tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-104866502012-01-25T16:37:26.887+08:00yada yada yada ...christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.comBlogger2381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-7895415506807593352010-03-31T09:38:00.004+08:002010-03-31T10:28:49.740+08:00

There are few things in life sweeter than the realization upon waking that you don't have to jump out of bed to dress for work because you're on holiday. This morning was pure bliss. When this dawned on me, I burrowed deeper into my pillows with a groggy smile for a short snooze. Then I finally got up to make breakfast. I celebrated the start of my 5 day Holy Week/Easter break with a yummy

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-62350737527151077822010-03-04T17:08:00.010+08:002010-03-05T17:56:52.707+08:00

About a month ago, I had 5 kgs. of chorizo hubad (chorizo not in casing) in the freezer. This stash was just a fraction of a bigger order a bunch of us had placed and it was flown in on the first flight from Dumaguete. It's fantastic chorizo! Each time I go to Dumaguete, I return with a few kgs. packed in a box along with my other favorite goodies from there like budbud kabog, tuba bread,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-46212808471399932192010-02-27T20:50:00.006+08:002010-03-01T11:31:03.231+08:00

Wow, it's been over 3 months since my last post. And so much has happened since! I had planned on finishing my posts about my US/Canada road trip but haven't even gotten halfway through that. (I do plan to finish that series someday soon!) Well, as John Lennon said, life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.Anyway, here I am, another effort to revive this blog. And I'm

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-73986240448209461912009-10-02T03:20:00.002+08:002009-10-02T03:25:06.204+08:00

People from all walks of life, everywhere, helping, giving even when they themselves don't have much, so grateful even when so desperate. It's so moving. The supermarkets are full of people wiping out the shelves, not to hoard but to donate. People of all ages tirelessly involved in relief and rescue operations. I feel truly blessed to be a part of it.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-44054628480541250222009-06-30T12:47:00.000+08:002009-07-02T13:09:28.950+08:00

Yay yay, another published article! I am extra thrilled this time because like my last article on Santorini, this one also made it to the cover! This time I wrote about Yogyakarta in Indonesia and the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. It was an experience I won't soon forget, and I hope I did it justice.I love this issue (Lifestyle Asia Travel, June/July) because it is the Asia issue, so you

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-4148481504267626062009-04-29T01:42:00.003+08:002009-04-29T10:35:22.340+08:00

Shopping was the main order of day 3 in this city known for its microbreweries and more importantly, tax-free shopping! Surrounding downtown Portland is a cluster of neighborhoods each with it’s own distinct character and the shops and restaurants to go with it. Suffice it to say, we did some major damage.It was the morning of day 4 and, sadly, time to say our goodbyes to Therese and to Portland.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-54622021313073625332009-04-27T23:13:00.001+08:002009-04-28T15:20:30.919+08:00

Back on the road, I noticed many cars towing speed boats or carrying canoes as well as an ever-increasing number of motor homes. On 101 you’re never too far from the ocean or one of the many state parks. As I pondered the idea of renting a motor home for my next road trip, Therese announced that she was hungry. And why wouldn't she be? It was 3:30 pm! Almost immediately, my tummy growled in

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-48075378304963036362009-04-26T13:11:00.001+08:002009-04-27T12:10:45.360+08:00

From this point, Highway 101 takes on a new nickname, the Redwood Highway. So named because it snakes the rest of way through northern California’s redwood empire and all the way up to Josephine County in Oregon. About 20 minutes west of the Redwood Highway is the Point Reyes Seashore where we hiked over the sand dunes and spread out some blankets for a light picnic lunch of cheeses, fruit,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-17026940867593933742009-04-25T13:07:00.002+08:002009-04-27T10:47:34.132+08:00

This is the unedited version of the article I wrote for Travelife about my road trip on the Pacific Coast Highway, from San Francisco, CA to Vancouver, BC Canada. I've been meaning to post about that trip so this is a good way to start, and an even better way to save me from having to write it all up again. :)It’s late at night on a Friday, one of many typical Friday nights during the salad days

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-25137663497393930482009-04-17T11:46:00.003+08:002009-04-17T12:07:06.448+08:00

This is so exciting for me. Not just because this is my 4th travel piece that's been published (2nd in a row with Lifestyle Asia Travel, with another in the pipeline for the next issue) but more so because it's about a place I dreamed about since I was a little girl. Being in Santorini was such an extraordinary experience for me. Making it even more wonderful was the fact that I went with one of

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-32382948818389983522009-04-01T20:45:00.000+08:002009-04-01T21:08:27.180+08:00

Oeufs en Cocotte. Such a fancy name for such a simple dish. I can't even begin to pronounce it, so when my family asked what I was making, I simply said "eggs baked in ramekins" as that it is precisely what they are. Ouefs is the French word for eggs, and Cocotte for ramekin.I have a fondness for eggs, especially the small farm-fresh organic eggs delivered by our friendly organic farmer every

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-17208431488998074612009-03-27T10:09:00.007+08:002009-03-27T10:34:52.475+08:00

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming. So please don't forget to vote. :)THIS SATURDAY28 MARCH AT 8.30PMYOU CAN VOTE EARTHBY SWITCHING OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR ONE HOUR- EARTH HOUR.~~WWF is urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-11577054511250041152009-03-25T20:16:00.002+08:002009-03-25T20:39:16.962+08:00

A poolside BBQ and swim party is something my friends and I love to plan all year round. Usually we just throw burgers and sausages on the grill then lay out the condiments and whatever sides we decide to make that day. Sometimes there's a casserole of some sort or a pasta dish. Drinks are always aplenty. The beers are chilling in the ice box and a pitcher of iced tea and various soft drinks are

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-78626606966439484182009-03-17T18:28:00.001+08:002009-03-18T16:12:39.653+08:00

Over some terribly lousy feijoada at a recent Brazilian festival (the churrasco and capoeira entertainment at least made it worthwhile), my friends commented on my energy level which they had decided was superhuman. I'm assuming the basis for this conclusion would be the seemingly crazy amount of non-work related activities and out-of-town trips I take part in despite a full-time job and a small

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-87727308013634088722009-02-13T12:28:00.005+08:002009-02-13T12:57:55.053+08:00

I'm sorry to do back-to-back posts where I'm tooting my own horn, but I'm just tickled pink about the fact that two of my travel articles were published simultaneously in two different travel magazines!The Feb-Mar 2009 issue of Lifestyle Asia Travel magazinecontains yet another article about Mexico written by me. But while the one published last year focused on the capital, Mexico City, this one

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-25341745620214270672009-02-09T17:50:00.007+08:002009-02-09T18:21:31.152+08:00

I believe it's good juju to start my 2009 blogging with some awesome news on my part. I'm once again thrilled and over-the-moon that another article of mine has been published in the Jan/Feb '09 issue of Travelife! Yay! Toot-toot! :) (It was also this same time last year when my first ever article was published in the same magazine. )It's a 6-page story I wrote about the road trip I took from

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-18298668829205191052008-10-30T05:44:00.003+08:002008-10-30T06:02:37.917+08:00

nataliedee.comI'm off to Kuala Lumpur tonight with some friends and will be there until Sunday morning. Just a short and quick weekend adventure with the girls. :) I'm really looking forward to all the amazing Malay, Chinese and Indian food waiting for us! I've been to KL once before, but it was for work and I didn't have much time do anything else. But I do remember loving every non-fastfood

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-3479667871818310632008-10-25T19:40:00.000+08:002008-11-06T14:28:14.231+08:00

Create your own word cloud here! :)

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-40757981227772030692008-10-14T15:25:00.006+08:002008-10-16T23:13:38.405+08:00

When my sweet friend D offered to send me a sample basket of her organic produce, I expected, well , just a small sampling. Instead, I woke up to the super generous and colorful bounty you see in the photo above (there's a lot more in the basket you don't see: more potatoes, onions, kalamansi , another head of broccoli, another head of cauliflower, a zucchini and more tomatoes)! Don't they look

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-58637978046388474972008-10-03T10:59:00.004+08:002008-10-03T11:06:17.261+08:00

This has to be the best commercial ever made. I love it! And I love sharing the stuff I love, so here it is for those of you who haven't seen it yet. :)Our world really is just awesome! :)

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-61484063920286725012008-09-26T01:09:00.015+08:002008-10-16T16:11:46.721+08:00

Canvas Mother Earth BagsHello? Anybody out there? I hope you all haven't given up on me and left me alone. :( I'm a scaredy-cat. Sigh, but I don't blame you. I broke my promise, about being back to blogging, and about blogging on the road and I'm sorry. But I tried! Turns out, blogging on the road, is kinda like, well, doing a commentary on bungee jumping while you're airborne. Have you tried

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-37751523193104145372008-07-08T00:51:00.002+08:002008-07-08T01:21:33.928+08:00

I'm really so sorry for neglecting my blog for as long as I have (more than a month already!). But between work, 2 new projects outside work, a friend visiting from the US and other stuff, I haven't had as much free online time as I used to. I always get home too late or too tired to do more than check email or new photos or friends' updates on Facebook, if I even turn on my laptop at all. I

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-66598193847173802042008-06-02T12:12:00.011+08:002008-06-03T11:03:58.804+08:00

Two WS entries in a row with nothing in between, ayayay I'm slacking again. I need to get cracking on my backlog of posts.But for now, here's my entry for Weekend Snapshot #39, a photo of the brew we ordered for a beer-tasting party. It wasn't one of those formal beer-tasting events with the survey forms etc., just a group of fellow beer-loving friends sampling different varieties of imported

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-63264209721226541652008-05-26T20:49:00.005+08:002008-05-26T21:30:28.716+08:00

I forced myself out of bed earlier than usual last Saturday morning so I could make it to Agrifina Circle in Rizal Park by 10 am. I've been to the Louvre, the British Museum, many other museums in foreign lands, even the Egyptian Museum! But I had never, in my 34 years as a Filipino, ever been inside the galleries of our very own National Museum. I know, right? Sad! It boggles my mind that this

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-14201859367644881652008-05-14T09:14:00.004+08:002008-05-14T13:57:41.126+08:00

I've gone on many of Carlos Celdran's walking tours, some more than once, which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the Philippines or who simply wants to be entertained for a few hours. Because much more than just a tour guide, Carlos is a highly-entertaining street performer.Save for the photos I've taken while on his tours, this post isn’t going to be about that. If

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-69282294779205170522008-05-12T14:34:00.005+08:002008-05-16T15:08:39.032+08:00

My dear niece turned three last weekend and we had a nice intimate party for her at her my sister's garden. There was all the good stuff of birthday parties including games, prizes, presents, and yummy party food. After she blew out the candles on her cake, and as soon as night fell, her uncle brought out a torch he made especially for her, which when lit glowed a beautiful number 3 for the

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-29679127736171179042008-05-06T00:03:00.001+08:002008-05-06T15:10:03.921+08:00

How many of you were told time and again not to play with your food? There you were, still a little munchkin, sitting at the table with your mind on other more interesting things than what's on your plate. You're pushing the peas around with your fork and there's a bored look on your face, which is likely resting on the palm of your left hand, when the stern reprimand comes. Sound familiar?Yes,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-66812807576684925092008-05-05T11:20:00.005+08:002008-05-05T14:02:49.350+08:00

I'm still enjoying the 'hangover' of yet another wonderful weekend at the beach. Because Thursday was Labor Day and hence no work, a group of us took Friday off as well and headed out to a friends farmhouse by the ocean. There we lounged around in the pool, played with the kids, cooked paella outdoors under the rain, feasted on gorgeous Filipino food on banana leaves, chased crabs, picked fruit

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-32309851041614365902008-04-29T11:45:00.005+08:002008-05-22T14:25:53.683+08:00

view from Two Lovers' PointWanderlust had gotten the better of me that before I knew it I had overbooked myself for the month of February with a trip planned every weekend. It all started with a journey to the north (Ilocos), a day trip to Clark for the hot-air balloon festival the weekend after, followed by an overnight tour of Corregidor with Carlos (will write about this very soon!), and then

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-35387833697926267862008-04-28T10:43:00.006+08:002008-04-29T00:52:15.460+08:00

This shot of the lone fisherman/boatman (bangkero) was taken last Saturday at a beach in Batangas. For WS #34, I was deciding between this photo and a photo of the 'floating ice cream' man (he has his cooler propped on an inner tube!) but chose this because I thought it had more drama. :)How was your weekend? Tell us in the comment section, or show us by joining Weekend Snapshot here.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-65405946342996071662008-04-25T08:21:00.002+08:002008-05-19T10:33:28.052+08:00

Aside from the churches and ancestral houses, there are of course other reasons to visit Bohol. Here they are, in no particular order:The Chocolate Hills : No visit to Bohol would be complete without seeing this peculiar landscape that has been declared a National Geologic Monument. Our hike up a couple hundred steps to the viewing platform is rewarded with a view unlike any I've ever seen before

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-34915222468799318562008-04-22T22:38:00.004+08:002008-04-23T01:04:04.028+08:00

Just as with old churches, I am equally fascinated and doubly charmed by old houses. It pleases me even further when they are still inhabited by descendants of the original owners and not converted into a government office or restaurant or what-have-you. I still think about all those gorgeous ancestral homes in Silay (Negros Occ.) and how much I regret not setting aside time from work to venture

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-45176622649727866502008-04-21T01:00:00.007+08:002008-04-21T11:54:06.602+08:00

The Finals scoreboard for Manila World Cup 2008. Africa wins the cup two years in a row,while Spain earns a deserving spot in 2nd place.It was that time of year again, Mini World Cup time! A two-day football (soccer) event that's been in our family tradition for almost two decades now I think. Many countries are represented by their own nationals, with some inevitable imports, in a friendly and

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-41458037783312849662008-04-18T21:34:00.006+08:002008-04-21T00:15:43.959+08:00

My mom and I can be polar opposites when it comes to certain things. Case in point:My mom is a walking medical encyclopedia and a frustrated pharmacist. Give her just two symptoms and she'll diagnose your problem, suggest a prescription and even give you a prognosis. You will later make a trip to the doctor who will more often than not echo mom's words and charge you for it. Regardless, doctors

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-88054273120957093722008-04-14T14:28:00.006+08:002008-04-16T11:27:06.115+08:00

Oggi recently tagged me for a personality test so now I'm posting the results. It's pretty accurate, as I got the same results two years ago when I administered the Myers Briggs tests to people in the office including myself.I am from the school of thought that believes we should not ask "how smart am I?" but rather "how am I smart?". The old IQ system was based on an old belief that everyone had

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-28816929129040354052008-04-13T23:34:00.005+08:002008-04-13T23:51:40.595+08:00

For Weekend Snapshot #32, I'm submitting this photo of cowfish (aka boxfish) that I snapped at the newly-opened Manila Ocean Park. Aren't they adorable? So cute those puckered-up expressions on their faces. :)My folks and I joined my brother and my niece at the oceanarium where we spent at least two hours marvelling at beautiful sea creatures. Though not completely finished (mall, hotel, dolphin

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-3931031391877044642008-04-11T01:33:00.005+08:002008-06-02T16:07:39.459+08:00

Baclayon ChurchChoosing to stay in the town of Baclayon in Bohol proved to be a wise decision. Our homestay was only a 5 minute jeepney or car ride from the Baclayon Church while most of the ancestral homes we wanted to visit were also very close by. So after grabbing a bite to eat at the market, we crossed the road to the first stop in our tour of Bohol's churches.#1: The Church of Our Lady of

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-52475651864301769542008-04-07T21:35:00.002+08:002008-04-07T22:11:55.015+08:00

This is a photo of our cocktail spread last Saturday, during a long weekend at the beach with some of my best friends and their adorable kids. We munched on all this (salami, aged gruyere and manchego cheeses, green mangos freshly picked from the tree in the garden, olives, pineapples, chips n dip, shrimp a la king on crackers, smoked tanigue fish will dill sauce, white bean dip, bruschetta,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-58658503070810302612008-04-03T23:48:00.001+08:002008-04-04T02:04:12.322+08:00

Baclayon baluarteWe were met with lousy weather when our plane touched down in Tagbilaran city, the capital of Bohol. By the time we retrieved our luggage, the rains were coming down hard and I was sticky from the humidity. I started to fret that this would ruin our weekend, but quickly resolved to make the most of it. It was just rain, after all, it doesn’t bother me much. Two years in London

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-13467668989615034932008-04-01T18:52:00.004+08:002008-04-04T01:58:49.023+08:00

After all this time, I finally got my butt to Bohol! I didn't want to wait any longer so I made reservations months ago for the Feb. 25 long weekend. I didn't even bother to wait for any of my travel buddies to book along with me. Most of my friends had already been there and I figured I'll go alone if I have to, so I was psyching myself up for that. I was surprised to find out though that a 'new

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-23983278754150004562008-03-31T08:55:00.002+08:002008-03-31T14:50:40.722+08:00

I love my fruits. Tropical fruits, exotic fruits, fruits of the forest; poached, baked in pies, stuffed in crepes, preserved in jars, blended in smoothies, flambeed with rum, tossed in salads, love them all! But not as much as I love them raw and pure. Straight from the tree, or bush, or from wherever it is your favorite fruit is grown. I recall reading somewhere that when Mother Nature can no

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-6315931761495586202008-03-24T22:26:00.004+08:002008-03-24T22:39:46.957+08:00

My Weekend Snapshot entry this week is a glimpse of our Easter vacation at my cousin's beach house in Calatagan. It was a wonderful 5 days of sun and fun with mostly family. There was a lot of lazy lounging, holy week prayers, sunset cocktails, chatting under the stars, bird watching, fresh fruits, frothy capuccinos, more chatting over beers and bruschetta, and swimming. It was heaven. I hope

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-33078921428060639692008-03-20T00:12:00.004+08:002008-03-20T01:04:41.539+08:00

I am a huge Friends fanatic, one of those that owns all 10 seasons on dvd, has watched each episode at least 4x so far and has never recovered from the show's end. It still elicits big belly laughs from me and I don't think the humor could ever get old, at least not for me. As much as I've watched the show though, I such at games like Friends Trivia and Scene It Friends edition (both of which

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-84925156709371037552008-03-19T20:54:00.003+08:002008-03-20T01:00:47.437+08:00

As far back as I can remember, we would often have a box or two of Hawaiian Host chocolate-covered macadamia nuts courtesy of a visiting relative or friend of my parents'. It seemed to be the favorite pasalubong (gift from travels) during those times along with cans of salted macadamia, Almond Roca and Violet Crumble (ooohh how we would fight for these!) among a few others. And so for a very long

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-36693150893902926072008-03-17T00:10:00.000+08:002008-03-17T00:18:28.910+08:00

Lookie lookie! It's the newest, most adorable cookbook to hit the shelves! I was really excited when I first heard about this book while it was still in the works. I thought, what a cool idea!, and couldn't wait to see the finished product. And now I have! I love it. It's cute and the characters are so much fun. The Witchkins All-Occasion Cookbook is really much more than just a cookbook with

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-90020893318956599742008-03-16T21:32:00.006+08:002008-03-17T11:15:38.193+08:00

There's no denying summer is here! School's out and it's getting hot, hot hot! So it's off to the beach we went. There was a lot of eating and lazing around on the beach with cold beers. I hope you all had a great weekend too! :)This photo I took at the beach is my entry for this week's Weekend Snapshot. Check out the other entries here and maybe submit your own weekend photo to share with us. :)

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-42491937432185206622008-03-15T08:14:00.001+08:002008-03-16T21:48:20.767+08:00

I have some exciting news for all the food-loving and island-loving people out there! The country's first ever authentic Moroccan restaurant is here! Happy happy! joy joy! Ok not quite here, here. But in Boracay. The Kasbah is open! Kasbah is Donna's baby. I've known Donna online for a while now so I have seen through her posts the hard work she's put into this. It was no easy task, putting up

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-42556265823594060662008-03-14T07:44:00.004+08:002008-03-14T15:23:42.069+08:00

Our lunch spread in Saud beach: kilawin, grilled eggplant, bagnet and grilled fishThe culinary delights in the Ilocos region were plentiful! Prior to our trip, I made a mental checklist of food to try while there: bagnet, the local empanada, royal bibingka, dinendeng, poqui-poqui, miki & gipang, pakbet and pakbet pizza. And so true to my travel form, I set off with wide-eyed and eager, with an

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-91655508319132066272008-03-12T18:35:00.007+08:002008-03-12T01:01:20.709+08:00

I don't know if I mentioned this before on my blog, so most of you may not know this but I have a thing for lighthouses. Back in 2002, an old friend of mine sent me a lighthouse calendar which I've kept because I love to look through the pictures every now and then. They are beacons yes, but also symbols of perseverance and self-sacrifice. But I think the attraction for me is it's connection to

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-11239988626225959572008-03-11T07:11:00.005+08:002008-03-11T16:00:02.561+08:00

Pasuquin BakeryOn our second day in Ilocos, we headed north, up along the western shoreline. The idea was to visit notable places in Ilocos Norte before capping the tour with a leisurely lunch in Pagudpud. So Gani picked us up right after breakfast and then we were off. It was a beautiful drive and we enjoyed the views of the ocean on one side and the Cordilleras on the other.You know the saying,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-63150472452812606852008-03-10T14:02:00.006+08:002008-03-10T15:17:12.047+08:00

My sister and her husband were at the beach for the weekend at a friend's wedding. So I played babysitter to her five kids and had the best time! They really bring me so much joy and make me relish being an aunt and godmother. We spent all of Saturday playing in the garden and all of Sunday at a friends place for a bbq and swim party. There was lots of food: quesadillas, burgers, sausages,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-9094196880346447102008-03-05T15:16:00.006+08:002008-03-10T19:41:26.680+08:00

Because I can’t wait to share this piece of happiness with you, I have put my Ilocos series on hold temporarily to post this.The goodies you see in the photo above are from the lovely Karina of The Scent of Green Bananas, who most of you may know as Santos. Though our hectic schedules prevented us form meeting up during my brief visit to Guam last weekend (despite the many text messages), Karina

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-48366235270321992002008-02-27T01:07:00.015+08:002008-02-28T16:04:52.932+08:00

St. Augustine Church, more commonly known as Paoay ChurchI decided to devote an entire post to the churches in Ilocos because seeing these structures was so special to me. And trust me, when you see them in person you'll realize that they demand your undivided attention. Like many of the old churches in the Philippines, they stood as silent witnesses to centuries of struggle and joy; and served

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-8798921772366752362008-02-22T01:52:00.004+08:002008-05-22T15:27:39.106+08:00

Vigan scenesI must say we covered quite a lot of ground in less than 3 days. From the Laoag Int’l Airport, we headed straight for La Preciosa where we had a wonderful lunch of bagnet, dinengdeng, and poqui-poqui (more on the food later, I promise!). With these Ilocano specialties in our souls, we forged our way through Ilocos. The landscape here was both unfamiliar yet refreshing; a background of

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-58682367186670735812008-02-19T00:14:00.004+08:002008-02-20T15:32:34.861+08:00

It only seems right to begin my series on Ilocos with a post about Sitio Remedios, our home for the weekend. After seeing my friends’ photos of Sitio, I didn’t even bother checking out other resorts or hotels. I had to stay there. From that first call to the Raymund, the resort manager, until the end of our stay, there I felt from them a palpable desire to please. But never overwhelmingly so. I

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-83983734205193654972008-02-13T21:51:00.005+08:002008-02-14T02:20:40.466+08:00

I tell myself that if I'm going to dream, I might as well dream big while I try to make smaller, but no less important, dreams come true along the way. Well one of my biggest dreams is to see the world. To traverse the planet from the Northern Lights to the Southern Cross. Oh yes, big dreams indeed!But before I go too far, I should first achieve that in my own country. The Philippines has so much

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-2013060211864907272008-02-11T11:21:00.001+08:002008-02-28T16:56:17.364+08:00

As the Philippine National Anthem played over the loudspeaker, this skydiver jumped out of a plane above thousands of people and unfurled the Philippine flag to officially kick-off the 3rd day of the 11th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark Field Pampanga. Unfortunately strong winds kept the balloons grounded all day. But we did enjoy other treats such as the sight of

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-3010236278432104012008-02-09T00:23:00.000+08:002008-02-09T21:57:54.320+08:00

I've had this post in my dashboard queue since Nov. 19, can you believe it? Yes, it's one of many that were in the pipeline and saved as drafts so I don't forget. Saved post titles work like the strings on Ernie's fingers for me, since I have such a bad memory. :)I made palitaw (sticky rice treat) for the first time for my mom's surprise birthday dinner last November. With the help of my sister

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-47431077504470632662008-02-06T23:17:00.000+08:002008-02-09T21:39:35.825+08:00

It must naturally follow that a country as diverse in ethnicity, geography and climate as China, would have an equally diverse cuisine. I'm no expert, but it seems that there are about as many types of cuisine as there are subcultures. Among the most popular are Cantonese - which is the most widely known and loved for it's dimsum and stir-frys; Sichuan and Hunan - loved by those who like it hot,

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-2199927802809985192008-01-29T21:28:00.000+08:002008-01-29T23:14:48.800+08:00

When Joey announced she'd be hosting this round of Hay Hay it's Donna Day! (HHDD), I promised her I'd join in. I always enjoyed seeing the entries to the past rounds that the thought of joining in the fun crossed my mind a few times. But like with other food events (I've only managed one Lasang Pinoy round), I worry about committing and then not meeting the deadline. And although we're given more

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-2676389670746911472008-01-28T07:54:00.000+08:002008-01-28T11:31:12.011+08:00

I missed far too many Weekend Snapshots already which I felt pretty bad about so I decided I wasn't going to miss this one. Here is a picture of the Quiapo Church's bell tower taken during Carlos' North Bank walking tour. The church, also known as the Basilika ng Nazareno, is the home of the Black Nazarene - a life-sized statue of a kneeling Jesus Christ. On January 9 each year, the statue is

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-62801065414531387092008-01-25T01:50:00.000+08:002008-01-28T16:44:46.630+08:00

Silk street, as it turns out, isn't a street lined with stalls selling silk products. What started out as an outdoor alley market (reason for the name) is now touted as the third most popular tourist destination in Beijing after The Great Wall and the Forbidden City. It is a seven-level building crammed with thousands of retailers selling anything and everything under the Chinese sun. One level

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-2934309826174388882008-01-22T12:34:00.001+08:002009-02-09T18:25:52.879+08:00

Last weekend was a special one. Not only did Joey and I successfully co-host a super enjoyable and delicious baby shower for one of my bestest friends in the world (yay, Jo! We make a great team if I may say so myself! :)), but it was also the weekend that the latest issue of Travelife (Jan-Feb) hit the stands. The issue that holds my first-ever published travelogue! :)It's a piece about my trip

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-40818596224948187852008-01-21T01:21:00.000+08:002008-01-21T12:26:59.667+08:00

Now what would a trip to Beijing be without a Peking duck experience? It's unthinkable. It's like being there and yet not climbing the Great Wall. There's something special about sampling your favorite food right in it's birthplace where we can safely assume that only local ingredients are used and that it is prepared in the traditional method. The fact that you are eating among locals and in an

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-16182136186483374242008-01-10T02:53:00.000+08:002008-01-10T03:12:15.026+08:00

I don't know if my friends share the same sentiment but my visit to the beautiful Summer Palace in Beijing, however awe-inspiring, was one marred by frustration. You see, places like these deserve more than just a few hours of your time. It can only be truly appreciated when taken in slowly; with a leisurely stroll through its halls and into its temples and pavillions, up its towers, across it's

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-68862066402705652392007-12-27T11:00:00.001+08:002008-04-04T02:03:26.193+08:00

Hi everyone! I know I said I'd try and finish my Beijing posts before the year ends but it doesn't look like it's gonna happen. I have about 3 more posts to go but I'll be away from the computer from today until the 30th. I'm leaving in a couple of hours for the city of Xiamen in China with a girl friend of mine. I'm really excited about this trip because we're venturing slightly off the beaten

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-18875302424071582702007-12-23T11:49:00.000+08:002008-01-22T12:29:33.688+08:00

Prior to my trip to Beijing, I imagined the city to be somewhat small and more laid-back compared to the rapidly developing and booming Shanghai in the south. But while this may be an accurate comparison, I haven't been to Shanghai so I can't tell you for sure, there is nothing small about Beijing and it it not quite so laid-back. Like a dart board with the Forbidden city as bull's eye, Beijing

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-24443041962772587072007-12-21T01:38:00.000+08:002007-12-21T22:58:48.198+08:00

Wow, I've had this post in draft for over a month! I can't believe how difficult it has been to squeeze in some blogging time lately. I also realized that since my trip to Beijing, I've gone on another trip (Dumaguete, which I'll be posting about later) and I'm getting ready for yet another next week, which will all add to my growing backlog of posts! Hayayay! So I have to work double time on

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-80500177454453824662007-11-26T16:56:00.000+08:002007-11-26T17:13:04.968+08:00

Last Saturday, my friend celebrated her son's 1st birthday party with a barn theme. Pictured above are the adorable and delicious cake and mini cakes made by Marta, the super-talented and sweet woman behind Marta's Cakes. I have pictures of her other creations, but then I'd have to give my blog a R-rating if I post them here. ;)See this week's photos here and click on the WS logo above for

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-82970496429674617682007-11-24T23:35:00.000+08:002007-11-26T22:30:33.427+08:00

"You are not a hero at all if you have not climbed the Great Wall."- Mao ZedongIf you haven't already heard the story directly from me, then you must be wondering about the title of this post. But I will get to that later. First, let me give you a brief intro about The Great Wall of China. It is almost 4,000 miles long and like a giant dragon, it zigzags across North China from the eastern coast

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-67603317209678682922007-11-21T23:21:00.000+08:002007-11-23T01:04:22.519+08:00

Barely three hours after touchdown and happily sated with our first taste of Chinese food in China (more on the food in future posts), my friends and I headed for the Temple of Heaven. This temple complex, which is the largest in China, reflects the ancient Chinese belief that Heaven was an ominpresent god of nature that governed everything under the sky, hence it was the venue for many sacred

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-37617773846768613432007-11-19T01:11:00.000+08:002007-11-19T01:15:11.152+08:00

Ugh, it's been a week and I still haven't had a chance to continue posting about my Beijing trip. Anyways, it's weekend snapshot time once again and my entry this week is a picture of dairy products such as white cheese, pastillas de leche, plain and flavored yoghurt (blueberry, patchberry and mango), chocolate milk, and some cups of milk-o-jel (which I have yet to try), all made from fresh

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-83267854563010378252007-11-12T15:45:00.000+08:002007-11-12T16:19:55.433+08:00

I missed WS #9 because I was in Beijing so I thought it would be a good idea to enter a picture taken that weekend for WS #10 to keep to the theme of my current posts. This photo is of a stuffed Panda which a tour guide was using to lead his group inside The Forbidden City. I thought it was really cute and a nice change from the usual ordinary flag or umbrella other guides were using. The

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-645862317801196822007-11-09T01:25:00.001+08:002008-04-04T01:59:50.134+08:00

Ni hao! :) I've just come back from a 6-day visit to Beijing where my girl friends and I had a great time. (To the ladies: if you have never travelled with your girl friends, do yourself this favor if you get the chance. It is an absolute ball! My recent trips to Hanoi and Bangkok are testaments to this.) It was a very educational and interesting trip for sure, but more importantly it was a week

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-22421797469994308002007-10-29T16:07:00.000+08:002007-10-29T23:45:45.099+08:00

My first entry for Weekend Snapshot is a photo of lanzones taken Sunday at my aunt's fruit farm in Laguna where we spent the long weekend.The lanzones is a fruit native to Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia (where it is known as 'doku'). The flesh underneath the thin skin is soft and translucent and surrounds a very bitter seed which you would want to avoid

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-56457696395959089092007-10-26T18:07:00.000+08:002007-10-29T16:01:33.862+08:00

It has always fascinated me how certain food, its taste, smell and perhaps even just the sight of it, can trigger cherished (or not) memories and sometimes with stunning clarity. Of those particular foods, I could list many which I fondly associate with either one of my grandmothers. One such example is mazapan de pili or salchichon de pili which Mamaita, my paternal grandmother, used to make.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-20203853683381609572007-10-25T13:40:00.002+08:002008-09-30T13:39:08.397+08:00

(Edited to include last of 3 installments)To celebrate National Thank You Day (Oct. 20), Reggie Aspiras shared the precious contents of her phone book with the readers of her column, Kitchen Rescue on PDI. The list includes contact details for food, cooking and entertaining needs from suppliers mostly within Metro Manila. It is a very extensive list which I will surely be referring to often. So

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-81417169970187274032007-10-01T08:26:00.000+08:002007-10-02T10:33:52.009+08:00

Just three months after the first menu degustation hosted by Chefs Sunshine and Rob, I was back for another delicious adventure. This time I took my sister Ginny and treated her to the experience as an advanced birthday gift. She had never been to anything like this before so she was really excited when I picked her up for the dinner nearly two months after I made our reservations.We shared a

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-71575885165043251992007-09-27T23:18:00.000+08:002007-09-28T17:04:44.165+08:00

Wow, it seems like forever since my last post and since I've read any of my favorite blogs. No, I haven't forgotten nor abandoned any of you! How can I? I just haven't had as much extra online time as I used to since the other stuff that makes up my daily life slowly started to creep up on me threatening to bury me alive if I continued to neglect them. So lately I've been juggling my time between

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-71130496646751229602007-09-04T18:50:00.000+08:002007-09-28T17:02:21.166+08:00

In previous posts, I gushed about these fab pocket city guides which I discovered during one of my trips last year. Disappointed though later to find out that they weren't sold in Manila. But now I'm so stoked and happy to announce that thanks to my good friend Kat who brings them in, the Luxe City Guides are now available in our city!Since the last time I wrote about it, they've published new

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-90945332982939289492007-09-03T11:33:00.001+08:002007-09-03T11:44:31.564+08:00

Saw this over at Nina's site.I am Thailand. While I deny the whole bit about sexual promiscuity and disease, it's good to know that my guests cry not because my cooking is horrible. ;)Come on, let's have some fun. It's a super short quiz, so go ahead and take it then tell me what country you are.You're Thailand!Calmer and more staunchly independent than almost all those around you,you have a long

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-8588834487489540582007-08-30T13:35:00.000+08:002007-08-31T16:35:48.649+08:00

(Cebu: last of 4 parts)Because we spent most of our time in Santa Fe, there were some places in Cebu city I didn't have the chance to visit such as the popular bagsakan (wholesale) center, the Carbon market . What I did make time for though is Tabo-an market, which is only about 10 minutes away from my brothers house. So while he settled in for a siesta, pooped after driving back from Bantayan, I

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-82907739387624432092007-08-28T12:14:00.000+08:002007-08-30T14:35:25.530+08:00

(Cebu: Part 3 of 4)Sante Fe is a small fishing village located on the southeast coast of Bantayan island. It is a place time seemed to have momentarily forgotten. The beaches are beautiful and unspoilt, and perhaps because it was low season, the only other life on the shores were fisherfolk and stray dogs. The beach at dusk was almost surreal. Everything turned a deep blue and you could barely

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-2456533943157300462007-08-24T07:37:00.000+08:002007-08-30T14:33:56.124+08:00

(Cebu: Part 2 of 4)"So, are you feeling adventurous?", Woody asked my friend and I during brunch at his apartment Saturday morning. "Yes!", I replied a little too loudly, almost spilling my tea in the process, "Why what's the plan?". "Let's go to Bantayan", he replied.Less than two hours later we were on the road heading towards the northern tip of Cebu island where we would take the last ferry

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-69870718002620806892007-08-23T00:09:00.000+08:002007-08-31T18:06:11.490+08:00

(Cebu: Part 1 of 4)Magellan's Cross My favorite brother, who just happens to be my only brother, moved to Cebu from Bacolod a few months ago. I had been meaning to visit him much earlier to help fix up his place but unfortunately never got around to it. I did finally manage to make it down to that Queen City of the South for the long weekend with a friend in tow. We almost didn't make it though.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-46761799378282465432007-08-22T08:05:00.000+08:002007-08-23T21:39:26.870+08:00

Pickled lemonsIt must have been around that time, about 11 years ago , when I lived in Vancouver for a few months with my sister and her family that I became hopelessly enamored with Middle Eastern food. I spent countless hours in awe watching her and her Lebanese husband make some of the most exotic food I had ever tasted, using ingredients I had never even heard of until then. Then I devoured

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-69621496947532549942007-08-15T23:52:00.000+08:002007-08-16T02:00:35.773+08:00

vanillaadj.: Ordinary flavor, standard. When used of food, very often does not mean that the food is flavored with vanilla extract! For example, `vanilla wonton soup' means ordinary wonton soup, as opposed to hot-and-sour wonton soup.- Dictionary.com The word vanilla has become synonymous with anything that's ordinary. But really, is that even fair? How can something so intensely aromatic and

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-46456147520078720882007-08-13T22:16:00.000+08:002007-08-13T23:36:55.854+08:00

Remember Edgar, the taho guy-turned-crab guy I was telling you about in this post? Well twice recently I managed to catch him while I was home during the weekend. One Saturday morning, we chatted under the shade of a large rainbow-striped umbrella fixed to his sidecar as he weighed live crabs for me. I peered into the pails at his bounty, seeing some great-looking squid, lapu-lapu and prawns

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-1679540011541407142007-08-10T10:39:00.000+08:002007-08-16T11:39:37.216+08:00

I wasn't planning to put this up on the blog but then I decided it's about the blog so I should, right? It's kinda like an important milestone in your baby's life and not adding it to her baby book. Not that I would ever compare having a blog to having a baby, so you mothers out there can put that knife down and back away slowly. ;)So anyway, a few months ago, Alynda posted about her blog review.

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-1757412644969811822007-08-08T09:25:00.000+08:002007-08-08T18:37:45.158+08:00

When I was younger, I only really knew avocados as a sweet treat, served with milk and sugar in a bowl or blended into thick green shakes. It was only later that I began to discover this fruit for it's more savory potential, where it lends creaminess to dishes such as sushi, salsas, salads, sandwiches and of course dips like guacamole.In Aztec Mexico, the avocado fruit was highly-regarded because

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-42134200604548533582007-08-07T08:00:00.000+08:002007-08-07T11:49:28.077+08:00

Here's a little break from all the protein I've been featuring from my last trip. This is a recipe that was inspired by BBC's Good Food 101 Veggie Dishes. I needed something new for my office baon (packed lunch), a change from my usual. I was growing a bit tired of grilled chicken (served with our ever-growing collection of condiments in the office), my usual salad brought from home, or any one

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-89340953330802623982007-08-06T08:11:00.000+08:002007-08-06T14:27:39.888+08:00

I love my weekends and I look forward to it with much anticipation during the week. And I've always felt they were too short and should be composed of three days instead of two. I think it's only fair to work 4 days in a week and rest for 3, don't you think? Anyhoo, for most of us these two days are precious! On weekends I find myself in a bit of a tizzy; I am torn between the very elusive

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-59364520602118405992007-08-04T01:58:00.000+08:002007-08-04T14:21:22.558+08:00

Our weekend jaunt to the south was coming to an end, sniff, but there was still one more thing we had to do (er eat) before hopping on that plane back to Manila: the steaks at Del Monte!Bukidnon is a rolling highland with an average elevation of about 900 meters. It is home to the world's biggest pineapple plantation and is also the biggest cattle-prducing province in the region. Now think about

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-4428573071810365542007-08-02T08:37:00.002+08:002008-12-22T11:35:04.612+08:00

We were invited to stay for the night at a friends' farm in Bukidnon. So after we accomplished what we did and satisfied our inner stuntman in Cagayan de Oro, they sent the car to pick us up from our hotel. We drove for over an hour through nothing but a sea of pineapples (owned by the Del Monte Corp.) on either side of the dirt road until we arrived at their gorgeous 60-hectare estate.I knew

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-85086065499092332042007-07-31T07:20:00.000+08:002007-07-31T16:35:59.464+08:00

Ostrich tapaCagayan de Oro, being the white water rafting capital of the Philippines, has a lot to offer the thrill seeker and adventure traveler. Aside from shooting the rapids, ziplining, braving suspension bridges, horseback riding and caving which we did, visitors to this city can also enjoy other activities such as rapeling, spelunking, tubing (also known as Pinoy rafting), biking and nature

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-15298042853546928962007-07-28T14:35:00.000+08:002007-08-15T00:44:53.818+08:00

Yay I finally did it! I finally went white water rafting! I've been wanting to do this for way too long. The last two times I was in Cagayan de Oro there was no time for any adventure; the first time we we were just passing through on our way to Camiguin island, and the second time was for work so no time there. But yes, finally, there I was feeling brave and snug in a blue lifevest, a yellow

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-25508201319287966192007-07-24T12:10:00.000+08:002007-07-25T02:11:10.370+08:00

Yes, folks, I rock! And I rock, two times!! Well, at least according to two of my favorite blogger friends: Tracy of Alaskan Adventures and Cookie of ScroochChronicles. :) Thank you so much, you two, I am extremely flattered yet humbled and touched that you think so. I happen to think you both rock too!If you haven't already had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely women, let me give you a

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-80229425752298712912007-07-14T13:13:00.000+08:002007-07-16T11:47:40.162+08:00

In our village, there are many industrious folk who roam the streets selling a wide range of food and services. They are recognized by the distinct sounds they produce as they walk past your home. There's the unmistakable bell of my favorite 'dirty' ice cream man pushing his colorful cart through our streets whom I've been buying cones of ube and keso (cheese) ice cream from since I was five; the

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-32710729441800335312007-07-11T11:03:00.000+08:002007-07-14T23:35:45.141+08:00

I 'borrowed' that name from Socky, which was apparently coined by Adobo Magazine. There was no more perfect term for her, I think.The woman I speak of is none other than Lydia Go. Tita Lyds, as she is fondly called, is a pioneer and master in the art of food styling and food photography who revolutionized the craft in the Philippines. She was legendary in the advertising industry, the woman

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10486650.post-59478464669377672632007-07-09T21:30:00.000+08:002007-07-13T01:45:05.179+08:00

After our delicious Balinese lunch, we climbed into Gusti's car and headed west towards Bali's famed coastline. As much as we loved charming and peaceful Ubud and it's colorful tapestry of mountains, rice fields and art galleries, there is another side to Bali that warrants at least a few day's visit. But since we didn't have a few days left, we settled for some highlights.I had no more than a

christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00170119649259510290noreply@blogger.com21