Movie Review: The Amazing Spiderman

I'm not a very big fan of spiders. In fact, I'm terrified of them. I can't stand their sight; I panic, I run, I scream like a baby.

But that didn't stop me from loving the new Spiderman movie. Sure, I liked the Tobey Maguire installments, but I never once watched any of them in the theater. But this new one,"The Amazing Spiderman" was truly - amazing. The writers really know how to tug human emotions and Andrew played it well. He was so good at his role that I cried, not once but thrice in the movie. It moved me so much that I was surprised when I found out later on that my husband did not shed a tear the entire time he watched it. I was even more surprised when I got home and found out that my sisters, who have seen the movie, were not moved to hysterics too.

But one thing we do agree on - the new Spiderman rocks!

Family: Blessings from Ate Misha

We are so blessed to have über generous family and friends. Recently, my sister-in-law, Misha Ortuoste sent us a few gifts:

Ate Misha is into crafts and is very creative in turning polymer clay into works of art. She sent us keychains to add to our collection.



Polymer Clay keychains



Since their family is technically half Muslim, she sent a green kupya for Seth and he looks really adorable wearing it. He could someday be a datu, do you agree?



"Datu" Seth's kupya



My hubby loves pastil. It's a Muslim dish made of shredded chicken and sticky rice. Since it's not available in Cebu, Ate prepared the chicken filling for us. It was very delicious and for those who have not tasted pastil, it tastes like chicken adobo.



Pastil Filling



I also love peanut hopia from Mardonney's. It tastes like chocnut in a hopia. Seth also got a moon shaped book and a tiger suit.

Peanut Hopia

Seth's safari outfit

Soft board book

 

Thanks Te for all the gifts! xoxo



Skydreamer Eats: Yellow Curry with Chicken and Potatoes

Today, I tried making chicken and potatoes with yellow curry. It was ridiculously easy to make, and that's a lot coming from someone like me - someone who does not generally know how to cook.

All you need is the following: (don't ask me for the measurement, i cook by feel)

chicken
potatoes
canola oil
yellow curry paste
coconut milk

Here's what you do with the ingredients: cook the yellow curry paste in canola oil, and once it's fragrant - add coconut milk, chicken and potatoes. Let it simmer, adjust your seasonings, and once the chicken and potatoes are cooked - you're done!

I don't have a picture for this post because we ate everything up as soon as it was cooked, but I can definitely tell you that it's really good!

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Chicken and Beer in IT Park

On Father's Day, the day that my husband can finally celebrate this day with his baby, we spent it simply. Just me, Seth, my husband and my two sisters (who originally planned to spend Father's day with our dad, but due to bad weather were forced to stay in the city).

We had dinner at one of Moses' favorite chicken place - Chicken and Beer in IT Park, a Korean restaurant that doesn't serve traditional Korean dishes.

I can't remember everything that we ordered, but I can really say that the food is great! Plus, if you're dining with four people, you're better off ordering their vegetable rice for two because it serves four people!

One of the things that I don't like are the insects. There are so many small insects flying inside. I don't know why they can't manage it, other restaurants in IT Park certainly don't have the same problem.

Here are the pictures:

Vegetable Rice

Sisterettes

Korean Chicken

Fresh fruit punch

Another type of Korean chicken

Nachos with salsa

Skydreamer Eats: Hubby's Newest Dishes

If you have read my blog, you know that my husband cooks - and he cooks really well. Here are some of the dishes he prepared this month:


All meat spaghetti - hands down, this is my all time favorite spaghetti and I'm not just saying this because he's my husband. I honestly have not tasted any other spaghetti - commercial or homemade that comes close to this.

All-meat Filipino style spaghetti (the best!)

Pizza - Moses' homemade pizza made out of pita bread, tomato sauce, salami, bacon, ground pork, bell pepper, black pitted olives and mozzarella cheese is the best! I can confidently say that it's better than yellow cab pizza (and that's saying a lot because I love yellow cab).



Homemade Pizza that my lil one gobbled up!



Potato with Garlic Ranch Dressing - this is just okay for me. These are marble or baby potatoes that were boiled then deep fried. I personally prefer baked potatoes, but that's just me.



Marble Potatoes with Homemade Ranch Dressing



Buffalo Chicken - this is something that Moses cooked for me because I absolutely loved Don Henrico's chicken ala buffalo. These are slightly spicy chicken with a kind of sauce that was originally concocted in Buffalo, New York hence the name. Back when we were still dating, Moses asked Don Henrico's former manager for the recipe and he uses that all the time and tweaked it a little bit to suit our palette.



Chicken ala Buffalo



So there, these are the dishes that hubby prepared for us this month.



Skydreamer Eats: My Italian Breakfast

After my Italian dinner, I decided to make a couple of Italian dishes for breakfast. I made caprese salad and veggie pizza.

For my caprese, I used one tomato, mozarella cheese, pepper, olive oil and parsley (because I had no supply of basil).
Verdict: It was not as good as I thought it would be so I added a little bit of Deli dressing to help blend the different flavors and it did the trick! It tasted fresh, zesty and herby.

Since I was still hungry, I made "pizza" using pita bread. I topped it with tomato sauce, tomatoes, black pitted olives and mozarella cheese.
Verdict: it was, in my own opinion, perfect for me. I know my husband wouldn't have tasted it because it was too simple and had no meat. But that's exactly why I loved it. The flavors blended well together for my palette.

Here are the pictures:

Pita Bread with tomato, olives and mozzarella

Homemade Caprese

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: La Tegola in Ayala Center Cebu

One Saturday night, we decided to check out that "li'l Italian below Starbucks." And so we went to La Tegola Cucina Italiana, albeit the many bad customer service feedback.

When we got there, I immediately felt at home. The furnishings, the ambience, the staff and the aroma of the dishes being cooked in the kitchen made the place warm and cozy. Add to that the friendly and attentive staff including the manager. Yes, I've heard too much bad rap about this place - slow and bad service, overpriced but tasteless menu - but everything was just the opposite when we went there!

First off, they gave us complimentary tomatoes with olive oil in focaccia. It was admittedly tasteless, but everything else was great - their aglio olio had the right amount of oil that made it non-greasy; their lasagna tasted of rich tomatoes; their pizza was simple but flavorful and their vesuvio used a great brand of mozzarella cheese and good quality black pitted olives.

To some people, La Tegola may be too expensive; for others, it's just fitting given the quality of food; for a few people, it's pocket change. A cheap and quick no frills Italian go-to. For me? It's just right, but that doesn't mean I'll be going back anytime soon. Yes, the price may be right but I can't afford to dine there every weekend. But if you have the moolah, I'd say do check them out.

Restaurant's manager dancing with lil Seth

They serve these tiny bruschettas complimentary

Aglio Olio (simply fab!)

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Call a Cab!

Hubby and I used to eat yellow cab pizza a lot. But it came to a point when it started tasting like cardboard. So we just stopped...

But today, on a lazy Saturday afternoon, we decided to get their Manhattan Meat Lovers and New York's Finest in one 18-inch layer.

Eating it again felt soooo good! And Yellow Cab started to taste normal and great again.

New York's Finest

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Casa Verde

Casa Verde is one of my old favorites. In fact, when I first tried their baby back ribs in the original location, it only cost P129 then. Now, one order would cost you P208. But it's well worth the price.

One of the things I love in this restaurant is the way their dishes are named. The names of their dishes are so creative. For instance, the name of their chicken salad is Caryl's Country Salad. Their baby back ribs is named Brian's ribs.

Here are pictures of our order:

Brian's Ribs (baby back ribs)

Family: Polymer Clay

My son, Seth, recently received a lion-shaped ref magnet made out of polymer clay from my sister-in-law Agnes.

I have never heard of polymer clay up until a few days ago when my two sisters-in-law have taken interest and told me about it. When I checked online, I saw that these are non-toxic plastic that's from the same material as PVC. It's just called clay because it can be molded.

It's really interesting how many shapes can be made out of it. Sometimes, it's like looking at fondant icing except it's not edible.

Here's what Seth got:

Skydreamer Dines in Bohol: Shiang Ma Nou

There is a Chinese Dimsum joint near K of C church that serves the most amazing pork asado and roasted turkey. If you ever need a serious Chinese fix, do try them out! I don't have any pictures because we just ordered our food to go but the food's really good!

Skydreamer Dines in Bohol: Garden Cafe

In 1984, the Bohol Foundation for the Deaf & Disabled, Inc. opened the Garden Cafe as a small snack center made of bamboo with 7 deaf employees. It has undergone many transformations from a BBQ stand, donut shop, pizza parlor, to a Filipino-Tex-Mex fusion restaurant. They also serve desserts like pumpkin pie and frozen typhoon.

I'm usually difficult to impress when it comes to restaurant interiors. Lately, it would take a good hotel restaurant to make me truly appreciate the theme/ambience or whatever the restaurant has it going. Well, this one impressed me so much and I was just amazed that I've never heard if this delightful place before.

Here are the things that impressed me:
1. The staff is composed of deaf persons so when you order, you have to call a certain number from a phone in your booth to tell them what you want. Obviously, you'll be talking to a person who CAN hear you.
2. They serve pumpkin pie! For P35 and that's with whipped cream!
3. Proceeds are used to educate deaf children in Bohol.

If you're in Tagbilaran, do check them out.

Mini pumpkin pie with whipped cream

You use this phone to order. Great idea!

Booth seats

Skydreamer Dines in Bohol: Buzzz Cafe in ICM

Buzzz Cafe in ICM is Bohol Bee Farm's mall outlet. I've heard about them for a few years already but never had the chance to dine there.

Now that I'm here, we ate lunch there. I was looking forward to their organic food, salad with flowers, and organic red rice. My younger sister even proclaimed Bee Farm as her current fave restaurant.

I ordered their honey glazed chicken and flowered salad. Hubby got their meat pasta.

The food was great but not awesome. Believe me, saying that is not easy for me - I have been looking forward to dining there for years now. The food coming up a bit short for my taste brings me no joy. Hubby enjoyed his pasta though. :)

Here are some pictures:

The salad had edible flowers!

Complimentary bread and spreads

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: BREWmance Cafe in IT Park

Brewmance cafe is a new eating joint in IT Park in Skyrise building. The owner is a Cebuana who moved to Australia, opened a shop there and brought it in Cebu.

I heard that the food is really great so I ate there during my lunch break with Alic, my colleague. I got their dory in creamy salpicao with orange juice. Alic had pork barbecue with orange juice. We also both got chai tea latte to go. Alic paid for my tea, yay! :)

Below you can see the pictures of the food we ate. You can also see Alic in one of the pictures.

The food is really awesome and I love love love their chai tea latte! It's probably the best tea I've ever tasted - it tasted like milk and some herbs and the fusion of the taste is just heavenly. The first time I sipped the tea, I was not impressed - but with the herbs, it was absolutely amazing! BTW, I figured it out. Chai tea is actually spiced black tea with cinnamon! That's what gave the flavor a kick!

I definitely recommend this little restaurant in IT Park.

With Alic, my colleague

Creamy Dory Salpicao

Chai Tea Latte - Yum!!

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Milk Teas in Cebu IT Park

I recently have a fixation for milk teas. I even stopped drinking coffee and started drinking milk teas instead. My two favorite tea shoppes are iTea in Skyrise 1 and Heart Tea in i1 Building.

Let me compare the two. Heart Tea's milk teas do not have sugar but they use flavored syrup which is essentially still sugar. For P60 you get a venti sized milk tea.

iTea is different. They have sweetness levels in their milk teas ranging from no sugar to intense. I absolutely love their milk teas here because it tastes better. The price though is higher. For P70 you get a tall sized drink.

Here are the pictures:
My Heart Tea's flavor is winter melon with tapioca add-on

My iTea's flavor is hazelnut with pearls

iTea hazelnut milk tea with mild sugar

Heart Tea's Wintermelon milk tea

Skydreamer Dines in Cebu: Uncle Noodles in Ayala Center Cebu

Hi blog world, I'm finally back and I'm at ACC right now and I'm trying out Uncle Noodles' dry noodle in char siu. The dish costs P85 and they gave me free soup.

Their food is good but a little bland for my taste. Bland because there's something sweet that tastes a little bit like bland tocino. But I absolutely loved the sauce, mushroom and dried fish that tasted like chicharon! So yummy!

You may want to try it out. It's in Ayala's cinema food court. 

Here's a picture of their chow: