Thursday, July 31, 2008

Two cups. One love.

Never could I imagine that my life will be changed by coffee and tea.

He was such a computer geek and I guess you could consider me a nerd. We met in a geekette's party and yet we didn't get to really talk until our common friend said he had books of Umberto Eco. That drew me to him. And one afternoon we decided to meet up for coffee and tea in Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Greenbelt 3. He had books. I had a laptop. It was an afternoon in January 2005. We met at around 6pm and conversation just flowed on and on and on. We practically never left the table and we savored each drop of our drinks and each word that was said. It was the beginning of a series of meetings in the coffee shop.

Months ensued and we met in the afternoons, some times in the evenings. It was probably the coffee, the tea, the atmosphere. We kept talking a lot until one day I realized how much I shared with him and I couldn't wait for the next time we'd be sitting under one of the umbrellas or on the sofa chairs. Maybe the barista put something in the tea or the coffee. Something was definitely brewing and we both took it in and it's been a little over three years since then.

two cups, one love




This is my Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf story. Or maybe more like my geek/nerd love story, but some of the most important days and conversations did happen there. :)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Chicken Casserole experimentation

I tasted the chicken casserole an officemate brought to the office on time. His mom cooked it for his birthday 'libre' for us.  I really liked it and was curious so I asked him to give me the recipe.  He said his mom just got it from a magazine. Because I cook for me and JM as well as other people, I had to tweak the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 350 g shell macaroni (his mom used penne when she cooked it so i suppose that or fusili or rotini should be fine)

  • diced chicken breasts (not sure how many grams, I threw the pack away :( sorry! but should be enough to be used for 350 g of macaroni)

  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 1 medium sized green bell pepper,  finely chopped

  • half a bar of regular processed cheese, grated

  • 2-4 tablespoons of butter

  • 1 small pack Del Monte tomato catsup

  • salt and pepper to taste


Instructions:

  1. Cook the macaroni (or whatever pasta you're cooking) according to the instructions on the pack. Set it aside.

  2. Melt butter in pan. Sautee the finely chopped onion and bellpepper.

  3. Stirfry the chicken with the onion and bellpper.

  4. Add the condensed cream of mushroom soup, ketchup and grated cheese. Mix it well. Let it simmer.

  5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

  6. Add the macaroni. Mix it well.

  7. Cook it on the stove until it is 'baked' :)  Make sure you use an aluminum foil to cover it until it gets 'baked' :)


In my case, I didn't have aluminum foil so I put the mixture in a microwavable container and made sure I buttered the sides of the container. I let it stay in the microwave for 6 minutes using Med-High settings.  It became a bit baked. :)During the first attempt, I mixed in tomato sauce, not tomato catsup. It wasn't quite enough to taste as well as my officemate's mom's cooking.  Today, he said that it lacked some catsup but suited him.  Another co-worker suggested I could add more cheese. So, there. Please feel free to check it out and if you find that other variations on the recipe taste well too, let me know :D I'd love to know what you did with your chicken casserole.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Because Pinkies can have dollie crushes

fangirls of grey

I think it's my fault why three of my girls have a crush on Grey. And Grey is Kaoko's Tae Yang doll. Kao, one of the reasons I got even more interested in Pinky Street dolls happens to have cute Tae Yangs (Grey, Seiji and Junpei) and Pullips (Aki and Sachiko). The photobook Boys of Summer came out already and I happened to download a copy.

Arc says:
Is there a way for us to meet Grey in person? I'd like to hear him play the guitar and sing.


Ohara (I have to name her yet) says:
I could just stare at him all day, really. *sighs*


Rie says:
Hmmph. Why haven't you printed out a doll-sized version of the Boys of Summer? You don't want us to have a copy for ourselves... *looks accusingly at me*


My dolls should be happy that they see a bigger version of Grey on my laptop's screen. :D Then again, nothing beats having a photobook to ogle at while they're at home and chilling with the other Pinky:St dolls.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Working on some bows and wrist cuffs

I am making bows for my headbands :) I already finished a bow but I haven't figured out how I should wrap the headband with the ribbon I used. I think I should deconstruct one of the headbands I bought at the tiangge so I could have an idea. -_-;

As for wrist cuffs, it's a bit harder. Designing one isn't so difficult especially when it comes to something relatively simple. But... It's not so easy looking for good lace ;_;

Will post pictures another time :)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Rui repaint + Ohara!

Am getting a Rui repaint! Wheee! I won her on an Ebay auction.

Actually, I am considering getting a Sumire face from someone selling her on Flickr. I already have her alternate clothing. Maybe I won't like her school uniform much anymore. Dunno.

I got an Ohara face + her alternate clothes today. Marj and I split the Ohara pack this afternoon. Ryan and Nina were both there and were showing us other Pinky stuff. Need monies!!!!

Anyhow, I am just happy that Rui repaint is coming home to me and that I have an Ohara face now :)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Japanese movies! Eiga Sai at the Shang, UP Diliman and CCP

Before I forget, it's Eiga Sai time. Too bad I haven't been feeling well and Eiga Sai at the Shang has already started. Oh well. In any case, there are still some movies to be shown until August in CCP.



EIGA SAI JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL 2008
SCREENING SCHEDULE
in Shangri-La Plaza,
Cultural Center of the Philippines
and UP Film Institute, UP Diliman

Shangri-la Plaza
Eiga Sai 2008 Screening Schedule

July 8 (Tue)
7:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

July 9 (Wed)
2:00 PM
Hanging Garden

4:00 PM
Canary

6:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

8:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

July 10 (Thu)
2:00 PM
Hanging Garden

4:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

6:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

8:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

July 11 (Fri)
2:00 PM
Canary

4:00 PM
Hanging Garden

6:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

8:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

July 12 (Sat)
2:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

4:00 PM
Canary

6:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

8:00 PM
Hanging Garden

July 13 (Sun)
2:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

4:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

6:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

8:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

J-POP ANIME MATSURI
Eiga Sai 2008 Screening Schedule

July 26 (Sat)
4:00 PM
Chibi Maruko Chan (Movie)

6:00 PM
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

8:00 PM
Chibi Maruko Chan (Movie)

July 27 (Sun)
2:00 PM
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

5:00 PM
Chibi Maruko Chan (Movie)

8:00 PM
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time


Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
Eiga Sai 2008 Screening Schedule

Aug 7 (Thu)
2:00 PM
Canary

5:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

7:00 PM
Hanging Garden

Aug 8 (Fri)
2:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

5:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

7:00 PM
Canary

Aug 9 (Sat)
2:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

5:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

7:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

Aug 10 (Sun)
2:00 PM
Chibi Maruko Chan (Movie)

5:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

7:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda


UP Film Institute, UP Diliman
Eiga Sai 2008 Screening Schedule

Aug 11 (Mon)
4:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

7:00 PM
Linda Linda Linda

Aug 12 (Tue)
4:00 PM
Juvenile Jungle

7:00 PM
Hanging Garden

Aug 13 (Wed)
4:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine

7:00 PM
Canary

Aug 14 (Thu)
4:00 PM
Canary

7:00 PM
We Shall Overcome Someday

Aug 16 (Sat)
4:00 PM
Chibi Maruko Chan (Movie)

7:00 PM
A Stranger of Mine



This schedule was taken from the Philippine Art Scene blog. :)

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Headband madness

I want to make my own headbands!!!!!!!!!!1

This link gives us an idea of what kinds of headbands we could make. I want to make something similar to the Gossip Girl headbands. (I actually didn't know they were popular because of that show. I saw them on the lolita communities I watch on LJ.) I prefer sidebows to top bows as is common in a lot of lolita coordinates I've seen so far. The sidebows aren't as popular as the 'head-eating' bows probably until Gossip Girl? I don't know for sure... It's just that I find sidebows more reasonable. ^^;

I still have some lace at home. I'd probably ask Nay Lita to save my left-over grey cloth (from the jumper skirt I commissioned her to sew). I plan to make bows with them. :) Might as well add one to a headband XD