'll go nuts about the candy coated sunflower seeds integrated into a filling, whipped cream topped, delicious coffee-based beverage. The other flavors I also tried, and these are great as the richness of the coffee is distinctly there, and there is no holding back in the amount of thick whipped cream that you'll get.
Barako Haus is BF Homes has civet coffee that is sought after by many coffee lovers as it is non-acidic and has a rich, robust flavor. The coffee is presented like a tea bag and hot water will be poured in and after steeping for a few minutes, you've got your civet coffee.
There are Filipino delicacies available, for dine in and take out. The sandwiches are made from malunggay pan de sal and these are large and served hot from the oven. You'll love the unique taste of the tinapa pan de sal and that of our all-time favorite, adobo.
And, my favorite item that I have tried at Barako Hause is the gourmet peanuts which I can't get enough of, even if I have to limit my peanut intake! The spice is just right, not overpowering but enhancing and it has a blend of herbs with just the perfect touch of salt. It's perfect, especially with some FUNdador!
Barako Haus BF Homes is owned by my friends, Al and Menchie Serrano, and my daughter and I love this cool place as we can bring our laptop, go online on our cells, and chill the whole day until night as it closes at midnight, and it has Filipino brews. Take a few minutes to laugh by clicking play to watch the hilarious Filipino Coffee Tutorial of Mikey Bustos!
Promote and support our own Filipino brews, South peeps! Visit Barako Haus BF.
We may tend to put the blame on other matters that influence us to make a decision but ultimately, it rests upon us. So many people walk around tragically saying that they can't make the changes yet it truth, they can but won't.
Could have, would have, should have
These 3 phrases are like the worst to say. I think back sometimes and reflect but I know that I can't turn back the hands of time as what has been done, is done. We do have time and it's kind of scary to know that there are realities that makes time even longer.
Tesseract
Once, a long while back, I felt like I was in a tesseract which is a warp in time. It started by my doing something that I didn't plan and from that point in time until it was over then I proceed to go forward along the path that I knew was mine.
Was I forced to make a decision? Yes.
Was my decision correct? Yes, it seemed right, all factors said so.
Was I happy? In the warp, yes.
Did it change my life drastically? Yes.
Did I lose anything because of my decision? Yes.
Reincarnation
My head hurts from the sweltering heat that makes standing still an effort. My heart has stopped. My mind has taken over and I read and study, seeking the answer I already know, that my soul knows, I cannot be free of the knowing. And you know what the scariest part is? Unfinished business doesn't get another lifetime to cycle, it's happening now and I don't have to die for the things to repeat, for another chance.
Does this sound too vague? Is it too coincidental for the same scene to happen twice? That the same kind of longing and yearning will be there? That even the same kind of wall will be placed? Not a deja vu, as I had those before but a repeat of the essence and though the circumstances has changed, making it now possible for me to make a decision.
The scene. Rinse. repeat.
We laughed the night away. I saw the twinkle in his eyes, how he stare at me when he thought I wasn't looking. It was beyond the stage of sitting in front of each other at the table, talking the time away. I fell into his arms, we kissed, and he wiped my tears away, saying, "I can't."
During the first time, the sad thing was, I could not also but I did do what I could to be free. I had waited for him to be free and all those years, he cared for me and maybe he couldn't return because I was no longer free as I couldn't wait not knowing as things were unclear except for the knowing that I belong with him. Too awful for me, not once but twice in a lifetime and it's the same soul that I see in the eyes. Yet, I think now after studying for days, if it is mine, it is mine until the end of time, right?
Now comes the troubled part. You would think that all would be plain sailing yet other factors are involved. More than factors, people, dragging it down, tearing it apart, a grounded reality. To move, I made a break from the most obvious hindrance to my freedom but what I never expected is that another soul, the one that I had freed myself from, would come back. It flusters me as it was like he was beckoned during a conversation about him and as I stared down thinking how he was dead, I never expected that he might appear again, My heart suddenly starts beating faster as I know that passion, I know that call, and my heart is being torn so I hold on to see things through because if it is really him that I left, he had vowed to haunt all the others.
Oh, why do these things happen to me? Argh! Is having my third eye open a flaw? Is being so esoteric once coming back now? Take a deep breath, focus, and know.
I am still here.
The same kind of battle is about to be fought again only this time, I am free to make my decision and it will be in accordance to what I do and do not do. And my decision is not to decide for now as many words have been left unspoken, many things are yet to happen, yet there is that red string of which to hold onto.
I am ready.
It's not a game, it's real life and I have this chance not to mess it up. I got ready by fixing what to wear, loading my gun - oops, nope, that was a joke! I am ready and the first thing is control. Yup, not to take control but to be in control. The next step is to wait for the events to happen, now that is a hassle because I am so impatient! I will listen and wait for the move, the acknowledgement, the confirmation to know which soul the red string of fate of my soul is attached to.
Go with the flow. Destiny. Fate. That invisible cord, that the red thread that dictates.
The way we makes decisions in our lives vary. Some are based on logic, some are based on doing what is acceptable by society, some are based on what our heart says, and there is that which we have to make which is based on the red string of fate.
How can one ever think clearly with all the noise around us? It's toxic - the hectic hustle and bustle of city life. Environmental toxins include the lousy air that we breath, the bad stuff in what we consume, the synthetic nature of our clothing, the things that we use to destroy the atmosphere - we are surrounded with what is unnatural.
The city life isn't for me, never has been, never will be. I love peace and quiet, long, leisurely days and nights with just the sound of the birds chirping to wake me up in the morning and the shrill of the crickets to lullaby me at night. As the sun sets after the heat of the day, I peel off my clothes to wear my favorite old white t-shirts and crash on my bed, as my dogs lie down too, enjoying the final moments of sunshine to welcome the heat of the day disappearing to take a nap. Silence, the golden silence, the beauty of routine, no jolts, no surprises, just a blissful ordinary day.
According to WebMD, negative ions creates positive vibes. Though many people believe that wearing a certain kind of bracelet can give the negative ions we need, it simply isn't true. How can the touch of a metal protect us from the toxic environment?
The city has no negative ions which isn't a positive thing. To quote WebMD, negative ions "are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight,radiation, and moving air and water. You may have experienced the power of negative ions when you last set foot on the beach or walked beneath a waterfall. While part of the euphoria is simply being around these wondrous settings and away from the normal pressures of home and work, the air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions -- Much more than the average home or office building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero." A quick fix would be to take a shower as that would provide the water element to bring on the positive vibes. Yet, a better solution is to take the time to go to out of town and enjoy nature, a walk among the flowers, to breath fresh air and feel the wind. Refreshing, get away from the toxic life.
Brain Drain
The noise level has been high outside my home. I seek balance by playing music to shut the noise of traffic out, the noise of a busy restaurant, the endless chatter of people, getting rid of the words of the holier than thou, as if they don't have clay feet, too, plunging into talk with endless advice when they won't listen to their doctor, have bottled up emotions, or have anger management issues, dictating on other people.
As I take walks nearly daily, I think of the people in my life and think of mine, of course. The elements that muddle my mind is to see pain and I just feel sometimes the need to stand up, give the person a hug or a kiss in the cheek, to reach out and touch, a tap in the back, to make them feel appreciated, then I think of living in a more natural area to come home to my quiet life and go online to maybe get to touch someone's life again to make it better. Anti-noise pollution, no brain drain, work, laughter, good food, good company, these are the things that I enjoy. I turn my back on abuse and don't deal with it anymore, let the person be to live in their own misery as that adds to the toxic level in my life as happiness should just be so easy, instead of controlled by the factors such as society who really doesn't give a squat, just there to view, instead of chilling and loving life.
Sharing a Smile
Earlier tonight, as I do every nearly night for the past few months, I carry Nala, a Shih tzu-Jack Russell terrier, who is as sweet as can be. I stand up in the yard as I hold her in my arms, and she keeps on kissing my neck, cheeks, and even my hands as these hold her. For a long while as I stand up and swing her gently as she is cradled and we spend the time looking at the moon and stars, feeling the night air. Nala loves tummy rubs as you will see in this picture and turns around each time anyone comes near her, trying to be as cute.
And then there is Bailey, my toy poodle. When I took Nala home, this new pet was into tearing paper and much to my surprise, my well-behaved Bailey did the same as she tore up tissue paper!
Not guilty, Your Honor!
Did they make you smile? Drinking lots of water, eating healthy, indulging in a few sweet treats, taking long walks, listening to music, caring for my pets, and keeping company with people who care for me and show it are some of the ways that I detox daily.
When was the last time you took a walk?
Gave someone a hug?
Take a step to make someone's life happier by being there 100 percent?
Stopped controlling to go with the flow?
Time is of the essence or is it? We may wish for things today and then not think of tomorrow. But, if we know and are secure - then there is always tomorrow.
Silly thoughts flint through my mind sometimes - which does not include not waking up though! Today I smile and get ready for bed, dreading the fact that I might again wake up before 4 am because of the heat - but take it in stride as life isn't a bed of roses without thorns.
Don't trust, don't believe
I had a meeting earlier today and it went well. It lasted for a few hours and then it was time to pack up and see my daughter. I entered the meeting with massive apprehension as I could here the warning of my father about the person I was dealing with. Don't trust, don't believe. And this is what I did. Mid-meeting, I looked for the foot of the guy beside me and kicked his shoe, telling him to behave. I don't care how much money you dangle in front of me as I am here for work, to make money, and they make money along the way. So it all went well and I saw my daughter, hanged out for a while at the bar that she runs and since the guys I met with accompanied us there, I made my statement in front of my kids and the guy that I kicked, placing my foot down and making things clear.
Know who to trust
People have some sort of ulterior motive, some more obvious than the others. I have been some reading at PsychologyToday.com so I can learn more about myself and others, and I have learned a lot. A sad thing that I learned is that to control the lack of attention problem which is in Filipino "KSP" kulang sa pansin, may be done by the person yet it occurs because of neglect and it's something that can be controlled. I should read more about other factors that makes me react the way I do yet I do know who to trust. For me, trusting a person means getting to know them with different situations and then the trust grows. Of course, there will always be differences yet the basic trust is there.
Fluttering in the wind
As a woman who has been around though that doesn't sound that good, I know when the direction is changing from what was intentionally planned which is work. The thing is, I have been around long enough to make it work in my favor and there'll be no such dealings as it's best to be straight - work is work and I will kick and dump any deal that isn't that way.
Seeming like a butterfly that looks pretty and alluring, when it comes to making money that's all that I think of. Though I wear a skirt and it flutters in the wind, the sight might be enticing, and if the ones that I am talking to just look at my skirt, it's not going to work.
Today and many tomorrows
Soon, I will compute to see how much money is needed to make the deal push through to my satisfaction, create a solid contract and maybe next week the deal will push through, if the person has enough money and back up to complete the project that I will present and before I give any details, the money for me to move has to be there. In the meantime, I do not leave empty-handed as my time is money, indeed.
And, I was happy today to see that the effort was made by a friend to be with me. No talking, not much said but that's okay because I'll be there tomorrow and for many tomorrows as often as I can, seeing things through and there isn't any need to talk much anyway.
Too many questions
I have been getting a lot of questions lately. Some are prying, out of curiosity, of real interest, and then gathering knowledge about me. The typical conversational questions don't bother me but I don't know why I get questions like "What kind of a man are you looking for?" makes me want to grab the person by the collar.
Fluttering in the wind like a beautiful butterfly brings more attention than I am used to. And, as my skirt flutters, there's more to me than what meets the eye.
Know what is important or time wasting - and then do what you need to and what you want to do. The more you do, the more you love is like taking care of a baby who can't do anything. Yet, as that baby grows up, it can be a spoiled child and the demands on your time and effort is too much.
When my Dad was ill, we had to take care of him for years. He wasn't demanding except in the late stages of his life. Dad was hesitant to ask for anything as a rule.
"Iha, what are you cooking? I smell nilaga."
"The meat is not soft yet, Dad."
Dad never opened the refrigerator, poured out his own drink unless while he was at the table, he was always served like my youngest brother when he was studying medicine. The house rule was that Dad's efforts are to be saved to make money and with my brother, his hands are meant to save lives so he can't wash plates.
Now that Dad is gone, I have more time on my hands and I do what I want - and I miss my Dad and his jokes like when my daughter, Sarah, showed him her ID picture and he said that now we have one to use for missing persons because Sarah is often out. Just a couple of years ago, when I would be out, I would get a "WRU" text from Dad. The rule was to reply, fast, because if he waits, he will call!
Dad was never a spoiled brat but we spoiled him especially in the last years of his life because he gave us everything and would only go out to work, do things to make money and then spend time with the family. His happiest times were when we are together and there was Goldilocks mocha cake which he wanted to be the cake even if it isn't his birthday.
Saying No to Save Myself
There comes a point in time when I no longer see the need for me to do things for a lot of people. I say "no" in the best possible manner as I do have a life, things I want to do, things that I love to do. Training others to make do without me is good for them as it is good for me. Taking care of my Dad until he died was, for me and my daughters, not an obligation but what we wanted to do.
I was a spoiled brat for a long time. One of the reasons why is that I was rewarded for bad behavior? My kids don't get any leash from me when they are doing wrong as I don't want them to be lazy. I do understand that not all of them will perform in the same manner and that they have their flaws - point it out and don't nag, as I am tired of talking and hearing myself say the same thing over and over.
Saying "no" to save myself the trouble gives me time and think, if I give an extra one minute to all of those who want me to do something for them, I will never have time to do anything.
Time Worth Giving
Life is too short. We take up a lot of time sleeping, eating, grooming, taking care of our duties, and then when all is said and done, we do want to be appreciated which doesn't always happen. Not everyone wants the same thing as we do and so we must separate ourselves from the unnecessary and hurtful so we do have a beautiful, simple life. We must live today like it was the last day of our lives. Take a moment to think how and with whom you want to spend the last day of your life.
To love someone means to do more, yes, as we can nurture things, and as fate would have it, to do more sometimes isn't possible yet time is still worth giving just in case it could be possible - if not, it is time to let go or to decide to stay on - as every single decision that we make now will pave the way for our happiness, in all that we do, all that we are as it's our time in a world that we can create. Sadness isn't there when we live and love, today. Sure, there is that pain that we can inflict on others when we turn them away like what I did yesterday by saying to an old flame that I can't see or speak with you anymore because I am seeing someone but then these things have to be done as I am not taking any chances in losing what makes me happy as before we can love someone fully, we have to love ourselves.
Live today like it was the last day of your life because this moment, right now, is your life.
The longganisa of Vigan, Ilocos Sur has a distinct, strong, meaty flavor. My late husband, Rene Quema was from Vigan, and whenever I go there Vigan longganisa will be served for breakfast upon request, making it a meal to yearn for. My stock is now depleted after this blog post and I would have to make Partas the next batch!
To cook Vigan longganisa, one has to boil in water, half-way covered is enough. After a few minutes of boiling, you'll see that it plumps up, so get a fork to pierce it to let the juices ooze out. Boil the liquid down until it becomes oil. Continue cooking and turning the longganisa in the reddish oil until has an even red-brown color.
Remove from pan and plate. Serve with chopped tomatoes and onions (ideally the small red ones) and with Vigan suka as dipping sauce.
The oil in the pan extracted from the Vigan longganisa may be used to make fried rice and to make it taste better, add salt to taste during the cooking process. I added powder achuete to the oil before frying the rice so that the finish product has a vibrant color. This oil may also be used to cook sunny side up eggs to match this authentic Vigan meal using this method on how to cook perfect eggs.
When cooking Vigan longganisa using the proper method and serving it with the right side dish and dip, it guarantees that the dish will be authentically delicious and that every bite a sheer delight.
The key to enjoying life online is to keep in mind that all virtual friends and followers are real.
When I first used Facebook, it was to keep in touch with family and friends and to play games! Twitter was a must though I really didn't know what to do, I got an account. After creating a Tumblr, my youngest daughter said I was too old for it so that account is dust-covered. Pinterest was made for work, Google Plus for work, Bubblews and other writing sites for work, and lately while developing my Instagram account, discovered the key to reach a larger targeted audience.
I joined and won a contest at Twitter so the contest bug bit me hard. Going on Facebook, there was a sharing video contest so I needed to gain more friends to win and I went for it with the help of my other contest joining friends. I constantly expand my network, having nearly 5,000 friend on Facebook, over 3,000 followers on Twitter making me "Twitter Famous", and gaining a large responsive, targeted audience online with other networking sites. I appreciate all that add and follow me as they are real people.
Real People
I go online basically to work and along the way, as I develop my social media accounts, I gained real friends who I laugh and cry with. All people online are real, some lie more than other using the veil of the internet, some are bad, some are lonely so they look for love online. I have no such luck in finding love online as it isn't for me to go into an unknown long-distance relationship but I do find friends.
People are real and that fact keeps me going. Yesterday, I followed back on Twitter over 40 people, worrying that my clicking follow so fast would result in being blocked for a while and the good thing was that my new followers were targeted according to the hashtags that I tweet about often. On Facebook, I have a lot of pending accepts but I still have to delete other friends so I can't add too much more as I am hesitant to delete as I do know that many are there - and a touch online can be felt instantly anywhere the person is in the world.
Going offline into the real world which I don't do very often, I see many lonely people. I am not lonely though I am usually alone as there is my online world. Like yesterday, I saw a woman who complimented my dog and she sat beside me. I saw in her eyes that she was rather sad and so I chatted with her for a minute but then I had to leave. I hope to see her again and maybe we can become friends and though I know many people, gaining new friends is great.
Online Marketing
During a discussion yesterday, I was emphasizing the need to develop a targeted audience for online marketing. As not everyone has all the social networks and even Linkedin, FourSquare, and other such networking sites, one has to be present and active to make the most of these resources for marketing.
Constant Change
It's good to keep in mind that the online world is constantly changing and what is in today might not be trending tomorrow. Note that the last conversation that I had with my 7 year old nephew proves it. I had asked why he no longer tags me on Facebook and he said. "I hardly use Facebook as I don't play the games anymore so subscribe to my YouTube account!"
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.
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.
"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 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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
