in front of Caesar's Palace
inside a wedding chapel
where's the bride and groom?
because I can.
I am shy.
I am loved.
Caesar's statues.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ox
in front of Caesar's Palace inside a wedding chapel where's the bride and groom? because I can. I am shy. I am loved. Caesar's statues.
land of ugly dolls
a few days ago my friends and I were strolling Caesar's palace and look what we found?
an Ugly doll heaven!
There are so many of them I got dizzy just by looking at them. I was so happy! CD ladder
Since I've been reading Trent's The Simple Dollar, I've made a few changes with regards to finances. He encourages people to save money for an emergency fund and have a high yield interest savings account. A friend advised me to open one 4 years ago long before I have been reading Trent's blog . I opened one at ING. I never gave much thought of it till the last year that our economy is going in different directions. even though it's not as much interest as it used to be, it's still a lot compare to other commercial banks. As a way of saving some money, not a lot though is through CD ladder, ING's really simple and easy and what's really good is that there's no minimum to open one. my kind of thing! it may not be a lot but I'm happy I'm doing it.
what are you doing now, finance wise?
My Ugly Doll
Look what I got for my birthday a few days ago?
An ugly doll!
I am so happy!
oh yeah and a good friend of mine gave me flowers as a centerpiece and goodies from Cost Plus World Market
The lemon cookies are divine and so are the green tea.
A perfect combo since it rained on my birthday.
Thanks to all who greeted me on my day.
20 Dishes I Need to Learn in this Lifetime (sort of)
I posted my 20 dishes the other day but it left me wondering the culinary world is filled with more than filipino comfort foods. so I thought of 20 dishes that I need to learn or at least try making it.
pot roast - all time favorite but I have no idea how they make it so good and the meat practically melting inside my mouth.
roasted chicken - I always buy the Costco one, they're so yummy! and very good with home made chicken macaroni soup
ravioli or home made pasta - I have a Kitchen aid mixer that I bought 3-4 years ago as a gift for myself (need I remind you that I love myself?) and I know I'm close to just one attachment and I'll be in pasta heaven.
meatloaf - I did this once, it's a disaster, even though I used lean ground beef the meatloaf is swimming in its own oil. ewwww.
medium well steak - this is my all time favorite to order in a restaurant simply because I don't know how to cook it.
lasagna - not really a favorite but I just wanted to learn how to do it.
pasta carbonara - I know it's really simple with a few ingredients I don't know what's holding me back?
spinach and artichoke dip - a sure winner when it comes to pot luck.
pork barbecue in skewers - a favorite of mine but not having to know how to fire a grill, poses a problema.
pulled pork - I guess I need to earn some patience with this.
beef stroganoff - on rice not on egg noodles.
home made bread - the sweet kind.
chocolate cake - I want the most moistest cake ..... I did these in the past. a lot of times actually. can't really figure out why it's still dry.
fried chicken - i think my problem here is hardware, i don't have a deep fryer, but I've seen Alton Brown and Tyler Florence just do it in a cast iron pan. hmmmm?
baked salmon - the not one that's not fishy .
ganache - need I say more?
Pork chops - may it be grilled, baked or fried I wanna know how to cook it without drying it.
home made chicken stock - because I always grab a container of it at the store and most of time it doesn't do justice to my soup.
cupcakes - i just like looking at them in flickr. and maybe someday I will post my own cupcakes online.
brownies - I like brownies, the chewy and moist ones. they're my comfort food even if don't need comforting.
I need to start doing something about this....
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
20 dishes that I need to know in this lifetime...
According to Serious Eats there are 20 basic dishes one needs to know so you can plan your meal for a month. Aside from being healthy in so many ways, it is frugal to cook your meals at home.
Since I am a Filipino my list is a little different than theirs.
- Sinigang, may it be meat, fish or shrimp, a good sour broth is a winner in our household.
- linguini with meat sauce. my mom always cook this and I have my own version.
- chicken macaroni soup.
- lumpiang shanghai.
- arroz caldo with tokwa't baboy.
- chicken and pork adobo.
- pancit guisado
- embotido
- daing na bangus
- filipino fried rice
- tortang talong
- beef nilaga
- chicken mami
- fish sarciado
- chicken tinola
- pork barbecue
- omelet
- shrimp with coconut milk
- stir fried green beans
- bistek ( beef steak )
Check out Serious Eats if you love food!
25 more random things....
it kept me thinking one night and i think i can share more randomness...
here they are...
- i sleep on the left side of the bed. regardless of the situation (huh!). I can't sleep if I don't lay on my stomach first.
- because I work graveyard shift I need a very dark room so I can sleep.
- i am afraid of earthworms.
- i started kindergarten when I was 5 years old.
- i have very wide feet.
- i enjoy pedicures but not manicures.
- i try to do a 9 minute shower everyday (includes shaving!)
- i don't watch TFC (the filipino channel) and I don't plan in watching it in the future.
- i am the second sibling in a brood of four.
- i never learn how to drive until I'm 29 years old.
- my dream is to bake the softest slightly sweet bread and the moistest chocolate cake.
- i tend to procastinate especially with my to do list
- i enjoy singing karaoke especially when no one is listening.
- i don't know how to fire a charcoal grill let alone grill.
- i love going to disneyland and watch the fireworks at night.
- i arrange clothes according to color and the fresh laundry will have to go to the bottom of the shelves.
- i'm not into flowers but an occasional yellow roses and tulips will make my day.
- i always order a medium well steak in a restaurant.
- my favorite starbucks drink is an iced caramel macchiato upside down with whipped cream, while in the coffee bean and tea leaf is pure vanilla.
-i bring my own coffee mix to work, UCC coffee, coffee-mate creamer and sugar.
- i brown bag my lunch to work.
- i like reading blogs from apartment therapy, lifehacker, no credit needed, being frugal.net and zen habits.
- i would like to learn to play a musical instrument maybe a guitar or keyboards.
- i love to watch the rainfall.
- i don't like warm weather.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
keep calm and carry on
I love this saying and poster. 
One of the things in my wish list.
A brief history of the poster.
new car fever
the last two weeks i was helping a friend to find a new car, she had an accident earlier this year and her car was declared a total loss. anyways, i have researched and found strategies of buying a car. i bought my first and only car with my uncle so he negotiated and talked to the agents. i was on standby. so i consider this my first time buying a car. from my research i found out about sticker price or MSRP, invoice price, holdback and warranties and a lot of extra things that i know i would never need for a car. according to The Simple Dollar, do your research online, find out about the car you're buying, is it reliable? does it answer all your needs? how much it's resale value? among other things that should know aside from the car color. hehehehe.
so my friend and i did a some test drives at Honda and Toyota. she's eyeing for a Honda civic and a toyota matrix.
after this, she decided to go for the Honda civic. me on the other hand, is drooling over the toyota prius. after that test drive i am crazy looking for reviews and researching frantically over the web about it. so for two weeks, i am deciding whether i should get a new car. i've written pros and cons about it. there are certainly good upgrades regards with the new cars,
most of it have usb interface for ipods/mp3 player, speedometers are digital, things such as vehicle stability assist for safety reasons, good gas mileage are a plus.
but thing is, my car "puti" is very reliable, it's a 2002 honda CRV, it's paid off a long time ago, aside from regular maintenance i really don't have any problems with it. not very good in gas mileage but still fuel efficient compared to other midsize SUVs. i kept asking myself "do i need this? do i need a new car payment?" . and it made me realize that i don't.
i guess that sums it all up.
i am keeping "puti" until it falls apart.
My own 25 things.
this adapted from chuvaness.com which i believed she got from somewhere else.
2. While I don't mind spending for gadgets, shoes and purses, but i'm not into make up and clothes. i'm okay with jeans and some nice comfortable blouses and sweatshirts
3. I have accounts in friendster, facebook, multiply, blogger and flickr. but i mainly check my blogger and flickr.
4. I have a backlog of books and magazines to read, tv shows and movies to watch. i need to cancel my netflix and sign up for redbox.com
5. I can watch a movie by myself, but i can't eat alone in a restaurant, a fast food maybe but that's why there's drive-thru.
6. I can swim but i cannot dive.
7. I love the beach. not to swim but to stare at it, walk on it, sit on the beach, eat at the beach, read at the beach.
8. I love to write but i was never into formal training nor i am part of any school organs or publishing chuva.
9. these are the vegetables i can eat: bok choy, cabbage, cucumbers, ampalaya, spinach, malunggay, romaine lettuce and green beans. i'm allergic to everything else.
10. I sleep too much.
11. I love TV shows, i can watch it until i fall asleep. second best thing i'm very good at.
12. I'm frugal. or going into frugal lifestyle.
13. The goal is to go to Japan, Europe and Hawaii. i have no idea how to achieve it.
14. I don't own a gown. the last bridesmaid gown i own was donated to goodwill. i am not into weddings. i don't believe in marriage.
15. I love being myself.
16. I don't know if my friends know that i have a blog.
17. I love food and eating.
18. I drink soda, coffee, tea, vodka and beer.
19. I can drive a car. but i don't know how to ride a bike. someday.
20. I am pretty laid back but i'm a little on the OC side with regards to some things.
21. I have been on a cruise. someday. watch out disney cruise.
22. I have been drunk just because. no broken hearts, no angry feelings that time, BFF and i just drank the whole afternoon and did karaoke, next thing i knew i was on the toilet pouring my heart out. not a good sight.
23. I hate flying especially take-offs, but that's the fastest way to travel around here. i cannot sleep during a flight.
24. I get obsessed with a purse/backpack for a long time then i will move on to the next. (lucky sister and brothers)
25. I don't attend family reunions, party of such. i am allergic to people, they give me hives.
egg salad sandwich
boyce avenue
i love boyce avenue.
i guess it shows.
i'm updating my ipod playlist and merging all boyce avenue songs.
i guess i'm ready for a long, long drive.
er, travel?
Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out, I'll be giving it my bestest
And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people, dance and sing
We're just one big family
And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved
So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm sure
There's no need to complicate, our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours
D-d-do do you, but do you, d-d-do
But do you want to come on
Scooch on over closer dear
And I will nibble your ear
I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and I laughed
I guess what I be saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours
Come on and open up your mind and see like me
(I won't hesitate)
Open up your plans and damn you're free
(No more, no more)
Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours
(It cannot wait, I'm sure)
So please don't, there's no need
(There's no need to complicate)
There's no need to complicate
(Our time is short)
'Cause our time is short
(This is our fate)
This is, this is, this is our fate
I'm yours
Oh, I'm yours
Oh, I'm yours
Oh, whoa, baby you believe I'm yours
You best believe, best believe I'm yours
bubbly
I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin like a child now
Cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tinglies in a silly place
It starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go
The rain is fallin on my window pane
But we are hidin in a safer place
Under the covers stayin safe and warm
You give me feelins that I adore
It starts in my toes
Makes me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go
What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just... mmmmmmmmmmm
It starts in my toes
Makes me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go
I've been asleep for a while now
You tucked me in just like a child now
Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth
It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feelin shows
Cause you make me smile
Baby just take your time
Holdin me tight
Where ever, where ever, where ever you go
Where ever, where ever, where ever you go
another weather report
i don't know how many times i've blogged about the weather especially when it's raining and cold.
i love when it's raining.
i am definitely in the wrong state.
this weekend supposed to rain and it's the weekend before my birthday.
and if yahoo's correct it's supposed to rain on my birthday.
i'm in heaven.
and surprisingly enough according to chinese horoscope it's my year this year.
year of the ox.
coincidence?
nah.
i don't believe in coincidences.
i believe in fate and destiny.
whatever it is, it will happen no matter what you do.
even if you don't like it.
just accept things as it is.
very hard to do.
happy rainy weekend.
Friday, February 6, 2009
random thoughts
it's raining again. yipee!
downside is i'm working so not that happy.
but i love hearing the pitter patter of the rain on the roof.
it's gonna be a cold night.
i can't wait to go to big bear mountain and see the slopes.
hmmm when can i go?
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