my life in food

The magic of layovers and kroketten

May 17, 2013 Leave a Comment

Transferring from KLM to Delta

The Husband hates layovers because he’s just one of those people who do not want to waste time and energy in another place, so he always wants to fly direct to whatever destination. He was flat out disappointed when he learned that we had a 5-hour layover in Amsterdam, instead of flying direct from Dubai to Atlanta.

I, on the other hand, enjoy layovers. It is an insanely cheap-ass way of visiting two countries in one go. And if you know me, I am all for cost efficiencies. I know we won’t get the chance to step out of the Amsterdam airport (all because we didn’t have Schengen visas. Boo!), but still I knew that these 1^st world airports (Please let us not talk about my home country’s sh*tty international airport. The thought itself is a downer.) would provide us with much fun and entertainment that the 5–hours would just whiz by. And oh my, did the time at the Schipol Amsterdam airport really fly by.

Love from delightful Duluth, Georgia

May 16, 2013 1 Comment

Green, green, green greater Atlanta

The USA has never been in my list of dream destinations, which is odd for a Filipino, who I think are generally American obsessed colonials from the equator. Except for the fact that the original Disneyland is here (every child does want to meet Mickey Mouse at some point in time), there is little reason for me to actually spend my hard earned money and precious time in the USA.

But then again, fate has its strange, inexplicable ways. And she (or he) has brought me here to the US of A three weeks ago.

My fear of the USA has always been about the bleak and the bland. As our plane dived into the refreshing vibrant green cityscape, my fingers dug into the chair arms with bated breath as I braced myself for flavorless living.

Dubai Last Suppers: The Home Cooked Meals

May 4, 2013 2 Comments

Before we’ve left for the US, we were invited for home cooked meals made by our friends. The invitation was an honor in itself. And who in their right mind would decline an invitation to be served a meal made from ingredients carefully chosen by sight, touch and smell, which were mixed, rubbed, tossed with their own hands and painstakingly tasted by friends’ distinguished palates?

The Ultimate Challenge: Pantry Planning

September 15, 2012 4 Comments

I’m a mood dependent eater. A lot of what I eat each every meal time: breakfast, merienda, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, everyday really depends on the general mood I have. Am I happy and want something sunshiney to brighten up my morning like slices of sweet pineapple? Do I feel manly and want some MEAT (insert Flintstone club waving and Tarzan chest thumping here), a huge slab of steak with some buttery mash and veg? Am I feeling blue and want something rich, creamy and salty like a bowl of al dente, cheesy carbonara? I do plan our menu, but go off-tangent a number of times because of my mood swings.

The Gift of Life

September 13, 2012 8 Comments

Gifts are meant to be appreciated and taken care of, especially if of great value. Yet isn’t it such an irony that the gift of the greatest value is something that we don’t appreciate and take care of. Life is the greatest gift that God has given to each of us, yet we fail to appreciate it and take care of it.

I am so guilty of this. I haven’t been taking care of my life recently, so I have been falling sick again and again and again.

Beef rendang: The way to rekindle a dry and fried creative spirit

August 11, 2012 6 Comments

Empty.

I’ve heard that Dubai summers can be quite depressing. Imagine being stuck in an enclosed space filled with 10 ginormous SUVs, all revving up their engines with heat levels steadily increasing and exhausts on full blast right in your face that breathing is the most difficult thing to do. Imagine the suns fierce rays pinching every pore on your skin, burning you to a crunchy dry, unattractive crisp.That’s how it feels on most days.

And if you’re stuck in Dubai with no travel plans out of this country and just sick of bumping elbow-to-elbow with the crowds at the shopping malls, then I suppose depression is possible. The past weeks have been a routine of office-work-office-work. Nowhere to go. Hardly anything decent to do, except enjoy our wee flat’s air conditioning.

This heat does fry your creativity and spirits like it did to me. I actually don’t mind being burnt once in a while because when you get burnt, you do learn something new. Like the first time I tried Beef Rendang.

From reheating to real cooking

July 1, 2012 2 Comments

Leftover feast: pork siomai, mixed veg and biryani rice. Let’s not forget the milk.

The Husband always said that the Dubai life is fast paced. I never really believed it until I realized that it’s been a little bit over a year since I’ve set foot in the desert as a married woman. Upon realizing this, a fuzzy sentimental feeling washed over me as I recall the very first proper home meal The Husband and I had as a married couple.

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Filed Under: My Life in Food, The married life Tagged With: first meal together, my life in food, the married life

Another chocolate I’d want to eat again

June 3, 2012 2 Comments

I am a loud and proud non-chocoholic woman, whom, so far, only ONE chocolate brand has ever satisfied. But today, I miraculously found another one I’d love to eat again and again and again…

Weekends are made of these…

June 2, 2012 10 Comments

I now have regained the a full appreciation of the line: “Where has the weekend gone?” I can’t believe those two days are so over. But, but, but I am grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire Cat because I think I just had one of the most productive and enjoyable weekends ever. To be honest, it wasn’t anything spectacular like a weekend out of the country or even just a weekend out of town (a weekend in Sharjah? *Snicker*).

It was simply a weekend filled with the simple joys that make my life complete

I love you barberry much!

May 23, 2012 7 Comments

“I saw you looking at Jam E Jam supermarket. What’s in there? I saw your head turn and your eyes lit up when we passed that intersection. I saw you!” The Husband quizzically asked me.