Sashimi

Today is the tommorow of yesterday and the yesterday of tommorow. How confusing! Anyway, I wake up today with a headache. May be due to my high blood pressure. Its because I've been eating a lot this past few days. Last night we went to Jerry's Grill and ate Oriental Tuna Sashimi. I love sashimi. I love the taste of the wasabi sauce, specially when the spicy scent of the wasabi goes out into your nose... Hmm...

SMILE

"Frown and you frown alone; smile and the whole world smiles with you."

A smile is a facial expression formed by flexing the muscles most notably near both ends of the mouth. It can also be found around the eyes.

Think happy thoughts. The easiest way to a great smile is to be happy. You can be happy all the time, but not everybody is; when you are not, you can think happy thoughts instead. Think about something or someone that you care about, or think about a joke that you just find hilarious. Remarkably, when you're feeling down, smiling can help cheer you up, even if you have to coax a smile out at first.

SERVING WINES

Drink dry wines before sweet wines. The taste of a sweet wine in your mouth can make the dry wine seem flat and dull in comparison.

Drink light wines before heavier wines. The heavier flavors - whatever the color of the wine - will follow nicely after a glass of light wine, but will overpower the lighter wine if drunk first.

Drink white wines before red wines. There are exceptions - a full bodied white wine can follow a light tasting red. However, sweeter white wines sshould be drunk after dry reds.

Kare-kare

Kare-kare is one of the Philippines favorite cuisine. It is a popular dish among Pampanguenos. Here is a very quick and easy way to cook this savory meal, viz:

Ingredients:

1 oxtail, boiled and cut into serving pieces

1 kg. ox tripe, boiled until tender, cut into serving pieces

6 pieces eggplant, cut into 2-inch thick slanting pieces

1/4 kg. string beans, kept whole and cut into 2 inch lengths

2 pieces banana blossom, cut both into halves, cut halves into 4 pieces crosswise

1 small bottle of peanut butter

1/4 cup atsuete (annatto), for food coloring - extract the juice after soaking in water

cooking oil

broth

dash of pepper

Procedure:

Saute the garlic. Add the oxtail and ox tripe except the broth. Cover and simmer for a few minutes. Add the atsuete juice and peanut butter, cover and simmer stirring once in a while. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender. Serve hot with sauted bagoong (shrimp paste).

Pocahontas

As a trivia, on this date in 1614, John Rolfe and Pocahontas were married in Virginia.

Mayon Volcano

Regarded as the world's most perfect cone volcano, Mayon Volcano reigns over the province of Albay, and got its name from the legendary heroine Daragang Magayon (Beautiful Maiden). This summer, try to visit Legazpi City, south of Manila and experience not only the beauty of the majestic Mayon Volcano but also the hospitality of the Legazpenos.

This April, Albay Province will be having its Magayon Festival. Local and international tourists can have the taste of the different products and festivities of the province. At night, local bands are performing near the Albay Capitol Building and Penaranda Park where stalls/bars caters to the public, offering different delicacies and pika-pika foods.

So, lets enjoy the summer this Magayon Festival 2010!

Words to live by.. .

1. You're going to make mistakes in life. It's what you do after the mistakes that counts.

2. People are not the best because they work hard. They work hard because they are the best.

3. No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an unchartered island, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.

4. Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.

5. To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only dream but also believe.

GOOD FRIDAY

April 2, 2010

Today is Good Friday. If you can't or don't attend Good Friday services, you may still capture the somber, quiet, and reflective quality of the day by observing silence between noon and 3:00 p.m. Use this time to read any of the Gospel accounts of the Passion (Matthew 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 13-19).

Anyway, im going to watch the procession of the different images of Jesus Christ tonight here in our place. The images here are life-sized and some of them have been handed down from generation to generation in their families.

Have a blessed and meaningful Good Friday to all.....

A Visit From A Friend...

Today is Maundy Thursday and i got a visit from an old friend. It's a lucky day for me today. We haven't seen each other for months now and he surprised me today by visiting me and my family. Anyway, as I have said, this Holy Week is a time for old friends to meet and families to reunite...

Have a Blessed Maundy Thursday everyone!

Movies To Watch This Holy Week. . .

Holy Week is one of the holidays observed here in the Philippines. It's a time for family gatherings, long lost friends meeting up and high school and college reunions. But for some its a time to relax. So why not give yourself a treat by running those old films and movies again during this Holy Week. If I may suggest, try to look for these classic and immortal movies:

1. The Ten Comandments - It's a 1956 American motion picture and I think everyone have already seen this film. How can anyone forget Charlton Heston as he portrays the character of Moses and Yul Brynner as Rameses II and the very beautiful Anne Baxter as Queen Nefretiri.

2. The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima - releaased in1952, it is a true story about three farm children (Lucia Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto), who saw the vision of the Virgin Mary while tending sheep, the place: Fatima, Portugal and the year: 1917 .

3. Oro, Plata, Mata - 1982 film by Peque Gallaga set during World War II in Negros. Its a story of two families coping up with the changes/ consequences of a war.

4. Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos - a 1970's Nora Aunor starrer set during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

5. Himala - another Nora Aunor movie release in 1982 and who will forget the famous movie line, " Walang himala. Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao! Nasa puso nating lahat!"

6. The Nun's Story - starring AudreyHepburn released in 1959 tells the story of a Belgian nun named Sister Luke, is a moving, heartfelt drama, highlighted by an absolutely stunning central performance by the irreplaceable Ms. Hepburn.

HOLY WEDNESDAY REFLECTIONS

March 31, 2010

Today is Holy Wednesday. Our Lenten examination of conscience will be more rigorous if we commit it to writing; even more so if we write by hand. Handwriting is a slower way to record thoughts and feelings, which is exactly the point, although we are already in the age of computers, laptops, cellularphones and other high tech gadgets.Also the physical act of writing things out seems to help connect body, mind, and spirit.

Set some time aside during pre-Lenten frivolity to buy a special notebook, and then use it to record your responses to these heart-provoking questions:

1. Am I loving, honest, tolerant, generous, patient, kind, and trustworthy?
2. In what ways do I represent the love of Christ? Do I live my faith?
3. When, how, and why am I angry, mean-spirited, stingy, envious and hostile?
4. What actions of mine have hurt others?
5. For what do I want forgiveness?
6. From whom do I need to ask forgiveness?
7. How have I hurt others by not taking appropriate action?
8. Whom do I need to forgive?
9. What do I allow to separate me from the love of Christ?
10. How can I open myheart, cleanse my soul and deepen my faith?

Although we're called to serve others throughout the year, Lent is a special season of almsgiving. Most people think the term refers exclusively to giving money. It doesn't. Lent would be a good time to consider where you can perform deliberate acts of kindness, sharing your time and talents with those in need. Start by checking out your parish social action center. If nothing there appeals to you, pursue that volunteer work that's been on your "to do" list for ages.


- smiling hands

The Beginning...

March 30, 2010

Hello every one. I am new in this kind of thing. I still dont know what topic will I have to write. My mind is a bit shattered tonight..I just finished watching the movie Julie & Julia which stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Unfortunately, I was not persuaded by the movie to cook but instead to create a blog. So here I am, trying to discover the wonders of blogging.

Anyway, I'll try to enjoy it as much as I can. But for now, i'll first think of what nice topics I have to write...

Good night!

smiling hands