Febeth

Sloppy Dinner @ IKEA

2012-01-30T22:06:00.004-05:00

There used to be a time when I love eating at IKEA. That was when we were still in Singapore.

So when hubby came home from work early, I suggested to go to IKEA for dinner. I wanted to have their Tilapia with rice and mixed vegetables while hubby said he would have the Fish and Chips.

The minute I took a bite of the Tilapia, it was so bland that putting salt and pepper was not a choice.The vegetables were also soggy and the rice was a bit hard. Hubby,however enjoyed his fish and chips and our extra order of smoked salmon.

Never again....I would suggest to go somewhere else for dinner tomorrow.

The Reason Why I Love To Travel With Hubby

2012-01-29T19:27:00.018-05:00

There are reasons why I love to go with hubby during his business trips and some of them are

These:

Sleeping in a Nice Bed without worrying who will fix it up After I wake up

Having an Ante room and a separate flat screen TV to watch my shows on TV while hubby watches TV in the bedroom

Waking up late with breakfast already prepared for me.

and

to soak in the warm bath water tub without worrying of paying for the utility bills,

Thanks hubby for the chance to be pampered from time to time without worrying about the kids.

Incidentally, its my second time to stay in a Holiday Inn hotel.

The Best Bagel in the World- and its from Montreal

2012-01-29T19:11:00.003-05:00

This is my ninth visit to Montreal since we arrived in Canada in June 2010. Its not because I love going to this place ,in fact it was not love at first sight(what with Montreals pot holes and road works).

But Montreal is a place that grows on you. You have to go to Montreal several times before your realize you are really liking the place.

Last week ,when we visited, we immediately went to the Snow Village which opened just a few days before we arrived.

This time, I have to research where else to go since I had been to Old Montreal several times and I don't want to visit the other attractions again.

What better place to visit on a Sunday but a famous bakery...St Viateur, reportedly selling the best bagel in the world.

Whats nice about St Viateur Bagels is that it is hand made and baked in a wood fired oven. You buy it as soon as its fresh from the oven.

It is fluffly, chewy and sweet. Its definitely a nice thing to buy in Montreal to bring back home to Toronto.

My Ever Ready Spaghetti

2012-01-27T13:58:00.004-05:00

I am no cook and I never really love cooking. But I am forced to cook having three other persons in the house relying on me to feed them.

So whenever I am really forced to cook up a quick meal, there are only two recipes that I am sure my 3 boys will love.

One is corn beef (Purefoods and Palm brand only) cooked with lots of onions and potatos.

and the second one is Pilipino Spaghetti. Why Pilipino??

Well, Pilipino Spaghetti is sweeter and made with generous portions of ground beef or pork and bits of hotdogs or sausages.It reminds me of Jollibee spaghetti. Did I tell you I once worked with Jollibee's Human Resource department?

But anyway, I remember during my Jollibee days my sisters would ask me to buy Jollibee Spaghetti sauce which as employees we were allowed to buy in plastic containers.

So during those times we only had to cook spaghetti noodles and give them a mix with the ready made sweet Jollibee Spaghetti sauce.

Below is how a Jollibee spaghetti looks like...see those ground beef and sausages/hotdogs.

Montreal for the 9th Time

2012-01-27T12:55:00.007-05:00

Montreal is a city that is growing on me. Next to Bangkok which I have visited several times, Montreal is getting to be my frequently visited place.It is a place that initially didnt strike me as lovely(except for the Old Montreal side).

It has monstrous road works which up to now is not fixed. It has a roadwork that is confusing (even if I am not on the drivers seat).It has old bridges and old tunnels,underpasses and overpasses that sometimes is scary to go into because we have heard of some collapsing before your eyes.

But golly gee, this is the first time I' am really looking forward to going back to Montreal.

Looking forward to buy its famous bagels on Sunday. Montreal, Jusqu'à nous réunir à nouveau !(Till We Meet Again!)

Did A&W Mislabeled Their Burgers?

2012-01-25T19:33:00.005-05:00

On our drive back to Toronto, we stopped for gas and lunch and ordered burgers at A&W.

Hubby ordered a Mama burger while I ordered a Grandma burger(there was no photo of the Grandma burger on their menu board).

I was surprised when I saw the Grandma burger...it had two patties and generous creme (they even give you horse radish sauce), no veggies

While the Mama burger only had 1 patty and lettuce and tomato

When I looked at A& W's website I found out that the Grandma burger had almost double the calories of the Mama burger.

Mama Burger® with Cheese (450 calories)
Grandma™ Prime Rib Burger - Double (800 calories)

Funny, but do they want Grandma to die sooner??? Isnt't it that when you order a childs meal it should be smaller and lesser calories?

Then why will they label Grandma burger to a burger with 2 patties?

Going back to Toronto

2012-01-24T19:40:00.006-05:00

We are going home to Toronto tomorrow. As usual we will have to contend with the big trucks that usually lord over the roads.

Unlike some countries where Big trucks and vans can stay only in one lane(Germany) or can only operate after midnight, trucks and vans in Toronto can use any lane and can travel any hour of the day.

The last time we travelled to Montreal, our cars windshield had a small shatter caused by small pebbles coming from truck tires.

The only thing worth looking forward to is having a very nice snowscape scenery of Montreal along the way.Its like winter wonderland which somehow is non existent in Toronto.

IKEA Shopping

2012-01-24T16:57:00.008-05:00

I have never set foot in an IKEA store in Toronto. But here in Montreal, hubby decided to visit the IKEA store near our hotel.

We bought some small stuff like glasses and cutleries (the nth time we buy these things in IKEA),some bathroom mats, a wok and some chocolates to eat in the hotel(we both have a sweet tooth).

We also bought hotdogs for dinner so we don't have to go out of our hotel room.We used to love these hotdogs when we were still living in Singapore. I remember going to Ikea just to buy their hotdogs.

But not this time. I found the hotdog taste quite different from the chicken wieners of IKEA Singapore.

Nice to see that there is family parking here since other stores only mark spaces for Disabled Parking.

Hotel Food

2012-01-24T08:23:00.009-05:00

Hotel Food is like airline food, its nothing fantastic.

But so far, we found a hotel where we can actually eat without feeling shortchanged.

Pan Fried Chicken with vegetables
Fillet of Sole with mixed vegetables
Cesars Salad

and Nachos

Holiday Inn Montreal Airports' restaurant food is quite good, the first time I'm actually saying that for hotel food.

Food and hotel beds are two of the reasons why I always tag along with hubby during his business trips.By the way, the bed in Holiday Inn is not bad.

Would You Sleep on Ice? The Snow Village(Montreal)

2012-01-23T23:28:00.005-05:00

This is the very first Snow Village in North America. We have heard of the Ice Hotel in Quebec City but it was only this year, that we heard and saw on TV about the Snow Village . Since hubby was going to Montreal for a business trip, we decided to drop by today.

The Snow Village in Montreal is the first time the concept has been tried in North America — it's also the first time such a "village" has been built just minutes from a major metropolitan area.It sits just inside the Jean Drapeau Park which has for its major attraction, the Biosphere that we visited only last summer.

The European versions(Finland) are in remote areas accessible by plane and they often involve an extended stay. Montreal's village, by comparison, is accessible by public transit.

Montreal's winter wonderland village includes a 30-room ice hotel, a mix of standard rooms, suites and igloos. The hotel isn't the first of its kind; there's also an ice hotel just outside Quebec City.

Since the Snow Village was conceptualized similar to the Finish Snow Village, the video below shows exactly how the Snow Village in Montreal is built.

The village has a collection of dome-like igloos from the outside, highlighted with blue lights on the sides and down the entrance hall.

Replicas of local landmarks like Saint Joseph's Oratory, the Olympic Stadium and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts are still being built when we visited.

The long hallways connecting to the rooms are dotted with more red and blue lights and each room has a number that reinforces the winter theme, such as -5 and the really chilly sounding -30.

One can reserve a room for overnight or visit the place.The Snow Village is open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. (midnight), Sunday through Wednesday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m., Thursday through Saturday.

Rooms in one of the igloos starts at $175 per person*

This package includes :

A room in one of our Polar Igloos in the Snow Village and a high-tech thermal sleeping bag for the night .
Complete access to the Snow Village
A welcoming cocktail in an ice glass
Access to the spa under the stars with a magnificent view of Montreal
Continental Breakfast
Access to a locker room for your luggage and personal belongings as well as showers for men and women
A welcoming kit
Service charges

The entrance fees to visit on the other hand is quite reasonable:

Rates – Winter 2012
Weekly Rates Weekend Rates
Adults (18 years old and over) $13.00 $17.00
Seniors (age 55 +) $11.50 $15.00
Students (age 13 to 30 ) $11.50 $15.00
Children (age 6 to 12) $6.50 $8.50
Family (2 adults and 3 children $35.00 $40.00
Children (5 years old and under) Free Free

The Snow Village is a 3-minute walk from the Jean-Drapeau metro station. Its a once in a lifetime experience to see a place like this much more if you can sleep overnight.

The Snow Village officially opened January 19 and will be open till March 31,2012

Picnik is closing

2012-01-21T23:42:00.012-05:00

Today I received this email from Picnik, the photo editing site.

Official Announcement: Picnik is closing

Since joining Google in 2010, we have been creating editing magic in Google products while continuing to keep Picnik awesome. But now we get to focus on even awesomer things. Picnik will be closing on April 19, 2012.

Your photos liberated
Amazing photos are created in Picnik, so we have launched a new feature, Picnik Takeout, that easily downloads your photos to your desktop in convenient zip files. You may also elect to copy your photos to Google+ where you can store and share your creations. You may request your photos at any time and use this handy tool as many times as you like until our closing date of April 19, 2012. Learn more.

So, here are some photos I edited using some of their premium features:

Travelling Light

2012-01-21T22:18:00.005-05:00

When we checked in on our flight back to Toronto, the check in counter lady asked us (3 of us) if we had any bags to check in, we said no and she checked how big our carry on bags were.

When she saw that we only had 2 back packs and a sling bag she pointed to the passenger beside us and said" You see those people, they are only here for 2 days and you think they are moving house with the huge luggages they carry".

Well ,not us.We have mastered the art of "travelling light".

When we go on 2-3 day trip, I ask my two boys to only bring 1 tshirt/day and 1 pants for 2 days. We usually roll our clothes to save on space and we put our toiletries(small airport size bottles that would pass airport screening) in a small ziplock bag.

We usually only bring one pair of additional shoes just in case we need to change shoes for whatever reason or otherwise we can buy a new one in our destination.

If we plan to go shopping I have an extra shopping bag inserted inside my luggage that I can also handcarry.

Our packing list is pretty basic, light shirts(not bulky ones) ,underclothing(briefs and panties) and pants. One thing that I always carry is my laptop,camera and chargers( and outlets in some countries like Europe which has a different voltage and plug type).

Since we usually go on short trips no more than 5 days we really dont need to bring a big luggage bag.

The advantages of travelling light are:
1) We dont have to pay a baggage fee since we usually take budget airlines which charges extra for every bag checked in.
2) We usually get out of the airport fast since we dont need to wait for our luggage.
3) We can take a train or bus to our hotel since we dont have huge luggages to carry, so we save on transport costs;

Montreal's Snow Village

2012-01-21T15:53:00.007-05:00

Hubby is leaving for Montreal on Monday.As usual I will accompany him since its only a short trip.

I hope we can visit the new winter attraction in Montreal -the Snow Village.

It has an Ice Hotel similar to the one in Quebec.

.

A high end Ice Restaurant.

You can even hold your wedding in the Ice Chapel.

and this is the spectacuar entrance to one of the igloos.

The Finish designed village is open from January 19 till end of March and is the first North American Ice Village.

Based on a Finnish concept, the snow and ice village offers visitors a unique hotel experience, high-end restaurant experience and a hub for cultural, sports and family actives and urban entertainment. The village will include a 30-room ice hotel with 15 standard rooms, 10 themed suites and five igloos. The complex will also feature heated outdoor spas, a 60-seat restaurant, a 250-seat bar with a terrace, a conference centre that can accommodate groups of up to 200 people, a chapel, maze and slides.

Universal CityWalk in Orlando

2012-01-19T22:56:00.005-05:00

You have to have an admission ticket to Universal to be able to go inside the Citywalk which links both the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios attractions.

On the other hand, the Citywalk in Universal Hollywood has free access to the public.

There are several shops and restaurants and even a Moviehouse here but it is still quite small compared to Downtown Disney.

There is also a BlueMan Group show in the complex.

If they allow free access to this area after the park closes probably they will have more crowd in the evening.

But even parking in Universal is quite expensive at $15 so I'd rather go to Downtown Disney where parking is free.

Take a Walk at Downtown Disney

2012-01-19T21:26:00.007-05:00

We went here to pass the time after our visit to Universal Studios:

1) The best place to buy souvenirs or Disney items is the World and Disney Store;

2) There are several dining options in this place, we decided to eat at Fultons Crab House

Fulton's Crab House
Planet Hollywood
T Rex Restaurant

3) It has a lot of stores in this area

4) You can even watch Cirque De Soleil here

5) They even have open air lounging areas and pocket gardens

and you can access Downtown Disney without paying anything unlike Universal Citywalk where you have to pay before you can enter.

Just walking through will clear your head and freshen your mind.There's so much to see and do.You can even do some dancing with the dance instructor.

What Do you Do When a Child Makes "Tampo"

2012-01-19T20:31:00.005-05:00

Tampo is a Pilipino word which has no direct translation to English. The nearest translation would probably be "to sulk". I don't even know if Americans make "tampo".

Usually,Tampo is manifested in the withdrawal of affectionate or cheerful behavior, and its expression is almost entirely nonverbal.

Normally a person who makes"tampo" is unusually quiet, refuses to eat, not joining in the group or withdrawing from the group or simply keeping to himself.

These are usually efforts to get the offending or other party to make amends, and if these behaviors do not work, one might choose to escalate them, perhaps to foot-stamping, door-slamming, or muttering.

In the case of my youngest son Niles, I knew he was already making "tampo" since:

1) He didnt want to be photographed

2) He was always ahead or at the back of our group

and his reason for his "Tampo"?
1)He wanted to buy the Harry Potter Wand which at $35 was expensive

2) and the Magic Levitator from the Universal Studios Magic Shop-$100

My solution:

I told him I wont buy lunch for him if he continues to make "Tampo". Suddenly his mood changed, he suddenyly decided to talk. Of course he will talk, otherwise he wont have lunch.

Harry Potter@Universal

2012-01-19T19:17:00.012-05:00

If you ask me what is the best theme Park Ride...I would say Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

The only ride that I also liked is "Back to the Future" but this was already replaced by "Simpson The Ride".

It has all the stuff that a blockbuster has, good theming(real looking castle and small village with snow capped roofs.

It also has a lot of curio shops that sells so many interesting things.

They even made a copy of the Hogswarth Express

Some of the best selling items are:

Butter Beer-$4
WANDS-$35
and Harry Potter Scarves-$38

There are also the the two themed coasters provide satisfying swoopy thrills and a wondrous, looming Hogwarts castle.

Presently the best theme park ride in Orlando is no doubt Harry Potters Forbidden Journey. There’s nothing better in Orlando.

Here is a video of the ride(that is hard to capture by video) and you wont think of missing the experience of watching it. Even before the ride finishes, you will already make up your mind that this is the best theme park ride ever.

Celebrating Hubby and my Sisters Birthday in Orlando

2012-01-16T22:14:00.012-05:00

This is the first time I took an Air Canada flight. I was surprised their inflight entertainment system was already updated to touch screen. As far as airlines is concerned ,as of 2010, even Singapore Airlines have not yet changed their inflight to touch screen.

Though our flight departed late due to traffic in the tarmac , we still arrived 20 minutes earlier than our scheduled arrival time of 10:10 am. Orlando time is same as in Toronto so we didnt have any problem with the time factor.

The arrival terminal in Orlando is located in another building so arriving passengers have to take a train to pick up their luggage in the arrival terminal. As soon as we got our rentacar, we immediately proceeded to Universal Studios since our pass allowed us only up to 5 pm for Mondays park ticket.

Parking is quite expensive at $15 for the whole day and you have to walk quite a distance before you can reach Downtown Universal(the entrance to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Parks).

The parking lot of Universal Orlando Florida is housed in 2 huge buildings. Although Universal Florida is bigger than the Los Angeles and definitely the SIngapore parks, it is still miniscule compared to the huge Walt Disney World complex.

Our first day,Monday was spent at Universal Studios Orlando.Tomorrow ,we will visit Universal Islands of Adventure where the popular Harry Potter attraction is located.

This is my rating of the different attractions in Universal Studios Orlando:

ET, The Ride: One of the oldest attractions in Universal. Teenagers would not like this ride .Suitable for younger children.

Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket- This is a ride for teenagers. Its one of the rides that are more popular to the visitors due to the numerous twist and turns of this roller coaster.

Twister-Ride It Out - This basically shows the audience how the special effects in the movie "Twister" was done. The show is quite short. First time visitors might find this interesting.

Disaster- Similar to Twister, it shows how special effects are filmed. It has audience partipation which makes it more interesting.

Simpson-The Ride: Basically this replaced the "Back to the Future" ride. If you easily get dizzy with too much shaking and fear heights, dont take this ride.

Shrek- 4D, This is the first 4 D attraction of Universal. Nice if you have watched it for the first time. But you wouldnt want to probably watch it again.

Terminator 2-3D-I've never like Terminator the movie,so this didnt appeal to me.

Men in Black Alien Attack- I thought that this ride was very tame.Boy, was I so wrong.It nearly made me pass out due to the 360 turns.If you easily get dizzy due to movement, never attempt to take this ride.

Mummy The Ride- One of the nicer rides in Universal. But I like the Universal Singapore location better.

Nearly Lost This Blog

2012-01-15T20:37:00.002-05:00

When I opened this blog today somehow I can't find it.

So I tried to log in again and luckily I was able to retrieve my blog.

Make sure when you do blog entries you are careful with your password and closing your account.

Now, I shall continue blogging.

Next entry will be our photos from Universal Orlando Florida. We are headed there tomorrow.

Ten Tips on Surviving Theme Park Visits

2012-01-12T20:16:00.009-05:00

Since we are going to Universal Studios Orlando, here are some tips that I have practiced all through the years having gone through several visits to Disneyland(HK,California and Tokyo) and Universal Studios (Singapore and Hollywood).

1) Bring a water bottle since most parks would allow this. You can simply replenish it through the water fountains inside the park. Drinks are usually expensive in Theme Parks.

2) Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.Dress for the weather.If there's rain and you can't cancel your ticket, bring an umbrella or a raincoat since some parks have indoor rides anyway.

3) If there is a long queue in the more popular rides, try to go to the lesser popular ones or the most remote(from the park entrance) first and work your way to the most popular rides.

4) If the Fast Pass or Express Pass is free( like in Disneyland) try to avail of it for the more popular rides. But if you still have to pay for it try to estimate whether you can still enter the more popular rides without it.

5) Eat a heavy breakfast so you can delay lunch enough for you to queue up and ride the more popular rides during the lunch hours when the crowds are usually having lunch.

6)Bring a garbage bag or a plastic raincoat for rides that will make you wet.These raincoats are expensive when you buy them in the park.

7) Arrive Early and study the Parks map before going and make sure you arrive one hour before the park opens.Pick out the top three park rides you want to go to and if lines are manageable go to these rides first.

8) Don't waste your time having lunch without doing anything. Watch a show while taking lunch or take some souvenir photos. At least you are maximizing your park hours. Bring candies or small snacks so you could save money for meals.

9) Give the kids an allowance to buy souvenirs so that they wont pester you for money while you are in the park.

10) Bring enough batteries for your camera and some medicines for motion sickness, headache etc and wet tissue if the weather is hot.

My New Photo Book

2012-01-12T19:53:00.004-05:00

Shutterfly again offered me a $20 gift so I made another photo book.

Hubby asked me the other day what will happen to our photos if Facebook or Multiply folds up.

I promised him I will make another photo book. So this is it.This is my second photo book(the first one I made for Christmas).

Click here to view this photo book larger

Start your own Shutterfly Photo Book today.

We are Headed to Florida

2012-01-12T15:09:00.004-05:00

This is an unplanned trip which was decided upon only 4 days before our departure which is on Monday,January 16.

Hubby and my sister Bambi who both share the same birthday have decided to celebrate their birthdays in Orlando,Florida, partly because hubby has some work to do there and my sister therefore decided to join us.

Most of the people who have been to Orlando had suggested we dont miss the New Harry Potter Ride which is at the Universal Islands of Adventure.

Our trip is advantageous since we would be free from paying our hotel and rentacar since hubby is going for a business trip.Likewise since Monday-Wednesday flights specially on the 2nd week of January is not peak travel season it was easy for me to book a Saver Award from hubbys United Mileage points. We only had to pay a fee of $62.50 per passenger from flying out from Canada. It would even had been cheaper if it was travel within USA since the taxes are only $7 using the United Mileage points from anywhere in the US.

The only stiff expenses are our Universal Florida tickets which at $88 for a day pass and $116 for a 2 day pass is quite expensive.

I also heard that we still have to pay extra for parking at Universal.

Do You Still Use Your Phone Book?

2012-01-10T15:44:00.005-05:00

There can still be some great uses for your old phone books…There must be, otherwise, why are they still sending us ours.

Funny they even sent me a Bell Phone Directory when I don't subscribe to Bell services but Rogers.

Here are some obvious ways of using your Phonebook:

1) Crafts Projects: last Christmas I made a Phone Book directory.

2) A phone book can be an instant seat. Stack one on top of other and maybe tie a belt on it to make a seat.

3) Tear pages out to use for packing material.

4) The pages of the book can be used to wipe down windows.

5) If you are super creative, you can make a dress with it.

6) Old phone book pages can be a creative gift-wrapping solution.

7) Stick the old phone book into your car for the unexpected calls. If you need to make a reservation, set up an appointment, or are looking for a particular business & are lost- just pull out the phone book to find the respective number. No need to call for information if it is right there in your car!

If all else fails, recycle the book.
Here are other ways of using your Phone Book.

2012 is the Year of the Dragon

2012-01-08T17:04:00.004-05:00

This is the first time in ten years that we wont be celebrating Chinese New Year in Singapore.

Being the Year of the Dragon, its an auspicious year for the Dragon Born . Dragon years also tend to boost individual fortunes and the world economy.Here is the dragon calendar:

16 February 1904 – 3 February 1905: Wood Dragon
3 February 1916 – 22 January 1917: Fire Dragon
23 January 1928 – 9 February 1929: Earth Dragon
8 February 1940 – 26 January 1941: Metal Dragon
27 January 1952 – 13 February 1953: Water Dragon
13 February 1964 – 1 February 1965: Wood Dragon
31 January 1976 – 17 February 1977: Fire Dragon
17 February 1988 – 5 February 1989: Earth Dragon
5 February 2000 – 23 January 2001: Metal Dragon
23 January 2012 – 9 February 2013: Water Dragon

Of all the Dragon years, the 2012 Water Dragon is most likely to bestow the Chinese Five Blessings of harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity, adding even more weight to the growing belief that 2012 will be about breakthroughs, not disasters.

So I guess we are in for more fortunes than losses, less disasters and more health. My advance wishes for a very auspicious year of the Dragon which starts January 23,2012 to all my Chinese Friends in Singapore.

How to Organize Cords

2012-01-07T20:13:00.007-05:00

BEFORE

I challenged my two boys to come up with a neater solution to the wires dangling from their computer work station.

Its basically laziness if you can't find a solution to these unsightly wires.

Here are some solutions that doesn't cost anything:

Using paper wrapper or empty toilet roll to wrap wires together

Using bread tags to label cords

Using clothes pin to label cords

Its best to label cords so that you would know exaclty which one you have to unplug when you dont want to use it.

Using a sock(cut one side) to make cords look neater.

After much prodding, my two boys came out with this solution to hide the unsightly cords.

after more prodding, they finally made it neater:

Pickled Papaya (Achara)

2012-01-06T00:10:00.005-05:00

My grandma used to make this to give to friends and relatives. This is a perfect accompaniment to grilled/barbecue, fried fish or pork and some even eat it as a dish itself.

Achara/atsara is the Philippine contribution to the world of Asian pickles. Any vegetable can be used for making achara but most Filipinos use green papaya.

When we went grocery shopping at the oriental store today, hubby bought Papaya and so I thought he was up to something.He even called my mother in law in Manila just to ask his mom about her moms recipe for Achara. But eventually he settled for the internet recipe.

Here is one recipe for Achara

Ingredients

4 cups grated fresh green papaya
1/4 cup salt
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into long strips
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced
2 green chile peppers, sliced into thin rings
1 (1.5 ounce) box raisins
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Achara or Atsara Cooking Instructions:
Toss the grated papaya with 1/4 cup salt together in a large bowl; allow to sit for 1 hour.
Drain the liquid from the papaya and rinse thoroughly.
Place the papaya in the middle of a large piece of cheesecloth and squeeze to drain as much liquid from the papaya as possible.
Combine the papaya, carrot, red bell pepper, ginger, green chile peppers, and raisins together in a clean large bowl; mix.
Transfer the mixture to clean, dry jars with lids.
Stir the vinegar, water, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt together in a small saucepan; bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Pour the vinegar mixture into the jars, making sure the vegetables are completely submerged in liquid.
Allow the vegetables to marinate in the liquid at least 1 day before using.
Store in refrigerator between uses.

It turned out to be very good.So for the coming days we will surely have fried fish or fried pork, any dish that will go well with this pickle.

Time to Bring Down the Christmas Tree

2012-01-05T16:47:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Three Kings. January 6, the last day of Christmas, comes with its own traditions, rituals and symbols. In many homes the Christmas tree is taken down and in some areas is burnt in a big bonfire.

Its finally time to store away my Christmas decor and save it for the next Christmas season.

Here are some tips on storing Christmas decor

1. Storing Christmas Linens
Store Christmas linens in a suitcase to keep away the risk of moisture damage. Or keep your Christmas towels, rugs, blankets, etc. on an unused shelf in your linen or personal closet. You can put one or two lavender scented dryer sheets between the linens to keep away moths and keep them smelling wonderful.

2. Storing Christmas Wreaths

Whatever container you use to store your wreaths must be able to preserve it's shape throughout the year.

3. Storing Christmas Trees

Although the box your artificial tree came in may seem like the perfect one to repack it in for storing, this isn't the wisest idea for preservation. The cardboard boxes begin to deteriorate making them more prone to insect infestation. Try a commercially available Christmas tree bag or Christmas tree box.

4. Storing Christmas Ornaments

Special ornaments most often benefit from being stored in the boxes that they came in. You can store smaller ornaments in an egg carton.

5. Storing Christmas Candles

Wrap the candles in old socks or knee-high stockings to prevent scratching. Make sure to store the candles away from the heat of the attic or other areas which can melt the candles.

6. Storing Christmas Decorations for Reassembling

Before you take down Christmas Decorations for storing, take pictures to remember the way you set up your decorations. Then take everything down in reverse order of the way it was put up.

7. Storing Decorations and Planners

Don't pack away your holiday planning notebook. You will need this notebook during the year to keep track of recipes, address changes, gift ideas and gifts purchased.

8. Storing Christmas Lights

Do away with the tangled mess of years past by organizing your Christmas Lights before you pack them. Make sure to dispose of any lights that have been damaged or are not working properly. You will save yourself storage space.

9. Labeling Christmas Storage

Save yourself time next year by thoroughly labeling your Christmas decorations. Make a detailed inventory on the outside of each box. Number the boxes so that you'll know how many you have (i.e. Box 1 of 12). Labeling the boxes this way, also lets you order them according to how they should be unpacked. Consider wrapping your Christmas decoration boxes in wrapping paper for easy identification.

10. Unpacking the First Christmas Box

Be sure to prominently label the first box to be opened at Christmas. Box 1 could contain your advent calendar, tree stand, Christmas cards, or whatever you need at the beginning of the Christmas season.

After the Fun, Payback Time

2012-01-04T14:29:00.006-05:00

After the shopping frenzy of December, now comes budget and payback time.

I am currently paying off past months bills and expenses.Its good that here in Canada I only have two credit cards compared to the more than 10 cards I have in Singapore.My credit limits also in Canada is very conservative about $1000 each for each of the cards compared to my credit limits of about $15,000 in each of my SIngapore cards.

I guess thats the reason why the banking system in Canada is very stable, they are very strict in giving out credit card loans specially for new immigrants like us.

This in a way curves my spending. If I therefore plan to buy big ticket items I still use my Singapore issued cards which comes in handy.

I know I have overspent vis a vis my normal budget. But thats because its December and we have bought expensive kids for our two boys and replaced our LCD to an LED TV.

Next will be crunch time for our tax payments.

EXTREME WEATHER ALERT

2012-01-03T19:37:00.008-05:00

Todays weather is the coldest this season at -15C and with windchill of -25. An extreme weather alert was announced in Toronto.

What a day to watch a movie. But since its Tuesday, we went anyway to watch Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible.

It was such a fast and exciting movie that the 2 hours and 15 minutes passed that we didn't even noticed it.

When we went out, the cold weather was bone chilling that even our cars front door got the chills and wouldn't close.

We headed off to Harveys, our favorite burger restaurant and hubby decided to just tie the cars front door with an elastic tie.

This is the first time we experienced such a cold weather and with something going wrong with our vehicle. I told my husband that we should prepare an emergency kit just in case we get stranded during extreme weather like this.

Everyone should carry a Winter Survival Kit in their car. In an emergency, it could save your life and the lives of your passengers.

Here are some tips in preparing for weather with an emergency kit:

Here is what you need in your kit:
a shovel
windshield scraper and small broom
flashlight with extra batteries
battery powered radio
water
snack food including energy bars
raisins and mini candy bars
matches and small candles
extra hats, socks and mittens
First aid kit with pocket knife
Necessary medications
blankets or sleeping bag
tow chain or rope
road salt, sand, or cat litter for traction
booster cables
emergency flares and reflectors
fluorescent distress flag and whistle to attract attention
Cell phone adapter to plug into lighter

Kit tips:

Reverse batteries in flashlight to avoid accidental switching and burnout.
Store items in the passenger compartment in case the trunk is jammed or frozen shut.
Choose small packages of food that you can eat hot or cold.

And in case, you get stranded, here are 911 tips:

If possible, call 911 on your cell phone. Provide your location, condition of everyone in the vehicle and the problem you're experiencing.
Follow instructions: you may be told to stay where you are until help arrives.
Do not hang up until you know who you have spoken with and what will happen next.
If you must leave the vehicle, write down your name, address, phone number and destination. Place the piece of paper inside the front windshield for someone to see.
Survival tips:

Prepare your vehicle: Make sure you keep your gas tank at least half full.
Be easy to find: Tell someone where you are going and the route you will take.
If stuck: Tie a florescent flag (from your kit) on your antenna or hang it out the window. At night, keep your dome light on. Rescue crews can see a small glow at a distance. To reduce battery drain, use emergency flashers only if you hear approaching vehicles. If you're with someone else, make sure at least one person is awake and keeping watch for help at all times.
Stay in your vehicle: Walking in a storm can be very dangerous. You might become lost or exhausted. Your vehicle is a good shelter.
Avoid Overexertion: Shoveling snow or pushing your car takes a lot of effort in storm conditions. Don't risk a heart attack or injury. That work can also make you hot and sweaty. Wet clothing loses insulation value, making you susceptible to hypothermia.
Fresh Air: It's better to be cold and awake than comfortably warm and sleepy. Snow can plug your vehicle's exhaust system and cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to enter your car. Only run the engine for 10 minutes an hour and make sure the exhaust pipe is free of snow. Keeping a window open a crack while running the engine is also a good idea.
Don't expect to be comfortable: You want to survive until you're found.

WHAT TO DO WITH HOTEL SOAP AND SHAMPOOS

2012-01-03T01:00:00.005-05:00

My husband travels 3 weeks in a month and stays in hotels all over Asia and the US. He often has a lot of unused shampoo and soap.Most oftentimes I use these small soap just to wash delicate items but oftentimes it just gathers dust at home.

Every day in North America, thousands of hotels discard millions of pounds of soap and shampoo. These products often end up in already overflowing landfills and contaminate fragile groundwater systems.

Impoverished people around the world die every day from acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease because they have no soap.

Jessica Langley, a flight attendant based in Columbus, Ohio, spends the year collecting soaps and shampoos in hotels. She recently drove from her home in Palm Beach, Fla., to Orlando to deliver 55 pounds of toiletries to a charity called Clean the World (www.cleantheworld.org), which is dedicated to helping stop the spread of fatal diseases worldwide. "To me, it's a no-brainer," she says. "A few extra ounces in my carry-on luggage can have a big impact."

So now I know where to donate my husbands soap and shampoos from hotels he stays in

How To Shovel Snow Safely

2012-01-03T01:00:00.004-05:00

Most people who live in the tropics wish to see snow or maybe even live in a country where there is snow.

But for us living in Canada, snow means work. Snow might only be good to look at in postcards and christmas cards or if you won't be shovelling.

So unless you are living in a condominium, you would surely shovel snow one way or the other.

Here are some tips on Safe Snow Shovelling:

1. Try not to let the snow pile up in your drive. If there is a blizzard, you obviously can't do anything about the accumulation, but if the forecast is for small amounts of snow over a few-day stretch, it's much easier to move a small amount every day, than a big pile you've let build up.

2.Before you go out to shovel your driveway, warm up your body and muscles. Try walking on the spot for a couple of minutes and doing some slow stretching (torso twists and knee bends).

3.Dress warmly and try to cover all exposed skin. On a really cold winter day, the wind can freeze exposed skin in just a few minutes.

4.Consider using two shovels to clear your snow. One should be a lightweight pusher/scraper to move the snow off to the sides, and the other, a lightweight plastic or aluminum snow shovel to lift the snow.

5.Get shovels that are an appropriate size for you. You can get scrapers that range from 18 inches all the way up to 36 inches, so don't get a scraper that' s too big for you to comfortably handle.

6.Bend your knees and avoid using twisting and turning movements when shoveling. Use the strength in your arms and legs to lift the snow while keeping your back straight. Lifting snow is just like lifting any other heavy object-and proper lifting and turning techniques are essential.

7.Take breaks. Shoveling snow is hard work and most of us aren't in shape for doing weightlifting.

CHEAP TUESDAYS-How to Save on Movies in Canada

2012-01-02T11:36:00.008-05:00

We are watching Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible tomorrow Tuesday. In Australia and Canada, it is traditional to offer the lower prices for Tuesday for all showings, one of the slowest days of the week in the movie theatre business, which has led to the nickname "cheap Tuesday.

On Tuesdays, movies in Ontario are discounted down to $5.99 which is roughly the cost of movies in the Philippines (P250).Normal general movie tickets costs a hefty $13.99 which is quite prohibitive if you factor in that there are four of us and we have to buy popcorn and drinks.

In Singapore(where we used to live), movie admission tickets costs $10 for general admission which is almost the cost of a general admission ticket for children(below 13 years old) or seniors(65 yrs and above) which is about C$7.9 in Canada. Special shows like watching 3D or Imax movies are even more expensive so we usually choose the digital version rather than going for the 3D version.

So if we want to watch movies at a discount we usually go for Tuesday movies.

Another way to save on movie admissions is to sign up for a Scene card which earn me points whenever I purchase tickets to the movies. Like tomorrow, I have redeemed one (1) free general admission ticket due to the points I earned from previous movies we have watched.

Watching movies in the theatre or cinema is not cheap so we only watch when there are nice movies.

So another way to save on watching movies is to watch online using sites like fastpasstv.ms.The only disadvantage is that the movies dont really have clear resolutions all the time.You have to be patient to watch sometimes blurry screen and poor audio since some of the movies in the site are filmed in the cinemas.

and if you want to watch movies over and over, then buy the DVD or blue ray disc.

Happy watching!

Deck The Halls With Balls

2012-01-01T19:33:00.006-05:00

Ho ho ho, by December 2012 ,I plan to have a new Blue and White theme for my christmas tree.

I went with my sister to Loblaws for last minute shopping and we found christmas items on sale for as much as 80-90%.

When I totalled my savings it came close to 80% of total actual price of the items I bought. Imagine christmas decors that used to sell from $6-10 were marked down to 94 cents.

So the strategy is if you want to change your yearly Christmas decorations, do your shopping after Christmas and preferably a day before the New Year .Normally stores would already get rid of their seasonal items on the last day of the year which means that they would surely deepy mark down most christmas items.

2012

2011-12-31T23:58:00.003-05:00

2012 is here.....beginning of a new life for almost everyone. Make it meaningful.!!!

Here is something that might help you follow through with your Goals for 2012 and having a fresh start

This is my First Entry for 2012

2011-12-31T23:57:00.009-05:00

While everyone is waiting for 12 midnight, 2 minutes more. I am writing this entry to commence my blogging for 2012.

For those who haven's started blogging yet, here are some advantages of starting a blog:

1. To Express Your Thoughts and Opinions
You have something to say, and blogs provide a place to say it and be heard.
2. To Market or Promote Something
Blogging is a great way to help market or promote yourself or your business, product or service.
3. To Help People
Many blogs are written to help people who may be going through similar situations that the blogger has experienced. Many parenting and health-related blogs are written for this purpose.
4. To Establish Yourself as an Expert
Blogs are wonderful tools to help bloggers establish themselves as experts in a field or topic. For example, if you're trying to get a job in a specific field or hoping to publish a book on a specific topic, blogging can help legitimize your expertise and expand your online presence and platform.
5. To Connect with People Like You
Blogging brings like-minded people together. Starting a blog can help you find those people and share your opinions and thoughts.
6. To Make a Difference
Many blogs are issue-based meaning the blogger is trying to provide information to sway people's thinking in a certain direction. Many political blogs and social issues blogs are written by bloggers who are trying to make a difference in their own ways.
7. To Stay Active or Knowledgeable in a Field or Topic
Since successful blogging is partially dependent on posting frequency and providing updated, fresh information, it's a perfect way to help a blogger stay abreast of the events in a specific field or topic.
8. To Stay Connected with Friends and Family
The world has shrunk since the Internet has become more accessible. Blogs provide a simple way for family and friends to stay connected from different parts of the world by sharing stories, photos, videos and more.
9. To Make Money
It's important to point out that most bloggers don't make a lot of money blogging, but the potential does exist to generate revenue from your blog with hard work and commitment. There are many bloggers who bring in big bucks. With patience and practice, you can make money through advertising and other income-generating activities on your blog.
10. To Have Fun and Be Creative
Many people start a blog simply for fun. Perhaps a blogger is a fan of a particular actor or loves knitting and wants to share that passion through a blog. One of the most important keys to successful blogging is having a passion about your blog's topic, so you can write prolifically about it. Some of the best and most interesting blogs started out as blogs that were written just for fun and to give the blogger a creative outlet.

Actually as a Blogger,I blog only because I want to Stay Connected with Friends and Family and to have fun and stay creative.

For whatever purpose you want to blog, kudos to you!

Hurrah to all of us bloggers!

Meaning of New Year

2011-12-31T23:54:00.008-05:00

When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, people all over the world cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. For some, this event is no more than a change of a calendar. For others, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, spread happiness with these wonderful New Year wishes.

Happy New Year Celebrations In Canada

2011-12-31T23:48:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year to All!

The Cheapest Way to Call Love ones

2011-12-31T23:41:00.004-05:00

I still see many Pinoys here in Canada buying phone cards just to connect and call their loved ones in the Philippines.

Gone are the days of snail-paced mail, broken-voiced landline phone conversations, and sky-rocketing long-distance phone bills. Say hello to the cosmic world of computer technology.

I simply use Skype to call my father and my brother in Manila.

Calls are free from Skype to Skype, and less expensive from Skype to phone. This not only provides the user convenience but also saves money. It also eliminates time-constraint worries, since unexpectedly losing track of time can result in high-ceiling rates with regular phone calls.

Voice calls also obliterate the irritable crackling sound and echoes often heard over landline phones. Skype also enables users to hold conference calls with more than five persons, which makes it more than a convenience.

Its the cheapest way to connect with love ones since its FREE.

Our Media Noche (New Years Eve) Dinner

2011-12-31T20:41:00.006-05:00

Typical of Filipino families all over the world, we gather for the Media Noche or midnight meal – a feast that is also supposed to symbolize our hopes for a prosperous New Year.

The only difference is that in Canada we dont have as much firecrackers like in the Philippines.We celebrate it with tooting of horns, singing and dancing with family and friends.

This year, my sister prepared a typical Pinoy Media Noche feast of:

Click on the meal name to get the recipe

Bopis

Kutchinta,Puto and Pichi Pichi

Pineapple CHicken

Lechon kawali

Bulalo

Yummy! Happy New Year everyone!!!

Best Time to Buy Christmas Decorations

2011-12-31T19:34:00.009-05:00

This afternoon, my sister and I went wild in shopping for Christmas decorations that were on sale for 94 cents each. Its a box of christmas balls about 20 pcs for 94 cents and one box of 30-40 pieces of christmas cards also for 94 cents.

So if you plan to change your Christmas decor for next year, the best time to buy christmas ornaments is after Christmas when prices are marked down from 50-75 up to as much as 90% .

The discounts are specially high a day before New Year when all seasonal items are already to be removed from the store shelves.

Just a smile on my sisters face shows you we got a good deal from all our purchases.

One Table DIfferent Style

2011-12-31T18:51:00.004-05:00

Can you imagine that all these tables came from just one IKEA basic table?

It just takes imagination and creativity:

New Home Designs from IKEA

2011-12-31T18:25:00.010-05:00

IKEA is the most favorite shop of Singaporeans probably because homes are smaller there. When we used to live in Singapore, we noticed that every home we visited has some IKEA items in them.

But here in Canada, I dont go crazy in IKEA because I know the items are cheap but not so durable. However when you enter any IKEA store you are made to believe that you can easily copy their home designs so you are always tempted to buy something in IKEA whether it be a vase, a lamp or a throw pillow.

The new IKEA's 2012 catalog is out! Their stylists do a really good job of making you believe that anyone can live a super organized, stylish life.

However stealing one or two of their clever ideas is worth considering.

Here are two ideas for bigger homes:

A Multiple of the Multiple Idea - More of the Good Thing: In this larger, more conservatively decorated room, there are two rugs, two ottomans, two coffee tables, two pendants, two bulletin boards stacked — you get the idea!

Color is King When Your Main Pieces are Black and White: This room is a perfect example of the power of paint. The majority of items in this room are either black or white. The rugs, all the case goods and tables, the armchairs, desk chair, pillows, throws, lampshade and even most or the artwork are one of these two basics. The exceptions that make this room feel alive and "decorated"? The just-right gray paint and sofa upholstery. Which means in a few years, one could simply repaint and reupholster just the sofa and have a room that appears TOTALLY different.

Spending New Year at My Sister Home

2011-12-31T17:45:00.009-05:00

This year just like last year, we are spending New Years eve at my sister Bambi's place.

My sister always beautifully decorates her home for the yuletide season.

New Year Lunch with My Sisters Family

2011-12-31T16:57:00.006-05:00

Being an immigrant in a foreign country like Canada is difficult if you don't know anyone here. It was a blessing that we had my sister Bambi and her family, my brother in law Marvin, my nieces Mikka and Madisson as well as my cousin Katy and her husband Bercy already here in Canada when we arrived.

Marvin and Bambi hosted New Years lunch at their favorite Vietnamese restaurant.My sisters family and in laws(below)

So last year, Christmas was spent at our new home in Brampton while New Year is at my sisters place.

So this year again, we are here at Bambi's home to celebrate the New Year with her family and her in laws.

My favorite Pho noodles

Satay beef

Thanks Marvin and Bambi!

New Year House Cleaning

2011-12-31T01:16:00.007-05:00

They say its good practice to welcome the New Year with a clean house.

I am a housewife that dont rely on chemicals to clean my house. I basically just use water and soap to clean almost everything in the house.

But for those super antiseptically clean individuals, isnt it better to use green items that we can see in our cupboards to use for cleaning?

I even remember my grandma used to scour and scrub our pots and pans using Is Is leaves

Here are some of the DIY basic cleansing ingredients you can use to clean your home

If you're starting a DIY green cleaners pantry, the following are the top ingredients you'll want to have around. Some combination of these ingredients will make you almost all of the recipes you find below!
• Baking Soda
• White Vinegar
• Essential oils, like tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, or lemongrass oil
• Fresh herbs, citrus, or citrus peels
• Olive or vegetable oil
• Water

For example I use the following around the house:
1) Water with newspaper to clean windows
2) 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp vinegar in a bottle of water to clean my wood floors(it becomes sparkling clean)
3) Put 1 cup baking soda inside the drain and pour 1 cup vinegar to unclog drains
4) Boil Citrus or apple peel in water to remove foul odor in the house
5) White Vinegar with a dash of baking soda to clean toilet bowls and seats
6) Put Baking Soda on stain in carpet and brush it lightly;Make sure you do it immediately to remove the stain.

Growing Up With My Boys

2011-12-30T18:27:00.002-05:00

My two boys are growing up fast. Next time they will be flying the coop.

Our New Year Rainbow at Niagara

2011-12-30T15:05:00.008-05:00

Fancy seeing a rainbow again at Niagara Falls.

So whenever we see a rainbow this is a sign of God's promise never to destroy the earth. God made all people out of seven different coloured earths.

Just as the seven colours of the Spectrum join to make one light, so the different coloured races must join to make One Human family.

This teaches us that the earth belongs to all people, no matter what their colour, and not to any one special race.

And this is what we would like to wish for everyone.

Flavier Family Reunions

2011-12-30T13:14:00.011-05:00

What we miss in celebrating the holiday seasons in the Philippines is our FLAVIER family reunion.We usually hold it every 30th of December to enable all clan members to join.

We have been celebrating these reunions since we were in High School .Every year one family from my mothers side would host the reunion so each of the 6 siblings take turns in hosting.

There are 6 siblings in my mothers Flavier family: Tita Belen Ranieses(the eldest), Tito Eling Flavier(the only son), my mother Fe Tenmatay,Tita Carol Javalera, Tita Minnie Sian and the youngest Tita Baby Flavier.

This year my cousins of the Ranieses family are our hosts.

Our HOSTS

My cousins Genette,Richard Olalia and family (in the US)

Rolly and Gerrylen Ranieses Seveses , Joey and Marissa Ranieses

My brother just shared the photos of our 2012 family reunion on facebook:

These are the younger children of my siblings and cousins,

and these are the younger generation,most of them are already working

and this is our usual papasko

There are also

GAMES

RAFFLE

DANCING

and Good Food

To My FLAVIER CLAN: We miss all of you!!!

Advance New Years Greetings

2011-12-30T12:52:00.004-05:00

They are already celebrating New Years Day in the Philippines. So let me give everyone my advance New Years Greetings!

Thankful for 2011

2011-12-30T02:38:00.013-05:00

There were so many things and events that happened to my family this year.Most of them are moments to be thankful for.

1) It was the first time my husband and my sister jointly celebrated their birthdays.They share the same birthday-January 17

2)My Cousin Jojo and his wife Ingrid and daughter Jel visited us in Toronto from the Philippines

3)My boys completed our Backyard Patio

4)My two sons made their first trip to the US.

5)First time for our family to go camping in Canada

6)Our first trip as a couple to Europe

7)Niles' Confirmation

8) On June 7,2011, we celebrated our first year anniversary in Canada

9) In August,celebrated my birthday in Quebec with my family

But the most important achievement is for

10)The good results of both of my boys Nygel and Niles. They are tops in their Maths and Science subjects.Something to be indeed thankful for.

Thank you Lord for all these blessings!

Its Still Snowing Here

2011-12-29T23:47:00.005-05:00

Its really surprising that we get a lot of snow in Brampton

There's no Snow in the St Catherine area

There's no snow in Niagara on the Lake

There's hardly any snow on the ground in Niagara Falls

There's no Snow in Oakville,

How come we have so much snow in Brampton???

Still Snowing, can't do much except eat

New Years Resolution

2011-12-29T22:35:00.005-05:00

I never really make New Years Resolutions since I normally break them, but this year I will make an exception

I will make mine short and attainable,

1) Make it an effort to call my father in Manila at least twice a month. If I dont call I will use Skype.

The reason why I always update my Facebook is because of my family in Manila. I have two sisters and two brothers in Manila and a sister in Singapore.I normally dont call them since we usually communicate online.

2) Try to Include more Vegetables in our Diet

3) Walk daily during spring and summer. This wont be possible in Autumn and Winter due to the cold temperatures;

4) Assign more Housework for my two boys.

and

5) Try to be more budget conscious. I am but I would try to be a bit more so that I could reduce 2012 expenses compared to our 2011 expenses. I have a monthly budget expense report which would come in handy to cut back more on daily expenses.

Wish me luck!

Where Will You be This New Year?

2011-12-29T20:16:00.005-05:00

Here in Toronto, there are two major countdowns:

The Nathan Philips Square Countdown in Downtown Toronto hosted by City TV

the Niagara Falls Countdown at the Falls

and our very own family countdown at my sisters home.

Where will you be?

Hurty Breakfast for the Hungry

2011-12-29T19:45:00.006-05:00

After a long night without any night snacks, the boys woke up asking for a hurty breakfast.

So after waiting for a long time for our check out with the Hotel, we hied off to Dennys before going to Niagara on the lake

Nygel's breakfast

My Pancake,bacon, eggs and toast(which came late) breakfast

Nile's Avocado Wraps

Hubbys Phili Burger

This meal was good until the next meal which was dinner at home.

My Most Favorite Town in Canada

2011-12-29T17:54:00.005-05:00

And that will always be Niagara on the Lake

with my favorite christmas store

see this most picturesque view of the clock tower

the famous landmark hotel

our favorite ice cream store

and a lot of wine, food , small boutique shops

How We Got Our Room at a Discount

2011-12-29T00:50:00.008-05:00

When we booked this winter get away at Niagara, I used hubbys hotel points with AGODA.

AGODA is a discount hotel worldwide reservations system. Hubby has been using it everytime he travels to Asia.

For every $ he pays in the hotels he accumulates points which are equivalent to US Dollars.

And since he has been staying an average of 3 weeks in a hotel everytime he travels, he therefore accumulates a lot of free dollars which we can use to pay for our own hotel reservations anywhere in the world.

Hoping to Visit Niagara on The Lake tomorrow

2011-12-29T00:39:00.003-05:00

Cows Ice Cream is enough reason for me to go back to Niagara on the Lake tomorrow.

Niagara on the Lake is known for its wineries,

and for little quiant shops and this landmark, the Prince of Wales hotel,

But since we've tasted Cows Ice Cream last summer, its one of the best reasons to pay a visit to this beautiful town once again.

Boxing Day Finds

2011-12-29T00:23:00.004-05:00

I had a mini shopping spree on Monday and want to show you my finds. I normally HATE shopping specially for clothes but since the stores were having 50-75% discounts I thought I might as well take advantage and see if I could get some new stuff for the entire year.

I went to H&M and got two tops – a black cowl neck top(similar to this blue top above) and a black tshirt both for $5. I liked this top because the fit is flattering and its also comfy – feels like wearing a t shirt!

But I went crazy in Tommy Hilfiger when I bought 5 colours of this t shirt . I right now have red, violet, pink,light blue and a sequined top at $14.95 each.

and I guess my best buy was the above winter coat at $79 from Reitmans.This usually sells for $180.

I also bought some nice gifts at Walmart that were at 50% off. I can't show them since I am reserving them as birthday gifts for my loved ones.

Guess I wont do any more shopping for 2012.

Niagara Festival of Lights

2011-12-28T20:53:00.006-05:00

Every Winter, head off to Niagara for its Festival of Lights, a display of lights to commemorate the yuletide season. This runs from November 5, 2011 to January 31, 2012.

Although it was freezing cold, we didn't pass up the chance to see some of the beautiful lights along the falls.

The five kilometer route along the Niagara Parkway — known as the Niagara Parks Winter Wonderland — includes nearly two million sparkling tree and ground lights and over 100 lighting displays.

LED lights are used for many of the displays, consuming less energy than their incandescent counterparts.

A lot of visitors were still strolling along the road and taking snap shots of the colorful display of lights.

Other Visitors just drive around in their cars or minivan with the family and it makes for a delightful evening drive.

My son Nygel was only willing to pose as my model.

There is no admission fee to see the many displays, but donations are accepted. A donation of $5 to $10 per car is suggested.
The proceeds go back into the festival to purchase lights and design new displays.

COLD WINTERY NIGHT AT THE FALLS

2011-12-28T18:43:00.009-05:00

While hubby is snoring away and I am running a warm bath to soak in, the two boys are also watching their favorite show on TV.

The usual snacks are on top of the desk near my laptop.So whoever would like to have a night snack has to pass through me, he he.

I love it, that the sockets are already on the lamp shades ,so I dont need to bend down to look for an outlet for my laptop.

So I am hoping for a good nights sleep after I soak my body in the warm bath.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel

2011-12-28T18:05:00.013-05:00

I earlier wrote about the Crowne Plaza Hotel.We are now here spending an overnight winter escapade with the kids.

Although the design of the hotel is a bit old, it looks charming since it reminds me of 50s-60s hotels that I see in the movies.

There are several of these chandeliers at the lobby, I think I counted about 8 of them on the main floor

and this is the lobby sitting area which is really reminiscent of the 50s lobbies of elegant hotels.

Even the elevators are designed to look like they were from the 50s.

When I checked in, the front desk guy told me that they upgraded us to a 9th floor room with a view of the falls and near the elevator.

Our room has a good view of both the Canadian and the US Falls and the Clifton Hills Ferris Wheel.

The room although quite small compared to other hotels we have stayed in is just comfortable. We have two double beds and very comfortable pillows.

The bathroom also contains fixtures whose style is what you would see in old houses but its clean and looks well planned.

The main advantage of this hotel is that its a walk away from the falls.It is interconnected to a Water park and a Casino. Theres also a Starbucks Cafe at the lobby and the Hard Rock Cafe is a door away. Likewise restaurants like Pizza Hut and Kentucky are just a building away and its just at the corner of Clifton Hills.

And finally I was able to take a photo of Marilyn Monroes room, its actually located at the corner and probably would have a limited view of the falls.

Spending Winter at Niagara Falls

2011-12-28T17:57:00.004-05:00

If you plan to spend Christmas in Niagara Falls or visit it during winter, be prepared for the freezing cold. This means bundle up and make sure you are prepared for slippery roads.

We are staying at room 905 of Crowne Plaza and we have a very good view of both the Canadian and the US side of the Niagara Falls.

Its really icy cold and my two boys thought its the usual cold(-5C and above). With the windchill the -6C weather feels like -15C

The Crowne Plaza has a winding staircase entrance that reminds me of the staircase in Gone with the Wind.Its really a circa 20s designed hotel.

While I'm doing this blog, hubby is snoring away in dreamland.

MANDARIN DINING

2011-12-28T01:59:00.007-05:00

Mandarin Restaurant in Brampton is one of our favorite buffet restaurants in Toronto.

They even have special lightings at night during this Christmas and New Year Season

No wonder,instead of having lunch at home, we decided to bring my sisters family to an after Christmas lunch buffet at Mandarin today.

We always go to Mandarin during special celebrations. We have celebrated our sons birthdays here and also our wedding anniversary.

We love the food and fast and attentive service

We love the ambience(high ceilings and nice layout of the restaurant)

We even love the special lighting display during the yuletide season.

Sleeping with Marilyn Monroe

2011-12-28T01:10:00.012-05:00

Tomorrow we are headed to Niagara Falls and we are staying in the hotel where Marilyn Monroe stayed while filming the movie NIAGARA which was shot partly in the hotel.

In 1952, the 20th Century-Fox film Niagara was shot in Niagara Falls. Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, and Jean Peters all stayed at the Brock, with Marilyn staying in room 801.

Room 801, Marilyn’s bedroom where she read her scripts

The Old Brockes Plaza, now Crowne Plaza Hotel
The newly refurbished Crowne Plaza Hotel Niagara Falls

Since this hotel was built in 1929, aside from Marilyn Monroe, famous personalities who have been notable guests includes Walt Disney, Shirley Temple, Jimmy Stewart, Princess Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth.

The hotel joined the InterContinental Hotels chain in 2008 and was again renamed the Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls-Fallsview Hotel.Guests in the more recent years included Sylvester Stallone, Matt Dillon, Bruce Willis, and Jackie Chan.

Hoping to find some part of Marilyn's history in this hotel.

When It Snow It Pours

2011-12-27T18:32:00.006-05:00

This is one snow weather that every Canadian has been looking forward to. Its the first real snow in the Greater Toronto Area in 2011. Imagine no snow from end of November till yesterday. Everyone has been waiting for the white stuff and praying hard for it to fall.

Hubby who is always away in Asia is glad to be under the snowy weather. Its rare for him to experience this heavy snowfall.

SNow started falling even before lunchtime when we went out to have an after Christmas lunch with my sister and brother in laws family who just came back from Michigan.

Our street was already filled with the white stuff and it was quite surprising that no Snow Plow Trucks have come yet to plow the road .

And this are our Canadian nieces and my sons who hate the sight of snow, he he so they scamper inside the house as soon as we reached home

Now every snow loving Canadian will be happy, they can go skiing and tobogganing at last.

Boxing Day Crazy!

2011-12-26T22:17:00.006-05:00

It was a crazy Boxing Day today.Boxing Day is the equivalent of Black Friday sales in the US.It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price reductions.

This means slash down of prices of items to as much as 50-75%.

It is observed in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and some other Commonwealth nations.

So you would really see how crazy people are specially with regards to getting a parking space in bigger malls.

Some of the funny scenes in the parking lot today:

A near accident, the lady was going out from her parking space when she hit the side of this SUV.Naturally there was a brief exchange of words.

And this lady is the Parking Mama, she stood in the vacant parking space not allowing any car to get in even if her car was still so far away.

and Imagine I queued up in the cold for almost 20 minutes just to get inside Tommy Hilfiger Store and another hour to queue up just to pay. You really need patience. But it was worth it. Bought a lot of things and saved half of the price of most items.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T20:57:00.005-05:00

Despite everyones hope that there will be flurries on Christmas Day to show a semblance of Winter, no snow fell.The weather was even a mild 3C.Imagine December without snow and no White Christmas, what a let down.

Since its Christmas ,we feasted on sinful things like crispy pata ,sisig, rellenong bangus, carrot and cranberry cakes and watched Resident Evil and a Michael Buble Concert on TV.

The boys as usual were busy upstairs with their electronic gadgets while the oldies watched TV the entire night while munching on popcorn.

There are still some presents under our tree for my sister who is still coming in from Michigan.
I hope you also had a Merry Christmas!

A Complete Family

2011-12-25T01:00:00.004-05:00

On our 2nd Christmas morning in Canada , let me share with you my family photo

This is the last time we seven siblings ( from left to right front row ,my sister in Law Irma,Maricel,Marilou,Papa and Mary ann
second row standing L-R Bongbong,Mariefe,Me,my sis in law Chin ,Edgar and my bro in law Bebol) were present for picture taking.

It was for a sad event, right after my mothers death which was seven years ago.

Now that 2 of us (my sister and me) are in Canada and another sister is in Singapore, it would take some time before we can gather again for a complete family picture.

The last time we were almost complete (6 of us except my sister Bambi who is in Canada) was in Singapore when we were still there.

I am hoping we can have another family reunion in the Philippines soon.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

2011-12-24T21:44:00.003-05:00

This is our Christmas scene, hubby and I infront our very first fireplace on our second winter in Canada.We are waiting for 12 midnight to eat our Noche Buena while the two boys are upstairs busy with their computer and Ipod games.

I Am A SUCKER FOR BARGAINS

2011-12-24T19:15:00.006-05:00

As long as its a bargain, I will go for it. So when my friend called me and told me that the christmas items are 75% off at Home Depot I decided to go there at 6pm .Before that I checked on the website the store hours for Dec 24 and it states 8pm.

So even if hubby was contentedly slouching on the couch watching Justin Bieber serenade shrieking teens, I managed to ask him to drive me to Home Depot. When we reached Home Depot 15 minutes later it was already closed.

So I told hubby to drive to Walmart. At least I told him, seasonal(meaning Xmas) Items were already at 50% at Walmart as per their website.

Again a disappointment, Walmart even managed to write a note stuck on their shelves "Sorry for the Incovenience,there are no Markdown on Seasonal Items".

So just to prove to hubby that I wasn't just there to ogle at the crowd of last minute shoppers I decided to snatch 3 items that I know I would use, a bedtime lotion, a box of chocolates and a cute little bottle of perfume.

The perfume smells nice. I remember I always see this perfume in the inflight duty free shops when I travel but I never really got to buy them. I was able to get it at $17 on clearance at Walmart.Not bad at all! At least di nasayang ang gasolina namin.

Pinoy Take Out

2011-12-24T17:29:00.006-05:00

Its a hassle preparing Noche Buena for the family specially for me since I am not a good cook. Luckily we discovered a Kapampangan Restaurant that does take out.

When we reached the place today, there was a long queue of Pinoys also waiting for their take out orders for Noche Buena.

We ordered dishes that we like to try out from time to time since they are fattening: Sisig,Crispy Pata ,Rellenong Bangus and Assorted kakanin.

I noticed that most orders were for lumpiang shanghai, Lechon(Suckling Pig) and kakanin.

This really proves that Pinoys love to eat "sinful" food during Christmas.

Greetings on Christmas Day

2011-12-24T15:55:00.005-05:00

When the Philippines and Singapore are celebrating Noche Buena, its still lunchtime here in Canada on the 24th of December. So let me greet everyone a Merry Christmas !
My only wish for everyone is that we try to be kind and helpful to one another. Our friends,kapwa Pinoys, in Brampton in the Greater Toronto area have launched a donation drive for the flood victims in Mindanao. In such small efforts we should try to help our kababayans who had suffered so much tragedy.I don't think our help of food and money wont completely erase the grief that they have suffered from the loss of a loved one.But surely the fact that we have tried helping means that we care and we remember them in our prayers.

This year, we will celebrate our Christmas with family members in a simple get together. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Where Are We Headed ?

2011-12-22T22:45:00.005-05:00

After Christmas and Boxing Day on the 26th, we are headed to Niagara Falls to view the Niagara Festival of Lights and fireworks.

and we are staying at the Crowne Plaza which has a great view of the falls.I just hope they would give us the room facing the falls when we check in.

At least this is something to look forward to.Christmas can be drab in Canada unlike Christmases in the Philippines.

Got Sick Because of Hubby and the Weather

2011-12-22T22:35:00.006-05:00

I rarely get sick and I thought I wont be infected by hubbys colds. But as soon as we returned from Montreal yesterday, my voice was already hoarse and I was sneezing and sneezing.

I dont want to blame it solely on hubby, but the extremely cold weather in Montreal(-9C) when we were there and the hazy and rainy atmosphere when we arrived in Toronto probably got to me specially when we were making our gasoline stops.

I hope I get better before Christmas so I am taking bed rest with a capsule of Nyquil to get much needed sleep.

Dining in Montreal

2011-12-20T19:25:00.007-05:00

Tonight, we decided to go to Place Vertu, the nearest shopping mall to our hotel.

As in most shopping malls, a lot of children were having their picture taking with Santa Claus at the Mall

Had my favorite Pho(Vietnamese noodles) while hubby decided to eat Italian pasta.

After which we bought Muffins at mmmuffins.

We tried out their carrot and chocolate flavours.

Driving in Montreal is very troublesome since a lot of roads are under construction so instead of going to Chinatown we opted to go to this place.

What I Can Do Without for 2012

2011-12-20T15:20:00.005-05:00

In this modern age of Technology,what can you do without for 2012?

Here is my list

Shopping: I am no shopping freak.I can actually go without shopping for the rest of 2012 provided nobody ask me out to go to the mall.

Phone: Since we arrived in Canada, I rarely make phone calls.The only calls I receive in our house phone are telemarketers.

CellPhone: I have given up my Cellphone and so does my kids. The only person who has a wireless phone at home is hubby.

What about you? What can you do without?

I Love Sleeping in Marriot/The Ritz Hotels

2011-12-20T01:00:00.023-05:00

I have slept in several Marriot Hotels around the world and let me tell you, they have one of the best beds in terms of sleep quality.

The best qualities of a Marriot bed:
1) Firm and spacious mattress
2) Fluffy Pillows and extra pillows in each room.You can even choose if you want feather filled pillows which I love.
3) White ,clean sheets and extra beddings in each room

A Marriot Promise

For most of my travels I realized I have stayed in so many Marriot hotels all over the world.You could say I am an expert in knowing the difference between a typical Marriot/Ritz hotel bed compared to other hotel beds.The Ritz, Renaissance,Residence Inn ,Fairfield @Marriot and Courtyard Hotels are all part of the Marriot group of Hotels

I just love staying in Marriot.

Do click on the Marriot name(The Ritz, Renaissance,Residence Inn, Marriot, Courtyard,Fairfield ) to connect to my Tripadvisor review of the said hotel:

The Ritz Bali(Ayana Resort and Spa)Bali

Courtyard by Marriot Downtown Toronto

Renaissance Munich Hotel

Paris Marriot Rive Gauche

Courtyard by Marriot ,Beijing Downtown

Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon

Paris Marriot Charles De Gaulle Airport Hotel

Courtyard by Marriot,Fishkill New York

Marriot Grand Chateau Las Vegas

Marriot Residence Inn,Montreal

Residence Inn Carlsbad California

Courtyard by Marriot at Kamala Beach,Phuket,Thailand

Cebu Marriot Hotel,Cebu CIty,Philippines

Courtyard Montreal Airport

So tonight I am hoping I will get a good night sleep which I havent had for the last few weeks.

We are staying at Fairfield Suites again.
Fairfield Suites,Montreal Airport

Embarrasing Moment

2011-12-19T20:52:00.005-05:00

Yesterday,I saw my neighbor about to enter his car. As I peeped from my driveway ,I saw a creature inside his car. So I asked my neighbor whether they bought a dog for the kids. I asked him "Is that a dog inside your car?"

He just smiled and when he opened the door of the car, out jumped his daughter wearing this hoodie.

I was really embarrassed. I told him"Maybe I need a new pair of glasses".

Why oh why do they make hoodies like this???

What a Nice Complaint will Get you

2011-12-19T16:02:00.010-05:00

Hubby suddenly was asked to go to a client(again) in Montreal so he asked me if I wanted to tag along.

Although it was winter and temperatures were fluctuating from 0 to -6, I happily agreed since who wouldn't want to stay in a nice hotel room and luxuriate the whole day in the bath tub(without thinking of enormous water and heating bills) for free.

We have stayed in this hotel for 5 times since last year. So its just right that I complain (nicely) to the front desk about the noisy room they gave us two weeks ago when hubby and I stayed here.

and look at what we got.....an upgrade to a suite.

Here are some tips(from Celebrity Concierge) on How to Complain for Bad Service:
Proper Complaining (returning a bad meal at a restaurant or getting a bad room)

1. Keep your cool
Remember to show respect to the other party. It's not solely their fault you're disappointed. Imagine how you would want to be approached if you were in their shoes.

2. Educate. Don't berate
Lower your voice and let the other party know that there is something not quite right about the service or treatment you were given. Emphasize that you know this is not the norm and there must have been a mix-up . Ask for their help to fix the problem.

3. Know what you want
Have a fair solution in mind and ask for it.

In our case we didn't ask for a room upgrade but we were specific we wanted a room on a high floor fronting the airport and near the elevator. We told the clerk nicely that the last time we stayed in the hotel we can't sleep because of the loud noise near our room.

The front desk clerk was even apologetic that they cant give us a room fronting the airport view so instead she said she is upgrading us to a suite room instead of a standard room.

Not bad!

Useful and Creative Things to Do

2011-12-19T02:09:00.007-05:00

The Japanese can be credited for inventing or doing non sensical things. But kudos to people with creative minds for thinking about re inventing and re using things.

Use Egg cartons to store away christmas decorations(christmas balls in particular)

Another use for egg cartons and egg shells: use them to grow seedlings of plants

Putting a knitted patch as holder of your coffee mug(you can cut old sweaters and just sew this strip.

Use paper rolls to store Hair Bands: Keep all your elastic hair bands on-hand and in one place by wrapping them around a cardboard toilet paper tube.

Neatly Store Loose Cables With A DIY Toilet Paper Tube Organiser

Actually I've seen these in sari sari stores when I was younger...a bent nail used as bottle openers..although I've seen people opening bottles with their teeth, he he.

Use binder clips to keep electronic wires in order (above)

And for those of you (like me) who dont know how to fold fitted sheets...this maybe helpful

Having a Canadian Burger -Harveys

2011-12-19T00:39:00.005-05:00

We've discovered a new family favorite, Harveys.

Harveys is a Canadian brand of burgers. The burger patties are the best compared to McDonalds(no comparison),Wendys and Burger King.The taste is more like barbecued burgers and the patties are thicker.

The burgers are also cooked to order which means its cooked fresh not like other burger joints that they pre cook the patties which means that the patties might already be cold when served.

The good thing with Harveys is that you are given a choice of fillings(lettuce,tomatos,onions,pickles) and even the sauces. They serve burgers like they do in Subway and Quiznos.

This burger reminds me of Tropical Hut burgers in the 70s which were larger and not oily. Yummy!

My Sorority Sisters

2011-12-18T14:25:00.003-05:00

Its nice to have friends way back in College getting together to reminisce about university life and sorority life in particular.

The benefits of getting involved in a sorority can be particularly significant at a big school like UP since it's an easier way to make friends . When it comes time to select a major or if you have questions about college life, you have a built-in resource of older sisters you can go to for advice or mentoring.

From my sorority sisters I have learned the value of interaction,social responsibility (when we join rallies and charitable events) and most of all life long friendships beyond university life.

Long after graduation, my sorority sisters at UP Alpha Delta Sorority always get together during special occasions like Christmas.

To my sorority sisters, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Visiting Toronto's Christmas Market

2011-12-17T22:39:00.006-05:00

We went on a Saturday to the Toronto Christmas Market and I was so pleasantly surprised!!

Twinkly lights everywhere, smell of BBQ sausages cooking, people walking hand in hand, a huge and beautiful Christmas Tree and Ferris Wheel all in the middle of the Distillery District.

On the Saturday night it was quite packed with people. A slow stroll is the most we could do through the crowds.

There are little heaters in some areas so if you get too chilly, you can crowd near one and warm up your hands and face. There was also several areas that had fire pits going. The warm glow and fireplace smell is the best. I loved it.

There are also a lot of stalls selling sausages, coffee, different bagles, sweets and crafts. All the museums and restaurants in the Distillery District was packed to the rafters.

There was live entertainment, carollers and performances all to spread yuletide cheer to the crowd.

This is one event that is worth a visit in December if you are in Toronto. It runs from December 2-18,2011.

Free Photos from Shutterfly

2011-12-16T22:07:00.005-05:00

Today I got another gift from Santa Claus, ho ho ho!.

No, I'm just kidding, I got my FREE 80 pieces of photos from Shutterfly as FREE for making my first order (the Free Photo Book) from Trip Advisor. I just paid $2.4 for shipping charges since these prints were made in the US.

Their printing is very good. I guess KODAK is going to be non existent after a few more years. A lot of companies are doing cheap photo , book and calendar publishing .

Our Travel Book

2011-12-15T19:40:00.006-05:00

Finally got my free gift from Trip Advisor.

Here are the pages from the Book.

Making it was as easy as ABC.

The nice thing with this kind of product is that you can make these books for weddings, anniversary, reunions and even make your own cook book. All you need is to take photos and use them to make you own photo book .

This is certainly a wonderful gift for your family and friends.

2011-12-14T01:00:00.002-05:00

Pretty much speaks for itself

Why Go For Fresh Christmas Trees?

2011-12-13T14:20:00.011-05:00

The last time I recall having a fresh Christmas Tree was when I was still in elementary school.
I remember having fun taking out the pine branches before they fall off. It reminds me of my childhood when the joy of Christmas comes with the tree, the carolling and the food during noche buena.

There was never a year in our house that we had no Christmas tree. For my family, putting up the Christmas tree was a sign that the Christmas season was near. And for the Philippines which celebrates Christmas from November till early January that is quite a long Yuletide season.

This year, we have decided to have a real Christmas tree.

What is the most important reason for buying a Christmas Tree versus a faux tree?

1) The smell itself would remind you of Christmases of past and present. Your children would always remember the distinct smell of a real Christmas tree.

2) This second reason is what the association of Christmas Tree growers forwards:
Christmas tree farms stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts. Often, Christmas trees are grown on soils that could not support other crops.

A benefit to the atmosphere, real Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases, emitting fresh oxygen. This helps prevent the earth-warming "greenhouse effect". One acre of Christmas trees produces the daily oxygen requirement for 18 people.

Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and metals.

3) My most important reason: They look and smell Nicer

So how is my Fraser Christmas tree holding up?

Except for a few needles dropping off, the tree still looks fresh. It has been almost two weeks since we put it up.Fraser Trees has been voted as the number one Christmas tree of choice because of its dark green needles, excellent needle retention along with a nice scent.

Here is a tip on decorating a christmas tree

One reminder:Always remember to water your tree. I put water in my trees water vessel every other day.

A Telephone Directory Christmas Tree

2011-12-13T13:23:00.008-05:00

I was doing an early spring cleaning when I was ready to toss out our telephone directory.Who ever uses telephone directories now adays. What a waste of paper.

Then today I was inspired by upcycling projects on Cityline on TV and decided to make a Christmas Tree from my phone directory.

The project is very easy.

It took me about an hour while watching TV to fold the pages of the directory.

After I finished I clipped the pages together to make it into a christmas tree.

After that I sprayed it with gold spray. Make sure you spray outside or in a well ventilated area. Since the weather today was a cool 6C I decided to spray it outside.

Make sure you spray enough area space to make the colour stand out. I chose a gold colour from a left over spray can I used in my cabinet hinges project.

This is the fully sprayed directory tree.Let it dry first before moving it.

Advance Yuletide Greetings to Everyone

2011-12-12T21:58:00.002-05:00

Anticipating Christmas

2011-12-11T12:35:00.006-05:00

There is good news for us warm blooded immigrants from Asia.This year Environment Canada forecasted that there will be little to maybe none of that white stuff (snow)coming. Yehey!

So where are we headed for this yuletide season????

After Christmas day with my family, we are off to Boxing Day shopping in the mall with my sister Bambi. Boxing Day is on December 26. Hopefully we can snag some of the bargains that we werent able to get during the Black Friday Sale in the US.

and on the 28th ,we are off to Niagara and maybe the kids can have fun at Clifton Hills

My Favorite Personal Blogs

2011-12-09T14:17:00.010-05:00

As a gift to those whoever read my blog(aside from my husband and very few cousins), I would like to show you my daily blog reads.

From these blogs I have picked up some chismis(gossips) from Manila which somehow keeps me sane and makes me feel that I am still back home although right now I am facing a window where I can see snow flurries(instead of sunshine) streaming through my window pane.(its like a lyric from a song, he he)

Anyway, here goes.

Click on the celebrity name to open the blog.

PATTY LAUREL is a TV personality which I got acquainted with online only a year ago.

Patty is also a Pre School teacher who loves to travel and that her objective is to visit as many countries as she ages. She is now 28 and she has so far visited 29 countries.

RAJO LAUREL is a well known fashion designer. I love his travel, fashion and lifestyle stories.

You will enjoy how he presents his stories with beautiful photos capturing beautiful aspects of his dress designs.He has a lot of celebrity clients who showcases his dress creations.

DAPHNE OSENA PAEZ is another TV personality who has her own home furnishing line.She designs bed linens, chairs and intricate jewelry. From her blog, I see nice houses since she also has a TV show that deals with home design.

Chuvaness , the blog of Cecile Van Straten is a fashion stylist, newspaper columnist and entrepreneur who owns the Pepper Lunch franchise in the Philippines. I love her feature on celebrity gossips,new design trends and fashion events. I usually pick up gossips of famous celebrities in Manila from her.

Reading these blogs will keep you pretty occupied in half a day so be sure you do your house work and cooking first. Enjoy!

Food Glorious Food!

2011-12-09T12:00:00.011-05:00

This is the TV Commercial that made hubbys mouth water.

You can't blame hubby to insist that we have lunch last Sunday at Red Lobster.

So even if it was raining, we had to go to the Queens Street Red Lobster restaurant to finally satisfy his craving for Lobster.

For someone who had tasted Singapore Seafood specially the grilled stingray with thick sambal sauce or chinchalok dipping sauce, I wasn't impressed.

I ordered Haddock and chips,which is basically Fish and Chips.

Niles had New England Lobster Rolls served with Potato Chips

Hubby had Fire-Grilled Peppercorn Sirloin and Shrimp which he raved about

and Nygel had Admirals Feast(seafood platter that had lightly breaded shrimp, bay scallops, clam strips and haddock fried to a golden brown)

If I had a choice I would gladly have the Stingray and thick sambal sauce. anytime.Yummy!

I think I need to save up for that trip to Singapore.Shiok!

My Rating of Red Lobster : 3 out of 5

Thrifting Whole Year Round

2011-12-08T20:00:00.002-05:00

This year I have decorated my family room with a real Christmas tree. But the thing that I am most proud of is that I was able to furnish my home with things from garage sale around my neighborhood.

I am also trying out new ways of decorating. Sometimes it might be crazy but my two boys haven't even commented on my use of pillow cases as seat covers

I realize that sometimes when I go to garage sale and they give away things that I dont think I could use , somehow these things become handy during Christmas. Just like the table napkins and red napkin holders which I all got free during my garage saling.

So my New Years resolution is to continue with my Garage Saling and hopefully hold my own garage sale next year to replace the current things that I have.

Countdown to Christmas

2011-12-08T16:13:00.007-05:00

Its December 9 which means 15 more days to go before Christmas.

I am already excited with the Christmas dinner and our family get together with my sisters family and my cousins.

Let me share with you some images of our Christmas at home this year

This is our faux tree

and this is our "real" Fraser Christmas Tree which we purchased in Montreal

Jingle,jingle all the way to the 25th!!!

Pasko Na Naman!

2011-12-07T19:16:00.007-05:00

Its like I am back home in Manila when I see my neighborhood all lit up in Christmas lights.

Even if electric and gas bills are going up, nobody (in my neighborhood) would scrimp on their Christmas decors.

Eighteen more days to go. Advance Christmas greetings to all!

My Christmas Gift

2011-12-06T12:00:00.003-05:00

Thanks Trip Advisor and

Shutterfly.com

I am expecting the delivery of my photobook of memories.

My opportunity to have my own photo book of travel memories came from a gift of Tripadvisor for being one of their top contributors.

This is how my photobook would look like

The front page

The back cover

one of the inside pages

I'm already excited for the delivery of my gift!

Finally its Winter

2011-12-06T09:09:00.008-05:00

Winter is not winter without the snow. This year the snow came a bit late in the Greater Toronto area.

Snow that didnt melt came pouring in late last night. My kids are not excited anymore since they know they will be walking to school in the wet slippery sidewalk .

But for me Snow means its now really winter.

We will definitely have a white Christmas this year. Thanks God!

Now I have to flex my muscles for the shovelling, he he!

Our Very First Real Canadian Tree

2011-12-04T15:45:00.011-05:00

Sometimes you whisper things to God and he listens. But this is too much. I was really hoping to have a real honest to goodness Christmas tree this year but didn't have the nerve to ask hubby for one since I know its going to be a bit pricey but somehow by a twist of fate my tree was given to me.

This is how I got my Fraser Christmas tree.

Last Wednesday hubby had to go for an urgent business trip to Montreal and as usual he brought me along. After he finished his job we went to Atwater market in Montreal to buy dinner but Lo and Behold, the first sight we saw was rows and rows of freshly cut Christmas trees.

When hubby saw the trees, he just said " Go and choose your tree". Its really a wish come true!

Here is me choosing "my Tree"

and hubby looking at how our tree was bundled up for transport

When we reached home, my two boys helped hubby untie "my tree" and put into the stand.

We bought some ornaments and lights .I was so excited to see how it would light up my family room at night.

And this is how "my tree"looks now.

I found this video on how to pick and take care of a real Christmas tree.

My Favorite Design Websites

2011-12-01T07:56:00.009-05:00

I am a frustrated Interior Designer cum Architect. When I was young, I thought I would be taking Architecture as my course in University and become an Architect like my father.

However,this dream was not fulfilled thus my ambition to be a "trying hard" interior designer. My practice is only confined to my house nowadays and to surfing my favorite design blogs. Here are my daily reads for inspiration.

Decor8blog.com

Apartment Therapy

Design Sponge

Centsational Girl

Its Christmas Time Again

2011-11-26T11:06:00.006-05:00

I know Christmas is coming when my Pinoy neighbor starts decorating his house with christmas lights and this year, he was the first one in our neighborhood to turn on the yuletide lights.

Fearing to be left out from the neighborhood enthusiasm for the yuletide season, I also did my own decorating with remnants of last year's decor.

My front door with the usual wreath I picked up from a garage sale last summer
This year I decided to wrap around some green garlands on the stair handles since I have lots of them.

I haven't put up most of the lightings in my balcony.

and I haven't even put up my christmas tree yet. I am still thinking about the ornaments to go with it.

Anyway, it's still November, which means theres still a month to go before Christmas.