Tasty Hainanese Chicken

     Just went to the doctor to have a complete congenital scanning. I had the test scheduled around 10:30. When  I was told the test would take longer than a regular ultrasound, I was expecting bout 30 mins, but it took longer than I expected, almost close to an hour. My baby wasn't cooperating during the scan, he was lying in a transverse position with his face down. We have to wait till he changes his position so the sonologist can do a complete facial scan. We went to see my doctor afterwards. When we're done, I'm literally starving. We went to Robinson's Place Manila to eat. There's this small restaurant that just opened recently, called Hainanese Delight. Their specialty- hainanese chicken with unlimited hainanese rice only for P120.00. There are also other dishes on the menu with unlimited rice with the same price, but we tried the house specialty. It was one of the tastiest hainanese chicken I ever tasted... and the rice, really delicious. Hubby & I just can't resist adding extra rice. We also ordered Chicken Heaven with BBQ sauce which also comes with unlimited rice. A must try when you visit Robinsons Place Manila :-)

Hainanese Chicken

Hainanese Rice

Hainanese Chicken with unlimited rice

Chicken Heaven

Chicken Heaven with unlimited rice

Typhoon Pedring

Roxas Blvd.

MH Del Pilar

Strong waves plus high tide

Pan Pacific Hotel Malvar St.

     Yesterday was the second anniversary of typhoon Ondoy, one of the most destructive typhoon that hit Luzon. Today we are experiencing another fierce storm with strong winds & heavy rains, typhoon Pedring. We live on the 16th floor that's why we can feel the strong wind banging againsts the windows. Rainfall is continuous so our surrounding area is already flooded. Manila Bay has high tide that's why roxas blvd collected water so fast. These are some views from above.

Lunch Date at Tokyo Cafe

Tokyo Cafe Mall of Asia

 It's our first time to eat at Tokyo Cafe, we would just normally pass by the restaurant not really interested in trying out the menu. Then hubby got some vouchers from a group buying site & it's quite reasonable, so might as well check out the food.  The voucher entitles the buyer to order 2 sets of bento meals so we tried 2 different sets. We tried the beef & pork bento. Food was pretty average but the place is nice, it was lunchtime so the place was quite full. We have one voucher left, we'll try the other bento sets when we go back :-)

                                 

Pork Tonkatsu Bento

Beef Bento

Dinner at Gerry's

Tinomok

Beef Caldereta

Chicken Kebab

   

Hubby & I went to Mall of Asia last week for a little walk ( I needed the exercise). As the place is literally jam packed with restaurants, deciding where to eat is quite hard. After several hours of walking, come 6 pm & my tummy's complaining. We decided to eat at Gerry's Grill located at the seaside area of the mall. Gerry's offers filipino foods, their specialty- grilling. It was actually our second time to eat there. It's quite hard to get seats there since the place is always full,  a factor we always consider when choosing a restaurant. If the place is always full, the food must be good. The first time we ate there we ordered grilled liempo & sizzling beef, they're really good. This time we ordered beef caldereta, tinomok ( ground pork wrapped in gabi leaves cooked in coconut cream), & chicken kebabs. We were quite disappointed with the dishes this time, which obviously were just reheated when served. This is especially not good with foods cooked in gata (coconut milk) as it needed to be reheated properly otherwise it's bad news for the tummy. Taste was just average, nothing extra ordinary. The first time was far more better. We'll be going back though, still has a lot on the menu, guess it's just a matter of ordering the right dishes :-)   

Man's Bestfriend

I miss my doggies. Haven't seen them for several months since I got pregnant. We have this mini pinscher that doesn't look mini at all, looks more like a piglet. A labrador who thinks he's still a puppy & an american eskimo who thinks he's rambo. Oh yeah not to forget our adopted dog who's really psychotic, we took him in when he almost got killed when rolled over by a car. I have 4 boys who just can't get along but they're all sweet. My mom too has 5 under her care but she's living in the province. When she retired she brought 2 of our poodles with her. These 2 pooches have a very bad habit of not eating when they're not beside her.

Anyway, here are some pics of my babies, just wanted to share them :-)

The Child in Us

Everyday is not complete without cartoons. Though I'm in my late 30's I still enjoy watching it. It may sound childish but watching cartoons serves as a stress reliever for me. My nephew introduced me to this free anime site, gogoanime.com, smorgasbord for the anime addict. I'm currently following Bleach, hard core action with a very original plot. Japanese cartoons or anime as they call it are quite unique & interesting, you can actually get hooked up once you start watching it. A lot of kids are so into it that everytime you go to an anime convention expect a huge crowd attending it. Here in Asia cosplay is often times featured in most conventions you'll actually be awed with the costumes the contestants are wearing. Most of the kids make their own costumes, just imagine the time, money & effort they spend for that. But just like what they said, they don't mind at all because they enjoy what they're doing. But I'm not limited to that,  I also love watching Phineas & Ferb, Fairly Odd Parents, Spongebob Squarepants, just to name a few. The love for cartoons runs in our family, believe it or not my mom used to watch these with me, it's our bonding moment. The same goes with my other two siblings & their families. It's fun to share silly moments like this, you should see us all laughing together.

It's good to bring out the child in you once in a while. With all the stress going on in our lives, it sure helps to a have a good laugh. Remember the old saying Laughter is the Best medicine? Well this is actually true because it has a lot of health benefits like increased blood flow to the brain, it strengthens the immune system, lowers blood sugar, plus it's a natural stress reliever found to be effective in almost all situations. As adults, we are constantly bombarded with stressful situations & though we're equipped with logical thinking & objectivity, we find it hard once in a while to deal with these events. A lot of people use cartoons as a stress managemant technique, & it's relaxing once you see the humor & apply it to every aspects of life

Don't let age get in the way. If you feel stressed out, take a break, watch some cartoons & you'll see It will make a lot of difference.

Looking Good Feeling Good

My husband bought me a magazine yesterday about pregnancy, very informative & personal. The articles were very interesting, you'll literally enjoy reading it cover to cover.  Pregnancy is very exciting but it can make radical changes physically, emotionally & psychologically (talk about major mood swings). But despite the weight gain, swelling feet, back pains, a mom-to-be can still reflect inner beauty & a sense of well being.
First of all, eating healthy is very important, make sure to load up on fruits & green veggies, these will supply the essential vitamins needed for your baby's growth. Drink plenty of water to rehydrate & go slow on sweets, this will make a pregnant woman gain more than the required weight. Exercising is also important, as long as your doctor gives you the go signal. Light cardio activities like walking & calisthenics can keep your weight down & help the body to stay fit up to the time of giving birth.

Second, treat yourself by going to a spa & getting a massage. Back massages can alleviate back pains, just make sure to lie on your side when you're already on your 16th week, to avoid putting pressure on your belly. Apply lotions & moisturizers generously to avoid dry skin & stretch marks.

Third, show your figure. As one celebrity said, she feels sexiest when she's pregnant. Find clothes that enhance sexy figures. For comfort wear cotton or any light fabrics that stretches. Putting on a light make-up will help compliment the clothes that you're wearing, just make sure to wash your face properly to avoid clogging your pores.

Lastly, always have a positive outlook. Though pregnancy is difficult, you can still find ways to enjoy it. Tell your husband how you really feel so he can give you the support you'll need . Friends & other family members can act as support groups as well.
There are a lot of ways to educate ourselves with related topics. The internet is one good source. Reading materials are also readily available. Don't be shy ask if you want to know some answers, there are a lot of moms who most likely are happy enough to help you especially if you're a first timer.

Remember, a mom can already bond with her baby eventhough he or she is still in her womb. A baby feels if mommy is not feeling good about herself. Embrace the changes & be positive, it's all worth it in the end.