about my mama's cakes

when i asked about mama's family dinner celebration for her birthday, the first thing my siblings talked about was the cakes.

esp the mango cake..



(the mango cake that was the talk of everyone..highly recommended)



(the chocolate cake that was also heavenly)



(the happy birthday girl)

i ordered 2 cakes for her dinner because i am an advocate of the saying "the more, the merrier". plus if people didnt like one flavour, you can never go wrong with a chocolate cake.

they loved the chocolate cake. and thats a given.

but everyone constantly raved about the mango mousse cake.

to the point the pregnant sis-in-law-to-be was given a special pabaon because she obviously loved it.

and so did everyone.

and now, i feel sorry for myself because i am craving for one, very badly..

Kusina Habana, you did it again. do you do deliveries to theUK by any chance?

(thank you therese, and your sibs...im proud of you...)

* * *



Happy birthday Mama!!!

love,

your kinamaguwangan=)


note: photos taken from ana's site

newfound pleasure from an old time habit

only a few people know that i am into doodling (and pure vandalism) when in a middle of anything that asks me to sit down for any given time beyond 5 minutes.

on thursday (26th of feb), our monthly general meeting, i realized they have stopped giving memos in printed papers (my victims for my doodles in meetings). this is in line with the new "getting back to being green" motive the hospital is adapting. we were told, that we just had to read the memo the day before, or the morning from our computers and and jot down things we feel are relevant to open up in discussion.

unfortunately, this made the meeting even longer, and much more disarrayed. people were passing around (the 1 copy) of memo which the secretary had printed. this meant me, sat on my chair for a very long time.

i did try to not doodle,and to just listen, but my mind seem to listen and take in better if my hand is able to do some movement. i cant be ask to repaint tables for vandalising it. my arm ended up being the paper for the afternoon.

not too bad. considering i used to hate tatttoos, i might just have changed my mind.

(only to realise that the inks i used were the heavy duty kind.)





(even after at least 20 washes combination of soap,water and saliva, the remnants persisted even after i got home, to adrian's worry that i turned goth in an afternoon discussing hospital alerts and equipment provision.)

ties...(a repost from creativelens)

(roi,jojo,ana holding photos of me and adrian)


it was a few minutes just past midnight in the Philippines (25th of december). a few minutes after 4pm in the UK (24th of december).

even time and distance cannot stop ties that bind.

we keep up the tradition of connecting and showing our appreciation of having one another in eachother's lives.

this photo was'nt chosen for its photographic qualities. the whitebalance is too warm, the composition not exactly quality, the laptop's dust much more obvious in the photos (harhar), and there really is nothing much to how the photo looks but the meaning is so much more to me.

this was taken after speaking to my mama. my brothers, jojo,roi and my sister ana were holding photos of me and adrian, while we greeted one another "merry christmas".

in my background was my stereo playing christmas songs, and behind them, i could hear the entire family chattering and laughing.

this was our version of a group photo.

yes, i did spend christmas with them. phils time, at least.


* * *

i love the new creativelens site, dont you? =)

thank you ai=)

you always know how to create magic:-)


* * *

EDIT: if you click back to the creativelens site, you might notice i have changed something in the photo, (apart from the size). i just realized, there was a visible folder on my screen that said "gay fetish sex" (grrr!!!)..please see this related entry...

that folder just could not be erased..thankfully, we were able to erase the other lewd folders (more like maliciously titled) that seemed to started to breed that day by numbers...but i guess the mother virus just coudnt be deleted . it turns out some (shady) software company wanted to sell off their software that would delete the buggers. everytime you hit delete, a folder pops up asking you to buy it for $24.99 to delete the "suspect folders".

so i just cloned it out..the dangers of BIG photos...you see the not-so-good-bits too, lol.

its coming

on sunday, i took a photo of the sun's glare sitting on our unattended garden (excuse the look, our garden's ugly from fall to winter--the gardener is on teaching duties,haha).

its funny how things i didnt notice before, im beginning to notice now, like smell of the sun, shadows from an afternoon glare and even shade on a cracked tiling.

its a beautiful thought, spring and summer. i promise to make the most of it this year, as im in the country for these seasons.

the point of this entry? not much, except, there are joys in the little things.

even about grimy shade over cracked concrete tiling.

(ps. that is me in my blue dressing gown)

waiting

i met my placement educator today at uni. the same man who taught me everything i know about stroke rehab.

he loved talking about himself, and how knowledgeable he is of his work (and he is too!).

we stayed longer at uni, coz everyone in my class just oohhed and aahhhed at how intelligent and clinically astute he is.

we stayed longer than normal, and my classmates didnt mind because he is an eye-candy .

we stayed longer than normal, but I MIND because there is someone far more gorgeous and intelligent waiting for me at home, with tea brewing in the pot.

i drove home like lewis hamilton on his last grand prix tournament.


* * *

i hate being late.

but what i hate most is to wait.

esp. when im the one paying for it.

(darn curtain/blinds ordered online)

* * *

loving my girls

friends: karla and leah, (not in photo:loien and karen)
eve,wendy,lauren and dawn (not in photo: tasha,cheryl,rowena).


the supergirls: therese,aileen,Me, mimi,kaith and maimai
(missing who were supposed to be there:
patricia,chichi,jane,lynette, chin,normita,ayen,zarlynn--and the rest
i have yet to meet and know--the supergirls are expanding!!!)...



i have always prided myself that i get along better with women/females than men/males (friendship-wise,hehe).

all my life, i always get a better high with people of my own sex, and that i love being surrounded with females. i remember that classmates and friends used to say how weird i was, as they prefer male company and have less squabbles with the boys.

i suppose, being a girly girl myself, i know firsthand about women's temperament. preventing me to get into a fullblown argument with anyone...(although, there will always be those little pang luod once in a while,hehe, ahhh women!!!)

dont get me wrong, the boys are fun as friends, but nothing beat girly lunches, shopping excursions, spa visits, or simply a gnatter with girlfriends about what happened to your day, aaah, such a stress reliever. besides, i really cant see myself, going on a football afternoon, or any other predominantly male preoccupation, as a regular entertainment.

i love being in the company of women. and im quite happy to be surrounded with loads of them.

all beautiful, admirable, successful, and talented women! =)


how about you, are you a woman's woman? or one of the boys?

up late

(winged creatures at alexandra park, manchester)

im still wide awake...i cant tear my eyes off the oscars...

im in love with the women's dresses=)

* * *

and the little kids, the cast of slumdog millionaire, were so adorable when they were being interviewed.

* * *

ryan seacrest is starting to look much more goodlooking the longer i stare at him.


* * *

heidi klum and seal are a yummy couple...the epitome of gorgeous=)

a thought

i thought of something nice to write and share, but i lost it.

walking out from work today, i had something to share, but i forgot what it is now.

wherever those thoughts may be, may it find its way back to me.


* * *

that photo was taken on valentines day (you can still see my heart plants by the side).

it was our house flower for the week.

tulips and heather.

and no, this wasnt the thought that the wind blew away...

i'll let you know when i remember.

my valentine weekend...bow!

the night before valentine, adrian made a detour after our grocery shopping and surprised me with a dinner date in our local italian.



it was filled with people celebrating birthdays


adrian cant choose which one he likes most



* * *

valentine night was friends night for a fondue party ...









* * *

the 15th was drop to the city...late lunch at our favourite chinese restaurant and went home to do some tidying up, while ending the night with movie to our twosome...
we watched my favourite movie...



and talked in bed about future plans of buying a villa in france until we dozed off (we always do that whenever we watch this movie)....

merci.

tita chelly

i was in a travel agency in north london today to inquire regarding our december tickets (yes, tickets need to be booked as early as now, to get a decent price).

the sales person, a filipina, who looked like in her 30's, called me "tita".

it hurt.

what hurt most was she called Adrian "kuya". paets.

this is how the tita looked today.



was i morose because i was called 'tita', or was it because, it was past my lunch time and adrian still couldnt find that damn button of the camera. take a guess.

singletons raise the roof on Vday

*the pier at merseyside gives look at bayside living*


i just saw photos of my cousin Karla's recent holiday at Ilocos. she's one example of single person i know who lives her life to the fullest. she gets to enjoy life on her own terms (albeit her responsibilities to her family), and lives the fab lifeof a young career woman who is unattached. she epitomises for me that singlehood should be celebrated because of the freedom to have lesser worries and responsibilities than family people.

fab single people dont worry about being lonesome on valentines day too. as in her case, she is on her way to singapore to do a star cruise (to some asian countries) with friends. some other fab single people i know are having a grand time doing what they liked doing best; travelling, partying, going out with equally gorgeous single friends, and a healthy lonesome (yet NOT lonely) celebration.

my sister Ana said, she is celebrating it with my Mama. theyre both single. and not without fun, those two. im sure they will be out sampling food and going out for a splash of shopping. other single friends have itineraries equal to that of a celebrity's black book. Leah is out with group of people who,like her, do climbing for fun, and competetive kayaking.

my equally fab cousin Tony, is single, but always out and about, and busy with social life to her liking. at times when shed rather be at home, it would be her choice and not someone elses.

valentine's day is merely a date pegged for couples and marriages who has the need to spark up lost romance. and for other couples who are still on honeymooning phase (like Ades and i), to keep postponing the honeymoon cut-off (as well as a constant excuse to extend his birthday celebration).

and as for single people, its a recognition, that a time when couples (although not all) get panicky after being sucked into hallmark card adverts and discount rates at flower shops, all nighter price at a cheap dingy motel,or the lure of dinner date at expensive restaurants,its a reminder that after the calendar day falls off its page, singletons have the last laugh, and say to their life.

while some couples have to bear and grin that the other 364 days, there will be thorns instead of flowers thrown their way.


*written in defense of singles who got a life on valentines day* i got tons of friends who do =)

i heart plants

(there are no roots to these plants)


adrian's eyes widened when he saw me carrying these tiny pots to our trolley.

he asked "whats that?"

"gift tokens for our fondue party."

he said "i know, butwhats that?". i was getting annoyed that a man who's into gardening would ask me what a plant is.

"its a heart plant". i said reading the label on the tray.

he laughed. he said theres no such thing as a heart plant.

eventually,he proved me wrong when the lady at the counter said, "these are lovely decorative stuff, arent they? they look as if they really would grow."

it turns out that the "heart plant" was just a leaf taken out of another plant and just embedded on soil.

well, a heart is a heart is a heart.

and a non gardener is a non gardener.


* * *

a winter storm is expected this week. im scared.

i love it warm, cosy and most of all safe.

be safe, my love ones.

of food and friends

adrian and i had dinner at friends' cheryl and glen's house tonight.

adrian and i brought take-away chinese food (the hosts and us were too lazy to cook), while cheryl and glen prepared drinks.

our conversations ran from one topic to another (seamlessly) and everyone just talked over one another. if an onlooker was there, they would think we havent seen one another for years. but thats how we are. we gab like theres no tomorrow, from topics ranging from france, boracay, cape town, fish, chow mein, alzheimers, care homes, pay cut, recession, inflation hike, back to cape town, etc,etc.

when we said goodbye, we said "see you soon" and hugged and kissed. ("soon" meant, next week saturday as they were coming over for a fondue party at mines).

i love those two. they're like my family here in the UK. south african kuya and ate.

i cant wait to take them to cebu and show them where i come from. soon.


* * *

chinese food---brought from the best chinese take-away station within our town.

its the tastiest chinese food within the standard sold here in the UK.

but its not a patch to the chinese food i eat at the cheapest un-fanciest chinese resto in the phils.

thank goodness i have acquired the taste now for anglo-chino cooking.


* * *



(store bought ready made sushi)



i love my wednesday lunches at uni.

i always have my baon bento box of sushi and makis.

its not as nice as those you eat at proper japanese restaurants.

but really, beggars shouldnt be choosers.

its better than sandwhiches by far.

if only

...id have pinakbet and pritong isda (esp the baratohon kind) right now for dinner.

i wish there's a filipino grocer a few minutes away from me, id be there in a shoot to get the ingredients.

its such a waste to make the pakbet too, when its only i who will eat it.

although adrian loves my stirfry veggies,i still have to convince adrian to love the shrimp paste taste of the pakbet.

im craving like crazy....

...

because there are moments that need not interrupted.

a pants story

adrian is a skirt man. (he loves his woman wearing skirt,hehe).

the unfortunate thing, i find it too limiting to wear a skirt when im out and about.

especially on a cold day.

especially when im photographing.

worst of all, he hates one of my favourite trousers--the workman's trousers.



at manchester's alexandra park




hate them or love 'em

i cant help but wear it, when travelling, or doing alot of work.

its comfy and just easy peasy on my movement.

(no wonder he keeps saying, he cant wait for summer, lol).



* * *

i surfed the sartorialist, there was a photo of a man wearing the same big trousers that i own.

hmmmnn, adrian needs some lesson in comfortable fashion.

snow in january

it was unusually snowy the last few days. england almost came to a halt and even cancelled classes for students due to the dangerous icy conditions. adrian, who's a lecturer and myself, a student on tuesdays and wednesdays, had days off to our advantage.

yesterday, it was such a shame to pass the oppportunity of being able to enjoy the sunny day (even with snow) that i opted to ask adrian to drive me to ikea to get some stuff for my valentine party im hosting here at home.

never the one to pass up days out with his missus,he gladly obliged to drive me (im still inept driving in snow, walay snow sa amo!..im a scaredy cat eversince the car skidded on the road one icy morning) around for my errands and carried the bags for me.

i wish it was heavily snowing every tuesdays and wednesdays, (para wlay klase pirmi) it is a beautiful scenic day out!



monday to work...




going home (monday)...




a magical white




yesterday (tuesday) at ikea..sunnier yet still icy




at the babyrooms section...found a bath we liked...



and i found a mirror i liked...secluded and no people about,haha





but of course, halfway thru shopping,we had a snack.



adrians's strawberry torte.


...today, im still at home...woke up late..burned the phonelines, talked to my sister, my cousins on the phone, and got updates about my brother's wedding.

this year, im going to 4 weddings (and counting), and none of them my brothers.

im missing a big chunk of my heart.

celebrating adrian

first things first: apologies, there are not enough food photos.

the problem with per course-type dinner, is that the hostess, apart from entertaining the guests, has to account for the courses to be timed just right, and to consecutively execute the courses, apart from being timely yet still think of presentation. ( after the starters, leave a little room for conversation without the main being cold,then after the main meal, another room for breather, before the dessert, so on, and so forth)--so taking all these in consideration, i just wasnt able to take the photos of the main meal (got so worried that the vegetables were a little under done, i was too embarassed to whip out the cam...but i'll be cooking it again, so there will be photos to make up for it)...

*gosh its hard, serving 5 people + myself, as people dont start eating without you yet you dont want their food to get cold while waiting, so i was embarrassed to take a photo of the porkchop main course which everyone had*

everyone loved the cantaloupe melon and parma ham. i got the idea from an italian restaurant we went to. it actually, made you hungry for something savoury. plus its so easy to make it. just slice the melon, and wrap the parma ham around it. then refridgerate for 30 minutes to make it cold, so the melon's sweet taste really comes out, yet still fresh enough.

funny, everyone wanted the porkchop. they all asked what was in the oven, i showed them what it was (they could smell it), and said, they wanted whatever it was. so the sirloin steak will be adrian's and my meal the next few nights,haha. (everyone had the roast rosemary potatoes while mark and i had rice,haha).

for dessert, anne,john and mark had seconds. alan,anne and mark chose the wild blueberry cheesecake. john, adrian and i, had the apple pie with custard. anne and john had a portion of the strawberry trifle, while mark had a slice of apple pie.

the cheesetray was attacked, considering everyone had a three courses prior to this. but the secret to course-meals are: to serve the right size portion. not so much of any one, that people's tastebuds get blocked with just one course.


so why am i describing everyone's food choices in detail? just so you know, that if i have the opportunity, i would love to cook for you here at our humble home.

looking forward to that.

here are the photos i took when i was able to.



the table setting



fresh roses cut to make centerpieces



i can imagine the supergirls who'll sit on these chairs...




starters



gotta have red wine



caught taking a photo




say cheese!!!




chitchat



after-meal talk




so when is adrian opening his presents?




just like a kid




saying goodbye to them in the snow



closing time...

finished the night with a chat with adrian with a cup of green tea...=)

what's for dinner?

in two hours my guests will be arriving.

i have singlehandedly arranged and prepared everything for adrian's dinner party.

tonight the guests are his brothers john and alan, and alan's wife ann, adrian's son mark, and myself.

a sit-down meal for 6.

i cant wait for the meal. im getting exhaustedand hungry.


the four course menu:


starters: parma ham on cantaloupe melon


main meal: porkchops with piquant sauce
or
pan fried sirloin steak

with
roast potatoes with rosemary
or
steamed basmati rice (me!!!!)


dessert: traditional apple pie with custard sauce
or
blueberry cheesecake
or
strawberry trifle


afters: assorted biscuits and crackers
assorted cheese: brie, stilton, cheddar and camembert



* * *

PS: (all the main meal, i cook/cooked from scratch, the desserts: pre ordered from a dessert shop--toinnks!)...

* * *

i wish youare all here for dinner...

i promise to post pictures soon=)