Never be too old to learn a new craft

  Motivated with the desire for my then bride-to-be daughter wear something I created on her wedding day, I learned the craft of beading. I signed up in the 1day Beginners Beading Class under the tutelage of the very talented and now famous jewelry designer Em Mariano.

Aside from being taught by coach Em himself how to make  beaded earrings, bracelets, chokers, eyeglass holders and brooches, I also learned about color schemes, material sourcing and pricing.  

    My 1 day beginners training output

Armed with my new skill, I started designing and making stylish ID beaded lanyards, and these became instant hit with my daughter's co-workers. 

  Samples of my ID lanyards 

Now deeply impassioned with beading, I posted pictures of my accessory products on Facebook and lo and behold, my friends here and abroad started ordering. Who would have thought this retiree would get his 2nd wind on earning.

Below are collages of some of my collections of earrings, bracelets, neclaces and chokers.

For my daughter's wedding, the very reason why I took up the craft, I made her a beaded wedding cord and a hairvine made of Swarovski crystals and fresh water seed pearls. It made me real proud about these projects because I learned it on my own, these were not taught during the training.

    My daughter wearing the hairvine

Feeling proud moment

It is the time of the year again when Facebook newsfeeds here in the Philippines are flooded with "feeling proud" posts and photos about graduations, scholarly awards and recognitions. 

Having no "feeling proud" moment to post about same topic, because my 14 y/o grandson failed to make it to the honor's list, this morning's scenario at home more than made up for it.

The scene- <English translation>

Young stranger knocking at our gate: "Tao po, tao po!" <Knock, knock, is somebody home?>

Me: (peeking at the window from inside my room) "Ano yun?" <What is it?>

Young stranger: "Pwede po pahingi ng pagkain.." <Can you please spare me some food?>

Me: "Anong klaseng pagkain?" <What kind of food?>

Young stranger: "Kahit ano po na makakain" <Anything will do>

Me: (Went to check what food I can give the boy, then saw my grandson Nick checking him out from the terrace)

Nick: "Bigyan mo lola, nakakaawa.." "Ibigay mo na yung para sa dinner ko na chili wings at rice." "Kakain na lang ako ng tira mo na sinigang."

"Ibigay mo na lahat, ok lang ako." <Give him some lola, he's pitiful.. Give him the chili wings I've been saving for my dinner tonight. I'll just have some of your leftover "sinigang". 

Give all of it, I'll be ok>

Considering that the chili wings were his fave dish and not a fan of "sinigang" at all, I couldn't help but feel proud of my teen grandson that very moment.  

He hasn't changed a bit, he has been very generous and kind hearted since he was a little boy.

Still the same little boy who was willing to part with his meager allowance so he could share it with pan handlers he saw in San Pablo church many moons ago. 

Still the same little boy who wished that if he'll have the money someday he will build homes for those he saw living in wooden carts, we call "kariton".

Still the same little boy who promised to buy me a mechanized wheelchair when time comes that I will be needing one.

My proud moment is no mean feat after all. 😊

Note: Sinigang is a traditional Filipino dish of pork, beef or fish stewed in sour broth.

My 58th Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day? My romantic take of this day has always been..ho humm... since my hubby and soul mate departed to the great beyond.  Since then I am contented with occasional flowers sent by my daughters and sometimes from their suitors who decided to woo me as well.

Like no other valentine's day before, I decided to cook for the three of us (my daughter, grandson and myself) a special dinner of Pasta ala Marinara, and it was sooo good that it elicited a very rare compliment from daughter saying, "I wouldn't mind eating this everyday, momi!"

I am sharing the recipe hereunder:

Pasta ala Marinara

Ingredients
12 green mussels, locally called "tahong"
1 pc Squid, cleaned, skinned and cubed
2 pcs. Tilapia fillets, cubed
250 grams medium sized shrimp, shelled and de-veined
8 pcs ripe tomatoes
1 pc carrot, chopped
1 pc  onion, chopped
1 pack Tomato sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 red chilli, remove seeds and chop
1/2 cup, parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
dash of oregano powder
2 tbsp wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
400 g pack spaghetti

Sauce:

1.  Steam mussels just enough for the shells to open, by placing them on a wire basket, sit the basket on a dripping pan big enough to catch the juices, then place both basket and pan inside steamer. collect juices and set aside
 2. Blanch tomatoes, peel, remove seeds, quarter and lightly mash, then set aside;
2. In a sauce pan, saute onion and carrot, then add tomatoes, cook for about 2 minutes, then add tomato sauce, wine vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, chilli and oregano. Bring to a boil then let it simmer for 30 minutes over low flame. Add juice from steamed mussels once it starts to dry up.
3.  Meanwhile, saute the fish, shrimp and squid in butter for about 2 minutes. Keep warm.
4.  Season sauce with salt and pepper, stir in gently the sauteed seafood and the steamed mussels, add the parsley, let boil then turn off heat, do not overcook at this point.

Pasta:

cook "al dente" as directed in the package.

How to serve:

Pour the marinara sauce over the cooked pasta, garnish with sprigs of parsley. Serve with toasted slices of garlicky buttered baguette and parmesan cheese on the side. This makes 5-7 servings, depending on the appetite

PPC-Palawan... Off my bucket list! (Part 1 of 3)

One perk of having retired early, while one is still fit is, to travel and explore new places.  Thanks to my ever generous firstborn who came home for a short vacation for her son's graduation and 12th birthday celebration who made me tick Puerto Princesa off my bucket list.

Right on the birthday of my grandson, the three of us, my daughter, grandson and myself flew to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for a 3 days, 2 nights adventure (April 10-12, 2012).

To begin the journey, we took our car from Los Baños, driven by my youngest daughter who happened to be flying back to her work base in Gensan on the same morning, proceeded to "Park 'n Fly" and after a brief registration and car inspection, they took us to NAIA T3 aboard the company service van .  We opted to "Park 'n Fly" for economy and convenience.

My firstborn, youngest and grandson at NAIA T3 prior to our flights

This trip of ours was kinda special, because it was the first time to do all our travel and tour arrangements by my old self, online! My daughter left it all in my hands... and I myself was surprised that I managed pretty well!

After packing all our travel essentials - beach wear, aqua shoes, snorkel apparatus, clothes, sunblock, mosquito repellant, etc.,  we flew via Airphil at P2,914 RT/pax inclusive of insurance. I also booked online our hotel, Deep Forest Garden Inn, inclusive of both ways airport transfers and Tourister's (sister company of the hotel) Underground River (with lunch), Honda Bay island hopping (with lunch) and City tours at P4,800/pax.  Why Deep Forest? It was the only one among the few hotels who responded promptly to my query, reasonable rates, accepts credit card, in-house touring services and has a swimming pool, as requested by the birthday boy :)

Birthday boy checking the wi-fi connection of the hotel upon arrival

The hotel also showcases the owner's (a sculptor) wood art pieces.

Having taken the first flight out (7:30 AM) of Airphil, we arrived in Puerto Princesa before 9 AM and was fetched by the hotel van. The hotel crew and staff were very cordial and accommodating that they instantly prepared the room for our use, much earlier than the usual policy check in time.  

We started Day 1, of our adventure after a morning rest, with lunch at the hotel then City tour the whole afternoon.

My grilled tuna lunch at the hotel resto, yum!

Day 1  Puerto Princesa City Tour- we visited the city Baywalk, Iwahig Penal Colony, Baker's Hill, Crocodile Farm, Plaza Cuartel and Binuatan weaving center.

 A 3 year old croc raised for its leather

 The very old Recreation Hall at the Iwahig Penal Colony 

where inmates entertained us with a dance number

 Interesting garden ideas at the Baker's Hill where best tasting hopia are sold :)

Floating flower arrangement

 Baywalk view

(to be continued)

Comfort food

"Lomo" (pork tenderloin in gingery soup with misua noodles) my comfort, aka, "cheat" food this rainy morning... 

Way back in my youth in our home province, my Tatay get the chance to cook this dish, only when we butcher a home raised pig to help defray tuition fees of my older siblings, for town fiesta celebrations or special family occasions. 


Because, unlike these days when lomo or tenderloin can be bought anytime from the supermarket, back then, meat sellers/butchers keep this prized meat part for family consumption only. 


Recipe is as follows:


Ingredients:


1 pc pork tenderloin, sliced into strips
1/3 cup, fresh pork liver strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 thumb size, ginger, pound and sliced into strips
1/2 cube pork bouillon
3 cups water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pack Misua
2 tbsp fish sauce
chopped spring onion for garnishing
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1.  Saute garlic, onions and ginger in oil.
2.  Add pork tenderloin, saute well, till almost cooked.
3.  Add fish sauce and saute more.
4.  Add in the liver, saute till brown.
5.  Add in the water and pork cube, let boil.
6.  Then add the misua, cook a minute or 2.
7.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8.  Garnish with chopped spring onion and  serve hot.


Enjoy!

Public Service: NSO Serbilis Center @ Muntinlupa

I really am at a lost on how to start this blog... so many things are on top of my head right now and I'm at a quandary which topic to blog about first.. let me see... hmmm...okay I will start with something about public service.

Having been a full time mom, grandma and housekeeper since I early retired in 2007, I get the task of attending to errands relative to civil registry documents for my family, be it a birth, marriage, school and any other government or private certification documents, I take charge.

Yesterday was another day, I went to NSO Serbilis Center in Muntinlupa to file and claim some family registry documents.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the procedures, thereat, here's how it goes:

1.  Get application form from Window A and fill it up. Be ready with the pertinent info, like, full name including middle name of document owner and parents, date and place of birth. Make sure to write "with annotation" on the application form has there been legal corrections made on the document requested;

2.  Pay at Window B or C the P75/document LGU fee;

3.  Then fall in line (find the last seat in the 1st column of chairs right side of the entrance) to pay the NSO processing fee of P140/document for birth, marriage and death certificates or P195/doc for CENOMAR at Window 1, 2 or 3;
This part is the bottleneck of the entire process, it will take you back by 2-3hours waiting period, just to get this part done. Make sure you bring a light snack to tide you over if you happen to be still in line by 12 noon. Only one (1) cashier window operate during lunch break (12-1) so queuing will be at a snail pace at this time.

4.  After paying, check your receipts for correctness of entry and the time of document release, either wait or come back at the designated release time;

5.  At release time (go back at least 1 hour earlier, documents are almost always ready by then) wait for your name to be called from either Window E or F, then present your receipt together with your valid ID and authorization and photocopy of  ID of authorizing person if you are not the document owner. Birth, marriage and death certs are issued same day, while CENOMAR takes 7 days to process.  At the designated release date and time for CENOMAR, claim by presenting your receipt and ID at Window F.

You don't need authorization if you are applying for registry documents of your immediate family, like children and spouse. You need authorization for grandchildren and siblings' documents.

Notes:
Documents unclaimed 30 days after date of release will be discarded;
Prepare exact amount when paying, sometimes cashiers get a bit snooty when tired;
No receipts, no ID, no release;
Bring black or blue inked pen, though vendors selling them (3x its normal selling price) abound in the vicinity.

Getting there:

1. From Laguna, take Alabang bus, get off right after toll gate, walk straight towards national road leading to Bayanan Muntinlupa;
2. Get jeepney plying the route, pay minimum fare of P8 and get off at Muntinlupa City Hall, Serbilis Center is beside the highway, on your right when facing City Hall.