Morning Reads

Constant links on my tabs.

I was never a fan of newspaper reading in the morning. Growing up, watching the morning news while I eat my breakfast has been my custom. Even as an adult, I never learned to read the papers in the morning. But in the past months, I have learned to read blogs, at first, to kill boredom while I wait for my bread to toast and my tea to steep. But this has been habitual that I found myself enjoying the process of reading and looking at the wonderful photos. Since I spend most of my time working in the office, doing field work or just stuck in traffic, mornings have been the most ideal time to spend on leisure reading.

I want to share what blogs I’ve been following that keep me inspired and motivated week after week. You might want to check them if you’re feeling uninspired lately. Here they are:

1. Cupcakes and Cashmere by Emily Schuman

I especially like her series on food and the links she loves. Her series, Weekly Wardrobe, has constantly inspired my own wardrobe for the office. The good vibe of her blog just simply influences the readers to be as blissful. I would really, really love to buy her books, but I still need to squeeze them in my too tight budget. Soon, though.

 2. My Name is Yeh by Molly Yeh

Molly Yeh’s photographs are very good – rustic, warm and happy. Her farm adventures remind me a lot of my own home in Nueva Ecija. And I adore her kitchen particularly her open shelf of baking ingredients. I’m also hoping to find my own eggboy someday.

 3. Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

 I like how Joy portrays the I don’t care if it will make me fat so long as it tastes good kind of attitude in her posts. Also, she makes the readers feel that she doesn’t keep secrets from them. If it’s good, she shares it.

4. Come Waste Your Time With Me by Patty Laurel-Filart

This blog is very inspiring as Patty Laurel-Filart is one amazing Filipina blogger that I look up to. There is just this yearning inside me to be like her someday. She just seems happy all the time.

5. 600 Acres by Posie Hardwood

I first encountered this blog thru following the site of Food 52 where Posie Hardwood is one of the constant contributors. Whenever I read her blog, my mind automatically travels into the times when I was still a little girl living in our small fish farm, lying on my warm bed and just staring at the shadows of the coconut trees in my windows. I can deeply connect on how her love for food and adventures rooted from her farm life as a youth.

I hope you enjoy these links as much as I do!

– C

Simply Five

Can someone tell me that today is Saturday and not Friday, and that I can stay in my bed the whole day? No? Okay. Friday then.

There are just a lot that happened in my week, including my first lone travel for work, the bad green tea latte I bought in a coffee shop at the airport, the almost three-hour delayed return flight to Manila and my first ever comedy bar experience!

I was alone in Cagayan de Oro City most of my weekdays to attend two meetings. I was stucked in the conference room the whole time, and if I was out, it’s either I was in the comfort room, fast asleep in my hotel room or traveling back to Manila. Nevertheless, these small moments of almost freedom, I took time to look and appreciate little amazing things about my life.

Here they are!

Celebrating little accomplishments. Yey!

Pepper finally finished her swimming lessons. Can’t wait to spend adventures with this kiddo!

My view from the hotel’s restaurant during Tuesday dinner.

I love this wall piece from the conference hall where my meetings were held.

I could go on roadtrips in CDO anytime with this no-traffic situation thank you!

Have a wanderful weekend, you guys!

– C

Cake Stand + Gourmand (2X) + Ginger Ale + BBW

Hi there!

Okay. Let’s do this!.

Friday.

I was about to leave the office early after drafting a whole lot of memorandum, resolutions and communication when Ate Gladys called up from Australia and asked me to edit her school paper. She just recently bought me a new mixer so this favor is chicken. I will edit all her papers if it means getting kitchen equipment for FREEEEEE! I’m patiently waiting for the arrival of the mixer here!

I met Ate Karen in BGC. We looked at some crafts’ boutique and was happy find this green cake stand. Our first ever!

First of the many!

We ate dinner at Gourmand (Pronounced as goor-mand. Yep! I searched about it.). Gourmand means a person who loves to eat and often eats waaaay too much. Anyways, it was a weekend night market that ran from May 22-24, 2015 to showcase products, usually food, that were made with love straight from the kitchens. Ang daming pogi!

It’s Gourmand, okay? Goor-mand! Haha.

Anyhoo, I was so happy to find there the old fashioned ginger ale by Stanford and Shaw Brewing Co. The first time I tasted it in the Muni Market, I was a convert. The combination of sweetness, the fizz and the lingering peppery taste after you swallow it is just the overall amazing experience one will feel upon hitting this drink. OMG, soooo good!

There is this Game of Thrones feels in this ale. Must be the “ale” part. This should be a regular member of my fridge!

I also tried the bagnet sisig of Mangong’s Bagnet and the cookies of The Baker Bros. They got me the wrong cookie – dark chocolate with mint – maybe because it was already raining and people started to scuttle. Point is, I’m not a very huge fan of mint in chocolates. Their cookies are delicious just the same. I slept dreaming of ginger ale, bagnet and cookies.

Saturday.

I had a deal with big sis. She did the laundry while I organized the shoe rack. You have to understand that cleaning our shoe rack has always been a challenging and nagging task for both me and my sister. But I braved it! You wouldn’t believe how much shoes our tiny apartment can hold. I lined them up and decided on each if they should stay or go. Finally, I asked an officemate if her church is still in need of shoes for donation. Luckily, she answered yes.

OMG!

Name it, we have it!

My first and only pair of Suelas. You did well, baby. Sadly, we will be parting very soon. 😦

These soft slippers are our feet essentials at home.

Uhm…I’m having a bit of a problem in here.

While big sis took her usual nap, I decided to do my own pedicure.

Going neon this time. And oh, the rug I bought from an Ate in the office. Pretty! 

We went back to the Gourmand! This time with big sis’ pretty boy, Dane. Third wheeling, I know. I’m an expert. Whatever.

Shamelessly third wheeling!

We happily introduced the ginger ale to Dane who instantly like it! I bought 2 bottles to store at home and another that went with our dinner – steeeeaaaaak! This combination is highly recommended, you guys! As dessert, we bought The Little Spatula‘s Cocoanut Bliss Balls and bought tea from Moonleaf. Did you know they have a takeout outlet in that little corner in BGC? No? Well, I’m telling you now.

These bad boys will sit on my fridge until such time I decide to consume them all at once. Hahaha!

Guilt-free dessert by The Little Spatula.

The balls and the booze!

My phone died, so I used Dane’s instead.

I bought gifts for a friend and an aunt.

This is such a nice gadget accessory organizer!

We called it a night when our tummies can no longer take another bite of Bliss Balls.

Sunday.

I had a 30-minute yoga the morning after I woke up. I felt guilty after two days of bingeing!

We spent our whole day baking, cooling the cake while reading, frosting and eating the cake with tea. Okay. The cake. Big sis cannot wait for the Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate cake mix to be all consumed, and I cannot wait to try out the new cake stand. We had a deal. We’ll make a double layer cake – one layer Ghirardelli and one layer banana cake. The banana cake was adopted from this recipe of The Cake Blog. I used oil instead of butter and it turned out just as fluffy and moist even after I refrigerated it for a couple of hours or so. The buttercream frosting was a left over from our previous baking. We added the walnuts (c/o Peps) for crunch. Ate Karen named if BBW Cake. As in Brownie, Banana and Walnut. It’s awesome seeing the cake sit in the fridge. It makes me smile every time.

Patiently cooling the cakes here!

Three gorgeous circles.

Then the buttercream comes to the scene!

And more buttercream!

Presenting the BBW Cake! That’s Brownie, Banana and Walnut Cake. Okay? BBW. Get it?

Show off!

Let me take a beautiful shot before it’s gone!

Of course, I paired it with tea!

Our dinner was composed of leftover red rice, spanish sardines, kimchi and poached egg all mixed in one bowl. It tasted sooooo much better than it looks!

They’re black but certainly not bland!

Please, please, tell me you had a wonderful weekend, too.

Happy come-back-to-work Monday!

– C

Take Five

Yey, it’s Friday – last working day for most of us! Many of you might have been spending your Fridays looking forward for the fun activities you so carefully planned for the weekend. I used to be like you. But from now on, I will spend my Fridays not only looking forward for my weekend but also looking back to what transpired from my Monday through Friday. Specifically, I’d like to share to you the small details – that most people might not notice – which made me feel happy, excited, fulfilled and all other sort of positive vibes.

Here are the five things that made this week really special.

A funny drawing of Leny (an officemate) by Alvin (another officemate)

An officemate brought these boxes of buko (coconut) pie from Laguna for everyone in the office. Isn’t he the sweetest?

I felt like a grade schooler receiving her first star!

Back to Army Gym for some late night swimming

Guess what? I discovered a hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant just 10 minutes away from my apartment. This Pad Thai of theirs is my favorite!

What made your week extraordinary?

Happy weekend, people!

– C

Project Saturday + Sunday

Hi!

How was your weekend? Did you eat your favorite ice cream, stayed in your pajamas until 3 in the afternoon, or read that book that has been in your bedside for months? Whatever you did these past two days, I wish you had all the fun…as usual.

Anyway, this weekend’s projects are both unusual and familiar. I know. Weird.

I woke up past 8 o’clock because no matter how much I tried to sleep past that, I can’t. Body clock sheez! I grabbed the egg bin, attacked the only vegetable (carrot) in the fridge, handful of cubed white cheese, some pepper, a dash of dried rosemary and chilli flakes, and poof, I’m ready for a frittata never was! Though it tasted tolerable, it didn’t have the best appearance. I was disappointed that almost everything fell from my ladle when I tried to flip the whole thing from the pan. I didn’t take a photo of the disaster, obviously, which I regretted. I reminded myself to document both the disasters and the successes in my kitchen endeavors. Luckily, my sister was fine with everything I put in her plate.

Frittata (or not) in the making

Dearest sister was off to a sports fest after breakfast which left me with the hill of soiled clothes that badly needed to be washed. Thank heavens, laundry is my thing! I did some cleaning in the bathroom and the kitchen, too. Na-very good ako ni Ate Karen! I was hungry, tired and sweating like a pig by the time I was finished with the house chores.

After resting and filling my tummy with what was left in the fridge, it was time for Project Saturday. If you are following me through Facebook (I hope you do!), you would know that I also co-own the small online bake sale, Original Sin, with my sister. Every Saturday, we try to bake something new apart from our original selection. That said, I will be posting my Project Saturday together with my Weekend Wonders here as it is only fitting.

So…I was off to baking, the best part of my weekends…ALWAYS! The goal: USE COCO JAM which an officemate so kindly bought for me in Bicol. I originally planned to make a full cake with coco jam center filling and cream cheese frosting. But tired as I am, I didn’t think that my arms can stand a long time of whisking batter and more whisking for the frosting. The next, but still best, option is CHEEEEEEESECAKE or the Coco Caramel and Walnut Cheesecake. Yep, I invented that name! Hihihi!

BUT THE EGG BIN WAS EMPTY!

Where are the eggs???

I found myself walking to the nearby store to buy eggs! Desperate (haha!). Few minutes after, eggs are in my work table. I was happy.

First, the sweet and flaky crust, then the creamy, tangy filling, and finally…the coconutty, sticky and dark topping, plus a little extra crunch from walnuts. I will just let the  photos speak from here on, and imagine your nods and smiles.

All the good for the crust!

So happy just seeing those eggs 🙂

Butter working overtime in here!

You know your crust will be amazing when it does not stick in your fingers like this.

And also when it comes together like this! 🙂

Spread and press!

Then flatten. Just like that. Simple.

Feeling filling!

Filling, crust and topping. YUUUUM!

Of course I’m not professional and I make mistakes along the way of baking. I will still eat this. I bet you would, too!

Coco jam to the rescue! Hihihi

And more rescuing here, you guys!

And a little flattery from our friend, walnut

This is not a pie. This is a council meeting of unknown insects.

Dark, dark pool of goodness!

By Sunday, it was Ate Karen’s turn on cleaning as I wait for the butter to soften. An officemate ordered some (very) good old Pistachio-Choco Chip Oatmeal Cookies for Monday. What to do while waiting for your butter to soften? DO SOME ART!

One of the pro parts of Saturday cleaning was gathering materials to be recycled, such as used yogurt plastic jars. Once cleaned, they are perfect as herb jars. With the limited lessons in watercolor painting I had last February from Gail Javier of Paper Stars (you may check her works and schedule of workshops here), I tried to label the jars accordingly. Though my painting style (painting style talaga?) will not make it to the museums, they are respectable enough for the kitchen. The calligraphy was my sister’s.

Art in my super cramped room

Can you recognized what could be inside the jars based on the paintings?

Oh, how I love herbs!

Finally, labeled properly!

After labeling the jars and my sister’s tidying, the butter was soft enough for the cookies. The fragrance of the batter as it baked in the oven made me high. Like what Edward Cullen said:”Like my own personal brand of heroine” (I’ve read the books. I know. Don’t preach!) The cookies are buttery, tenderly crumbly in the outside, chewy in the inside, sweet, and surprisingly creamy because pistachios!

Nothing too much! 😉

Essentials: chocolates and nuts

Sneak peek!

Almost!

And just like that, pure goodness straight out of the oven!

To end the weekend, my sister and I went out for dinner at the Blackbird with friends.

Friends (Photo by Cyhsi Barroga)

I’d like to hear about your weekend, too.

Happy Monday!

– C

What Is My Favorite Color?

I don’t know, really.

What I know is that I love the color of the sky when the sun starts to peek through the morning clouds or just when it starts to disappear in the darkness of the coming night. I am always mesmerized with the effect of the burst of light in the horizon at the beginning and the end of the day. Both moments are just very warm and comforting.

Here are some of the best views of the sky that I captured in my phone while riding the bus going home or back to the metro, or the train, or while sipping tea in the balcony.

I hope you spend some of your time appreciating the sun and the sky this afternoon!

– C

So…Weekend

Mine started Friday night. From work, I went straight to the bus station, waited patiently for my turn and Ate Karen’s arrival, hop in, closed my eyes, and just like magic, I’m in Nueva Ecija. I swear, I time travelled! Before midnight, I was, again, greeted by the coconuts trees and the warm summer night air of home.

Saturday morning was not one of my favorite mornings. The house was a mess! Obviously, my Mama, Ate Joy, brother-in-law and little Pepper had a busy week, too. At least I am not alone in that aspect. Thank goodness, I brought home with me a week of soiled clothes to busy myself with. Wash, wash, wash! I felt instantly better after doing some hand work.

After, I busied myself prepping for lunch while Ate Karen and little Pepper whipped some cheesecake in the kitchen. The cheesecake pie was unusually brown. Nope, it was not burnt. My sister opted to use brown confectioner’s sugar because we had a big pack open. She refused to open a box of regular (white) one for reasons only thrifty people like us would understand.

She topped the pie with wild blueberry preserve which she bought from her recent trip in Sagada. The smell of creamcheese and the sweet berries made me want to grab the spoon and eat the pie straight from the pan! Sadly, no one – not even little Pepper – was allowed to touch the pie until Sunday morning for Mother’s Day.

With the pie off hand, I slept, woke and grabbed the spatula and the bowl for my own share of baking. I made a dozen each of banana and carrot muffins for my friends.

I’d like to say that nothings was really very special with the muffins, but my baker self refused not to recognized that I added surprise centers to the muffins. I put chocolate kisses on the banana muffins and cubed cream cheese (I froze them!) in the center of the carrot muffins. I love surprises!

By past 6:00 in the evening, everyone in the house was in a hurry to catch Mama’s Igorot dance performance. She, together with some of our kababaryo competed in the town fiesta’s Sayaw ang Lahi contest as part of the town’s fiesta’s celebration. It was Llanera’s 60th Founding Anniversary and the 7th Kapagayan Fiestival.

I did know my Mama was such a poised dancer. For the past weeks, she’d been telling me stories of the long hours she spent practicing the dance. Both men and women were garb in traditional Igorot clothes. Yes, with putong and banga and bahag.

The moment I saw their performance, I knew they’re going to win. And they did! The shouting and the cheer of my fellow residents of Sta. Barbara was priceless when they were announced as the first prize winner.

Since it was fiesta, I was taken back to the time when my grandmother used to tag me along with my cousins in that same place to enjoy the perya. My last memory was when we all rode the horror train. I tried to play an old game to reminisce.

I went to bed that night feeling happy to witness another side of my Mama and to be able to visit a long gone tradition. The next day, I forced myself to wake up before 5:00 AM. It was a storm-is-coming kind of morning and it was Mother’s Day! What better dish to serve but something soupy. We had some leftover rice noodles perfect for pho. Chicken, herbs and fresh vegetables topped the noodles. Everything scalded with broth. Yum!

And it was finally legit to consume the cheesecake pie! Yehey!

After finishing a hot bowl of pho and a mug of equally hot milktea, I was off with my muffins to meet with some friends I have not see for a while. We were supposed to trek up the Pinatubo crater but a storm was coming. We decided not to risk it and have a small swimming party instead. The meet-up was actually for the benefit of Peps and Keb who work from other countries. It will probably years again before I see the couple together. Can I just say that thought they are the weirdest couple I know (I hope they won’t read this post), Peps and Keb are two of my favorite people in the whole wide world? So back to the swimming party. We did some barbeque. Wait. Actually, I did all the grilling while they all chatted, but anyway. So, we did barbeque, jumped into the pool and tested Keb’s new GoPro (photos and videos soon. promise!).

By past 5:00 PM, I had to leave to catch a bus back to Metro Manila. As I sat alone in the bus I watch the sun set like I always have, and I realized how blessed I was to have such a wonderful weekend.

By Monday, I was already feeling sickly because of too much heat (from the grilling, I’m guessing. Hehe), excitement and lack of sleep.

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

– C

Blissful Weekend

While most family in the Philippines go out of town to celebrate Labor Day on May 1st, my family often stay home to celebrate my eldest sister’s birthday. She just turned 31. The most exciting part of the celebration was that we were able to set dinner in the lawn with candles, barbeque, hum of the coconut tree and, of course, home cooked food. Well, exept for the stuffed roasted chicken which I brought home from Cagayan de Oro City. Carrying it from CDO to Nueva Ecija was worth it. Promise!

Come Saturday morning, I got irritated with how my niece’s hair was so untidy considering the very warm weather. I grabbed her and did some braid – the kind she has always been wanting me to try. Kid as she is, her hair was a mess only after about a couple of hours slouching in her favorite mini sofabed while watching Disney Channel.

As if food was not enough last dinner, I decided to make a Walnut and Almond Pie. An aunt from Scotland gave us these packs of nuts that I could not resist to immerse them in sweet, buttery syrup over flaky crust. I originally planned to put only walnuts, but decided to do it half and half with almonds. After only about two hours, the house smelled like…like…hmmm. Yay! I got the gang a pie just in time for Mama’s coffee, Ate Karen’s green tea, chocolate for Pepper, and black tea with lots of milk for me.

We also didn’t forget to say a little prayer for Pops, so we took an afternoon walk to the cemetery. We took a short cut and walked through the dry fields.

My plan to do some workout while at home for the weekend did not materialize. I stretched my mornings to make up for last week’s lack of sleep. But it’s okay. Last weekend’s bliss was amazing and very rejuvenating.

Oh! I chopped most of my hair and it added up to the lightness I felt over the weekend.

I hope your weekend gave you time to reboot yourself for this week’s errands. Happy Monday!

– C