Nothing but eating

Beginning last Wednesday, I instructed our cook to serve rice by the cup. I gave her a white ceramic cup to mold the rice. I taught her how to do it.

rice served by the cup

Serving rice like this helps me control my rice intake. Pag-kasi nasa bandehado lang, kuha lang ako ng kuha, hindi ko napapansin, naubos ko na pala ay isang bandehado.
With this little cups, I can measure half-cup, whole cup, or two cups.

Number one qualification of our maids and drivers: they should eat Tilapie de Laguna de Bay with sawsawie de patis.
Tilapia at sinigang na baboy

One of the motivations that I have in bracing the chaotic traffic to Binangonan is eating pinangat na dalag in Bahay Kawayan. The eklok is the piece de resistance.
Pinangat na Dalag, Bahay Kawayan

I am going to skip dessert, ang taba ko na, I have sugar overload. Wag na dessert.
My God what a hot sunny day. Sige na nga. “Waiter, isa ngang halo-halo, walang sugar but with extra milk”.
halo-halo in Bahay Kawayan, Taytay

After buying tilapia (again) and bangus from the pritil.
Ang init naman, hay, I am so thirsty.
Oh my halo-halo? Ale, magkano?
Ale——— “Sampu”
Omb——— “Tatlo, walang asukal, yung isa paki dagdag ho ng gatas, dadagdagan ko ng bayad”.

Halo-halo in pritil

Alalays—– “Mam, ang tabang walang lasa”.

Tingnan mo itong mga ito, libre lang eh mareklamo pa).
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Omb——— “Wala kasing asukal, palagyan nyo na lang”.
Alalays—– “Kaya pala”.

I saw this house in Libid after I came out of Gomer Celestial’s house.
Omb———- “Ang ganda”.

Gomer looked at the house, then he looked at me. He looked confused. His facial expression was nagtataka, parang “ano kaya ang maganda dun”.
I like old Spanish houses. It evokes a certain past. Parang merong emotion.
Old house in Libid

Gomer messaged me kasi the other day asking for help in organizing this May’s Santacruzan in Libid, being his last, after 38 years. I wanted to speak to him to understand what was he asking about.
He let me into his house, kaso, ingay na ingay ako sa mga tricycle, I couldn’t understand what Gomer was saying. I brought him to this restaurant onstead, the one in front of the old house of the Ynarezes in Layunan. I forgot the name of that place.
It has aircon kasi at tsaka tahimik.

This year would be the last time daw that he would organize the sagalas, kasi he’s old na (63-64), he’s tired na daw and it’s so stressful to organize.
Ganun pala yun, he needs money for the Reyna Elena, who’s traditionally an artista. P20,000 honorarium, tapos yung konsorte pa. There are so many sagalas pala na walang mga pera but it’s their dream to be a sagala, kaya Gomer would be the one to borrow or rent gowns for them, and he would also be the one to hire the make-up artists to doll them up.
I disagree with this, good intention but stressful. Attention young ladies, if you want to be a sagala, then find a way to produce your own gown, have your own make-up. Kung ayaw mo, manood ka na lang. Huwag mang-abala ng ibang tao.

Gomer Celestial eating halo-halo

Gomer suffered a mild stroke on Christmas Day (December 25, 2013). He got depressed because he thought that was the end. He has fully recovered with no physical impairment.

He couldn’t finish his special halo-halo and spaghetti. I ordered two more balots of pansit bihon to take home to his nephew and elder sister, 70 and single.

I had another meeting with the architect in Tagaytay. I became upset when she made a plan different from the drawing that I have given her last week. She was insisting on her drawing. I got so upset. I don’t need an architect who would disagree with what I wanted to do. I want someone who would do what I want, improve a little, but basically execute my own ideas because I have very clear vision of how I want my place to look like. I just need someone to help me build it.

When I asked her asan ba yung drawing na binigay ko sa’yo? di ba usapan natin susundin mo na lang yun, hindi ka na mag-iisip pa ng iyo kasi yun na nga ang gusto ko? Asan ba yung papel? In fairness to Alma, she’s a nice person, when she saw that I was so upset, she said she would need ten minutes to revise based on my own drawing. I patiently waited, it took her 35 minutes.

There was a correction again, she revised it, I waited for 35 minutes or more. I didn’t mind, except for the mosquitoes.

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I worked while she was revising it using CAD. I drew the details, the windows, doors, yung mga detalya. When she came back, she saw the details, sulat ballpen lang.
She asked if she may see it. When she saw my drawings she said “Ano ka ba talaga? Bakit marunong ka nito?” She asked anong business ko, anong ginagawa ko.
So far, there are only a few things she knows about me, my name is Annie (she doesn’t know my surname), I live in QC, I have a driver and an old van.

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I also had an early supper of garlic rice, itlog, tokwa at baboy (P120) while waiting.
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Before going home, I took out two orders of Blackened Beef Salad from Fire Lake Grill for my son and daughter.
Fire lake grill interior

I thought I said not to serve us beef and pork dishes together in one meal? Eto na naman,
inihaw na liempo at nilagang baka.
Inihaw na liempo April 2014

Sizzling bangus sisig, very spicy and cold. The cute iron plate was a free item from the cooking range/ oven I bought 8 years ago. First time we’ve used it. Kala ko kinalawang na.
Bangus sisig

I found a lot of lettuce in the ref when I arrived from Bicol. Edmund went to the supermarket and bought diet food.
E——— “Salad lang ako, hindi ako magra-rice sa gabi. Sobra ng bigat ang timbang ko”.
E———- “Nonie pumitas ka nga ng basil, damihan mo”.
A——— “Tart, sa susunod wag masyadong maraming violet leaves ang bilhin mo, kasi nabasa ko na masama daw yan sa babae pag masyadong marami. Sa babae, ewan kung sa lalaki…”

Edmund's salad

A——— “Tart you want cheese ice cream?”
E——— “Pwede”.
A——— “Nonie cheese si sir, ako ube”.

ube ice cream with cheese and basil

E———- “Ang dami naman”.
Cheese ice cream with basil

Ubos,  Refill pa.

E———- “Kunwari pasalad-salad pa,  tapos kakain naman ng ice cream, wala din”.

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2 thoughts on “Nothing but eating

  1. Hi Ms. Annie,

    We were in a similar situation with our architect when we had our house built last year. Since our architect was a lot older than me and very inflexible, it took a lot of resolve to stick to what I really wanted. But I did because ,I know my wants and needs. I’m the one who will ultimately use the house and not him. Also, I was paying him and not the other way around. Of course I would listen but if he failed to convince me then I will not agree with his suggestions. Bit stressful and time consuming (I was making sure he would only execute the works I approved) but in the end, it was all worth it. Good luck in your new project. If it’s anything like your kitchen, I’m sure it will be beautiful. Always trust your instinct.

    1. Hi Zhai,
      Architects naturally want to have a freehand in designing the house. However, owners are the ones going to live there so the house must be a reflection of the owner’s personality and not mere showcase of the architect’s glory.
      Thank you for your comments.
      Tagaytay- It’s a very small project with a very small budget so I don’t know how it would look like.

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