Don't Tell Me I'm Beautiful, I Know.

. . .photo from http://lionlamb-bowmanville.blogspot.com/2011/12/liar-liar-pants-on-fire.html

Can you tell if somebody is lying to you? Like in your face, lie to you?

Sometimes I don't. Most of the time I do.

For example, a stranger tells me that I look beautiful. Ding Ding! Lie. Liar.

Another example. A colleague sat with me at the office cafeteria. For some unknown reason, randomly tells me how pretty I am that day. Ding Ding!. Lie, another liar.

Of course, I don't tell that to their faces. I mean, a compliment is still a compliment. I don't need to be a moron and come out with nasty remarks.

Whatever their intentions were, with or without malice, it's still a good response to say "thank you".

But folks please be it known that I am beautiful not because I feel beautiful. (A-ha, -i-claim ko na!)

Know that I know you're lying because my beauty is not skin deep.

It is from within.

And I thank you.

xjellybean74170

Read more...

The Thing About Korean Food

I was browsing thru Real Asian Beauty's (or RAB for short) Youtube channel and saw some easy to do recipes that we also make at home. I noticed she makes a lot of Korean food.

I watched one video where she tried to make the now famous Jjapaguri from the award winning movie Parasite.

. . . photo from https://sea.mashable.com

I was entertained and amazed on how she was able to read Hangul.

Then I watched her DIY samgyupsal video. Damn, I am seriously craving samgyupsal right now.

I blame Itaewon Class for that. Not to mention, BEER.

I feel so stupid for not stocking up on beers. Tapioca, the wiser one was able to buy several bottles of his liquor of choice. Right on time before the liquor ban. Good for him.

I thought Coke and soft drinks were enough. Now the stress from all the anxieties makes me want to drink beer.

But again, I blame Itaewon Class. I should have not watched it. Lol!

. . . photo from https://news.abs-cbn.com

. . . photo from http://www.dramabeans.com

Check out those beer bottles in the background. I'm not sure what they are but I am salivating like crazy! Man, oh man. I am so gonna stock up on beer when the liquor ban is lifted.

I'm also dreaming of having something like this at home. . .

. . . beer vending machine!!! how cool is that?!? (photo from https://www.reddit.com)

Beer and samgyupsal. When this (quarantine)pandemic is over, I'm definitely lining up at Samgyupsalamat.

Going back to RAB's channel, I watched another video where she tried to create Japchae.

Unlike her Jjapaguri, I was having some doubts about her procedures. Questions like why does she have to separate the marination of the mushroom and meat? I mean, same marinade but why separate? Then I found out it's because she was gonna cook it separately. But the most cringe-y of them all was when they were putting all the ingredients together. It felt so wrong to be mixing everything in such a small shallow dish.

I felt violated. Err wrong word. Violated is such a strong word. I felt sorry for the person mixing it. And I felt bad because I cannot unsee what I've seen. Suddenly, I felt the need to watch how a freakin' Japchae is supposed to be made.

I went to Maangchi's channel and I'm so glad I did. By the way, Maangi is one of my favorite Korean bloggers/authors. I did not know if she was a blogger first or vlogger or an author first. All I know, as soon as I started reading her recipes and stories online, I can tell this girl knows what she's talking about.

So while I was watching Maangchi make her Japchae, I could not help but compare it to RAB.

I realized I can't really blame RAB for trying to make her own Japchae based on how she knew it was done and what she had in her kitchen.

I mean, I too had my shortcomings in making home cooked meals. As a homemaker, I should have known that everyone needs to improvise, come up with an alternative or substitute in order to whip up a meal.

So again, I should have known better.

By the way, I am so buying these metal mixing bowls. I need them in my life!!! I need them for baking, mixing sauces, marinades, and making my first japchae, just like Maanchi's.

. . . photo from https://www.amazon.com

While watching Maangchi, I realized some similarities between Koreans and the French on how they prepare their food. An example would be the way Maangchi cooked each and every ingredient for the Japchae separately to keep the colors of the vegetables. I have seen the same method from a French cook before. Both almost always used fresh and colorful ingredients.

Let's not forget, Koreans cannot live without banchan or side dishes.  It is like how the French must have 3 or 4 courses per meal. French and Koreans have high regards to their cuisine. Even when they are out of the country, they insist on having food that's familiar to them.

But I guess I can't say that in general. Koreans and French are now adapting or eating different types of cuisine due to globalization. Say for example, burgers are becoming a trend in France. The French people finally embrace fast food. Same thing with Koreans. They are now eating non traditional Korean food such as fried chicken and pizza.

So what is the sense of this post? Hmmm wala lang. I just find it amusing. That's all. Sorry for wasting your time. Hahaha.

Read more...

No Excuses

It's the first day of the month. The first quarter of the year is done. We are now halfway through the month-long enhanced community quarantine. In two weeks time, my little Pumpkin is turning one.

. . . photo from http://starrygoldacademy.com/successtips/first-quarter-of-the-year-has-gone-are-you-making-progress-2/

So what have I accomplished so far being stuck at home with ample time in my hand?


1. Published blog posts that were long overdue.

2. Caught up with watching movies and TV shows.

3. Spent a lot of time with Tapioca and the kids.

4. Caught up on ZZZ.

5. Woke up and slept on time like a normal human being.

6. Practiced my cooking skills again.

7. Organized some of my photos and documents on my computer.


Things that I'm still putting off at this time.

1. Clearing/getting rid of the house clutter.

2. Sorting out clothes in my closet and the kids' closet.

3. Organizing my paper clutter and shredding documents.


Isn't it obvious, the things that I've been putting off are the things that I hate doing? Though I have all the time now due to the quarantine, I am still not going through them.

There are also things that I still needed to work on especially with the kids.

Munchkin still needs a lot of help in practicing how to read. Pumpkin needs to get used to eating solid food. He's turning one soon and he is still not used to eating solid food. I get myself to blame for all these.

I still got a couple more weeks left. No one knows if the quarantine will be extended or not. Part of me wishes that we can all go back to normal soon. The other part can't imagine going back to normal too soon. There's just too many uncertainties.

One thing's for sure, though. I need to stop slacking off. I need to tick off all the things on my to-do list before the quarantine ends. Even if it gets extended. I have no excuse. None at all.

Read more...

Blogging Again

...image from writingexplained.org

Why, hello there. I checked my blog and was surprised to see that my last post was 2 years ago. Amazing.

Like I always say, I try. Like literally trying to get this blog updated. I have created sooooo many drafted posts waiting to be published. Hay, life. My life.

Yesterday, I read Ms. Tina Tagle’s post on her blog. She is finally saying goodbye to blogging. I’m one of her regular readers and I know that this was not the first time she tried to stop blogging. I hope it’s just one of those phases she is going through. If not, then the blogging world just lost one of the very few who are truly authentic bloggers. They are getting very extinct.

Anyways, going back to my blog, I just wanted to let you know that I am still very much into blogging. And I’m not thinking of quitting. Not yet. I’m actually still working on updating it. I just needed to organize all of my photos so it will be easier to remember events as they happened.

So there. Hopefully, I get it done soon. I have tons of photos waiting to be posted. My Instagram account is much more updated but most of the time they’re not really on time. Latergram, that’s my game.

Until then I hope y’all bear with me. I’m getting there. Almost. Just not quite. But I’m almost there.


Peace, love and a bullet-proof marshmallow y’all!
xJellybean74170


PS. I just remember. This month is supposedly my anniversary month for blogging, so yay for a new blog post. Yay to another supposedly anniversary if I may call that. Seems like this is the only constant happening in this blog. Me posting on my anniversary month. But whatevs! Lolz!

Read more...

Tapioca and Munchkin Bonding Time At Bonifacio High Street

The Munchkin has been practicing riding her scooter every chance she gets. After getting her a scooter as a gift last year, Tapioca has been bringing her to the park, basketball court or any open spaces she’s free to scoot around. 

She’s actually getting really good at it. She finally knows how to use the break and how to steer from left to right. Munchkin is mostly practicing inside the house much to my annoyance. You see, we live on the 2nd floor of a small rise condo and the last thing I want to hear is a complaint from the downstairs neighbor. 

However, their practice session stopped when Tapioca got hospitalized. Munchkin has been asking when they will go back to the park again. It finally happened last Sunday.

. . . Tapioca and Munchkin

Here are some of the clips Tapioca took with this phone. The second video almost gave me a heart attack. I kinda freaked out seeing how fast the cars/vehicles were going. At first, it sorta looked like Munchkin would go straight to the other side of the road.

Tapioca rationalized that Munchkin was still far from the road and that there was a good 12 feet before it hit the road. Hmmm. I’m not sure. I guess I’m not convinced. Hahahaha!

When the little girl got tired, she asked for some donuts.  

Time for some refreshment. You bet these guys had fun. 😁

time for some donuts . . . 

I am thankful Tapioca is such a devoted father. I am thankful because I can rely on him  to take care of the kids even if me or the nannies are not around. I am thankful because he always makes an effort to spend time with the kids. No matter how tired or sleep deprived he is.

Read more...

Delijo's Banh Mi

I used to hate cilantro. I know hate is such a strong word but that’s exactly how I felt whenever I encountered the herb in my food specifically in Mexican cuisine. 

Just like cilantro, baguette was my least favorite carb. Even if it’s the most expensive one from a high end Boulangerie. I just can’t seem to appreciate it. Prolly because I am accustomed to the soft, pillowy bread like what most Japanese bread makers would offer. 

All of these, to the disappointment of Tapioca who adores anything Mexican and everything that is good and crusty bread like a French baguette. 

Everything changed when I got pregnant with little pumpkin. When hormones were crazy and my taste buds became weird. Suddenly, I was craving for anything with cilantro. The smell and taste was just too enticing. I can’t help but eat anything with it. 

It started with the Beef Thai noodles that oozed such strong cilantro flavor. Then the Banh Mi. These things I used to ignore and couldn't care less about pre pregnancy.

Unforch, I do not have any pictures of the stall where I get my Beef Thai Noodle fix. But I am aware that they have multiple stores around the city. The place is called Sen Luk Thai. I am not sure how authentic their food is but during my pregnancy cravings, I couldn't care less. In fact, I actually dream of travelling to Thailand and Vietnam. Hahaha!

I do have photos and videos of my favorite Bahn Mi stall. Again, I can't vouch for their authenticity but pregnant me back then loved every bit of it. I thought my taste bud would fail me once pregnancy is over. However, until this day, I am forever changed. My heart now belongs to anything with cilantro.

. . . delijo at the food court of robinsons forum in pioneer st.

traditional baguette, my favorite! . . . 

. . . fresh spring rolls, but I prefer the fried version 😉

For the record, I've only tried two places that offer Bahn Mi. Banh Mi Kitchen and Delijo. I can say that I prefer Delijo over Banh Mi Kitchen. It's hard to explain but I think their Bahn Mi's are two worlds apart. From the baguette used, to the butter, meat and pâté, everything is just not the same. For me, Delijo wins quality wise.

I love Delijo for it's consistency. I know making a sandwich is as easy as ABC but I commend Delijo for being consistent. I really, really love them. 

Check out this video, where the staff was being generous in putting cilantro in my sandwich per my request 😊

Read more...

I Quit!

Nope. Not blogging, duh!

Today, I came across this message from Teri Hatcher’s Instagram account . . .

If you’re going to quit anything, QUIT being lazy, QUIT making excuses and QUIT waiting for the right time.

Bull’s eye! Big time. Need to get off my lazy a**.

Thank you, Teri! Mwah 💋

Read more...

Lunar New Year 2020

 Happy Lunar New Year!

. . . photo from here

How was your new year? If you ask about us, nothing much really. We were just at home like a regular weekend. Tapioca is still recovering so we are stuck at home. Though we were able to attend the mass yesterday afternoon. But that’s about it. No fancy meal, no festivities. Nada.

Read more...

Tapioca and Dengue Fever

Last week, Tapioca fought with dengue fever. It was hell.

. . .  spot Tapioca

It started with him complaining about some itchy insect bite around his arm. He didn’t know and couldn’t tell where he got it from. Not even sure if it’s mosquito bites. I mean, it could be bed bugs or something. All he could say, it was damn itchy.

Sunday morning, he started to have a fever. Despite feeling feverish he was able to go to the market, prepared and cooked food for the supposed drinking party with his officemates at home.

By lunchtime, he could not bear to stand let alone sit and accommodate his friends. He was in bed all day running with a very high fever (39 degrees which never went down even when he took paracetamol). Munchkin and I entertained his guests. We didn’t even know Taal Volcano erupted while we partied.

Monday and his fever was still up. He was having diarrhea and having difficulty eating. All he wanted was to lay down in bed. He went to a nearby clinic and was prescribed some antibiotics. The doctor advised him to get CBC if the fever never goes down by Wednesday.

I took his temperature again as soon as I got home from work. It was at 40 degrees. I wanted to give him some water bath to help lower down the fever but then I noticed the rashes. He insisted those are his freckles and not rashes.

It was night time so I wasn't sure. I went online and checked again. I read all the signs of dengue fever. He had all the signs except for vomiting and bleeding. I told him we will not wait till Wednesday for the CBC. We will get one in the morning.

Tuesday morning came and he woke me up saying he needed to go to the hospital as he was feeling really bad and having hallucinations.

We rushed to Makati Medical Center’s ER and got confirmation that he was indeed having dengue fever. Since it’s his 2nd time (he previously had dengue fever when he was younger), the symptoms were more severe.

He was very weak and helpless. Getting up was such a pain. I couldn’t stand all the blood extractions. I imagine how difficult it could have been for very young children if they got infected. 

I thought of our kids, Munchkin and Pumpkin. I prayed and asked for protection so that they may be spared. I prayed Tapioca will get better soon and avoid all complications. It was all I could do. PRAY.

Read more...

Pumpkin’s Bapstism

We finally got the pictures from Pumpkin’s baptismal day. Usually, it just takes two weeks to get them from our trusted photographer but because of the holidays it took quite some time. I was so excited to go through them after receiving it last Sunday.

Pumpkin got baptized at a local church near our place. I have been going here ever since I was a little girl. The church had gone through major changes and renovations over the years. I’d say it’s current state is the most beautiful it has ever been. It now has a bell tower with the most beautiful sound.

Unfortunately, solo baptism was only available from Tuesday to Friday. In consideration for guests who were available during weekends only, we joined the mass baptism on a Sunday. It was Immaculate Conception Sunday.

There were 26 kids who received the sacrament of baptism that day. It was a chaos. It was so hot because the electric fans were turned off. They turned it off so as not to extinguish the candles during the ceremony. Imagine all the people especially the kids sweating it all out like we were in a big sauna room.

I’m glad I got pumpkin a baptismal outfit in cotton fabric. And thankfully the baptismal rite didn’t take that long despite the number of children being baptized. When Father finished blessing all the kids, everyone had to fight off a spot at the altar for photo op.

We made a rush to the other side of the altar. Not as pretty as the one in the center but good enough for the church picture souvenir. We did not take a lot of photos because there were other families waiting for their turn. Also, we had to rush for our reservation at Gino’s. They're only giving 15 minutes to hold on to our reserved tables.

Reception at Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza in Serendra.

Will make more kwento when I feel like it *wink, wink* Hahaha!

Read more...