Wandergirl Speaks

Archive for August, 2009

Ok, I’m getting a little ashamed now. Looks like this blog is beginning to look more like a food network blog with all the food fest I was having lately. But what can I do, I just so love to eat and having said that I know I need a lot of work-out time to reduce the bulges. But I guess that has to come a little later…lolz

On Sunday, hubby, sister, and the baby went to Robinsons mall to pass the boring time at home. We strolled around for, probably 30 minutes, until I feel like I can’t ignore my grumbling stomach anymore. Yes, I was starving and I had to make sure my husband knows that.

We were initially choosing between Super Bowl and Banana Leaf. My sister says she’s fine with any one of the two, while my husband stayed on a safer side of letting us decide. In the end, I won for Banana Leaf.

Their Tilapia Fillet with Sambal sauce (P238) is really good. It’s tasty and delicious, just learn to ignore its patis-like smell.

Tilapia Fillet with Sambal sauce

We also tried their Malayan Chicken Curry with Potatoes (P228) and requested to make it not too spicy. It came in generous servings (good enough for 3 people) and even became my sister’s favorite. I like it just as much as I like the Tilapia Fillet with Sambal sauce.

Malayan Chicken Curry with Potatoes

For our rice, though we’ve quite confused ourselves with the many options, we settled for the Nasi Goreng (P188) and the Vietnamese Fried Rice (P188). I think this is the third time I’ve eaten in this resto (from different branch locations) but I always get a satisfactory experience very time.

Vietnamese Fried Rice

I so love payday! It gives me a guilt-free reason to splurge on food, and I mean a lot of food. Just take for example the family dinner we had during the weekend at Gerry’s Grill in Mall of Asia. We’re like 14 all in all and it was fun, fun, fun.

My sister and one of my cousins came ahead to get us a table because we were expecting they’d have a huge throng of guests since, first it’s payday and second it’s an official weekend gimik for a lot of families and yuppies.

When the rest of us got there, the waiters were starting to serve our food. It helps if you already have your orders enlisted while you’re still on their waiting list so that you won’t have to wait too long for the food once you’re seated.

Of course, our all-time favorites we’re all there: kare-kare, ensaladang mangga, inihaw na manok, tuna and pork sisig, sizzling beef spareribs, sinigang na hipon, ampalaya con carne, and more. What’s more: we got some desserts freebies! Think leche flan and buko pandan.

my favorite ensaladang mangga w/crispy chicharon

Gerry's Grill bestseller Pork Sisig

Beef Caldereta w/a twist

Last week my husband and I watched Drag Me To Hell via DVD and I have to say I had a lot of laughing time. Yes, it’s supposed to be a suspense movie but for some reason there are some scenes that made me laugh really crazy.

One is when Ganush’s false teeth fell off and her mouth landed on the lead character’s (Christine Brown) mouth during a parking lot attack scene at the beginning of the movie. It was a little gross but at the same time funny. And mind you, it happened twice…lolz

scene from the movie

Unlike other suspense movies I’ve seen before, this Sam Raimi film is quite fresh for its genre because it’s not all about scaring you to death from start to end. Instead, it gives a mix of comedy and suspense. I won’t say it’s the best suspense movie I’ve ever seen but at least it’s different this time.

Even my husband who wasn’t so much into this type of movie has somehow made a liking for it because of the funny scenes it incorporated.

Early this morning while preparing for work I took a glimpse of Tom Cruise’s War of the Worlds in HBO. And seeing the plane crash scene I couldn’t help but look back at the time when we had a tour at the same set in Universal Studios a year ago.

It was my first time in the US and I was glad when a friend of my husband toured us at the Universal Studios during the weekend of our business trip in California. Sure, I have been hearing about it for a long time. After all, it has produced so many movie blockbusters even before I was born.

To be honest, the experience was just so amazing. It’s filled with so much fun and excitement when we got there on a Saturday and paid for an Annual Pass. Whoever says that parks and rides are just for kids must be seriously kidding! I so much enjoyed the Revenge of the Mummy and the Jurassic Park rides — an 84 ft. plunge that will really crunch your stomach. Both of these rides I tried twice and still had the same feeling, scared and excited!

The Studio Tour was another favorite of mine. I got to see the set used in Jaws movies, the set of Desperate Housewives, the flying and cool cars of The Fast and The Furious, and so much more.

We also got to experience Water World, which is one of the favorites of so many kids and adults because of its amazing tidal wave and loads of action and funny scenes.

I’m think it’s never complete to tour California without visiting Universal Studios. It’s spectacular and educational at the same time. I am just so glad to have this wonderful tour experience. Day tour passes may be a little pricey — ranging between $67 and $219 (for Multi-Park Ticket) — but it’s still worth the experience!

I’ve seen this stuff to one of my Friendster friends’ profile and I thought maybe it’ll be fun to try and find out what mine would mean. And so I got all the description above and I put a red mark on those that I thought are so true of me. Ok now those are giveaways of my personality type…hahaha.

This was the scene in South Expressway caught by my husband from our unit during former President Cory Aquino’s funeral convoy on Aug. 05. There were indeed a huge throng of people who participated as she was brought to her final resting place in Manila Memorial Park (Parañaque).

I have seen all the complete footages and tributes given to her on TV and I have to admit that not only once have I caught myself shedding some tears most especially during the requiem mass given to her earlier. She will forever remain as the true mother of democracy!

Thank you Tita Cory

Ok I’m guilty of one thing: I wasn’t able to spend as much time with my cousins when they were here for only two weeks.

They traveled approximately 22 hours (Philadelphia-New York-Manila) to attend our lolo’s cremation on July 22 and after which they stayed at our home. And since I live in Makati during weekdays, my sisters and other cousins were lucky enough to have bonded with them more.

But it’s okay, atleast I still got to spend some little time with them during my rest days at work. And one of those few best times we had was our karaoke night at Music Match.

happy bunch of cousins

Original plan was Music 21. Unfortunately, we were on the 8th spot on their waiting list when we arrived past 10 PM, so we decided to go to Ratskys along Tomas Morato instead. But as if some bad luck is on our side that evening, Ratskys greeted us with its CLOSED signboard and its neighboring bars are not at all interesting.

As we walked along Tomas Morato my sister spotted Music Match and we all hurried to check if we can get accommodated. Finally. Though we had to wait a couple more minutes, it was ok. We were able to choose a reasonable package which consists of a 3-hour stay with some pika-pika and drinks.

food...food...

and more food...

the absolute drink...

The vodka is really strong. So strong that it ripped me off any shame which in effect made me belt an Aegis song (think Basang-Basa sa Ulan) and Freestyle Jinky Vidal’s version of One Hello…lolz.

Perhaps, it will take another 5 or 10 years before my cousins would be back here, but at least we have some memories to smile at every once in a while. Miss you guys!

I am so happy that I have finally reached the minimum payout amount of Neobux. But what makes me even more happy is when my request for payout 5 minutes ago was completed via my Paypal account.

my Neobux payment proof

Geez, I’m so excited with this one because out of the many paid to click sites I joined recently, Neobux is one of the very few legitimate ones I came across with. I know it’s just $1.96 but it’s a good start, right?

CLICK HERE to get your free account and start earning.

Two weeks ago—July 25—my daughter Aiesha finally had her christening at the UST church. It was supposed to have had happened on July 18 in time for my birthday but some unfortunate event had befallen my family that forced me to move the baptismal rite the following week.

But regardless, the show must go on, so they say.

To be honest, the preparation was a mix of chaos and fun. First of all, I didn’t realize there were no giveaways ready the night before the event. Good thing my sister reminded me about it and offered to go to Divisoria on the morning of July 25 to buy some tokens.

Second, while my husband and I bought Aiesha her baptismal dress weeks ahead I didn’t realize that the color we have chosen (purple) was very much unfit for the occasion. And so I had to rush to SM Manila—also on the morning of July 25—to buy her another dress. Imagine I had to be at the mall by 10:00 AM and rush back home to make it to the 10:45 baptismal rite…lolz.

By the time I got home everyone’s frantic but we still made it on time. We even had some more time taking pictures with the baby as we waited our turn. We paid for a private baptismal ceremony because we wanted it to be very solemn and intimate. It was less stressful at the church, plus it lasted only for less than an hour.

Aiesha in her pink dress

After the rite followed everyone’s favorite part, the reception at Cabalen along West Avenue. Oh can I just say that our reservation at Cabalen was done only two weeks before the event. I’m glad they still had available spots when I phoned them in and requested for a lunch buffet.

Aiesha's welcome tarp...

The girl who accommodated us was very nice. In fact, when we made our down payment and decided to have dinner at the place she gave me and my husband sisig and bottomless iced tea as complimentary. Isn’t that nice?!

They also provided cake, balloons, and text banner for the event as freebies for the package we guaranteed. The freebies were ok. Nothing so special but atleast we didn’t have to bother ourselves with it and spend additional amount to get them.

cake courtesy of Cabalen

The food wasn’t too great. It was just ok. Actually, I didn’t get to eat much because I had to carry the baby while the guests lined at the buffet and hubby was doing the photography so he was busy, too.

the giveaways

I was expecting more in terms of the food. Like perhaps they’re going to have crispy lechon just like on their ordinary days, but they didn’t have one that day. Nonetheless, I did like the ginataang alimango, grilled catfish, my all-time favorite ensaladang mangga (though I wished they refilled more), relleno tilapia, and crablets.

Two things here, I hope they wouldn’t schedule too many events in a day. Because when we got there I realized there were like 4 of us holding a party, all for baptismal. So the place was really jampacked and the staff became all too busy that I really had to make an effort to ask for a softdrink refill. And finally, since they have expected hundreds of guests they should be extra timely in refilling the food trays.

I admit I have become an instant fan of the Wonder Girls after I heard their hit “Nobody” which have been playing the airwaves for quite a while now. Although the only word I can understand in this music is the title of the song, I just so love their choreographed dance. In fact, I’ve been imitating the steps at home and is becoming my favorite exercise moves…lolz