Paulo Coelho left a remarkable reading experience in me when I met his “Alchemist”. He showed me moving life experiences in his book. From then on, I know this writer is worthy of my time. As a reader, I felt being transported into the stories he's created. I am completely immersed in his thoughts. Which, is exactly what I experienced reading “The Zahir”. When I started flipping the pages of this book, I can no longer put it down. I was taken completely. In understanding it, he made me realize the many aspects of our journey to life. The most crucial and frightening of all is when we started feeling lost. When we are being enrobed with unhappiness albeit we possess everything we’ve ever wanted. The Zahir represents anything or anyone that made us forget everything about our selves. It is our “invincible” yet, we unconsciously regard it less important. We recognize its existence in our lives yet we give less value to it. Hence, we’ll only realize its worth when it’s escaped us, unaware that it could possibly haunt us forever. We'll only feel complete and may continue living our life, when we have faced and conquered it. I too, have recognized my own “Zahir”. It exists in all of us. As I face many of life struggles, I also felt emptiness within. In one time or another, I am passing that stage of unhappiness in life. I feel frightened though at times strengthened. But as Paulo Coehlo had put it, the most important thing is you’re willing to face the Zahir else, challenge it. For no one except you, knows what your true happiness should be.

I have been and perhaps (still am) a Starbucks regular patron. Unfortunately, these days I can hardly have that homey, relaxing ambiance the Coffee Shop is used to offer. It's far from what I am accustomed to (at least for the branch where I usually go). My recent visits to Starbucks showed so much noise. Is this something particular to a branch or it has to do with the time of my visit for that much needed nerve perk? Else, it is simply the way it is now for the cafe I have known as a comforting spot. Well, I must not be surprised. Coffee tables were filled with groups who were all at the top of their voices and having big laughs. I can barely see couples or smaller groups who were just simply enjoying a light conversation over a cup of coffee. Starbucks is now predominantly frequented by younger lots which explains for the high energy encircling the coffee shop. No, this was not the place for me for that particular moment. I was on the verge of finishing a good book and I want to enjoy every piece of it. I must vacate this area very soon. Look for that place where I can have a relaxing treat with my good book at hand. Opportunely, not too far I found Mocha Blends, the Coffee Place.

I was glad to be welcomed by its mission-vision statement as I peruse its menu book. What a way to welcome a newbie! As I read through it, a promise of a culture-fit and a warming coffee experience unfolded before me. I was even more delighted when I learned that there are more food choices here. This is not simply a coffee place after all! There are breakfast items that actually intrigued me. It won't be too long before I sample a plate. I'll sure make a post about it when I did.

For now, a fine coffee is all I need to complement a good read. So, Cafe Vienna and Ube Cake onto my coffee table please. Eventually, I felt happy and filled. I had the comforting atmosphere I was looking for. A coffee that kicked me for its intense burnt note and pronounced caffeine content yet; warmed me just the same. A sweet goodie that may not be superlative in its sensory profile but good enough to pair a soothing cup of coffee. Consequently, Mocha Blends have become what I, a customer, wanted them to be. From now, it'll be my comforting coffee place.

Mocha Blends
Espresso Coffee Australia

I missed joining weekend herb blogging (WHB) conceptualized by Kalyn's Kitchen. It's been quite a long time since I last submitted an entry for this weekly activity of food bloggers globally. Today, I am more than delighted to rekindle my enthusiasm in joining this affair . One of the prime reasons why I linked to this culinary hobby is because I get to prepare dishes on weekends for my family to enjoy. It gives me inspiration to think of something new to stir in the kitchen. However, this entry may not be able to make it to the deadline for being uploaded quite late, but just the same I'm happy to share it with everyone. Last weekend, I cooked three dishes which I plated one on top of the other to present a complete meal. I had sauted spinach, fried tanguige with lemon-butter sauce and mashed potato. Spinach is one of my preferred plants that is packed with essential nutrients. Thus, I would like it to frequent our dining table. Tequila Joes Bar and Restaurant offers a good sauted spinach and mashed potato. These are among my favorites in their food list. But since the branch nearest to our place is no longer operating today, I have to realize my craving at home. Anyway, what could be more enjoyable than having our food consumed at the comfort of our homes? Sauted Spinach:
Sauté 1/4 kg of spinach in 2 tbsps olive oil, 4 cloves of minced garlic and 1 small onion, chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fried Tanguige with Lemon Butter Sauce:
Season the tanguige with salt and pepper. Pan-fry in olive oil.
Make the sauce. Mix 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice (from 1 fruit) in a bowl, set aside. Sauté 4 cloves of minced garlic in 2 tbsps olive oil. Add 3 tbsps butter and juice mixture. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Mashed Potato:
Cook 2 large potatoes in boiling water. Puree it in a bowl. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Blend well. Adding fresh milk is also an option for a creamier taste.

Kanin Club is probably the most popular restaurant Paseo de Sta. Rosa has today. However, our first dining experience here is almost forgettable. The foods that we've initially tried did not offer a satisfying gastronomic encounter. The Sinigang sa Miso na T'yan ng Bangus for instance, tasted like it came out from the instant sinigang mix sachet. Also, the bangus is no longer fresh. The Canton Guisado is too oily without much character. That's why trying it out again is nearly a no - no. Nonetheless, its popularity in Paseo is unstoppable. It's always packed with diners. In fact, there are people who will not mind waiting from the long queue. Some of our friends who have tried it have nothing but good impressions to share. This then intrigued me. Maybe we just had the wrong choices from the menu during our first visit. Perhaps it might still be worth to give it another try. From our recent visit, these were what we had and what I have to say...

Binukadkad na Tilapia is your usual fried tilapia that is cooked in an unusual form. There's nothing real innovative here in as far as taste is concerned. It's just plain acceptable. The most raved about in Kanin Club's menu is the "Crispy Dinuguan". I have big reservations in ordering this dish. I can’t help but imagine how noxiously it'll land into my blood streams. But because I’m over-ruled by curiosity, I gave in. It's simply lechon kawali mixed with dinuguan sauce. For a Dinuguan to be served dry, the concept is something different. But the taste is similar to any typical dinuguan recipe. The good differentiating factor is the texture. The crispness of the pork skin from the lechon kawali added an enjoyable twist. The loaded fried rice is your typical fried rice. There’s nothing so special about it. If you feel like complementing the pinoy dishes with more varied rice, it's an available option. Lumpiang Sariwa is another distinctive Filipino dish that we found pleasing to our palate. The sautéd vegetables enclosed in the lumpia wrapper are cooked just right, matched with the sweet sauce finished with peanut bits on top.

Apart from the featured dishes above, other foods we found worth ordering are Sinigang sa Miso na Salmon, Seafood Kare-Kare, Bistek, Daing na Bangus and the much talked about Turon KC a la mode. It's a fried, sweet banana roll made together with ube halaya, mongo beans and macapuno glazed with sugar syrup and sesame seeds.

So, was it worthy giving Kanin Club another try? Generally, yes. There are dishes that will make your digestive elements happy and filled. On a cost per dish, there are foods that are fairly priced considering the serving size and taste. But for the same reasons, there are also those that may come out a little over priced. The rule of thumb then is to simply make the right choice.

Last year, I made a post on Korean Noodles that are becoming more and more popular in the Philippines brought about by what many coined as the "Korean Invasion" of our country. Now, to continue this Korean culinary saga; I'm making another post on the most popular Korean dish - Kimchi. Kimchi is known to be the must side dish of any Korean meal. No Korean meal will be complete without it. I have a Korean colleague who can attest to that. Kimchi is a fermented type of dish that is usually made of vegetables. The most common of which is Napa or Chinese Cabbage. It maybe the best craved appetizer by the Koreans but for a Filipino palate, liking this dish might be very selective. It's actually one of those aquired tastes. I, for one, was initially not a fan of this dish. I had a chance to experience its authenticity in my first visit to Seoul. Apparently, I found the taste very foreign at that time. Eventually, because of culinary fusions happening everywhere and the opportunity of working with foreign migrants (koreans in particular), the kimchi note became a household flavor. It was not surprising then, that one of my local colleagues can now make Kimchi like a pro. I watched her prepare one time and she generously shared her well labored recipe. From her fermenting bins to yours, here's a homemade Kimchi recipe to delight into. Ingredients: 1 kg chinese cabbage, cut into halves vertically
90 g Korean raddish, cut into strips
24 g onion leeks, cut into strips
200 g rock salt
1.1 kg water
20 g malagkit powder (rice flour), cooked in 300 ml water
25 g garlic, finely chopped
64 ml fermented Korean fish sauce
70 g red pepper powder
6 g ginger, finely chopped
sugar to taste

Procedure:
1. Cut chinese cabbage into halves, do not wash.
2. Put rock salt in between the leaves. Soak in water for 3 hours (more salt means faster soaking time). Wash in running water after soaking.
3. Cook malagkit powder (rice flour) with continuous stirring. It's done when it starts to boil. Allow to cool.
4. Put malagkit paste in a mixing bowl. Add red pepper powder, fish sauce, raddish, onion leeks, ginger, garlic and sugar. Mix well (this is your Kimchi paste).
5. Spread Kimchi paste into individual leaves (make sure all leaves are coated). Fold and seal using the outermost leaf to avoid any spillage.
6. Put the leaves in tightly sealed containers and store in the refrigerator overnight. Continue storage in an ambient condition for 3 more days. On the 4th day it's ready to be consumed.

Who would ever think that a gasoline station would be famous for food? Specifically those to crave for - heavenly sweet, deliciously baked goodies? Shell Magallanes made it all possible. It owned this trademark with the infamous Ms. Polly’s Chocolate Cake. A proof that indeed it were able to set a new, promising business channel its rival company, Caltex Buendia, followed shortly with its own banner Chocolate Cake. With such trends in existence there are certainly too many sweet palates to please in all corners of the Foodie world.

It’s been quite a while since I last dropped by at Shell to grab its well-liked chocolate cake. Much to my delight in my next visit, there are new sweet stuffs to try. New names that put my sweet appetite into craving are Ceilin’s and Redado’s. After I mulled over this and that, my husband and I decided to bring home Cielin's Brazo de Mercedes and Redado's Choco Fudge Brownies. I was enrobed with excitement until these goodies get through to my taste buds. As I chomped through each of them; momentarily, my excitement collapsed. Honestly, neither tasted the way I expected it to be. The Brazo de Mercedes is beyond a creamy, eggy, tasty treat. The custard filling felt paste-like (soft gelatine) in consistency.

On the other hand, the brownies rests in between a bready and a gooey texture. It's a little tough actually. Overall chocolatey taste is less sustaining. I tried to refrigerate it for a while to see if some moisture will enhance the bite, luckily it did. However, largely this experience left me less contented. These goodies were priced competitively, in fact very affordable. But somehow, I refused to think that the price speaks of its quality. Anyhow, everything is about preferences. On my next pit stop to Shell Magallanes, and I feel like indulging, I'll grab Ms. Polly's Chocolate Cake and Sansrival without hesitation. But if I'm tickled by the adventure of trying new things, I must be set for the risk I'm taking. Anyway, how would I know unless I give in to the experience, right?

I've been in this resto for a number of times and there are good reasons why Kalye Juan sits in my family's list of dining preferences in MOA. The leading one perhaps is because it offers delightful Filipino Cuisine in very affordable prices. It does not boast of a long list of choices but as its menu states, it got Pagkaing Pinoy... Mga Paborito ni Juan dela Cruz (Filipino Foods... Typical Favorites of a distinctive Filipino). This is your kind of restaurant for all meal occasions. They have food offerings anytime of day. Tastewise, Kalye Juan delivers to what it calls for. Generally, the food taste like your conventional pinoy meals at home. There's nothing special to rave about but acceptable.

For a usual Pinoy meal, what could be more appetizing than green mango with bagoong (sauted shrimp paste) to start with? The Dulong (small fish) cooked in olive oil intrigued me because its in the saleable list so, I digged in. Apparently its another conventional yet gourmet dip that will perfectly match your cracker. The Kare-kare and Tokwa't Baboy are both tasty and served generously. Your money really goes a long way here.

And of course, we will not leave this place without indulging into its Sisig sa Kalye. The Sisig here is actually not something to shout out for but still is an appealing choice. Besides, what is a genuine, delectable Pinoy treat without it? More often than not we liked that Filipino dining table to sizzle hot.

It's almost 3 months now since Manila Ocean Park opened for public viewing. A lot of good and not so good tales about the park made a buzz around the country. According to its leaflet it's "the first world-class marine themed park to adopt a fusion concept - bringing together in one complex an Oceanarium, a mall, a restaurant row, boutique hotel, open water marine habitats and multi-purpose function facilities". Unfortunately, up to this writing, it's only the Oceanarium that's completed, others are still being constructed and hardly even nearing completion. Nonetheless, it still stirred up some curiosity so, off we went and experienced it ourselves.

The Oceanarium was described as "the first and largest aquarium facility in the Philippines. It promises an experience of a wide variety of species indigenous to the Philippines and South East Asia. Getting inside the park, a dome shaped entrance hall is what will welcome the visitors. It's ceiling is a large showcase of photos of marine animals alongside its sponsors. A very friendly queue is what you will experience in a weekday visit (see photo below). If you want to avoid all those tiring hurdles and difficulties in buying the ticket, I highly recommend a morning weekday visit. We went there at 11:00 am, just an hour after it was opened and we managed to enter the park in a breeze.

The Oceanarium boasts of 7 sections to tour. It will take about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to complete the water world journey. There are available tour guides in each zone for any help or queries. There's supposed to be an audio narration but we didn't hear any during our visit. (Is it just a promise in the guide map or we really missed something? The tour could have been more engaging if an audio narration was provided).

The tour starts with the 1st zone, AGOS (FLOW). This is where you're supposed to learn about the natural flow of water from land to sea. This explains the sounds of flowing water as you roam around the area. The highlight of Agos is the "touch pool". Guests will have a chance for a hands-on experience with some of the Park's inhabitants such as starfish and sea cucumber.



The 2nd zone is BAHURA (REEF). This is the most vibrant area for me and perhaps where the most familiar species are. Think of Nemo and Dori, you'll find them here. Thanks to the movie "Finding Nemo", it famed that vivacious, sparkling clownfish kids are now fond of.


Third zone is LAOT (FISHING GROUND). It features marine species living in the deep waters of the sea. Big aquariums are located here but ironically houses only quite a few. The most interesting subject of this zone is the giant grouper (Lapu-Lapu) which can weigh as much as 660 pounds. That bony fish is real big! This is pretty much the darkest area as well and the "no flash photography" is strictly being implemented. The designs of the aquariums are by the way notable.


The 4th zone is perhaps the main attraction of the Oceanarium, BUHAY NA KARAGATAN ( THE LIVING OCEAN). This is what they said is the real deal of the Park, the 25 meter-long tunnel encasing various marine animals. Manila Ocean Park claims big about this glass tunnel beating that of Singapore and Hongkong. But did it? Apart from the sharks, sting rays and other lots of marine inhabitants graciously swimming above my head, I can hardly see the vastness they said they're showcasing. Yes, it is quite big but content wise, I'm still craving for more.



The 5th zone is ANG KALALIMAN (THE DEEP). This zone features the different kinds of schooling fish such as the Barracuda. Again, very few schools can be found.




Manila Ocean Park

It's amazing how time flies so fast really. I can't believe it's already been a year of blogging for me. A year filled with wonderful tastes of life. A writing experience rich in unforgettable memories. Having Our Taste of Life online, felt like giving birth to a baby needing to be nourished to be able to grow poperly (like how I first mentioned it here).

All 95 posts were written from our own share of life experiences, and everything there was in living a happy life. The 112 comments state how the blog is still slowly building its readership. Still very young in terms of readers' involvement. Nonetheless, the blog's visits and page views along with its other statistics are more than enough reasons to keep me going and yes, celebrating.

For first timers here, thank you for dropping by. For those who have been here a number of times, my warmest gratitude for patronizing my humble abode in the world wide web. I'd like to share with you how Our Taste of Life had become in a year. Join me in reminiscing the highlights of this blog. Cheers! :-)

Fun Ranch recently opened its third play center in Westgate, Alabang. As it says, it is a place where kids definitely rule. For us, this new branch means the fun is now much closer to home. (Hooray for my kids!). Unlike the Pasig Play Center, this one is a little smaller though. It’s not a compound but a building that houses the active fun center, play area, reading area and the Big Red Barn restaurant. This place was our host in celebrating Mother’s day last sunday. My kids surely had a blast in their second Fun Ranch experience. It’s an hour of jump, play, laugh and fun. I got exhausted running around with them, but seeing them having the time of their lives paid me more than enough.
As I watched them play, I can’t help but think down memory lane on how kids amuse themselves during my youngster years. Back then; we do not have giant slides to climb but we have the trees all to ourselves to mount up. We do not have trampolines to jump up and down but we have hammocks (usually made of plastic sacks) tied under the tree to swing at. We do not have air-conditioned playground but we have no less than the open field or grassy land with a breath of fresh air to roam around. We do not have mini laptops neither techi gadgets to get busy with, but we had so much joy with pick up sticks, jackstones, hula hoops, chinese garter, tumbang preso, piko, patintero to name a few. I found myself nodding, indeed time has changed for the kids. Fun and play have evolved differently through the decades. I know generations of today are so much luckier in many ways but there are times that I would wish they can still live our good old days; even just for its simplicity.