Writing Happy- another blog!

So, I figured that it helps me out a lot when I document things that I learn from my quiet times, so why not share my learnings with others as well?

Check out writing happy: http://writing-happy.blogspot.com - my blog on prayers and lessons that God is teaching me :)

My room is tea land!

So my sister just got back from her business trip from London, and she had lots of stuff for me, mostly food. And mostly tea. I'm so happy! :)

Before she left, we were talking about whether or not English Breakfast tea would taste different if it was bought in UK. Haha. So now that she's back, I have about a bazillion tea bags of different brands and kinds.

I have been drinking around 2 big glasses of tea every day, my coffeemaker is starting to feel lonesome.

I plan to hold a tea party soon, gonna buy scones and cupcakes and decent china, yes that would be a very good escape from the looming reality that is law school.

English breakfast is my favorite tea, and then Earl Grey, and then Jasmin. And my sister is so awesome for getting me all these kinds. Afternoon Tea is a lot like English Breakfast, only lighter. Earl Grey and Jasmin combine really beautifully, except that my sister said that they taste weird together, but I like the combination. I like my tea with just a splash of milk and a bit of brown sugar, never on its own. I try however to limit my tea drinking at night because these can keep me awake even more than coffee, so these are better taken at breakfast, hence, the name. :)

Mom's Day

Last Sunday was Mothers' Day. Both my sisters weren't home for the weekend (ze older sistar is on a business trip in London, ze baby sistar is reviewing for an exam so she stayed in Manila), so I decided to take my mom out for breakfast.

We used the coupons in Starbucks for buy 1 get 1 free frappuccino. My mom got a Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino and I got a Raspberry Green Tea Frappuccino. My mom also got a Ham and Cheese Croissant and I got a Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cookie.

So... this isn't really me treating my mom to breakfast because my money is all still technically from my parents, but it still felt good, can't wait to earn my own money and take my mom out to more breakfasts :D

She brews!

I’ve been living on my own for almost a year now, but only got my coffee maker two weeks ago. SERIOUSLY what was I thinking? I’m a law student who will benefit from any food and method there is to keep me more awake, I should’ve gotten one even before I bought plates and bedsheets, or something.

Anyway, the happy news is I finally have one. My mom got it for free because she bought some gazillion appliances for some rooms she was furnishing, and I immediately declared dibs over it. Nothing fancy, just your usual coffee maker. Then my mom remembered too that we have some beans from Benguet, given by one of my dad’s clients. So we used the food processor to grind the beans. I brought all these stuff to my condo, and brewed my first cup of coffee on my own, from my own coffee maker, in my own room.

Oh. The smell of coffee filled my room, I am a happy happy kid. I could seriously manage 8am classes.

I am also learning to drink my coffee black, and Benguet coffee is really flavorful! It’s strong and not sweet at all, so I add a little brown sugar, but that’s it.

One of my co-interns brought coffee grounds from Cambodia, and we brewed them in the office’s coffee maker. Ratankiri coffee, sweet on its own actually. Now I am looking for other types of coffee that I can use, because I am enjoying sampling all these and also maybe, just maybe, I’ll be inspired to bake/cook something to go with my perfect cup of coffee <3 I also remember that a few years ago we bought a French press, but I can’t find it at home. I hope I find it soon so that I can have even more fun in my kitchen.

Hopefully these kitchen things motivate me enough, I’m thinking of making pasta / a ref cake / some French toast, I need to eat out/eat ramen/eat hen lin/come to class hungry less often :D

Pepper Mill-ing, bow.

So, I got my own pepper mill. And somehow I am just so inspired to “make” food. I would not go as far and call what I want to do “cook” because that would entail more skill than I have right now, but I have been researching stuff on the net.

I have a line up of things I want to cook now, but I can’t seem to find the time.

Anyway, the point of this post is that, I HAVE MY OWN PEPPER MILL!

I put pepper in everything I eat now, and everything just tastes better with pepper. Plus there’s some odd satisfaction in hearing the whole pepper ground to pieces as I twist the top of the mill. I love it.

Pepper mills can be bought in SM Department Stores. Mine cost less than P300, not sure if any can be bought for cheaper, but it’s worth it because it’s one of the most useful things ever plus it is real pretty J

Wisdom tooth and other blahs.

So a few weeks ago I had one of my wisdom teeth extracted. IT. HURT. SO. BAD. :))

I guess because I have very low tolerance for physical pain, and also because I have seen both my sisters cry so hard after their surgeries so I was just so nervous the entire time. Anyway, after the surgery, gauze still in my mouth and still so numb from the anaesthesia, I asked my dentist if I'm allowed a milk shake right after, and she said yes. So my mom drove me to Starbucks and I got a... VENTI Caramel Cream Frappuccino! It's a drink I only get when I'm armed with a really good excuse, because of it's milky calorie filled goodness and it's totally useless for when I want to study because it has no caffeine anyway.

And we also bought mango ice cream. Which is another food that I don't get to eat often, because I'm the only one in the family who likes mango ice cream, but everyone had to concede just this once because I was in paiiiin. Haha.

Then the next day, I had my sister take me to the mall and buy me gelato. I love gelato, I got it for free because, as earlier mentioned, I was in paiiin. :)) I consumed who knows how much ice cream the next few days, I am *almost* looking forward to my next wisdom tooth extraction!

Hooray for Today!

I am not a morning person, and thus need decent breakfast to keep me smiling at least before 10am. :)

My favorite go to place for breakfast is McDonald's, because of the amazing egg mcmuffin. I love it with ketchup.

I used to really like sausage mcmuffin until I read somewhere that it packs in way more calories than any other breakfast choice. Not that I'm counting, but, oh okay, I'm trying to count. However just this morning I got sausage mcmuffin because I have been consuming much too much egg mcmuffins lately, and I don't want to get tired of something soooo good :D

I also love having breakfast in McDonald's because they constantly play their happy song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3vL_t7TiTA

Hooray for mornings and things that make them good
Hooray for beaming smiles that make my day
Hooray for stops and gos
Hooray for colors and quick hellos
Hooray for surprises that walk my way
Hooray for friends I'll make, oh hey...hey!
Hooray for treats that make me smile,
Like magic stripes that fill the sky
Hooray for days that make me say,
Oh Hooray for today!

(p.s. watch the video, the guy seems like he's high on drugs, which takes away the innocence of the concept but it's really really funny he's so weird!)

Breakfast here just really fills my heart and tummy with happy, and I will always associate egg mcmuffins with silly jokes and heartwarming conversation :)