Ed's birthday dinner

It's my Love's birthday yesterday. Yahoo! :-) For his birthday dinner, we tried the amazing buffet in Spirals Softitel. It was eating non-stop and filling our tummies to the hilt. hahaha!

We got there right before sunset but the dark clouds were looming so we were not able to try the Sunset Bar near the pool area. It's nice to just sit down and enjoy the bay. The waves were pretty strong that day and it was a bit on the rainy side so we were not able to stay outside for a long time.

Nonetheless, my honey enjoyed the sound of the waves and the nice breeze by the bay and pool side.

The buffet is so varied from Italian, spanish, chinese, japanese and korean dishes. Super yummy! Ed's favorite though is the long dessert table. He can't stop feasting on the chocolate fountain and everything chocolate there. He even placed chocolate on his puto bumbong! hahaha! Yes! That's how much he loved it.

His smile alone when he started eating his dessert plate was enough to make me smile the whole night.

Mixed Vegetables with Japanese Dressing

If you feel like having vegetables with a Japanese dish taste, try this really appetizing recipe. It's healthy and very tasty.

Got this recipe from Asian Vegetarian Recipes Periplus Mini Cookbooks (of course, I've tweaked it a bit). :-)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: around 20 minutes
For 4 people

Ingredients:
10 dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup Kikkoman
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup mirin - available in japanese groceries or in the Asian section of your favorite supermarkets
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic (add more if you love a more garlic taste)
1 tbsp mushroom seasoning - available in the Asian section of the supermarkets
1 c. of oyster mushrooms
2 pcs. medium carrots
1/2 cup cauliflower
1 red bell pepper
1 bunch spinach
salt and pepper

1. Soak shitake mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain but leave 1/4 c. of used mushroom water.
2. Cut the mushrooms in quarters.
3. Mix Kikkoman, ginger, mirin, white sugar and reserved mushroom water.
4. Add the mushrooms and stir well.
5. In a wok, sautee garlic and add the oyster mushrooms and mushroom seasoning.
6. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper.
7. Add carrots, cauliflower and bell pepper
8. Pour prepared liquid and bring to a boil.
9. Add spinach and simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot with steam rice.

Enjoy!

Avenue Q High

Braving the winds and the rains, my friends and I trooped to RCBC Building to watch the Farewell Run of Avenue Q in Manila. It was so worth it! Every scene had us laughing and yet thinking at the same time. It's not often that you come out of a theater with a lot of learning and a need for introspection. It was fantastic how points raised in the play became major topics of conversation over dinner.

I think I was hooked from the first song, "It Sucks to Be Me!" and it went on to "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist" to "For Now".

The play dabbles on different touchy subjects that people can easily relate to. Yes, we all are a little bit racist sometimes and if we do accept that it is there, then we can probably live with a little bit more harmony.

Also, the idea that everyone looks for their purpose in life is noble and fantastic, but sometimes it does not come easy and you just have to ride through it... or, it does not come at all but it does not make your life any cheaper or sadder. It just is, at least "For Now". :-)

It also is true that we do experience "Schadenfreude" in our lives. We do find happiness in the misery of others. Don't deny! :-) There are very few people who are spared.

Aiza Seguerra, playing the role of Gary Coleman is a revelation to me. I know she can sing but she was really good in this play. I think she has chosen one venue for her talent where she can really shine. Her voice is fantastic. I never realized how good her singing voice is until I saw this play.

Carla Guevarra- Laforteza, playing Kate Monster and Lucy Slut has a very strong voice. She can rock the place anytime. I was amazed at how she managed to change voice characters and I think she has one of the strongest voices in the cast. Great work!

Kudos the cast and production members of this play. Hope that you stage more of these so that we, who can't go to Broadway all the time, can experience the beauty of these plays and musicals in our own country. Good luck on your Singapore run! :-)