At Home With MrsC

Raising a family, making a home.

MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan

In The Mood Food Crawl at Evia Lifestyle Center

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Confession: It’s the day before Valentine’s Day and we have not made any plans. No special menu, no restaurant reservation for dinner, nothing. And our Christmas tree is still up. To say that we are unprepared is the understatement of the century.

I do have an idea of where it would be nice to go for a romantic V-day dinner, though, thanks to the recent In The Mood Food Crawl that Evia Lifestyle Center hosted together with my lovely Mothers Who Brunch friends, Mish and Sab.

This is what it really looks like when the three of us get together. Lots and lots of laugh-til-we-cry moments.

If, like me, you are not ready for Valentine’s, read on! If you just want to discover some awesome new places to eat with your boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, family or friends, read on, too!

 

There was only one item on my agenda for today, and that was the #inthemoodfoodcrawl, which my lovely @motherswhobrunch friends hosted with the wonderful people of @evialifestylecenter. My schedule is usually crazy or full or both, but when @mommanmanila and @sinfullysabrina say “Save the date!” I save the date. And it’s always worth it, each and every time. I’m completely stuffed from our eating tour of #evialifestylecenter (we went to 7 different places!!!). Can’t wait to take MrC and the ManChild there to try everything. And I’m in a really great mood from all the chatting and laughing. Plus, my sister who brunches (not yet a mother though) got to come, too! Thanks for having us, Mish and Sab! See you again soon. And Evia, I’ll be back! May mga babalikan pa ako sa My Mother’s Cupboard. Lol! 😚😚😚 #valentinesatevia #motherswhobrunch

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Bright and early on a Tuesday morning, I drove to Evia with my sister, Rocky, in tow. Her plan was just to check out the mall since she’d never been there before. Sab and Mish graciously invited her to join us, though, and of course she said yes. Who says no to brunch anyway? 

There were 7 stops mapped out for our food crawl. 7! That’s a lot of eating. And so, off we were, appetites ready, forks in hand, ready to feast with friends. 

Mm-hmm, I am always in the mood!

First stop: Tigerleaf 

Rocky and I with our friend, Helene

It’s not easy to find great Thai food in Manila. We only got to try two dishes from the Tigerleaf menu, but man oh man were they amazing. My sister and I had more than one serving of the Catfish Salad and Chicken Satay, each. We were both well aware that there were 6 more stops ahead, but the food was so good that we just couldn’t help ourselves!

I love that the Chicken Satay is served over hot coals. Keeps the skewers nice and warm.
Crunchy catfish. Tart green mangoes. Crisp lettuce. And an amazing sweet and salty fish sauce dressing. Oh the joy.

Second stop: Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen

Second stop, and we’re already starting to get full!

I’m no stranger to Mama Lou’s. We’ve eaten at their BF Homes branch many times. I have to say, though, that I was still completely blown away by the spread they prepared for us during the food crawl. Theirs was an Italian antipasto buffet to die for.

Mama Lou’s serves AMAZING pizza!

I particularly loved the Spinach and Honey Goat Cheese with Truffle Pizza. Actually, there was nothing on that table that I didn’t like. If we didn’t have to move on to the next restaurant, I might have just stayed in Mama Lou’s all day. No kidding.

All I want for Valentine’s Day is this spread from Mama Lou’s

Third stop: Merlion’s Cuisine

I thought that was a carved carrot, but it’s actually made of salt!

I confess, Singaporean cuisine isn’t one of my faves. But I did enjoy the Meat Platters and Mango-Sago Pomelo dessert that we got to try at Merlion’s. 

This was really so refreshing

Fourth stop: Mesa

Mesa is love!

While it’s been around for years, I’ve never actually eaten at Mesa before. Now I know that I’ve been missing out. I cannot stop thinking about their Crispchon and the soft homemade malunggay crepe they wrap it in. Then there’s the super fresh shrimp cooked over hot rocks in a clay pot. And sarap! Their kamias shake is a must-try, too!  

You won’t believe how crispy the skin on this little piggy is
Oh my gosh, this needs rice

Fifth stop: Another Story

This salmon was perfectly flakey, and was so yummy paired with the creamy mashed potatoes

I’ve eaten at Another Story before, so I knew to expect good food. We had an Angus Prime Ribeye Steak and a Grilled Salmon, and I loved them both. This is definitely on my list of places to eat with the boys. And I definitely want to order the steak and salmon again. At the same time, maybe. Is that too much? Lol!

I would totally drive to Evia again just for this steak!

Sixth stop: Teppanya

The whole cooking process at Teppanya would be so much fun for kids to watch

I have never had A5 Wagyu before, and let me tell you, I was not prepared for how melt-in-your-mouth it was. So good! It’s the kind of meat that needs barely any seasoning. Or teeth. You can chew on it even if you don’t have teeth. I’m not kidding! The meat paired perfectly well with the giant Hokkaido Salt Crusted Oysters we were served as well. This stop in our food crawl was really such a treat!

Look at all that creamy fat!
Each oyster was literally a mouthful, and so, so delicious

Seventh stop: The Cheesecake Fairy

It was such a treat spending time with Mike and Millie that day!

If there’s one rule in life that I totally live by, it’s always make room for dessert. My blood sugar may not be my friend, but I threw caution to the wind and indulged in the different cheesecakes laid out for us at The Cheesecake Fairy. I expected to like the Oreo one best, but surprise, surprise, it was the Salted Caramel Cheesecake that won my heart. 

I absolutely love anything and everything cookies and cream

Bonus: My Mother’s Cupboard

Before we said our goodbyes, we made one last stop at My Mother’s Cupboard. Oh my goodness, this place is a housewife’s dream come true. (Tip: Guys, it’s a great place to shop for a Valentine’s Day gift for your wifey!)

This is just perfect for those of us who don’t usually go out on Valentine’s Day

In true Mothers Who Brunch fashion, Mish and Sab taught us how to make some magic in the kitchen, which was perfect for Valentine’s Day – A dessert board! I’m definitely excited to try making one at home (coz we all know how much I love sweets) as soon as my blood sugar cooperates. Hopefully, it will be in time for V-day!

Thank you, Mish and Sab, for having us! Rocky and I really had the best time. Til the next one!

 

*All photos without watermark courtesy of Mothers Who Brunch

Change Is Coming (To My Diet)

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Guys, I’m turning 35 this month. 

I know, I know, I know, 35 is not old. But believe me when I tell you that there are days when I feel old. This morning, for instance. I woke up with really sore leg muscles from nonstop jumping with my goddaughter, Luna. Not to mention, my right knee has been clicking lately, my back achey, and my plantar fasciitis is back with a vengeance. Ugh.

We had so much fun jump, jump, jumping and play, play, playing with this little tabachingching yesterday!

When asked what I can do about my aches and clicks, our trusty family doctor had only one piece of advice: Lose some weight. Yes. Okay. Yes. Fine. 

No, I won’t be jumping on the Keto bandwagon or going Bulletproof anytime soon. I know myself well enough to understand that the only thing that will work for me is a sustainable and permanent lifestyle change involving more balanced meals, more whole foods, and a lot less snacking and fastfood.

The change has to be slow but steady. It has to be something I will actually enjoy learning about and doing, something I can do constantly without feeling kawawa, and something that does not involve elimination or deprivation. And it has to start from me, at home.

The first step was an assessment of my fridge and pantry. While I’ve successfully kept our canned and processed items at a minimum, I realized that we could use a little extra fresh produce. Of course, if I buy more that means I need to cook, serve, and eat more of these fruits and veggies. They don’t last forever, after all, and there’s nothing more frustrating than having to throw away forgotten food. I hate it when that happens, actually. It makes me feel like some sort of failure. OA, but true.

So, after assessing came meal planning, budgeting and shopping. Now, many people think that eating healthy is expensive, but it really isn’t, especially when you’re cooking most of your meals at home. I’ve been able to see that for myself. It’s just a matter of choosing ingredients wisely, making the most of what you have, and knowing where to go to buy what you need at great prices.

Most of the time, you will find me food shopping at the wet market or palengke. There are some things that I can’t bring myself to buy there, though, and some things that I just can’t find there. Lettuce, for example. I feel like you should always, always get organic lettuce. Same goes for veggies and fruits eaten raw and unpeeled. Chicken and eggs, too. Free-range is the way.

For organic ingredients, my (new and official) go-to place is Earth Origins Marketplace + Cafe in Westgate Alabang.

I first found out about Earth Origins at last November’s Mothers Who Brunch event. They generously provided the delicious veggies that were served during the event, plus more goodies for us to take home. After that, I found myself coming back several times to eat, and each time I was there I would browse through the shelves, chillers, and freezers of interesting produce and products.

I keep coming back for this Korean Style Fried Cauliflower at Earth Origins!

Eventually, I fell in love with the place. When I did, I knew it was the start of something new for me. The start of something good, dare I say. Change is coming to my diet, yes it is. Slowly but surely, it is.

This past week was officially the beginning. You can see by my Instagram posts that I’ve been trying very hard to serve and eat vegetables with every meal. For some extra encouragement, I picked up a couple of bags of fresh goodies from Earth Origins last Wednesday.

So far, here’s what I’ve been able to make with my haul: Three bright, colorful salads. A crisp and tangy cucumber side salad. And a really, really, super yummy baked chicken and chorizo lunch that the boys absolutely loved. Oh, and we’ve had organic bacon and bratwurst for breakfast, too, also from Earth Origins. Winning!

Proud of myself for whipping up this delicious and beautiful Saturday lunch!
Better-for-you bacon! Yassss!

I still have several fresh ingredients in my fridge that I will be cooking up in the next few days, plus a pack of chia seeds for my homemade granola. I’ve pretty much immersed myself into this – Researching, experimenting, cooking, and eating. It’s been fun (and yummy!) so far.

The boys are happy with what we’ve been eating, thank goodness. And I feel like we’re all feeling good after a week of eating more fresh, organic food. Hopefully my joints and legs also start feeling better soon. I think I’m extra motivated to keep going because I’m not just doing this for me. More importantly, I’m doing this for them, too. Food is my love language, after all, and this kind of food is loaded with oh so much love.

January in 8 Photos

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Raise your hands if, like me, you woke up and wondered where the heck January went. Guys, grabe, February na! Parang ang bilis, right? 

The first month of 2018 may have been quick, but it sure was awesome. Here are a few snippets from the month that was.

One of several changes happening at home this year is an intentional (but gradual) shift towards less waste. We have a serious garbage issue here in Manila, and I really feel that every small effort counts. I’ll be writing more about this transition to less waste living over the next few months. You can also check out my IG feed and stories to see the little day to day things I do to produce less waste at home.

For now, here’s a look at the current state of our freezer. Eventually, I hope to eliminate plastic bags and disposable packaging in there completely. While I’m still unable to do that, I wash, dry, and cut up the plastic bags and use them to stuff eco bricks instead. 

 

#coffeeoftheday

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On the subject of change, I’m also making some to my daily and weekly routines this year. Time management has never been a strength of mine but I know that it’s time I get the whole “sticking to a schedule” thing figured out. Also, I really need to set aside more me-time and time with people that matter. This is me, stopping to smell the roses, guys!

This January brunch with my mommy buddies (and Nino and Rman) almost happened without me. But I forced the issue, and my schedule, and I made it. I was super duper late, but I made it. God knows I needed all the laughed-so-hard-we-cried moments we shared that day. I am so much better at life after get-togethers like this one.

Bacon. After a really long time, we had bacon for brunch at home. I don’t usually buy bacon because it’s so, so bad for you. But this one is a little bit better (or at least, I’d like to believe that it is) because it’s organic, nitrite-free, and preservative-free. In case you wanna try this better-bacon, I bought it from Earth Origins Marketplace + Cafe in Westgate Alabang.

And finally, the perfect segue from Jan to Feb. I picked up a beautiful early-Valentine’s event invite from my Mothers Who Brunch friends a few days ago, and right now it’s sitting by the phone in my living room. I love how it adds color to this little corner of my home.

Thing is, though, if you look across from here to the other side of the living room, you’ll see that my Christmas tree is still up, complete with unopened and undelivered holiday gifts, plus an assortment of things we brought home this past month. Clutter central! Oh well. That’s real life for you!

So that was January.

I can’t deny that I’m excited for February because it’s my birth month. As far as I’m concerned, in February, I am the queen and no one can tell me otherwise. 

In my world, February is one big party. There is always cake. Sometimes more than one. There’s time spent with family and friends, with food, fun and laughter. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me this month! And I can’t wait to share it all with you guys, too.

How was your January?

My 2018 Reading Challenge

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Fact: I write better when I read more. Reading also helps me relax and unwind, especially after long days spent in front of the computer. I’ve found that I sleep better, too, when I choose to read before bed instead of watching TV or playing games on my phone.  Generally, I’m better when I read. And so it’s kinda odd that I stopped.

I used to read a lot when I was younger. I would read all the time, actually. Even in the shower. With the water running. I mastered the art of the one-handed bath when I was 12. I know, it sounds gross, but I promise I was always clean. See, I wasn’t kidding, I was always reading. Then came motherhood, and adulting, and work, and life. I had to make time for everything else. In doing so I lost time for my books, and in effect I lost time for myself.

For several years my book collection sat neglected, tucked away in drawers in my old room. Then, weeks ago my mom went on a mad cleaning spree because my sister was coming home from New York, and would be needing that old room in the Alabang house. Whatever stuff the boys and I left there had to be pulled out. And so, my books finally came home with me. 

Seeing them all felt like reuniting with a bunch of old friends. There were some still wrapped in plastic, unopened and unread. Some, I had actually forgotten that I had. Other books remained unfinished over the years, abandoned for one reason or another. And then there were the old favorites – Angela’s Ashes, Interview With The Vampire, The Green Mile, The Godfather, and others that I would love to read again. 

So this year, I’m challenging myself to read more. I owe it to those books that I spent all that money on (and those that my dad and MrC spent on, too!) And, more importantly, I owe it to me. I owe it to myself to make time to read because I know that I’ll be better off if I do. The mere thought of it excites me. Seriously, my idea of me-time is an afternoon on the couch with a good book, a cup of coffee, and a plate of cookies. Oras lang ang puhunan, guys. All I need to do is make time for it, and make time I shall. 

24 books is the goal this year. So far, these are the ones I’ve finished:

  1. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (My second favorite so far this year!)
  2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami 
  3. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
  4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
  5. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
  6. Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
  7. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
  8. The Client by John Grisham
  9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
  10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  11. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
  12. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (My favorite so far this year!)
  13. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

I am currently reading The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can’t believe I’ve never read this before!

I initially thought of posting reviews of the books I read this year, but I don’t think I’m gonna end up doing that anymore. Unless you guys want me to? Let me know!

The Year That Was – 2017 Edition!

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Hi, everybody! Happy New Year! I can’t believe that 2018 is actually here!

I don’t know about you guys, but I always see the start of a new year as an exciting time. I, personally, look forward to filling in loved ones’ birthdays and important dates in a new planner every January. I love the whole idea that we have another 365 days to fill with milestones and memories.

The first few days of a new year is also a great time to look back on the year that’s just passed. And what an amazing one 2017 was for me and my family.

January began with a double dose of happiness on the Cuyugan side – Lola Bandel (aka MrC’s mom, nicknamed Lola Bandel by the kiddo) was home, and the family welcomed brand-new baby Luna. 

As for my de Castro family, we got treated to a double dose of happiness in January, too. The first was a surprise visit from one of my favorite cousins, Bolito. He was here for only a few weeks, visiting from Australia, and I love that our  home was one of his stops during his trip. Then, we celebrated the 91st birthday of our Tita Glo, the last living sibling of my Loli. She has no kids of her own, and so we all sorta belong to her in a way, my cousins and I.

February is always special because it’s my birth month. My sister-in-law was in town, and there was lots of family time, friend time, and food time. All the things I love! Lol.

One memorable super blooper from March was the day I got locked in our downstairs bathroom. It took about an hour, and my best friend’s dad bringing a locksmith over to get me out. 

My father-in-law arrived in Manila at the end of that month, too. He was the last of our Cuyugan Balikbayan series of house guests for the year.

In April, we celebrated Little MrC’s birthday with his cousins at home. I love that we were able to do this! It reminded me of all the fun at-home birthday parties my siblings and I had when we were little. This year, I think we’re gonna take all the kids out to see a movie. There are a lot of nice ones coming up, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that one of them will be showing on this boy’s birthday week.

 

Cousins are the best! #LittleMrC11th

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The boys and I got to go to the beach for a day in May, yay! I think it’s great that Batangas is only a couple of hours away, and we can drive down there whenever we want to. This was a nice end to a long summer, and a great way to celebrate MrC’s birthday.

It was back to school time for the kiddo in June, and MrC moved to a new company. Meanwhile, I got surprised with an unexpected work trip to El Nido. It’s been years since I was there last, and it was nice exploring the newly developed areas in Lio. I had a monster eczema attack, though, so I was really uncomfortable the whole time! Hassle lang.

July and August were nice and quiet, a welcome change from the eventful first half of the year.

And then in September, the husbandry and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.  With food. Obviously.

I also ended the month with another surprise trip, this time to Davao. I’m really happy about this because I got to spend time with friends and relatives I hadn’t seen in a long time.

 

When in Wildflour. #notglutenfree #carbs #sorrynotsorry

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I couldn’t leave Davao yesterday without making time to see friends and family. 💕 Typically, I request for the earliest possible flight home when I have to work out of town, but this time I decided to take a day for myself instead. I’m happy I did. It was so nice catching up with everyone. I’m glad I got to spend time with my aunts and cousins who live on the other end of the Philippines. Last time I saw them was nearly 10 years ago, I think. Spending time with relatives, even just for a few hours, really gives me a warm, fuzzy, happy feeling. It’s so important to me that I get to do this, and that i get to know them. Sana, next time around, can go with my family in tow naman. 💚 I also love that I got to try a new, chic restaurant for lunch. Bon Apetit’s grilled tuna steak is 👌👌👌. It was so nice hanging out with old work friends, reminiscing, and making chismis. I’m glad for friends like these, na even though we don’t see each other often, we just pick up where we left off each time we do. Minsan talaga, taking just a few hours to do our own thing can be such a sanity saver for busy moms. And spending time with people who matter makes the experience extra sweet. Thank goodness for husbandries who understand that need, and pick us up pa when we’re good and done. And for grandparents who take our kids, too, so we don’t have to worry while we enjoy our me-time. Hastag blessed nga naman! Now, after all that, I’m so happy to be home. Tired but happy. Heart is full. Back to regular programming. Good morning! #kwentooftheday #damingsinabi #thismomlife #momlife #ohanameansfamily #freindsarefamilytoo #toomanyhashtags #whenindavao

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October came, and the family got together to cheer for daddy in his first-ever Historic Mini Racers race. He did as well as could be, for a beginner, but more importantly he had an awesome time. I’m glad we were there to see it.

And then there was Halloween, which is always a fun occasion at my mom’s house.

In November, I got a flat tire for the first time. I didn’t know how to change a tire (I still don’t) and I was lucky that a kind trike driver helped me find a guy to change the tire.

On the upside, I got to start the holidays early with my Mothers Who Brunch friends, too. Plus I won a Severin Mr. Twister Spiralizer at the event. Lucky duck!

 

Oh my gosh this car. This car. We have been through so much together. My first accident (I was rear-ended by a texting mom. Lightly lang naman.) My first stupid self-accident (I hit the gate and wall of our garage. Remember that giant dent+scratch @mommanmanila @manila.gent? Hahaha!) And then that one time when the transmission failed on me and I had to drive home with acceleration/deceleration issues. Nadiskargahan narin pala ako ng battery once, in our garage. And I found out when I was about to take the kiddo to school. And now my first flat. Thank God we were inside the village already and not crazy Alabang Zapote. Thank God I have so many relatives who live close by (thank you for the help Ate @margsflorendo!) And thank God for the manong trike driver who took my “Please manong hanap ka ng makaka change ng gulong ko. Please please please?” damsel in distress act (which really wasn’t an act haha I didn’t learn anything in automotive class) seriously, and came through with a guy with a jack and a tire iron that he picked up from who knows where. I am now eating ice cream in my kitchen. Ayoko na umalis. Ever. That is all. #kwentooftheday #ihatedriving #driversweetmother #adulting

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Big winners at the Mothers Who Brunch event!

December came and all the festivities began. In the middle of it all, on Christmas Eve, our cat of 20 years, Sasha, passed away. It was sad, but I’m also glad that she’s no longer in pain.

We ended the month, and the year with Baby Luna’s first birthday party, and finally with a family dinner to welcome 2018.

Now that I look back on it, I realize just how full my 2017 was. It’s the kind of happy, fulfilling full, though, and not the rushed, busy, hectic type. I’m glad that we chose to spend our time the way we did last year, ups and downs included. 

Here’s looking ahead to a spectacular 2018.

Mommy Bloggers and Nutri10Plus Vitamins Send Love To Kids In Marawi

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Moms have this innate need to provide quality nutrition for their children, agree? It’s just one of those instincts that kicks in along with our mysterious and amazing maternal instinct. At least that’s how it happened with me. 

In our home, as in most households, providing adequate nutrition means choosing healthy, balanced meals over junky snacks and processed foods. It also means being well-stocked with vitamins and supplements that are able to sustain and nourish our growing family needs. In Little MrC’s stash we made sure to include Nutri10Plus.

Nutri10Plus Syrup, a multivitamins packed with Chlorella Growth Factor (CGF), Taurine, Lysine, Zinc and Vitamins C, A, D3 B1 and more, has been assisting mothers all around the Philippines in developing children with strong bodies, active brains and healthy appetite.

In the effort to help our co-mommies and their children in war-stricken Marawi, 100 Mommy bloggers from the  Mommy Bloggers Philippines community collaborated to bring boxes of Nutri10Plus Syrup and DayCee Vitamin C Syrup, plus toys to 100 kids in the area.

This was done in partnership with SinagTala, a non-profit organization headed by Ms. Kaye Koo. SinagTala has helped villages in Marawi since the conflict began, sheltering hundreds of children inside their Playroom, which served as a mini-school and play area.

Through the Nutri10Plus Syrup, DAYZINC vitamins, and the toys that were sent over, we hope to uplift these children’s spirits and help restore their health. This is especially important now, as they start to pick up the pieces of their lives as families.

The MBP moms all wish to thank WERT for this campaign, Kaye Koo of SinagTala and all the staff who have helped in sending the vitamins to Marawi.

To learn more about the benefits of Nutri10Plus Syrup, check through their Facebook page #/Nutri10Plus/

I am proud to be one of the moms who participated in this campaign. It feels great to have been able to use this blog to help bring hundreds of pouches of Nutri10Plus Vitamins to the children in Marawi, together with all of these wonderful mommy bloggers: