Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Kimbap: Our Staple Travel Food

            Preparing food for our trip to the province could be tiresome, so we often opt to just eat in fast-food joints. But ever since we learned how to make kimbap, it has been our favorite to-go food and our favorite snack during weekends.

            Kimbap is more like Korean Sushi. It is rice wrap in seaweeds with fillings. Usual ingredients would include: marinated vegetables, fried egg, ground meat and fish cake, to name a few. It absolutely tastes yummy.




            For the ingredients we usually use traditional ones like carrots, radish pickled in turmeric powder and water spinach or kangkong. For the proteins we use ground or sliced pork or beef, sliced ham or meatloaf. The fillings are prepared separately and the rice is also seasoned with a bit of salt, sugar, vinegar and/or sesame oil. Sometimes we also add cheese, fried pork cutlet, fish eggs and kimchi. We also add in fried egg, odeng (fish cake), crabstick and canned tuna.

INGREDIENTS:

9 seaweed sheets (gim)

 For the rice:

rice, honey, gochuchang sauce, salt

For the filling ingredients:

pickled radish in turmeric imitation crab meat, sesame oil, shredded carrot, fried egg cut into strips, fishcake sliced thinly, kangkong leaves

Garnish:

sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds

 


INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the rice; Rinse rice several times and drain. Soak rice in 2 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes. Cook rice until soft. Put hot rice in a large mixing bowl, add honey and salt.

2. Place a full sheet of seaweed, shiny side down, longer side toward you, on a bamboo rolling mat. Spread about 1 cup of rice (1/6 amount) evenly on the seaweed leaving 1 inch of space at the end. Lay a half seaweed sheet in the middle of rice. Put filling ingredients on top of the half seaweed sheet in a contrasting color pattern. Lift the entire end of mat from your side with both hands; roll over to cover the fillings, tucking in the filling with your fingers. Put firm pressure on the roll and continue to roll again as you roll away the mat until it reaches to the end.





Now we are ready to go to the beach J

 


Super yummy :)

Monday, January 25, 2021

Batangas Food Trip: Lomi and Sinaing na Tulingan

                    It has been a while since we went on a trip together. For this weekend we decided to go with hubby to Batangas. Usually we explore new places in case we are not that hungry, but when we are starving we usually go to places that are popular online.

                    We love visiting the local market when we travel. We love to try different delicacies. For this weekend, we woke up early to have coffee along the way and of course have breakfast in Batangas. Rhian on the other hand wanted to just stay home and watch anime the whole day, but we convinced her to come with us by bribing her with food.

                    It feels serene outside, no traffic, no noise. It feels like the city rested for a bit from all the hustles and bustles. 


                    We missed going out. Our first stop is Great Taste Restaurant. Along the way we also bought pork meat, it is fresh and a lot cheaper. We were starving, but we decided to just buy some Sinaing na Tulingan and Inihaw na Liempo and we just decided to eat it in the car in one of the "bukid" views in Quezon. 




                    We also bought some snacks in Great Taste Restaurant. In case we get stuck in the traffic on the way home at least we have some goodies to munch on.


                    After that we decided to eat lunch at Yummies. They do have super yummy Lomi and of course BBQ. The Lomi noodles are freshly made and it is cooked upon order. It is one of our favorite places.




                    On the way home we were still full so we just decided to just eat some fruits for dinner. :). For this trip, you may also watch my daughter's vlog: https://youtu.be/HP8-Q6xq2pw.

                    By the way, plants are also sold in every part of the road. It is indeed plant haven for Plantitos and Plantitas.






Thursday, March 24, 2016

Visita Iglesia 2016

We planned for a Visita Iglesia for the Lenten Season on Maundy Thursday. We originally planned to visit 3 churches, but we are only able to visit one of the churches since we left the house late and the other church was closed.

This is our first time to plan Visita Iglesia on our own. We used to go with Kuya Benjie, Ate Vi and kids every Lenten season for the station of the cross and Visita Iglesia. For this year, we decided to explore the churches in the south part of Metro Manila.  Kuya and Benjie and family on the other hand planned to proceed with the churches in the north part of Metro Manila, so we might just bond together on Black Saturday or Easter Sunday.


It was around 4:30 PM when we left the house. Our dear Rhian was sick a day ago so we have to make sure she is already well before we proceed. On our way, we decided to skip the first church that we planned to visit and proceed with Saint Jerome Emiliani & Sta. Susana Parish for the Station of the Cross. It is getting late, so we decided to just visit one church.


In our family, we both practice Catholic and Christian traditions. My husband is Christian and I am a Roman Catholic. With much love and understanding, religion was never an issue in our relationship. Our faith is always one in raising our family.


And so our spiritual journey begins. Before we left, I also packed some food in case Rhian get’s hungry along the way. For the Lenten season we made our “baon” simple and of course without meat -- nilagang saging and vegetarian pancit with fish balls.


After completing the station of the cross and praying at Saint Jerome Emiliani & Sta. Susana Parish. We decided to visit Madonna Del Divino Amore Quasi-Parish. 


Along the way, we bought some watermelon for 130 pesos. There were less travelers in the road so our journey was fast and stress free. When arrived at Madonna Del Divino Amore Quasi-Parish, we were advised that the church was close and they have suggested we go back on Sunday for the Easter Mass.



We were still glad we are able to pray and complete the station of the cross on this day. After all, it is what matters most – remembering God’s love and strengthening our faith.  As we journey back to our humble home, we bought some sweet corn for just 20 pesos per kilo and some bread and yema cake at Pantoja. :)


Here is the map of the churches that we planned to visit:




Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish
Hillsborough Village, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines

Saint Jerome Emiliani & Sta. Susana Parish
Commerce Avenue, New Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City, Philippines

Madonna Del Divino Amore Quasi-Parish
Portofino South Daang Reyna,
Las Pinas, Metro Manila




Lenten Season in Binmaley

Years back, we usually spend the Holy Week in our home in Binmaley, Pangasinan.  The infrastructure in Poblacion, Binmaley  is design in such a way that the church, market place and local government offices are  in the center of the barangay, just like how pueblo’s are during the Spanish regime.

 There are usually religious processions during lent and sometimes there are play/sinakulo in the plaza depicting the life of Jesus Christ.  Aside reflecting during the Lenten season, there are numerous things that you can do when you visit our place. Here are the list of our Binmaley tour:

Binmaley is a small town, what we have below are activities of the things that we do when we spend our vacation in Poblacion, Binmaley. Nowadays, there are already places where you can spend the night in our place like JT’s Beach Resort.

A.      Visit Binmaley Church – It is an old church with some interesting stories. My mother told me that during the 1972 flood, the church was miraculously spared from the flood. She said it became an evacuation area for most people. Today, the church’s architecture is well kept maintained. I used to go to this church after before I walk home after school.

B.      Walk around Binmaley Plaza- After attending mass, you can simply walk towards Binmaley Plaza and visit the nearby market for some good finds and pasalubong. It is also a good afternoon escapade, you can also visit Binmaley People’s Park, and we used to call it Children’s Park way back during my childhood.

C.      Swimming in Binmaley Beach – You can just ride the tricycle in the plaza to go to Binmaley beach, there are also a few resorts (e.g. JT’s Beach Resort) in the area where you can check in and spend the night. If you just want to stroll and swim, you can simply go there with your picnic mat and some food for a quick dip.

D.     Easter Sunday Lunch at Rudy and Jing – Easter Sunday is also the day when we need travel back to Manila, so if we do not have the time to cook we just drop by Rudy and Jing Restaurant to eat lunch.


E.      Pasalubong shopping at Magic Mall Binmaley – One  of the things that we buy aside from our favorite daing, bangus and talaba is the peanut butter in Magic mall. It is also a good place to buy some personal essentials in case you forgot to bring some.






If we have more time, we usually travel a few kilometers away to explore other places like Baguio, Bolinao and of course Hundred Islands in Alaminos. Other simple escapades includes a tour in the nearby town Lingayen or attending Sunday mass at Manaoag, Pangasinan.


JT Beach Resort  
Address: Baybay Lopez, Binmaley, Pangasinan
Phone:(075) 513 7081
How to get there: Take a tricycle ride in the plaza and advised them to take you to JT Beach Resort. For private vehicles, just drive to San Isidro Sur Street or the street going to Binmaley beach, then turn left towards Baybay Lopez.

Rudy and Jing Eatery
Lomboy, Binmaley, Pangasinan
0920 966 6952
How to get there: From Binmaley Plaza, take a jeepney ride to Dagupan, then ask the driver to drop you to "Nangsangaan" take a tricycle ride going to Lomboy, Rudy and Jing is located on the right side from “Nagsangaan". For private vehicles, from Binmaley Plaza, take the road going to Dagupan City, then turn right in Biec West Road, Rudy and Jing is located in the right side of the road.

*for the other spots and establishments, it is located in the plaza, so it is easy to find it when you are just  around Poblacion, Binmaley, Pangasinan.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Ocean Adventure: Rhian and Pap's School Field Trip


School field trips are already a part of our yearly itinerary. As parents, we have learned to embrace such precious moments in order to show our support and love for our daughter's academic tasks. Aside from that it also a way for us to mingle with her peers at school.


For Rhian's First Grade field trip they went to Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay, Zambales. For this trip, my husband is the best choice as Rhian's companion. Since, I am for a fact clumsy and slow in terms of reactive action in case of emergency situations, I am not confident to accompany her for this trip. However, before the trip I have talked to Raffy regarding patience and understanding in terms of handling Rhian's "kaartehan" during the trip. :)




In preparation, I cooked some liempo for their "baon". It is always a must to have cooked rice and Rhian's favorite “ulam” for any out of town trip. She always gets hungry during the unconventional time of the day. Also, since Rhian is a small girl relative to her age, we always make an effort to feed her and be ready with some munchies every time she gets hungry.


Aside from the food and other travel essentials,  Raffy, my husband was loaded with tons of reminders in handling Rhian. Raffy was also advised on how to negotiate with Rhian in terms of buying toys and souvenirs. My daughter always have a way of showing a sad face and making convincing statement in order to get what she wants from me and Raffy. As her parents for more than 6 years now, we already mastered the art of negotiating and enlightening her in terms of her childlike wants and in teaching her the values behind every decision.

It was the dawn of 27th January 2016 when I woke Rhian and Raffy to prepare for the trip. Days before, I already packed the things that they need and without any difficulty both of them woke up early and prepared for the field trip -- and so the journey begins. 

After a two hour trip from Manila, they arrived at Ocean Adventure. Their first stop is Encounter Cove.



For Rhian to remember the things to learn at Ocean Adventure, my husband took some photos of the pictures about marine animals.





Also the scenic view of the cove is also worth remembering, so he took a lot of those pictures.








Finally, he took a picture of the dolphins, one of the main attractions in Ocean Park. Swimming and up close encounter with dolphins is one of the activities offered by Ocean Park. That activity however, is usually availed by small groups, for large groups like field trips they go for the shows and environmental lessons offered by the park. 




Aside from marine animals they also have some shows about endangered species in the wild. According to my husband, Rhian with her classmates and peers are able to touch the scales of a python.  Here are some of the pictures that hubby have taken during the Walk on the Wild Side show.










  Among the shows in the park their favorite is the Sea Lion Marine Patrol Show. As I watched the video from their trip, I heard tons of giggles for each funny act.


















They are also able to tour the park and viewed some marine fishes and creatures in the Ocean Adventure Aquarium.


















After the tour they went to shop at Duty Free Philippines. Of course, my daughter and my husband bought some chocolates. They both share the likes for sweet stuff. Aside from that, my daughter was able to convince my husband to buy her some “shark” souvenirs, since she cannot eat ice cream at that time.  Also, since my daughter got fascinated with the balancing eagle she also lured her Papsi to buy her that stuff and an ocean adventure key chain for her bag.







When she got home, she became creative in using the souvenir that she bought; she now uses the "shark" like souvenir to open the faucet and the bathroom light. She also said she can also use it to pick up some stuff that fell under her bed. :)








At the end of the day, as I reviewed the pictures and videos of Rhian and Raffy's school field trip, I saw smiles and heard a lot of giggles (most of it is composed of Rafael's laugh). I am thankful that God had made that day safe and happy for the two people that I dearly love. :)  




:)