WHY I VALUE LIFE

Saturday, October 01, 2016

TAI O, HONG KONG'S LITTLE VENICE

Nine years here in Hong Kong before I had seen the fisherman village of Tai O. The richness of its culture and the old traditional ways that they still practice were enticing for me but along with the depths of its rivers separating the village to two forks, are the many controversial events it went thru.

Here are 10 Interesting Things
You Should Know about Tai O:

1. Tai O is called Hong Kong's own Venice since the whole village is built on a body of water. Most of the time, you need to ride the boat to get from one pang uk to another. Civilisation here started 3 centuries ago and up until now, it remains standing and still gives the tourists some scenic view.

A line of pang uk that I saw while riding the boat to go back to the village proper.

2. Fishing was the Tai O villager's number one means of living during the earlier times Back then there were still 30,000 of them. Currently, it's dying out which brought the population to only 5,000. Livelihood of the locals depend on the traditional shrimp paste and salted fish at storefronts, sought after by tourists. May it be for sale, used in a restaurant or they supply outside town, Tai O offers the most authentic products. For them, this is a gift from the sea.

The salted fish and shrimp paste are making a name amongst expats here in Tai O.
These dried goods contain sea cucumber, squid, and scallops and other rare seafood
that may only be available in Tai O that's why they may be costly at one point.

3. In reaching places, boat trip services are offered by the residents. The Tai O town is big enough to be traveled by boat. From the Tai O Ferry Pier to where the public transportation to the city awaits, it can be covered within 15mins each way. Between the boat ride and walking, I prefer the first one most especially during Summer.

leaving the Tai O Ferry Pier after seeing Tai O Heritage Hotel

It's good to book your boats in advance most especially
if you are traveling in a group.

3. Many tourists come to Tai O to see white dolphins for a price of HK$25-HK$35/head. This is because the river opens up to the South China Sea and Macau. If you stand by the lookout area of Tai O Heritage Hotel, you would see one of the bridges of Macau from this viewpoint. This may require you to leave early in the morning though as they come out mostly during this time of the day.

It wouldn't hurt to give a tip on top of the HK$25 worth of the boat trip.

4. During the Stone Age, the inlets of the rivers surrounding Tai O was believed to have been the best hiding place. It also provided the best protection from Hong Kong's unpredictable weather for smuggling and piracy operations to be done smoothly. Though it's hard to prove these claims, this may have been true since in the end, they had to put up a prison for all the illegal activities that had been going on.

The mountains surround the river that holds
perfect location for trading and exchange of merchandise.

5. To keep things in order in Tai Po, a stealth prison and a watch tower was built at the coast near the Tai O pier. This is to guard the village from pirates and people that escape from China crossing the border to Hong Kong illegally.

The former prison is surrounded by mock up bomb launchers.
Hong Kong Heritage Foundation Limited revitalised the police station in 2009 preserving
the cell for tourists to see and adding a restaurant for guests to have a bed and breakfast experience.

A guide may be booked
for a short tour of the former
police station.

6. This prison is now transformed into a boutique hotel that has 9 rooms and a restaurant. Once, there was an Indian police that wanted to escape from duty and gunfire was exchanged inside the prison. The prison can be closed concealing access to the 2nd floor from the 1st floor so that rebels would be prevented from escaping. So, when the escapee struggled for his freedom, some shots left a mark on one of the bullet proof gates. It remained to be historical that way including the preserved cell and the watchtower. The prison now is called the Tai O Heritage Hotel.

The hotel is still in the government's actual hold. If there would come a time that a holding station may be needed for anything that may arise (war, strict red alert and suspected piracy), the hotel will submit on its demand with no contest. The restaurant may be put down and everything will go back to its original state.

As of now, it takes pride on being accredited by Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific with a Sustainable Hotel Award 2015; for being the winner of Trip Advisor's Traveler's Choice Award 2015 and many more.

7. The boutique hotel was added of a scenic overlooking restaurant where breakfast will be served to the guests as booked. It's called Tai O Lookout. It was named so because during the ancient times that it was still a serving prison, 3 people take shifts within the day to look out for any suspicious and threatening activity surrounding the open coast. According to the tour guide that described this lookout tower, it was almost entirely covered with a small opening for the guards to get in that it didn't offer good ventilation. The guards taking shifts here felt like they were bait for the mosquitoes to feast on each time. Many of whom died not because of any pirate or smuggler attack but of Dengue and Malaria.

The lookout area had been covered almost entirely to protect the guards from getting discovered and shot by the pirates.

This combo was the most famous snack.
It's Crispy Bun and Sparkling Juice.
Estimated price of this meal: HK$85

8. The Tai O lookout offers a refreshing feeling with its ceiling made of clear windows. It opens up to the natural sunlight to accentuate the wooden carved furniture that formerly belonged to China Tee Club.

When we visited the restaurant, they offered us their specialty which is the Crispy Bun that came with a burger marinated with shrimp paste. This signature dish along with the Sparkling juice that is a combination of strawberry, passion fruit, blueberry and lime are their famous snacks in the menu.

9. The boutique hotel rooms are well equipped with toiletries. Outside, it still has that serene vibe like a prison's but its sleekness and class exceeded my expectation. You would see a prison looking atmosphere outside but inside is a very warm and inviting hideout alright.

The two twin bed rooms.

How it actually looks like inside one of the hotel rooms.

10. Tai O has rich soil and promising sea.

The Sea is considered golden with the treasures it gives to the people of the 200 year old fisherman village. Besides the seafood that literally and vastly reproduced no matter how often they fished, opportunities didn't stop there for the fishermen. Drying and preserving had developed into original customs which made the village well known. It had given a local brand 80 years in the business as it attributes rich fields, clear salt and plentiful sunlight in Tai O.

Drying a bunch of mackerels under the sun.

On the other hand, the land gives out fortune thru its crops. The remarkable elixir that is extracted from Begonia Fimbristipula is one of the most renowned companion of every family in Tai O across all generations, thru good times and bad. This remedial and protective tea is called the Phoenix Tea for it comes from the Phoenix Mountain of Lantau.

The Phoenix is known for aging, dying then regenerating to gain power. Named after it, this miraculous tea tree rejuvenates, detoxifies and fights off the years. It invigorates the digestive system that's why besides its medicinal effect, the people use this slightly acidic flavour as an essential ingredient in appetisers, soups and sautéed dishes.

Some places consider wine as healthy for the heart.
The people in Tai O considers drinking Begonia Fimbristipula
or the Phoenix Tea for the holistic effect it has for the entire body.

This is one of the tea houses where you may order the Phoenix Tea from.
We passed by this pang uk as we rode the boat back to the bus station.

The temporary prison cell
that held more than 15 prisoners at
a time without bathroom privileges.

It is such a momentous experience hearing Tai O's history and ancient culture and then seeing how it ended up looking preserved somehow. Tasting their food and seeing the prison turn into a hotel were the most remarkable for me. On the way home, I've purchased a mini bottle of shrimp paste. I'm calling out chefs who are looking for tasty shrimp paste and dried seafood to come down and check it out. I'm calling those who may want to try the elixir of life called the Phoenix Tea for its destressing benefits and most of all, check out the Tai O lookout for a breathtaking view of the South China Sea. Have a taste of a one-of-a-kind shrimp paste marinated burger and see how small the prison was that fitted 15 prisoners altogether before.

1. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG - have a share of what I treasure most about this harbour city!

2. HONG KONG HOTELS YOU NEVER KNEW WERE THERE - featuring Tai O Heritage Hotel (along with other special hotels) if you would like to know more of it.

3. 2015 BEST PHOTOS - I love taking photos and here is a line up of what I treasured dearly last 2015.

In writing this post, I would like to acknowledge, the following links:

1. www.taioheritagehotel.com

2. www.google.com

Friday, September 23, 2016

SO THAI SO GOOD

Looking for a good Thai restaurant? Tsing Yi got "So Thai So Good" and it lives to its name with their not just decorative dishes but also flavourful ones that will surely take you aback. One rainy night, my husband was craving for something explosive in the mouth without letting go of what's familiar, particularly, seafood. His palate's cravings were not disappointed in coming to this place.

Maritime Square, situated at 33 Tsing King Road is the first mall in Hong Kong to adopt an ocean and navigation design theme for its interior. It is a home of 150 shops and on the 3rd floor of this 500,000 square feet mall is where "So Thai So Good" is located.

As you reach the mall via the Tsing Yi MTR station, you will not miss the dainty restaurant on the third because it exudes a homey feel that can capture a passerby's interest. Because of how simple the colors are and how the price of their food is readily available to be checked out by the entrance, it becomes attractive to people from different walks of life. I like how it's clean, it's different from the rest of the restaurants and that the decorative pots are in Tiffany Blue. Fancy!

Pai Thai in Tamarind Sauce with River Prawn - HK$85

More than the decor though is the food. To start off, that stormy night (hence my rain boots and extra jacket in Summer), they had a buy one, take one on any yogurt smoothie which was fantastic with the Poly boys' taste. It's refreshing and milky sweet. This aided the spicy 'Pai Thai' in Tamarind Sauce with River Prawn that I ordered. As we all know, milk soothes a burnt tongue faster than anything. So, this was just a perfect match. Some of the hit flavours were blueberry, mango, strawberry, banana hazelnut, citron, green apple, peach, mango coconut, chocolate and banana. It's interesting how it came in bottles of fresh milk because it gives it a rustic ranch plating. It looks clean and classy too.

Cardoman Galangal Beef - HK$85

The Cardamon Galangal Beef served sizzling hot was also a bit spicy but the meat was very tender and tasty. The vegetables were served fresh but cooked. It came with a serving of rice and I believe with an additional cup of rice, it can serve two people. May I suggest that you share as a group with all of these orders because pretty sure, it can serve more than one.

One of us wanted to try the fried pork knuckle
served over the rice but my husband and I died
as this dish came. It was that good.

It's simple but the fish was meaty, juicy and sweet. It came with a spicy fish sauce that took us back to our honeymoon days in Phuket. And that being said, with "So Thai So Good"'s aim of bringing East dishes to combine with Western taste and decor, we took it with a light heart and a full tummy with two thumbs up with everything that we ordered with a reasonable prize.

From the appetisers, down to their desserts, it's promising enough for another definite visit. The cafe restaurant is open from 11am to 11pm, separate from the closing hours of other shops in Maritime Square. A heads up for foodies who may want to try this that they could get crowded during peak hours. With a seating capacity of only 90, expect that you will line up during lunch and dinner times.

Home-made potato wedges
with Cheese and chilli mayo

So Thai So Good is one of the 30 restaurants representing cuisines from the Mediterranean, Korea, Southeast Asia and China that King Parrot Group had put up. Established in 1992, they aim to give quality food, excellent service and beautifully themed and designed ambience for an exquisite dining experience. King Parrot Group has been the leading company in providing best themed restaurants all around Hong Kong with 23 years of experience in the business.

Check out this gem after checking out Bershka, Zara or Uniqlo for a unique blend of Thai and Western fusion cuisine with home made coffee and bread for a finale.

Related posts:
1. ANGSANA LAGUNA, PHUKET - Planning a getaway trip for a good massage, food and scenery? Check out why we loved every day of our 7-day honeymoon at Angsana Laguna.

2. MREandMISST EXPERIENCE IN PLATE CULTURE - Expand your foodie world into a new sublime experience where the chef walks you thru every bite you take. Check out my experience at Mr. E and Miss T's rooftop.

3. SIZZLER - Thailand has its share of good restaurants and I highly recommend Sizzler for its salad bar, big servings and prompt service. It lives up to its name for its viands are relatively spicy but hey, you're in Thailand! It's their specialty. Let your palate sizzle!

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

HALLOWEEN 2016 AT HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

HALLOWEEN is starting early to make way for Disney villains to rule out Hong Kong Disneyland starting September 15 towards the entire October. No typhoons could stop the evil queen's reign for she will be the one unleashing a storm of her minions and embicles all over the park once the dusk strikes. As soon as it begins, you would feel how halloween is her favorite fright night.

The Disney friends party have called they fairy friends, have put up the masquerade ball and will be joined by harlequins but dark power will be taking over. Together with Jafar and his trusted ally, Iago, Captain Hook, Jack Skellington, Queen of Hearts, the ravens and the snakes crashes the party. Hong Kong Disneyland will be overruled by the dark power of the evil queen. At the castle forefront they turn the enchantment into a haunting event. Come and join the party this Halloween season!!!

Related posts:
1. 10 THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG - After visiting the happiest place on earth, complete your itinerary with these other places that shouldn't be missed out as you visit Hong Kong.

2. HOUSE OF DANCING WATER - Planning to visit Macau? Watch this water show whose stage got 11 floors.

3. AFFORDABLE FOOD IN HONG KONG THAT WILL SURELY MAKE YOU COME BACK FOR MORE - One of the best things about travel is discovery. Here is a list for you to taste as you walk around Hong Kong!

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

I'M A WARRIOR OF THE TERRIBLE TWO'S!

As my daughter turns 2, I found out that the first two years from giving birth was all about your kids' survival. You may find the other mothers' experience and expertise handy due to unexplainable and unexpected situations. Don't worry, your instincts as a mom will kick in and your own skills will come as for an automatic response.

All mothers want the best for their child.

My husband is a Samoan and I am a Filipino. My child's genes has quite an interesting mix. She grows taller than expected and is physically strong. She loves cherry tomatoes and string beans. She prefers noodles than rice or potato at all costs. She has a great hearing capacity which helps her focus tremendously. She is a first child so everything to me was new.

For first-time expecting mothers, there are several websites that you may stumble upon giving you advice after advice after advice. But this post will lead you to a list of handful things to stash as you nest for the upcoming bundle of joy.

Every mom provides what they think suits best for their kid. Every kid is special and I believe every parent's approach on taking care of their young ones should be respected. But I would like to give a fair share of how we survived for this first two years considering costs, efficiency and benefits it gives both my baby and me, together with my husband.

1. GOOD QUALITY MILK BOTTLES

- At first, I was hesitant to buy only just 4. Initially, I bought 2 milk bottles and when my baby came, my husband had felt quite tired in washing every time.

This was the exact set my husband got
and I can't help but credit him for such a good pick.
He was advised by parents too.
Even this cleanser is still good up until now.
Worth of your money!!!!

Babies are expected to eat more than 3 times a day since their metabolism is high. Their stomach is small to stock a lot of milk to last them 4 hours in between meals as compared to adults. The expected digestion of the food they get from breastmilk or bottle feed gets easily used up.

At every meal, my daughter finishes up 20minutes for each breast and a little of bottle milk since she would shriek if I don't conform. By instinct, I suppose it's not enough for her. (Whoops!) Result, we have to wash and then sterilise a good 6-10 times daily.

Because of that, my husband decided to buy a bigger steriliser and had added 2 more with 2 little ones since newborns don't need an 8 ml amount just yet. We had purchased AVENT bottles and up until now (2 years later), they are still in good condition.

Wondering why bottle milk teats are marked with numbers?
These numbers represent their flow. Take note!!!

I had breastfed my baby for 8 months and the rest of that was bottle feed. It's important that you help them get preserved for use by choosing the right match for a steriliser.

This matches the milk bottle set
my husband bought.

2. GOOD BOTTLE STERILISER

- The idea in choosing the right steriliser is to follow the instruction manual that it comes with. I've used two kinds: the one you may put inside the microwave and the other one is the 3-in-1 electric steam steriliser, both from Phillips' Avent.

In purchasing a steriliser, remember its primary purpose:

1. to make it easier for you

2. to assure the sanitation of your baby's milk bottles.

If one of these are compromised, I assure you, that's not a good buy. I'd like to credit my husband with the latter one that we are still using it up until now. It was handy, space saver, light and most of all, efficient. Since it gets turned off automatically, this truly saves me time in checking on the sterilisation process thinking if it was thoroughly cleaned.

3. STROLLER - It was funny how my husband and I had talked about buying a stroller not until our daughter is at her 6th month. We thought that, by that time, our little one would be needing more sun exposure or we could take her for a walk without worrying that she might be too sensitive to allergens. I ate my words and nearly 3 months, I had to buy one already since the carrier's can't hold my baby anymore at this stage. And I have a hard time dealing with her actual weight as we spend time outdoors.

She was also gaining weight rapidly that I find it straining to carry her around with the baby carrier alone. I bought the stroller then and it served as until now. We opted for a pricey but worthy Combi.

________________________________

9 factors you should take note of when buying a stroller:

1. It's got to have a stopper on the front wheels and back for ensured safety.

2. spacious enough for your growing baby

3. must have a cover to shield your baby from the harmful UV rays

4. must have a breathable harness that would ensure your baby's safety and not compromise the blood circulation to the limbs

5. the weight should be able to support it from falling back when you put stuff in the compartment

6. must not be poking the baby by additional weights from the back, the sides or most especially at the head part.

7. must be storage friendly

8. must be user friendly in terms of putting out, pushing thru a number of people in tight places

9. wheels should be easily manoeuvred; helpful if the wheels at the front could cover a wide diameter as you stir.

______________________________________________

4. A COMPLETE SET OF NEWBORN CLOTHES

This could be a very basic list:

a complete set for the newborns
Photo credit by: OLX

* wrap around white cotton top (long sleeves and sleeveless)

* wrap around binder for the healing navel

* a pair of socks

* a pair of mittens

* cotton pyjamas

* cotton wiping material

* a bonnet

* bib

In the Philippines, you could get these sets at a friendly price if you hit Divisoria. The cotton ones are the best burp cloths. I'm sure it could go handy with many more purposes than being a burp cloth. It serves me very good up until now.

The wrap arounds come in long and short sleeves. This helps ease in putting clothes on the newborn without making it pass thru the head. The newborns are very delicate during the first months but this kind of tops will help you a lot.

I skipped on using the belly binder that helps to protect a newborn's delicate belly button (since it needs drying up) because my own baby's dried up quicker than expected. But this is very important most especially if the baby has toddler siblings that may get curious and bothered why their baby brother or sister has a wound. To protect the drying navel, this filters it from dust and other lint forming materials that may induce infection.

These burp cloths can last a long time.
After your newborn grows thru the burping stage,
this may be used as towel to wipe sweat, mucus, saliva and many more.
It is very absorbent, it can be your go-to material.

5. THERMOMETER FOR A NEWBORN

The battery of ours lasted for 2 years.

It is challenging for a new parent to discover the best routine in taking care of the newborn. Feeding, burping, bathing and then putting your baby to sleep could come easy one day and a struggle to the next. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. And as time would pass, you'll be able to understand your baby's expression when it's hungry, when it's time to play and what reaction to anticipate when poop is coming.

But there are things that your baby may have a hard time expressing specifically such as colic, headache and fever for that matter. That's why one of the basic tools you should have is a thermometer. How would you know that it's the right one:

a. It should be newborn friendly. It doesn't come invasive nor physically annoying. If it has to go under the tongue and into the rectum, it poses danger in an instant. My husband was the one who purchased a Combi thermometer. He has zero knowledge regarding the best one but it helped when he asked the parent owning a baby store he went to what else he should have at hand with our 1 week old baby at that time.

b. It should be readable. The Combi thermometer we got was digital and was set to degrees Celsius which we understand more than using Fahrenheit.

c. It should be easy to bring. Enough said if you have glass thermometer at hand. It is not battery operated which makes usage a life span but it may break anytime in your bag once its container is not sealed well. Let me tell you, with newborns, you have to develop speed and agility with your hands and fingers because you'd be surprised at how you would need to prepare the bottle, wiping saliva and swaying your baby all at the same time. So, I hope you get what I'm saying is that being able to take that temperature in a jiffy may come in handy.

6. A PILE OF DIAPERS/NAPPIES - Whether you decide on putting your baby onto disposable ones or not, make sure you got a decent number of supply at hand. Some of your friends may be new at attending baby showers or 1st birthday, advice them to buy these for a present if they are having a hard time finding or choosing the right thing to give because I assure you, there would be a time that you wouldn't be able to go out to get a pack. So it's better to stock up.

These diapers and wet wipes lasted only for 3 months.

7. A RATTLE - You may find this particular toy silly but it can stimulate your baby in a lot of ways. Your baby's vision, sense of hearing and touch are enhanced by this. Their hand coordination, grip, focus and object permanence may all be developed with just one toy. It's truly a good buy so get your baby a rattle when they're ready and make sure it's of good quality because cheap ones may break and may choke your baby if it contains little things to make it jiggle.

8. GOOD SET OF BOOKS - Invest on your baby's knowledge thru books. Start them young by giving them handy books like mini board books and illustrative ABC's. Establish a mini library as your baby grows because this may serve you until the next babies come.

Books that were loved by my baby was the "Gruffalo's Child", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and the fingerprint ABC book my mom got her from Taiwan Airport called Alphaprints.

This particular book, Alphaprints, is special because it doesn't just offer the common visual stimulation. It challenges my daughter's senses by giving her hands something to touch too as she reads every page. This way, her visual depth paves the way into developing a three dimensional perception.

Along with her sense of touch getting heightened up, the brain is able to distinguish different kind of texture since the picture is composed mainly of huge finger prints.

Apart from that, the picture is designed with different elements which makes it interesting for kids as they look closely in the picture. As a whole, these elements form a picture suggested by the letter it stands for. It's simply amazing.

Alpha prints may be ordered online via www.priddybooks.com.

In addition, Baby Einstein books are also superb in making their books come with tickling sounds as you read their book. My baby has one Play-a-Sound book called, "Under the Sea with Me!" written by Susan Rich Brooke.

This was my baby at 10 months.
We are waiting for a Frozen stage
show in Disney and she enjoyed
every minute because she was
comfortable with her GAP sandals.

9. GOOD PAIR OF SHOES - Why? Your baby will be dealing with a lot of balancing so you have to invest in a good pair that fits according to your child's weight bearing stance. Also, the baby should feel encouraged in walking with them on. If the shoes hurt, that could discourage them initially. Of course, to walk is an instinct. But the main point is to help your baby take advantage of the momentum.

My baby started standing up independently and walking little steps when she reached her 10th month. She had used a crocheted sandals from GAP, a gift from one of her aunties, and it was the best walking sandals for me. It doesn't limit the feet of my baby, it doesn't have unnecessary restraints except for a strap that is gentle enough on her skin to just follow thru every moment her feet was doing.

It's also advisable to invest on a good pair of trainers once your baby gains that balance and immediately tries to run. If it's just a slipper they have, it may lead to serious falls and injuries. Some of the best ones are Crocs and Dr. Kong.

In buying shoes, take note of the following:

* Size - Give an allowance of 1 or 2 cm for socks.

* Comfort - Make your baby walk and try asking if it's ok. Usually can be done with toddlers.

* Durability - They will be using it every time. It must be durable enough until their feet increase in size again.

* Style - Thong sandals and slip on's may not be helpful from 0-18 months unless it got a secure strap.

* Weight - This should be under comfort already however it becomes a separate entity when it greatly affects your baby's walking ability. If it's too heavy, he/she might appear to be dragging his/her feet when he/she walks. In that case, your baby might get tired easily and by the time you decided not to bring the stroller, that's also the time your baby might be asking you to carry them because they don't feel like walking AT ALL!

10. POTTY - A potty or a baby toilet seat may be needed as you anticipate bladder training coming up. When a baby starts to walk and gain balance, their pelvic muscles are getting active and their sense of control is also coming to life. Meaning, bladder control is coming soon.

The one that I bought was a 3-in-1 that are detachable.
The first set is the usual potty. The yellow handle along with the white
toilet seat can be put on the adult one once your baby is ready
and ultimately, it becomes a stool when your baby can express
the need to go to the toilet.

This particular potty trainer is around HK$399. Before my daughter reached two, she was able to tell me when she has to go or not. The funny thing though is that even passing gas needs to be at the toilet. She's a lady in the making alright.

11. A KIDDIE DINING SET

- To facilitate your baby's weaning process, introduce safe and fun dining set. Initially, we had a tommee tippe set. One for the house that sticks on the table so that no matter if the baby tries to grasp it, it doesn't get knocked down avoiding spillage. It comes with a spoon that guides us in knowing if the food is too hot to put in a newborn's mouth.

On the other hand, we have a set that we can bring out whenever we are going for a day out or if we're going to travel.

Both comes with a lid that gives room for the spoon and its lids seal the container tightly.

Kiddie dining sets are made of plastic most of the time. So be careful in pouring very hot food into it. It's better that after cooling the food, you let it cool off for awhile before pouring it in to your baby's bowl. This is for additional precautionary measure not trusting that plastic will always be non-toxic. Of course when exposed to extreme temperature, I'm sure it's not 100% safe.

Besides the safety, eating should be introduced in

a fun and interesting way for the baby. As they graduate from milk, they express preferences that may leave out vegetables because of their bitter taste. As you shape up the carrots to a flower and decorate the rice with a smiling face, make each meal even more interesting by buying utensils that are the characters on TV that they are fond of.

My daughter when she started to eat on her own, she looked forward to her FROZEN set. She always looked giggly whenever it's meal time because then, she would be together with her favourite characters. She is also at tune with her feeding because the treat after she finishes eating would be seeing Elsa's face, the design at the bottom of the plate. All in all, it worked out. I can't be more thankful to Elsa. LOL!

One of the most wanted character of all is Elmo.
So, if you're to attend a baby shower and the parents aren't
sure if it's a boy or a girl, get this unisex set.

12. TEETHERS - Don't forget also that as the babies wean, they are experiencing teething at the same time. And it's quite a pain when you can't do anything to ease that troubled feeling. But inventors had come up with a magical teether where you can put frozen fruit juice or frozen fruit that can help babies big time.

The only thing difficult with these teethers
would be cleaning them up after because the fruit
gets stuck in between the net holes.

The actual biting and sucking reflex aids the itchy gums and helps it in letting the teeth erupt. The cold block of icy fruit juice can numb the painful gums so the baby would be concentrating on acting upon their oral instinct instead of the pain.

These were what I used for the first 6 months.
But the blue brush at the bottom free from the AVENT bottles
we purchased along with the AVENT steriliser,
we're using it until now (my daughter turned 2 already).

13. MILK BOTTLE BRUSH - Regardless which milk bottle cleanser agent you use, it's important to choose the best bottle cleansing brush for your set. This is to ensure that your bottles would be preserved until its maximum usage. Also, the main reason is to clean the bottles throughly avoiding rotten milk by any chance to stay and get ingested.

Understand that a newborn's stomach is sensitive still since it doesn't have the normal flora we adults have yet. So, sterilising the bottles right after cleaning them is a must. Invest on a good brush and take time in checking the bottles and the bottle nipples.

Baby bottle cleansers are very useful removing the oily casein. I just finished using NUK when I was convinced that my daughter's gut could take the foods that she eats and after I am assured that she has no allergies.

14. BLANKETS - I had written it in its plural form because you need to have two. One for a summer breezy afternoon walk and one for a chilly autumn stroll.

15. NEWBORN NAIL SCISSORS - The newborn's nails are very sharp and soft. But since the newborns are too young for a nail clipper, they have a special kind of scissors, invest in one. Because during the first year, their fingernails grow so fast. It's just out of this world!

There you go folks!!! If you have an additional item or two, let me know by commenting down below to complete my list. I'm still looking at having another baby so maybe I can learn from your own experience too!

1. BABY SHOWER TIDBITS - Check out how my friends had managed to help me out with a full DIY baby shower! It's cheap, it was fun and it was full of love!

2. 9 MONTHS PREGNANT AND STILL DANCING - They say, men are stronger than women in so many ways. But as far as carrying a baby for 9 months is concerned and then giving birth to a child, rearing and nurturing it as it grows, physical strength in favour of the male species may have found its greatest challenge!

3. 10 THINGS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WHOLE SHENANIGAN - An on-pointe post about the reality that exploded on my face in giving birth to a half Samoan.

Monday, August 29, 2016

PHIL D MUSIC

From time to time, I get a privilege to interview inspirational people to feature here in my site. Alongside the intention of sharing how phenomenal human race could be, I also aim to envelope these inspirational stories with my love for life. Hence, "Why I Value Life" had been more than a blog site for me.

For the first time, here in kytedalino.blogspot.com, I have invited Phil to feature PhilDMusic to tell us something about his first music video entitled "Colors". As I get to know this person, I am moved to bits of how I slowly see the kind of committed creativity he puts in making this happen. Here is the 3 part video documenting his love for life, his respect for the craft and passion for making a difference.

I will be fully indebted to all of you if you'd leave a comment or two. I hope you enjoyed watching this and again, all of these were made and done to inspire...

Related posts:
1. ELA LISONDRA - read a Filipina's story that graced Miss Saigon cast alongside Ariel Reonal, Rachelle Ann Go and many more.
2. ENTREPRENEURSHIP - the sole calling of a person is to create. Check out these people who had paved the way of creating something and then earning from doing what they love to do.
3. FLOI WYCOCO a.k.a. MR. INVESTOR - hear how a Mr. Spendor turned into becoming Mr. Investor with an advocacy to share financial literacy to Filipino overseas workers all over the globe.

Credits to my videographer: Joel Garcia for the copyrighted video.

Reminder:

These videos should not be in anyway copied or reposted without the permission of the writer, the artist and the videographer. It may be shared only in the name of inspiration and not to be used for personal gain.

Saturday, August 13, 2016

CRISOSTOMO

Secondary school in the Philippines opens to a lot of discoveries. Biology, the Iliad and the Odyssey, Chemistry, Balagtasan (Poetic Competition), Citizen Army Training (CAT), Music, and Physics to name a few. These are some of the most memorable lessons I've learned during my time. But the most unforgettable one for me, was studying two of the greatest novels written by our national hero, Jose P. Rizal, entitled, "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo."

These two books were written to stir patriotism amongst the Filipino people to fight for their civil rights against the Spaniards when they colonised the Philippines. In their own homeland, Filipinos had become slaves and were called to become rebels against the white dominance because of the way they were mistreated. Religion and status were hailed. And all of these controversies were reflected thru these 2 books. "El Filibusterismo" ("The Filibustering", a.k.a "The Reign of Greed"), the sequel to "Noli Me Tangere" (Touch Me Not), was more aggressive of its pursuit of a revolution as compared to the romantic and hopeful attack of the latter book.

Both books' protagonist is Crisostomo Ibarra, only at the second book, he was in disguise to a name of Simoun. And because of this character's remarkable love for the country and admirable patriotism, fast forward to the new generation called "now", a restaurant had been put up to honour "Crisostomo".

Tinana ni Tiburcio
Tinana plus salted egg wrapped
by the crispy lumpia wrapper.

Coming from a holiday vacation from Pico De Loro Beach Resort and Country Club, we headed at Crisostomo for dinner. The restaurant featured that big space that you would see in ancient Spanish houses. Wooden staircase, molave dining tables and wooden floors. Walls are plain white and there is a dirty ice cream cart that is part of the dessert treat.

My family and I took over the whole second floor almost (we are a big family) and on the way up, a huge painting of a "Sisa" or "Maria Clara" faces the last flight. It almost looked scary but as you look closely, it's almost a sad young woman in the picture.

If you have read both novels, you would appreciate the dishes named after the characters in the stories. It is very creative that they had come up with a fusion of your lola's old recipes with the trending flavours and plating of today.

This is such a hype amongst Balikbayans since it offers a one-of-a-kind experience to its customers. It is basically the two novels come to life. And for a fair price these Filipino delicacies were offered in the menu:

Lengua Laruja (Braised ox tongue with mushroom gravy), Sinigang Gomez (Pork Ribs in Tamarin Soup), Corregidor (Dinuguan a la Crisostomo, a savoury stew of pig's blood, finger chilli and garlic and vinegar), Don Rafael (Classic Crispy Pata), Calamares ni Tales (Fried Golden Calamaris with Garlic Mayo and Sweet Chilli Sauce) and Maria Elena (Kangkong with Lechon Kawali Chips). These were some of the viands we tried. But the winner of the night was the Cervantes (Stir fried vermicelli with pork leg and chestnuts topped with quail eggs).

My daughter loved her fresh coconut juice. My lovely cousins and I ordered familiar Filipino drinks like Iced Tea but they made it with a touch of Pandan leaves. There's also one of my favourites, Sago Gulaman, Four Seasons and Pineapple Juice. Pineapple juice may sound ordinary but Philippine pineapple juice exudes a distinct flavourful freshness as you sip it.

It was yet another fun time with my family as I get together with them only during special occasions. It was one of my cousin's wedding that's why we went home to Manila. And this was the last night my daughter and I had to stay in my hometown. So, my auntie brought us to the Macapagal branch at the Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Avenue Corner EDSA, Libertad, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

It was nice that Crisostomo makes every meal
memorable by making a momentous shot available
as a souvenir for their customers to avail when eating in their restaurant.

We reached the place at around 9pm and we felt perfectly catered to right before we needed to clear out by 11pm. (Restaurant hours are from 11am-11pm). As it gains attention from foodies, it gets crowded at lunch and dinner time. May I suggest that you make reservations by contacting these hotlines:

Landline: (63-2) 8326592

Mobile: +63917-8262535

Other branches stand at Alabang, Eastwood, Fairview, Katipunan, Newport and Nuvali, Laguna.

I highly recommend that if you're around these areas, take some time in enjoying a memorable meal at Crisostomo. I rate this restaurant 5 stars without hesitation and staff happily serves the customers. They are confident in recommending the best in the house and they are helpful in taking photos of your family for a good remembrance and Instagram post!

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Trivia:

Crisostomo is one of Chef Florabel Co-Yatco's Restaurants. With an aim of making fine-dining non-intimidating to Filipinos with different wallet demands, she continuously seeks an enthusiastic team in making this happen. "Food makes people come together, therefore it should be pleasurable and enjoyed by all", according to her. Some of her must-try restaurants apart from Crisostomo are: Corazon, Elias, Felix, Sisa's Secret and her very first one, Florabel. She opened it in 2005 after working for Via Mare being an exclusive chef at a young age of 23.

Florabel started showing a promising career as a chef by baking and selling home made cookies to her classmates and families during her teenage years. Like any other successful entrepreneur, she pursued her dream by staying focused and believing in her craft.

1. MESA FILIPINO MODERNE - One of Manila's most innovative restaurants as you taste their Tofu Salad with Egg and Shrimp, Sisig, and Chicken Binakol.

2. SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW CHEESE - another Instagram worthy would be a photo of the rainbow grilled cheese sandwich available here in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong.

3. JOLLIBEE - is the most famous fast food restaurant in the Philippines whose juicy Chicken Joy and Palabok Fiesta can be experienced both in Manila and Hong Kong. Check out this feature post about how it is globally acknowledged.