Babies, Adventures in the Kitchen and Nore-what???

So is this how it goes? I find a job and I ditch blogging altogether? Considering that I haven't blogged in oh, 2 weeks,  I'd understand if this little bloggie blog of mine would feel mighty neglected.

Like an unfaithful significant other, I'm pleading forgiveness and vowing more us time. So where to begin? I apologize, but it looks like it's going to be a lazy summary of what's happened in the last couple of weeks. Brutal, but it must be done.

New Addition to the Family
 I'm an auntie again! This time it's my sister-in-law who's given birth to her first child--a beautiful little girl. It's a wondrous occasion because it's also the first grandchild for the in-laws. We visited them in the Bay Area and the families were just giddy with excitement for the lil one. Yes, I loved our new little niece the first time I laid eyes on her, but I just have to chuckle...I mean, can there be such thing as being overly proud of your baby? I mean, I can understand the amount of fawning that goes on when a new baby -- especially the first -- is born into a family. "Oh, she isn't she the most gorgeous baby you've ever seen?" "She is sooo much cuter than such-and-such's baby!" "No other baby is cuter than our little girl." Considering that I already have three other nieces -- all of whom were flower girls at our wedding -- I was willing to be more neutral on the "baby wars." . But you know what, it's ok to be overly proud of your new baby, or granchild or niece. She's yours. You love her. You are truly blessed to have her. Savor the moment.

Hello, Work Force!
New job is going well. Since the company is new, and the position is new, navigating through all the details can give you a headache. Literally. I think I must have spent hours trying to get into our programming system...something that I'm sure won't take me more than a few seconds once I get into the routine of things. But I'm excited. I'm working in a field that I fascinated with -- Communications. In this day and age, it's an evolving and dynamic field. I was trained in print journalism, but no one can deny that the entire journalism industry is heading toward the digital world, albeit somewhat delayed by many accounts (ask the legions of unemployed journalists out there). Instead of fighting the future, I believe firmly in embracing it. I'm thrilled of the new opportunities in store. Prayers for guidance into this promising new adventure!

Nore-what?
That would be norebang and that's what we did for my lil sis' birthday bash. Norebang is Korean for song box, and that's what norebangs are really - a private room (some as small as boxes) where you and your friends can sing to Karaoke, without you having to sit through other folks' awful renditions of Summer Lovin. My sister rented a large, comfy room in LA's Koreatown where we sang with ultimate surround sound (uh, make that everyone but me...I don't sing). Makes a perfect night out for the karaoke king and queens out there!

Although, I did take to the mic once in a previous norebang experience. Yup, if you get me drunk enough I'll sing some Genie in the Bottle for ya! 

Lil Sis, the Rockstar
My lil sis in a band called the Lodevico Technique, a combination of our last name and a Clockwork Orange reference. A little ironic cuz their debut performance was at my sister's church's annual fair and A Clockwork Orange isn't quite church-inspired material, but oh well. She and her band rocked it out despite the rain.

You know what else I loved? Pupusas....mmmmm. They look like pancakes but they're stuffed with meat and cheese. El Salvador might be a tiny country but they sure know how to make their grub. 

RIP Trick-or-Treating!
Seriously, is trick or treating a thing of the past? Is it going the way of ice cream trucks and the milk man? Not one trick or treater came to our door for Halloween. Sad.

Run, Forest, Run!
I'm behind in my training by a couple weeks, but I'm still running. I'm up to 5 miles and have to tackle 6 miles this week. I've been running at our local park which is a 0.4 mile loop. Just to run 5 miles, I had to make it around 12.5 times. Kind of hard to keep track of my rounds. So I'm in search of a place to run long distances. I may check out Bonelli Park as a possible training site.

What's for Dinner?
I'm still cooking, even with the new job. I enjoy it so why quit what you love? I don't particularly like eating out when I know I have food in the fridge that might go bad soon if I don't whip up something with it. I hate waste. I hate spending a ton of money on eating out. But cooking has been so common that I've kind of slacked off with the food porn photo shoots. What has been on the menu lately?
* Beef Calderetta (a Filipino beef stew) -  Delicious, but the flavor might have been a bit too different for the other people in the house. I used Mama Sita's Spicy Calderetta mix. Great time saver, although I don't think it's that spicy
* Pumpkin pie - I was in the mood for some pumpkin pie on Halloween. But I cheated and used the super-duper easy recipe behind the can of my ready-made pie mix. Just add Carnation evaporated milk, eggs and pie mix into the ready-made store bought pie shell and you're good to go. Nothing spectacular in terms of culinary feats, but it was oh-so-good. Kinda bummed someone else beat me to the last piece in the fridge!

* Chicken Katsu, mac salad and rice- sounds like an odd combo, but if you've been to Hawaii and eaten a plate lunch, it's a perfect threesome. We're missing Hawaii (Kauai was our honeymoon spot), the waves, the island breeze. So I decided to whip up something my hubby adores. The Mac salad was pretty easy, although I had to make some modifications to the recipe. Yummy and on the sweet side. The chicken katsu was kind of time consuming, especially when you're cooking a huge portion. But the end result was worth it!
* Pasta with Prawns in Creamy Garlic Sauce - A tasty dish for any lover of the stinking rose. Just be sure not to overcook the shrimp. My mistake as they were a bit tough.

* Chicken Adobo - a Filipino staple and favorite.  I grew up with this stuff. In fact I know it by heart. While it's so easy to make and requires just a few ingredients (seriously just soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf and chicken), the flavor is really intense, but delicious.

* Baked Mac and Cheese - I think I needed more cheese for the portion I was making, but the roux was so yummy. Bay leaf was something new to most mac and cheese recipes I've done, but it was a great addition!

* Egg salad sandwich - What's so great about egg salad? Well, if you add a little onion, a little celery and a dash of curry powder, you have one tasty sandwhich!

* Hu Tieu/Banh Pho Don Xao Bo (Vietnamese Crispy Rice Noodle Beef Stir-Fry)

As you can tell, my end result didn't look as tantalizing as my inspiration  on WanderingChopsticks , but even though mine wasn't as good, the fam still enjoyed the taste. Think I'll try this recipe again...maybe I'll get it right the next time.
Read more: http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2010/07/hu-tieu-banh-pho-don-xao-bo-vietnamese.html#ixzz14ZmoWaYT

* Chicken Curry Fried Rice - What I always do with leftover rice is fry it. But I'm always looking for new ways to fry rice besides the same old garlic and soy sauce combo. Since I had been on a curry powder kick lately, I decided to try this recipe. I eased up on the curry powder portion. Glad I did because it would have been way too overwhelming. The dish turned out well, the curry being intense but flavorful.
* Sweet and Sour Chicken - I didn't have enough ketchup that this recipe called for so my sauce was a bit thin. But I did marinate the chicken in a little soy sauce and rice wine to give it a little more flavor. I loved the bell peppers and the sweetness of the sauce, although I think I'd cut back on the pineapple in the future. It was a bit too tart for me.

I'm sure there were more dishes, but I'm probably boring you...Oh an my father-in-law brought us a box of potatoes. Hmmm....potato dishes, coming right up!

Finding my MUSE

MUSE at the Staples Center (9/25/10)

Back in the day, I used to be all on top of the newest, hottest band. I went to all-ages punk and ska shows, I could name every band on the radio, including those that were still under the radar (and thus cooler since no one else had heard of them yet). I donned concert T-s and Docs. My hair was a different color every other week.

So what happened?

I got older. I got preoccupied with school and work. And I became - yikes! - uncool. Yeah, I still love my music, but I must say, the bands I know these days are the ones I'm sure most people do. The last concert I paid a ticket to go see? Coldplay at the Honda Center in Anaheim in 2008. Not shabby, but I know there are plenty of great music I'm missing out on.

Thanks to my younger sis, who graciously gave me her extra ticket, I got to see MUSE at the Staples Center the other night. I've liked MUSE for a few years now, but after watching them live, I think they're probably the best rock performance I've seen. No kidding. MUSE is a combination of progressive rock, alternative and metal with the showmanship of a 70's stadium rock band. With rousing lyrics inciting change and action in the face of injustice, MUSE resonates with today's generation.

Concert highlights? The rousing Uprising was the perfect opener, and Time is Running Out was a hard rocking highlight. Crowd fave was the radio hit Starlight where lead singer Matthew Bellammy handed over vocal duties to the audience who knew the chorus word for word. My favorite was the riff-pounding Hysteria.

Even from our nosebleed seats you can feel the energy. People rocking out, moving and singing along from all levels. I almost forgot the rush you get from watching a live performance, that beyond the music and the visual experience, the crowd reaction and being a part of the excitement is what takes a good performance to the next level. It becomes...spellbinding.



The "Olympic" fig leaf

In my first post, I referred to the symbolic fig tree in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. Each fig represented some life dream the main character Esther wanted to accomplish. One of the dreams was becoming an Olympic champion, a dream that I know is unrealistic for me considering that I'm out of shape and over-the-hill at 30, compared to Olympic athletes who've trained since emerging out of the womb.

But there's an Olympic-like feat I know I want to accomplish before I get too old and rickety.

That goal?

I want to run a full marathon. I want to complete a 26-mile race. I wouldn't be doing it for a particular time, I just want to run the entire thing at my own pace without stopping.

For some, that's an easy task, but for me -- the kind of gal who was never into sports -- it's a huge, Herculean feat. Growing up, my sisters all had ribbons and trophies from their days on swim teams, and I never contributed to the awards case that sat proudly in display in our home. Now, I want to prove to myself that I can push my body to accomplish something I never thought I could.

I did run a half-marathon once almost three years ago in Phoenix, Arizona for the Rock N' Roll Half Marathon, and the 13 miles was excruciating. I thought that would be my life's "Olympic" feat...but that was only half of the big one. The big daddy. The real Olympic event. I've always wondered...what if I could accomplish that one?

Yep, that's me with my medal after finishing the Phoenix half marathon in 2007.

So, while I look for a job, I'm in need of another goal. The hubby wants to get in shape and start running and I think this would be an excellent goal to work towards together.

The date? That would be March 20, 2011, The LA Marathon.

With about six months to go, I need to get cracking on training. There's Team in Training, an organization that helps you train while you raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...but it's a huge commitment. You have hit thousands of dollars in donations, and if you don't...you pay the difference. Ouch! It's a great organization though...and I'm still contemplating if I have the time. I do now, but who knows how busy I'll be when I do find a job and trying to train in the meantime.

Tonight, the hubs and I will take on our first jog. The goal for today's workout? Two miles.
Baby steps. Baby steps.

Finding Filipino identity through food

As a Filipino-American, I'm familiar with topics on Filipino identity and discovery. I'm accustomed to the dialogue that goes along with it -- the yearning to learn more about our little-known or recognized history, the desire to hold onto dying traditions and languages, the generational divide between Americanized Filipino youth and their immigrant parents. As a college student rediscovering my own ethnic heritage, I clamored for all things Filipino-centric, looking for things that were "genuine" and even contemplated an "authentic" Filipino tribal tattoo on my back. The irony was that the tribal tattoo was as foreign to me as any other non-Pinoy, and even to my own immediate ancestors -- none of whom most likely,  I would later gather, bore tribal tattoos.

My name in ancient Filipino script

Pinay-pride Guess heels

But it didn't matter, because I was growing to love all things Filipino, where in the past I had grown to be ashamed of it. It was liberating and exciting, and that time in my life was indeed a learning and growing experience. Now, that I'm a little older, I no longer care to have a Filipino tribal tattoo on my back (or any tattoo for that matter), and my cravings for all things Pinoy-centric has calmed down. I no longer romanticize the culture, but I continue to have respect and honor for my own heritage. I can say that I am proudly Filipino and I can enjoy my identity as a Filipino-American without feeling that I am either confined or completely defined by it.

Wow, didn't know San Pedro can be quite pretty!

This past weekend, we attended the Philippine Arts and Culture Festival in Pt. Fermin Park in San Pedro. There was Filipino art galore, novelty items like the ever-present giant wooden fork and spoon that hangs in nearly every Filipino household (yes, growing up, there was a pair in our home), booths on ancient Filipino medicine and arts, traditional performances and food...oh, yes the food.

While I love Filipino arts, celebrating community and a good tinikling, I would be lying if I didn't say the main reason for me to go to this annual festival multiple times is for its food. Filipino food is home to me. While there are more celebrated and refined cuisines in this world, my personal love is Filipino food. It signifies mom, family, gatherings, love and celebration. And I can rarely pass up an opportunity to relive it all.

While scoping out the different food vendors, we settled on White Rabbit, a Filipino-fusion food truck. With LA's Korean-Mexican fusion truck Kogi gaining legions of customers through it ingenious Twitter marketing campaign, I'm seeing a whole new crop of the Asian-inspired roach coaches.

The White Rabbit food truck

Novelty idea? A shortlived fad? I dunno. But I loved that I could order a meal of sisig on the go.

Pork sisig

Sisig is a simple, but tasty melange of pork bits and crunchy grinds, jalepeno, garlic and onions. Doesn't sound particularly pleasing, but my taste buds love it. That's the thing with much of Filipino cuisine. We take what most would consider rudimentary, simple or just plain crap and make it golden. 

 
The hubs ordered a sample of their Filipino tacos-one with pork tocino, one with bistek (Filipino beef steak), and another with chicken adobo. Maybe I'm just too much of a purist when it comes to Filipino food, but putting these three flavors in a taco is just a little too far off the grid for me. It's like french fries. Sure, you can put it with salt and vinegar, maybe even mayonaise. But it's best with ketchup, and to someone raised on Mickey D's kids meals, it's almost blasphemous with anything else.

My sister's Spam and Egg slider from the Manila Machine

My sister chose a spam and egg slider at the Manila Machine, another Filipino food truck. One of it's owners is the writer of one of my favorite food blogs, Burnt Lumpia. With a slice of fried egg, spam and a little banana ketchup in between a fluffy pieces of pan de sal, this tiny, almost-bitesized sandwich is pure Filipino goodness.

My ube and red bean ice cream bar

To cap off our Filipino cuisine sampling, we bought some ice cream. I stuck with ube, a type of purple sweet yam that's a mainstay in much of Filipino desserts. As most know, Pinoys love their purple stuff. My ube ice cream bar was filled with red bean. Each bite reminded me of frozen halo halo (without the coconut).

After maxing out our money on food and Pinoy memorabilia, we called it a day. Now, what to do with my new pair of oversized fork and spoon? No, just kidding, haven't gone there yet. ;)

Baseball cravings

You will soon know that the hubby and I are Lakers fans true and true. Our wedding colors were, yes, purple and gold.

But baseball...I'd rather watch the highlights on ESPN.

Our friend had four free tickets to see the Angels vs. Mariners at an Angels home game in Anaheim. So we joined him in some pretty good seats near the action.

But really, what's an ambivalent baseball spectator like me to do during nine slow innings?

What else? Eat!

Now, I'm not overly excited about overpriced food.

The Angel Dog was like any other hot dog and our nachos were--at $8-- the most I've ever spent on processed cheese.

Quite disappointing...

But what did I expect? Gourmet food?

Just as I about to write off this baseball outing as an uneventful evening in sports and stadium cuisine (the game dragged on for 14 innings), something wonderful happened.

Our friend's cousin tipped us off on the most amazing cheddar fries ever...ok, maybe amazing is a stretch but after our overpriced meal of hotdog and nachos, this mound of carb goodness had our taste buds dancing.

sour cream cheddar fries

chilli fries

Golden, crispy, oozing with cheese and whatever unhealthy topping you want. Better tasting and the better deal at $4.50. But they're a little hard to find. Head past the the food vendors, near the smoking section and you'll find a stand selling them. Still can't find them, ask someone and they'll know what you mean.

So, if you don't catch a homerun ball, these cheddar fries might be your next best thing!