Embutido- Food

Hubby and I were thinking of a food that we can prepare ahead of time, stuck it up in the fridge and just cook it when needed... what best food that will be... our very own pork embutido.

Embutido is a mixture of minced pork, carrots, onions, cheese, pickle relish, sausage,raisins and beaten up whole egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together, roll it up in an aluminum foil and steam it for an hour.
Then, it can be eaten immediately, or fried or in between that tasty, hot pandesal :) yummy!

Vacation 2008- Part 2 - Food, Food, Food!!!

Every vacation we had, I always made sure that we got to eat what we have missed for so long in a year away from home.
I usually make a list:

1. Taho
2. Street food- fishball, kwek-kwek
3. Siopao
4. Siomai
5. Lechon baboy and/or lechon baka
6. Ube Cake
7. Balut
8. Itlog na maalat
9. Tuyo, dilis, danggit, daing na pusit
10. Jollibee spaghetti
11. Kuya Atiok’s kikiam
12. Pata bihon
13. Turon
14. Banana-q
15. Pork bbq
And the list can go on and on….
In addition to this, we got to try some restaurants, old and new.

Hubby and I were fortunate enough to be treated for a dinner by our friend, Karen Ayson. Noel was with us as well. She brought us to Oody’s- a Thai restaurant in Greenbelt.
It was dinner time, and the restaurant was almost full. The hostess was not there to book us a table so we took the liberty to take a table by ourselves.
We saw a lady doing a back massage to most customers while waiting for their food.
And Noel decided to try it. The massage was good, but the food was better.

Karen recommended their catfish salad- a mixture of shredded green mangoes, veggies, fried catfish and oriental dressing. The texture was good, and the sourness of the mangoes in combination with the dressing worked up our appetites.

Then came the sour prawn soup, not much to say. It was served steaming hot, 3-4 prawns were seen with some limp veggies.
The glass noodle rolls were fantastic… I will definitely come back just for this one. I will make sure I will order a least 2 plates of this yummy, heavenly rolls.
The beef stir-fried with the veggies was just cooked right. There is still crunch with the veggies and the sauce was not overpowering.
The shrimp paste rice is the same old binagoongan rice with some eggs, meat and the usual accompaniments. However, this complemented the stir-fried beef.

After this, we went to Café Breton for dessert. A decision we never regretted. This café still consistently serves the best crepes since I last tried this restaurant, that was 3 years ago.

We ordered coffee shake, which I was not able to take a picture, I think, it did not last that long in the table… I supposed that I have gulped it..? :) It was not so sweet but the caffeine just shoots through your taste buds. It was not that too milky or too creamy shake but the right proportion of coffee and cream was just enough for me to say, I have to have it again.
And the ultimate quest of the night was the crepe… forgot the name but not the crepe itself…moist crepe with silky nutella spread, nuts and bananas with cream on top and drizzle of chocolate sauce. Good that I have to share it with Noel, Karen and hubby, otherwise, am sure my sugar level will just rise up… honestly, I can finish it all by myself.

Another restaurant we visited was… Shakey’s. Just cannot leave Manila without having their thin crust Hawaiian delight… got to be thin crust! Noel treated me, hubby , mom and sis for a pizza night. There was a buy one, take one promo but the pizza must be family size.., we also ordered Manager’s choice due to the promo. So there we were… enjoying this simple thin crust pizza, crisp, flavorful and certainly not to be missed.
My sis and I shared their mocha shake, but nothing to rave about.. after my experience with Café Breton’s coffee shake, I have a standard that is waiting to be exceeded.

Vacation Philippines 2008- Part 1

Just got back from our vacation.

One of the highlights of the vacation was a trip to Agno. We spent 3 days there with the whole family.

Agno is a town in Pangasinan, 7 hours drive from Manila. We stayed in one of the "jologs" huts there and relished the beach just a few steps away from our accommodation. Jologs because it does not offer luxury things other resorts has but just essentials- bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining/lounge area. Do not expect extra towels, slippers and the like... bring your own.

Coming from Manila, you can buy the best, crunchy bagnet in Camiling and seafood in Alaminos. Since we have to bring everything, even water, one truly advantage of this is we can cook whatever we want and enjoy.

There is a short hike that we did going up and see the whole beach and on the other side is a hidden white sand beach. Though we never got there, due to time constraints, just looking at it is enough to invite us to come back again.

The slideshow above is composed of pics taken by my friend/photographer Noel Galang.

Global Village- Jan 2008

My hubby and I decided to visit Global Village here in Dubai. Global Village is a huge place composed of pavillions of different countries. Philippines, China, Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, Thailand and a lot more, each have their own pavillions. Each country can showcase their own products from fabrics, food, housewares, homewares, native products and even services(thai massage, etc). This is the best place for cultural exposure, proving more to the world that Dubai is an active melting pot of today. In addition, it also offers fun rides and games for kids and adults alike. It is like their Star City plus the pavillions. As the nights goes deeper, the colder it gets, so better be equipped with heavy jackets or sweaters plus occassional drizzle.
As usual, as soon as I got hold of the map, we immediately looked for Philippine pavillion. I did not get to see it the first time, that's why hubby and I decided to eat some grilled shawarma and KFC chicken fillet supreme. We decided to roam around the area, checked out each pavillion that interests us.
One thing that took our attention was the hanging band. There were very tall structures and each band member with their respective musical instrument is tied up and left hanging while performing. It was a sight, and hubby can't help but to take lots of pics.
A 15 minute fireworks ensued and I took my chance to attempt some fireworks shots.
Then we walked again and ended in the games and rides area.
There was this particular game wherein there were big empty pints placed horizontally. The aim is to throw the ball inside without the ball bouncing back and instead stays inside the pint. It took some techniques to win stuff toys and hubby and I spent a whole hour trying to get the techniques of the winners. Alas, hubby tried it himself and we won a caterpillar stuff toy, we now named "Higgy da Higad"!
We then decided to go to Philippine pavillion and see some fish balls, kikiam, tuknene being sold. There were also some capiz and Team Manila t-shirts and the usual items(housewares,etc), ironically, made in China as can be seen at the back of the products. Videoke such as Mediacom was also there selling their products. Nothing more to see in Philippine pavillion, which is quite disappointing. This is the best chance to offer Philippine products to foreign markets and it seems that this chance has gone to waste.

We left at 12 mn and left the place colder than ever. I recommend that, given a chance, you take a visit to Global Village, it is a place not to be missed.

Dec 25, 2007 Part 2- Japengo Cafe

Continuing our Dec 25 dinner, hubby and I chose to dine in another restaurant. A few blocks away from Bento-Ya Kitchen, this time in front row, is Japengo Cafe.
As we opened the doors, the smell of sauteed food is evident. Bright, clean cafe and cooks in the open kitchen will entice you to try this restaurant. The same concept in another branch of Japengo in Mall of Emirates.
Japengo Cafe is a modernized Japanese restaurant, this time, it also offers other cuisines- Mediterranean, Italian and Arabic/Lebanese, in addition to the usual Japanese items. Since we had our fill of Japanese food, it's time to try other items.
Grilled Chicken Ceasar Salad

The real reason why we chose this restaurant is because we were checking if the consistency of this item is the same with the restaurant's other branches. In MOE, this item satisfied us. However, my hubby has his own satisfaction measurement, which I agree.
We both loved Dusit Dubai's Grilled Chicken Ceasar Salad, and we went there twice ( that was start and end of last year), and it truly satisfied our palates. The leaves were nicely cut, the grilled chicken moist and the amount of dressing was just enough.
In Sheikh Zayed Road branch, the salad was dripping with the dressing (a no-no for me and hubby, this type of salad must be justly dressed, due to the richness of ceasar dressing). Disappointingly, the chicken pieces were grilled dry.
Though, garnished with lots of shaved parmesan and the black olives and cherry tomatoes hidden in the center of the dish, the main ingredients were still disappointing. Good thing was, there were too many leaves, letting me fork in more leaves to balance the dressing.
The garlic bread is good, however, due to the nature of our orders, we have not touched it, too much carbs already!
Clubhouse Sandwich

I ordered this item, for no reason at all. I just craved for it and I have to have it. Looking into the plate centered with a pile of french fries certainly reminded me that I do not want to have a carbo load at night time. 4 pieces of triple layered sandwich surrounds the fries with a small portion of salad with vinagrette dressing.
The sandwich in detail
The sandwich is layered with grilled chicken, turkey and the usual stuff- cheese, tomatoes,lettuce etc. The bread was good, but yet again, the chicken was dry.

We might be disappointed with the dishes (we left most of the fries, black olives, boiled egg slices of the salad), but the service was great. The server already anticipated the fries, hence she placed all the condiments we may need. A wow! for that.

Approx AED 95 with one diet coke.

Dec 25, 2007 Part 1- Bento-Ya Kitchen

Ten Chili Roll


My hubby and I decided to dine outside for Dec 25 dinner. One of our favorite restaurant is Bento-Ya Kitchen- located along Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. This Japanese restaurant is small, hidden in a corner, that's why it is like finding a jewel in a city jungle.It has 2 floors for dining and a small open kitchen in the ground floor.
We have been here twice and I have observed that the place is always filled up with Japanese families and loners. The place is neat, clutter-free, with few restaurant review articles posted around the place. The menu has lots of various items on a classified basis- appetizers, soups,bento packages, sushi platters, noodles and rice dishes, making it harder to choose-but quite an adventure.

I usually order California Maki but this time I tried the Ten Chili roll, a decision I never regretted. It came in 8 pieces(I never get to know why it was named ten).
The rice is interspersed with what I perceive as black sesame seeds and in the middle is a crunchy, filling ebi tempura topped with a teaspoon of chili sauce just right enough to tingle my taste buds. Served with the usual soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger. The textural enjoyment of this dish makes it unforgettable. Soft rice, crunchy sesame seeds and the soft-crunchy ebi tempura as you enjoy each bite.


Ebi Udon


The real reason we decided to dine here is because my hubby suddenly craved for this dish. He likes the mild sweetness of its soup, told him it is because of an ingredient called, mirin. Though usually served with fat noodles, my hubby initially requested for buckwheat noodles, yet was given an option of thinner noddles,which he chose. I tried the dish and found myself wrestling my way for more than a taste. The noodles are just right to the bite, the eggplant, and the ebi tempura complemented each other. The dish is not oily, which I believe makes this dish a star of its own. It is filling and refreshing. Hubby swears he will order 2 bowls next time, hahaha!


Hubby enjoying the last drop!

Though, there are still room for improvement for this restaurant. A great dish should come with great service. The Filipina waitress, smiling and welcoming, can improve more by being knowledgeable in its menu items. This will allow the diners to be guided on what to try, and build confidence on the waitress' recommendations. This time, I relied on my own instincts (which I usually do), but having a good waitress/server to inform you what the restaurant can best offer is much more helpful.

Need I say more?!


AED 95 including one diet coke and one big bottle of water.

First Photo Exhibit

I enrolled in a basic photography course and ended up graduating. One of the highlights of the course is a photo exhibit wherein you send a photo entry that goes with the theme, “Our climate, our actions, our future”. I took a shot of one of my colleague’s daughter (future) and let her hold a globe(actions), with a clear blue sky (climate) at the background.. a rather positive outlook, thus, the title, “My World, My Future”.

It was an experience to see my own work posted with other photo entries. I did not win anything but the pride and joy it gave me was priceless.
It has let me realize that the 3 months worth of waking up early and attending the course every Friday, which is the best day to wake up late, was all worth it. The course did not only let me get a certificate but has given me the opportunity to gain new friends and acquaintances.

The course was spearheaded by Lightform- a Filipino group of photographers whose aim is to help fellow overseas Filipino workers gain knowledge and, if pursued well, may be a means to earn money. True to its sense, a lot of the students have been gaining some customers and experience.

But one thing I will not forget is my own group (all students were segregated into groups), Group 7- we call ourselves, The Raketeers, since we all aim to earn more money (hahaha), and we won the Most Outstanding Group for Batch 19.

My first photo exhibit was truly an experience for the year 2007.

Al Ain Trip

The picture above is the first picture I have taken that is published by our company, it was used in our recruitment brochure.

I took this chance to practice my outdoor photography skills and I loved it.!
Look at the slideshow below for more pics.

Al Ain is one of the seven emirates of UAE. Two hours from Dubai and another 2 hours going to Abu Dhabi.
Our company sponsored a bus trip for all colleagues during Eid. Eid was a celebration by Muslims after a month of fasting called Ramadan.
Hubby and I decided to take this chance to go there, after 3 years, since we went there for an overnight stay I have won in a magazine trivia.

Al Ain is unlike Dubai. “A refreshing view to the eyes” as my hubby told me. There are no construction trucks, barriers along the way… just pure green.. trees, grass and more trees…. Yes , it is a “green” desert.

We went to Al Khadra Park, a park surrounded by mountains.
It was evident that lots of overnight campers were already there a day before.

Next stop was Jafeet Mountain. The trip going there was like going to Baguio. You are right, zigzags. I ould say that this is the highlight of the trip.

Last stop was Al Ain Zoo. The zoo was great in size, the animals were enclosed in an environment close to their habitat. Though a lot different that our own Manila Zoo, the place boast more than a zoo, it is also a park where you can bring some picnic food to bring with you... bring some blanket or banig, hats, food and lie down in oblivion.

It was a fun filled day! My realization at the end of the day.... I have only few pics with hubby coz I was the photographer for the whole group.

Vegetable Rolls-Food

During our early days as a couple, my husband and I were able to invent a dish of 7 vegetables sautéed together with onions and garlic and seasoned with oyster sauce.
Starting from that dish, the recipe revolved to adding more ingredients, making it a dish of more than 7 veggies. Then, he suggested that we use it as a filling to our lumpia.
It did great! Then revisions came, the amount of kinds of veggies reduced but the same taste is achieved.

Receipe

1/4 cup of each:

Mushrooms
Baby corn
Brocolli
Cauliflower
Bean sprouts
Carrots
Green beans
Pork, cut into bits
Potatoes
½ cup oyster sauce
½ cup onions, sliced
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
Salt and pepper

Lumpia wrapper
1 cup oil for deep frying

Sauce:

½ cup onions
½ cup garlic
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup vinegar
Chillies, fresh, cut into strips.
Salt
Pepper
Brown sugar

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute garlic and onions, add the pork (or chicken), and the veggies.
Pour oyster sauce. Mix . Season to taste.

Lay down one piece of lumpia wrapper, place 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Wrap securely.
Deep fry. Drain the fried lumpia of oil by using paper towels.

For the sauce, mix all ingredients. Season to taste.

Tinolang Manok- Food

I saw one whole chicken in the freezer one day. We usually buy cut up pieces of chicken so as to make menu planning easier for the rest of the week. So I was surprised that I saw a whole chicken in the freezer. I was never brave enough to buy a whole chicken unless it will be used to make a stuffed whole chicken, which, as far as I could remember was one of my failed attempts, ending up cutting the whole chicken into pieces.

I learned that my husband bought the whole chicken and decided to make 2 dishes, “tinolang manok” and “ginataang adobong manok”. Well, I told him, since he bought it, it is his responsibility. Yup, you are right, he did spent quite a time with the chicken. Fortunately, after going through a chicken butchery course all by himself, he successfully cut up pieces of chicken for his two dishes. Since he was playing the “executive chef”, I have to make ado with the role of a “commis”. I sliced up strips of ginger and garlic. I cut up the green papaya as well. Result: yummy dish!

Recipe:

250 grams chicken, cut into pieces (recommend the bony parts of the chicken with some breast parts so as to maximized the flavor of the dish)
4 tablespoons ginger, cut into strips
4 tablespoons garlic, cut into strips
250 grams green papaya, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoon fish sauce
Water

Saute ginger in hot oil till lightly browned. Add garlic and continue sauteeeing till lightly brown. Add the fish sauce and chicken. Make sure that the chicken gets cooked by looking into it, no pink blood. Add the papaya slices and pour water just enough to cover the ingredients. Let it simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Palitaw- Food

My husband was rummaging through our pantry when he saw this opened pack of glutinous flour that we have used when we once made “ginataang bilo-bilo”.
Then he asked me if we can make “palitaw” for the rest of the flour. Palitaw is made by mixing water with the glutinous flour to make a thick dough, formed into balls. Each ball of dough is flattened and dropped into a deep pan of boiling water. After 30 seconds, the flattened dough then surfaces, thus the term, “palitaw”. The palitaw is rolled into a plate of freshly shredded coconut and sprinkled with white sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

Recipe:

2 cups glutinous flour
1 cup water
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cp sugar
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 deep pan filled with boiling water

Mix flour with water to form a thick dough. Form balls and flatten each ball. Drop into the boiling water. Wait till the dough surfaces. Use a slotted spoon to get the palitaw.
Roll the palitaw in a plate of shredded coconut and sprinkle with sugar and toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Cruise- Star Virgo

Our first cruise- Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia

We had this cruise after our wedding. Sorry, guys, I just got to learn how to blog a year after our wedding, thus, this might be too late- better than never!

I just want to share our momentous events with my readers- no matter when they happened.
The cruise was Star Virgo-5 days/4 nights- Manila to Singapore. Then, we went to Singapore Cruise terminal to board. Being a first timer, me and my husband went around the ship. I think what made this trip memorable was, you guess it right, the FOOD. The package included 3 meals, with 1 gala dinner and 1 great BBQ dinner..Imagine this:

1. 3 restaurants were opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as per inclusion. And, there are still other restaurants you can try, but you have to pay as you consume.
2. Midnight snacks were also offered- we are talking big crab legs here!
3. The BBQ dinner was so fantastic, I ate a whole bucket of grilled prawns with steak. Did not mind the carbos, just take those seafood and steaks. The dessert buffet was so huge in selection, I had 3 cups of tea, with two visits to the toilet.. yeah, you are right, to load more.. i know, i committed Gluttony.
4. the gala dinner was so great, waiters had a show before serving it.

I thought, we will be bored. But the ship was filled with so many activities from line dancing, theatre shows, selection of DVD in the lib and night shows. Stopovers to Phuket and Penang, were to look forward too. Hubby and I got to have the elephant massage us, had authentic thai massage, thai food and see great buddhas and temples.

Another note to be proud: Filipino crew everywhere..the Cruise Director was a Filipina as well.

Should I recommend? YES
Are we going to be back? YES

My First Photo Shoot

I just had my first photo shoot in Dubai Heritage Village.

The group that I had joined is Lightform- a group of volunteer Filipino professional photographers who aims to help fellow OFWs in Dubai to learn photography and, if pursued further, the student can earn more money. We meet once a week in a two hour class, this will be for at least 3 months.

This group is still recognized by the Philippine Consulate in Dubai. So there is no question of legitimacy. Their projects and programs are also supported by the local government in Dubai.

It was our first project as photography students. We came in early as 7 am to the village. The aim was to know how to use our previous lectures on lenses, camera functions and exposures. The task was to shoot as many photos as possible with information of ISO, aperture, focal length, shutter speed and bracketing. Thus, each shot must be underexposed, overexposed, and rightly exposed. Composition was not yet discussed, so it was up to the student to set the subject of his/her photos.

Armed with my newly bought Canon 350D camera, I was limited by my sole lens of 18-55 mm, no tripod. Due to budget constraints, I have to do with what I had. Never mind my fellow students who carried their expensive tripods, cameras and bags of lenses.
I had applied theories and learned to experiment in taking photos.

One good thing that photography has imbibed in me is, I get to see everyday things in a new light. I always pursue angles in everything that I see even when I am in the bus, going home. I sometimes look in a soda and, look at it again, intently, with an immediate question in mind, "how will I take a shot of this soda can that will put meaning into it?"

With the sweltering heat, and, since it is Ramadan here, drinking water in public is not allowed, aggravating our situation more.
I did not use these excuses to give up, instead I used it to propel me more to take shots.

Above is a slide show of some shots I have taken. These were reviewed by our teachers and guess what?... for a beginner, I got the score of "EXCELLENT"! Hope I get to retain it till I graduate!

Travels- HK, Shenzhen,Shanghai and Beijing

Group picture -Forbidden City, Beijing, China

Being an OFW myself, a month's vacation is something I look forward to-every year.
Aside from getting to eat my faves, we get to relax, see other places and be with our loved ones.

My hubby and I together with my mom and friends went on a 12 day tour to China including Hong Kong.

It was early 1990’s when I last saw Hong Kong and seeing it this year made me realize that it has grown economically. It has grown so much that buildings are getting closer to each other. As our tourist guide had put it, “you can shake hands with your neighbors in the next building when you open your windows in the morning and greet each other with pleasantries.”
Victoria Peak at night, the harbor view, the food, Bruce Lee and the short boat ride were some of the highlights of the HK tour.

Victoria Peak at Night

Bruce Lee from the Harbor
Boat Ride in HK

Shenzhen is another story,the train ride from HK was fine. We went to "Window on the World" where you can see the whole world with its miniature landmarks. It was a whole day tour, one day is not enough actually.

Arc de Triomphe in Shenzhen

Shanghai was my fave. The "old" and "new" Shanghai were both evident to its present state. The Bund at night was a sight to behold and the TV tower is not be missed.
The Magnetic Levitation train while waiting for the flight was just 10 minutes back and forth to the airport.
Hubby enjoying the sight of the TV tower!

Hubby having a "Bentosa" in Shanghai

Food Trip-siopaos of varied fillings with hubby and Maya, my sister's best friend

Inside the Magnetic Levitation Train with hubby and our friend, Noel
In Beijing, the Great Wall is a must, Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square must not be forgotten.

Great Wall top view

Great Wall of China with my mom (in front),friends, hubby and me

All throughout our journey, the food gets to be different in each place.
Shenzhen has sweeter side on its dishes, Shanghai gets to be saltier and Beijing gets to be spicier. With more than 10 courses on each meal time except breakfast, I have ballooned so much in such a short time. Of course, who would ever forget the most authentic Peking Duck in Beijing and the mini-siopaos of varied fillings in Shanghai.

With various scenic spots in China, the only challenges we had were:
1. There were almost no English speaking people- but with just signals of our hands and expressions in our faces, they seem to understand.
2.The "squat" phenomenon. Some toilets were ages back, you have to squat to do your thang!

The trip going back was so tiring, we even missed our flight to Manila!
Time to head Home!

Seafood Pasta

This is my first time to post a recipe. An attempt as you may say.

I have since loved food since childhood. I can live without new clothes, shoes, but I cannot let an opportunity pass when trying new food, restaurants, recipes, kitchn gadgets...anything about food, cooking and baking.

As I grew, I got to divert more on desserts, thus my love for baking.
In this first attempt, I decided to make a pasta recipe out of my love to my hubby, who loves pasta and seafood.

My dear readers/bloggers, I am not a professional chef, but I do want to share what I can cook/make/bake.

Seafood Pasta

Heat 2 Tbsp.oil.
Saute 3 tsps chopped garlic and 1/4 cup chopped onions.
Add 1/2 cup each of shrimps, head removed and peeled, sliced squid and fish fillets.
Add Hunt's whole tomatoes with basil.
Add 1/4 cup water.
Season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
Cook pasta as directed.


Voila, easy, quick, filling pasta dish!

Apr 25- Admin Professional Day and my 2nd Food blog

So ironic that I posted this blog months after the event. I know I have some backlog to do. This post doubles up as a celebration of a profession and my love for food. Well, better late than never.

My colleagues celebrated the Admin Professional Day, Apr 25, 2007.
We ate in one of our hotel’s signature restaurant, Spectrum on One. A multi-cuisine restaurant which offers Arabic, Chinese, Thai, European and Japanese cuisines, with 7 interactive kitchens.

I had never thought that I would have Administration as my career path. I usually imagined myself in chef’s toque, clean, white chef’s jacket and black and white checkered trousers and of course, white apron… the works. Why? I hate make-up, jewelries, and dressing up, which my job entails me to.

Filipinos back home have a very different perception of Administrative assistant, coordinator, PA or whatever you might call it. In the minds of our kabayans, this is a secretary, who sits behind a desk, putting make-up all day and just smiling and answering calls. That is why, most kabayans on a visit visa looking for a job in Dubai would say, “kahit sekretarya lang, pwede na”.

Well, in this part of world, this position holds a very high responsibility. You do not have to only look good, but you have to have a great, functional brain to go with it. Computer and phone skills are basic. Here, you need to be organized, articulate and responsible. Administration professionals here are mostly either in supervisory or management roles. Critical decision has to be made, and there is no boss who will baby you. You are expected to make fast, precise decisions. If you are faced with problems, you cannot go to your boss and cry like a baby, you have to tell the problem and suggest solutions. In that way, your boss will just tell you which of your suggested solutions are plausible.
In the hospitality industry, administration professionals need to face guest complaints. Face it and deal with it. There is such a high call for this profession. That is why Filipinos here are more challenged with English native speakers seeking the same position. Added to that is the local UAE labor market looking for the same position. It is a very competitive market.

Administration professionals here open a lot of avenues for career growth. It is just up to the person to which field he/she wants to specialize.

So as my colleagues enjoy our dinner, we truly felt that we deserve this celebration.
A long table was waiting for us. Fully set up in a non smoking area, the ambience was light (as pictured above).

We were given the drinks menu and the a la carte menu.

For my drinks, I ordered virgin strawberry daiquiri.


We ordered various appetizers in which portions are to share. Dim sums and siu mai from Chinese cuisine, sushi, maki rolls and ebi tempura from Japanese cuisine and Arabic appetizers that looks like our very own “empanadas”.

Then, we decided to order our main course. Each has to decide on its own.

I ordered Black Angus Beef Tournedos Rossini- this is with baby carrots, button mushrooms, Madeira sauce and pan seared foie gras. I clearly stated that I wanted my steak in medium doneness.


The beef was like soft butter when I cut it. The true flavor of the meat was very obvious. A few teaspoons of the sauce only enhanced its true flavor rather than masking it. The vegetables maybe few but not overcooked. Slices of thin potatoes were complementary to the texture of the meat.


I ordered another drink, as to the recommendation of my colleague, Jasmin our food and beverage coordinator. I tried her ginger mint drink. I was thankful that I ordered it because it refreshes my mouth, as if washing the intense flavor of the meat.

For my dessert, well, I was the only one who ordered dessert because my colleagues were filled up to the throat. I had Molten Chocolate cake, served with a scoop of coffee ice cream and strawberry slices with a small shot glass of what I perceived as a malt. The cake was small but rich.

It was good that my friend, Rosario, our recruitment coordinator, shared this sinful dessert with me. Otherwise, am sure my sugar level will be at high time again.

A fudgy, warm center that oozes out of the cake as you slice a bite was heavenly.

The service was prompt, friendly and smooth flow of service was evident. As if the servers were dancing in one tune.

That was a very meaningful and enjoyable dinner.

Again, my dear admins…. Happy Admin Day!!! 

Wedding....again in The Philippines (views of an overseas bride)

A year and 3 months after our civil wedding, Chris and I got married in Manila. 8th January 2006- d’day.

I can make a novel out of my experiences during our wedding preparation, but I won’t do that. Let me just state how it was to be an overseas bride.

1. Internet will be your best friend. Your research abilities will become very handy. It was great that I can “google” anything.
2. Preparing from miles away, a very good friend who will serve as your “eye” to check out suppliers’ legitimacy is a must especially if you cannot afford a full coordination package. In this matter, I had Noel Galang.
3. Have a plan. Write it. This will make you stick to your plan more. For me, writing a plan is the first sign of commitment.
4. Know what kind of wedding you want to have- consider finances, time, and most of all, be realistic.
5. Be proactive.

All couples will always remember their wedding. But what makes my wedding more memorable were:

1. My best friend since college, Carla, has to move her wedding a month after to give way to my wedding date.
2. My very good friend who sacrificed a lot coordinating my wedding to fulfill the wedding plans, Noel Galang, had to leave one day before my wedding to pursue his job in a passenger cruise liner.
3. Our family and friends who were very supportive since the preparation began and stuck with us all the way through.

Was it all worth it?.... Definitely, a YES!

Getting Married in Dubai- my love story

"I now pronounce you man and wife..."


I was single and very much available when I arrived in Dubai, year 2002.
I met my husband here. Also a Filipino. Ironic... we both lived in the Philippines and only here in Dubai that we got to meet and fell in love.

We used to work in the same company. But we were from different department.
We first became barkadas- Chris (my hubby), Randie, Yzel and me.The usual barkada lakads to the beach, bars and restaurants turned to solo dates for Chris and me.

To make a long story short, Chris proposed to me in Canada while we were enjoying fully his prize for being the "Star Employee of the Year", a trip for two to any branch of our hotel of our choice, airline tickets, free food and beverage to any restaurants within the hotel of our choice, free hotel stays and an extra US$500.00.

After enjoying that trip, we went to Phils for a vacation and he met my family and I met his. He then already stated his intention to marry me to both of our families.

Since I believe that we should not work in the same company as a future couple, we decided to apply outside to other companies, still in Dubai. Whoever gets to have a good offer, will resign in our company. Chris got to have a good offer first and he took it. So, at that time, I was not entitled for a single accommodation so he needs to live out.

Remember, that in Dubai, it is difficult for a couple to be seen living together without marriage because it is not allowed by Islam religion. If caught, both will be subjected to imprisonment (i think for one year) and deportation after serving sentence.Realistically, kabayans know all about this, but still kept doing it. Malalakas yata ang loob ng ating mga kababayan.

So for us to live together, we decided to get married in Dubai via Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi. We asked for the requirements: This was 2004

1. CENOMAR from NSO duly approved and red ribboned by DFA, Malacanang and UAE Embassy in Phils
2. Birth certificate
3. Application form
4. Passport copies of the couple and sponsors or witnesses (min of 2)

Then our wedding banns were displayed for 15 days. After that we got a call for wedding date confirmation.
With two witnesses, Randie and Lourdes, a hired car lift driven by a fellow kabayan, Kuya Jun, we drove to Abu Dhabi for 2 hours from Dubai.

When we arrived, we were the sixth couple. I am the only one not pregnant and the only one with a bloody red bouquet of roses. We had a mass wedding, short and concise. The trip was longer than the ceremony.

Then we had a buffet lunch back in Dubai.

Now, the Phil. Consulate located in Dubai can perform marriage rites to Filipinos.

And just last Jan 8 2006, we had our Church Wedding in the Philippines.
And better yet, I am now entitled for a single accommodation provided by my company, so my hubby is living with me.