travel wardrobe staples

Do you have favorite items in your closet that you just grab and pack when you need to travel? I do! Here are some pieces I could count on to give me a lot of style mileage when I need to pack light. A mix of basic tops, flirty prints and pops of color. Add a chambray shirt and a couple of jersey dresses and I am ready to go.

As for shoes, I always bring a pair of nude flats, my trusty pair of neon yellow leather sandals, and a pair of tan wedges for dressier occasions and nights out.

What are your travel staples?

sun, sand & surf

In case you were wondering why I've been awfully silent lately, it was because we went home to Manila for a much awaited reunion with our families. Of course, no vacation in the Philippines is complete without a visit to the beach. On our first week in the homeland, we headed straight to Boracay for a 5-day getaway. It was a warm welcome to feel the sun on my skin again after months of being bundled up in winterwear. But it was the little guy who really had a blast! As soon as we got to our resort, he ran to the beach, picked up a handful of sand and jumped in the water. He was fearless. I had to keep reminding myself it was okay to be spontaneous, we were on holiday.

5 days in Boracay was not enough even if all we did was swim, lounge and eat. We didn't even have time to do any of the touristy stuff like hop from island to island, snorkle, sail or ride the flyfish. Speaking of tourist-traps, can I just say, the fruit shakes from Jonah's are highly overrated. A fruit shake is a fruit shake. You can get the same fruit shake from other establishments like Jony's (just a few doors down from Jonah's) for a few pesos less. And one more thing about the shakes - I know Philippine mangoes are sweet but not that sweet. The shakes are laced with so much sugar so I always request mine prepared with only half recipe of the syrup.

If you've never been to Boracay, you definitely must go at least once to experience the powdery white sands and the clear waters. If you're looking to stay in Station 1, Sur is a great boutique resort to try. It's located right beside Two Seasons but rooms are a fraction of the cost. The staff are friendly and rooms are clean and comfortable. Even the food was unexpectedly good.

Las Vegas for the family

Las Vegas would probably be the last city you'd want to visit for a family vacation with a toddler. You're probably thinking, they didn't call it the Sin City for nothing. But despite all the cautionary tales from countless CSI reruns, we still went ahead and celebrated my birthday and our anniversary in Las Vegas early this month. P and I have always been curious about The Strip and wanted to experience the excess and grandeur for ourselves. As it turns out, there were other adventurous parents like us who were brave enough to bring thier kids along to a weekend in Vegas.

I would say the trip was a success. We were able to see what we came to see while making it as enjoyable as possible for the little one. If you're planning a family vacation in Vegas here are some kid-friendly tips that might come in handy:

If you're vacationing with minors, only walk the strip while the sun is out. Once it gets dark the crowd gets rowdy (probably because by this time most people are drunk) and all the sex peddlers come out. Not even a stroller will stop them from handing out their flyers.

The hotel buffets are a good choice for dining with toddlers. For one, they eat for free. Secondly, there's a variety of food to choose from so you have options for your picky eater. The buffets are very casual so you don't have to worry about your little one making a bit of mess during meal times.

the buffet at the Paris Hotel

Entertain yourselves for free by touring the different themed hotels. The lobby at the Bellagio is something you wouldn't want to miss. While we were there their lobby was transformed into an enchanted forest - enchanting both young and old. Other must-see free attractions are the water show at the Bellagio fountain which starts at 6pm everyday and the lion feeding at the Lion Habitat at MGM Grand everyday at 4:30pm.

enchanted forest at the Bellagio Hotel lobby

Choose your accomodations wisely. I recommend the Venetian for families for several reasons. One, the suites are very spacious. Two, there is a food court in the hotel, convenient for buying food especially since rooms don't have microwaves. Third, they have heated pools so you have the option to just have relaxing family time in the pool area. Fourth, there's a Walgreens in the hotel if you need to get supplies. Believe me, that's a real consideration if you have a toddler in tow. The next closest place you can get water and other miscellaneous items are from Walgreens and CVS near MGM Grand (which is like a mile away). Another family-friendly hotel that we want to try on our next trip (if there will ever be one) is Mandalay Bay. The hotel is situated at the end of the strip so it's close enough if you want to join in on the action but far enough so you can also enjoy some peace and quiet. Plus they have a great resort with a wave pool.

Last but not least, relax and enjoy each moment together.

jollibee!

It just occurred to me that we've been living in the US for almost a year now. This is the longest we've been away from home since we started moving around. In the previous assignments we would fly home every 3 months but now it's a different story. Oh, how I miss those regular fly backs!

That's why I was super excited for our Las Vegas trip. Aside from admiring the man-made marvel that is the strip, I was looking forward to visiting the Jollibee store to have my Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti fix. And indeed I did! We even rented a car on our 3rd day in Las Vegas just to go to Jollibee (after our quick tour of Hoover Dam).

I know it's sounds cliche but being inside the store really felt like we were back home again. The store interior looked exactly like the stores in Megamall. The crew were speaking Tagalag. Even the show on their LCD was TV Patrol World! Of course, as expected, the food was langhap-sarap! Even Bud loved the chicken and spaghetti. And you know what else he loved? The mascot! He was smitten as soon as we walked in the door. What is it about this big red bee that makes it so lovable?



All this reminiscing is making me hungry!

If you're ever craving for Jollibee (like me), check out www.jollibee.com.ph for a list of their international stores. You might get surprised that there's one near you.

weekend in dallas

Hi y'all! How was your weekend? Ours was spent getting to know Dallas. We started with a visit to the Dallas Museum of Art. Lucky for us it was Museum District Day last Saturday so admission was free! After spending time appreciating art, we drove to Galleria Dallas, the so-called fashion epicenter of the Southwest. It was impressive but I was not in awe as it looked very much the same as the high-end fashion malls you would find in Bangkok or Singapore. For dinner, we tried Blue Mesa Grill for some Southwestern cuisine which proved to be a good choice. As it turns out, Blue Mesa is one of the top 5 Southwestern Restaurants in the DFW Zagat survey. We capped the night with some gelato from Paciugo, a quaint cafe down the street from Blue Mesa. I wasn't really planning on having any dessert after chowing down a plate of Mixed Grill Churrascaritas but the gelato display was just too enticing to resist.

at the kid's room of the Dallas Art Museum

I got myself a small cup with Amaretto Chocolate Chip, Mediterranean Sea Salt Caramel and Pistachio

Sunday afternoon was spent at the Texas State Fair sampling all sorts of Texas-style food. We were surprised at how they can deep fry any kind of food, even drinks!

fried food paradise

enjoying every bite of the Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly and Banana Sandwich

Have a great week everyone!

simple joys

With my simple life come simple joys. Here’s a peak at the cheap thrills that made me smile the past couple of days.

Bud has been slowly recovering from his ear infection and is steadily eating his way back to health.

little boy can't get enough of Pretzel Crisps

Finally saw the movie version of one of my favorite love stories, The Time Traveler’s Wife, on HBO. The movie version was not as good as the book though. The tonality of the movie was very melancholic and by my standards it fell short in capturing the essence of their enduring love. Nonetheless, I was extremely pleased to see it dramatized on screen.

After consecutive days of buffet breakfasts and dining out, I was ready to throw in the towel. I felt like I was on the verge of having a coronary what with the (Texas-style) gargantuan portions of food we’ve been eating! I craved for light and healthy alternatives so I tried the route of frozen dinners. The microwavable meals from Marie Callendar’s were a revelation! The Chicken and Mushroom Risotto was exceptionally yummy. I probably couldn’t cook risotto that good even if I tried. I’m thinking of stocking up on those microwavable meals when we get back home. At 300 calories a box, you can’t go wrong.

Fried Okra from Dickie's BBQ Pit

Tempura and Katsu platter from Toshio's

Aside from the meal allowances, another perk of out-of-state assignments is the chance to earn rewards points. I’m so excited at the prospects of free vacations with the amount of hotel rewards and airline miles we’re racking up! It pays to be points-savvy.

Speaking of hotels, the managers and staff here at the Hilton Garden Inn have been tremendously helpful and friendly. Maybe because Bud has charmed them all? Everyday at breakfast, we are greeted and served by an unbelievably chirpy lady. She’s too perky to a point that P gets annoyed with her cheerfulness early in the morning, haha! I love her positive energy though. And I love that she’s so smitten with Bud. Since we’ve become good friends with her, we set a playdate with her and her little one when we come back to Dallas in two weeks.

Janika aka breakfast lady with Bud

What's made you smile lately?

laidback saturday at Harriet Lake

After a whole day of lazing around the house, we decided to head out to Harriet Lake. We spent the lovely Saturday evening eating ice cream and listening to live jazz music being played at the bandshell.

looking for fish

queue at ice cream concession was unusually short

eating our ice cream by the boat dock

lots of people enjoying the live outdoor concert at the bandshell

Free concerts are held at the Harriet Lake Bandshell daily (Mon-Sat at 7:30pm and Sun at 5:30pm) until the end of September.

hello and goodnight from Dallas

I am typing away from my office desk here in our hotel room in Dallas, our home away from home for the next 9 days. I’m glad we have enough time to recover from (and forget about) our very exhausting flight. Traveling with a toddler is really a test of patience and endurance. It’s a good thing Bud is making up for it with all his new tricks and funny antics. Can you believe we will be flying back and forth every 2 weeks? Calling out to all the mommies out there who always travel with your little ones, I would really appreciate if you could share travel tips with me.

Mommy's little helper

I’m still very lucky though as I couldn’t ask for a better travel companion/partner than P. I’m so thankful I married a man who takes charge and still manages to be very thoughtful. P is such a boy scout! Geez, I can’t believe I’m blushing like a schoolgirl while writing this!

Better end this post now. Will be writing more tomorrow. Good night!

Uptown Art Fair

One of my favorite places to visit here in the Twin Cities is Uptown Minneapolis. I just love the eclectic vibe it exudes. It's a community that celebrates life, culture and arts. Young denizens of the Twin Cities (and the occasional tourists, like me) come here for the multi-ethnic restaurants and specialty boutiques.

It was a good thing I heard about the Annual Uptown Art Fair in the evening news last week and so we went last Saturday. Apparently it's held every first weekend of August (better keep that in mind for next year). There were over 200 photographers, painters, mixed media artists and other artisans who participated. And even more urbanites who came to appreciate the exhibit despite the scorching heat.

My favorite pieces from the exhibit were from John Booth and Dolan Geiman. John Booth's paintings are like bubble gum art with attitude. I can imagine his paintings as wall art for Bud's room. On the other hand, Dolan Geiman's mixed media artworks remind me of pages from Nick Bantoc's Griffin and Sabine series. I love his use of birds and prints in his pieces.

fall foliage by Dolan Geiman

synonyms by Dolan Geiman

seven seasons by Dolan Geiman

Too bad I couldn't showcase John Booth's prints here in my blog. I do hope you check out his website to see his quirky artworks.

Here's another one of my favorite budding artists at work...

finger paint by Bud
medium: homemade paint

How to keep warm in Siberia

While Novosibirsk is not exactly the most ideal place for expats, living here is not as bad as I had expected. Before coming here i'd imagined that we would be riding dog-pulled sleds and eating whale blubber. For one, Siberia has always been depicted as a vast barren plane of ice in American movies. Secondly, there was very limited reference material about Siberia on the internet so i was left with only my imagination (which is very much influenced by American media).

Yes, locals have confirmed that it could get as cold as -50c here during winter but only for a maximum period of 1 week. The same way that in Manila we expect typhoons to come and go during the wet season. It's not constantly -50c as i first thought it would be. The average winter temp is around -15c to -20c, which is manageable if you have proper winter clothing.

Speaking of clothing, we really made a good call on the down jackets from Northface. It was a bit pricey but it does keep us warm and healthy. P and I both have a tri-climate jacket and a down jacket from Northface that we mix and match depending on the temperature. On cold days with snow or strong winds, i attach my down jacket to the waterproof shell. On very cold days, i wear the fleece lining from the tri-climate jacket with my down jacket and just a regular sweater as inner wear. I also wear leggings underneath my pants for extra warmth.

Morskoy Prospekt

Shoes with good insulation and proper traction are a must-have. I brought one very dependable all-terrain hiking shoes that is water repellant which i use most of the time because it's warm and keeps me from slipping on the icy sidewalks. On days when it's snowing and the sidewalks are covered with a layer of fresh snow, i can wear my leather boots with heels because it's not as slippery. Note to reader, boots must have lining to keep your feet warm.

Aside from a warm jacket and proper shoes, it is also important to have a thick warm bonnet and gloves for good insulation. I think the best place to buy warm bonnets and gloves would be here. I just purchased a new bonnet last weekend and it did feel a lot warmer than the one i used to wear. Siberians never go outside without a hat. You can leave home without your gloves but never leave home without your bonnet.

The best advice i got from locals is to stay indoors when it gets really cold. The heating in Novosibirsk is centralized and so all the buildings are well-heated.

Contrary to what i initially imagined, Novosibirsk is nothing at all like that scene from Tomb Raider. It is a proper city with well-developed infrastructure and highly-educated citizens.

Life in Russia

It's been 3 months since my last post. I would like to think that i've been busy but the truth of the matter is i was just too lazy to compose anything.

It's been more than a month since P and I moved to Novosibirsk, Russia. I'm sure you're wondering where the heck is Novo-what's-it's-name. Well, Novosibirsk is the 3rd largest city in Russia, next to St. Petersburg and Moscow. It is considered the business and cultural center of Siberia and is home to Akademgorodok - a unique university town founded during the cold war to become Russia's science mecca in the Sibierian region. Akademgorodok was designed to provide ideal living and working conditions for scientisits and so it was built in a forest area bordered by a botanical garden and the Ob Sea. While Akademgorodok is still the center of academic life in Novosibirsk, it is has also evolved to become the "Silicon Taiga" of Siberia what with the popularity of IT business in this area. With its ideal setup and beautiful surroundings, it has no doubt become the address of choice for the affluent Siberian. Fortunately for us, we live in this elite neighborhood.

Living here is not as difficult as i expected. Aside from the extremely cold weather, everything else is manageable. I spent the first week exploring the area and going through the isles in the grocery to see what was available. On our second week i had already familiarized myself with the place and the goods and was able to cook dinner every night since. I attend Russian language lessons 3 times a week and i also teach English in the same language school 4 times a week. Just this week i finally found the courage to ride the public bus and the marshrutka (shuttle) on my own...easy as pie :) I would still prefer to walk but since it's getting really cold riding public transport is the most practical choice.

Russian is one of the most difficult languages to learn (and understand). Adjectives change depending on the gender of the noun and the verbs change depending on the person/subject. The most useful phrases for me would be " Ya nye garvoryoo Pa-Ruski" (I can't speak Russian) and "Ya nye panyal" (I don't understand). I don't know if i will ever progress from simple tenses but knowing a little Russian is better than nothing.

Some notable observations about people and life in Russia:
a. They really drink a lot of alcohol.
b. When eating out, drinks would probably cost more that your food. One because beverages are expensive. Second because you will most likely be pressured to drink a lot of alcohol.
c. They dont salt the sidewalks here so it is more practical for moms to put their toddlers on sleds than on strollers.
d. Russian ladies snack on a lot of sweets and chocolates but they don't get fat.
e. Never go outside without your bonnet.
f. They still eat a lot of ice cream even in below zero temperature. You will find an ice cream kiosk in most major streets.
g. Tea is more popular than coffee.
h. It is common to see teens or adult men drinking beer while walking in the sidewalk.
i. I have never seen a policeman or any law enforcer since we came here.
j. Heating is centralized.
k. They don't bother to clean their cars anymore.
l. When it gets extremely cold, car engines are left running during the night so the gas won't freeze.

Will try to write more about life in Russia in my next entry. Pakka!

Korean Food

15 more days to go before we leave Seoul... I thought i would post my favorite Korean dished so i could use this as reference in case i forget their names in the future. Please excuse some of the food shots. They might not look appetizing at all because most of the time i only remember to take photos halfway through the meal.

1. Bibimbap - Traditional Korean rice bowl with lots of veggies, seaweed, egg and your choice of meat or seafood topping seasoned with sesame oil and red pepper paste.


2. Pajeong - Savoury pancake with either seafood or kimchi filling. Served with sesame and soy dipping sauce.

3. Dakgalbi - "Dak" means chicken in Korean. It's a Sweet and Spicy chicken dish with red pepper sauce and lots of vegetables cooked in an iron grill right on your table.


4. Galbi - Beef shortrib barbecued on a charcoal grill at the center of the table. The way to eat the barbecued meat is to put in on the center of a lettuce or sesame leaf, smear some doenjang (fermented soybean paste) on the meat, top it with pickled radish and grilled garlic, fold the leaf over and take a bite. Yummmm....


5. Jjeyopukum - Sweet and spicy pork cooked with red pepper sauce very similar to Dakgalbi. Usually served with coleslaw or macaroni salad.


6. Gyeran Mali - literally translated means "rolled eggs". It's like a fried egg crepe with fried rice filling. Other variations include cheese, vegetable or kimchi fillings.


7. Mandu - Korean dumplings. Like the Chinese dumplings there are different types of Mandu - fried, steamed and boiled. The mandu i enjoy the most is the bun kind from Shinsegae food court. It looks like siopao but with spring roll filling.


I realized most of the popular Korean dishes in Manila have already been "filipinized" and adjusted to suit the Pinoy palette. The Korean food they serve in Kaya and Kimchi are mostly soy-based while authentic Korean food are mostly cooked with the red pepper paste. I guess the red pepper paste may be too spicy for most Pinoys. Another difference I noticed is that authentic Korean stews and barbecues are always served with some kind of vegetable which is not the case back home. It's not to say I have any complaints with the Filipino version. I'm just simply pointing out the differences so you won't get surprised if you don't find the same Kimchi beef stew here in Seoul.