So Last Season

     My family and I were pleasantly surprised when we arrived in the States in mid-December last year that we were going to enjoy the autumn colors still. It was our first time to spend the Christmas holidays there and we had no idea to expect.

      One of the things I absolutely love about the Bay Area is the endlessly beautiful walks you can take everyday. This time the colors were an added treat! From someone who lives in a tropical country where the weather is basically wet and dry and the prettiest we can get to autumn are the fire trees during the summer, (beautiful too, nonetheless) this is big. Allow me to share some pretty photos...

     We considered ourselves lucky. A beautiful autumn in winter (Or is it always like this? We just don't know it. hehe!)=-)

Filipino Breakfast

                            People often complain about where we live. It’s so far! I don’t know that place. Blah! Blah! H and I learned never to take offense but silently over the almost thirteen years we have been staying north of Manila, we know. We know how people complain about it translates to do they really want to come over?  It is almost mathematical magic! Our sincerest and truest friends (and relatives) do not mind the extra 30 minutes and yes, it is only thirty minutes anyway from the Quezon City Hall, 20 minutes from the University of the Philippines. In fact from The Quezon City Hall, it will take you longer than 30 minutes to get to Pasig or Greenhills. Shocking but true!

     Over the last Christmas holidays, since we were leaving for the States my mommy friends came over and we had our own little celebration early. My mommy friends have no qualms about coming over.  Breakfast is the group’s fave time of the day. I prepared a Filipino breakfast. I am no food expert, correct me if I am wrong but to me the typical Filipino breakfast are the silog meals. Si stands for sinangag or garlic fried rice and log stand for itlog or egg which can be scrambled, fried or poached. But silog is just 2/3 of the Filipino breakfast fare which actually has a preffix. The preffix changes depending on what you match with the silog. Example:

Tapa (cured beef)  = Tapsilog

Tocino (cured pork) = Tosilog

Longganisa (native sausage) = Longsilog

Adobo ( Pork or beef stewed in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic) = Adsilog

      Of course with Pinoy wit and humor the list can go ridiculously on. =-)Spamsilog for example. Yes, Filipinos love Spam. Hotsilog for you've guessed it hotdog. haha!

           Best eaten with tomatoes, salted egg and vinegar. Yums! (except for the Spam and hotdog. Ek!)  

     Here are takes of our little Christmas breakfast celebration…..

    The setting. Simple and Filipino.

     The food....

Danggit from Palawan

Chicken Tocino

Beef Tapa

I also prepared bread in case someone does not want to eat rice. No one ate the bread. haha!

     Of course the eggs.....

     We missed Hellen that morning.

Cecil almost ran away with our jazzy Christmas frog.

           This Christmas I gave out Kidsmile pack of 5 Earth bags to my mommy friends. Kidsmile helps street kids. Learn more about them here.

 

Milky & Sunny & Yummy

     Before the craziness of the past Christmas holidays totally kicked in, my friend  and Real Living mag editor, Rachelle Medina and I had our own mini Christmas party at Milky & Sunny in Pasig. I felt bad  I was  gonna miss the magazine's Christmas party this year and she was so kind to spend some time with me to make up for it.  :-)

     Milky & Sunny is an all-day breakfast place located in the already busy  Kapitolyo, Pasig that has become a hub for quaint little cafes and restos. There are several of them to try.  One thing that worked for me instantly is the signage. I love it. It is after all a neighborhood restaurant so the look of the place should scream COME IN! The interiors are cute and quirky. I like! It makes you feel comfortable and excited to be there at the same time. 

      We ordered a little appetizer and a  savoury waffle. I liked what I had. Price wise it was affordable. The food served here is not fancy restaurant food but everything works together; the interiors, the friendly staff and the comforting taste of food sincerely prepared plus I was with my fave boss.. Haha! Sipsep!

     I look forward to visiting Milky & Sunny again soon perhaps with the kids who are big waffle fans. Till then....

Find out more about Milky & Sunny on facebook here.

 

PS

I hope the management would try to improve their restrooms though. Thanks!

    

    

Gifts That Bless

     Hi, everyone! I am back and boy, do I have a backlog of things to share. 

     First of all, I hope you all had a blessed Yuletide and a wonderful start for 2012 like I did. 

     I am excited to share with you this, my very first post for the year. 

     Before we left for our Christmas vacation, I was up to neck with work, school, get-together with friends and of course preps for the trip. Regrettably, I did really have the time to shop 'personally' for my family and friends. H and I discovered a lovely alternative which I hoped the recipients would appreciate. 

     Fr. Dennis Paez of Don Bosco together with his talented scholars make religious icons as a way to raise money. Whatever they earn goes to the schooling of the boys. They are trained in either machine work for automobiles or boats. I tell you, they could not make lovelier icons. H and I were in love with them instantly.

     These are door knob icons...

     I really love these. They use actual photos of the icons and then antiqued and embellished.

 

  

     These are the boys at work...

     It was really inspiring to meet them and Fr. Dennis. 

     It is like a holy version of Santa's workshop but much better....

 

     These are some of the items we bought for Christmas for friends and family. Fr. Dennis gladly blessed them already.

     You can imagine that we took our sweet time appreciating the masterpieces of Fr. Dennis' scholars and this made H hungry. Luckily, there is a bakery also being run by Don Bosco on our way out. H was happy...

  

     I can use one, no, two of these bakery ensaymadas now. Please with black coffee.

 

      You can have icons made to your own specifications too. Just drop by Fr. Dennis' workshop in Don Bosco Makati and help send these boys to school.

    

    

    

Happy New Year!

I apologize, dear readers for not posting anything these past few weeks. I have been on vacation with my family far, far away. I will be back next week with lots of new posts and things to share. I can't wait. I appreciate those who emailed me. (asking what happened to me..=-) Thank you very much! Hope you all had a great Christmas Season. Cheers to an even brighter, bigger 2012 for all of us.