We’re coming Tasmania!

A few more days and we are off to Tasmania! This will be our very first trip outside Asia and will be sort of our second honeymoon :) Where is Tasmania you say? I’ve never heard of this place until a colleague of mine from Australia asked another colleague whether he’s ever been to the Island. The answer was ‘nope! never been there’ and my colleague’s response was ‘Ugh! you’re missing half of your life!’. I wasn’t eavesdropping okay? Its just that they were talking from a hearing distance (like beside me) so naturally i will hear everything  they say. Okay, okay, chismosa na kung chismosa! hahaha…. So anyway, i thought hmmm… what’s in Tasmania? And so that night, all I did was googled Tasmania and understood why. We’re so looking forward to see and experience the island for ourselves.

 

We decided to plan the trip without the help of a travel agency. Rudel did all the plane, hotel, car (yes, he’s driving!) bookings while I helped with creating the itinerary. We are flying by Qantas to Melbourne and Jetstar from Melbourne to Tasmania.

Here are the sites that helped us with our planning:

www.travelerfolio.com/places/australia/tasmania/
www.discovertasmania.com.sg/
www.tasmania.com/
www.transport.tas.gov.au/licence_information/tasmanian_road_rules
www.puretasmania.com.au/default.asp?pID=28
www.foodrehab.com.au/category/search-by-location/tasmania/

Please watch out for my next posts about this trip. It will surely be filled with lots and lots of photos!

Felicia Martins

 

Khansama Tandoori Village

The first time we went here was our very first North Indian restaurant experience. We didn’t know what to order and don’t know which meal goes with what. At that time I was only familiar with Chicken Briyani, Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Tandoori. So we ordered ALL four and regretted it at the end. Chicken Briyani is a full meal in itself. Chicken Tikka Masala with Naan is also considered a full meal. And Chicken Tandoori, I don’t know. The waiters (bless them) didn’t bother telling us that we were already  ordering for 10 people! We ended up finishing everything. Don’t ask me how but the words ‘SAYANG PERA’ was in our mind the whole time we were devouring all that food. In the end, we were so FULL to the point that I almost vomited. Lesson learned.

Last week, we went here again for lunch. It’s an hour away from our place by commute but near Rudel’s workplace where we had to pick up his mouse (don’t ask why!).  Keeping in mind that dreadful experience, we only ordered Naan, Buttered Chicken and Teh Tarik . That was it!

Garlic Naan. yep! Those are garlic bits.
The ones in Mumtaz Mahal was better though

 

Their Buttered Chicken was so good! The chicken was so tender
and the thick creamy sauce was yummy spicy just the way I like it!

 
copper plate stainless steel tableware. very authentic

Will definitely check out their other branches the next time my cravings kicks in again…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.khansama.net/default.aspx

Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Fettuccine in Agli Olio

Last week, I finally bought my dream cooking tool—a grill pan! I’ve always wanted to buy one but kept on stopping myself because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to use it that often. But finally I gave in.  I my want food to have grill marks on em for a change. I know, silly hehehe.

Before going to the cashier and paying for it, I quickly googled ‘grill pan worth it?’ just to really really make sure that the thing is worth my money. This site came first in the search results. According to the users, although the pan doesn’t give that smoky flavor it still gives the food a grilled texture. So there, JUSTIFIED :)

Excited with my new toy, I made ‘grilled salmon topped with mango salsa and fettuccine with Agli Olio (garlic and oil)’ for dinner .

Here’s how I did it:

First make the Mango Salsa. In a bowl, mix diced mango, tomato and red onion. Add 1 tbsps. each of lemon juice and lime juice. Season it with  salt then refrigerate, covered for an hour.

To make Agli Olio, fry minced garlic and red pepper flakes in extra virgin olive oil  (don’t burn the garlic please).  When the garlic starts to turn brown, quickly remove the pan from heat. Set aside. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.

  
Rudel loves garlic so much and I love the heat, that's why....

Meanwhile, brush the salmon with olive oil then season it with salt and pepper. Set the grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the salmon, skin-side up on the grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes each side.

And finally, pour Agli Olio over pasta. Mix well until the pasta is well coated with the oil. Season with pepper and top it with lots of freshly (it must be fresh!) grated parmesan cheese. Serve it with the grilled salmon and mango salsa.

Trust me, these threesome go so well together.

Relief….

Just received this in my Inbox and I’ll all I can say is THANK GOODNESS! You see, we booked a flight with Qantas for our trip this December so when we heard the news about their fleets being grounded that really got us worried. No flight would only mean cancelled trip. We had already booked and fully paid all hotels we will be staying in and we’re not even sure whether the payment is refundable or whether they allow rebooking. But I guess we should leave all our worries behind now since it ‘seems’ that the airline is already in control of the situation.

Here’s the full text of Qantas’ letter to its frequent flyers…

Hello

Now that Qantas has resumed normal operations I would like to update you on what the recent decision by Fair Work Australia means for you.
I apologise sincerely for any inconvenience that you or your family experienced during the grounding of the Qantas fleet between Saturday evening and Monday afternoon.
The decision to lock out some of our employees was an immensely difficult one and one that I did not want to have to make. But it was a decision that we were driven to by the industrial action of three unions, together representing less than 20 percent of Qantas employees.
As of last Friday, industrial action by those unions had forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights, disrupted 70,000 passengers and cost Qantas $68 million. Two union leaders had warned that industrial action could continue into next year.
This would have had a devastating effect on our customers, on all Qantas employees and on the businesses which depend on Qantas services.
On Saturday, I came to the conclusion that this crisis had to end. I made the decision to proceed with a lock-out, the only form of protected industrial action available to Qantas under the Fair Work Act, so that agreement could be reached quickly.
Unfortunately, it was necessary as a precautionary measure to ground the fleet immediately after the announcement that a lock-out would take place. While I deeply regret the short-term impact of the fleet being grounded, following the Fair Work Australia decision we now have absolute certainty for our customers. No further industrial action can take place. No more aircraft will be grounded and no services cancelled as a result of industrial action.
You can now book Qantas flights with complete confidence. This is an immeasurably better situation than last Friday, when Qantas faced the prospect of ongoing disruptions, perhaps for another 12 months.
We have now moved into 21 days of negotiations with each of the unions with the assistance of Fair Work Australia. All parties will be treated equally in order to reach reasonable agreements. If this cannot happen, binding arbitration will take place to secure an outcome. We will respect whatever decisions are reached.
Regardless of how and when the agreements are reached, the period of uncertainty and instability for Qantas is over. We are moving forward and putting this dispute behind us.
Our focus now is on our customers. We want to restore your faith by returning our on-time performance to its normal high levels, continuing to invest in new aircraft and lounges and ensuring the best possible in-flight experience.
The end of industrial action means we can concentrate on what matters – getting you to your destination on time and in comfort, offering the best network and frequency of any Australian airline and rewarding your loyalty as a Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Thank you for your patience and for your continued support of Qantas.

Alan Joyce
CEO Qantas Airways

Photography: Project Girl Power

Last Wednesday, I had this sudden urge of doing a photo shoot. I don’t know what came to me but it was really what I wanted to do this weekend, something more productive than just hanging out home, watching TV and pigging out (hehehe). And so, I invited my girlfriends to do this project. Not much preparation was done. I basically just asked them to come to my house, bring their kits and do our thing.

Model: Alecks Domingo
Photography: Mella
Makeup: Creative Beauty by Allets Malabag
Stylists: Mella, Stella, Shiela and Alecks (This truly is a Girl Power project!)
Hair: Alecks and Stella
Location: Our living room

I am so happy to say that I love love love how this turned out. I bought my DSLR 3 years ago and unfortunately (for me) I haven’t really made an effort to hone my photography skills. I still use AV mode and always capture photos in natural light. I understand what aperture, shutter speed and ISO means but I don’t know how to make them work together (read: I don’t know how to use a DSLR in manual mode). Anyway, enough with my photography confessions. I’ll probably figure it out someday. What’s important is that I am happy with the END RESULT of this shoot. Hope like it too!

For more photos, please visit my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mellatan/

Last Night’s Dinner: Linguine with Alfredo Sauce

My first experience of making a white sauce to go with my pasta didn’t quite turn out well ( a lot of bitterness in there hehehe). After that kitchen disaster, I somewhat vowed never to make a pasta dish with white sauce EVER AGAIN. But last night, I realized that I shouldn’t given up that easily. I should have tried and tried and tried again until I make it right—which I finally did last night!

I sautéed about 1 tbsps. of chopped garlic in butter until it starts to brown. Quickly turned off the heat to avoid burning the garlic. I then added a bottle of cream (better than canned cream I tell you), stirred it then turn the heat on again and set to low fire. I then added freshly grated (avoid ready-grated cheese at all costs!) parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

and…voila!

it’s the garlic that brings that oomph! to the sauce

Taste of North Indian Food

All I know is that this is a kind of appetizer. I don’t know what its called though. We didn’t like the greenish and redish dip but the salsa was good.

Chicken Kebab. The chicken was so juicy and tender and it really went well with the salsa salad.

Chicken Tikka Masala served with Garlic Naan. We usually eat Naan with Buttered Chicken but tried Chicken Tikka for a change. The verdict? We should have been more loyal.

 

Mumtaz Mahal (Pasir Ris)
1 Pasir Ris Close, #01-39 Downtown East, Singapore

Wedding Flowers: Bouquets, Corsages and Boutonnieres

So, who was our florist?

I had a number of shortlisted Tagaytay florist supplier but I only met up with one. From all the Tagaytay florists I’ve found during my research, Ate Cora of RCJC had the most number of good feedbacks. However, no supplier’s perfect right? So of course they had a fare share of not so good reviews. But after meeting Ate Cora,  I had a strong feeling that I could trust her. I booked RCJC right away after she presented me with the package offer.

Ate Cora was very easy to deal with. All I needed to do was show her pictures of different flower arrangements  and color themes I liked, informed her of our budget, informed her of our reception venue and church, number of guests, number of entourage, and voila! She drafted the package offer right in front of us right then and there! hehehe…I told her from the very start that that we’re not planning to spend too much on flowers so she made sure that the flowers that they’re going to use are in season and inexpensive. I know nothing about flowers, even their names (basta maganda sa picture yun na un! hahaha).  So it was all in Ate Cora’s hands the moment we signed the contract.

My bridal bouquet-–white flowers with shades of pink and green.

 

mini bouquets for my ‘maids’ of honor—yes, I only needed two! hehehe. I chose not to have bridesmaids anymore to save money. wrist corsages for female secondary sponsors—bouquet’s are much more expensive so I chose this as suggested by Ate Cora

 Groom and male entourage boutonnieres—shades of white and green. again in contrast with the pink dresses. my not so little brothers were our bible and coin bearers. male secondary sponsors were hubbies cousins and one of my brother as well. We had ‘one’ flower girl which was my hubby’s niece and our ring bearer was my one and only nephew. Corsages for ninongs and ninangs and for our moms too. As I said bouquets are much more expensive. Besides, they already have purses as their accessory :)

Wedding Flowers: Reception and Church

When we were planning our wedding, we knew from the start that we won’t spend a lot of money on flowers. I think spending hundreds of thousands on flowers alone are impractical and a waste of money. The celebration should be more about the couples and not so much on the wedding embellishments.

Before I met with my florist, I spent time thinking of ways to save money on flowers without making the church and reception area look dull. I found very good tips and advices from a lot of practical brides (believe me they’re out there!) in the internet. I adopted those that I think will work with my plan. A week before our meeting with the florist, I collected many photos of different flower arrangements that I would like my florist to use as an inspiration.

Here are my inspirations for the church flowers and reception table center pieces.

Here’s my florist’s interpretation.



My motif was watermelon pink and apple green. Since my bridesmaids dresses were already in pink, I wanted the color of the flowers to be in total contrast ‘para hindi nakakaumay’. I wanted scattered petals along the aisle but SADP didn’t allow it so my florist suggested to use cloths instead as an added decoration.

I ‘used’ the same flower pots from the church as table center pieces for the reception to save money. Gladly, my florist was kind enough to transfer all the flower pots from the church to the reception free of charge. The green table napkins are from Ikea which I bought for S$ 1.99 /50 a pack. Not bad…not bad at all :)

Weekend in Mt. Bromo Part 2

The second leg of our trip was the actual ‘hike’ to the volcano.

The locals calls this Sea of Sand.

Horses are for rent if you don’t feel like walking….

…but only up to the foot of the mountain. after that you’re on your own.
 



it’s a long way up!



and this is how close we got to the crater. It’s quite dangerous, now we realized.

Weekend in Mt. Bromo Part 1

Last month we went to Mt. Bromo, an active volcano in East Java, Indonesia. After more than 3 months of hibernating , we decided that it was time to travel again. Rudel and I both enjoy travelling. We specially love to go to places where nature is involved. Being in an unfamiliar place, getting lost, eating local food, learning about different cultures and even being duped by a bad tourists guides are all part of the adventure we warmly embrace (except for the last part of course hehehe). Travelling is a form of a reset for us from our daily routine and from work.

On our way from the airport to the village of the volcano we saw this ‘Pedicab’ version of Surabaya Indonesia


Chicken Curry Bromo style as it says in the menu. It tasted like tinola and only has a hint of curry. It was sooo good! Perfect for the cold weather.

of course I wouldn’t let this beautiful site pass. sunrise and sunsets are my favorite photo subjects

Mt. Bromo from afar. Can you see the smoke coming out from it’s crater?

taken around 7am. loved the sun rays on my face.



onion farms surrounding the village

And they call it Puppy Love…

The other day, I finally had the chance to watch A Little Thing Called Love. It’s Thai movie about a girl who was secretly in love with a senior guy in their school.

I remembered my innocent high school years.

Never had the guts to confess to my crush though hehehe

My Bridal March Song

I wanted it simple, not overpowering yet still filled with emotions. And this is what I found.

I’m lucky to have an Uncle who is a great guitar player. He played this for me LIVE while walking down the aisle :)

bacon and egg makes me happy

time for a non-wedding related post!

I’m glad I woke up early today despite being on a grave yard shift this week. I had the chance to jog in the park and ate a sumptuous breakfast :)

the secret to a perfect crispy bacon:  place bacon in a non-heated, oil-free pan. fry it over medium low heat while letting the fat melt-away! it should be done when both sides turns golden brown

drain the excess fat then use remaining oil to fry your eggs.

Wedding Tip: Booking a Caterer

One of the things I didn’t appreciate on most of the wedding caterers in Tagaytay is that they don’t offer free food tasting. Food tasting will only be complimentary if and when you book them and pay the down payment. Unfortunately, because I didn’t have the right guidance during our wedding planning or maybe I was just simply naïve about these things, I had booked this one caterer without trying out their food beforehand. I only relied on the feedbacks I’ve read over the internet from previous brides. On the day of the food tasting, I found their main course meals to be very disappointing (mas masarap pa ang ulam sa carinderia ni Aling Nena kumbaga). I ended up cancelling my reservation with them. I couldn’t bear the thought of feeding my guests tasteless food! And yes, our down payment was forfeited.

We all have different taste preferences. What may be delicious for others, may not be for you. So before paying the down payment, try out the caterer’s food first EVEN if you’ve already read/heard good feedbacks about them. Pay if you have to. What is 800 pesos compared to 10,000 pesos diba?

What else do you need to know? I find these tips from theknot.com very useful. Read it NOW.

Questions to Ask Your Caterer

1. Does the caterer specialize in certain types of food or service? (They should provide you with sample menus to review.) Find a wedding caterer who can make a memorable meal.
2. Can the caterer arrange for a tasting of the specific foods you're interested in prior to hiring? (They should.) Schedule a tasting if you get a good vibe.
3. What is the caterer's average price range? Are costs itemized depending on the foods you choose, or is there an all-inclusive flat rate? What would that include (linens, tax, and gratuity)? Does the caterer have printed price sheets for food selections? Make sure there's room in your wedding budget.
4. How involved is the caterer in a typical reception -- does she work like a wedding coordinator or banquet manager, cueing the band, telling the couple when to cut the cake, adjusting the schedule if guests don't seem ready to sit down to dinner? (You will need to find someone to fill this role -- if your site manager or caterer isn't going to do this, think about hiring a wedding coordinator.)
5. Will the caterer provide tables, chairs, plates, table linens, silverware, salt-and-pepper shakers, and more? Ask to see these items to make sure they're acceptable. Do you have to rent tables, place settings, or other equipment? Or will they arrange for the rentals? If not, find wedding rentals in your area.
6. Who is the main contact? Will the same person you work with when planning also oversee meal service on the day of the wedding? (You want this to be the case.)
7. Will the caterer work any other weddings on the same weekend, the same day, or at the same time as yours? (You want to be sure they will devote sufficient attention to you.) You may want to pass on a smaller outfit who indicates they have another job or two scheduled for that day.
8. Does the caterer handle all table settings? Will they put out place cards and favors?
9. Will the caterer provide wait staff? How many would they recommend for the size of your wedding? What will the wait staff wear? (Top caterers say they always use their own serving personnel, even if the site's staff is available, because they understand the caterer's way of doing business.)
10. Will the caterer be willing to include a recipe you provide, like a special family dish, or an appetizer with some sort of sentimental significance? Can they prepare vegetarian, kosher, kids, or halal meals for just a few of your guests?
11. Where will the food be prepared? Are there on-site facilities, or do you, the caterer, and the site manager need to make additional arrangements? If the caterer must bring in his own equipment, is there an additional fee?
12. Can the caterer provide alcohol? Or can you handle the bar separately? If you can provide it, is there a corkage fee? How and when will you get the alcohol to the caterer? If the caterer will provide it, do they have an flexible wine list, and can you make special requests? How is this list priced?
13. How will the caterer arrange the food on the buffet table or on plates? Can you see photos of previous work displays?
14. Can you speak to previous clients? (Get at least two references that had a similar number of guests and a similar menu style.)
15. Does the caterer also do wedding cakes? Can you use an outside baker if you desire? Is there a cake-cutting fee?
    
    and more…….from other sources
16. How much do you charge for children’s meals?
17. How much do you charge for supplier meals?
18. Can you show me photos of cakes you’ve done in the past?
19. What types of linens, glassware, plates and flatware do you provide?
20. Do they have any other events or weddings the same day or weekend?
21. What is your policy on cleanup? TIP: Be very clear about what “cleanup” means and who’s responsible for handling it—and be sure to get it in writing. We’ve heard many tales about caterers that left dirty dishes, trash and uneaten food behind. In most cases, when you rent a location it will be YOUR responsibility to leave the place in acceptable condition. You want to spend your wedding night with your honey, not picking up empty bottles from the lawn!
22. If there is leftover food from my event, can we have it wrapped up for guests to take home or have it delivered to a local shelter?
23. If my event runs longer than contracted, what are your overtime fees?
24. What is the last date by which I can give you a final guaranteed guest count?
25. How much of a deposit is required to hold my date? When is the final payment due?
    Are there any fees that won’t be included in the proposal that we should be aware of?
26. Once we book with you, how quickly can we expect a contract? And if we make changes to menu choices or other items, will you update us with a revised estimate and contract?
27. What is your refund or cancellation policy? – very important! Unexpected events can happen that will force you to cancel, so know your way out!

Tip from me: Try asking for a sample contact which may contain their general terms and conditions.

Nurture Spa Village, Tagaytay

We actually went here (2 months before the big day) not to do an ocular visit but just to rest, relax and relieve all the stress that accumulated over the course of the wedding preparations. We wanted to enjoy our stay in Tagaytay for a change, instead of just meeting with suppliers.

We got their couple package called ‘Ulayaw’. I find it expensive but since we were too tired already we didn’t have the energy anymore to look for a cheaper place to stay or a cheaper place to eat—our primary goal really, was to have a massage.

The package includes overnight accommodation in an authentic Ifugao hut with set breakfast and one set meal lunch or dinner, plus full body massage and dilag facial or foot massage; all for two.

( We didn’t bring our camera with us during our stay, so all pictures here were taken using our phone. Hence, the quality of the pictures).

Yes, it was indeed an ‘authentic’ Ifugao hut. Downstairs is the toilet.

|
We were welcomed with ginger tea served with raw sugar.



Inside the hut. It’s a fan room. Good thing it was cold in Tagaytay at the time we went, so no need for air conditioner. It was just too tight inside. We should have checked the hut before paying the down payment.

Toilet was ‘OK’ but it has glass frosted window so your naked butt’s reflection can be seen outside hehehe. I know weird. Good thing the hut was surrounded by a fence so there’s still privacy.

After having a massage, which by the way was the best massage I’ve ever had, we had dinner at their restaurant called Dulang. It has a relaxing Asian theme and it felt so cozy inside.



Starters, Ka Cesar Salad and Mushroom soup


 
I had Chicken Kare-Kare Roulade. The chicken was a bit dry. Would have preferred the ‘original’ kare-kare recipe. The peanut sauce was missing something, couldn’t figure what it was.



While (my now) hubby had Tuna Inasal. Couldn’t remember how this tasted so I can probably say that there was nothing special on this dish.



The garden area. I think this is where their outdoor wedding receptions are held.



Around the pool area

And now… the second best part our stay(at least for me anyway hahaha) was the breakfast we had.



I had Daing na Bangus sided with pineapple salsa, served with egg and garlic rice. This was soooo good! The salsa and deep fried milk fish went so well together.



While (my now) hubby had Longganisa  with fried rice and egg. It was the usual longganisa (read: nothing special)



Hot Tsokolate. THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE I HAVE EVER HAD! You can really tell that it was made freshly from cocoa beans. The sweetness was just right for my liking. When I go back to this SPA (hopefully soon) I will order three servings of this, promise!

Nurture Spa Village is located at Barangay Maitim II West Tagaytay City, Philippines