take your shoes off

Steak is a top choice among people who want to experience fine dinning. A slab of juicy, pinkish (and most times bloody) meat is good to pair with wine, potatoes, but just as good on its own. 

I am not much of a steak fan to be honest. My interest in steak had to be in the form of being squeamish with the sight of blood. Whenever I eat out and had to order steak, I would always go for a well-done steak.

A couple of months ago, I've worked for an event which introduced me to Australian red meat. My knowledge on this depended much on taste test on different red meat dishes. But in the course of working, where I learned how healthy it is to eat beef (Australian meat to be particular), I became a steak lover. 

Here are a few tips on cooking steak for newbies alike: 

Don't drain away blood. Blood is the juice of your meat. 

If you want medium steak, you are aiming for a pink color. Well done steak would mean harder, light brown meat. 

Salt and pepper could suffice. Pan sear the meat seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Of course, it's always a matter of exploring and giving into your heart's preferences when it comes to food. We just have to keep in mind that good food means healthy food. 

Weekends are an excuse and a right to have fun, eat-out and spend time with people that matter. 

What could liven up a good weekend? Gather people, make great food and put in good music.

A month ago, we threw a front yard party featuring our knockout gourmet bacon burgers – BBQ Bacon and Aioli Bacon, for invited friends and family.

More than the usual food trip, the event evinced a quaint but fun weekend for some friends.Our pop-up bistro’s after a relaxed ambiance that could initiate conversations and create moments.

It’s unfortunate though, we weren’t able to document and take as much photos as we can, so here’s all I could show:

The good thing with food DIY (especially with salad) is that you have the freedom to put whatever you want in your plate (that means, no leftovers).

For my next salad venture, I teamed up with a friend to craft two salads, incorporating as much green as possible. I’m not much of a salad expert, and to be honest, choosing the right ingredients were primarily based on what my palette’s been craving. However, we mixed Mediterranean and Greek style for these two creations and the turn out is a hit at home. I even brought some to office the next day.

We want greens in our salad but with a splash of color. At the same time, we want it to have a hint of sweet and tangy tastes.  My friend’s salad is a combination of lettuce, orange, corn, watermelon and grapes seasoned with cranberry jus.

Mine is a medley of less but same ingredients. I tossed some lettuce, tomatoes, diced cream cheese, and grapes together. However, I want to give it more of the Greek touch so I added a spoonful of yogurt and cranberry jus.

You can opt to use a dressing of your choice. For both salads, we used the vinaigrette my friend crafted. The Cranberry Jus vinaigrette is a winner. I kept some in bottles and saved for other salad creations.

Reaching Kuala Lumpur’s Batu Caves is a great way to exercise and burn all the calories we had from Malaysia's finest foods. Batu Caves consist of limestone caves that contain Hindu temples and shrine, and have a series of long stairways. To get there, you can ride a car, take a cab, ride the Monorail from KL Sental, or take a bus at Titiwangsa Station. You’ll know you’re on the right track when you see gigantic Hindu gods' statues at the gate and at the foot of the staircase. 

I wasn’t able to count, but Wiki says there are 272 steps to go all the way up the Hindu shrine. More than it being a view, it’s an experience of Malaysia and its Hinduism faith. Although a tourist spot, Batu Caves remain a solemn place for meditation and praise. It even serves as a pilgrimage site for Hindus' yearly festival.

In the middle of our climb, monkeys came blocking the way. Some tourists gathered around to watch and feed. Be cautious though, as they might grab any food or stuff you are carrying. You wouldn't want your camera remote controllers or camera accessories taken from you, so better keep them first. A hefty number of birds were around too.  My mom and Elise decided to just stay and wait for us. Elise had fun watching and running around the place. 

Elise wanting to walk around and to chase birds

Exhausting for our legs as it may seem, it was both fun and amazing to experience the long climb, and to witness how it's like for a religion different as mine. 

What I like most about Malaysia is that Indians, Muslims, Chinese and Malays can ride the train altogether and not create a fuss about it. Malaysia holds a mélange of cultures and beliefs, yet people have room for respect to what makes each race unique.

Our trip to Kuala Lumpur is extra special as it was the post-birthday celebration of my mom, and it’s Elise’ first trip out of the country. Our four-day trip involved on-the-day planning and tiresome walks because we have a baby with us.

It’s both fun and challenging to discover ways on how to get to your destination without the help of a tour guide. From airport, we took the KLIA Ekspres that took us more or less thirty minutes to KL Sentral, hub of all train lines in Kuala Lumpur.  From there we rented a car to take us to Titiwangsa where our condo is. 

KL Sentral ceiling details which looks like a dreamcatcher

train stories at KLIA Ekspres train

On our second day after we went to Genting Highlands, we visited Bukit Bintang and went to Jalan Alor. You could take a cab or ride the train to get there and to leave the place. Jalan Alor is a long stretch of busy street offering Malaysian street food and delicacies. It was my favorite part of the trip honestly. Nothing beats going into a non-urban street and try local food. What you may see as something smoked-filled and noisy is actually a food heaven. Locals, tourists of every nation and even cars keep the street busy and crowded. But it makes it the street more fun and alive. 

We tried Restoran Yan for lack of time to visit more stalls. The place didn’t fail me. Their satay, mee goreng and tea tarik are just superb. It’s just the right blend of spicy and sweet. 

You know you're in Jalan Alor when you see these lanterns

Chicken Satay that comes with peanut sauce

Oh, the place is ideal for kids too. They have highchairs available and smoke from their grill is far from their tables. We would’ve stayed longer if we are not tired and if we still have time. 

Elise is feeling comfy in her high chair

My mom and sister enjoying every bite

You can find almost everything in Jalan Alor. There are a few stalls for souvenirs you can take home. We make it a point to buy ref magnets of every place we've been to. It's like a map of all the places we've visited. 

I've been having a deep craving for salad recently. Blame it to missing greek salads, but I hanker for greens. So I decided to make my own from ingredients I found in our kitchen. You can do this too. This would be great for those who still want to trim some inches down their waists (count me there). 

I didn't have lettuce available, so in frustration for greens, I settled for cabbage. You could choose to have it shredded or not. Some opt for shredded cabbage, but here I kept it as is. I added some diced cream cheese, mango bits, and tomatoes. You've got sour and sweet tastes combined here. 

As for the dressing, I used mayonnaise and added some lemon extract and sugar. You wouldn't want to put too much or your salad will be soggy. The goal here is to mix all the ingredients together and not soak them with dressing or you'll lose the crunchiness of the cabbage. 

The storm that passed broke the hearts, spirits and souls of many Filipinos. Realizations, regrets and frustrations overflow. Nevertheless, the ‘what-we-could-have-done’ thoughts are present - playing in and haunting our minds continuously. Despite days of advise from the government, from PAGASA, from our family and friends, things happen, whether we like it or not. Whether we expect it or not. And there could never be enough room and preparation when calamity comes.

But it happens.

And when it does, when questions arise as to where we could start and how could we pick up pieces and rebuild the broken fragments of our homes – the destructed mass of earth, steel and wood, we all look at the painful junk art the typhoon has created from sea, mud and chaos. Everything is a total wreck.

The typhoon obliterated not just our lands, but our hearts, wherever we are. Our hearts bleed. People lost their loved ones tragically. My heartache could never compare to those who lost more than their homes and properties.

People, including our own, may find ways to bring Filipinos down. Yes, we are poor. We lack rescuing equipment; we failed to construct enough and adequate relief and evacuation centers. Victims desperate for help and comfort resort to looting and thievery. We have people to blame and persons to point. But nonetheless, we can never go back.  We can only move forward.

But I trust the Filipino spirit. I believe in the now famous “where I’m from everyone’s a hero” statement. I trust in the Filipino spirit, - to the Filipinos who survived three foreign supremacies four centuries ago. Though many a cynic with imperial corruption, though others might try to horde and take what’s not theirs, I trust in the Filipino spirit.