Archive for general

December was the busiest month for me…it still is. I am just glad that December 25th & 26th { first Christmas day and second Christmas day respectively} are both over, whew! Because those two days were just killers. Though I really really enjoy preparing special dishes especially on Christmas (normally only the 25th) but was also invited this year to cook on the 26th…which was fine by me, glad to do it… it’s just that my body after the 2 nights almost gave up because I was beat and even asked myself why am I doing this to myself?

Well, answer is I don’t like ordering cooked meals for Christmas dinner! I like surprising my love ones with something new and never tasted before menu. But I’ll get to that on another post.

All I really wanted to say was that I enjoyed being a kid again. For a moment it was like I was back during those years when I could hardly wait for Santa’s surprise under the tree. Yes until now I enjoy opening gifts (who doesn’t?) and this year I got what I wished for from my husband (speakers for my room) and from my dear friend Stel (who is one of my inspirations when it comes to cooking) I got this fantastic cookbook “Your Place or Mine?”by Jean-Christophe Novelli, one of London’s celebrated Michelin starred chef .

Dear Stel, I was opening your gift on these pictures and I love it!! Thank you so much!!

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how about you, did you enjoyed opening your gifts too?

This wont stop me!

I’m talking about this flu, running nose, heavy head and nasty cough. All these I am experiencing right now but I wont let these stop me from finally putting up our CHRISTMAS TREE! Todays. yes, t o d a y!

I find it a bit too late to put up a tree, because back in the Philippines, I was so used to seeing them beginning of November in our home. I always get excited when the tree was up, because in a child’s mind that would mean presents in a few weeks time.

But now I am older and living in The Netherlands, it has somehow ‘dampen’ the Christmas festivities. The dutch, most of them do not put up a tree and even do not celebrate the 25th of December but rather their Sinterklaas which is 5th of December. Though Christmas isn’t just about the decors and stuff, still it could help me, being alone in this country away from my Filipino family, feel ‘home’.

But a true blooded Filipina that I am, I am having that tree, by hook or by crook, sick or not today…by the evening, it should be lighting our living room.

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What or Who is Sinterklaas?

The Feast of Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, is an annual event which has been uniquely Dutch and Flemish for centuries. St. Nicholas’ Feast Day, December 6th, is observed in most Roman Catholic countries primarily as a feast for small children. But it is only in the Low Countries - especially in the Netherlands - that the eve of his feast day (December 5th) is celebrated nationwide by young and old, christian and non-christian, and without any religious overtones.
Although Sinterklaas is always portrayed in the vestments of the bishop he once was, his status as a canonized saint has had little to do with the way the Dutch think of him. Rather, he is a kind of benevolent old man, whose feast day is observed by exchanging gifts and making good-natured fun of each other. It so happens that the legend of St. Nicholas is based on historical fact. He did actually exist. He lived from 271 A.D. to December 6th, 342 or 343. His 4th century tomb in the town of Myra, near the city of Anatolia in present-day Turkey, has even been dug up by archaeologists.

This is his story:
Born of a wealthy family, Nicholas was brought up as a devout Christian. When his parents died of an epidemic, he distributed his wealth among the poor and became a priest.
Later he became Archbishop of Myra, and it is from here that the fame of his good deeds began to spread across the Mediterranean. Desperate sailors who called upon the Good Bishop to calm stormy seas were heard; prison walls crumbled when victims of persecution prayed to him. He saved young children from the butcher’s knife and dropped dowries into the shoes of penniless maidens. Over time, St. Nicholas became the patron saint of sailors and merchants, and especially of children. After his death, the cult of St. Nicholas spread rapidly via southern Italy throughout the rest of the Mediterranean and eventually to coastal towns along the Atlantic and the North Sea. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Holland built no fewer than 23 churches dedicated to St. Nicholas, many of which are still standing. Amsterdam adopted St. Nicholas as its patron saint, and Rome decreed that December 6th, the anniversary of his death, should be his official Feast Day.
St. Nicholas’ strong influence in the Low Countries - an area heavily engaged in trade and navigation - was primarily due to his role as patron of sailors and merchants.
However, his fame as protector of children soon took precedence.
In the 14th century, choir boys of St. Nicholas churches were given some money and the day off on December 6th.
Somewhat later, the pupils of convent schools would be rewarded or punished by a monk dressed up as the Good Bishop, with his long white beard, his red mantle and mitre (bishop’s hat) and his golden crosier (bishop’s staff) - just as he is still presented today.

continue reading here

Chips

Back in the early 90’s when I was still in Asia, I have worked as an optometrist in the morning until late afternoon and in the evening would run to my next job, a 5 star hotel where my band plays in the hotel’s casino. It was rather the first time for me to enter a casino and get introduced to those chips that are equivalent to cash.
I was so naive when one night I asked a bandmate what the Japanese player has handed to us. I found the circular object funny but worthless. It was then explained to me that they were chips which we could exchange into cash. The chips were tip for our singing. We must have sounded good ha ! ha !

Custom Ceramic Poker Chips however has changed the designed of the usual chips from the past. Now they look stunning with beautiful designs since casinos can order them custom made. Chips that are made in ceramic I think last longer than plastic and more fun to play with.

Private Jet Charter Flights

I have always wondered how those top business executives manage to be in too many places, meaning different countries, within a short period of time, but also manage to stay at the top of their game despite the very stressful environment they move around in. I admire them for what they do. Imagine having the main head office in Las Vegas, have lunch with big clients in new York, then a midday meeting in California, and then be back again for a final check in in Las Vegas quarter before quitting the day. Sounds fascinating yet impossible? Not anymore.

Private Jet Charter Flights are the solution to most business executives busy itineraries.

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They have the widest selection of local private jets and aircraft charter for their clients to choose from. But wait! Not only the business people are getting their services, even aircraft owners and FAA charter operators seek their service to fulfill their aircraft and flight needs.

They require no pre-payments (can you imagine that!), no membership fees ,no surprise costs. Simply request a charter quote, no commitment. Choose from a series of aircraft and quotes and guess what, you pay after the trip.