Daday’s Kitchen: Shepherd’s Pie

The first time Jonjie cooked Shepherd’s Pie, I was surprised because we have no oven. I was surprised even more when I tasted it…it was delicious!!!

It was a full meal on its own. But, it is also good with rice or as a side dish to a main course such as Baby Back Ribs or Salisbury Steak or any type of Steak.

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Daday’s Kitchen: Baby Back Ribs

Jonjie and I are fond of watching food and cooking show in Lifestyle and TLC Channels. We specially like the  Man vs. Food by Adam Richman (but it ended already), MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, Take Home Chef by Curtis Stone, Curiosity Got the Chef by Sharwin Tee.

Every time we watched something that we really like, Jonjie will find a way to transform gourmet cooking into simple home cooking. And this Baby Back Ribs is one of those...

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Chapel of Padre Pio, Eastwood Quezon City

Pio of Pietrelcina (Italian: Pio da Pietrelcina), O.F.M. Cap. commonly known as Padre Pio, (May 25, 1887 – September 23, 1968) was a friar, priest, stigmatist, and mystic of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. Padre Pio became famous for bearing the stigmata for most of his life, which generated much interest and controversy around him. He is now venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.  

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10 Things To Do in Clark and Angeles City in 4 Hours

Yesterday, Jonjie had a visitor from Malolos, Bulacan...Ms. Icecycles Florentino. She was one of the members of Mapua Dabarkads. She took a UV Express Van from Malolos and Jonjie picked her up at Dau Bus Terminal. She arrived at around 10:30 am.

At 12:00 pm, we had our lunch courtesy of Jonjie and Ate Bev in our humble abode: Baby Back Ribs, Baked Stuffed Green Bell Peppers, Potato Salad with Raisin Bread and Fruit Salad in Light Syrup for Dessert.

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Daniz 12 Wishes

Yesterday, Daniz went with Jonjie to pick me up from the office. On our way home, Jonjie mentioned that Daniz wrote her wishes and tried to persuade her to share it with me. “She was shy”, she said…and then we reached home.

At home, we were caught up with the regular routines and I was not able to ask her about the written wishes. And when I remembered it and was about to ask her…I found her asleep while watching TV.

This morning after breakfast, I requested her to show me her wishes…I cannot help but smile, while I was reading it. Then I suddenly had an idea to share it and ask her permission if I can post it…and she said yes. So here it is…

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Baguio Road Trip: 252 Steps to Lourdes Grotto

Lourdes Grotto is another Catholic shrine and is located on a high hill in the western part of the city. As it is in many other similar shrines, the grotto was constructed to commemorate the numerous visions of the Virgin Mary by a 14-year old French girl named Bernadette Soubirous that happened in 1858 from February 11 to July 16 in the town of Lourdes which is in southwestern France.

The Grotto can be reached by climbing the 252 steps. A narrow, winding and steep asphalt road for light vehicles was constructed to pave the way for Devotees who do not have the capacity to climb the stairs.

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Road Trip to Baguio...A Celebration for Bev

Ate Bev, the birthday celebrant, and Daniz

Bev is our “angel at home”…we fondly called her Ate or Ate Bev. She makes our life easier by doing house chores, taking care of the dogs and keeping an eye on Daniz.

Last January 11, she celebrated her 19^th birthday. It was a Saturday, and during breakfast we asked Daniz what food to prepare for Ate’s birthday…and as expected, she answered “spaghetti” and “let us buy a cake for Ate”. And so it was set. But then another idea popped out of nowhere...maybe it’s the early morning chill…because for the past few days cold temperature was being recorded in the country and we felt it even in Pampanga. I said,

“Let’s go to Baguio. Let’s celebrate Ate’s birthday there.”

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Pagkakaibigan Pagkatapos ng UP Diliman

Nagkita-kita kami isang araw ng Abril ng taong kasalukuyan sa Mequeni Restaurant, Holiday Inn Clark. Ang naging hashtag habang nag-uusap sa pamamagitan ng “text messages” at “facebook pms” ay “lunch ‘til dinner”. Ang dahilan ng pagkikita ay si Jojo na umuwi galing sa pagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa at naka-iskedyul ng bumalik dahil tapos na ang bakasyon.

Mula sa kaliwa paikot: Jojo (Rogelio Martinez), She (Shella Patio), Annie, Bette (Bebette Briones), Gie (Gina Vallejo), Dex (Dexter Alfonso), Cious (Precious Anne Cruz). Wala sina Issa (Isabel Del Rosario), Roehl Lawingco at Col Ryan (Ryan Reynie Sonza)

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Daniz, The Dog Lover

Before Daniz, we have a dog named Vinx, half German Shepherd, half Rottweiler . He was born December 10, 2001 but we took him home after three months. Initially, he was Jonjie’s dog. But when I got sick sometime in 2003, Jonjie told him to take care of me and to never leave my side while he’s at work. That day, he did exactly what Jonjie told him…he never left my side. if I needed to use the CR, he will be at the door waiting. He only ate his food and relieved himself when Jonjie arrived home. And since that day also, Vinx became my dog.  

For five years while waiting for the Lord to bless us with a child, Vinx was there to fill the void.

These pictures were taken two years apart. June 21, 2002 with Jonjie when Vinx was still his dog and May 1, 2004 with me, when he became mine, always ready to protect me

Then there was Daniz. We would like to think that Vinx loved her first and Daniz slowly blossomed as she became accustomed to Vinx presence. And then Daniz started to love her back when she was seven months old. From then on, they are inseparable. Let the photos below speak for itself…

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Rainbow on a Clear Morning Sky

This morning started as any other morning…

Jonjie and I were on our way to the office...lately, he's been driving me to and from work and I am just a willing passenger :). We were so intent with our conversation regarding Daniz and her quarterly exams for the day…our worries if she will be able to follow instructions and answer the tests correctly. But our biggest fear is if we will be able to raise her to be a good person...if we are doing the right thing with her.

And when I look up…the sky is so clear and as blue, with clouds as white and as soft as cotton. Some days were like this, except…a rainbow!!! On a clear morning sky… 

Lamentations 3:22-23

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;     his mercies never come to an end;²³ they are new every morning;    great is your faithfulness.

Taken 7:45am using iPhone4S inside Clark, Pampanga

Genesis 9:13

¹³ I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

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Daday's Kitchen: Baked Stuffed Green Bell Pepper

One afternoon, I arrived from the office and greeted with a delicious smell of food. And when I checked the kitchen, I saw Daday, with the help of Ate Bev, cooking bell peppers. It was the first time, so I asked him his inspiration…he usually gets it from watching Lifestyle or TLC Channel. But he simply replied, “nothing, I just saw the large green bell pepper in the supermarket and thought of stuffing it”.

Daniz and I could not wait for dinnertime…we are so excited to try Daday’s new dish. And when we did…it’s so yummmmmmy. We waited for Daniz verdict and was not disappointed…”yum, yum, yum” she said, with her eyes close and her head moving from side to side.

The taste of the stuffing was simple and the bell pepper refreshing, because of its sweetness and crunchiness.

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Haduan Falls, A Hidden Paradise in Mabalacat, Pampanga

The first time I heard about it was way back in 2008, when my previous company conducted a community service in one of the barangays in Mabalacat. After the event, some of the members trekked to the falls and the following day shared interesting anecdotes of the trip…of rocky roads…and of chilly waters.

This hanging bridge is 120 meters long and 1.2 meters wide. It links the Aeta community to Clark Freeport and the rest of Pampanga and Tarlac which is the only way used by the tribesmen to transport their commerce outside their community. For the complete info,please click http://balita.ph/2014/04/02/haduan-falls-in-pampanga-now-accessible-to-tourists/

Summer of this year, we are thinking of a one-day trip around Clark…and then “the falls” suddenly pop in my mind. I asked around for somebody who knew about it but only got a vague information that its entrance is in Gate 14 of the Clark perimeter fence. After work, Jonjie and I cruised along the perimeter fence but we could not see any opening except for the entrance to the quarry and to a Korean golf club…and the obvious choice, the quarry entrance. Jonjie was referred to Kuya Nognog, a worker in the quarry and a relative of one of the elders of the Aeta Community.

We set the date for the trip which was May 3, Saturday. A day before the trip, some of my officemates decided to join us and we agreed on a “KKB, kanya kanyang bayad, kanya kanyang baon”, which means “pay for one’s way, bring your own food”

This was taken 6:58 am before the start of our trek. We were 12 + Jonjie (taking this photo) + the 3 guides.

The day arrived. Kuya Nognog with two others waited for our group near the quarry entrance and lead us to Gate 14. We started the trek...and...let the pictures describe the sights along the way to the hidden paradise…

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5 Things To Do @ SM Clark, Pampanga: Family Saturdate

This is one of those Saturdays that though we wanted to snooze in bed but we had to get up early because of our 10:30 am appointment with the dentist. 

And we took advantage of our day at the mall, thus the following activities:

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A Look Back at July: My Birthday Month

With all that had happened and much as I wanted to remember only the good times but July is a bittersweet month for me. My emotions were on a roller coaster especially those few days before and after my birthday…being happy that I was blessed with another year, that I am surrounded by the people who love me and then suddenly a feeling of sadness deep in my heart because of a gesture or a memory or a picture…of anything that reminds me of my mother.

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Shrine of the Miraculous Apung Mamacalulu, Angeles City, Pampanga

We have been living in Pampanga since 2004, 2 years in Angeles City and almost 8 years in Mabalacat City…two neighboring cities. Ever since, I knew that Friday is “Apu Day” in Angeles City because of the bargain shopping and the best time to go is early morning. But I never realized how significant Friday is until we visited the Apung Mamacalulu Shrine last Monday.

July 28, 2014, Monday, I was on holiday from work due to swapping implemented by our company…the declared holiday is July 29 as Eid’l Fitr (end of Ramadan). We had a lazy morning at home after Ate Bev and Daniz left for school and at noon we left for Angeles City. We had our lunch at Downtown Café and then proceeded to the nearby Holy Rosary Parish Church but it was closed. Before we left, Jonjie ask the church personnel where to find Apung Mamacalulu Shrine. 

Through the direction given to us and by the visible signs along the route, we reached the area with a few wrong turns and asking where is the right way to the shrine, twice. When we arrived, the church was closed but we were told by one of the staff that the side entrance to the right is open.  When we entered, it was just the two of us…

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