spiCes

On an early morning breakfast, the thought of turning on the stove can be very daunting, I suggest you stick to your ever reliable toaster or get a very good one, better yet shop for stylish red toaster ovens reviews, if you are also design conscious like me. Toaster ovens are so unimposing and user-friendly that it makes life a little easier especially for working moms but getting a head start in finding one among numerous styles, types, brands, sizes is a bit overwhelming and this online site is a good guide to find the best one out there with all the information you might need to avoid burnt foods and uneven cooking. It provides thorough toaster oven reviews of different models and a general information you should consider before making your decision.

the 4 day long weekend is over…arrgghh! and another week starts in a few minutes. and yup! it’s December! woohoo! that was quick, huh? now i am looking forward to the christmas break. it was a weekend well spent i must say, with my cousins from New York spending the holiday with us here…

Beat Drops Closet rave clothing store is your place for rave clothing and party gear. The site has a great selection of women’s, men’s and kid’s rave clothing. But if that isn’t your thing and you are looking for something a little different take a look around. They have a great selection of rave outfits and accessories!

we Filipinos have been very passionate about our very own palate particularly the way we put rice on a pedestal. it is a definitive staple in our country and i can never imagine a day without having a cup or two…okay! sometimes three!:] a pizza slice or a burger and fries meal is never as satisfying compared to a …say, binagoongan and rice lunch. neither will a pancake and egg breakfast measure up to our very own SILOGS. a term coined from SInangag, which is fried rice and itLOG [egg]. the way we like our fried rice cooked is also important…with fried garlic and lots of oil and that’s it. well, that’s how i like my fried rice anyway and it is how i knew fried rice should be since time immemorial. and for my own entry, i have yet another favorite breakfast treat…PUSITLOG as i’d like to call it with PUSIT or deep fried dried squid, as the star of the show.

…the pusit is straight from Cebu. my sister brought it here last August. and i still have a few packs to last my future cravings. but when we talk of the silogs, the list can just go on and on. and that is what we have in store for this week’s Lasang Pinoy, Sundays. top your sinangag and egg with whatever your creative juices tell you. the more creative, the better!
is a themed weekly FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY meme, PINOY style! don’t forget to link back here and come back to check out all the yummy entries!

Just a short note to greet all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!! As I write this, I can smell the turkey a-grillin! and I can’t wait! the only draw back is I left out one thing from our grocery list last night. i need some double cream for the creme brulee i am planning to make for dessert! doh! my cousins from New York are here to celebrate with us. this makes the holiday doubly exciting! and tomorrow…. black friday is shopping galore!

With the evolution of the internet, it has become the easiest way to send warm greetings and messages to family and friends with electronic cards. But receiving Personalized Christmas Cards and photo cards the old fashioned way, posted in the mail and received on your doorstep still stirs the most ardent emotion. Don’t you agree? Although it has slowly become less and less used, I still look forward to these kinds of traditional cards and I think I may have to go back to sending out more now. The more intricate the design, the better in my opinion. Especially for the Christmas season with snowflakes, Christmas trees, lanterns, candles, snowman, Santa Claus, wreaths, the nativity scene, angels, stockings and the likes presented beautifully in embossed colored foil or glitters. You can even choose those that has iridescent colors that flashes and sparkles with every movement which will draw ones attention to the special card. There are greeting cards that shows all kinds of sentiments and then you can personalize your card with your own composed personal greetings and messages, your name, signature even a company logo printed below the greeting of your choice.  All these can be made at a direct from the publisher discounted price.  Not only that, the Gallery Collection proudly supports the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation donating 1,900 personalized greeting cards which will be used in correspondences from the foundation’s Camp TLC Teens Living a Challenge which is a residential summer camp program for teens with HIV/AIDS.

these are the flowers we received from a cyber-friend, sha…thanks dear! as i’ve said, it was the sweetest gesture. *hugs*!
[ito ang mga bulaklak na nanggaling sa isang blog friend, si Sha of Wanderlustsha ilang linggo na ang nakaraan. salamat muli sa pag-alala sa mga oras ng aming kalungkutan...]

as i share the eulogy i prepared for my mom who passed away 25 days ago due to Aneurysm…i feel that i have to journal this one way or the other…
[matagal ko nang naumpisahan ang lahok kong ito na nasa draft mode, hinintay ko lang ang pinaka-akmang tema para sa Litratong Pinoy...]

In times of deepest grief like this, we are only left with the knowledge that our dear mama has found peace at last with her Creator and the thought that she is finally together with papa will help us get through the experience of losing her. This in itself is something to celebrate about. She has earned it and has finally succeeded.

Bittersweet as it may seem, the very recent and last time we were all together has brought so much joy in our hearts, but most importantly to mama. She has always dreamt about us being complete once more, be it here in the States, Canada or in Manila. The trip that was almost impossible was made possible and was truly a dream come true that we will forever cherish. This will only leave us with good memories of her, finally together with her beloved family. Up to the last few days, she wanted to do everything for us…from making Samia’s favorite biko to Marco’s request for her to cook her kaldereta, giving more than she can ever give. Now Chino is asking, ‘who will buy me my electric guitar?’:]

It’s also sad, because it had to end in a matter of 21 days. I can never forget mama’s tightest hug then and how she looked at me while she was in the car when it was time to go to the airport as if she was going to say something. Now I know what it was.

A few days before she passed away, on papa’s birthday, she called me while she was at Himlayan. During those few minutes that we talked, there is no denying that her voice was filled with hope and joy and when we had to hang up, I wanted to say ‘I love you, mama’ but was not able to.

We can say that this is so sudden, so unexpected…but what isn’t? Knowing mama, ate Ine, auntie Ine or Zeny to some, she proved to be the strong woman that she is even up to her last breath. She never wanted anyone to go through the pain of seeing her leave. She’d rather not be a burden to anybody. As much as she can, she always does everything on her own. Mama may have gone ahead of us to be with the Lord and with papa, but this is only so she can start ‘building’ the best house there is for us, her children, as she welcomes us when our time comes, when it is already spic and span, ready to be lived in. This is her ultimate passion, her legacy…and this is what she wants us to remember her by.

As for me, I am who I am because of her and there is nothing more I can ask for. She is my strength, my teacher, my number one critique…our MAMA. I am confident that we will be fine because now she doesn’t have to fly from one place to another to watch over all of us, most especially her dearest apos…I LOVE YOU MA!

….the eulogy i made for mama. i cannot come home to pay my last respects and so my sister read this during the mass for her interment. i appreciate all the prayers and warm thoughts…from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!
[siguro napili ko ang para sa pagkakataong ito dahil kayo ang isa sa mga naging kandungan ko sa mga araw na kailangan ko ng kaibigan...salamat!]

Zenaida Salonga Mactal
August 7, 1944 – November 1, 2008
Eternal rest grant unto her soul oh Lord…and let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.

Guess where I am headed to after I pick up the kids from school? Shopping at the mall, of course! Or at least taking a preview of all temptations around it anyway. The good thing about these shopping centers is that it takes you just one stop and everything is there already! All the name brands plus Sears is just around the corner, not to mention all the delicious food choices all over. It’s never good to shop with an empty stomach, right? Anyway, speaking of Sears…I guess, this is the time that I have been waiting for. The perfect time for me to get some of those kitchen gadgets that I have been dreaming about for quite some time now. With the Sears Pre-Thanksgiving Sale, I just might get myself this .
Browsing through their website, I found out that all Kenmore cookware, bakeware & kitchen appliances and grills are on sale. Of course this is the department that I would be most interested in. What used to be my wardrobe closet is now the cupboards and counter tops. But what I am specifically after is this Kenmore 10in. x 14in. roaster with rack. This is on sale for only $19.99.  My husband will love me more for this!  Grilled or baked chicken is one of his specialties and favorite special dinner food and so this will be the perfect Thanksgiving present for him.  As for me…there’s a lot more to get my hands on and so now I must go and continue my browsing and probably get into that pre-thanksgiving shopping mode and might as well take advantage of that 15% cash back after mail-in rebate on all appliances over $499.

…i’m beginning to dislike fall.
is it me or it’s the gloomy colors around me?
the hushing and swooshing of those dried leaves that makes a cold november day even worse.
the sun taking its refuge as early as 4 in the afternoon.
that’s when it hits me…
i don’t like it when it gets dark…
never have.

…an entry to

It was only a couple of weeks since we celebrated Veteran’s Day here in the United States. To those who are not aware of this, it is a special day when we remember and honor those men whose lives were spent serving the country. They who sacrificed so much to be able to answer the call for duty. Did you know that these people who are deployed out of the country have families who are waiting and wishing for them to come home most especially during the holiday season? It must be really hard for them, I know it is. Now we ask ourselves, is there anything we can do to at least make it lighter for them? How do we reach out a helping hand to make this joyous season felt by these people?
It turns out there is and its all through the Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry. This is their way on making a huge difference in the lives of these military men during the holidays. This is where we can help make it a Christmas to remember for these unsung hereos and their families by sharing and giving a piece of what we are so lucky to be enjoying. This is our own little way in granting their wishes by donating. When you visit the website you can even read about their stories, hopes and prayers. It is so heart breaking to learn that there are so many children whose only wish is for a coat to keep them warm during these cold seasons. Drop by any Sears stores and don’t forget to check out the Heroes at home wish registry and share whatever amount you can spare. It all adds up to something special. You can also buy a Heroes At Home gift card and Sears Holdings Management Corporation will make a $1 donation to Rebuilding Together for each Heroes at Home gift card. Another possible way is when making your purchase via your Sears card, Sears Holdings Management Corporation will make a $250,000 to United Service Organizations, Inc., and to Rebuilding Together, Inc. and as they say…word of mouth is the best way to spread some good news, so go ahead and tell everyone you know about this great message.