My Home made Waffles

March 7, 2013

Just want to try mom's old waffle maker.  It has been ages since I used it.  This time, I made some with hotdogs in it.  Successful!!! And they are tasty.  I made the waffle mixture from the pancake mix.

Ingredients:
* 250 grams Pancake Mix
* 1 medium size egg
* 2 tbsp. oil
* 3/4 cup water
* Hotdogs
* sticks

Procedure:
1.  In a bowl, put the pancake mix, egg, oil, and water.  Mix all together.  Avoid over beating as it may loosen the consistency of the batter.  Set aside.
2.  Make 2 cuts on each hotdog, so as to cook it through.  You may fry it the usual way.  In my case, I heat it in the microwave oven, a minute each side.
3.  Put each hotdog on a stick.
4.  With a waffle maker, put the pancake batter on each mold half-way.  Add the hotdogs.  Place more of the mixture on the hotdogs.
5.  Let the waffle maker do it's magic.  The waffle is cooked when the light turns off.

Mom's old waffle maker in the upper left picture.

Nail Art

March 01, 2013

Today is Muntinlupa Day.  No-work-day for my youngest brother.  And since he's been having the dry coughs and runny nose for the past few weeks, he decided to had his check-up today.  We went to The District Mall at Dasmariñas, Cavite.  It is just 10 minutes drive from our place.  While waiting for the doctor, my sister and I decided to have our nails done in Nail-a-holics while brother had his haircut.

Check out my nails!!!

Ate's polish on the left, while mine's on the right side.

On-going Nail Art.  First time I had my nails done with dark
colors.  I usually have it French Tipped or in Skin Tone.

Finish Product.  Nice diba?

Here's me with my nail art ^___^
And check-out my brother's new haircut.  Cool!

The taste of Baguio's Panagbenga Festival 2013

February 24, 2013

From the Hot Air Festival, my friends and I went straight to Baguio.  We traveled for another 7 hours, inclusive of an hour long drive in a zigzag road (Marcos Highway).

We reached the city proper of Baguio just about time for the concert @ Melvin Jones Park.  There we enjoyed taking pictures, fooling around and bought several street foods.  We had dinner @ Savory, SM Baguio then had waffles and ice cream after.  Just enjoying the cold breeze, over-looking the city.  After a lot of talking and laughing, we went home at The Granary, a guest house of Cathedral of the Resurrection along Magsaysay Avenue.  It was still 9:30pm (a bit early for my usual sleeping time) when I hit the sack.  I usually go to bed at the crack of dawn.  But maybe with the long hour of travel and extreme heat, I ended up snoozing early.

Sleeping earlier than ever, I woke up earlier too.  It was just 4 hours past midnight when I woke up.  Bad tummy had to do with it.  Water is cold, no heater available.  But I manage to do my morning ritual then took a shower.  The gang is ready by 7:00 am, and off to Session Road for the annual grand float parade.  Thousands of people from all-over are scattered along the parade path and we are not that lucky to be situated in front of the pack.  Even so, we still happened to get a good look on the amazing floats.  Actors and actresses on the floats are bonuses.  It was fun dancing with the several marching bands who played funky tunes along side the dancing crew.  We enjoyed the parade.  We enjoyed the ambiance.  And the feel of the festival was so giddy.

After the parade, we went to Camp John Hay for our lunch @ Dencio's Restaurant.  We had adobo rice, bangus sisig, sinigang na hipon and lechon kawali.  Then we walked a few steps to The Manor, a luxurious hotel in the heart of the Base.  The cozy ambiance of the hotel is a perfect place to relax.  But I assure you, it'll cost a fortune too.  We had several pictures taken here.  Enjoyed the beautiful pine trees and natural landscape of the luscious forestry of Baguio.

We then grabbed our daily doze of whip cream and caffeine at Starbucks-Technohub, which is just inside the base also.  Glazed and Chocolate donuts are our desserts, thanks to Tyron.  But I guess this time, we're lucky and was able to watch a street dance parade for the Panagbenga Festival up-close.  Check out some of our pics, if you want to know what I mean.

We left Baguio at around 4:00 pm and off to the Metro.  I was able to reached home at 1:00 am the next day (February 25, 2013 Monday).  Tired but had another weekend to remember.  This time, with my friends.

Concert at the Park and food trip!!!

Grand Float Parade

A weekend of everything that flies

February 23, 2013

A week long preparation for a quick weekend road trip with my college friends is finally here!  First part of our weekend get-away from the busyness of the metro is here at Omni Aviation Complex in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.  The location is a vast open field - no trees just plain rays of the scorching sun.

The ticket costs 250.00php.  You'll be able to see the hot air balloons up-close.  Although in our case, we're a tad late so we only captured few of the hot air balloons on ground.  Others are already way up high!  Anyway, it was still a blast since we have seen the daredevil paragliders, not-so-dangerous kite flying and the aerobatics of the aircrafts that all of us left in awe.  It was fun even with the extreme heat of the sun.

For the empty stomach, a lot of food stalls are available inside the event venue.  From burrito to fried chicken, pizza and pasta.  It's like food porn, a festivity of food for health conscious spectator to i-do-not-mind-what-i-eat people.

For the car enthusiasts, there are a couple brand new models on display around the venue.  There are also pimped and customized ones.  I happened to grab a photo of some of it.  Bumble Bee of the transformers was even there (*wink).  And it's beside Iron Man!

For the kids and young-at-heart- there are several activities you can do aside from the kite flying.  There is this booth where you can win festival goodies when you pop balloons using a dart pin.  I didn't tried it though, not in the mood to aim and pop.  By the way, this costs 50.00php.

Several people had brought there own tents.  Some had bought mats in the venue.  In our case, we've just been dodging the sun by trying to sneak in one of the tents provided for the sponsors.  And we even had a chair.

My friends and I had an early lunch and left the place for Baguio at 10:30 am.  As much as the sun enjoyed shining, we had enjoyed the weather too.  It's better to be sunny than it's raining like the weather that was back in Cavite when we left.

Check out my next blog for my Baguio Trip.  ^____^

Do-It-Yourself Cebu City Tour

When:  February 13, 2013
Where:  Cebu City
What:  Do-It-Yourself Half day City Tour

A pre-booked city tour with a tour guide costs Php3,000.00 (good for 4pax) or Php1,600.00 (per pax) as per my inquiry with a friend who owns a travel agency and the hotel's tour desk, respectively.  With a newly unemployed person like me, everything that involves large amount of money is a No-No.  So I decided it for a DIY city tour.

Taxi Cab fare from Hotel to Sto.Niño Basilica                 Php   90.00
Entrance Fee @ Basilica                                                     FREE
Entrance Fee @ Magellan's Cross                                      FREE
Candle Offering                                                              Php 100.00
Entrance Fee @ Fort San Pedro                                     Php    30.00
Tip to Fort San Pedro's Volunteer Tour Guide                Php    50.00
Lunch @ Jollibee                                                            Php   200.00
Taxi Cab fare from Basilica to Ayala Mall                       Php     85.00
                                                                                      Php   555.00

          What to do: 1) Pray. Since it is a basilica, what better thing to do is to say grace and offer a 
                                  prayer.
                              2) Learn.  With the religious figures in the right wing of the Basilica, you'll know a 
                                  lot about the saints' martyrdom and good deeds.  While on the left wing, you'll 
                                  learn about the history of the Sto.Niño and the city.
                             3) Picture Taking. 

Sto.Niño Basilica's Grand Altar

Basilica's marker

Painting of the first five Augustinian Missionaries.

The Sto.Niño Basilica and it's grandeur.

Open field right in front of the basilica.

Me @ the Magellan's Cross.

The lady who danced and prayed @ the Magellan's Cross.
This costs Php 100.00.

Signage of Fort San Pedro @ the right side of the entrance  gate.

                               

The author before leaving Fort San Pedro.

In a life of a part-time bum

* bum = a term which is referring to a lazy person.
* Part-time = a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job.

"Today, I begin a new life."

It has been three days today since I left my work as a Junior Architect in a company based in Binondo.  It has been three days that my life has been a little less chaotic and peaceful.  I have nothing against my work as an architect back then, but the adrenalin rush and the headaches it has caused is different from what I am in now.

Within three days, I happened to do the following:

1.  Clean my closet.  Newly dried clothes had been sitting in the chair for a week now since me and my sister hasn't been home early for the past week to put all the new clean clothes in the closet.  Finally, I was able to set hers and my clothes aside and begin putting it in the cabinets.

2.  Clean the WACU.  The bedroom's window air conditioning unit (WACU) needed the cleaning months ago.  But every time I scheduled it's cleaning time on a weekend, I always forgot until it's too late to do the cleaning.  Finally, yesterday I was able to wash the enclosure and vacuumed the dusts in it.  Now, it's all clean and ready for a winter experience in the bedroom.

3.  Lessen the shoes.  My sister and I are both shoe lovers.  We tend to buy shoes every now and then.  Although she buys more than I am because she's a shopaholic :P.  Anyways, I was able to put all the cluttered shoes on the floor in their boxes and placed it under the bed.  Later, I'll start cleaning up the shoes on the rack above sis' bed.

4.  Check all the CDs.  There are a lot of compact discs on my computer table, and I needed to check all of it to know which are blank cds, needed to keep, and for disposal.  Started last Monday, until now I am not half way thru.

5.  Start on my working drawings.  I'd soon start working on the Mechanical Plans and Structural Plans needed for my part-time job, hence, I am just a part-time bum.

Confession of a Binondo Girl

I was a fresh graduate from Mapua Institute of Technology when I got my first job here.  Binondo is not a stranger to me anymore.  I have been a frequent visitor of Quintin Paredes, a busy street in China Town every time I claim my scholarship fund at RCBC Tower.  Back then, I am already a fan of the busyness of the old Manila.  Every trip to Binondo has been like a picturesque stroll admiring the old architecture of the Binondo Church and the PhilTrust Building that had survived through the years.  Never did it occur that soon after I got my diploma, I'll be travelling the same roads to my 1st ever workplace.

A fellow Mapuan (brother of my sister's best friend), got my resume and submitted it to this company.  During those time, I have no idea about GGGP.  All I know is that it is an architectural firm located in Binondo.  I got a call from the secretary, asked me to come by at their office for an interview.  I was still working as a drafting instructor in my former school when I got the call.  I went there, had my actual cad exam.  The manager told me that they'll try me for a week.  If things would work out, we'll talk again, then might hire me for good.  It was January of 2005 when I started to be a Binondo Girl.

Days passed....weeks....months....and years....I have traveled the same road, experienced the same traffic jams, dodge a few men in big bikes (whom you know us the Anti-Colorum Policemen) and used the same elevator going to the office.  My manager never talked to me again, nor confirmed if I am officially hired.  I know that it's understandable that I am, of course, an official employee already.  With all the remittances and taxes deducted, benefits and bonuses that adds to my regular pay, not to mention the several salary increase through-out the years.  My daily job has been fulfilling because I get to do what I love the most and get paid.

Cost of living here is minimal.  You need not to have a huge amount of money just to satisfy your craving for a good food.  There's a lot of restaurants to choose from, even before Lucky China Town Mall was built.  Here's a few from the list that you have to check out when your wandering feet decided to bring you here. 1) Tasty Dumpling - try their Pork Chop Rice that 2 more extra rice can accommodate. 2) Sincerity - Their chicken is so tasty, a fair match for Bon Chon's. 3) Estero - a restaurant right beside the estero, thus the name.  Their dishes are superb and affordable too, never mind the location. Lol! 4) Presidents Restaurant - This is the richer version of Estero.  Brace yourself to dine under a huge and elegant chandelier.  And eat on a huge table with a traditional lazy susan.  The food:  Oh so yummy!  Politicians and celebrities are seen here.  We dined here once and we saw Mayor Fred Lim, and he even shake hands with our boss.  5) McDonald's (in front of Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz) - The food here are not that special compared to other McDonald's Branch.  It's the ambiance that makes it more special.  Try eating your Mcnuggets or Twister Fries at the 2nd Floor Area of this chain, and you'll experience what I am saying.  You will have the view of the whole plaza, and might even think that you're probably in HongKong or Mainland China with the signage of all establishments here having a Chinese Character beside it.  6) Wai Ying Resturant - Their fried dumplings are the best!!! You can munch a dozen of it all by yourself.

Mini Stop, 7-11 and Finds are nothing compared to Binondo's own One Stop Shop, the Shopper's Mart.  From toiletries to quick snacks, they even got Ferrero Rocher for sale.  Your Tikoys and Mooncakes are always abundant in this place.  Located along the infamous street in Binondo, the Ongpin Street.

During Christmas Season and Back-To-School Time, the streets of Juan Luna serves as a shopping center.  With a keen eye and long patience of searching best  finds, you'll be able to buy something that would cost more if you'll buy it in the mall.  Divisioria Mall, Tutuban Mall and 168 Mall are some of the shopping malls near Binondo.  Just a few blocks away from the plaza, you'll get to have a full wardrobe complete with a blouse,pants, and shoes for less than a thousand bucks.

Kuligligs (motorized pedicabs) rule the streets of Binondo.  But the kalesas are still visible and can be used as public transport.  The tourists visiting China Town prefers this mode of transportation so as to experience the Chinoy's (Chinese-Filipino) old ways.

Banks are everywhere!  Can you believe it, there are 2 MetroBanks in Plaza Cervantes and 2 BDOs along Quintin Parades.  Not to mention the other branches just a few walks from the other.  I guess it's best to say that Binondo is really a rich Town.  Not just by the monetary aspect of it, but with the cultural side of it.

After 8 long years, being a Binondo Girl here is my confession.  Working in Binondo is extraordinaire!

"If you're brave to say goodbye, life will reward you with a sweet hello." - Paolo Coelho

Soderno - Finally!!!

August 31, 2012 - Friday

Huge Pizza in large servings for one!!!

Oh yeah...food tripping in Soderno finally materialized.

We've been waiting for ages for this food bazaar to re-open.

And now, it is. Sweet Treat!!!

More reason to shop & swipe

August 30, 2012 - Thursday

I got my updated credit card.

Let's shop & swipe!

^_____^

Working with Harry Potter

August 28, 2012 - Tuesday

"Reducio!"

If only I can cast this spell to reduce my piles and piles of paper works  to a minimal.

"Silencio!"

If only I can cast this spell so that I can just put this howling voice in my ear into silence.

Oh well, at least I got Mr. Potter to keep me sane in this Tuesday madness.