A Quick Visit to My Hometown

Welcome to The City of Golden Friendship. Yup, that's where I spent most of my life until I got married. The rest of my family lives in Cagayan de Oro and a piece of my heart will always be there. This was completely an unplanned vacation. My husband told me we might get another off-shore assignment to the US any time between March and April. So he was the one who encouraged me to go visit my folks while I can. I was glad to oblige.

Sharing with you all the fun I had when I was there.

These are photos taken from my phone. I was too lazy to bring my husband's camera during the trip.

I love early morning flights. Can you spot the giant ship in the clouds? :)

Still dark when I arrived. So peaceful. Away from the bustling city life in Manila.

The moment I arrived my parent's home, this little fella greeted me with the sweetest smile. Priceless!

Tita duties. Prepping and doing her make-up for her mini fashion show at the mall.

Tita duties for the little kids. Lunch date at McDonald's Play place.

The brady bunch? haha. Raucous ones. It doesn't take so much to make them go happily crazy like this. 

Can you tell I am their favorite auntie? :)

I am happy they still get to enjoy simple pleasures like this.

 Later that day, I spent dinner with the older ones. This time I wasn't paying. 

My first niece and nephew from my older sisters.

 I was only expecting to meet with a few of my college classmates but it turned out we were all in the mall that day and just saw each other accidentally. Wow! Can you tell it's been 10 years since?

Lunch date with my sister from a different mother with her bf.

I love them both like my own sisters. 

It's always fun when I am around them. I am just sad that we had to be miles away from each other.

Lunch with the rest of my siblings. Our eldest sister didn't make it that day. My younger brother is in Singapore. My mom is in the US with my other sister and nephews. So this isn't a complete cast. But I was really happy to have spent time with them.

I will always be my daddy's girl. He's turning 73 this year and still going strong

It was a very short trip and I can't seem to take the thought of me having the time of my life while I left my husband behind. A part of me always wants to stay but for the most part I just miss him. So, toodles for now Cagayan! 

XoXo

Cheesy Corndog

This is an easy breakfast idea for kids and adults alike.

Ingredients:

• 6 Pieces Hotdog of your choice 
• 6 Slices of Loaf bread (wheat or white)
• 3 Pieces Cheese Singles cut in strips (I used Eden)
• 1 Cup Panko Bread crumbs
• 2 Eggs beaten
• Palm oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

1. Place the bread flat on the working table or chopping board. Lay 3-4 pieces of cheese strips and place 1 hotdog in the middle then roll the bread. Press it lightly so they stick together and won't fall apart when dipped in the beaten eggs.
2. Dip the bread rolls in the beaten eggs making sure to coat them evenly. Dip or cover with bread crumbs.
3. Deep fry until golden brown. Drain excess oil in a tissue-lined serving plate. Serve with tabasco hot sauce or ketchup or mustard-mayo dressing. Enjoy!

Quick Weekend Getaway

Since we stayed the night on Valentine's day, the husband decided to take me to Tagaytay the weekend after. The fact is, he's been really busy at work and this is his kind of payoff to say the least (smiling from ear to ear).

We stayed at One Tagaytay Place near People's Park. An average hotel decent enough for a few nights stay or for a quick getaway. I love the free massage that came with the room package. I think that was the best part. Everything else was just okay. 

Sometimes I feel obligated to pose even when I'm not in the mood if he feels he wanted  to take a shot :)

At dinner at one of the restos we went to. 

The bar is almost empty and the design aspect is blah..if your really want to have  a good time, try somewhere else.

A round of cocktails in the hotel before we turn in for the night.

This is their recreation hall. Not a very big space.

There's free wifi though

The banquet hall chandeliers where they serve the complimentary breakfast

Nothing special. Very Filipino though. 

This is the complimentary breakfast. If you want the buffet, pay extra 250Php. But that's what you basically get, so why bother paying extra?

I love the colorful bottles hanging by the door. 

View of the roof-deck where the pool is.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine was! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

We didn't make Valentine's plans this year. We've decided that we'll just spend the night at home and I make a nice meal for both of us. It has been quite a tradition, I think. This was due to the fact that we don't want to be in the middle of the V Day traffic and end up missing out our dinner reservation and get all stressed out. Nevertheless, the husband made such sweet efforts that night by surprising me with flowers, a giant balloon bouquet as well as a giant card. And like a teenager, I blushed and the smile never disappeared my face the whole night.

 

Not the usual Valentine's day story you'd hear the next day. But I guess as the relationship grows, we don't need special occasions or a holiday to make each other feel loved and cherished. Everyday should be a love-filled day! It is a chance to be the best that you can be for the person you love. Anyways, before I go all out mushy and cheesy, I wish you all had a wonderful Valentine's day!!

XOXO

Beets and Pear Salad

The first time I had beets was when we were  living in Chicago and we had a shopping trip at Whole Foods supermarket. They have this "make your own" salad bar and one could just put anything in the takeaway box and weigh it at the counter once you're done. I tasted it once and never forgot about it. I had a lot of ideas already by the time we went back to the Philippines. Every time I make this, it gives me good memories of Chicago. I miss the kind of lifestyle we used to have despite the cold weather. I spent my days just daydreaming of going back. And the shopping trips, the fresh goods..and the list goes on. Maybe someday...Anyway, so much of the drama. This salad is best paired with pasta, chicken or fish in the menu. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag of Mixed greens, preferably with Arugula (about 3 cups)
• 1 Medium sized Beets, boil, peel and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 Small Onion. sliced thinly, soak in water for 10 minutes
• 1 Medium sized Pear, peel, core and cut into bite sized pieces (soak in 2 Tbsp of lemon juice)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Unsalted Roasted Cashew nuts (walnuts if available)
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese

Dressing:

• 1 Tbsp Orange juice (fresh)
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar or Champagne vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp Dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 Tsp Honey
• 1 Tsp Minced onion or shallot
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

• Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust taste accordingly.
• Coat beets evenly with a teaspoon of the dressing. Discard the lemon juice from the pear.
• Arrange the mixed greens on a salad bowl, top with beets, pears, onion, nuts and cheese. Drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette. 

Cheesy Tuna Pasta

When I can't think of anything to cook for dinner, I make pasta. This is something I can accomplish for well under thirty minutes. Believe me it's fast and easy. Plus my husband likes pasta or at least he likes this version. I am not a big fan of the Pinoy spaghetti. Although I must admit I have sporadic cravings here and there for Jollibee once in awhile. This I think is a healthier version.

So here goes.

Ingredients:

• Fistful of pasta cooked according to package instructions (good for two persons, I used Real veggie pasta) 
• 4 Cloves Garlic, minced (if you like garlicky pasta then put more
• 2 Tbsps Olive oil
• 1 Can Century Tuna flakes in brine (this is healthier than flakes in oil)
• 1 Small Pack of Clara Ole' Chunky Tomato with Basil pasta sauce
• 1/2 Cup of Kraft Eden melt cheese, grated
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Fresh Parsley for garnish, chopped (optional)

Cooking Instruction:

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Usually 8-10 minutes tops. 
2. In low fire put oil in the pan and then add the minced garlic. Let is stand for two minutes or until garlic smells good. This is done to incorporate the garlic into the oil. DO NOT overcook or burn the garlic. 
3. Turn the heat up to medium and saute the garlic with the tuna flakes, juice included.
4. Add the Chunky tomato. Let it simmer for three to five minutes minutes. 
5. Toss in the grated cheese. Adjust the seasoning. Add salt if needed and a pinch of pepper too. If the sauce is too sour adjust by adding a little bit of brown sugar.
6. Turn off the heat and toss in the pasta and half of the chopped parsley.
7. Garnish with grated Eden melt cheese or Parmesan. Enjoy!

Travelogue: Sumilon Bluewater Resort

I haven't seen a lot of post about this little island paradise in Oslob so I wasn't so sure yet what to expect. After our whaleshark encounter, we drove five minutes to get to the reception. They have a nice decent receiving/waiting area as well as a huge restroom/bathroom for when you need to get dressed or even shower before getting on the boat to the island. They serve you welcoming drinks while waiting for the next boat with tables and lounge chairs for convenience plus free wi-fi. They also have a guarded parking area for your cars if you're staying in the island for a few days. It's off the coast of Oslob about 20 minutes ride depending on the weather.  The sea was calm and nice when we got there.

Lounging while waiting for our boat has never been this relaxing. No stress. Just enjoying the view and the smell of salty air. Ah! summer came too early. 

This view greeted us. The docking area for the boats and all the guests who come to the island. A nice sandbar when you simply want to enjoy the clear blue waters. The sand felt a bit like the Virgin Island of Bohol.

From the docking station to the reception area to the Villa is a long walk. Maybe one kilometer away by foot and 5-10 minutes via the mini-cart. That's me taking it slow. Enjoying mother nature. 

 The infinity pool is lovely, isn't it? The view is just amazing.

 You can enjoy all the amenities provided by the resort even if you just availed of the day trip. Staying here is pricey. Can range from 5-15 thousand a night. Here's one of the guests we saw having a swell time para sailing for free.

 If kayaking is your kind of stuff they have it too. Just a photo op for me. I wasn't feeling sporty that day.

 Laying out on the swing under the tree. Perfect escape.

 My mother and sister-in-law having a lot of fun.

 ...and the husband too wouldn't let this opportunity pass.

 Ocean view. Can it get more beautiful than this? Paradise in Cebu.

 The reception and restaurant hall. This is where they serve the buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner. For the dy trip, we were served set meals. It didn't dissapoint. More bang for the buck! Five-star quality.

 Our view while having lunch.

 Soup and appetizer. Too bad, I didn't get to take a picture of the giant shrimp for the main course. I guess we were all hungry to snap away a picture. Haha! But it was really good. Great value for money. The day trip cost Php 1,500 per person which includes round trip boat transfers, welcoming drinks, and a full set lunch and free use of all the resort facilities. I would suggest to come here early if you want to try everything the resort has to offer. For us, we were here to relax and enjoy the view.

 Sharing our funny stories about the whalesharks earlier in the day. 

 I'd come back for the massage service. I would say for the price and the view, it's all worth it. Paying Php 1,500 for a 45-minute massage isn't that bad, right?

 I love the lounge chairs that were strategically placed around the resort. A perfect location to just do nothing or maybe read a good book.

 This was my favorite part. Laying out by the pool with my iPad was surreal. The wifi works by the pool so I got to update my social network while enjoying this view.

It was sad to be leaving this place. I think there was so much to do but so little time. I am even planning my second trip to this place and might even try glamping one day.