Behind This Restaurant's Success is a Tita Lydia :)

The first encounter I ever had with a lechon was when I was around 4 years old.  I was fascinated with the apple inside the mouth of the pig.  How dare the pig, dead at that eat the apple that was supposed to be my favorite? I resented being made to eat the pig which later on I came to appreciate.  The apple was just the icing. It was a staple in every party and because my birthday falls on New Year's Eve, we were sure to have this special dish as well.  Not only that, after the party we were sure to have left over paksiw for a few days and it was just as special. Even though not all lechon have apple, it was fun to reminisce how I remember lechon back then. I knew that having lechon meant the celebration was extra special.

Last November 5, we were very honored to be the part of the kick off of the year long celebration in anticipation of the 50th year anniversary of Lydia's Lechon.  Held at its flagship branch in Baclaran, we were very lucky to hear about the lifestory of its founder whom we fondly call Tita Lydia. Before she arrived, we heard about the future plans from the social media managers of the company.  What I like about the brand is that even at 49 years and a classic brand at that, they have a young team who was willing to dish out new and exciting projects to promote the brand.  One of their activities was a painting contest.  Painting was probably one of the close activities of Lydia's since in the wall of The resto is a very brilliant painting by the grand daughter of Tita Lydia.
 We also got to hear about the famous pig mascot who will soon have his own name.  Another promotional activity was gathering stories of people in the restaurant similar to "Humans Of New York".  These activities are definitely worth waiting for. 

I admit that I didn't expect the owner, the real star of the night to be as young and vibrant as Tita Lydia.  I was sure that an institution such as Lydia's had to have a no-nonsense strict and classic leader.  I was right about your no nonsense part but conventional she was not. I learned a lot from just the few minutes she was talking. In fact the highlight of the night (yes the dinner) was forgotten with all the stories that she willingly shared. I always go to Divisoria and I meet a lot of vendors, but it was definitely inspiring to find someone rise from humble beginnings to where she is now.


HARD WORK
There was no doubt about it.  Tita Lydia knew from the start that her hard work will pay off some day.  Even at 7 years old she started selling anything she can get her hands on.  Eventually she asked for the help of her dad and learned the ropes about the business.  Up to now, she is very hands on and she personally goes to the stores to buy the ingredients herself.  She works from 11am onwards, most of the time sleeping for only 3 hours.

Not only was she hard working, she also knew how to say yes to opportunities.  Her big break came when someone ordered 300 orders and she had to bring all the people she knew to help out.  She found a way to accept orders not related to lechon and turning these unrelated to her favor by subcontracting.  From bones of lechon she made mami which she also sold.  These ventures paid off well in the end.

DREAMS
One if the memories that she shared was when she enrolled her son to Letran.  She told the cashier of the school that she will find a way to pay the tuition even if she was simply as market vendor.  Even their television set was bought using a loan.  One of the breaks she had was when one if the ninongs of her son Ricky amounted to 500 pesos.  She used it for the business and made it grow.

MOTTO
One of the things that I noticed about Tita Lydia is her positive attitude.  This was made even more evident when she mentioned that whenever her employee complains that work is hard, she will remind them that nobody dies of hard work.  People die of hunger.  This makes her staff more willing to work more than ever. She also mentioned the time when her kids used to sleep under her table while she was selling.  It was amazing how she said it with much dignity.

ONLY VICE
She never brought it up in her talk so we asked her upfront for her beauty secrets and she gamely told us her secrets. Her youthful, energetic demeanor was matched with her style.More than that, up close you can see  her very smooth skin. It was fun to hear how this charming lady uses sun block and cleansers.  She also told us about her favorite make up brand and how one should use tissue paper instead of towel for drying the skin.  She also shared her clean living lifestyle like staying away from vices like going to the casino or excessive shopping.  We attribute her glowing looks also perhaps from just the satisfaction of an honest day's work and a job well done. My mom, Lara and I were fascinated, and would have taken notes :)
 

Her talk was the evening's highlight.  Afterwards, the dinner served was very sumptuous. We started with the chicharon which were also quite filling.  I especially enjoyed the paella which was very tasty and delightful.  I also liked the warm bulalo soup. We now know why people love Lydia's and flock to their branches.

We were happy to receive such thoughtful giveaways such as the very delicious sauce in bottles, we are also happy to receive gift certificates, yey! :)

Going to this anniversary was very exciting.  Its memorable and heartwarming to know that such a well-loved famous brand had its humble beginnings.  Because of one lady's hard work and dreams, it grew to be what it is now.  Almost 5 years after and with more branches coming, we are definitely waiting in anticipation.  And just like the wonderful apple in the mouth of the lechon, this is only the beginning.

Of Life, Love and Loss

                        

Scoop on Suicide: Deconstructing Depression

             

 Carrie Fischer, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Brooke Shields, Jim Carrey and President Clinton and even Demi Lovato, or Britney Spears.  They are examples of celebrities who have been diagnosed with Bipolar or Depression. It doesn't make them any less successful. But they struggle with their illness everyday. But they are not the only ones who have this. Depression is just like any other illness, which is manageable, if detected and properly diagnosed. However, in the Philippines, people treat mental illness as a sickness for the rich. That a pyschiatrist is not a real doctor, and its not really a medical illness in the sense of the word. Worse, talking about it might lead to more suicide. But this couldn't be more wrong. Last Monday, August 18, we were lucky enough to be invited by my colleague in the events industry Nana Nadal. Without knowing when and where I immediately said yes. Like me, the topic is very dear to her. And because of this forum, may many more people come to learn about depression.

 We arrived at the venue at around 11AM, and we were greeted by Nana Nadal who was very busy with the logistics. It was a good sign that a lot of people were there early. From the looks of it, the Scoop on Suicide Forum for bloggers was going to be a very important and timely discussion.

 Dr. Dinah Nadera, a Psychiatrist and Consultant for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Office of the World Health Organization Rep for the Philippines was the first speaker. She seemed like your very friendly friend/aunt/family member who happens to be an expert on the topic. She told us that the feeling of depression is when your world stops and you are no longer able to function. Otherwise, its just very deep sadness. I agree with her. For some people however, who have no reason to be sad, depression is really a chemical imbalance, it is something that no amount of positive thinking or talking could help, although there are a lot of cases that may be overcome simply by talking. People should be able to talk about depression without the stigma. There is also such a thing as fatal suicide and non-fatal suicide, which are terms that should be used instead of "commiting" suicide. There are also many features of suicide such as feelings of tiredness, sleep impairment, feeling of hopelessness, difficulty focusing, difficulty making decisions. These features made you think that this is not your typical sadness but something very real and common yet untreated.

Ms. Malyn Cristobal, an Addiction Counselor, and the founder of the Living Free Foundation, gave us a lowdown on the use of substance and depression. As someone who went to college in a place where drinking was a way to celebrate with friends, it was indeed enlightening to know how alcohol was really a depressant, despite the contrary. After all, here in the country, "tagay na" was used just as often as "hello". She mentioned that aside from alcohol, smoking (or nicotine) was also another depressant. No wonder there are a lot of incidents of fights in places where both alcohol and smoking are present. It made me realize how I have to be very vigilant in raising my son to avoid these things.

 Ms. Petra Maierhofer was an Occupational Therapist, Solution Focused Brief Therapy in Touch Community Services or ww.in-touch.org. The topic that struck me the most was the checklist for emotional well-being, and this is what she shared:

  - Do you care for others?

  - Do you like yourself?

  - Are you flexible?

  - Do you count your blessings?

  - Are you in touch with your emotions?

  - Do you value experiences rather than possessions? 

 I realized that these seemed like very simple things but at one time or another, I too have felt that I could not answer yes to all of them. Imagine not having all of the things mentioned above? And imagine feeling them day in and day out?

 There are a lot of other important lessons from that day. And the ones that I feel are most important are:

- Learn to ask for help. It doesn't matter who you reach out to, it could be your friend, or a person of authority, as long as you do. Even if they are not experts let them try and help.

- Be mindful of your own feelings, learn to say no too. Someone who was really important to me once told me how can you love others if you don't love yourself? and it's true.

- All it takes is one small step.
- People who cry for help, no matter how unlikely should be taken seriously.
- Depression is something you don't wish on your worst enemy. Help your loved one no matter what.
- No man is an island.
- Sometimes, a person can be helped through cognitive therapy. At times, he or she needs meds, and the right combination can really spell the difference.

- One bad day doesn't make it a bad life. Or even one small incident doesn't make it a bad day.

- It happens to the best of us.

- Be thankful.

- Enjoy the little things.

- You are loved.
- Hugs help
- When you love someone, you give them the space to figure things out, each form of depression is personal. When the time comes when they are ready, then just willingly accept them as they are. Flaws and all.
-Sometimes "how can I help?" is enough.
- You are enough.

              We all need to be loved and appreciated. Sometimes, we have all these things, yet we are still unhappy somehow. I once read about a group "my cancer, my blessing" and at the height of any illness, may we see the blessing that is behind each depression too. May we see the beauty behind our imperfections. With every tear, may we appreciate the happiness that comes after. With every loss of confidence, may we realize the strength we never knew we had. And with every heartache, may we realize the bigger capacity we have to love.

taken at tne Quezon City Circle near the venue, and we literally squealed with delight :)

Please contact: the following:

0917-3227807, www.livingfreefoundationph.com

Crisis Line: 893-7603/893-7606

0917-8001123/506-7314

0922-8938944/346-8776

My Niece Toni's Pink Pirate Party, Ya'r

Just wanted to show you pics of my niece Toni's Pink Pirate Party. Like my sister's other parties, this was a labor of love. I was the event planner in the family, but I can tell that my IT professional sister also has the inclinations (and yes time management skills) to pull this off despite her full time job. We ordered the cake from my partner Maan. Her chocolate cake is simply delightful. Some cakes look good, some taste great, hers is a combination of looks and taste, definitely. 

We wanted to set up a snack buffet instead of the usual candy buffet, because the venue already had a candy buffet and we felt that the snacks here were more filling. My mom got the jars from Uniwide and we decorated it with the Pink Pirate logo.

My niece really enjoys loomband making and what better way to celebrate her birthday by letting her enjoy her favorite activities with friends. Due to limited time, we stuck with the fishtail and inverted fishtail during the party. But we were definitely sure that the guests continued to do more designs at home with their bigger looms.

My niece Ayla and son TJ. Sigh, they grow up so fast. They still enjoyed the party though.

The table centerpieces from our supplier Prints and Tokens. She was very enthusiastic (and kulit) but otherwise very good. :)

Tiny chests for the candy gifts. We are sure that the gold coins and candies were such hits. 

It's been a special tradition to showcase the celebrant's milestones through a memorabilia wall that my sis insists on calling "SEUM" after the name of her kid. So for this party, it was TONISEUM. Pretty creative huh? This wall includes the dresses worn during the baptism, the first birthday, the first onesie, and even the first newspaper article wherein my niece was featured along with my sis. This section also features the photo album painstakingly prepared by my sis. It also includes the various medals from school and other extra curricular activities.

Definitely, it was a fun, memorable party celebrated with good friends and family. Definitely one worth remembering. 'Til our next party!:)

Urban Farm: A Great Find

The most attractive thing that greeted us in the storefront is the set of white fence. I really love white fences gives establishments a homey feel.

    I have been intrigued by the place ever since it opened, ever since I became more health conscious. Upon entering the shop, we saw more cute display items. 

We ordered a few things and decided to share. Good thing we did because the servings were big! The potato balls were really divine, crunchy on the outside and really deliciously gooey. 

The salad was so sumptious. With the calamari, sauce, cherry tomatoes, grapes, alfalfa (without Darla)

 and other greens it was really one of the best salads I've ever had. It was good value for money. 3 people can actually share it! 

From the ambiance, to the service to the food and the prices, this restaurant is a real find!  And the good news is since they are still in their soft opening there is a 10% discount.

The only minor thing (not a flaw really), I saw that was the bamboo faucet that opens through a mechanism on the floor. I had a hard time finding out how to open it. Of course, the staff was quite helpful. I wasnt able to take pics of the faucet 

 because I was embarassed. Haha! Maybe a simple sign would do especially on a busy day. 

All in all, the restaurant was really a great respite from all the fast food. There are several items I still want to try. And I plan to go back, over and over. 

The Urban Farm is located in President's Avenue, BF Homes, Paranaque

Happy New Memories in Chez Karine :)

It was the Chinese New Year, I was on a diet, and had tons of deadlines, but when my friend asked me to come with her to Chez Karine’s newest branch in Megamall, I immediately said yes. I remember the first time we went, and a few times after in their Serendra branch, and just the thought of tasting those goodies sent me happy vibes.

At around 11AM, my friend and I arrived in Megamall. It was my first visit to Megamall in such a long time, and also my first time in the Fashion Wing. Just as we arrived, there was an ongoing fashion show, and they had a wonderful buffet set up. Of course, we didn’t crash the event but went straight to our little part of heaven.

The interiors of this branch was really very nice, warm. I especially like the artwork on the wall, and found the yoyo macaron irresistible. We tried 4 different desserts. It was a good thing that we shared those desserts, but nevertheless, I would have finished it even if I was alone. 


All of the desserts were light, tasty, and it did not use sweetness just to make sure it tastes well. It really did!I have been told that the 2 best ones were the Cotton Soft cheese cake and the Hokkaido cupcake, so I deliberately tried the first 2 other desserts. The Neopolitan cake, a mix- raspberry mousse, vanilla and chocolate bavarois with soft chocolate biscuit and almond joconde was very delightful, same goes with my almost namesake Mango Caramella, with its layers of fresh mango mousse, mango jelly,  caramel mousse and chocolate sponge cake. Lady finger and cashew   
I was really excited to try the Cotton Soft cheesecake, after all I was used to the cream with graham crust. I already love it, so the even better version is probably heavenly. And our friend Aya was right! It tasted so great! For a minute I thought of asking for another slice, and we even had to negotiate our “hating kapatid”

My neighbor, blog godmother hehe (and kahating kapatid)

My hands down favourite was the Hokkaido Cupcake, just the right amount of creaminess, foamy, light. It’s the type you know that its worth coming back for. Oh and to save the best for last are the different macaron with ice cream. The chocolate and salted caramel flavors were absolutely indescribable. I can't wait to try more...

I missed the horlicks drink that they had, but probably some flavours were only available in the other branch. Nevertheless, everything here was perfect!

One thing worth mentioning is the high tech water dispenser/machine. My friend Lara says that the water was delicious, I didn’t really taste the difference but having this machine sure beats carrying heavy water bottles .

The experience as usual was very fun. I mentioned during my second visit to their other branch that it was time to make new memories. Now, I can truly say, its not just memories, but a happy life experience to visit Chez Karine! 

Chez Karine is located at the new wing of SM Megamall and at Serendra Like their page for updates

A Letter to my 36 year old self (written on the last day as a 35).

A letter to my 36 year old self, written by my 35 and 364^th day self.

1.) Your birthday falls on the 31^st day of the year. It is the expiration of your driver’s license, good thing you renewed last October.  Be very aware of expiration dates, as your birthday falls on a holiday BE THANKFUL! Less budget needed for parties as the whole world is partying with you.

2.) You may still lament about the loss of friendships, but think of it this way, you can choose not to care and make space for new people in your life. More so, Peer pressure is something you don’t have to conform to.

3.) Trying to save money may actually cost you more money.  Having trouble with your multiple parties? Then hire more people to do the things you struggle with. The extra peso is worth the pain in your body now.

4.) Remember your bad hair days, and be thankful that you still have a lot of hair. In the meantime, you will be grateful for products that work and be sure to thank them over social media. Your similarly aged friends will appreciate it. Also, remember how you used to hate being mistaken for an applicant when you are a manager already, or being refused on casinos and movie houses? So  now you are flattered right?

6.) Try new things, splurge a little on experiences like vacations and dining experiences. They cannot be replaced. You can always make more money but you can’t always make experiences.

7.) Your past relationships make you who you are now. Be thankful for each and every one of them who chose to love you at that particular time. I am pretty sure they think about you every now and then and it helps to share the good vibes.

 8.) Forgive. Remember, the words uttered to you, is a reflection of themselves rather than of you. You don’t have to be friends with them to forgive them, but it makes you feel better.

9.) Forgive yourself. For past decisions, for past words uttered. Remember, your greatest mistake can be your greatest blessing.

10.) TJ is growing up, grow up with him. Savor each moment. You don’t actually mean you want him to go back to diapers right? In the end, raising him well is the best reward you can ever get. The best talking moments you have with him are actually right now when he is a small adult. You  get the best of both worlds in this point, when he is actually with you, yet makes his own decisions now.

11.) Remember to choose your battles carefully. You can never take back being mean to others.

12.) Doing a bike marathon is different from trying to take on as much work. Learn to delegate, learn to say no.

13.) Family is everything.

14.) Don’t forget sunscreen.

15.) Repair, re-use, organize. Pinterest is the bomb, use the ideas you found.

16.) Write as often as you can. The only award you ever got was for writing (and being a best employee writer) so make it worthwhile, it only has to be good for yourself.

17.) Don’t be afraid of techie stuff.

18.) Love is an open door. Applicable on 2015 J