Turning Japanese ( I really think so...)

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My Bento

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I would like to share neat things about this store that I (we) found just around the corner. Personally, I would really like to go to Japan, if given the chance and the resources, but as for the moment I just have to show a little bit of our version of little 'tokyo' here in San Diego.

The name of the store is Mitsuwa. I have been in and out of this store for several times for many reasons, well, some were to get my 'pocky' or grab a bottle of 'Calpico'. I found the store as cute as it can be. A glimpse of Japan it is! I find their 'mini' eatery very neat as well. If you decide to eat there, there's a huge menu, a real- like food, just in case you want to make sure what you are ordering. Another thing, a lot of Japanese are coming (obviously) there for a lunch also or for a grocery each day. Some of them likes to dress up like 'harajuku' or this 'anime' look (brave enough) but most of them are just there to hang out or just for anything, like me. I also see a lot of different people, name it, different nationalities too!

Before you go, I would like to acknowledge the fact that I have been awhile for some time. I haven't had any escapade lately. Well except that I was just really busy working. And I can't really share it here since it's just randomly boring for me.

Again, Ari- ga- to!

I Left My Heart In...

San Francisco.

High on a hill, it calls to me
To be where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air, I don't care.
by Tony Bennette

My second visit to San Francisco was quick yet fun. No Golden gate or Fisherman's Wharf stop this time but we went to the biggest Chinatown outside of Asia here in San Francisco. What's first in our list?A Good feast! why not? We settled for 'Cathay Restaurant' which is later on we found out that it was one of the most famous restaurant/landmark in there. It was easy to find, although the location was a little strategic but nevertheless, it was a good experience. Second, we went to see some shops. They were a little bit cheap but we later settled for some hot buns and souvenir tees.

That's the building behind me-

Menu

And let's not forget the FEAST!

More to Love!

And we'll be back again... soon!

La Pinata Restaurant, Old Town San Diego

First of all, I don't know how to put tilde on the letter N to the word Pinata. It should be read as pin-ya-ta. The La Pinata is the oldest restaurant in Old Town, San Diego. Trust me, had to ask few people where to find it. The restaurant is located away from the Old Town's main attractions. But when you get there, it's all worth it. The food is really good! At least 2- 3 bucks difference from other restaurants in Old Town. The servers asks you first where you want to be seated. "Do you want outside or inside?". I prefer staying out of the sun. The place is cozy. The Mexican music in the background makes you want to dance. The music sets you into the mood like you are in Mexico. I also like the playful pinatas hanging on the ceiling. The colorful chairs and tables are cool to the eyes; they make you order for more lemonade. "Do you like chips or quesadilla?" The lady asked as I was checking their menu. "Quesadilla please", I answered. They let you munch for a bit while waiting for your food.

Inside "The La Pinata"

Cheese Quesadilla

Super Nachos

Roberto's Mexican Food

Horchata Drink

Carne Asada Burrito



Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans

I Love Mexican Food!

Although I must admit, my very first encounter of eating my Fish Taco wasn't that enjoying. Other than that, guacamole and cilantro made me sick.
Now, I can't get away without it. I had to have my burrito or fish taco at least twice a week. And yeah, don't forget the horchata! We usually eat at Roberto's Restaurant which is my top choice always.

What's in the bun?

Its delicious, its fast; can't go wrong with it. Whatever you do, wherever you go as long as you are allowed, hotdogs or hamburgers are always a consistent choice. Personally, I love hotdogs. When I was little, my mom would prepare me a meal. Steamed rice and fried hotdogs. As years go by, I still like eating it.


Melted cheese with fried beans on a hotdog.

Lost in Translation.

Seeing the Menu, I thought the food here must be really good.

The waiter handed us their three sets of other menus. Fortunately, this time they were subtitled in English. Pictures of the food were really tempting, however we decided to order something we haven't tried before. To substitute steamed bok-choy with hoisin sause, we ordered "Fried Beans with minced pork in chili sauce" for a start.
It was so tasty. The sweet, chili sauce along with minced pork were a good combination. Although it's a little salty for me but other than that it's light and unfilling and you keep wanting for more.

The second one we tried was called "Fried Clams in Black Sauce".

Instead of having baked clams, we tried this one, for a change. I like it because again it's not heavy. The taste was a little sweet, the green and red bell peppers were still crunchy, the clams were nicely done, it wasn't soggy. For me, opening the shells are the fun part. Overall, it was a good choice.

The Last one, we had a "Fish Head Sizzlers mixed with Ginger" (I don't know the exact name).
Fish head but then again, it was done in a different way. Usually fish head is considered a waste but this one you won't recognize. It was super tasty. The fish meat was soft. I was tempted to eat all the pieces that I even forgot that it was full of bones as well. I like the entire concept. Again the sweetness of the sauce were mixed well. The ginger taste didn't overpower.

They gave us free dessert too! Sweetened beans. Cute!

Fantasy Restaurant, Los Angeles. 2008

Emergency Landing in the Philippine soil

"Qantas Jet made it's emergency landing in Manila today".

It was a relief knowing that no one got hurt and although traumatic, still God is in control!

While I was searching for the news online about Qantas Air having it's emergency landing in Manila, Philippines, a little weird but I found two similar events that had happened three years prior to this incident. One in Osaka, Japan in August and one in Kolkata, India in October in the same year. Both had an emergency landing and were reported to have smokes in the rear side of the plane that caused it's engine's mishap. I don't know how to speculate it but you be the judge.

Where's my mango?

Mango Shake and Coconut Shake

What I like about the Philippines is that the country is abundant in terms of fruits. Mango, Durian, Marang, Guava, Mangosteen, Banana, Pomelo and a lot more are easy to find. Although some fruits like Durian or Mangosteen are seasonal and can be a little pricey at times but the rest you can eat as many as you like.

My Bento Box

I guess I could compare my life to a Bento Box. A Bento Box is a Japanese version of packed meal in a small, flat box. It is a box filled with surprises, from steamed rice, rolls, seaweed salad, red caviar, sushi, wasabi, and to pickled eggplant but ultimately it's fun just by looking at it. Even though I can say that it's not perfect, people might not like its flavor but its made the way it is.I say my life is like a Bento Box. It's colorful, it's not perfect but it's wonderful.
Chopsticks please!

Space Needle

Space Needle
Originally uploaded by jasonleigh

In my whole life I've never imagined myself being up there in the Space Needle. I dreamt about it but dread the day being up there. I heard a lot of experiences from people who had been up there in the Space Needle. They said it was breath- taking and it was wonderful. But recalling what they said, it just made me feel nervous. Growing up I hated ferris wheel, an elevator going up, a high rise building or anything in high elevation. I know I am tough, but this one I don't know how to get over with my fear. But I know later on in life I have to face one of my fears. Knowingly or unknowingly I guess I reconciled it in my mind that I have to be up there, at least give it a try, for once.

Now I am in line for the Space Needle experience. I don't know what happened but I am dragged by peers to see and experience what others are talking about. Tourists all around the world are thrilled being there. I see smiles, enthusiasm and anxiety on their faces just can't wait to be up there. I am just telling myself to enjoy this, after all, I don't want to let anybody down. Whoah! I am getting inside the elevator. I will have to hang in there for 40 to 45 seconds I believe. I will have to wait until it reaches to 605 feet. Goodness! I am closing my eyes on our way up, at least for 30 seconds. Ten people with us in the elevator. I assume they are all excited except myself. I started opening my eyes in the last 10 seconds to take a grasp of what is going on. I can see the the whole downtown Seattle. *Gulps* I don't even notice that we have already arrived. The elevator door swings wide open. There is a mini restaurant inside of the tower. I started walking around. I can feel the slight rotation of the tower when you go outside to take pictures. The people are enjoying the overlooking sight. I am very scared still.

Summer Style for me

Whatever you wear as long as you are comfortable I don't think you care if you are still in style or out of style. As long as you don't wear a jacket and a jogging pants under the sun, you're alright. Sometimes when you are in the mood to dress up, that is the time when you decide to play a little bit of what's in your closet. Polka dots, plaid and solid colors they don't go out of style. Personally, I wear anything that's mixed with cotton. Usually, a plain tee shirt and a shorts will do. It's always summer friendly. But I still think that going out playing with colors is always right, don't you think?

Water please...

Here is a photo of my summer ensemble and I will wear again it in the next day out.

‘The Bachelorette’s’ DeAnna Pappas and Jesse Csincsak at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles

‘The Bachelorette’s’ DeAnna Pappas and Jesse Csincsak at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles

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Kate Hudson shows blondes do have . . .

Kate Hudson shows blondes do have . . .

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Code taken from People.com

Pinoy gatherings

Here are some photos I took at the reunion we had the other day... Pinoy food does exist. For gatherings here in the U.S. filipinos hardly eat what they are used to. Those people who wants to learn their names, I'll be more than glad to share what they're called. Let me know.

Hit stardom in 2 minutes!

You got to take a look at this...


I am not a Frank Sinatra fan but this guy sounds and sings the same like him. I love it! I am rooting for him to win. My father couldn't be happier.

Manny Pacquiao jabs again!

I am not a boxing fan and I always tell myself, never will be. But there I was, screaming as loud as I can, rooting for Manny Pacquiao against David Diaz of Mexico as the seventh round turned. Looking at Diaz's face it was horrible, his eyes were bloody and his eyebrows that were supposed to be in place were puffed up from all the pounding. Manny Pacquiao or Pacman as he is commonly known doesn't have a bloody face compared to Diaz who looks like a mess up there. Pacman was really strong and fast with his moves. This is another victory for the Philippines. Go Manny! Make Filipinos proud!

P.S.

Photo grabbed from Yahoo Sports page.

The Famous Robson Street

It was our first time to visit Canada so we wanted to do a lot of things as much as we could to make it memorable. Beforehand, we listed the places we want ed to go to. We googled some of the tourists spots and hopefully we could see them for ourselves and just enjoy. From the airport we decided to rent a car just to be able to maximize our time without the hassle of getting transportation later. The place that I fell in love with right when we got there was the famous Robson Street. It is situated in the downtown Vancouver. It was chilly when we got there. Falling leaves. No pollution. Maple trees, Shopping Stores, fashion styles, gelato, people walking, japanese girls, crepes, noodles, coffees, and many more to add to that. Since I've been wanting to go to Japan, being there made me feel as if I was in Japan. I like the laid back feeling where I could take time and relax. I know it will take time for us to come back. Being there was fun. I saw the Esprit store in where I spent time shopping. We were just overwhelmed with the city. There were a lot of places we went to that day but we ended up liking Robson Street mainly because of how it is. The Lovely people. The Food. The Shopping.

wedding nowadays

Yay! It looks like they will be celebrating more and more wedding anniversaries in the future! :P

Pay it forward----

“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” It’s a golden rule. Every time I read or hear this line it strikes me not because I don’t try to do good it’s because most of the time I fail to do so. I was watching this t.v. show called, “Extreme Makeover Home Edition”. Their show offers goodwill through building a new home for a family that has been a victim of violence, calamities, or any tragic event in their lives. I like the show because they are making a difference in the primetime television. Maybe not all viewers embraced the concept but it seems the show is doing good as they were celebrating their 100th home makeover. For this particular show that I am watching, they invited families who were part of the show from their previous episodes. They were the families that were given a new home and mind you, it's not just an ordinary home, they gave these families their dream home. It is the show's idea to help these people build their lives once again and hopefully help others in return in any way. What I like about the show is that they bring back people together as a family and become a new person for themselves. There was one particular father that was interviewed. He has a family of his own yet he keeps on helping kids that were abandoned in his community. He helps by feeding, counseling, and just be available to them in any way along with his family. In the later part, I found out that he was the 33rd family that was given a new home. The interviewer asked him, “Why are you doing this?” and he tearfully answered, “…because you gave me a house to do it”.

God is good. It’s good to be alive.

My Home.

A relative of my husband's called us today and invited us to their party. They were having a celebration for their daughter who graduated from college. It wasn't a hit for me right away since my husband can't to go because of his work. My parents-in-law were not insistent for me to go with them maybe because they didn't want to put me in a spot where I'll be just forced to go. My in-laws are very much supportive to me by the way. Both of them I can see that they wanted to be available for me as much as they can. When I have commitments or job interviews, aside from my husband, my mother-in-law is always willing to drive for me. There was never a time that I heard a complain nor an unwillingness on her part. I know, I am so blessed with that area. However I can't wait for my freedom as I am in a process of getting my driver's permit. In the mean time I am dependent to them.

Today I decided to go with my in- laws. I am happy with that decision. Even if they were not insistent, the moment I told them that I am going they were happy. Their faces lit up. When we got to the place, the usual set up, I was introduced to the aunties and uncles. I am always shy and reserve but I was all smiles at the party. I can't let them down. I am always used to people that I know already but that won't work here in the States. Anyway the food was good. We had bina-go-ongan, pansit, lumpia, and other filipino dishes that I was supposed to try but didn't because I got easily full. People there were busy catching up. I heard laughters and coughing. Obviously most of them were too old to be there but went anyway since the food was free and they were invited as well. I was there seated but very observant. Back in the Philippines, my family are like this too, I told myself. I am happy. Some of them were trying to engage me in a conversation. I was a little bit hesitant because I can't understand their dialect. They were speaking in ilocano while my response were tagalog. I understood few words but mostly I understood their body language. Watching them was all fun. It gave me the almost exact scenario of a family gathering that I'm used to. I believe that everything that were visible to me at that time were nothing compared to the invisible from the naked eye. To know that I belong in this family is more significant. When we were about to leave they prepared us some food to bring home. They sent us food packed in styrofoams. It was wonderful.

Isn't it Ironic?

Different countries are distinct by their culture, weather, laws, and many more. What is common to one country will be authentic to another country. Asians can’t live without rice while other ethnicity can.

“Do you dance ti-nik-ling?” An american friend once asked me. For me that was a surprise. If I say ” I do” my answer will not help her understand. I thought even giving her a simple nod wasn’t enough. I know her inquiry was plain out of curiosity but to me I feel like it was a good question that needs to have a good answer. I remember last year I took a vocational course in San Diego. Half of my classmates were hispanic. Most of them introduced me to tacos, asada, nachos, tortilla, relleno, jalapeno, and to cilantro. In a month’s time I fell in love with the food. In that 6 months being with them I gained a lot of ‘new’ friends and I gained some weight too. I had fun with them truly I cannot forget. One time I asked my mexican friend if she can show me some steps of their traditional dance hoping she can teach me. When she heard that she was a little embarassed as her face turned a little bit red then I heard her laugh. She explained to me that it doesn’t mean that she is mexican she should know their traditional dance. She was born in Tijuana, Mexico but migrated to the U.S. with her family at the age of 4. She said that most of her life was exposed to the culture here in the states than practicing their own culture. If you still remember that american friend of mine who once asked me, that was the answer I have for her.

Jon and Kate plus 8

Four words. I love the show! It's always good news to know that you are pregnant and prepared but I think it's overwhelming to know that you will have 6 babies on the way and unprepared. I can't even imagine myself having twins and sextuplet after that, it's too much. If you want to see how it is, watch the show. It caught my attention right away because of my curiosity, I want to know how their life is doing from day to day. God is amazing indeed. I like the fact that Jon and Kate (parents) resembles a typical relationship of every married couple. They fight, they laugh and they have the same problems as much as we do. They wake up every morning facing a variety of challenges. Potty training, feeding, budgeting and, disciplining. I think their family is no different to any other families. The only difference is that they have 8 kids. Whew!

This show taught me two things. One is to appreciate what God has given us. Although it's normal to get scared at first, just look to God and trust him, there you will find his answer.

If you feel down and you think you have too much things going on well maybe watching this show will change that. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. *winks*

http://www.sixgosselins.com/JnK8.html

I have the same blog topic to my http://www.tsinilas.net/tsinilaswp/?p=9

Behind the Scene---

What I do best is looking for videos on the internet. Aside from using youtube.com there is this another site that I like visiting it's www.funnyordie.com
Yesterday I found this particular clip and it's so darn funny! I found out that Call Center jobs are so much fun. When you get the chance here it is...


Don't forget LET ME KNOW, if you like it. :)

I love the 80's !

I was born 1980 and I love it. I was thinking wow just in time. Up to now I like everything about it. I love the punk- rock era. I like the Ray-ban black glasses my dad was wearing. I like Madonna's style. I like most of the songs. I memorize most of the songs. I like the hairdo's of that time, I know it's not anymore applicable in this time but I like looking at those pictures, they are really making me come back to those times where I enjoy watching Menudo. I remember my very first crush was Robi Rosa. OMG! It was 1986 to 1987 if I'm not mistaken, I was 6 years old back then and I would tell my aunties that I love Robi Rosa so much. They have crushes to other members of menudo but they skip Robi Rosa because they know I'll get jealous, and when I found out that they like him as well, I would cry and annoy them. At one time I told them that one day I would meet him and we will get married. Obviously it didn't happen but it was fun. Thinking about it it's like you don't want to grow up. You just want to get stuck in that time where everything around you is not changing, where you are happy with your territory, where you don't care what's going to happen after eighties. Too good to be true perhaps but yeah, it's just beautiful to go back in that time and be comfortable and skip to the time right after that where you have to go through adolescence and facing challenges. Anyway, that's what I like about growing up in the 80's and just like the line from Madonna's song 'Borderline' --- Feels like I'm going to lose my mind. Peace!

P.S.
The pictures in this particular blog, they're not mine. Just borrowing them. :(

(Sing with me ) -- Karaoke time!

Here are some of my top 3 favourite karaoke songs! Hope you like them too!

Caregiver -- the movie

Today I got to watch "Caregiver", a filipino film starred by Ms. Sharon Cuneta, a famous actress in the Philippines. I watched the movie with my husband here in California and as expected, the theater was flooded with buckets of tears. It is a story about the life of filipino caregivers trying to survive the hardships and sacrifices they face in the United Kingdom just to be able to give their love ones a good life back home. For me, it was a really good movie because it gives us the idea how life is abroad and being able to see all those is one hard part to survive, not only to filipinos but to every individual trying to overcome these challenges abroad. This film actually gave me more appreciation to people who is out there working they way up just to give their love ones a better chance to be somebody someday. I believe in any jobs when you have to start at the bottom first it is always degrading but humbling, discouraging but rewarding at the same time. Cheers!

My Davao Pride.

Last month, I got the chance to see my hometown, Davao City. It's only been a year since I left but it felt like I missed a lot of things. There were a lot of restaurants, more infrastractures that opened. I can tell just by seeing those places while taking the cab from the airport. I missed everything from grilled tuna, ki-ni-law (ceviche) and, of course, durian. The following night, I was itching to stroll around downtown. I went to the People's Park. I've been hearing about it before coming to Davao City and now I'm actually inside that place. There were people taking pictures with those statues in their background. A lot of small kids running, playing and just purely happy. I was just there in awe with so much pride in me that my hometown have grown so far, and yes it's still growing. Now that I am back here in the U.S. I feel like I'm missing a lot of things once again. Aside from the people that I'm going to miss for sure, my family and friends, I will miss the food a lot, but the next time I come back, a lot of structures that's going to be built that I won't be able to recognize anymore. I'm just really happy for the opportunity.

summer lovin' :)

Filed vacation leave. Approved. Yay!
You could already see yourself when you close your eyes every time you think about beach, the heat and, sand. Ah! so lovely! what a nice scene that is! Don't forget to sip your smoothie while laughing to your heart's content. Ha- Ha- ha. In the mean time, your boss is calling you. One more week!