Is it raining where you are?

It's getting Christmas-y in here!

Hand-me-down ornaments, fresh out of the storage box.
My mom brought these from Manila years ago.

Two hours later...


Merry Christmas!
(Briscoe is too excited about the tree.)

Chicken soup for the soul, Filipino style

During a recent trip to Las Vegas, I had occasion to calm my stomach (after a night of drinking) with a bowl of arroz caldo at the local Chowking. While their version was by no means special, even a little greasy to be honest, it had all the ingredients I needed to set me right again--a winning combination of comfort food, with a dose of nostaligia.

I love arroz caldo. Again, like champorado, it takes me back. Back to the Laguna of my youth. Back to Saturday trips to the wet market in Calamba, where my mom would drop us kids off at the arroz caldo counter so we can eat while she shops. Back to my grandma's house in Cabuyao, and the many afternoons when my siblings, cousin and I would have arroz caldo as our after school snack. It also takes me back to college, when my building-mates and I trekked to a new Goto King that opened at midnight, offering free food for the first few diners. We dug into our warm bowls of rice porridge alongside construction workers and tricycle drivers.

It is our version of the cure-all chicken noodle soup. Only heartier from the rice, spicier from the black pepper, and saltier from the fish sauce.

From Wikipedia:

Some provinces prefer the Spanish-influenced arroz caldo (literally hot rice), which is often mistaken for a European dish due to its name. Arroz caldo is actually a Chinese congee that was adapted to the tastes of the Spanish colonial settlers who patronized Chinese restaurants in the Philippines. As the Spanish could not pronounce Chinese, they gave it a Spanish name for easy reference.

A few weeks ago, Bayds, an old college friend (now a doctor in Florida), texted me about her misadventure in attempting to make her first pot of arroz caldo. Hers ended up looking like gooey fried rice. But it gave me the idea of attempting my own creation.

The recipe is easy enough that I wonder now why I never tried this before. Start with some garlic, onion and the all important ginger. Throw in some rice, some chicken broth and pieces of cooked chicken. Cook till rice is done and you have arroz caldo.

I cheated a little by using store bought chicken broth.

Threw in some hard-boiled eggs to make it a heartier meal.

The usual condiments include ground black pepper, fish sauce (not shown) and kalamansi (or in my case, lime). Add to suit your taste.

It wasn't that hard at all. One mistake though, I made too much and ended up eating arroz caldo for lunch three days in a row. It's safe to say that I've had my fill of the stuff for now.

There's hope for you yet, Bayds!

I loosely followed the instructions of Connie of Pinoy Cook, substituting regular eggs and omitting the kasubha. Her full recipe is here.

What not to give

If you're like me, you are still in the process of getting your Christmas gift shopping done. And at some point over the last few weeks, you've probably asked yourself what on earth else you can give your dad, or your co-worker, or the mailman, that he/she hasn't gotten yet.

I don't have any answers for that question (I'm resorting to getting underwear to family members, for crying out loud!) But this list tells you what to definitely avoid.

I've given magazine subscriptions, and I know for a fact that they were appreciated. I've received them too, and liked them (Thanks, Sonia!). It can work, if you are thoughtful enough about your selection.

Other things on the list seem obvious: don't give your old things; an I.O.U. is just tacky; and who would ever want a singing fish (wait, we had one!)?

But this caught my attention:

8. A dusty tin full of edible stuff

This is not a tin of just anything—everyone loves getting homemade cookies or candies or a favorite cake and holiday tins are great for storage. I'm talking about when you're in the dollar store and you see some extra-dusty tins on the bottom shelf filled with, say, those chocolate turtles. And you have no idea how long they've been there, or if what's inside is even edible. But you buy a couple anyway because you're desperate for a few last minute gifts. And the person you give it to opens it and the chocolate-whatever inside is stale and the candy breaks their tooth.

While at the local dollar store yesterday afternoon (where else can you score rolls of wrapping paper and bags of ribbons and bows for a buck each?!), I spotted a middle-age looking guy filling his basket with Christmas-y mugs stuffed with what looked like peppermint candy. He was pulling them from deep within the bottom shelf of the Christmas food aisle, just as entry no. 8 warned above! The man was in front of me at the check out counter, so I know that he paid all of seven dollars and change for what I imagine to be his gifts to his co-workers or maybe his employees (or his secret enemies?).

The kicker is that as I was about to get into my car and drive off, I see who else but the dusty Christmas mug guy climbing into a shiny Porsche Cayenne. I guess he has to make up for his car payments somehow.

Merry Christmas!

Dreaming of a Manila Christmas

I'm dreaming of a Christmas spent in the Philippines. The last Christmas I spent *home* was in 1997. Going back now, I know that the experience won't be quite the same. Most of my family is here, scattered all over the US and Canada. Same with friends. But I'm looking forward to a new kind of Philippine Christmas, spent with the hubby, and maybe (just maybe) kids later (much, much later) on.

Christmas time is the prime season for balikbayans visiting the Philippines. For most of us who have not been there in a while, we yearn for the old, while searching for the new.

For me, the old means hanging out in Los Banos, visiting my lolo's grave in Loyola, driving along Katipunan perhaps, breakfast at Pancake House, a weekend in El Paradiso (the private beach of family friends), and so on.

The new, well, I would need help with that. Cecile of Chuvaness suggests, among other things, checking out the Salcedo Market on Saturdays, a meal at Antonio's Garden in Tagaytay, and shopping at a Team Manila lifestyle store. See her full Balikbayan Guide here.

What are your Manila/Philippines musts?

Spreading warmth, one cup of cocoa at a time...

Updated: 12/15/08
The finished product.


I must admit that I'm not always the best neighbor. I don't hang out in front of my house, having conversations with whoever might be passing by. I haven't attended a single homeowners' association meeting. I've never had coffee or tea with any of the other wives on my street. And I've never invited any of my neighbors into my house just to hang out.

That said, I wave when I see anyone on the street as I drive by. I say hi to anyone within earshot when I go to walk my dog. And if anyone ever knocks on my door asking to borrow some eggs or a cup of sugar, I'd be happy to help.

But since it is Christmas, it might be time to do a little something extra. Thus my Christmas neighborhood gift idea.

Initially, I thought a tin of baked goods should do it. After poring over recipes in cookbooks and online, after two trial runs (of a cookie and muffin recipe), I copped out and choose the easy route. For me, that means no baking at all.

I found this recipe for a hot cocoa mix on Food Network's web site, from one of my favorite FN stars, Alton Brown. It's super easy. Just mix all the dry ingredients, pack, and deliver. To make the mix a bit more special, I got good quality cocoa powder, organic too.


The recipe calls for a pinch of cayenne pepper. Don't be afraid though. It doesn't make the cocoa spicy, just adds a lingering heat to in your throat after a few gulps. Really nice actually.


It's very important to mix everything well, lest one gets a whole chunk of salt or cornstarch in one spoonful. Sifting helps too in working out the clumps.

To make the hot cocoa, just mix how at least two teaspoons (more if you like it rich) with hot water or warm milk.


Pack in jars.
Ready for delivery!

Full hot cocoa recipe here.

Christmas tree is up!

It took a while, but our Christmas tree is up.

Started shopping around by stopping at the Monterey County Fairgrounds where a seller has set up shop. They had trees of all varieties and sizes. But boy, were those trees pricey. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not about to shell out upwards of $60 for a tree.

Pretty trees. Also pretty expensive!

So I waited, looked around for a while, eventually spotting a great deal from one of the local supermarkets. A six-foot Douglas fir for only $19.99!

We picked up the tree Sunday night. Because our dinky electric saw couldn't cut through the trunk (to chop off about an inch of the end, as recommended), we couldn't put the tree in its stand yet. Tree had to sleep in the garage for a night.

Trimming the trunk with a saw that works.

The tree is standing now, drinking up as much water as it can, I bet. But we're giving it time to spread out and unfurl completely before decorating.

After a few hours, it's looking a LOT fuller than I expected.

Trip Playback: Thanksgiving in Vegas (Part 1)

I really should have taken more pictures.

That said, the Vegas trip was a success. Good food with good friends, old and new. It was relaxing too, which is a surprise considering every other time I've been in Vegas has always been a whirlwind of activities.

Getting there was easy enough. V & I drove a little over 500 miles, in about 9 hours. Hit some traffic along the way, on cursed CA 58, but that was to be expected. The drive home, on the other hand, was another level of hell. More on that later.

Got to Bally's and checked in without problems. Bally's is an older hotel, but at $59 a night for a holiday weekend, I could not pass up the deal. It's connected to the Paris Hotel next door, providing easy access to better restaurants and such, and is centrally located on the Strip, at Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Road. I knew from reviews on Tripadvisor (a valuable tool for travelers) that a renovated room is a must. We were given a renovated king room in the North Tower, sacrificing a view of the Bellagio fountains. But I'll take a nice clean room over a view any day. Quick review and more pictures here.


As soon as we unloaded our bags, the eating and drinking ensued. We met with V's old friend Adam, who is now a Vegas local. First meal of the trip was dinner at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris. V had excellent steak frites (fries were more like chips, and very yummy) while I had some grilled chicken breast served with green beans. Tried their Frangria, their signature French sangria, but was not a fan.

After dinner and a quick change of clothes, we met up again at New York New York's new club, Rok. The club itself was so-so, and if I wasn't with friends, I would've been in a sour mood about waiting in line. After about 45 minutes (ugh!), we were let in. It was crowded and filled with scantily-dressed young twenty-somethings--really not my scene any more. Things got interesting when after about a half hour, some performer took the stage. It was Mya, of "Ghetto Superstar" and "Lady Marmalade" fame! Soon after her set, we called it a night. Not bad for our first few hours in town.

One more thing, if you're in New York New York, check out Nine Fine Irishmen. The band is pretty cool, and most nights, Riverdancing ensues.

Where else did we eat and drink?

Trader Vic's in Planet Hollywood

First caught a show at the upstairs LA Comedy Club. Dinner was downstairs, in the main dining room. Food was okay. I had some stir-fry lobster and a mai tai. Trader Vic has a Polynesian theme, so be prepared for a tiki-overload. Prices were fair.

Red Square in Mandalay Bay


Looking for a quiet place to sit, drink and talk, we headed to Red Square in Mandalay Bay. The room has a cool, Cold War Russia theme. They have a vodka vault, where apparently, they've stashed the frozen head of Lenin. A headless Lenin statue greets you at the restaurant's door. The drinks menu was understandably heavy on vodka and martinis. The place is quiet enough for conversation, if you can get a table at the bar area. Only diners get so sit at the booths in the dining area. Martinis went for around $15.

Gallagher's Steakhouse in New York New York


Dinner and a show is one of my favorite ways to spend an evening. With Zumanity tickets at hand, we headed to Gallagher's. The impressive display of aged meats is enough to get your mouth watering, if you are a steak fan. Which I am not. But the husband is, so off we went. I opted for a filet mignon because it was the smallest cut on the menu. It came charred and tough. Needed two glasses of wine to wash it down, and ended up eating some of V's aged NY strip. I would have complained and asked for a different steak but with only 20 minutes before curtain, there was no time for a do-over. Expensive, and in my opinion, not worth it.

AGO at the Hard Rock Hotel

One Thanksgiving, many moons ago, V and I suffered the indignity of a hotel buffet Thanksgiving dinner in Washington DC. Even in the land of buffets, I was not about to risk another disaster. We booked a five-course prex fixe dinner at AGO at the Hard Rock Hotel. Honestly, there was no rhyme or reason to my pick of this particular restaurant. I liked that it was Italian, I suppose, and I'd never seen the inside of the Hard Rock Hotel. I also liked that at $50 per person, the meal came with wine pairings. I'm a sucker for wine pairings!

Dinner started with a glass of bubbly, then salad and a generous antipasti plate. I can never pace myself at dinner so I ended up eating it all. That and most of the bread basket. Then came some butternut squash risotto. Then a plate of both roasted organic turkey and maple pork loin. At this point, I couldn't even touch any of the sides, I was so full. Finally, there was a plate of mini desserts, including pecan pie, and Grappa to wash it down. Overall a satisfying meal at a reasonable price.

On the way out, we perused some costumes on display that were worn by famous performers. The collection included Britney Spears' school girl outfit, and the chaps ensemble Christina Aguilera wore in the "Dirrty" video.

Pho Saigon 8


The most satisfying meal of any trip, for me, tends to be the most down-to-earth ones. In Vegas, it came a steaming bowl of pho at Pho Saigon 8. Way off strip, deep in the heart of Vegas' Chinatown, I found the pho chin nam to be particularly soothing after a night of drinking. Super cheap and super good.

Jollibee and Chowking

I couldn't pass up the chance to eat at these Filipino fast food staples. At Jollibee, I had the Chickenjoy with rice and gravy, the sweet spaghetti and a peach mango pie. V had a hamburger. He said, "Which is the regular hamburger?" Meaning no weird sauces and additions (like a slice of pineapple).

At Chowking, I had arroz caldo and a small bowl of beef noodles. Yes, I was hungry and I wanted to eat everything. V had a combo plate of chicken teriyaki (or teriyucky) and spaghetti. After, we shared a halo-halo :-)

That's the food part of the trip--overall, satisfying and enjoyable. I'll post about Zumanity and Red Rock Canyon later.

Going back to the horrendous drive home, we left Vegas at noon, anticipating the crush of holiday traffic. But we weren't prepared for what actually ensued. Almost as soon as we left the Strip, we were in stop-and-go traffic. After hours of driving, we finally reached the Nevada-California stateline in Primm, a mere 40 miles away from the Strip. We finally pulled up in front of our house at 3 AM! The 500-mile drive took 15 hours! I could have flown to Japan in that same amount of time. Lesson learned: On the last day of a long holiday weekend, leave at the crack of dawn. Better yet, leave a day early.

Tired and in disbelief that we survived the long drive from hell, V & I crawled into bed thinking still that we had a great Thanksgiving getaway. Thank God for that!

Manny! Manny!

I didn't watch the fight, as I was at dinner with some new friends who are moving to Monterey soon. But I had V checking his Blackberry for updates.

A solid win for Manny Pacquaio. Someone Filipinos every where can be proud of. (And easy money for my dad. Haha!)

HBO recaps the Pacman's amazing journey here.



I thought this was funny too, as an extra bonus: “Zero crime rate in NCR during the Pacquiao fight, except for a lost wallet in a crowd of watchers in Tondo (in Manila) at the public free viewing area due to excitement,” said Bataoil. Read here.

HBO also aired a series of episodes featuring the prep both Pacquiao and De La Hoya did leading up to the fight. It's funny to see Manny's giant entourage! "Eleven of them squeeze into a two-bedroom condo." Keeping it real, Pinoy-style! And talaga ba namang may Magic Mic pa?! Also, his dog is cute.

I found the little bit about his wife, Jinky, interesting. I sense a bit of tension there, at least as far as this episode goes. Did anyone else pick that up?

Christmas wishlist

V & I attempted to get some shopping done at midnight on Black Friday, at the outlet mall in Vegas. We lasted all of an hour before we gave up and went back to our hotel.

I like shopping but have very little patience for trying things on. I also have a low tolerance for crowds and long lines. So online shopping suits me perfectly.

While shopping for others though, one inevitably finds something for oneself. Here are some things that I'm *wishing* for. Might give you some ideas for what to get for the folks on your list.

Gorillapod

It's hard enough trying to get your digital point-and-shoot to consistently produced decent shots. But throw in low-lighting, a slower shutter speed and unsteady hands and you end up with bad night pictures almost every time. This funky and handy tripod will take care of that. No flat surface? Not a problem. The Gorillapod can wrap its arms/legs on poles, tree branches, and wine bottle necks, among others. Comes in cute colors, and you can opt for an unpackaged unit to cut down on plastic packaging waste. The unpackaged ones are cheaper too ($21.95), so it's good for your wallet and the environment. Comes in different sizes so it can handle anything from a small camera to those massive DSLRs.

Marimekko wall hanging

I'm always looking for ways to counter V's growing collection of military prints. Nothing against them, just not my style at all. And since there are not enough wall space in his office to accommodate all his nicely framed prints, they end up spilling into the rest of the house. Marimekko is an established Finnish textile and clothing design company that makes everything from dresses, to plates and mugs, to bedsheets and tea towels--all with really funky patterns. This Marimekko wall hanging is made of 100 percent cotton, machine washable, and super cool. And it's on sale!

Simply Vera Vera Wang Quilted Faux-Crocodile Flat Tote


I've tried on several pieces from Vera Wang's Simply Vera line, without much success. Her dresses would look cute on the rack, and then really not cute on me. Same with shoes. They look really good in pictures, then you see them in person and wonder if you were even looking at the same thing. But among her handbags are some real winners, at least in my estimation. This is one of them. Comes in black too, and is the perfect size for carrying my MacBook. At $89 though, I thought it was a bit much for something you would get at Kohl's. But now that it's on sale for $53.40, I think I like it even more.

What's on your Christmas wishlist?

Happy birthday, Maan!

I was lucky enough to have lived with two very smart, very cool girls while in college. Joanne and I went to high school together, and braved our freshman year in the big city together. Maan, her younger sister, joined us a year later.

We had our fair share of drama, and while it all seems like a lifetime ago, I will never forget the friendship and the love they both shared with me.

Maan was the go-getter among us. She was always out there, charting a new path, trying newer and harder things. Now a mom of two and living in London, we are worlds apart in distance, but never in affection.


Thanks for everything, Maan. And may this year be the best one yet.

(Holy crap, did you just turn 30?!)

PS. I stole your Friendster picture. I hope you don't mind!

Loving Frank

In another life, I think I would have been an architect. In fact, that was the first thing I wanted to be when I was young. But I thought, with my utter inability to draw, that I couldn't be one. So I took another path.

As an adult, my appreciation of architecture continued to grow. And although I still can't tell a Doric column from a Corinthian one, I know a Frank Lloyd Wright building when I see one.

I don't remember when I first learned of Wright, but I remember clearly how I felt the first time I saw the Guggenheim Musuem in New York. Walking its spiral ramp, seeing artwork in that light, I thought, the man was indeed a genius.


Through books and pictures, I saw more of the man's work. A few years back, I visited my first Wright house, the Robie House, in Chicago.

Next month, I'm going to Taliesin. Wright built this dream house for his long-time lover, Mamah Cheney. While this was the place where the two of them could live in peace (they were both married to other people), it too was the site of their love's tragic end. Mamah died in Taliesin, as one of the victims of a fire set by a deranged servant. Today, it's the home of the Wright Foundation.


Do you love Frank? Re-imagine his love affair with Mamah in the historical novel "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan.

Rocking Thanksgiving Vegas style!

Off to Vegas today. I've got 8 hours of driving ahead of me. Yey.

I've been to Vegas countless times, but I still haven't run out of things to do. On the menu for this trip: a hike in Red Rock Canyon, a Cirque de Soliel show, Black Friday shopping at the Premium Outlets (or an attempt at it). Also, meeting up with friends old and new.

On the menu food-wise: some decent pho, Thanksgiving dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel's AGO, maybe some Jollibee or halo-halo from Chowking.

May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving, wherever you are.

He sings too?

Loading up on songs for an 8-hour drive. This one's catchy enough. But someone tell me why Kanye is now singing?

Fundraising season

The other day, I received in the mail a fundraising letter from my godson, Darren. Something to do with raising money to buy computers for school (that's the L.A. Unified School District for you). Instead of selling cookies or other knickknacks (so far, I've purchased gift wrapping paper, Christmas cards, chocolate covered raisins and pretzels from neighborhood kids for various school fundraisers), my godson is selling magazine subscriptions. He gets a credit for each subscription that he sells. As an incentive, if I buy two subscriptions, he gets a glow-in-the-dark Scooby Doo t-shirt as well.

The list of available magazines is long, and the prices a little elevated. And since I already have subscriptions for the ones I really want (Budget Travel, Domino, Real Simple), I can perhaps indulge in others that I'm just sorta interested in.

I was looking at Architectural Digest as my top contender. The mag is an established one, well respected, and for some, the bible on interior design and style. Remember when AD was doing a feature on Charlotte's Upper East Side apartment in Sex and the City?

While perusing some articles online, I saw that November's issue has a feature on writers and their homes. See if you think the author's writing style matches up with their taste in interior design.

Rudyard Kipling's (The Jungle Book) study in England exudes old world country charm. Seems like a cozy spot to curl up with one of his many books, though those chairs could get uncomfortable after a while.

My least favorite space of the lot is Terry McMillan's (Waiting to Exhale) house in NoCal. Something very bar-like about it. And I hate all the chairs.

The quintessential New York apartment of Neil Simon (Lost in Yonkers). Clean, contemporary, with a gallery-like quality.

Michail Crichton's (Jurassic Park) 100-year-old house in New Jersey. Love the mid-century modern touch. I'll take those Eames chairs any day, but it seems every one and their mother has a Noguchi table these days, so I'll pass on that.

Not quite The House of the Spirits, but Isabelle Allende's Bay Area home looks like Allende to me.

So order no. 1 looks like Architectural Digest. What else should I get?

Photos: ArchitecturalDigest.com

My Monterey Guide

Welcome to Monterey.

Four months ago, V, Briscoe and I moved to this town on the central California coast. Located 115 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles north of Los Angeles, Monterey offers an excellent quality of life and unparalleled beauty, or so says the City of Monterey web site. For the next 18 months, we are here to find out.

Monterey served as the first capital of California from 1777 to 1849. After the Mexican-American war broke out, it was here that Commodore John Sloat raised the American flag claiming California for the United States in 1846. Here too was where the first constitution of the state was drafted.

The Custom House, where Sloat first raised the American flag in July 1846. This is the oldest building in California, and the state's Historic Building No. 1.

Monterey is also known for Cannery Row, an area made famous by the John Steinbeck novel of the same name. Commercialized fishing in Monterey Bay started as early as 1853 when Chinese immigrants began exporting fresh and dried fish to nearby San Francisco. In 1895, the first cannery was opened, packing salmon at first, then sardines, which was plentiful at the time. Canneries opened, one after the other, and by 1945, the canneries of Monterey was a $22 million industry.

But the booming industry suddenly declined, blamed largely on overfishing. With the fish gone, production plummeted. The last sardines were canned in 1964.

Today, Cannery Row has been revitalized to house restaurants and shops. Others would say it's a tourist trap. But those who look closely will find the vestiges of old Ocean View Ave. underneath the souvenier shops.


Ocean View Avenue, where most of the canneries were located, officially became known as Cannery Row in 1958, 13 years after Steinbeck's book was published.

There's more to explore in Monterey. Join us in getting to know this other city (okay, town) by the bay.

I don't know about you...

... but I thought Twilight sucked. Am I missing something here?

I have not read the book, though I have it. As soon as I get over my disappointment over the film, I might go ahead and read the book to see what all the fuss was about. Because frankly, the film version did not deliver.

Overall, I found the movie to be painfully slow moving, taking forever to set up the relationship between Bella and Edward, but falling way short of evoking the sense of deep connection between the two. Are we to take the many long, awkward looks between the two as the sign that their very souls were connecting? For all their tree-climbing and baseball-playing, Bella and Edward did not seem like the star-crossed lovers in their portrayal. Mina and the Count successfully displayed a much more authentic connection in Bram Stoker's Dracula, and did so with less screen time.

It did not help that Kristen Stewart, who played Bella, seemed incapable of any facial expression other than the scowl she had on. She literally looked like she was in varying levels of pain the whole time.

Did anyone else find the Cullens' almost ridiculous level of paleness distracting? You don't even have to look too closely to see the layers of white foundation heaped on the actors' faces, especially Peter Facinelli, who played the family's patriarch.

To me, the real appeal of any vampire flick lies in its particular take on the vampire mythology. Where do they come from? What can they do? How can you fight them? In Twilight, we got little by way of the Cullens' backstory. There was a mention of an interesting history with the Quileute people, who supposedly descended from wolves. But it stops there.

Worse, these vampires seem impotent, even ordinary, shredding any ounce of vampire mystique that the film might have had going for it.

Any good film adaptation of a book needs, at the very least, to be able to stand on it own, to be able to tell its own story. Viewers shouldn't have had to read the book to understand the nuances of the characters, nor the intricacies of their story.

Overall, Twilight left me feeling unsatisfied, with a sneaking suspicion that perhaps there was something else there that simply ended up on the cutting room floor. But to blame the film's weaknesses on the harsh reality of filmmaking also does not suffice. The movie could have been a fresh re-telling of the age old story of ill-fated love. It could have been our introduction to a modern day vampire, a contemporary Dracula, dashing and young. But it was neither. Instead, Twilight is a sappy love story told at a turtle's pace resulting in a film that is altogether unimpressive.

I'll take an episode of HBO's True Blood over this any day.

Fierce!

Say what you will, but just don't hate.

This guy is FIERCE!

As seen on today's "The View."

Reminds me of D, a guy I went to college with, who had the whole "Honey" (Mariah Carey) video down, complete with pool diving action. Hilarious!

One thing though: I think this guy can use a sandwich.

A WINK and a Smile

I write all the time. I get paid for it some times.

My most recent writing project was a feature for Big Builder Magazine on an emerging demographic of home buyers: women with income and no kids or WINKs. Read it here.

Thanks for the opportunity, Sarah!

It's vampire season

I've always been afraid of vampires. In fact, I'm convinced I saw one, standing in the middle of the street in front of our house, when I was 9. Either that or it was a very vivid dream.

I've also always liked vampire movies. And while I watch the whole world, it seems, go crazy in anticipation of the "Twilight" movie, I've been getting my vampire fix from HBO's "True Blood."

With only one episode to go in the season, I must say that the show has taken some rather crazy turns. But ridiculous as it may seem to some, TB has kept me intrigued. In fact, I might be hooked. The town of Bon Temps has some real characters, including a shape-shifting bar owner, a vampire blood addicted Lothario, and a gay cook/drug dealer/homemade porn star.

Add to that the town's resident vampire, Bill (who is hip enough to play Wii in his spare time) and his heroine Sookie (who, by the way, can read people's thoughts) and you have the makings of a show that is so wacky at times, it's hilarious. But spooky enough too to be dead serious.

More than anything, it's interesting to see what a world where vampires are out and mainstream-ing could be like. And what better place to see it all unfold than the Louisiana bayou.

Did I mention the show is being executive produced by Alan Ball, the same guy who brought us another of my favorite HBO series, "Six Feet Under?"

I now know who I'm going as for Halloween next year!

Today's prescription: a little perspective

V & I have been talking a lot lately about how unfortunate it is that we will not get to travel overseas this year. We promised ourselves a long time ago that we will take the time (and resources) to go someplace new at least once a year, before we have kids. We figured, this is the time to indulge ourselves, before kids change our priorities. 

But due to the current economic situation all over the world, we thought it prudent to put off our planned Christmas trip to Mexico. If there was ever a time to cut out unnecessary expenses and shore up savings, it's now. 

Last night, I was feeling extra bad for the fact that our trip has been cancelled. We deserve it, I thought. We don't splurge on anything else. We don't buy stuff for the sake of stuff. I went to bed thinking of the next trip we will take, promising that it will be bigger and better than the one we missed out on.

Last night, I was feeling sorry for myself. This morning, I found this. 

We truly have a lot to be grateful for. So I'll start today with "Thank you."

Amen to that Mr. Miller

Last weekend, V & I took our dog on her first camping trip to Big Sur. We are lucky enough to live within an hour's drive of what is arguably the most striking stretch of coastline in California, wedge between the Santa Lucia mountains and the Pacific. The rugged beauty of this area--its majestic Redwoods, dramatic cliffs, and thunderous surf--have inspired many over the years, including writers like Richard Brautigan, Jack Kerouac and Henry Miller. 

"It was here in Big Sur that I first learned to say 'Amen,'" Miller once wrote. "Here I will find peace. Here I shall find the strength to do the work I was made to do."

Big Sur demands several more visits, and we will be happy to oblige.  

Along Hwy 1. Bad picture but it's all I took. It was overcast that entire weekend. 

We stayed at the Big Sur Riverside Campgrounds and Cabin. Having originally booked a tent campsite, we switched to this cabin when we heard of the rain forecast that night and the next day. We didn't think it was worth the hassle of having to clean and dry out all out camping equipment for an overnight stay. 

The cabin came with a picnic table and firepit. If you're wondering about those concrete blocks in the back, they're there to keep mud out. The campground was getting ready to close for the winter season. Because of the fires in Big Sur this past summer, there apparently is threat of a kind of mud flood over the winter, when the rain starts. Since so many trees are now gone, nothing will hold the water and mud at bay. Thus the massive concrete blocks barricading the campground buildings from the river, which is close by. 

Not very pretty but the campground owners have learned from experience. Apparently, a similar situation happened a few decades ago, leaving their cabins with about 3 feet of mud inside. They wrapped the concrete blocks with plastic for additional waterproofing, I suppose.

This is the Big Sur River, which looks more like a stream now. It's about 50 feet directly in front of our cabin. This is where our dog had her first swim though I don't think she meant to jump in. Not photos of that, but the look of shock on her face was priceless. 

Big Sur is dotted with state parks and beaches, including Pfeiffer Beach. We squeezed in a visit to the beach before day light ran out.

Something kinda creepy in the sand.

V & Briscoe

Beautiful, even on a cloudy day

We spent the rest of the night around a fire, making smores with Nutella. I know now, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I'm not a smores kinda girl. It was fun to try though.

Briscoe did not like the fire. Here she is staying as far away from it as she could.

Never did like that word

Spotted at the Maiden Publick House in Big Sur, CA.

Chimay: Belgian beer and cheeses made by Trappist monks. Chimay is apparently the name of the municipality where the monastery is located. 

"Here, in this heaven of peace and silence where since 1850 Trappist monks have dedicated their life to God, products are made which, in themselves, gladden the heart of man."

In Tagalog, chimay is slang for maid.

Dogs dine in style

Bent plywood cuteness for dogs. Too pricey for my taste though, at $210 for the large one.Photo: Pet-super-store.com

Great design for daily living

It's amazing how good design can elevate everyday items into things of beauty. Some items I want in my home:

Eva Zeisel's Classic Century Dinnerware Originally designed in 1952 by designer Eva Zeisel, reissued by Crate and Barrel. One word to describe this collection: graceful. I especially want the teapot, coffeepot and sauce boat. 

Bodum's Columbia sugar and cream set

I'm kind of obsessed with sugar and cream sets. Don't ask me why. This is one of my favorites. So sleek and cool. 

Pier 1 Orbit Chair

Mid-century flavor + homey wicker = cool chair

I waited too long to get these. When I finally needed them, they were gone--discontinued! Why Pier 1, why? You just discontinued the one item that gave your brand a cool cachet.