Curbside Stories

Snorkeling at Sumilon Island. Before I proceed, disregard the date and time stamp on the photos because I was too excited to use my action camera that I forgot to check the setting. Silly me! My first time in Cebu was more of a city tour and although it was fun for a first-timer in the Queen City of the South, it felt incomplete. After 3 years, I am back and it was a more adventurous and daring trip with my friends. Our tour package included 2 nights and 3 days hotel stay, swimming with the whale shark, trek to Osmena Peak, Mainit hot spring, canyoning to the Kawasan Falls, snorkeling at Pescador Island, sardine run in Moalboal and Sumilon Island sandbar stay. All of that for only 6,500 pesos. You will get a better deal if you are a group of 5 or more. We arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport around 7 in the morning last March 12 and we immediately headed south to Badian where we were met by our travel agent. We rode a taxi from the airport to ...

I love to cook. I also like to try different dishes and let my son sample my masterpiece. He's a pasta kind of kid and I thought of cooking aglio olio because I like it personally. So, I tried, and here it is. I can't say it is perfect but I think it is close enough to what I order in restaurants. Of course, I added extra Parmesan cheese. Here is the recipe: Kosher salt 1 pound spaghetti 1/3 cup good olive oil 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 cup minced parsley 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Direction: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. 2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the 1 pound spaghetti. 3. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden on the edges. Do not overcook. 4. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds mor...

I had my cellphone subscription renewed and was able to get a free iPhone 6S in rose gold. I'm glad to wait 2 years since I really do not see the need to buy a new phone before my renewal. Of course the first thing I have to try if the thing works fine is the camera. Here it is, the first photo I took, of all things possible. It clearly reflects my happy and abundant relationship with food and my restaurant adventures with my pals.  Bon apetit! 

Ever since I took over a vital company position, I barely have breaks. I almost forgot what the word meant. And it took a toll on me. We all need to have a break, even robots need them. You are prone to wear and tear as much as they are. Have a break, before it's too late.

These are chocolates that are perfectly disguised as pebbles. The candy shop even has chocolate rocks! Brilliant!

I don't know about you but whenever I am stressed, I go to a different place. It is not necessarily a far place, just a different ambiance or away from the source of the stress.

This is penne pasta in creamy white sauce with bacon bits. My grandmother cooked this the other day for dinner. It was so delicious, I think I had two servings. Haha! I simply can't resist bacon, cheese and pasta... the three are the perfect guilty pleasures. This is chicken pesto pasta with toasted wheat bread at Coffee Floats--a coffee shop near the university where I am currently taking up MBA. My group mates for the marketing plan decided to discuss our paper in the coffee shop because they have a free Wi-Fi access and the place is conducive for private talks and relaxation. Eating this pasta made me feel I was in Italy. 

Sinigang na hipon (shrimp in tamarind broth). I just had a sumptuous dinner with my family for the advance birthday celebration of my niece who will turn 12 next week. We ate crispy lechon kare-kare, lechon kawali, sinigang na hipon and spicy sizzling squid. Yummy! It is true that food brings the family together.  Spicy sizzling squid. Crispy Pork Kare-Kare (crispy pork in peanut sauce). Lechon Kawali.

So... I have a new blog called Online Kitchen . I love to cook and I have a lot of stories to tell about food. I have been posting some of the dishes I cooked and I guess it is the high time to separate it into another blog. I am not a chef nor a cook by profession. I just love cooking and serving my loved ones with home cooked meals whenever I have time--usually weekends. I hope you'll find time to visit Online Kitchen. Share me your stories about your life in the kitchen, your cooking, your dining experiences... everything about food. Happy cooking, eating and storytelling!

The tomato soup that tastes very Italian because of the herbs, spices and cream cheese. Roasted chicken with herbs, a serving of mashed potato and buttered vegetables as the main course. For dessert, mocha cake topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, kiwi and cherry. After the  tour of Tagaytay Highlands , we indulged in a simple yet fine dining experience at La Belle Restaurant in Tagaytay Highlands Golf & Country Club. We had locally brewed coffee after the meal.

The landscaped view from the country club. The only road that leads to the exit/entrance of Tagaytay Highlands. As part of our Marketing Management course for MBA, we had a tour in one of the most exclusive leisure parks and residential estate in the  Philippines-- Tagaytay Highlands . Tagaytay Highlands is located at Tagaytay City, Cavite--a three hour drive from Manila. Tagaytay City is known to be one of the premiere tourist destinations in the Philippines. The area is famous for its colder climate because it is elevated at 2,100 feet above sea level. Tagaytay Highlands is nestled in the area's highest elevation. It is an exclusive leisure park and village that began its operation 18 years ago. Today, there are more than 7,000 members from the A-list group and all shares are now sold out. A member can experience world class facilities and services--from golf courses, recreational facilities, spa, restaurants and banquet areas. Tagaytay Highlands has fo...

My mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, she's fond of eating pineapples... we call it in the Philippines as pinaglihihan. Pineapple is not one of my favorite fruits because I don't like my food sour. I won't eat it unless somebody tells me it is of the sweet kind. So why did I cook a dish with pineapples? I don't have much ingredients in my kitchen. The things that are available are chicken, evaporated milk, bell pepper and pineapple tidbits. I was thinking of cooking adobo but it was just last night that we had soy sauce based dish for dinner. Well, it turned out delicious... my son could attest to that because he only eats chicken when it is barbecued, fried or if it is adobo. If you like to try this dish, here is the recipe:

Buttered cream dory with crispy eggplant, bakchoy and soy with coriander rice. Here are the delicious foods I was able to eat during my two days of seminar at the Makati Shangri-La. It was a feast for both the eyes and the stomach! I still get hungry looking at their pictures...

Holy Spirit Church inside Divine Word Seminary. This place brought back a lot of memories. This is where we had a 2-day retreat when I was in high school. Inside the Holy Spirit Church.  Taken inside the compound of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. This is where a good friend had her wedding. Hers was the only wedding our friends were able to attend. It was something special and really worth remembering. Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at the compound of the church. For lunch: chicken barbecue and lechon kawali at Nanay Dorie's Bulalohan. Yummy! Tagaytay City is one of the most visited tourist spots in Cavite especially during summer. Families and friends  will surely enjoy the various recreational activities in Tagaytay City. Thrill seekers will be pleased to experience the boat ride to the Taal Volcano via the Taal Lake, zip lining, horse back riding, wall climbing and trekking among others. The food connoisseurs can have a taste of Tagaytay's famous bulalo ...

I have a new manicure that is perfect for summer. I rarely wear nail color but since I am on vacation for 5 days, it wouldn't hurt trying on one. It is 32 degrees outside and all I could think of is having an ice cold drink.  Got my bangs back. 

I am craving for cheeseburger! And my favorite cheeseburger maker--McDonalds is giving away 50 thousand pesos every day for McDelivery orders. Too bad, McDo is too far away from home to deliver. If you have McDonald's near you, good luck because you already qualify. If you want to know more about this promo, click on the link. Go ahead, I know you are craving for a cheeseburger too.

After a courtesy visit of my fellow Philippine Marketing Association officers in our headquarters in Ortigas, we went to Resort World Manila to have dinner at Passion restaurant where an officer's husband is working. The lovely lanterns that give a warm and homey feel inside the restaurant.  Just two of the many horse paintings on the wall of Passion. The basic table setting. No too many silver wares that tends to confuse many. We are table number 23. It wasn't my first time to eat in a Chinese restaurant but dining at Passion made me understand even more the Chinese way of eating their food and serving their meals. It was a lovely fine dining experience. I could dine there every week if I can. Of all the meals served, this is my favorite--Deep fried crispy lapu-lapu with pomelo vinaigrette sauce. The perfect bitter-sweet taste! Yummy! My Chinese dining experience will never be complete without drinking tea. Passion is located at the ...