At PasarBella

    

photo credits to sumabeachlifestyle.com

      PasarBella is another place to explore for my friend Melanie as part of our food adventure.  Although this is my second time to visit this place but it still excites me to introduce to someone who is new to this haven of food lovers.

     We were melancholic maybe because we came from the night shift and we fasted for 10 hours for our annual health screening.  Even if we are feeble, we were able to make at 1:45pm pick up time at Toa Payoh going to the Grandstand formerly The Turf City in Bukit Timah.  For those who wanted to explore the place you can visit their website at www.pasarbella.com and  have a short overview of their wide array of their merchandise.

     Albeit it was a late lunch, as we used to that routine, but we enjoyed the moment. We toured the place first to allow Melanie to choose what she want to crave on.  Some would be surprise because the items are a bit pricey, ranging from S$11.00-S$40.00.  We ended and enjoyed the spaghetti in red pesto for me and penne in pink shrimp paste for my friend and goes with Iron-Wo-man salad (baby spinach in strawberry dressing with feta cheese, roasted almond, boiled pumpkin and golden raisins). I was pleased to hear from Melanie that she liked the salad and she thought that it was bitter just like the other green salad she tried before.  Don’t be discourage to visit this place for those who are not vegetable lovers because you can still try the Paella, roasted suckling pig, pasta in black ink, couscous tabbouleh salad, varieties of sausages, beef steaks and many more.  We stayed for two and a half hours to finish the servings with picture taking and posting our selfie pictures on Instagram and a chit chat.

Spaghetti in Red Pesto Sauce

Penne in Pink Shrimp Paste

Iron (Wo)man  Salad

     It was raining outside and it’s good that we have our umbrellas. Umbrella is a must have, because there’s no covered path walk going to the bus pick up point.  I beg my friend to have a short engagement because of the weather and I’m having headache, and both of us would have an early rest.

   

     At PasarBella, we wrap up the adventure with a gastronomic satisfaction to our palate and tummy and back there with more friends to munch different menu.

     Until next time folks and get ready on our next adventure.

With my good friend Melanie

Why I'm Running?

   

My running buddies in Lucban

     Running is the most famous sports activities that you can see now a days, from local to international events just to name a few is the Boston Marathon that started in 1897.

     Running to health buffs is a good exercise and gives a lot of benefits, losing weight, staying in shape and improving body composition. But, why do I run? Aside from physical advantage,  my perspective change in my 1 year of running.  It helps me to meditate and widen my horizon to be creative in pursuing my dreams.

     I normally takes 10 km spin when I’m training and it takes for me about an hour and 7 minutes, which is my fastest, to reach the end of the run.  I think, 10 km will be my farthest, no more no less because of my tarsal tunnel syndrome.  In the course of 1 hour, so many ideas playing in my mind, I would say that little did I know that I was already meditating.  Some would resort to yoga or using the prayer beads in order to keep track. I found this activity as my formal way to analyze and balance my mind to weigh my anger or hatred and happiness.  Furthermore, it also ease many health issues such as hypertension, as I dreadful to have it because it runs in our family; depression and anxiety from work and personal life. 

     As I traverse the road, many dreams had been formed and still up in the wall when will it be realize.  When I watched the talk of May El-Khalil (http://youtu.be/u1K6hnm09xs) about making peace in Marathon, she dreamt big on how she can unite the Lebanese to run with one purpose and without carrying any political color.  It all came true and even invited runners from different nation with one hope that in one gunshot, peace and unity to Lebanon will ensue. A gunshot distinct from the sounds that Lebanese heard from the civil war. I was literally diffident after her speech because when I compared my dreams to her dreams, it made me realize that everything is possible if I have the fundamentals of hard work, dedication and perseverance. 

     Why I’m running? It gives me a wide room to reflect and even dream more.  To some, whose purpose is for physical gain, maybe you should try what I’m doing. 

Don't Lose Hope

     If days are tough and feel that there’s no remedy.  One thing that would remind me is the excerpt from the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, when Chris is talking to his son, Christopher

     Chris Gardner (Will Smith): “Hey don’t ever let somebody tell you, you can’t do some, not even me, all right?”

     Christopher Gardner (Jaden Smith): “All right.”

     Chris Gardner: You got a dream, you’ve got to protect it, and people can't do some themselves, they wanna tell you, you can't do it…you want something? Go and get it, period.”

     Be always on the positive side and don’t dwell on the mistakes or failure from the past.

  

Photo credits to www.dudemeetsdad.com

Reconnecting from the Past

     On every vacation I made in the Philippines, I rarely plans because I know that I could squeezed all the things I wanted to do in a short span of my stay in my home land.

     My last vacation was not the usual one, because one person is missing to welcome my homecoming as we always take a gander on our window where my mom normally sit.  One thing I noticed and didn’t realized that I was going back to the activities and savor again the food that I wasn’t tried for the longest time.  Base on my observation, going back to the things I got used to is already a part of my system.

     I grew up that everyone in the family reads a newspaper as part of everyday routine.  As far as I can remember, we subscribed from Manila Bulletin, Daily Express to Philippine Star.  To let you know, I hate reading and one time my mom gave me a book about dogs, it gets old and the pages were torn because I always attempt to read it but I ended up reading only one chapter.  I developed my reading habit when I was in college until I learned to be updated and started to join the daily routine of my family.  In my few days of stay in Lucban, I read the newspaper from opinion to lifestyle section although I can read it online but I don’t know why I’m not fond of reading the news in the net. 

     I’d been away for a month since my last visit but cravings for foods that I grew up with will never be missed.  Aside from the dishes that Ate Benny cooks for us, my brother introduced me to try chicken ball which according to my nephews is yummy because of the sauce, a mix of vinegar and chili.  My sixty pesos is gone to satisfy our cravings every afternoon.

Pansit Hab-hab

Sinaing sa Gata and Nilupak (minuk-mok)

Pinaltok (Bilo-bilo)

Maruyang malagkit

Chicken balls

     I’ve never seen my former colleagues on my last year vacation because of the weather.  I made a trip to Luisiana to make some catching up and to my surprise most of them are still witty and energetic. After a couple of hours of seeing my former coworkers, I went back to Lucban to meet my godson, Patrick, who happened to be in town also to take a little break from school in Ireland.  We had a chit-chat over dinner at Buddys Restaurant and I was startled with his fluent Tagalog tongue.  Sadly, we need to wrapped up and bade our goodbyes, clueless when we'll bump each other again. 

May kumare and kumpare from LDH

Pansit hab-hab(ing) with my Ates

With my godson, Patrick on a dinner date

     I contacted my high school bff, Arlene, to invite my close high school friends  and have a kumustahan over dinner at our favorite dining restaurant.  It's good to meet again Rosanna, my over-joyed  friend as we fondly call her because of her crisp laugh every time when any of us cracked a funny lines.  It was years the last time we saw her and still looks the same with her mischievous facade despite of the fact that lines are already evident in our forehead. I may not regularly see you when I'm in town, but I hope that this rendezvous have more next.

Kumustahan with my high school friends 

     I took the chance to run with my neighbors, and we navigated the 10 km-diversion road.  It was a thrilling experience because I felt close to the nature and breathed in fresh scents of the palay in the rice field and away from the bustling life here in Singapore. In my last phone conversation with my mom on day before she pass away that she'll wait and see me at the airport on my scheduled vacation leave on June, instead I visited her tomb after a month we buried her.  Progress is rolling and only last touch is needed when I glimpsed her resting place.

Passionate runners

Paid a visit to my mom's tomb

     No matter how far we are, “babalik ka din” where we came from and it will remind and continue to instil the good values of reminiscing the past. 

In my opinion...

     When I was a small kid, there is only one surname I know has the capability to lead my country, the most influential and authoritative family of politicians.  This assumption change when my country undergone a bloodless revolution to fight the dictatorship.  It was an eye opener to many Filipinos blinded by their suppositions that my country will rise above as a mighty nation.

    Every time that the Congress and Senate will open their joint session, SONA (State of the Nation Address) of the President is the much awaited part to hear the accomplishments, selling points to be accommodate by foreign investors and plans to uplift the lives of the marginalized sectors. I was immersed when the first time I watched it in 2012 maybe because I was thirsty and many Filipinos to the change.  Change that stemmed from poverty and corruption.

    There was an apparent difference between modest life and poverty in our country.  A family from a poverty level, eating a four square meals in a day is enough to live and still wondering what’s next the following day.  It’s good to know that the government has serious and profound blueprint on how will lift the lives of the Filipinos from the impecunious lives that started in the 70’s.  A promising life, but it turned out a nightmare to many who believes in democracy and equality.  Programs, such as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is an assistance channelled to deserving families.  A program that teaches how they will stand on their own and use the money wisely by sending their children to school and start a small business that would slowly wean from the assistance.  There are so many programs are indisposed that was mentioned and some are rolling out since his inception from his position.  If we are united to achieve on what he has started, it is possible that no Filipinos will be hungry and indigent in years to come.

     My full awareness started when I became a public servant.  I was hesitant to go back to my roots but my admiration to my parents as a civil servant, I was enticed to start my life all over again and work in the nearby town as an obedient employee to the crooked processes.  I think all of us learned to be blind in many vague transactions and porous contracts, as many politicians says that their constituents is what matters most but little did we know that the projects are not deemed to the needs of the people.  Sad to say, funds are redirected to their own pockets.  How long this system will continue?  President Pnoy should be and still true to his word that the days of these wicked officials are numbered and start to take the “tuwid na daan”.

 

     In my opinion, change should start in the heart of every Filipinos.  It doesn't question your status if you are rich or poor to share your abilities to be a powerful country.  What are these talents? Prying eyes to corruptions, loud voice to denounce irregularities and a vigilant citizen to an erring officials.

     In my opinion, President Pnoy should include that morality will be mention in his next SONA.  Maybe, to instruct our schools to give a high emphasis on this subject.  “Tuwid na daan” is about morality. To remind the subject and object of this problem may touch their dormant good heart due to sneering power.

     Nothing is impossible to a united and patriotic Filipinos.   

Future Manila Bay Skyline (Photo credits to www.juanprogress.com)

Faring the Tradition

     I got fascinated with its chewy, sweet and nutty taste of cake made of lotus paste.  Many selections of moon cake that you can choose from here in Singapore, in  traditional flavor like lotus paste and egg yolk or varieties of fillings like durian, chocolate, coffee or ice cream. It normally goes with hot Chinese tea, but I preferred as my dessert to mask the saltiness of my meal.

     This tradition started when I first tasted here in Singapore, where most of the famous hotels, restaurant or bakeshop showcasing their most unique recipe that would perfectly seize the palate of a free spirited consumer. To make it more inviting, packaging is another selling point.

     

     I tried coffee and chocolate but egg yolk, from salted duck egg, is the most outstanding for me, I eat it in small wedges, as I cut it, the egg yolk reveals, resembling  the shape of the moon that symbolizes the festival.  In Chinese, moon represents festival reunion of families where they get together on this special day to eat festive fruits and moon cakes. 

     I never thought that this festival is celebrated on 15th of September or early October in the chinese calendar.  But for me, once the ghost month is over it's the start of this festival and to my surprise, my friend Melanie also observes this as a yearly tradition. When I asked her if she is keen to buy, she nod to me right away.  This year, I bought my moon cake at Takashimaya Square with my good friend where we were able to choose to a number of participating outlets offering an ample discount if we will buy a box of four or two. 

     Faring from this pattern will continue because it talks about  tradition adhering to family.  'Til next year and maybe I'll be more aggressive to try exotic flavor.  

Home Coming

     Flight details:

  Singapore to Manila:     5J 808 Thu 10 May 2012, 0130H

     Manila to Singapore :    5J 805 Thu 17 May 2012, 1325H

     My sister and I planned this homecoming after the 2011 Christmas holiday. I was so excited because after a year I'm going to see my family, meet my friends, eat the food that I missed most and lastly to see again the Pahiyas Festival after five years. Even our luggage were packed five days before our vacation, seems so excited to travel again. And I remember my mom that one time on our phone conversation that she has her own countdown.

two backpacks, for me and my sister's clothes and guess what's in our luggage? No wonder why we exceed 11 kilos.

     This vacation is very memorable to me because this is the second time that the whole family will be together again since the time I worked overseas. We touched down at 5pm and we are earlier by 15 minutes, that's Cebu Pacific.  We stayed at bay 6, waiting for my family to fetch us... as were coming closer to the car I could see my mom's face smiling from ear to ear when she saw us, I took a head count after my brother loaded our luggage, somebody is missing my youngest nephew, oh I forgot my sister told  me that he's in a summer school in preparation for the next school year as per requirement for the K-12 program.

    Itinerary  were meticulously planned by my sister, we had a pit stop at  UST to have our annual complete blood chemistry since there's no meal serve in a budget flight we fasted for 12 hours, second stop was at Divisoria for my nephew's school supplies and we had a heavy breakfast at Max's Restaurant, aww Sinigang in breakfast.  Third stop was at S&R then at Claw Daddy at Fort Bonifacio Global City for our lunch.

Lunch with my family at Claw Daddy

Clockwise: Kuya Ed, Kuya, Ate Myla, Cla, Nanay, myself & Jairus, sorry Kendrick you took this picture

Calamari

Crispy Shrimp

Our favorite, Crab Maritess

Baby back ribs, for my nephews

Aftermath

      After a hefty lunch we went to SM Makati and shopped for my nephew's additional school supplies. KFC at SLEX was our last last stop for dinner. Long day was done and it's home sweet home, I wasn't able to see the beauty of our 3 hours journey 'coz I fell asleep.  We're home at 10:30 pm, the town was already in a festive mood and no such big change in our house but one thing I noticed, we have a new members in the family, two cute kittens.  It was already late at night and we're still catching up until 12 midnight.

     May 11: I woke up at 6 am, that's my body clock, no work or rest day, I'm up at 6 o'clock.  Pandesal and hot chocolate was on the table. I brought my mom to her Pulmonologist for her follow up check up because of her nagging cough and I was rewarded to dine at Chowking. Ate Benny made the fried tawilis (thanks S&R) and I cooked sauteed patola with scallop  for dinner.

    May 12:  Fully loaded day, we went to my brother's hideaway and we helped him in administering the regular shot of vitamins to piglets. It's good to see that even my nephews were also anxious in holding the piglets.  Jairus tried to hold the piglet but its wiggling so my brother decided to hold it and Cla was the one who jabbed while Kyle put the blue mark after the injection.

Jairus assisted my brother in jabbing a supplement

Wiggling


My brother's turn


Jabbing


Proper technique to avoid twitching



Good job Kyle, does it make you sweat?

Keep on growing

Real piggy back

     We grilled samaral, hotdogs and spareribs marinated in soya sauce, garlic, black pepper and lime; enaseladang pako (edible fern) with tuna and onion as our lunch.  What a refreshing experienced we cooked the rice in a traditional charcoal in a tripod.  Lunch was served in a banana leaf, we must eat with our hands but I saw my sister she brought fork and spoon 'coz she thought that water supply is not for consumption and not ideal for washing.  Anyway, it was a good simple lunch and finally realized, which my mother planned even those vacations we had in Lucban that wasn't push through because of the weather.

    

Kyle And Cla

Kyle is our techie technician (kinakalutkot nya lahat)

 You're hiding the Piknik

My nephew who still allow us to kiss him (he's 12 y/o now)

He really enjoyed biking around

Malena

Bonsai

My brother with his baby Jackfruit

Only one is left given by Melanie

Baby coconut

Pigpen

Koprahan

Lacatan

I alternate with my sister but on the later part there was a hot coal landed on my right foot

Samaral

Grilling Samaral

This is what we missed ....hotdog

Burned grilled pork

Ensaladang Pako

Kaninan na!

L-R: Ate Benny, Kyle, Jairus, Ate Myla, Cla and Nanay

With my Kuya

Enjoying the lunch

     We went home at 1:30 pm to freshen up and attend the 5:30pm anticipated mass in Kamay Ni Hesus Healing Church.  It was not in my plan to visit my former colleagues in LDH but I was surprised to bump Ate Lily with Kuya Flor, Ate Lucing with Kuya Romy and Bebot whose also visiting her parents.  How time flies Bebot was just a small child playing with me when I was just new in LDH.  Catching up with friends in just a moment made feel that I am really home.  Tanigue's head kinulob was our dinner that I cooked especially requested by Ate Myla, and she bought it one week before our vacation, I think she sorely missed my kinulob.  I thought that Saturday night that I would be able to join the #Quiztion of @Hecklerforever but our PC is spoilt again, grrrr what a bad fate.   Instead I helped Cla to grind all the ingredients she needed in making Pesto sauce.  Then, I baked my dark chewy chocolate and  made my humble blueberry cheese cake for the next day celebration of Mothers Day.

     May 13:  Ate Myla and I went to the market at 6am for the whole week supply and I was able to buy my favourite small tinapa to bring home.  I cooked our breakfast which is pine apple fried rice match with longanisang Lucban and a hot chocolate. To my amazement my brother loved it the first time he took a bite.

Pasta in Pesto Sauce

Special puto

Our Mother's day gift

She's excited to open the box

My siblings were also eager to see what's inside the box

     Cla cooked her signature Pasta in Pesto sauce for our Mother's day dinner.  It wasn't the whole family's dinner but also with some of our old friends, Cla's god daughter Carla and her fiance John and my good friends from LDH, Ate Elsa and Ate Puring, but Ate Girlie wasn't able to join because of her work who never fails to visit and bring me some goodies when I'm home and this time they gave me a bushels of ripe mango. 

Thanks Ate Elsa, Puring and Girlie, you really know that  I missed this most

With Ate Elsa

My Ate Puring

With their extended family

With John and Carla

One more shot including myself

     Monday, May 14, I went to Lucena City to finish all the errands, routine visit to my doctor and passed by a salon in SM to trim and dye my hair.  Then Cla and I went to the Tiangge selling souvenirs made in Lucban to check some pasalubongs.  I was surprised by another friend when we got home, it was Ate Yolly, my former colleague in LDH pharmacy, with Kuya Benhur. This couple were my very good friends who also make time to see me when I'm in town and they brought Lacatan, they really know what I want to crave when I'm home.

Lacatan, naturally ripe unlike what we buy in NTUC

With Ate Myla, Ate Yolly and Kuya Benhur

And with my sister Cla

      Tuesday, May 15, we woke up at 6:30am I asked Ate Myla to help me in clearing the closet with those clothes that were outdated and not using anymore and later we prepare the table ready to welcome our expected guests.

     Pahiyas festival is a feast day of our patron saint of bountiful harvest and we celebrate it every 15th of May.  It's a colorful festival where we adorned the house of our harvest such as palay, kiping(rice wafer) fruits, vegetables, agricultural products and handicrafts. Parading of St. Isidore is being held in the morning, as accustomed by Lukbanin we need to decorate the house where the procession will pass through.  In the afternoon, there is a parade of floats, carabaos, handcart selling pansit hab-hab and kakanin and parikitan, featuring the beautiful ladies of our town wearing not a common gown but made of natural products such as buntal or buli.

St. Isidore the Labourer

Palay Chandelier

Colourful Kiping

Creative design using egg shell

Palay arranged and shaped into mushroom

Kiping Chandelier

Anok or Scarecrow

Grand prize winner but I wasn't able to get a good angle 'coz of the crowd

Another competition at night by adorning the pahiyas with light

hats were made into chandelier

too amazing , it's a five story building and covered with decoration

colorful Kiping

this house also got a prize

farmers also joined the competition on decorating their float

Carabao carrying the farmer's harvest

Lucban is also known of higantes

Float carrying the Senior citizen , btw the lady on the left is my god mother

Suman sa Ibos

Pansit Habhab

     Wednesday, May 16, Cla and I visited our dentist, my classmate and good friend Dr. Arlene Lalangan, thank you for your generosity, we had a kumustahan of our classmates. Pasalubongs will not be missed to muffle, so we hopped from one booth to another to look for some good finds to bring back to Singapore.  Our vacation is not complete with out munching the favorite of Lukbanin which is Pansit Lucban from Buddy's restaurant.  Special Pansit Lucban and Chamy was our dinner, sorry Ate Benny, we skipped to try your menu, and the whole brood feasted on it. Thanks to Carol Vivares, my kumare and classmate, for your visit and Apas. After dinner, we packed our luggage and checked everything if we missed some items to bring home.  This moment is the hardest part of our short stay in Lucban, packing luggage signaling that we're going back to reality.  We went to bed  at 10pm because we need to be up by 4am to packed the frozen foods the following day. We traveled for 3 hours going back to Manila and we just sleep all through out our trip, many thanks to my brother and Kyle for sending us off to the airport.

  

     Seeing Pahiyas festival aside from my family is the highlight of my vacation. Saying good byes was the worst part because it will take months or a year to see them again.  As we say how time flies but I want to speed up the days to make another memories with my family.We'll gonna miss you!

Missed you all!

     'Til next time!