Loid Vegetarian and Raw Food Resto

Brought my laptop today to a brand new 20-seater resto in Barangay San Manuel, along the National Highway.   I've been driving by everyday and really wanted to try it out for the longest time.  I love raw food. And I love vegetarian food.   And it did not disappoint.

I had the Bean Burrito which had kidney beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and veggie cream.  Veggie cream is their alternative to yoghurt. They make creamy cashew paste to take the place of the dairy ingredient commonly used in Mexican dishes.  I also had the Guyabano Shake.  All for P120.00. 

It tasted so simple and uncomplicated, and yet so filling and healthy.  I loved it.  Will try the Thai Veggie Curry next time.

And it's FREE WiFi!!! And No MSG. 

Check out Loid Vegetarian and Raw Food Resto on the web and at Trip Advisor. 

Big Toys for the Small Boy

Nacho woke up late and decided to open Rene's toolbox.  He quietly lined up all the tools on the floor and inspected them.  His father just watched him intently.

A couple of minutes later, he knew what he had to do.

"My sculpture."

Back and Forth, Again and Again

The year is ending and we've gone back and forth Manila several times.  It's just a one-hour flight from Puerto to Manila, and we just have to be at the Puerto Princesa Airport an hour before take off. So, it takes two hours, which is pretty much the travel time when stuck in traffic in Manila.  With the plane fare promos, the cost is sometimes just like taking a road trip to Batangas. 

Nacho said,"Let's tell everybody to move here." We miss our families so!

And Rene and I are supplementing a lot to make sure they're learning as much as the other kids in the city.

But we don't want to move back (just yet).  The kids still need their wide open spaces, critters in the garden, grand sunrises and freezing cold waterfalls.   It's our gift to them, this wild weekend adventure-filled childhood ride. 

Sunday is Market Day in San Jose, Puerto Princesa

I love Sundays.

I wake up early, leave the rest of the snoring family at home, get my styrofoam cooler and some cloth bags and drive ten minutes to the public market.

The best part is walking along the rows of small nipa sheds where the produce is laid out on sacks on the ground, or on small tables.

My loot --- dragon fruit, guyabano, mangoes, avocados, bananas, red peppers!

The staples...Garlic, onions and tomatoes...

Dilis breakfast with fresh papaya... 

And some plants to take care of for E & N...

Wait till I tell you about the seafood.  Next time.

Long Time, No Cook!

At last, I have a stove and an oven that can simultaneously roast six chickens, bake three cakes, and cook four pyrex dishes of lasagna. I always dreamed of having my very own stove like this (and have the time to use it!) since college.  Mama happily funded my wish and bid me to bake away! 

And Citiappliance even gave me two gift certificates for Elmer's Pares, where we took home some pork barbecue for lunch! 

Table for Six

Our first purchase:

The New Market at San Jose has one row of furniture shops selling dining sets, bedroom sets, living room sets - made from rattan, ipil, kamagong and common wood.  We chose a nice 6-seater dining room set made of ipil, and got an extra shelf for a good bargain.  All pieces were amazingly loaded and tied on to a tricycle which followed our car to the house. 

Now, off to find a good stove. Can't wait.

Home Sweet Home in February

What happened to the sprawling 1000 square meter property with a two-storey six-room house we saw previously? Ha!  Rene was concerned that it might be pitch black at night, and with it being located quite far from the main road, we might be isolated and helpless during an emergency.  Emergencies will include break-ins, accidents and wild animals like the small cobra that was caught last night around here.

Also, the caretaker is a "manghuhula", "manghihilot" and an "albulario" and Mama was concerned that it might be a bit too spooky for comfort.
 
But tomorrow, February 25, I am meeting with a very nice old lady.  She is a widow, has grandchildren, and does not look like she is well into her 70's.  I am meeting her to give her two month's deposit for the rent of a small house and lot that Rene found last week.  He feels more comfortable with this one, and to him, feels just like our home in Manila.

The property is located in a small, quiet, gated, guarded subdivision that even has a small chapel in it. It has friendly neighbors and cute houses all around.  Very simple and homey.  There is public transport that passes in front of the main gate.  It is ten minutes to the market, ten minutes to the church, and fifteen minutes to the kids' school and Rene's workplace.  And the best part is that we have the first option to purchase the house as tenants - That little detail in our wish list was left out in the previous property we saw.

The small 100 square meter bungalow sits on a 300 square meter lot with a calamansi tree, a kasuy tree, a guava tree and a malunggay tree.  The bungalow has a two bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, and a good-sized living area. 

Our big house with the Arts &Crafts Room, Music Room, and Elise's Studio Unit shall have to wait.  Now, it's just time to give the kids their own private spaces, for me to have my heart's desire of a proper kitchen and cook nutritious meals for my family, have a small home office, and host grandparents, uncles, aunts, little cousins and babies from Manila for weeks at a time, and not just a few days.

We're getting settled.