tisdag 24 februari 2009

Super Sundays.


What I like most
is going to
the fruit market
on Sundays.

My boi hates it
but I like nothing
more than buying
and carrying home
three large jute
bags full of

vegetables and
frui that have
been grown near by.

It makes me so
happy to stuff
them all in the
two fridges!

Kind of alive and
fresh.

- E

The Non-Moussaka.

This is what I do with
the moussaka that
actually
as my collegue pointed out
is not the real moussaka.

See I use eggplant
which I find much more
fabulous than old potato.

Anyway:

fry soy or meat mince
with onion and
good quality olive oil

cut eggplant in thin slices
and make it a lot

put the mince into an oven dish
then place eggplant slices on top with
seasalt on them so they cry a bit
(less bitter)

you may make several meat-eggplant layers

finally pour on some tomato pasta sauce or
just canned tomatoes

add peppar

and last but not least some soy cheese or
what ever cheese you prefer

Ready!
Then you just let the oven work its magic at about
200 degrees until the eggplant are soft and cheese is
melted.

This is soul food.

- E

How to Tuesdays.

Today I am taking
things easy,
trying to make
my Tuesdays feel
longer.

I take walks,
read magazines
and cook slow.

My food of choice
is moussaka with
a heap of eggplant
and soy mince.
No photos sorry,
but I promise it is
delicious.

Then maybe I
make some of these:



-E

P.S Are we loving the song or are we loving it?

lördag 21 februari 2009

Good Life. Great food.

Potato-Wrapped Cod


This was absolutely amazing. The cod was perfect with just a hint of garlic, wrapped inside of thinly sliced potatoes. It knocked my socks off!



Cod seared in Mango salsa.

Freshly chopped mango salsa.

Fresh Cod fillets searing.

OMG! This made my taste buds come alive. The mango and fish are perfect together.


- Hats off to the chef. He is my heart. -
You know at the end of day... great food is nothing unless it's made with Love.
Yes, I'm corny... but when a cook is passionate you can actually taste and feel it at the same time. (check out the movie titled - Like Water for Chocolate)




And here's the Dessert...


Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding

Mike-Ike was a bit pessimistic when I was trying to make this.
He said, many people he knows who tried making this were not very successful.
Well I thought, I'm not one of those people, now am I.
And plus... I'm Filipino, I should know a thing or two about rice.

True enough, in the process of making this Vanilla Rice Pudding, it reminded me of Champorado (
a sweet chocolate rice porridge in Filipino cuisine - Wiki).
Although this pudding is a bit more time consuming than Champorado (can be made in 20mins). This pudding took me at least 45mins to make...


But oh so worth it...!
The rice didn't burn (it almost did, I pulled the lid right on time and poured the milk - phew!).

The Vanilla bean flavor was just perfect.
The nutty taste of the rice after bowling it first in the water, made a huge difference to the pudding.



Great food shared with someone you adore, makes everything "perfect".
Especially if you two labored for those amazing dishes.


Funny.

Sunday morning after two and a half years together.

Me: 'Aww..I wish we had a cat for Sunday mornings like this. To purr on our laps.'

Him: 'A what? I am allergic.'

Me: 'Oh..'


It is like those times when I put peanuts in his food and he thinks I am trying to kill him. Bless.


- E


Cheap Sundays.

I love long Sundays so
I decided to wake up
early today.

I checked the waves
-nothing-
so instead I did
the flea market tour,
got a fresh coffee,
read the news,
washed laundry.

I found heaps
of stuffs!
(Might show later..)
It only needs a bit of
customizing now.

And all this for a mere
4.30 euros
5.24 us dollars
Including the regular
sized take away java.

Well done I say.



And I just finished my Gatsby.
It was a good read with a lot
of jazz era vibes.

So now I am happy
and ready for some
action in the kitchen.
Tacos!

- E

fredag 20 februari 2009

Cat Stevens (aka Yusuf Islam)




These songs bring back memories. When I was a kid my Mum would turn the Volume up whenever these songs would come up. Usually on the weekends. Lol. Mother was funny and still is.








Home alone.



On a Friday night. I love it.

With a glas of white and popcorn.

-E

torsdag 19 februari 2009

Etsy

Check this website out.  - enter with Caution *wink*
They have some very pretty et Lovely things =)))




tisdag 17 februari 2009

My dog days are so over.

Today was supposed
to be my day of
hardcore training
and yogi bogi
but no no
those days are over
and in my tired
haze I ended up eating
two kilos of candy,
followed by cake and
babrbecue.

Good work I say
and pat myself
on the back.

The dog days are
truly ove.

- E

måndag 16 februari 2009

You have to See this movie!

Vino!

California Wine.

"In 1976, Steven Spurrier, a sommelier in Paris, comes to the Napa Valley to take the best he can find to Paris for a blind taste test against French wine. He meets Jim Barrett, whose Chateau Montelena is mortgaged to the hilt as Jim perfects his chardonnay. There's strain in Jim's relations with his hippie son Bo and his foreman Gustavo, a Mexican farmworker's son secretly making his own wine. Plus, there's Sam, a UC Davis graduate student and free spirit, mutually attracted to both Gustavo and Bo. As Spurrier organizes the "Judgment of Paris," Jim doesn't want to participate while Bo knows it's their only chance. Barrett's chardonnay has buttery notes and a Smithsonian finish."

Ch ch ch chaaange.





In my mind
most things
bourgeois
are very
blase
but I must
say driving
my new baby
home from work
sure made me
feel oh so
good.
- E

söndag 15 februari 2009

Valentine's Day.



We do not really have this
Halmark holiday
where I come from
so we opted for
a friend's birthday
party instead.
It was grand.
I drank a couple of ciders
and wines without getting
all too messy.
Then finished off with
a little dinner
in the form of a nice
Ceasar Salad.

This morning I
woke up and my
precious gave me a gift.
OH I have to show it!
It made me so happy.

We then cleaned the
whole house and ate
some japanese before
buying a car.
Yup.

I am now officially
bourgeois.

- E

lördag 14 februari 2009

Happy Heart Day!


I hope your day w/ your Lovey was a great one... Xo's! -a


fredag 13 februari 2009

Papier


Wah... I love stationary!

We went on an art paper-spree today - lol.
Art store, we can never get out without buying a thing or two =/, such a menace to our wallet.
But hey, it help us feed our creativity.

Fort Mason Community Garden

Speaking of which...

There's this place called "Fort Mason Community Garden" in the City. Community garden are all over the City. This one particular garden, I adore.



It's near the water and

behind the (above) Fort Mason Park, not many people know about it.
I found out about it when I was in high school. One of our professor had a plot there and she had various herbs and such. Anyway...

We went there the other day. And I thought of signing up. Unfortunately, the waiting period to get your own garden-plot is approximately 4 years - yikes!
I don't know if I'll still be here in 4 years, made me sad.

But hey... I can always visit and admire other people's pretty flowers, vegetables, herbs, etc...

Music sounds better with you.




I adore them both.

- E

What would you do on a perfectly fine Friday night.


Pesto!



I grow my own
basil. It is more
ecological and
economical
that way.



2 spoons olive oil
couple of cherry tomatoes
garlic
balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper

Blend!


- E

onsdag 11 februari 2009

Anthony Bourdain


(my apologies for the image above)

I'm starting to revisit my roots... Long coming, I tell you.
I'm not implying that I've been ignoring the Filipino in me; I think it's more of an old resentment than completely separating myself from the culture. Some resentments go all the way back to my childhood.

Anyway...

As you know, I heart the show "No Reservations" and Anthony Bourdain is the host. Guess what!
Finally, he is going to the Philippines!
On our fridge, this is posted:


i GOTTA see it for myself. Apparently, there are many Filipinos who adore him.

I've been having a lot of new realizations about the Philippines. That was why I sent you that email.
I know this sounds crazy, it is an intense and passionate rediscovery of my roots.

Tune in on Monday evening =). I'll let you know if AB's representation of the Philippines is to my liking. Lol. Or if you can, watch it and tell me what you think =).

Ciao, Babe.

måndag 9 februari 2009

I am tired so tired.



How are you
you say.
Good I answer
before I rush off
to do my things.
Earthly things,
mostly things
around the house.
Things that
need to be done.
Now now now.
Like eating
and sleeping.
Clothes washing.
All these things.
That leave no room
for life outside
of work.

Ahlo you say,
ahlo I say.
Before I rush off.

- E

( I have started at a new job. An adult job. I am laboratory technician.)
1.single,taken,searching,contented?
♥ very much taken
2.happy,sad,stubborn,blank?
♥ Happy. And always hungry.
3.fastfood,chinese food,nativefood?
♥ Homecooked
4.nike,adidas,vans,converse?
♥ off the wall vans
5.dancing,singing,modeling,nothing?
♥ surfing
6.cold,hot,mild?
♥ I am pretty mild.
7.coke,pepsi,royal,sprite?
♥ Milk
8.long hair,short hair,spiky hair,no hair?
♥ Long long
9.european tour,asian tour,american tour?
♥ African tour I hope
10.good looking, strong charisma, nice attitude?
♥ Greek nose
11.where were you at 7pm?
♥ work (no really!)
12.unforgettable moment of the day?
♥ talk with my sister
13.amount you spent the whole day?
♥ nuthing
14.no. of messages on your inbox?
♥ couple of important ones
15.word of d day?
♥ Trace Elements (it's all about work y'all)
16.most played song on your music player?
♥ I only read books at the moment
17.had anyone say he/she hates you?
♥ Nah
18.if you would choose one of your ex who would you like to be with again?
♥ Why on Earth would I want to fo that?
19.last person who asked for your no.?
♥ Work carpool fellow
20.last time u drank liquor?
♥ A shot of tequila love at Aussie Day (never again)
21.last time u went to the mall?
♥ Two weeks ago
22.last time you talk to ur love?
♥ All. The. Time.
23.last person to hurt you physically?
♥ I think I only hurt myself nowadays
24.last person to hurt you emotionally?
♥ Yeah. I am easy.
25.last person you fell in love with?
♥ Oh you all know.
26.last question.. rate urself 1-10
10 on a good day, 3 on 'one of those'

- E

Australia Day.








Australia Day came
and went.
It was pretty
messy
and wet.
The dogs name
is Nugget.
He is half dingo.
- E

söndag 8 februari 2009

Ahlo...

I hope things are well w/ you...

-A

onsdag 4 februari 2009

Country Living - Biscuit

This (biscuit) btw is very Southern (America).

Comforting and easy to make =)


Update

1.single,taken,searching,contented?
♥ TAKEN & Contented
2.happy,sad,stubborn,blank?
♥ All of the above
3.fastfood,chinese food,nativefood?
♥ Filipino, Italian, Indian, Chinese, French, Moroccan, American, etc..
4.nike,adidas,vans,converse?
♥ CONVERSE
5.dancing,singing,modeling,nothing?
♥ SLEEPING
6.cold,hot,mild?
♥ Cold and Mild
7.coke,pepsi,royal,sprite?
♥ Diet Coke
8.long hair,short hair,spiky hair,no hair?
♥ Short
9.european tour,asian tour,american tour?
♥ All of the above...
10.good looking, strong charisma, nice attitude?
♥ chill and passionate
11.where were you at 7pm?
♥ uhm.... i think I was here
12.unforgettable moment of the day?
♥ tons of it
13.amount you spent the whole day?
♥ a lil over $20 (went to the Farmers Market)
14.no. of messages on your inbox?
♥ maximum capacity
15.word of d day?
♥ Islam
16.most played song on your music player?
♥ My Muni Ride playlist
17.had anyone say he/she hates you?
♥ Nopes
18.if you would choose one of your ex who would you like to be with again?
♥ Let it be...
19.last person who asked for your no.?

20.last time u drank liquor?
♥ It's been a while... Not even a glass of vino =/
21.last time u went to the mall?
♥ Sometime last week
22.last time you talk to ur love?
♥ Before class
23.last person to hurt you physically?
♥ I make sure I don't surround myself with these sort of people
24.last person to hurt you emotionally?
♥ Lol. I'm emotional and easily hurt
25.last person you fell in love with?
♥ Mikey-Ike, current and last =) Thank you very much!
26.last question.. rate urself 1-10
- 'i am my worst critic'

tisdag 3 februari 2009

Look what I'm wearing!

I was rummaging through my old stuff at the parentals house and I found this!

And yes, I cut my hair again. The fringe is back =).