Sunday Brunch at Home

Last Sunday, I had brunch at Toby's Estate in Salcedo. The place is very nice. However, I wasn't very happy with the food we ordered. S ordered the Eggs with Salmon and Capers. It was around 375.00 php and it looked like this...

For the price..medyo ang liit ng salmon. 20 little tidbits lang... 

So, I decided I'm better off having Sunday brunch at home. My brother came over to make Eggs Benedict. I got a pack of 100g Smoked Salmon from Rustans for 165.00 php.  We managed to make 3 Eggs Benedict out of 1 pack.

My brother poached the eggs and made the hollandaise sauce. Inexpensive ingredients but I have to admit this simple dish requires a lot of skill.

I also had a meat platter filled with Bacon (90 php), Smoked Farmers Ham (120 php), Potatoes (10 php), Grilled Tomatoes (7 php), Cheese.

I got mint from our mini garden and added some lemon slices for our water.

Note: You need lemon for the hollandaise sauce so these are the tira-tira lang.

And here is out entire BRUNCH SPREAD!

And my happy diners...

Brunch is the easiest and the most colorful meal to prepare. Feel free to make sunny side up instead of Eggs Benedict.

I hope I have inspired you to prepare Brunch too! 

Happy Sunday.

Feeling Better,

L

Walking Out

My husband said something bad so I walked out of the restaurant. 

But I walked towards a wrong direction...then I got lost. 

I eventually had to call him...

Lesson: If you want to make a dramatic exit, you better know where the exit is...

Humiliated,

L

First Kiss

My husband was not my first kiss. However, for this post I want to share the first time S kissed me.

It was Feb 16 at the Manila Peninsula. We were on the second floor, right outside the Conservatory. It was around 1 am and we were still talking. Then, he leaned over and kissed me. I was shocked. I didn't see it coming!

So, I excused myself and said maybe I should sleep na. He walked me to my room...

Then, when I was about to enter, I realized "Hey I like him too! 

It occurred to me...I was too old to make pakipot.

And just like that,  I turned around and passionately kissed him. LIKE THIS! 

Na shock sya! It was a kiss that made the world stop.

Then, I said.. "Good Night" and I went inside my room. I slept soundly.

S never slept. Na windang.

Instead, he waited for me in the lobby until 9 am! 

Do you remember the first time you and your husband kissed? 

Tell me about it...

In love,

L

Can't speak Chinese but CAN COOK CHINESE!

My in-laws and my parents are very frustrated with me because until now,  I still can't speak Chinese. 

Growing up, I had a Chinese tutor, who came to my house every weekend. She was so boring. Nerdox. When I was in college, I was sent to Guangzhou for one summer of hell.The next summer, I was sent to Shenzhen. Then before graduation,  I was sent to Hong Kong, where I studied Cantonese.

Nothing. I just didn't absorb any of the Chinese dialects. What a waste of money!

When I attend parties, people just naturally assume that I can speak Chinese. So,  they start blabbing only to find out after an hour that all I heard was... " Chong ching chang. Ping pong pang." 

To make matters worst, last Feb, I enrolled myself in Spanish class. Next month, I will be level 2 na.

I'm really hopeless, noh?

But what I lack in language, I make up for with my understanding of the culture and the food. 

I can cook Chinese food very well!  (Note: Obviously, what I lack in skill I make up for in confidence. YOWN! )  And every time I cook (which is all the time), I send pictures of my dishes to my Mother in Law via viber. HIGH TECH si Mader. I just want her to know that while I may not be able to speak Chinese, I can cook Chinese food naman. 

Ewan ko sayo pero I think mas may kwenta ang pag luluto over just speaking Chinese di ba?

The only Chinese teacher na feel ko is MR. LEE KUM KEE. I don't know him pero friends na kami. He is my constant companion in the kitchen.  

AT THE VERY LEAST, A Fil-Chi wife should have a Panda oyster sauce and a Lee Kum Kee Soy Sauce in the pantry

FYI, trust me when I say that a Philippine-made Oyster Sauce usually has a sweeter taste profile to match the Filipino palate. The typical Pinoy Soy Sauce or Toyo is perfect for adobo but not for Chinese food, I tell you.

LEE KUM KEE owns PANDA OYSTER SAUCE, which is the world’s 1st oyster sauce brand. Lee Kum Kee Soy Sauce uses the finest beans. Needless to say, only Lee Kum Kee has the most authentic Chinese taste. The same taste that your Fil-Chi husband grew up with.

Here are my repertoire of Chinese dishes that are so easy to prepare

On pause from being on pause

We have been working so hard these past few days.

Now I am very sick...

Sakit ulo Ko!

L

Pilgrimage to the Grotto of The Lady of Lourdes

I planned it to be a vacation but it ended up as one of the most arduous pilgrimage of my life...

Hello! Happy Friday! I hope all is well with everyone. I'm taking a breather from work (yes, I do work for my husband...occasionally) to share my experience in Lourdes.

When we planned the trip to Lourdes, a small town in the Midi-Pyrenees region of France,  we tried to look for the shortest and the easiest travel route.

Option 1: Paris to Lourdes via Train- 6-8 hours
Option 2: Barcelona to Toulouse via Plane then Toulouse to Lourdes via Train- 5 hours
Option 3: Madrid to Lourdes via Plane- 1.5 hours.

Option 3 was the obvious choice so we booked and paid for that.

THEN THE UNIMAGINABLE HAPPENED! My husband lost our passports in Barcelona.

How To Tell Someone He Has Body Odor?

How do you tell someone that he or she has BO?

Stress di ba?!

It's really hard to tell a person,  "Hey, you smell like rotten guavas." I'm a very honest and frank person but even I can't pull this off.

It's also very awkward to just give a deodorant. In fact, it seems like a very sarcastic gesture. 

I suggest, you put together a CARE PACKAGE to show that you care enough for that person to smell better... Not just kili-kili fresh, but total hair and body fresh!

Always go for REXONA because REXONA WON'T LET YOU DOWN

And when you give you care package, write this note!

Here's to looking good, smelling good,  feeling good and getting more out of life!!!

(Inspired by the Unilever Vision and Mission)

Granted, this care package is expensive but your comfort is of utmost importance 

Now, if you excuse me, I need to pack these items and write a note for a certain someone here.

Concerned Citizen,

L

The Law of Energy and Starbucks

The law of energy states that energy can neither be created nor be destroyed. It just transforms from one type of energy to another. This is a law of nature. This is not a theory.

A chemical energy (food) gets converted to mechanical energy when our muscles use it for movement.

Similarly, a negative emotional energy also gets passed around.

Today, my husband raised his voice at his secretary. I absorbed all the residual energy. I felt very upset even if it wasn't directed to me.

That is why I love the good people at Starbucks. Every morning, when I buy coffee they give me such positive vibes that I take all that with me when I go to the office. 

Unfortunately, today we came to work early... When I felt stressed from S' outburst, I just had to step out and get some positive juju from Starbucks.

 I'm trying to shake off the negative chi as I write this entry.

Remember: When you are an ass to someone, that someone will feel bad and will take it out on someone else. Each of your outburst has a consequence that extends beyond your imagination.

A simple smile from someone who knows your name, goes a long long way.

Thanks Starbucks :)

Not-So-Good Morning,

L

3-Day Madrid Itinerary

This itinerary was prepared by Yvette Lopez-Dee. She's a former colleague, who took her masters and now resides in Madrid. When she emailed this to me, I instantly fell inlove with it.  Better than all those fancy travel books.

I asked her if I can share this with you and she said yes!

And before I forget..Yvette was part of the Knorr team, so she is a certified foodie. If ever find yourself in Madrid, you must go to the restaurants she recommended!

Enjoy and I hope this helps in your planning!

(click for the print-ready excel itinerary)

Madison's Bistro Moderne at Shangri-la

While I was on vacation, I realized that fine dining is so expensive in Europe.  Yeah sure, you can find fresh and good food just about everywhere but a fancy sit-down dinner costs a fortune.

Needless to say,  I'm glad to be back.  I want a facial at Dermalogica,  pedicure at Nail Tropics  and I want to dress all pretty for a nice and PROPER dinner.

According to my husband a PROPER dinner is defined as:
- having your own table
- sitting down in a comfortable chair
- having attentive and friendly waiters
- not hearing the conversation of the table right beside you

- good food

He complained that the whole time we were in Spain, he ate his dinner standing up (tapas) and in Paris, he sat elbow to elbow with other diners. He said, " Pag-uwi natin,  I want to have dinner at Madison's! "

That we did.

Now, I rarely do restaurant reviews but Madison's deserves a 6P analysis!

What is your defense mechanism

Here's mine...

And this is one of the sources of conflict between me and my husband.

Newly Weds

I don't know if it's the effect of the honeymoon but ever since we got back we have been acting like newly weds.

The trip was fun, funny, stressful, dramatic, romantic, spiritual. Hay parang pinoy movie!

Sleepy,

L

Ting Hun Ceremony Step by Step Guide

My husband can no longer recall the details of our ting hun or the 20 other ting hun ceremonies he claims to have attended. He has been asking me lots of questions because he can't answer the questions of his sister.

I figured that it's best to write down my answers and share with other Filipino- Chinese couples, who are oh-so-lucky to have found the love of their lives. CHAROT

Here you go. The STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO A TING HUN CEREMONY.