Oh Ten

09's history and we're now plunging into '10. There's so much to say about what has been and what will be but I can't find the words to express my thoughts. I guess I'll just have to let things unfold as they do and chronicle and cherish the moments as they happen.

'09 wasn't exactly the best year that I've had, but with all that it offered me, I couldn't be any more thankful. The trials, the challenges, the aches, the tears, the joys, the laughter, and the triumphs have all contributed to my growth as an individual, as a daughter to my mom, as a sister to my siblings, as a boss to my people at work, as a partner to my beloved and most of all, as a child to my God. I've learned a lot and have grown into a much more mature young lady that I am now. And as we continue to delve deeper into '10, may we not forget what the past year has taught us and may we continue to do better and be better at everything we involve ourselves in.

On a different note...

People who don't know me well enough don't know that I am a mean cook. Yes, I cook. I may not be as good as my beloved but I do get my hands dirty, too.

You see that sweat drop on my forehead? That's proof that all that my family had for our Media Noche (except for the fruit salad which is not pictured in this blog) were a product of my sweat (and blood! haha!)

My "world famous chicken" as my friends call it. I get praised every time I serve this mean dish. It's such a hit that it disappears from the table in less than 60seconds.

The ham. This, I did not prepare. My brother just added a little something to this Purefoods ham and baked it until it looked like this. We always buy our ham unless we celebrate New Year's Day at my grandma's where my uncle serves his mouthwatering ham (note: I do not like pork but I eat a little of what my uncle makes) which he prepares weeks before Christmas vacation starts.

I love this salad which my brother's ex taught me to prepare. It's pretty simple, actually.

My lasagne, by request. We had this for Christmas but because it disappeared faster than I had envisioned, I was asked to cook it again for the New Year. Oh, and I think I did it better this time around.

I didn't bother taking a photo of the Quezo de Bola because it's not something we prepared.

Here are some snaps I took with my brother's DSLR. I don't have a good eye for photography (yet!) but I enjoyed snapping pictures of the fireworks that night. I didn't bother watermarking these photos as these have already been watermarked by my brother. Yes, that's my last name. Very Spanish. My relatives on my father's side look Spanish, but I've been told I look more Thai than Spanish. Weird, eh?

Healthy Goodness

Hungry? Why not munch on something that's both delicious and healthy?

Enjoy a mouthwatering grilled salmon sandwich with horseraddish mustard, Jack cheese and loads and loads of lettuce! It's tasty, it's filling (granted you use whole wheat bread for making your sandwiches) and best of all, it's guilt-free (perfect for those who want to shed off the extra pounds). Oh, and did I say that it's so much cheaper preparing it yourself than having it at a restaurant? Picture this. One slab of salmon makes two sandwiches. A pack of Jack Cheese makes ten sandwiches. A bit of lettuce, mustard and salt and pepper and you're all done. Easy huh? Well then, say hello to a tasty and healthy budget-friendly treat that's easy to make that will sure curb your unhealthy cravings. Now whoever said that healthful treats are boring and bland surely hasn't had something this good.


Excuse the horrible photo. I didn't have my camera when I took this photo so it's all yellowish (my phone's camera makes things appear yellow when taken indoors).


See the chunks? Yummmmmmy!

Bon appetit!

Persian Dining @ Arya

I was never a fan of Persian cuisine until late. My first ever visit to a Mediterranean restaurant (not just Persian), was about four or five years ago. But since late last year, I think I've already been to five Persian restaurants (not including the one from years back), the fifth being Arya. Arya is a newly opened Persian restaurant located right next to the UCC Cafe at the Podium.

Here is the logo of Arya (this is actually their placemat).

The two photos above make up Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh. (Rice with barberries and chicken)
Php 369 (around $7)

Here's the very popular Kabab Koobideh (Ground Beef Kabab)
Php 369 (around $7)

To be honest, I think Arya's Kabab Koobideh is a (bit) overpriced. I never thought of paying Php 369 for a single order. Granted that it is the best kabab I have ever tried (it really is), Php369 is just too much for me. Perspolis, Behrouz, Persiana and Persian Square do not charge this much for a single order of kabab. Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh on the other hand, is just okay. I've had this a number of times at Persian Square and Arya's version came a little short of what I loved about the dish. It was good, yes; but it wasn't quite like it.

So far, Persian Square tops my list. No, not one of those "Persian fastfood restaurants" (think Mr. Kebab, Ababu, etc) can come close to Persian Square in terms of 1. Food; 2. Customer Service 3. Ambience --- Persian Square is by far the best. Boy, I think I should be writing about Persian Square instead.

The question: Will I come back to Arya? Hmmm... 50/50. Maybe once they've gotten rid of the mosquitoes under their tables on the second floor (yes there are mosquitoes inside an airconditioned restaurant. thanks to them, I have 3bites on each limb. multiply them and you get 12!) and once they've modified their prices (everything seems to be priced at Php369), I might just go back. After all, their ripe mango shake was mouthwatering.

Bon Appetit @ Red Kimono

I know I’ve been MIA for quite some time again. Life’s been pretty much a rollercoaster ride for me for these past few months. It’s crazy. Nevertheless, I’ll leave you guys with a few posts I’ve been meaning to up on Practical Vanity before I go MIA for a few more weeks.

I love Japanese Food, and I have been craving for it for weeks until... I went to Red Kimono last Friday right before going to work.

Red Kimono is a relatively new Japanese restaurant that serves modern Japanese cuisine with branches at the Atrium of SM Megamall and at SM Hypermart in Ortigas, Pasig. I’m not quite sure if they have any branches elsewhere since I frequent the one at SM Hypermart the most.

Things I love about Red Kimono:
• It’s accessible. Because I work in Ortigas Center, I find this branch at SM Hypermart very much accessible as I pass by it every time I go to work.
• What you see is what you get. The actual food served looks exactly like the photos on the menu.
• Quality and taste. The food not only looks good, it tastes divine. It’s not all about presentation at Red Kimono.
• Excellent customer service. The waiters and the staff are very friendly.
• The price is fine. I don’t think Red Kimono overprices its dishes regardless if some rolls are over two hundred pesos (roughly over $4). Their sushi platter is around Php400+ (about $8-$9). Their kani salad (my favourite!) is Php150 ($3).

Here are the photos of what I had:

Kani Salad (Php 150/serving;$3)
Kani Salad is a mixture of shredded cucumber, ripe mango, shredded crabsticks, roe (fish egg), topped with Japanese mayonnaise.

Red Dragon (Php210; about $4.2)
This is one of Red Kimono's special rolls. It's maki rolled with mango, avocado and salmon wrapped in crabsticks.

Hot Shot Roll (Php215; about $4.3)
This one's kinda Mexican in some way because of the Jalapeno that's added to spice up this roll. But what I love about it is how the cream cheese balances the tangy flavor given by the jalapeno so it's not too hot for my taste. Just like Red Dragon, Hot Sholl roll also has some avocado and tuna inside it.

Sesame Sauce
No, this is not part of the menu. This goes with some special rolls to perhaps balance the taste. I'm not a fan of it though. I prefer the typical soy sauce&wasabi mix for my Japanese dining.

There you have it guys. If you love Japanese food as much as I do, drop by Red Kimono and bask in the modern twist in our favorite Japanese dishes.