Month: February 2010

Broccoli Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Parmigiano Regiano.  That’s what I have a lot of nowadays.  A friend got hold of a whole wheel and he found 4 of us to share.  That was how I ended up with a quarter of a wheel of Parmesan cheese.  Yummy though as it may be, I think it is way too much even for a cheese aficionado like me.  So I am thinking cheese a lot nowadays.  The other day I came across this and thought… hmmm.

The recipe called for 12 eggs – 12!  Well, living alone and all, I never have that much so I used 6 although I think it could use 1 more.  I had some gorgeous mushrooms and to the casserole it went too.  As for the cheese, we all know what we used.  I also had a block of Roquefort so I used a tad just to add more flavor and it did not disappoint.  I’d probably add a semi-soft cheese like Gruyère or a Fontina next time to achieve a smoother melt.  Perhaps I should have added the cheese before the egg mixture as per the recipe — but you see I don’t follow instructions very well.  Overall however, I think it came out beautifully.  On a scale of 1-10, I’m giving it a 7 because I didn’t have enough eggs and the cheese didn’t melt very well.

Posted on by Jenn 0

Take A Stroll With Me

In Macau.  Not only is the center an urban area with an old city, it is a World Heritage site to boot.  Inscribed on 25th July 2005 by UNESCO, the Historic Centre of Macau is a product of cultural exchange between East and West.  It could be the oldest, most complete and consolidated selection of European architectural legacy standing intact on Chinese Territory.  The center spans 8 squares but 2 hours will only allow for 3 squares, a ruin, a church and a whole lot of eating and window-shopping.

From our hotel, we walked all the way, passing casinos, to our first square.

Senado Square

I would have loved a photo of an empty square to showcase the cobble-stoned grounds with exquisite black and white wave patterns.

Not to mention the pastel colored neo-classical buildings flanking the square on all sides giving it a Mediterranean atmosphere.

But Senado will not be Senado if it was not busy (at least on both times that I’ve been there).  It has been the center of Macau since the square was built sometime in the 19th century.

From the main road to the church of St. Dominic’s, the pavement extends and eventually leads to a different kind of city – the cathedral of St. Paul’s, now in ruins located on top of a hill, making the stroll a paradise with so much eye candy.

St. Dominic’s Church

Not too far from Senado Square is St. Dominic’s Square.

It is one of the most popular squares because it is close to where the shops and little food vendors are.

It was fun strolling through the shops gobbling through these tasty fishballs in satay sauce.

Standing on the square is an imposing façade of cream-colored stone with white stucco moldings and beautifully designed green doors.

The first church ever built in China; Dominican priest, originally constructed from wooden slats, built St. Dominic’s Church in the mid 16th century.  A far cry from what we see today.

The church has an interesting past swathed with drama and violence.  A military man was murdered at the altar during Mass because he supported the Spanish against the Portuguese.  There was also a time that the Dominicans sided with the Pope against Macau’s bishop.  When local soldiers tried to enforce an excommunication order on them, the friars locked themselves in the church for 3 days.  In 1834 the monastic order was suppressed and for a time, the church was used by the government as barracks, stable and office.

Pasteria Koi Kei

On our way to the ruins of St. Paul’s, we entered a small alley brimming with more little antique and food shops.

You’ve gotta taste these babies!

One that caught our eye was this food shop selling dried pork and beef fillet similar to a jerky but so much yummier.

A small storefront extends really deep inside.

The biggest attraction though appeared to be their almond cookies.  Tracing its roots back to a cart selling only crunchy peanuts and ginger candies, Koi Kei put up its first store in 1997 and today it has gained recognition as the “most popular food souvenir” champion in Macau.  Like us, many bought items to take a taste of Macau home with them.

Sampling some egg rolls as they make ’em!  Great way to entice people to buy!

From peanut candies to almond cookies and egg rolls, Koi Kei Bakery is currently selling more than 300 varieties of products – almond cookies, egg rolls, crunchy peanut candies and the dried beef and pork fillet being among the more popular ones.

Ou Mun Cafe

After a good couple of hours, we were famished (even after all the goodies we bought and sampled).   In a cozy looking restaurant in one of the alleys in St. Dominic’s Square, I had a Bacalhau à bras – salted cod fish sautéed with potatoes, onion and eggs, in short, a bacalhau omelette.   🙂

The Cathedral in Cathedral Square

On our way back to our hotel, we passed another route and found ourselves in another square.  The façade of the Cathedral is simple but when lit at night, it transforms into something grandiose.  The present building stands on the site of several previous cathedrals, the original was the Church of Our Lady of Hope of St. Lazarus.  The first stone Cathedral, consecrated in the mid 1800s was almost destroyed in a typhoon 24 years later.  Extensive repair was done.  In 1937, the church was completely rebuilt.

Macau is not all about the gambling, you gotta admit though, they do add character to this urban area in an old city especially at night!

Ou Mun Café
12 Travessa de São Domingos, Macau
+853 2837 2207

Scenic Sunday

Posted on by Jenn 5

Syquia Mansion

Credits:  Papers by Jessica Sprague Home Away From Home Paper kit.

This colonial mansion built in 1830 at the corner of Quirino Blvd. and Salcedo St. is the ancestral home of Doña Alicia Syquia, wife of Philippine’s 6th president, the late Elpidio Quirino.

It is today a museum that offers free entrance to visitors.  In the house are 19th century furnishings, memorabilia and various photos, providing a glimpse to the man.

Doña Alicia did not live to become first lady however, because she was a casualty of World War II — she along with 3 of her children were killed by the Japanese.  Elpidio did not re-marry and his daughter, Doña Victoria served as First Lady.

The mansion had become the official residence of President Quirino thus claimed as the first Malacañang of the north.

A portrait of Doña Victoria graces the wall of the Receiving Room

A single wooden stairs leads to the receiving room on the 2nd floor where a replica of the Spolarium hangs.  Rumor has it that Juan Luna’s assistant painted the replica and this was what they referred to when the real Spolarium was restored.

The rooms are spacious with various doors linking one room from the other.  One can enter one door and exit another door leading to another room.

Capiz windows up close

The mansion was well kept and retains a lot of the 19th century details.

Glass window detail

I am a fan of Machuca tiles — flooring used in the Azotea

Looking out to the Azotea froma room (nice grill detail too).

The guide was very knowledgeable and equipped with many information.  Definitely a must see when in Vigan.

This is my entry to My World this week.  Click on the icon below for a glimpse of more worlds from around the globe.

Posted on by Jenn 10

Timeless Vigan

Ilocos Sur is where many culture and histories meet, all sharing space in this timeless city called Vigan – shrines, landmarks, museums, churches, ancestral homes, a cobbled-stoned street.  Inscribed in 1999 in the UNESCO World Heritage list, citing that, “Vigan represents a unique fusion of Asian buildings and construction with European colonial architecture and planning.”

Established in the 16th century, Vigan is still the most intact example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia today.  It is best known for its cobbled-stone street, Calle Crisologo, lined with many old buildings that are intact, restored or in (dis)repair.

One can see remnants of the old-Spanish architecture throughout the center of the city.

Although the street is now busy with souvenir and curio shops, it still transports one back to the Vigan at its peak.  It is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial city in the country, not many of the historical buildings are left after WWII.

The old Vigan colonial houses, built mostly by rich Chinese traders, are made of thick brick walls and red clay.

They conduct their business on the ground floor and reside above.  It is a characteristic of Chinese culture and other Asian countries as well.  The resulting townscape is a unique display of a harmonious blend of Ilocano, Chinese and European elements, a unique display of the multi-culture nature of the Filipino society.

Captivated by colonial towns and its culture, this road trip all started with Vigan in mind.

From their longganisa and bagnets to their ancestral homes, we savored it all.

the street at night

We spent the 2 days walking up and down Calle Crisologo soaking in the heritage,

wondering how life was back in those elegant days of yore.  An interesting city albeit far from the capital with about 400 kilometers (that’s about 8 hours) of travel needed if you are coming from Manila.  Vigan is charming and I urge every Filipino to make a visit at least once in their life.   🙂

Not your typical McDonald’s facade

Al fresco dining in the evenings is a wonderful thing

Scenic Sunday

Posted on by Jenn 4

Kapuluan Vista Resort

On my next trip to Maira-ira, this is where I am staying.  This road trip happened on a long weekend and we didn’t book early enough to secure us enough rooms.  The website photos lured me to this resort so even if we ended up staying somewhere else, we made it a point to have lunch here, just to see if we missed anything.

A far cry from where we stayed (that’s for sure!)

The entrance alone made me feel like weeping.  How could we have taken our sweet time, knowing that it was a long weekend?  Lesson learned – never underestimate even the remotest resort.  It was not so much the entrance (although it has a charm of its own, don’t you think?)

Great spot to laze around and finish your book

but the beach across the street almost tempted me to stay and savor my own solitude for a while.  But the tummy calls and so we ventured inside.

Once inside, we were greeted with modern minimalist lines, cogon (thatch) roofs and the use of bamboo here and there provided the local touch.

The pool invites for a dip and those lounge chairs lures us to laze around while we wait for our food.

No fancy fare but pretty good.

The outdoor massage area spells Tranquility (with a capital T).

Blue bancas on Blue Lagoon

Just a stone’s throw away from Blue Lagoon, Kapuluan Vista Resort is a haven for surfers really, the owners being surfers themselves.  The guests, while we were there were a mixture of locals and foreigners, surfers no doubt.

Still 1.5 hours away from Laoag and at least 15 km from Saud beach in Pagudpud, this resort out in the middle of nowhere is another hidden gem discovered.  And even if a surfer you are not, the cozy atmosphere is reason enough to stay a night or two.  A great place to recharge from the daily grind, if you ask me, and a return sometime in the near future is likely to happen.

How to get there:

There will be signboards on a spot where the road forks, also known as Gaoa (pronounced Gawa, I think).   It will be on the left side if you are traveling north.  Follow the road where the signboard leads, which will turn into a dusty stretch.  Before reaching the resort, there will be some settlements along the way.

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Posted on by Jenn 8

The Great Land That is Alaska

Credits:  Template by Crystal Wilkerson; Paper by Jessica Sprague.

“Alyeska” to the Aleut people means the great land and those who have visited would likely agree.  It is a vacation paradise, America’s last frontier, if you will.   Raw with a touch of exotic, Alaska is magnificent sceneries one after the other.  Our trip was rugged yet luxurious – thanks to our cruise ship extravagance, which balanced everything out.  Although more than half of the tourists came through a cruise ship, if I were to do it again, I would explore traveling by land to allow for longer stays in each town.  But if you are pressed for time and have constraints in budget, contrary to popular belief, taking a cruise is an economical way to cover Alaska.  Consider this:  you hit 3 birds in one stone, your means of transport, your accommodation and let’s not forget the overflowing sustenance offered on board.

My allure with Alaska started with the TV series, Northern Exposure.  Shown in the early to mid 90’s, it actually aroused my fascination to charming quaint towns such as Sagada and Banaue – closer to home rugged towns that I frequent.  Alaska was a far-fetched dream that came true.

Wildlife.  Humpback whales and bald eagles to be more specific thrive in Alaska.  This is an area full of wildlife as evidence in the wildlife and whale watching tours available in many towns.  Alaska is a perfect archetype of the great outdoors.  And if you are no stranger to this blog, you already know that I love the great outdoors, and the great wildlife.  Charming towns + great outdoors + wildlife galore = money and time well spent.

Posted on by Jenn 9

Feast to My Senses

Winding through stretches of wilderness, passing through primeval forests of Sitka spruce and aqua colored river and lakes surrounded by towering mountains in slow-mo with Ennio Morricone scoring in the background is a scene that still plays in my mind 8 months after.  Yes, the stunning and equally dramatic scenery deserves no less than an Ennio Morricone score.

Here’s one of my favorite Morricone score:  Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso

From the moment our journey started in Seward, it quickly began its climb through stunning forests, a string of massive glacier to lakes and river sceneries that only seem to escalate as the sun gets more golden on our approach to Anchorage.  Hands down, one of the finest voyages I’ve ever taken, a real feast to my senses.  The late Alaskan sunset (luckily) also meant good light for most of the trip, which resulted to this.

At some point, the tracks made a perfect U, which allowed for these shots:

Yeah, it rained at one point too.

And last but not the least!  Some shots taken as we approached Anchorage at 10pm!

If you ever find yourself in Seward, Alaska, don’t think twice… book yourself a ticket at Alaska Railroad Corporation for the best scenic ride of your life.

Click icon below for more scenes from around the globe.

Scenic Sunday

Posted on by Jenn 9