Those Goodies...

Goodies...Cookies...Treats...




Call them whatever you'd like to call them but everyone has 1 goodie they can't resist. Over 10 years ago I used to suffer from this God Awful insomnia and the one thing that made me want to sleep was the smell of baking - so I started baking cookies. I was dating this guy at the time and he got me a 500 page book of cookie recipes. So for weeks I would just bake certain cookies over and over. My brother is a great "guinea pig" because he tells you specifically what is good and what is bad - and I tweeked a few choco chip recipes together and came up with my own formula.

To this DAY they it's still the most requested dessert I make...

Occasionally I do mailings...




I remember back in the day I started giving out big cookies tins for Christmas coz the money was tight and it quickly became the gift of choice.

Some people like oatmeal..



Some people like my variations on a rice crispy treat...





Some are brownie junkies...



Then I randomly throw in surprises...like wedding cookies or bonbons...







Sometimes I do special requests for mr Man's office...



But then there's Goodies that aren't sweet at all...Funny the guy that would fall in love with me doesn't hardly ever like sweets...with the exception of a neopolitan cupcake I make for him



But for him Savory goodies are where it's at...

enchiladas



rice and sauteed dishes





and those diner type favourites like meatball sandwhich and fries...



I think his smile says it all...



...

I think cooking is dying in many ways. People who say they love it really can't cook for shit or concoct disgusting deconstructed food i mean really do i wanna eat some lavender lamb? Hellz no. When I was a working pastry chef I used to make family dinner for the kids at work and one night I made chicken and proscuitto florentine paninis and steak fries - coz I was pressed for time. One of the kids told me this is the best sandwhich I've ever had. I was like "shutttup, ur dad's an oncologist i'm sure you eat very well..." The poor kid said,"my mom might stay at home but she sure doesn't cook for us..." Sad.

Well it ain't dying in my house not as long as I can reach the stove and oven.

HardHeaded...

I'm hardheaded most times...

Last night I got it in my head that I was going to do my own taxes. I said to myself well it's pretty much the same thing every year and I can do these depreciation calculations "no problem"

Hahahha that's funny!

So by 4am I give up - because I can't find the property vs land depreciation and it was double calculating the rental property income and I ended up OWING. Bwaa hahaha - Sometimes you just have to learn to let people do things for you. Good news is - the tax lady got me 500 more than my own forms and the other good news is I found another 300 on Mr. Man's forms than he would on his own. Ironically, the tax preparer had 2 mistakes and couldn't figure out these additional deductions and I showed her that it was a discrepancy in 2 dates.

Taxes are lame - and they only often benefit those who have dependents. If I didn't have a property to calculate depreciation I would end up owing every year - Mr. Man and I agreed we need to produce some deductions. An 18-21 year deduction right?

I feel like every year the government takes more while I benefit less. All of these monies are taken out by local, state, federal, ssn...then there are minute taxes taken here and there. I used to work for the Dept of Deaf and Hard of Hearing and when I first got hired I said well how do you fund these special phones and equipment? They pointed out this very minute tax that everyone pays on their phone bill of about 22 cents or so and it provides it somehow.

I'm not saying I want an explanation - but if I pay my taxes I'd like the roads to look and feel right, the kids to have rec centers and see it put to work...Why even take any SSN tax from me coz I sure as shit won't get it in my vintage days? My Mom and Grandmother don't even collect theirs coz it's so paltry.

I'm just blathering. I can't help it - I resent taxes a bit.

Perhaps that's why I wait right up until the end even though I know I'm getting a refund - the entire act is tedious and it's almost set up so you fail.

But I didn't.

so it's cool.

Happy Tiger Day Playboys!!!

This morning Tiger woods made his official "television apology" exclusively on the Golf Channel.

For months different tv show hosts and desk anchors have been saying,"Tiger owes America an explanation and an apology..." Who the HELL gave these news personalities the right to demand shiit. He doesn't owe anyone shit except stellar golf performance. However, I knew he would give the press a bite due to his partnership with Nike and his foundation.

His 3 page apology was specific and repeated a few key points to drive it home to the media as they have selective hearing and like an impolite guest will pick only the juiciest part of the meal. I was appalled that he tried to cannonize that moronic wife of his. I would have made a PARIAH out of that bitch and put her in a CLEAR place. He was naive enough to refer to her as 'displaying grace' Bwaa hahahha. Hey Foolio Woods - you know her and her bitch posse were leaking shit to the press to strengthen her position in case of a multi millio dollar divorce. Bwaa hahhaa. That's sorry.

The jist of the apology is this "Mind your own business and I don't owe you shit." And truly he does NOT. He needs to play golf and show them how it's done...he needs to continue working on giving talented kids scholarships and opportunities...and worry about them kids and his Asian Momma. He also needs to put that hoe in check.

I like how he had Momma Woods in the front row and of all the pro golfers that would show front row support - it was Notah Begay the talented Native American who he even hugged. The PGA chairman got a courtesy handshake. I hear what you are saying Tiger --- even if you didn't verbalize it.

Believe me MILLIONS of us LIVE that shit.

Tiger went wrong 6 years ago when he married that breeding sow. A Nanny! A Nanny? A Nanny. You should have hit it and quit it. Model my ass. It ain't like she had real model status like a Naomi Campbell or Devon Aoki or Kimora Lee or Cindy Crawford type shit...She had a FAILED modeling career at BEST and on top of that her shit is all air brushed...coz if her modeling career was so hot why was she workin' as a NANNY. You hire the help kid - you don't hump it or marry it. But I suppose in his heart he knows that - because if he would have respected her inside of his soul he wouldn't have cheated on her a gazillion named and unnamed times. Because you respect your equals and strive to stay level with them in all the many ways.

Which brings me to Jesper Parvenik. Your wrinkled brokeback Morrissey lookin ass needs to SHUTTTTTUP. How DARE you "apologize" for introducing them. Elin couldn't even correct a Pebble Beach bartender for giving her a Hard Lemonade instead of a plain one - believe me motherfuckers I was there in 2001- it HAPPENED. How DARE you Parvenik - mind your own career you crusty bastard. When that cow met him he was already a multi millionaire...she didn't have shit but moderate looks with a quick expiration date - believe me I know - I've spent extensive time in Sweden.

She's a moron. When my husband is a multi millionaire - I will rebuild rec centers in all areas because the counties no longer have funding to maintain programs , and fund adult literacy, and create revenue for audio books for the blind and work with some specific orphanages overseas. Life is bigger than yourself - and trifling hoes get what they deserve.

I'm sad for Tiger too because I sense that if Big Poppa Woods were alive none of this shit would happen - he is just lucky that he has the concrete support of a Momma.

The funny thing is 2 of 3 people polled won't even change support of him despite the infidelity. Because at the end of the day infidelity has happened throughout the ages and it will continue to happen in the future. I just don't like that they are trying to "lynch" and "whip" him with publicity. Keep tryin' Haters.

I'll say this now and I said it the day after Thanksgiving 2009 - "Leave his ass alone..." Stupid Ass American Media - they try to demand apologies of a sports celebrity while politicians get away with infidelity and gay infidelity ALL DAY. Why don't they approach real issues like the gross intellectual malnutrition of 2 generations - Why don't they attack corruption in state and federal agencies - Why don't they address the illiteracy of generations on a societal/nutritional/cultural level. Why don't they address the fact that over half the nation only speaks English and they speak it poorly. Kiss my ass with your corporate owned media bullshit.

I will always be on the side of the hustler and not the hoe.

20 Sept 2009: The Fabric of Life...literally and not so literally

So Day 25 26 and 27 were spent battling with the seamstress...

About 10 days ago I told Tita Mama (my godmother) that I wanted to go to the fabric district. About a day later she asked me what I needed from there - I said oh some fabric coz I want a couple of my dresses copied. She laughed and asked,"what kind of fabric" I laughed and said oh just linen and cotton for everyday wear. She said Ohhhh no problem just come to the house - and pick what you'd like, I'll come pick you up in the morning.

I went to titas house and she literally had 4 floor to ceiling cabinets 4 half cabinets and 3 trunks full of fabric. I didnt even know where to begin. I finally narrowed it down to 12 choices and dresses to copy and some sketches of what i wanted.

The original lady who used to make all of our dresses has very unfortunately passed away. That lady was originally taught to sew by our grandmother...and she always said that so proudly whenever we asked her to sew us up anything...

Well I guess my Mom had a lady who sewed up her shorts. I wasn't going to trust anyone so blindly so I gave her 4 dresses to copy about a week ago and some fabric. I should have known then it was bullshit when she showed up late, left late and returned a day later than the originally scheduled time. But she did a good job.

It ended up being day in and day out of constant text messages from Mom's #1 girl just to get a delivery time and the last 3 days I've had to reschedule any kind of going out. She was supposed to show up today past noon and after calling her 8 times she finally said that she was going to be here by 7pm. I'm hella pissed coz I missed one of the girls birthday dinners - but as we are packing and I need a final fitting I have no choice but to pack and wait since we leave in the morning.

However - the tardy beeyotch does do a clean job.

Here's a peek at what she's done so far.







I had to have 2 purple joints made to match the eggplant etienne aigner that my Tita Oyee gave me - I like this little jackie O style joint. And I got the boots to match the purse which will also go with THIS dress...




I also had some little sundresses made...I love them all but I really have a crush on that blue one...













I got a couple little neutral dresses...




Egad...I love this joint with the geometric...Can't wait to rock it with boots.



And I just had to get ONE flossy joint - Black Kimono...Don't hate...




---

So there you have it. You know the funny thing is - because I was comped the fabric the dresses only ended up being like 9 dollars each. Bwaa hahahhhaa. Imagine that. I was still a bit perved at her and advise her that I dropped a tasty amount of change on her because the usual work she does is 1 dress a week and I dropped 9 on her and because of my complicated selections I paid twice as much.

In these times when someone pays you double on a 9x order you should be quick and courteous because when I order I bring other orders with me. Tsk tsk.

But like all my different dresses - only certain fabrics should be used for certain dresses and should be worn by certain people. It's the variations in the cloth that make all of us up.

17 Sept 2009: In for the night...whew kinna pooped...

Well. we really din't go out for dinner. We went for Pulutan. Pulutan is a filipino word that means things u pick up but it is used as a term for finger food you grub while drinking. This whole month that we've been here we din't realize that like 15 minutes away was a whole stretch of bars, snacks, eats, shopping and cafes. So instead of doing some sit down joint we went to Laiyas. The joint was really awesome - natural wood tables - great service and not only were beers freezing and the food yummy - it was also UNBELIEVABLY cheap - true locals joint.




I ordered the fish and chips...the fish was buttery and flakey and cut down to the same shape as a jalapeno popper but twice as long. So Yummy.




Camille chose the Tenderloin Beef - the red onions with this beef were perfect. The smell of the mushrooms in sauce and the sizzling sound were UNBELIEVABLE.




Julian really looked at the menu (4 pages food 1 page drinks) - he took one look at the Teriyaki Tuna and was like YEAH YEAH YEAH - also deliscious.

So Yummy and fun to sit around in the late afternoon...This is one of the things i love about here. Friends and Familly stop to have a beer and a snack and do it in a leisurely fashion...and just laugh about all kinds of stuff and be excited to have some time together. People seem to lack that outside Asia and Europe - the ability to stop and smell the damn roses...I like it. It seems so easy and affordable to leave the house in Asia and just kill a couple hours.




So We stopped at the grocery store for this Hot Sauce (heh heh) that he's absolutely fallen in love with. I love the grocery stores here and anywhere in Asia coz they always have a different version of existing stuff - i'mma eat this Zip candy bar in a minute...Julian is already drinkin beers...and I was lookin for a loofah washcloth and instead found Hello Kitty wipes - LMFAOOOOO.

So we leave the grocery store and hit the open market. I'm really on a mission to pick up Iphone Cases but we always take a look around at the markets. There are different levels of open markets around the city - Now...if you know the sources you can buy a LOT of overstock stuff at certain suppliers who are only in certain spots. Those places are CONSIDERABLY cheaper and also harder to find - BUT if you find a cool person and frequent them you refer to them as "SUKE" which means like fave stall or fave salesperson that you frequent. Different parts of the city specialize in different things - and to figure out where the cheapest and the best are requires both experience and a ghetto tourguide. There are also parts of the city that have the same things for a bit more - BUT...if you have any kind of quickness or brains you can get a good price anywhere. So I've got this down to a science now - where I can buy stuff 15 minutes from my house thanks to the best girls i know. Bwaa hahhaha.




So Scilla and Benjo cracked their cases for their Iphones and asked me to pick them up a couple - and I actually found a pink one that fits mine (miracle coz nothing fits my Quickfire joint)...I can't believe the girls gave me such a good price - but that's just my tough haggling and Julians good natured teasing of the salesgirls.




I'm walkin around lookin for some kind of sugarless tea (none to be found)...when I notice a hidden rack...Oh hells a tokidoki bat boy...




Oh hells - a chocolate camo toki doki. LMFAOOOOOOO




Bwaa hahhaha- black pirate. LMFAOOOOOOO. I know I got haters.
Hahahahhahha. I'm laughin my brown ass all day.




So Julian HAD to stop by his "suke" and say Hello Tita...and see what's new and ended up gettin the sickest crocs out there...I never thought I'd see the day my man willingly picked a pair of crocks out there but these jokers ARE nice. LOL.

That was quite a long mission...bout 4 hours or so of leisurely hanging out. haha
We came home and showed our goodies to Mom who just beat us home from the Casino. LOL. Then I proceeded to grate some Monterey Jack for Julian as he had a craving for some nachos. haha. If you dont really love somebody don't try to grate a quarter lb of cheese for them in like 99% humidity - I got a little secret but you'd be hard pressed to get it out of me.



That's the only food that's not really good in Manila is Mexican food....so while at the grocery store we picked up some Tostitos and the local Sun Chips...coz Bebe loves nachos and tacos at any old time...




And while I was at it why didn't I just make him some quesadillas too.





okay...that's enough excitement for 1 day...I'm waiting for Camille to send me the pics she has on her cam from today and the NBA game as well...so More to come...

Close to 1am now and I have to be at the spa in 6 hours for a diamond facial. i dont really know what that is but I'll let you guys know tomorrow.

17 Sept 2009: Hahahha - Still havin fun!!!

hahahha Still havin fun...mission 1 today - Ongpin...




Yummy Yummy Crazy Fruit Displays



Yummy Yummy Chinese Pastries






Okay we are off for dinner and beers...Part 2 later.

15 Sept 2009: Be...Belo...Be Low...huh?

So this goes back to Spanish Colonialism...White skin is preferred here by the masses and some of the old rich and the bougie rich. Used to be that a lot of people would use this Papaya soap where he enzymes would bleach down your skin...After that people would get skin peels and such to "pale themselves down," in more recent years people started using topical lotions and creams to kill the melanin in their skin. The results are almost always awful because over half of the year here the sun is relentless, yet people would expose their freshly bleached skin to the sun and end up looking like they underwent chemo and they would have flakey angry red welts and patches. More recently they have started taking oral bleaching pills which contain glutathione...The research is incomplete but it makes you utterly pale. So basically you orally injest this pill that breaks down your melanin

It's hella crazy - it's everywhere. People really come out their pockets trying to bleach their skin - even poor people will bleach their face and neck and then have a brown body - HELLA ODD. The movie stars are as pale as Korean and Japanese women. Most of them don't even "LOOK" filipino anymore. It's a bit bizarre.

Now I'm used to this bullshit because people always ask me if I am Filipino or part black or whatever - that's just Ig'nant shit to me coz I know who I am and where I'm from and also, I've never cared much for the approval of others. I just give people a look of disdain explain my dad is from Cebu - my mom was born in a mansion in Pasay City - my maternal grandparents are from Las Pinas and Cavite - I gotta give them a WHOLE etymology of my background to disprove shit - but that's only when I'm in a good mood.





But Julian...he's taken a real dislike for skin bleaching. The skin bleaching brand that seems most popular is "BELO." It's endorsed by a LOT of stars and has a TON of billboards all over town. Julian has gone to telling people NO BELO....and they look at him quizzically - he then tells them STAY BROWN...and amazingly enough a LOT of people agree with him.

Julian intends to get a shirt that says STAY BROWN on the front and STAY BLACK on the back. LOL...He really gets this look of shock/disgust/horror when people have the iffy symptoms of bleaching their skin. I'm used to seeing self hate. A lot of Filipinos act like they are so proud to be Filipino yet do things to change their outward appearances to mimic a more Western look. How you gonna wear a RIZAL tshirt and then bleach your skin and raise your nose...Some of these actresses have hawkish noses that are far too big for the ratio of their face - which leads them to fix their eyes - and also leads them to fix their lips and cheekbones. HELLA WEIRD...




The funny thing is wherever you see bleaching products sold you will also see sunblock being sold. Which makes us LAUGH. So here are these people who bleach their skin and remove the sunblock GOD gave them (melanin) and then cover it up with man made products for "protection"

God gave you all the protection you need...

---

Julian always says when he sees natural Filipino folks - Filipinos are goodlookin people - Pinays are sexy - Filipino babies are some of the cutest bebe's out there....yet why are they trying to pale down their skin? I have to constantly explain to him about Spanish slavery and colonial thinking and the American presence here and blah blah blah. Fortunately he is with a woman who accepts the blessings she's given instead of trying to alter gods work.

I do get bent when FACIALLY BUSTED people ask me if i'm filipino - I'm like are you f***ING kidding me - you look like a walking injury and you are askin ME. Country Momma and Julian are always having to calm me down. The gay guys at the salon yesterday kept askin Mom if I was really her kid and I had to bite my tongue as they were givin me a pedicure and I didn't wanna get cut. I told my mother how DARE those flaming faggots ask if my Daddy was an American when their faces look run over by a MACK truck - tha'ts BULLSHIT. She told me don't argue with uneducated people it makes you look Ig'nant. Bleh - KAKA.

I think a natural example of a Filipina beauty is Tetchie Agbayani...



She has even managed to age gracefully as the first Pinay to grace Playboy...



I also dig Marlene Aguilar...she's like a Pinay Camille Paglia...I dig her brains MORE.



When it comes to Filipino men...I like Richard Gomez of course..



Cesar Montano



Derek Ramsey (he's also part egyptian part english) - and he gets points from me for giving his Chick a MINI Cooper as a gift. LOL



---

The funny thing despite all this pale love that people show others they sure LOVE LOVE LOVE Julian - even the snobbiest women and aunties have nothing but love and hugs for Julian and blather on about his good looks and winning personality...All the aunties have also told him we are praying for you and the Sauce to have twins...so we have someone to spoil. Then they add,"we hope all the kids look like you Julian - no offense Saucy." LMFAOOOOO. I'm not even mad about it - coz I love his eyes and eyelashes too - and truth be told he doesn't have that peppery temper that I have. LOL

Even perfect strangers are always comin up to him wherever we go to say hello or hi or comment oh how handsome. Bwaa hahaha.

Me and Julian have been joking with the family...

"WE WILL BRING BROWN BACK IN"

yeah we will...