Rex Navarrete
July 31, 2011 § 1 Comment
I forgot na where I first heard about Rex Navarrete but from the first time I heard him I have been a fan na.
We watched his SM Cinema show once and then again in Tagaytay Highlands. I have long been wanting to watch his show again. Then last night I came across Mike Unson‘s FB Stat about Rex Navarrete I just had to find out more. Here’s what I found out. Tickets will be sold at Ticketworld.com.ph soon but while it is not yet sold you can already reserve tickets from Marco Aventajado
show details in the poster
seat plan
Am really excited!
Can’t wait na…
In aid of Mother Earth and the Urban Poor
July 30, 2011 § Leave a comment
I love recyclables specially when the making of it helps the urban poor pa.
We used to sell the Yabang Pinoy bands. We are mighty proud of how far the group have gone na.
This is where Pat & Maricris started, and look where they are now.
Here are other stuff I have and super love that are made from recycled materials &/or made by rural communities.
gift from N@Wie Marife - made from Coke Billboard
gift from K Fol & Leslie - coke wristlets from bottle labels
The only Rajo Laurel item in our house... for now. Coveting Rajito!
And this one I saw from SM in Kultura. I got myself the pink & purple one 🙂
made from those colored plastic bags that clogs our river and drainage! but I assume they use new ones so anong recycled dito? hmm maybe it just gives livelihood to the urban poor
I want this one from Aranaz. I wonder where I can get myself one of this? and how much!
Salute and cheers to people like Penny Velasco of Happy Earth & Forest King (and yes Velasco from Dominic Velasco), who just went ahead and built her Eco Village, she did it while others (me included) are just yapping and yapping away!
Read more about Tuwa, The Laughing Fish a bed and breakfast place in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija
by BeyondManila
This is what I wish to leave for my kids when I die, not just a house, not just a rest house, not just a vacation house but an ecofriendly house.
Can’t wait for your ecohouse to finish, Velvet!
Mama’s Table by Chef Vicky Tinio Clemente
July 28, 2011 § 1 Comment
I love eating out, food should be good, it would be such a pleasure if place is stunning or cozy, but I think what makes a meal memorable is the company. I have lots of memorable meals but this one I want to do again.
I first read about Chef Vicky from Heart-2-Heart‘s blog last January (she blogged about the place again recently here) and after reading I really really wanted to go. Lucky for me, my closest friends were on a road trip bug so off to Baguio we went one February weekend. Oh we were really excited for that meal!
It’s an 8 course meal at Chef Vicky’s home in Baguio. We wanted to have it Saturday dinner but she was already booked as she only accepts one group per meal. So no choice but to have our meal on Sunday lunch before we head back to Manila meaning no wine for us. Her place is roughly 10-15 minute away from Manor in Camp John Hay, roads are in good condition too. As you enter her home you will notice the big living room/dining room space with a big window for the wonderful view of the mountain and of their garden. Oh my I wish I have access to such a house. The weather was perfect so we loitered around the place before starting on our meal. The meal was such a great experience. Quite pricey at roughly P1500/pax but it was such a memorable one that the amount is so worth it.
We started our meal at 1230 and mid way we told Chef Vicky to quicken the pace as we will still head back to Manila, we finished around 330pm, if only we are not heading back we would have lingered on pa. Such precious memories of great times with good friends. These are friends I have been with since grade school and high school. Knew them quarter of my life now. Love them too!
Am not a food blogger so please head to Leslie‘s blog instead for a blow by blow account and lovely description of the food accompanied by great photos. Our meal was like theirs except for the soup, ours was mushroom cappuccino.
I am itching to go back to another meal at Chef Vicky’s place. When kaya?
Chef Vicky
074.4421794
0915.6438775
Tatts
July 26, 2011 § 3 Comments
The itch for another tatt has been with me for quite some time. Then I got pregnant so had to put it on hold then I was busy with a newborn and now that she is one am once again itching to get one.
Problem is I dont know what yet and I dont know where pa.
Our first is soooo faded na it is so lame already.
Didda's (left shoulder) & Mine (right shoulder)
Who are the recommended tattoo artist? Saan kaya ako pa tattoo? Ano kaya palagay ko? Should I choose the infrared ones?
I like something like Angelina Jolie yung map coordinates of her kids.
Before I wanted to have this sana…
But with Laya now, parang di na pwede ito.
Hmmm any idea?
Thai Chicken Basil
July 23, 2011 § 4 Comments
My mom is a very GOOD cook! I grew up in a household where our chicken are bought from the market alive and slithered at home upon need. We buy LapuLapu alive and nag swi-swimming sila sa balde with oxygen filter til it is time to prepare lunch/dinner. We make our own curry paste. We have a ref just for raw ingredients. Our food are so good my friends would always eat in. And much as I love to eat out, I love eating at home. Food in our house are production numbers, we have seafood nights, we have chinese lumpia nights, thai food night. Restaurant quality food sa house namin I swear! If I compare the lumpia sa house namin and sa resto panalo sa bahay namin. There are a lot of food I order sa resto now na mas masarap pa din yung sa bahay namin kaso di ko naitanong sa mom ko or sa old cook namin how to prepare it kaya, ayun memory na lang sila, when I eat them sa resto it is just to satisfy my craving but it is not as good as my mom’s. Super regret ko talaga not be able to ask for the recipes. May mga ilan na lang na naaalala ko dahil mahilig akong makialam kung saan ang kaguluhan. Isa itong Thai Chicken Basil. Share ko na din sa inyo how it is cooked.
it doesn't look appetizing but yummy siya for us
Ingredients:
Saute garlic first then put onion, pag transparent na yung onions I put the yellow beans para mabango na the oil then next put the chicken until maluto siya, next soy sauce then pag pasok na lasa ng soy sauce sa chicken I put the sili sigang, pag medyo lumabot na yung sili sigang I put the siling labuyo na, then taste again then adjust it, if too maalat I add water if kulang sa alat more soy sauce then I put na the basil leaves. Let it sit for a while para maging softer lang yung leaves then serve. We eat it as rice topping.
Yun lang! Nasarapan lang ako sa pagluto ko a few days ago kaya naisip kong ishare. Pag di kayo nasarapan isipin na lang ninyo mali yung quantities ninyo and NOT because di yummy itong chicken basil ko hahaha.
The one childhood food I am so craving na di ko pa din mahanap sa resto maski saan is this one. Super favorite ko ito. Lucky may version ate ko na kinda pwede na but di pa din authentic and mahirap gawin, ma effort so di ko pa inattempt.
photo from Cooking Momster
This picture id what we often have sa restos, but the one I am craving for needs more pa, yung amin may sauce before serving na di ko pa nakakain sa kahit anong resto. All I remember with this recipe is it needs freshest tanguigue tapos ipa palo palo or slam slam ng maraming maraming maraming beses para maging malutong I remember minimum of 100 times yan so masakit sa braso and kilikili. Hay di ko talaga ito natutuhan. Buti na lang the curry I like I can buy ready made red curry paste na sa market. But I still miss the bamboo shoot and fish head curry my mom makes.
Bangkok House in Glorietta Fast Food
I miss my mom! She had a restaurant nga pala when I was little, it’s called Bangkok House sa food court kung saan ang Glorietta is standing now. Makati girl akong lumaki! Tapos may resto din siya sa Avenida, Lee Garden naman yung name. Sikat kaya yung resto noon? I have no idea. Hmm what joy if may mga makilala akong alam yung mga resto ng mom ko.
Lee Graden Kitchenette in Avenida
Love you mommy! She died so many years ago. Weird lang I am good with dates but my mom’s death I cant remember, the date nor the year I need pa to check her death certificate. I guess unconsciously I block out the memory of her death.
Milk Mama Diaries 3
July 20, 2011 § 24 Comments
Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council – Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme ”Isulong ang Breastfeeding – Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!” Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.
I love breastfeeding! Ha you should have heard me during the early weeks! I swore and kept waiting for a valid reason to stop. But luckily none came. I always remember what I once saw on TV, about how a man can breastfeed by letting baby suck often enough. And I know some nannies was able to breastfeed even when they didnt give birth recently simply by allowing baby to keep sucking. Velvet helped a doctor who adopted a newborn breastfeed and was successful! With that in mind how can I not when they can? If a mom wants to go through the hardship or not is a different question. I once told a friend, dont breastfeed na if it is giving you so much emotional distress, mag formula ka na lang at least mas happy ka and mas ok ang magiging mommyhood journey mo. I am not sure how other breastfeeding advocate sees that, is it normal advice or am I the black sheep but I stand on my advice and will still say the same to one who is on that boat. But if you are one who is very much wanting to breastfeed oh I have your back. I even pay for people to visit some friends just to make sure they are on track and are given the right guidance. What I am trying to say is I am not a formula hater,I dont want people to perceive me as all breastfeeding and makes one feel bad if they are formula feeding. Ay ang dami kong busina!
photo by Rey Tuazon
During my pregnancy I made a mental note on who among my friends are successfully breastfeeding or breastfed, I kept them in mind so I can text them if and when my morale is low or when I stumble upon roadblocks. I had to choose well because I didnt want to get advices and message from annoying and know-it-all people, remember I might be in my post partum and could be ultra sensitive. I didnt want others to be able to make me feel small or like a failure or get frustrated.
Now that I was able to do it, that is also what I do to help others out. I make myself available to others who might want to go into breastfeeding. I simply talk about my experience and how much fun I have and how glad I am about breastfeeding. That would hopefully attract those who are interested to breastfeed to ask me anything and at the same time not seem pushy to those who aren’t since am not talking about it anyway, am showing it lang. Is it effective? I think so as I got friends who would email or text me their breastfeeding concerns and even friends who would ask in behalf of their friends.
Also attending Breastfeeding meets were very very helpful to me, meeting different people with different experiences you will bound to meet one who shares what you went through too. Of course nothing beats online support group since it is available 24/7 and is a group of wider kinds of mom. Being with people who breastfed makes you realize it is not as hard nor as impossible so your confidence grows too.
Pressure point of breastfeeding: I feel that the first few days of breastfeeding is the most crucial part, once they start giving up or doubting all the problem start entering so I am always telling people to text, email or message me at the moment they feel they need help. This is where I think people should focus to help promote breastfeeding.
I think seeing my friends feed til their child is 3 or 4 years old makes me not stop too. I first wanted to feed till Laya is 1 but didnt want to overwhelm myself when I was having a hard time so I made it 3 months then 6 months then on my 9th month I knew I can go on not even need to give myself a goal, it is not inconvenient to continue instead it is so convenient na nga, mas inconvenient pa to stop, I had so many concerns and preparation to make if I stop. Now at 16 months am not seeing myself stop unless Laya decide she doesnt want to anymore.
As for the government to promote breastfeeding? I honestly dont know, I am quite scared about promoting breastfeeding because it is so easy for those who doesn’t breastfeed to feel that the breastfeeding moms are so gung ho and so full of themselves when they talk breastfeeding (Read this blog this is EXACTLY how I felt). It is so easy to step on their toes so I try to be quiet and only answer when asked (yes sa lagay na ito pigil na ako). I guess people just tend to always talk with too much emotion on things they are passionate about and those who arent on the same boat feels those who are are OA na. Kinda like having born again friends diba? They are so happy to discover God that they would do anything to convert those who havent. Yung nga lang mas easy to understand mga born again kasi God yan eh. Sa breastfeeding, it comes off differently because there’s this feeling na if you didnt breastfeed you didnt give the best and thus guilt and so many other emotions get in too so some people gets riled up easily too. But I do think getting popular celebrity that connects well to the people to endorse breastfeeding will help leaps and bounds 🙂
Please read the blogs from the other carnival-ers
Enjoy!
Mommy Milkshake 2011
July 20, 2011 § 1 Comment
Yes am going 🙂 haha but no, not for the running bit but for the food in Mercato and the Breastfeeding Expo.
Mommy Mundo, the organizers of this event are our dear dear friends 🙂 Good luck guys! Go to The Bull Runner for everything and anything about running.
Online FB Shopping
July 19, 2011 § 8 Comments
The past weeks or so I have been having so much fun shopping via facebook. So much fun that I was scammed by a seller (the amount is negligible but the feeling that I was ripped remain sour). To erase that annoying memory am sharing the great finds from my facebook shopping.
My favorite is from Wee + Mutsi (N@Wie Michelle’s shop)
flip & tumble
so easy to pack away
so hard to choose a color
got a mini bag for Kite too
flip & tumble mini
we also got the scrunch bucket from this site.
we have been looking for a tabo to bring to our travels and this is the best answer so far, although its use needs practice since the bucket collapse but it is workable naman. di naman kasing tama dalhin namin stackable cups ni Laya kung di siya kasama :)p
how to collapse it
got this one too but havent had the chance to use it yet, still waiting for our high chair
Next favorite would be Swim Ways floaters
papasan = love
got this for Laya, ok naman but not as great as papasan
Also got Gap PJs for Laya from Martina’s Corner
pajamas
shorts
The mojos from Kyma’s Corner is not bad too, not exactly like mojos but pwede na.
Of course Milkman who delivers to our house twice a week.
Am excitedly waiting for Got several shirts from Chen’s Corner (N@Wie Sheryl’s shop)
Vespa shirt
And eyeing the ff for my next shopping. (unless magalit ang asawa pag nabasa niyo ito)
From MyBaby Onlineshoppe (dunno them so takot pa muna ako bumili, sayang sale pa naman ito now, anybody who knows them?)
From Wee + Mutsi
as soon as I find the need I will buy na
more flip & tumble bags (which colors kaya?) also the produce bags
and another papasan, super agawan sa papasan eh
picking color for the next one, probably the white and blue
Do you also have your fave FB shop? Share? hmm dont share na lang? No, no please share 🙂
DISCLOSURE: I paid for all items posted in this page.
Travel Kwento: El Nido Palawan
July 16, 2011 § 3 Comments
Oh I love traveling so much, as much as eating (and that’s saying a lot) 🙂 Since we are off to a trip to Los Banos am quite in a vacation mood now.
This is a repost from my traveling kwento in N@W. This is the latest trip we took with our travel buddies Kuya Fol, Leslie and their kids Gio & Paulo. We’ve traveled quite often with them, we’ve been to Kota Kinabalu, Bellarocca, Ilocos, Banawe and Baler, we travel well together since our firstborn are of similar age and are too similar in taste and preference. Here’s hoping for more travel with them. Bohol, Amanpulo, Europe, Egypt, Turkey and USA.
We took the Deal Grocer Promo P15k per person for 2N stay in El Nido Lagen (Seafront Rooms) ohh I love the room so much!
This is our second time in El Nido Resorts but the first time kasi we stayed for 2 nights tapos return flight namin was lunchtime so we barely had time and felt so rushed and so unrelaxed kasi nga parang gusto kong sulitin yung bayad so ratrat sa activities. Kaya this time we took an extra night para may chillax time naman and besides we have a baby with us too so we had to put that into consideration.
Since the Deal Grocer deal was just 2 nights we booked an extra night at Miniloc so sila kuya would experience both resorts (also mas mura sa Miniloc din kasi)
more info re the rates: yung Deal Grocer deal namin no activities included so if we want to go anywhere even to Miniloc lang we have to pay P1000/person, si Laya lang free so anywhere we go P7000 agad yun, included sa deal grocer was a 1hr massage & daily buffet breakfast for 2 pax. Yung Miniloc naman namin no breakfast but activities are free.
back story muna: Lagen when we went there last 2007 hmm iba yung feeling parang cold and isolated at parang walang life; whereas Miniloc where we stayed last time is so comfy and full of life so medyo cold ako sa idea to go Lagen kaso sila Leslie nag-aya, and it is always fun to be with their family, also I know when we come back from Oz Laya’s yaya wont be back pa so this trip will make taking care of Laya a lot easier. Iba ang taking care of Laya out of town/country compared to just being home, super iba!
We fitted our travel date to their flight sched. We took the date where we can get the earliest flight out and latest flight back.
May 29 730am flight – we needed to be in ITI (El Nido’s chartered plane’s hangar) at 630 so talagang aga nito. We got to El Nido resort by 1030am, rooms arent ready yet so we were asked if we want to stay or go Miniloc for lunch and stay there till 1pm then transfer to Lagen when our rooms are ready na (free na yung trip if ever we choose this) or go Lagen and have lunch and wait there for the rooms to be ready. We took Miniloc. Lunch either ala carte or buffet. Ala carte are reasonable and food is yummy; buffet is P1000/pax for adults and P650/child. Ala carte food like adobo is at P350; cheeseburger at P400; red curry pork P350 yata or P400 yummy ito. We took buffet for the kids kasi natatakam sila then a bit na lang idagdag from ala carte. Some of the adult took ala carte some took buffet. Mga nag ala carte nagnanakaw na lang sa food ng mga nag buffet hehehe. After lunch and before lunch the kids played in the beach and sand area. Kami chillax lang sa eating area kasi overlooking the beach part and sarap ng hangin etc. Also it was drizzling a bit bec of Chedeng and have been raining daw the past 5 days wahhh
After lunch we moved to Lagen and went straight to nap hahaha ang aga kasi ng gising, the bigger kids full of energy nag swimming na. We met up around 6pm for dinner. Again some took buffet some took ala carte, menu in Lagen is exactly same as in Miniloc.
Wala relax lang sa room after dinner, sila Kuya nag drinks pa sa bar, the kids all stayed and played in our room lang.
view ng room
interior ng room
Day 2: we had the beach lunch and island tour. 2 activities ito but they charge us once na lang for the banca (although we paid buffet price for the lunch). Super ok yung Dibuluan Beach Club (except if you like to swim kasi biglang lalim sa beach, since di kmi nagswim nag wade wade and sand sand lang ok na ok ito) kasi may cabana sila na super sarap tambayan see the pic
this is what we paid for
hay super luxury talaga tapos ang sarap pa ng hangin and this place is really nice kasi may sand bar pa na mahaba talaga sarap din mag kayak tapos may clean cr where you can wash and shower.
sand bar
see how long yung sand bar? kuya is just half way here taking our pictures
The island tour is no big deal we were suppose to go to 2 caves then to snake island (a sand bar) nyeks eh nicer pa yung sand bar sa Dibuluan tapos yung cave hohum lang kasi sa labas ka lang pakita lang. Ok na din para maka balik na agad sa resort to swim sa pool and chill. We skipped the other cave kasi may shooting daw, we can take it the next day na lang daw sa umaga… no thanks rather sleep. We just saw Cathedral Cave and what you see in the picture is what we saw din lang, daan lang tapos tinapat yung banca then picture picture that’s it na.
Cathedral Cave
Back to Lagen nag swimming na lang and ordered food sa poolside. Enjoy yung pool kasi di salt water kaso nadapa ako while carrying Laya. Sa sobra kong protect na she wont get hurt mas grabe yung impact sa akin, I scrapped my knees na kita na yung white and bleed ng bleed. Ouch tignan but I kept waiting for the super pain to arrive wala naman, di grabe yung pain so ok na din, and na-imagine ko buti di si Kite she is so squeamish and also just glad nothing happened to Laya. Yun nga lang bad trip kasi how will I swim na. Oh well, just happy the 2 kids are ok and it could have happened na Kite is the one carrying Laya then nadulas diyos ko I can’t imagine anong mangyari either grabe ang injury nila or possible ma drown sila kasi poolside ako na slip or inis kami kay Kite for not being careful… ah basta was just cringing when I remember what happened then thankful the next second.
pool picture
papasan floater
super love this Papasan floater (the one Kite is using, super chillax yan, will buy one more kasi nag aagawan kami diyan) saw this sa facebook, asked for discount and he gave me 30% off, so I got them at P1200 yata
Day 3: move to Miniloc Day. So free na activities namin today. We had the beach lunch at Entalula beach club. Nice yung beach kasi mababaw maski malayo na. Yun nga lang walang cabana na sing ganda ng Dibuluan, yung cabana namin walang ka hangin hangin imagine the init! hay naku di happy. Buti na lang maganda yung beach. The place is bigger or maybe dahil madami ding tao yung cabana namin medyo malayo so kakatamad to go, even to hingi water or cr or do anything, add pa na may sugat ako. But the beach is nice kasi sand is white and fine and wala masyadong corals or bato so kids can play talaga.
Entalula
After Entalula we go na to Miniloc ready na room namin, the Lagen people brought our luggages na din there. This is our chill day. We had drinks sa beach side and just enjoyed the place. We saw na yung room namin maganda yung labas, sarap tambayan
Miniloc Seaview Room facade
Interior of the room
2nd floor
view of our room
Seaview Rooms (those on the right are for 2 pax; the ones on the left are with 2nd floor good for 4 pax)
We had room service for dinner. Same price as ala carte if mas mahal man minimal lang kasi di ko napansin. Kids meal pala nila na ala carte is P200 lang.
Last day:
They all went to Big & Small Lagoon (except me, didda & Laya) so 730 am alis na sila. Kami ni Laya nag watch ng fish feeding sa pier ng Miniloc ang lalaki ng jackfish (talakitok) they really jump to eat the squid na pinapakain sa kanila, madami ding ibang fishes pa may mga clown fish and yung striped fishes kaya nice mag snorkle.
The group came back at 10am nag snorkle sila sa pier ng Miniloc again. They enjoyed the small & big lagoon ganda daw I have yet to see the pics pa. Nag kayak sila and nag snorkle din doon. Super luxury snorkle kasi the guide just pull them using a buoy. All they need to do is hold on and look down and enjoy. Pati camera na underwater hawak nung guide to picture them.
After snorkle kami nag pack na ng gamit kasi we need to check out one room and they are giving us the other roo for late check out. Good enough for us kasi we want to bathe after our private lunch.
We scheduled a private beach picnic, kami lang dun sa island and balikan na lang nila kami. We did this sa 2007 trip namin and feel na feel namin kaya we want to do it again.
Our private island food pre ordered the night before
An island all to ourselves
naka set up na lunch namin
picture picture
iniwan kami doon and was asked what time kami pasundo so we said balikan kami at 1230 kasi check out namin 2pm.
Back to the room to ligo, change, chill till check out and departure time.
Back to reality na.
Hope this helped.
I was asked na by quite a number of friend if ano nicer Lagen or Miniloc. My answer is if maliit lang ang difference ngprice go to Lagen na; if malaki ang difference mag Miniloc na lang.
Also if active kayo tipong nag snorkle and kayak then Miniloc is better; if relax type kayo pa swim swim ang kain kain sa poolside and wanna feel luxurious then Lagen dapat.
TIPS: bring your own coke, and lotsa snacks and food para less kainin doon. Pwede maging dishonest sa age ng bata. One of our kid is mahina kumain he’d go sa buffet pag usually konti lang kinakainniya sa we’d tell the server to waive his buffet na lang since konti lang and they ALWAYS agree naman. Also they are payag din na all adults take ala carte and kids lang mag buffet. Also maski di ako nag buffet at nakikikuha ako kay Kite ok lang sa kanila. Also nangunguha kami ng fruits sa buffet to eat sa room. Shameful confession, we even make cheeseburger then balot it to eat sa room hehehe.
If you wish to go to El Nido log in and join their mailing list then ask them to include you if may promo sa rates. That is how we got our rate last trip namin. All in ang food and activities pero kinda short notice. Like we got the email September the October na yung promo.
Hmm this is all I remember.
Hay love love to travel 🙂
The All About Baby Bazaar 2
July 15, 2011 § 3 Comments
Been waiting or a mommy/baby bazaar for months now. Can’t wait! Nau after this sunod sunod na mga events!
Watch out also for Babywear Meet 3 this September.
MimmaBenz.com 