Stuff I've Learned

Lest you think I have resting on my laurels for the last six months, I thought I'd provide a list of things I've learned since my last blog post to prove that this time off was not for....naught.  So, without further ado, stuff I've learned since disappearing from the blogger world (most of which, has absolutely nothing to do with blogging): 

1. Never over trust a fart. 

     a. Sub rule: You should work really hard to only fart once in yoga class. 

 --If the sub rule seems unnecessary, you have clearly not been in a recent yoga class at the studio I have been going to.  I am a firm believer that ...er...mistakes happen and once in a while, especially in those standing separate leg stretches, you just feel relaxed.  It's inevitable that things will slip out.  What I don't understand is the multi-farter.  Were it me, I'd tamp that shit down after the first whoof.  If they are loud, multiple and Buddha forbid, stinky -- I think perhaps it's time to call it quits.

2. A motorized bicycle is a perfectly suitable method to transport balloons.  It does not in any way impede the traffic flow or cause hazards to you or other drivers.  Nope - does not....will not. 


 3. If you own a bus in Manila, you are required to pee on the front tire.  In the middle of the day.  In traffic. 

     a. Sub rule:  You may also be required to urinate in the car wash stall of a private condo garage because, duh, the actuall WC you could use is at least three floors away and the chances of you making it there before you piddle yourself....well...by all means, don't risk it.  Pee three feet away from my parking spot.  Why not?!
     --I will never understand the lack of pee pee control here.  I can't help but think of the countless times my parents uttered the words, "You should have gone before we left."  Does that never occur to these folks?  I mean, I get it...traffic here can be horrendous and you drive for a living but surely SURELY there's some way to plan effectively enough where you are not forced to pee in full view of motorists at the corner of Makati Ave and Ayala. 

4. There is absolutely no way to explain to someone who doesn't live in Manila why it is so frustrating.  

     --We have tried to narrow the explanation down in to one or two little pithy phrases, "It's the land of not quite right," or "It's the little city that could...but didn't".  I have learned that we are in a privileged and exclusive club.  You're probably not in the club and that's ok -- keep trying...you never know.  There is nothing quite so fulfilling as complaining about Manila with someone else who lives in Manila. To become a member of this club, several things must occur in your life.  You must spend 3+ consecutive days in traffic for no less than two hours each way.  You must have gotten in at least two wrecks where the vehicles involved were not going over 3 miles per hour.  The thought must have occurred to you that, with half a tank of gas and 3 miles to travel, you probably should have gotten gas.  Why?  (see traffic requirement above)  And that's just life in your car.  There are approximately 725 additional pre-requisites for membership.  We are really really selective. 
  
5.  If you aren't an anti-social person, you might become one in Manila.  

     --I gotta say, if you don't live in my building, it's gonna be real real hard for us to be friends because it'll be a trash free day in Burgos before I leave the comfort of my apartment to get back out on the streets just to have drinks with a friend or see a movie.  If you have been lucky enough to score my time outside of the general Salcedo area, you...my dear....have broken through.  Congratulations!  And if you're the one who has left your neighborhood to come visit me, well...I am truly honored. 

6.  One working elevator in a building with 36 floors and 4 condos on each floor is probably not going to go well.  

     --Don't even get me started on what would happen if there were a true emergency on the 32nd floor.

7.  Paris fixes everything. 

     --Frustrated by the complete lack of selection and general frustration brought on by shopping in Manila?  Just apply one super sweet husband and the city of lights and, magically, you're cured.  Christmas in Paris 2014 -- best.idea.ever. 
 





8.  The beach (and other Philippines getaways) acts as the same sort of mental health medicine. 

     --It is true what they say, you will like the Philippines much more if you don't allow Manila to be your only window to its soul.  We are making dedicated efforts to get out of town these days.  Failing that, I also enjoy staycations in my apartment -- putzing around in my art room, playing with Cassie, going to Yoga etc.  The point is, wherever you are, you must pretend as if you're NOT in Manila.  And...go...

9.  Yoga is my new best friend.  Shout out to Yoga+ Makati!!  

     --They are not preachy or bitchy or snobby.  Their classes range from relaxing to really challenging and they are less than a block from my front door.  Sold!  'Me time' is almost never better spent than at this Yoga studio.  
Yoga+ Philippines

10.  Salcedo Saturday Market is STILL the best thing about living here. 

     --Returning from Paris meant I was back in the mood to cook which could have also meant that I was mere seconds away from a deep depression.  The grocery shopping has gotten better here but you still can't find everything you need.  This weekend though, I was able to find fresh sage, rosemary, ground cloves, and....the creme de la creme???  Fresh Fennel!  Last night I made Italian Wedding Soup.  Tonight, sweet potato and cauliflower fritters.  Thank you Salcedo Saturday Market...thank you!

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens; Photo credit from BHG.com

 
11. BONUS:  Life is an adventure and no matter what happens, you just gotta keep living it.  Be grateful for what you have.  Rant about the things that bother you to the people who will forgive your ranting.  Find joy in the little things.  Adapt.  Overcome.  Thank the stardust super being, yourself, or whatever you believe in that you are still on this side of the top soil.  It's all one big circus and I don't know about you but I'm happy to be one of its acrobats/clowns/ring leaders/monkeys.  :) 

Did I mention it's the LITTLE things that make life so wonderful?

Of COURSE I did.  It's what this blog is all about after all.  Simple pleasures.  Life's little gifts.  Things that make me/you/us smile, laugh, snicker, ponder, wonder, cry, shout, question and just generally appreciate the seemingly diminutive moments and things that make every day worth living. 

So the subject of today's little thing?  Arugula.  

You heard  me right Arugula is the source of my joy today.  Wanna know why?  (Here's another thing that's great about blogs.  You can answer the question above any way you see fit but no matter what you say or think, I'm gonna keep right on typing.  So it's a win/win.  Navigate away or keep reading....we all get what we want.)  

Oh lord - I can tell digression is going to be central to this posting.  It's been WAAAAY to long.  So here's why Arugula keeps making me grin.....

My sister and I (and any number of other family members who shall remain nameless) were recently thrust into a very emotionally tumultuous event.  While tugging on each other's bootstraps in the midst of a number of melt downs and frustrating moments, my sister and I shared not one...but several moments of bliss centered around a humble little edible plant -- arugula -- also known as eruca sativa, rocket plant, rucola, and  rocquette. 

Let me back up just a bit so that I can confess a total lack of knowledge regarding the vast variety of leafy bits that make up our salads.  I eat A LOT of salads and generally speaking, before now, I could really only point out a couple them by name: iceberg, romaine, cabbage, etc.  Every Saturday I go to the market across the street from our condo.  One particular Saturday not too long ago, I picked up some very large leafed (is that even a word?) arugula.  I felt confident I had arugula prior and it looked innocent enough -- but really, who puts a taste value on leaves?  I mean, don't we all judge a good salad by the OTHER things on the salad?  Nuts, chicken, dressing, raisins, eggs, etc?  Well, no more my friends!  Because now I know the greatness of arugula and have started what seems to be a cult....of two.  

I enjoyed my salads so much the week after I picked up the arugula at the market (oh, btw, try arugula in a rice wrap....AH-MAZING!), that when my sister and I were shopping for some groceries for our mom, we bought a HUGE case of baby arugula.  That afternoon, my God-fearing sister became a worshiper of a new God....the God of lettuce everywhere.....ERUCA SATIVA (or to us simpletons...arugula).  Yes, I've gone off the deep end and no, I don't mind if you come with or visit occasionally.   I tell you what though -- I think my sister was way ahead of me in the "gone off the reservation department"....talking about eating it by itself as a snack...and how fabulously nutty it is.  I think she told her poor daughter no less than 17 times how great arugula is and how central to her life it had become in just a few short days.  Preach on sister! My niece? NOT impressed with our new found devotion to the leaf.  We will have to work on specific initiation rituals before she is allowed into our cult.  Perhaps arugula-laced banana shakes???

For my sis' benefit and anyone else who gives a whooey, here are some wunnerful qualities of arugula.  One point of contention though, the below article describes the taste as peppery but I'm with sis on this one....nutty...through and through.

Health Benefits of Arugula

And if you really want to annoy people with your expansive eruca sativa knowledge, take a looky loo at this: 

the language chef - arugula

2 Wriggly worms, 1 suckly slug, and a partridge in a pear treeeeeeee

Another reason I will always miss America?

Let me hear you say, "I heart pesticides!"  You would if you saw little creepy crawlers while you were innocently cleaning your veggies from the market.  I know it's natural and all (they live in the dirt...helloooo!) but I had a series of ick/shudder/heeby jeebs moments while cleaning my Saturday  morning market finds.

And this is why I will always wash my produce thoroughly.  Don't go thinking grocery stores are any better.  I've seen what appeared to be maggots on perfectly good bell peppers at a store that will remain unnamed but rhymes with Shandmark.

And yes, those are gloves I'm wearing.  I always wear them when cleaning (food or otherwise) and I couldn't have been more relieved to have them on this fine Saturday.

One Pot Chicken and Vegetables - so easy, it's a little embarrassing

(Original recipe can be found at The Daily Dish.)

This is how mine turned out (and it was fabulous if I do say so):

I made some minor tweaks to the recipe for personal taste and based on what we had on hand.  You don't have to have a Le Creuset but using a dutch oven is what makes this such an easy recipe.  Being able to move the pot from stovetop to oven is a huge time saver!  My changes are in blue.

1 c. flour - I don't think you need near this much.  I used less than 1/2 c.
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces I had 2 large carrots ....tomAYto/toMAHto
Turkish Bay Leaves (4-5 medium sized)
6 small potatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size) - I used two medium potatoes sliced into about 1 inch pieces
1 T. Herbes de Provence - I am meh on buying Herbes de Provence since most of us have the contents in our pantries.  I used thyme, oregano, basil, and marjoram. You can find Emeril's recipe for Herbes de Provence here.
1/2 t. dried rosemary, crushed in hand Omitted (didn't have in pantry)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

The directions can be found on the original recipe site.  I didn't really change a whole lot in that regard.  I put the Turkish Bay leaves on top before baking.  Used my 4.5 quart Le Creuset Doufeu which is basically a dutch oven with a top that fits a few pieces of ice (putting the ice on top while baking supposedly keeps the meat more tender while cooking).  The potatoes weren't quite done at 30 min so I let the oven go the full 45 min.  Chicken and veggies turned out perfectly. Z liked this recipe a lot so I'll be using it again - he's my biggest fan and harshest critic so I tend to listen when he says anything about my food.  Ugh - that's sorta hard to admit now that I think about it.  Anyway, you should give this a try.  It was an easy and savory meal that didn't require a separate side item.

Unusual Fruit Tuesday - Bitter Gourd

First of all, I want apologize to a fellow blogger for stealing her idea but honestly, even though she has written countless reviews of unusual fruits in her "weird fruit diaries" - I thought for sure she would have steered clear of this one.  For one, it's not really what you'd think of as a fruit in the first place and secondly, she has kids and there's NO WAY they would try this.  Buuuuut, I was wrong....at least partially.  I am still pretty sure her kids didn't try this but I also don't think think she was aware that it's technically a fruit.  Needless to say, I didn't find it when I searched "weird fruit diaries" and "bitter gourd" so I thought I was safe. 

And now my justification for continuing with this post?  It IS a fruit and I cooked it differently so hopefully this won't count as outright theft.  If you want to check out her take on the bitter gourd, please do!  She even came up with a catchier title-- the bitter truth

I picked up my bitter gourd from the market across the street and when I asked how bitter it was, the lady said, "Not really bitter."  She's a liar.  It's bitter...supah bitter. 

There she is - in all her bitter splendor. 

The inside is a weird spongy mess.  Scoop all that out!

Ready for a fun fact?  When the fruit gets real real ripe, it looks like this:

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!?!  I am not sure I would have carried on with this experiment had I seen that ahead of time.  It looks like something from a fruity horror flick. 

In addition to scooping the spongy goop out, the key to reducing bitterness is slicing the gourd super thin.

Ok - so...admittedly, taco seasoning is not what most would consider a "go to" item when cooking bitter gourd but this was before our HHE (and pantry contents) arrived so it was the best I could do.

And the really real for real key to reducing bitterness?  Adding Rice Vinegar.  Some would consider this cheating and it would certainly change the flavor of whatever you're cooking WITH the bitter gourd but there is no way I would find this a pleasing experience without it.  So, I doused and then soaked my chopped gourd (does that sound dirty to anyone else?) for about 15 minutes.

I had some shredded pork, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and onions leftover from an earlier concoction so I just threw it all together.  The result?  I can honestly say it wasn't bad.  I had husbear try a bite and he said it basically tasted like a pickle.  So....I guess it could have been worse.  I realize it doesn't look appetizing and you probably shouldn't have to work so hard to make something taste....edible - but I guess that's what makes discovering new things fun eh?

And for the grand finale?  People are so wackadoodle that they've made a drink out of this phallic disaster.  Oh dear...I think this post has turned ugly. 

(Nasty horror shot and bittermelonman photos courtesy of every blogger's friend, Wikipedia;  Everything else by yours truly.)

Sala Restaurant - European Fine Dining in Makati

Hubs and I were looking for a nice place to celebrate our anniversary in Manila and after reading several reviews, I chose Sala Restaurant -- billed as fine dining a la Europe.  To be honest, after a couple of weeks eating at restaurants where the phrase "too much salt" clearly isn't part of the vernacular, we were just looking for something....normal.  We got that (and more) at Sala.  I wouldn't say I was bowled over by the meals themselves but the dessert - best I've had in a looooong time.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's go back to first impressions. 

Sala is small.  Super small.  Quaint might be a good word.  It's literally a "room" which makes sense given I think that's what "Sala" translates to - at least partially.  There's nothing offputting about the size, don't get me wrong.  We were just surprised.  The restaurant is located off of a VERY busy and cacophonous road but once you're inside, there's not a hint of the hustle and bustle of the world outside.  As many people have said before, Sala would be a great place for a business dinner or (as in our case) a romantic dinner.  

The staff were friendly but not oppressive, as can often be the case in Manila.  Sometimes too much is just too much ya know?  The drinks came quickly and were strong which is always a good thing when you know you're going to pay a little bit more.  

I was trying to be a good little blogger by writing down the descriptions of all of the food but, sadly, I left my little notebook behind and never went back to pick it up.  Long story short, the following is either from memory or from their online menu (which isn't that accurate because their menu is changing all the time).  Anyhoo...here's the little complimentary appetizer the brought us which I'm sure I'll do NO JUSTICE by describing it as a sweet tomato and goat cheese toast thingamajig: 

Our appetizers were fantastic although, again, I forget the lovely descriptions the restaurant used.  Mine was a creamy scallop soup and Z had a meat and cheese plate (I am sorry Sala - truly sorry.  I never said I was a professionally foodie ok?  Stop judging! Ok .... I'm better now.)

I had truffled white risotto with Jerusalem artichokes, sweet shrimp, and blue swimmer crab topped with a crisp tiger prawn.  It did not suck.   Though a fairly small dish, the risotto made it hearty and I finished and was neither stuffed nor hungry - perfectly prepared for dessert :).

Hubs ordered roast sea bass fillet with sweet shrimp, fennel, tomato, saffron and spinach orzo.  He thought it was great but I found it a bit fishy for my taste.  Then again, I'm one of those people who likes her fish to taste either like cocktail sauce or wasabi so maybe I'm not the best judge. 

And now for my favorite part and I'll go ahead and say I'm a bit biased here because I LOVE rhubarb.  I don't know many people who have even had rhubarb outside of my family but my mom used to make this wonderful rhubarb cake.  I'd ask for it all the time but rhubarb can be hard to find in the states.  I've NEVER seen it on a dessert menu but Sala had a dessert called "All About Rhubard" and all I can say is ....I think it changed my life.  It was SO SO SO good.  I'm not a huge dessert person both for health and just a general preference for salt vs. sweet but this was spectacular.  It was a rhubarb flavored crème brûlée, rhubarb sorbet and a warm pecan rhubarb crumble - that last one was like a mini-cobbler and it was so good, I almost wept. 

And here we are .... on our way to fat and happy

Tamarind - looks like poo, tastes delicious!

Careful now, you might actually learn something if you read the following but don't worry, I promise to add some mind numbing commentary that I probably think is hilarious and makes you think I'm just plain weird. 

As I've mentioned before, one of the greatest things about living in the Philippines is direct access to all of the exotic fruits and vegetables.  With a market right outside our building every Saturday, I literally have no excuse not to try everything.  Now, admittedly, I did not acquire this particular batch of fruit at a market and this is technically my second box (it's THAT good) but I haven't had Internet for a week....so sue me.  

TAMARIND is a pod-like fruit that grows on a tree native to tropical Africa.  The name "tamarind" comes from tamar hindi or "Indian date" which is fitting since the tamarind tastes a bit like a sweet and sour date. 

Full grown Tamarind tree:

Photo Attribution

And here are the pods still attached to the tree: 

Photo Attribution

Now you are starting to understand the poo reference, no?


Most of us have had tamarind without even knowing it....ever eat Worcestershire sauce?  Tamarind is one of the main ingredients.  Who knew?!  It's also used in all kinds of seasonings (especially in Southeast Asia), chutneys, curries, etc.  In the Yin/Yang philosophy that is applied to many Asian dishes, the tamarind would be considered a "Yin" food because of its slightly acidic yet cooling qualities. 

Though it has some of the highest sugar content of any fruit, it also has some pretty substantial health benefits.  It's high(ish) in dietary fiber and has a significant amount of tartaric acid - which is apparently a very powerful antioxidant (and no, I didn't know any of this prior to 5 minutes ago, wikipedia, and a google search).  Tamarind is also a good source of iron, calcium, and thiamine.  It is used as a mild laxative, a digestive and as a remedy for bile disorders (ew!). 

If you like dates, I think you'll like the tamarind.  You kinda never know what you're going to get until you crack open the shell.  Sometimes, they are very sweet (more mature) and sometimes, super sour (younguns).  If they're dry, don't eat them.  Also, if they're covered in dead maggots (don't ask), I might shy away.  I like them in the shell because eating them is more like an activity.  If you're a fan of peanuts in the shell or peel and eat shrimp, you know what I mean.  Eating a tamarind isn't just good because they taste great but it's entertaining too. 

Having said ALL that, you must get over the appearance of the tamarind to enjoy the fruits (pun, as usual, fully intended) of your labor.  

You can see what I mean: 

 

Look at that!  Even with special lighting and all of the photo fixes Picasa could muster it still looks like Mr. Hanky the Christmas poo. 

The similarities are uncanny.  And btw, anyone else bothered yet slightly excited that there is a Mr. Hankey bobble head??

Sadly, I think tamarind is pretty hard to find in the States so you may be out of luck.  Then again, given above Christmas Poo reference, you might not be in the market for tamarind....like....ever. 

Care package!

WAHOOO!

So excited we got a bunch of Amurrrica goodies from Z's mom.  We've already demolished almost an entire 56 ounce bag of Kirkland's fruit and nut mix.  Thank goodness I had ordered one online and I think we bought one to put in our UAB too so hopefully we won't go through too much withdrawal when this one runs out.  But my favorite thing about the contents might have been the meds.  Normal drugs (Nyquil PM, Tylenol PM, Excedrin, etc) are hard to find here in the Philippines and some aren't sold at all.  There are pharmacies on practically every street corner but they just don't sell what we're used to buying over the counter at the grocery store.  If they do sell what you're looking for, you can only purchase the item in certain amounts.  There are no bottles of ibuprofen to be found (not unless you want the children's version) of anything.  If you want 24 tabs of cold medicine, you buy 6 tin foil sheets of 4.  It's maddening.  Point is, the med-type goodies (and everything else) were much appreciated!  Thanks Shirley!


P.S. We are FINALLY getting to move into our permanent housing here in Manila but internet connectivity is TBD.  Fingers crossed I'll be back soon!

Peace and crackers for now!!

Does "yee haw!" translate in Spanish?

Because that's how we felt when we found a decent Mexican restaurant in Manila!  Yeehaw and wahoo!!  It wasn't anything fancy but it was affordable and super yummy.  Definitely a suitable substitute for Chipotle and the best part??  All the different hot sauces.  We were happier than a pig in ...well, a tortilla! (although I guess a pig might argue that point.)

Z, of course, had a burrito and I had carnitas with black beans (technically considered one of their "arroz platillos").  It was all fabulous so I gotta kick my shout outs to Orale!  I give it a 4.5 out of 5 sombrero rating!  Only thing that keeps it from getting a 5 is that they were a tad stingy on the meat for my meal.  I would have rather had more carnitas and less rice.  But then again, they're not called the "carnitas platillos".

Orale Location (the one we went to anyway): The Fort Strip, corner of 7th & 28th St in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Fort Bonifacio

Makati Shangri La(AHHHHHH)

The Shangri La in Makati is a 5 Star luxury hotel in the heart of Makati (Manila's financial district).  It is also where we have a health club membership.  If we're feeling fed up with the traffic and need a release?  We go to the Shang.  Exhausted and could use some down time?  Da Shang.  Internet connection letting us down at our own hotel??  Shang to the rescue!  I don't think, after walking in the first time, I could have ever opted for an alternative.  It even smells lovely.  

It has everything you'd expect of a hotel of its caliber.  Beautiful pool, elegant high tea, and two of the best restaurants in town.  I love going there on the weekends and spending an entire morning/early afternoon.  Start in the gym, work hard, spend some time in the steam room (equipped with hot/cold whirlpools and wet/dry saunas), change into the swimsuit and relax by the pool with a beer and some good food. Tough life. 

I haven't tried them yet but Z swears the trainers are the best stretchy outers ever.  Apparently they'll bend you right to the point where you can't take it anymore and leave ya feeling like gumby.  

Anyway, here are some recent highlights of time spent at the Shangri La:

 

Coolest part about tea at the Shang?  There's an hourglass to time how long to let your tea steep.  When the sand runs out, time to enjoy.  Classy shit right?  I totally fit in.

No high tea would be complete without a string (and flute) band in lovely dresses...

....who kept playing on their way to break.

Some of the best poolside food I've ever had was served at the Shang.  That's a chicken sandwich on ciabatta bread (with a San Mig light in a glass of course).

This day did not suck.

Parada ng Lechon 2013 - a Playful Filipino Twist on St. John's Day

(WARNING:  If you're a big fan of piggies...live piggies...you might not want to read this.  I have spared you some of the more vivid descriptions of the food part of the celebration but if you don't like pictures of animal heads on sticks, this might not be the post for you.  Consider yourself warned.)

And this is why I think I'm gonna love it here.  Leave it to our wacky country hosts to spin an otherwise solemn liturgical celebration into a rip roarin', eatin', and drinkin' parade party.

Traditionally, St. John's Day (always on June 24) is observed throughout the country with some sort of water dousing ritual.  In Balayan, they take it to the extreme.  You have not been "blessed", if you haven't been soaked with freezing cold water apparently.  Turns out we were blessed.....A LOT.  It's basically a free for all water fight, pitting the parade participants against the spectators and NO ONE IS SAFE.  Grandmas, babies, old men with canes - all were victims AND perps!  It was a freakin' hoot!

What's with the dressed up pigs you ask?   Well, believe it or not, there's an explanation for that too! The pig is a cornerstone of any Filipino festival, tradition, or large gathering -- it seems that it ain't a party until porky shows up.  Parada ng Lechon is an opportunity to showcase the piggies and basically give thanks for the bounty of crunchy succulent goody they always bestow.  Or at least, that's what I got out of it.  So, the Balayan townspeople (local businesses mainly) dress up their pig mascot in a slew of different outfits, parade it through town, and then have a huge feast at the end. The pigs are often torn to shreds by the end of the parade.  I am told that parade goers of years gone by would "steal" pieces of the pig while in route to their destination and that the vendors would protect their pigs with barbed wire etc.  These days, it appears, sharing is caring.  We had several "floats" rip off pieces of pig and try to hand them to us.  I graciously bowed out because, well, I don't know there's something not terribly appetizing about a soggy pig, half eaten by strangers.  Call me crazy...

Before we really knew what we were getting into

Everyone has the day off to celebrate St. John's day - even students.

Next time we'll bring an obscene-sized super soaker but for 2013, all we had were plastic buckets and cans of beer.  

But when the buckets are filled with ice cold water, it's somehow still a "win".

As has been the case on a daily basis, the locals were FASCINATED by Z.  This kid dumped a bucket of water on his head and then did an impression of M.J.

Never one to be left out, I begged the M.J. impersonator to get in a pic with me.   He of course, poured water down the back of my shirt while doing so which I think is a fair trade, you?

These kids KNOW when a picture is being taken.  This was on our way out and look at them!  It's like they're doing a teenage version of see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

Iron Man piggy

Wonderwoman Piggy - pretty sure those are authentic pigs feet she has for hands. The plastic wrapping over her head isn't meant to be morbid by the way.  There's just so much water flying around that parade participants wrap their pigs in plastic to protect them.  Maybe that seems silly to you or me but not to folks who eat every part of the pig.  They waste NOTHING and I'm sure Wonderwoman's pretty little face went to a good digestive cause later in the day.

A ridiculously cute moment.  Probably one of my favorite pictures....ever.

And in case you didn't think the party was really bumpin, check this out (and we weren't even on the main parade route).  All this and we're told this year's celebration was tame by comparison.  Apparently when the holiday falls on the weekend, it's a party that could hang with Mardi Gras. 

Opposite Day

Here's the thing. Do NOT ask yes or no questions in the Philippines. It will get you nowhere. In fact, if you could channel your inner child and just pretend to be playing "opposite day" every day, that would be for the best. "Egg white omelet with no cheese and very little oil" OBVIOUSLY means "Gimme the whole egg and nothing but the egg, extra cheese and lay that grease on super thick!" In case you didn't know, now ya know. 

I guess that's not the best yes/no example but surely you get my drift. If given the opportunity, and sometimes when it is DIRE that someone be honest as opposed to just aiming to please, the Filipino folks will almost always default to "yes" (or whatever it is that they think you want to hear). For instance, never say, "Is this water filtered?" Silly human! Silly silly American fool. You must state explicitly and perhaps in a written format, "I would like filtered water only." In fact, you're better off just asking for a bottle of water and calling it a day. Chances are, if you ask for filtered water, you may very well get a tall glass of filtered water but those ice cubes floating harmlessly about in your pretty little glass? NOT FILTERED ICE CUBBIES (or is that CUBIES? if I'm going to make up a word, I should at least take an honest stab at the right way to spell it)! So just forget. Assume the worst, realize you're not being insulting by asking specifically and then reconfirming...again...and again.

The taxi drivers here are pretty nice but a head nod indicating they are familiar with the area or the address you've provided is NOT enough my fair complected friend. It's an interesting dilemma. Why bother even taking a cab if you're the one who has to figure out, turn by turn, how to get there? I have two damn cars but sometimes going 4 blocks in them and trying to find parking isn't worth the hassle so dammit, I am cabbin it. There's no doubt in my mind that $2 is a decent investment when it eliminates my having to deal with the ridiculous lack of traffic enforcement in this town. But anyway, what was my point? Oh - there is nothing more disconcerting then getting in a cab, explaining where you're going, having the cabbie nod in understanding, and then getting to the moment of truth, the big turn of all turns and the cabbie turns around and says, "Right or left ma'am?" Well how the bloody hell should I know? You stopped following my cute little google maps directions 5 turns ago and now we're stuck between a shanty town and a hard place. Thanks. So, I just smile and say, "yes". Let him figure it out!

So I guess it's either this:

Or this:

(That's the "minute burger", by the way. I'm guessing there's nothing minute or very burger like about it at all.)

[Here's where I offer my apologies to our country hosts. I am sorry that I am a whiny little American and I hope that my posts do not offend anyone who hails from this wonderful country. I like it here...I really do. I much prefer it to SEVERAL alternatives and I am looking forward to getting to know the Philippines. I PROMISE I will write an equal number of rave reviews...just give me time. I am on my third sinus infection and my third week of living in a dungeon. It's not your fault. I'm not being a very good neighbor or guest. Can we blame my dog or husband somehow?? Sorry Cassie/Husbear...it's a small price to pay for all the love I give right?? RIGHT?!?!]

Check out the new hood....

....which I'm happy to say is not a hood whatsoever.  We'll be living in the Salcedo neighborhood which, best I can tell, is a community within a community within a community.  Manila is HUGE but strangely enough, it's only the second largest city in the Philippines.  First is Quezon which is slightly larger by area and population but if the whole dang region is called the Northern Capital Region aka Metro Manila then let's just keep it simple and I'll reiterate that this place is HUGE.  So it's basically got what you'd consider counties and towns and suburbs and I guess Salcedo is basically a suburb of Makati and kinda similar to Shirlington where we lived before and which was I guess a suburb of Arlington.  Confused much?  Me too.

Point is, it's a cute little area that's close to a lot of fun things to explore and every weekend there are TWO community markets within walking distance.  The closest one to us (as in 10 feet from our lobby door) is the Salcedo Community Market.  We won't actually be moving into our place until probably July but Salcedo is within walking distance of our current hotel so we decided to check out our new "hood" this past Saturday.

So the sign must have lied, they DO allow dogs....

There are a lot of things to love about living in a tropical climate.  We have access to fruits people in the States will never see (because they're too delicate to ship), there's NO need for coats or any fabric heavier than cotton (woot!), and flowers....lots and lots of beautiful flowers.  I can't wait until we're moved into our permanent place so we can have them ALL OVER the apartment. 

Bessie has seen better days....

But not to worry, she was put to good use.  :)  Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I am still weary of the food here.  Something about this market though, made me feel more at ease.  Perhaps it's because it's in a "clean" area of town or maybe it's the fact that I could literally see the food being prepared.  It was too early for lunch so we didn't try any of the food the vendors were selling but maybe next weekend.  All I know is that every time I've tried something that looked "normal" (read, American), it has been awful.  I am a pretty adventurous eater but I've been taking it slow here.  Maybe the real trick though is to dive right into local fare?  I dunno.....I'm torn.  Canned chicken is gonna remain a staple for a while me thinks.  :)


Definitely buying some of this honey when we move in our place.  Doesn't get any fresher than that!

I know - the picture taking gods will be horrified.  Lighting is awful, husbear looks like a ghost.  Can I claim I did that on purpose and get a pass?  Truth is, I didn't really want this to turn out that great because then you might have noticed how far our place is from being ready.  The floors were super dusty and when they said they were renovating the bathrooms and kitchen, they weren't kidding.  I thought maybe that meant, a fresh coat of pain or some new appliances but no...whole walls were missing and concrete was everywhere.  Need I say how worried I am that our early July move in date was just some far fetched quote and nowhere near reaching reality?  Sigh.  At any rate, the place is huge, the view is great, and it's situated in just the sweetest part of town so I'm not complaining (too much). 

All in all, it was a very nice introduction to the neighborhood.  I sorta wish that we had waited a couple more weeks before trying to get a sneak peak.  Now I'll just sit around and KNOW what I'm missing.  On second though, maybe I should go pack and take more pics so I can get super anal about pre-planning furniture arrangement and wall painting......