May 19, 2021

How I Cook My Chicken Karaage

My son loves fried chicken and chicken nuggets. During pre-pandemic days, chicken nugget is always part of my grocery list because that is one of his favorite baon. It is so easy to prepare, I just toast the nuggets in the oven toaster for few minutes. I know, that it is not healthy but what can I do, mga breakfast meals ang gusto niya kainin sa lunch sa school. 

But last year, I stopped buying nuggets since he no longer goes to school, online distance learning na. The day before my quarantined birthday, I bought this Chicken Karaage Set at Ninja’s Pantry (PHP350 for 300g). The pack contains marinated chicken and breading mix so all I need to do is drain, coat and fry. My son loves the chicken karaage but I don’t want to order na kasi mahal magpaGRAB since I live outside Metro Manila. 




So I just made my own version of Chicken Karaage using chicken fillet, salt, pepper, lemon or calamansi juice, Crispy Fry breading mix, and cornstarch. I marinated the chicken fillet with salt, pepper, and lemon or calamansi juice. Then I mixed Crispy Fry breading mix and cornstarch then coat the chicken. Lastly, deep fry the chicken for few minutes or until golden brown. 




I love cooking Chicken Karaage compared to Fried Chicken because I don’t need to precook it anymore. And it doesn’t take so much space sa freezer, whenever I buy chicken fillet kasi, dinidivide ko siya in few portions so may mga ready-to-cook chicken na rin ako na stock. Although, if you will ask my son, though he enjoys my chicken karaage. he still likes chicken nuggets. Waah! Akala ko graduate na kami sa nuggets.  


Update: July 2021

I’m now into online shopping ever since I discovered it last year. And because of that, I started buying groceries online. There are frozen foods that I want to buy but unfortunately, they don’t deliver outside Metro Manila so I was happy when I learned that San Miguel Frozen and Chilled can deliver to my address. 

Read: My Love and Hate Relationship with Online Shopping

I’ve been following their store for quite a while but I was hesitant to order because the shipping fee is expensive and there is no way for me to track my order since they have their own logistics. I’ve been reading reviews so far so good naman so last 7.7 Sale, I finally ordered from their store.


I received my order after two days and all products are in good condition. Frozen pa nung dumating. One of the foods that I ordered is Chicken Karaage for PHP250 (450g). Though I can make my own chicken karaage, I still buy ready-to-eat foods or easy-to-cook meals so I can prepare food even I am busy. 


Last week, I cooked this Purefoods Chicken Karaage and Knorr Gravy Mix, you have two options to cook this; one is deep fry in hot cooking oil for 4 to 5 minutes or toast for 8-10 minutes in an oven toaster. I already have an air fryer so I toast it for 10 minutes. We’re satisfied with this chicken karaage and I will include this in my grocery list next time.


Update: August 2021

I cooked this again but I have no time to thaw the chicken so I put them in the air fryer even it is frozen. I just increase my time to 15 minutes and so far, the same result. 


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May 18, 2021

Cricut Project: Easy Iron-On Pillowcase

I don’t like COVID-19 but I won’t deny that because of this global pandemic, my love for crafting is back. So aside from blogging and designing, I started exploring different projects that I can do with my Cricut Maker. My husband’s anniversary gift keeps me busy even I am stuck at home. The only downside is, it is an expensive hobby because I kept on buying tools and craft materials. 

“My problem isn’t that I buy too many craft supplies, my problem is that I shop faster than I create”


Anyway, I bought Heat-Transfer Vinyl last year but I am a little bit scared to start a project because I don’t have Cricut Easypress 2 yet. The heat press is too expensive for my budget and I am not sure if it is worth buying since I only do this as a hobby. But when I learned that there is an expiration for vinyl, I immediately start an Iron-On project. 

Last month, spiral artwork was trending so I tried making this project. I just chose pictures and upload them on the Spiral Betty website, downloaded the files, and uploaded them to Cricut Design Space. Good thing that I did not have a hard time cutting and weeding but since I don’t have Cricut Easypress, I only use regular iron. My first try was not so successful but I still kept it because it is my late sister's memorabilia.


After my first try, I finally ordered Cricut Easypress Mini at Amazon USA so I can do more Iron-On projects. For my second pillowcase project, I used the Stay Home and Summer Time SVG files. My first try was not perfect because I immediately peel it off so the design was lifted too but I’m thankful that the Summer Time turned out okay. I even washed the Summer Time pillowcase and so far so good. 
I am still looking for a plain shirt so I can use the Wife, Mom, Boss, and Best Dad Ever SVG files. 



Instructions may vary depending on your materials, but these are the instructions of the Heat Transfer Vinyl that I got from The Happy Station. 

Standard Iron-On Vinyl, Glitter Iron-On Vinyl, Flock Iron-On, and Sunlight Changing Iron-On Vinyl

1. Position the cut vinyl on the item you want to iron it on (with the plastic backing on top).
2. Set your home iron to the maximum heat setting.
3. Using your iron, press down on the vinyl for 20 seconds. Do not move the iron back and forth.
4. Remove iron from the vinyl. Let Cool.
5. Peel off the plastic backing. 

Soft-PU Iron-On Vinyl

1. Position the cut vinyl on the item you want to iron it on (with the plastic backing on top).
2. Set your home iron to the maximum heat setting.
3. Using your iron, press down on the vinyl for 20 seconds. Do not move the iron back and forth.
4. Remove iron from the vinyl then peel off (hot peel)
5. Peel off the plastic backing. 


But if you are using Cricut EasyPress Mini, here is the guide for pillow cover 

Preheat Cricut EasyPress Mini to medium 
Place pillow cover on clean Cricut EasyPress Mat 
Preheat pillow cover for 5 seconds 
Place Iron-On protective sheet over iron-on 
Press while moving with firm pressure at a medium setting for 5 seconds 
Flip pillow cover over and press for 5 seconds 
Slowly remove the liner when cool to touch. 
Allow 24 hours after application before washing 
Wash and tumble dry inside out 
Do not bleach.
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May 14, 2021

Betty Crocker Triple Berry Muffin Mix

If you’ve been a regular reader of this blog, you have noticed for sure that I love buying Betty Crocker products, I have tried different variants of their cake mix and cookie mix. My personal favorite is their cookie mix especially the oatmeal. Sometimes I used their cake mix for waffles if I ran out of pancake mix.

Last February, I bought this Betty Crocker Triple Berry Muffin Mix but it was only this month that I have tried it. This is so easy to prepare because you just need to add water or milk, mix and bake. But this time, I tried using my air fryer to make this muffin and I’m so happy because I don’t need to preheat and we had muffins in less than 15 minutes. I used milk for this recipe and I baked it for 12-15 minutes at 160C or 320F in Air Fryer. 

Betty Crocker Triple Berry Muffin Mix Recipe 

1. Heat oven to 400F or (375F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cups in 6-regular-size muffin cups (for best results) or grease bottoms only of muffin cups. 
2. Stir muffin mix and water or milk just until blended. Spoon into cups (about 1/4 cup each) 
3. Bake 15 to 21 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Carefully remove from pan (if muffins are not in paper cups, run a knife around sides before removing). Cool completely before storing.

My son is not a fan of berries so I was surprised that he liked this muffin, tig-isa lang tuloy kami ni hubby at naubos niya agad yung 4. Next time, I will buy this mix again, yung bigger version na kasi bitin yung 6 pcs.


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May 12, 2021

How to Return Your Shopee Order

I’ve been into online shopping since the last quarter of the year and I appreciate it so much especially now that I’m stuck at home because of community quarantine. Buying things that I need and want at the comfort of my home is such a blessing and feeling ko kahit magback to normal na lahat, hindi na mawawala ang online shopping sa akin. Kasi mas madali magbrowse kaysa maglakad sa mall. 


But of course, there are pros and cons in buying online and I have not so good experiences too like missing items, wrong products, an order was not received, and faulty products. Some sellers refunded me for the missing items, one seller did not respond when I informed them about the wrong product, and just recently, I received a faulty product. I bought this Motex Tape Dispenser because it was recommended by fellow crafters, I watched videos and read reviews so I was sold. In short, nabudol ako so add to cart and check out agad. 



The item arrived in good condition but when I tried the tape dispenser, it can only cut the scotch tape and I was expecting that it can cut various tapes like masking tape. Kasi yun naman ang nakita ko sa videos and sa mga photos ng nagrecommend. So I informed the seller about it and I was advised to use manual cutting. But what is the use of buying the item if I will still use the manual cutting? I already have a lot of manual tape dispensers at home. And the main reason why I bought the item is I thought this will make my life easier since it can cut multiple tapes. 


The seller advised me to return the item and will refund me. I was having second thoughts about returning the item because hassle na lumabas pa but the amount is PHP600 so sayang din. It was my first time to return/refund an item so I made some research and I also asked customer service about this. Let me share my experience in returning a faulty product at Shopee. 

First, if you want to return or refund an item, make sure that these conditions are met. Personal items, perishable goods, grocery items, jewelry, used makeup, and adult products are prohibited. It also depends on where you purchased the product. I was lucky that the seller accepted the product return.

Refund Only or Return and Refund 

1. Did not receive an order
2. Received an incomplete product 
3. Received a wrong product 
4. Received a product with physical damage 
5. Received a faulty product 

How to Return/Refund Your Shopee Order 

1. File your return or refund via app. 

Go to Me, select To Receive, then tap the order that you want to return or refund. 
Choose the product that you want to refund or return. 
Select Return or Refund reason. 
Add photo 
Explanation on description
Submit 

2. Wait for the seller to respond to your refund or return request. Once approved, you will receive the money on your Shopee Pay. For returns, you need to process how you are going to return the item. You have two options:

A. Drop Off 
B. Self-Arrange (pay the fee and Shopee will reimburse the amount) 

I chose to drop it off since it is FREE and I don’t need to pay a courier. After approval, shipping and select Drop Off (J&T Express), click the View Instructions, I emailed and downloaded my Return Label. I printed my label and packed the item. Buti na lang hindi ko sinisira talaga mga packaging so I was able to reuse the original packaging, dinagdagan ko pa ng mas makapal na bubble wrap. I also printed a FRAGILE sticker to make sure na maayos makakarating din yung return product ko.
 

3. Go to the nearest J&T Express Branch. Make sure that the branch accepts Shopee Returns, may malapit sa amin pero hindi naman sila nag-aaccept ng returns so nagpunta kami sa ibang branch. 

4. At the J&T Express Branch, the staff just checked my printed label and advised me to attach the label and use their packaging tape. After that pinaiwan na sa akin. 

5. Upload the photos of the airway bill and package at the Discuss. 

6. The following day, my parcel was delivered already and the seller refunded me within the day. 

I was thankful that my Shopee Return went smooth and hindi naman nakakastress. 

May 9 - I received my order and tried it. 
Request for return/refund
Printed the label and fragile stickers
Packed the item 
May 10 - Drop off my package at J&T Branch 
May 11 - Parcel was delivered back to the seller. 
The seller approved my return/refund and the amount was returned to my Shopee Pay 

You can check these links for more information 


Things to remember:
Keep the original packaging of the package you want to return, if not packaged properly, J&T may reject your parcel. 
J&T provides free pouches and packaging tapes at the branch.
Make sure to ship out the item within 5 days.

Update: March 2023

There are times that I no longer file a return because if I know that my expense is over than my refund, huwag na lang. But just this week, nasa mood ako magreturn kahit alam ko na hassle, sayang sa oras at baka mas mahal pa transportation expense ko kung magcommute ako. 

Actually, I don't understand why the seller wanted me to return the product because some sellers just give refunds if they knew that product is damaged, defective, or faulty kasi itatapon din naman nila. But seller wanted me to return it before giving me a refund so I asked my husband kung pwede niya ko samahan magreturn para hindi na ko magcommute. 


I filed for a return kahit PHP120 lang. This is an Americana Pearlizing Medium if you notice, watery na ito and nanigas na yung shimmer which is dapat walang clear liquid na makikita so feeling ko expired. 

Anyway, I am updating this post because I was surprised when Shopee refunded me even though my returned parcel is still on the way. As in, same day na nabigay kay J&T yung returned parcel, narefund na agad. Yung first experience ko kasi before naghintay pa ako makarating kay seller yung returned item bago ako narefund. 

How to Return/Refund Your Shopee Order 

1. File your return or refund via app
2. Choose Drop Off or Self Arrange

I chose drop off, so I packed the item and print my own waybill para pagdating sa J&T branch, iiwan ko na lang. 

*View your J&T Drop Off Return Label
* Go to the nearest J&T Express Branch
*Attach the Label and Drop Off the Parecel

Then after dinner, I was surprised when I received a notification "Refund Completed". Your item is being delivered to the seller. The refund amount will be credited to your ShopeePay shortly. 
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May 11, 2021

Quarantined Mother’s Day Celebration

The year 2020 made me realize that life is indeed short and no matter how I plan, there are things and events in my life that I can’t control. This global pandemic taught us so many lessons in life. It taught us to celebrate life and appreciate small or big things. It taught us to create new traditions and do something that we can look forward to. 

If there is no community quarantine, we usually celebrate special occasions through travels or food trips but since we can’t do that as of now, we are satisfied with celebrating it at home. So last Mother’s Day, I prepared a simple lunch. Usually, the kitchen is closed every Mother’s Day so my husband called one restaurant to reserve food but unfortunately, after lunch pa yung available schedule so I told my husband, huwag na lang.Hangry na ko noon. 

Since I don’t want to spend so much time in the kitchen, I prepare easy-to-cook meals like steak, mashed potato, gravy, and corn. We love this Meltique Beef so it is always part of our grocery list, this is a little bit expensive but still cheaper kasi mahal ang steak sa restaurant. I just put this in the air fryer and cook for few minutes. 


I bought these Knorr Potato Flakes and Knorr Gravy Mix during Flash Deals and nagamit ko na rin. I appreciate these foods because they made my life easier and I can prepare them in few minutes. The only downside is masyadong madami yung mashed potato. 2kg and hindi siya nakapack individually just like the gravy mix so halos maubos air-tight container ko para lang mastore siya. Hehehe! Sharing the recipe below. 


Knorr Potato Flakes Recipe 

6g of salt 
900ml of boiling water 
400ml of cold milk 
200g of Knorr Potato Flakes 

1. Boil water with salt then remove from heat. 
2. Add cold milk, then stir potato flakes. 
3. Rest for 2-3 minutes 
4. Stir briefly again after 2-3 minutes until smooth 

Knorr Gravy Mix Recipe 

1. Dissolve 110g of Knorr Gravy Mix in 1L of room temperature water. 
2. Bring to boil, stirring frequently, and simmer for 3 minutes before removing from heat. 
3. Use the sauce as it is, or as a pour-over sauce for pasta, meat, or vegetables.
Optional (I added mushroom)

Since I don't want to keep the box and the plastic, I made a recipe card. I printed and laminated the recipe cards for future use. You can download my free printable recipe card here. 




Two days before Mother's day, I made this "Happy Mother's Day" cake topper so just in case maisipan nila ako bilhan ng cake. Joke! We always have cake naman every occasion or kahit walang okasyon. hehehe! Hindi nga lang gaano kita kasi chocolate cake yung nabili sa akin. 


This is a simple Cricut project, I just used this Happy Mother's Day SVG file, vinyl stickers, and acrylic cake topper. 
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May 06, 2021

Where to See Wildlife in Canada

Canada is the second-largest country in the world with a total area of (including water) 3.85M square miles. It has a remarkable geographical variety that attracts both tourists and immigrants. Millions of tourists from United States, United Kingdom, China, France, Germany, and other foreigners visit this country. Hundred thousands of immigrants from Asia like India, China, and Philippines choose to live in Canada. 

In fact, Vancouver became a hot spot in Canada because a lot of people want to live there so looking for Vancouver homes for sale or rent is quite challenging. It is also one of the favorite places of tourists, they love to visit Stanley Park, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, Museum of Vancouver, and more. 


This place is not just an ordinary city because it is connected to nature so whether you are tourists, residents, or immigrants, it is best to visit a wildlife park and enjoy nature. Some of the species that you can see are raccoons, beavers, coyotes, black bears, hoary marmot, Canada geese, cougars, common loon, North West White-Tailed Deer, wild horse, grey wolf, orca, and Great Blue Heron. 

Where to See Wildlife in Vancouver Canada? 

1. Stanley Park 

Stanley Park is the first and largest park in Vancouver, it is a 400-hectare public park that offers scenic views of waters and mountains. It also features beaches, lakes, forest trails, play areas, and aquarium. This is also the home of the great blue heron which is classified as a species at risk in British Columbia.

2. Grouse Mountain 

Grouse Mountain is located in North Vancouver, just 15 minutes away from downtown. It is open 365 days a year and offers a lot of activities, especially during summer and winter. This is the refuge of endangered animals like grizzly bears named Grinder and Coola. You can also spot some owls, hummingbirds, eagles, and falcons. 

3. Strait of Georgia 

Do you know that every year, thousands of variety whales migrate through the water from March to October so Vancouver is one the best locations in the world for whale watching? There are several tour operators in Gulf and San Juan island that offer whale watching expeditions. You can spot whales like humpback whales, gray whales, minke whales, and orcas. If you are lucky you can spot some seabirds like Pacific loons, bald eagles, tufted puffins, harlequin ducks, and brown pelicans. 

4. Brackendale 

Brackendale is the home of wintering bald eagles so whether you are an ornithologist or casual bird watchers, visit this place if you want a closer look at herons, snow geese, eagles, owls, jays, gulls, and sandpipers. Visitors can watch the birds nesting and feasting. 

5. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary 

Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary is one of the top ten bird-watching areas in Canada. This is a protected area where both wildlife and their habitats are protected with nearly 300 hectares of natural marshes, managed wetlands, and low dikes. This sanctuary in British Columbia is open all year-round and home to sandhill cranes, mallards, bald eagles, snow geese, and other bird species. 

These are just 5 wildlife sanctuaries that you can visit in Vancouver but there are more wildlife parks in Canada that you can also explore.
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May 05, 2021

My Online Shopping Experience at Amazon USA

I don’t like what is happening in the world, I don’t like that I can’t travel and I don’t like that I’m stuck at home. My everyday life seems like a routine and until now my life revolves around the four corners of our house because of the community quarantine. But instead of sulking and focusing on the things that I can’t do, I wanted to stay positive and try to see the good things in everything. 

“Being positive isn’t pretending that everything is good. It’s seeing the good in everything” 


I may not like this global pandemic but I cannot deny that because of this community quarantine, I learned to appreciate online shopping, you can read more about that in this post “My Love and Hate Relationship with Online Shopping”. It was six months ago when I started my online shopping at Lazada and Shopee, these two eCommerce sites totally changed my shopping perspective. Indeed, shopping is cheaper than therapy. 

After trying Lazada and Shopee, I finally took a risk and bought something from Amazon USA. For the last several years, I’ve been buying ebooks from Amazon but I haven’t tried buying physical products because the shipping fee is so expensive and I don’t want unexpected taxes and fees. But after searching and reading some articles, I finally placed my order last month. 

I’ve been meaning to buy Cricut Easy Press Mini and Cricut Brayer, but most of the time not available in the Philippines and if ever meron ako makita, almost double the price. I am tempted to do “Pasabuy” but when I checked Amazon USA, these Cricut items can be delivered straight to my house so I don’t need to use a third party anymore. It was on SALE too. 

I ordered the following 

Shipping & Handling $21.97 
Total before tax: $93.05 
Estimated tax to be collected: $0.00 


I added the card game to maximize my shipping fee. Amazon did not charge any taxes and fees for my order and since my order is below PHP10,000, I don’t need to pay taxes and fees in the Philippines. The expected delivery is May 17 so I was really surprised when my order was delivered after a week. 

April 19 - placed my order 
April 20 - my package was shipped 
April 28 - received my order 


The packaging was simple, no bubble wrap but all items arrived in good condition. I am so happy with my order kasi ang laki ng savings ko. If I will buy this in the Philippines, the Cricut Easy Press Mini range from PHP4,500 to PHP6,000, and the Cricut Brayer range from PHP800 to PHP950 excluding the shipping. My total order in Amazon was more or less PHP4,500. 

My first Amazon order was a success and I told my husband about it. He said “Kinakabahan ako, mas marami mabibili sa Amazon”. I told him, “Why go local if I can go global” hehehe! I still have several items on my wishlist so I need more part-time jobs para macheck-out ko. :) 


Update: May 2021

As I mentioned before, I have several items in my cart so after Mother's Day I finally bought some of them. Thanks to my husband's shopping money gift. lol. I bought 3 items to maximize the shipping fee but after few hours, I was surprised when I received a message from my credit card company. I was charged $27.95. That is not the total amount that I was expecting so when I checked my email. They will ship one item only which is Cricut Easy 12x12 EasyPress, Protective Resistant Mat for $17.86. I got nervous because I thought that the 2 items were canceled and I thought that I need to pay for another shipping for the remaining two items. 

I immediately contacted customer service about it and I was informed that I don't need to worry about the shipping fee because I will still pay the same amount. True enough, the following day the 2 items were shipped and there was no additional shipping cost. 

May 13, 2021 - I placed  my order
May 14, 2021 - One item was shipped from New York
May 15, 2021 - Two items were shipped from New Jersey
May 20, 2021 - I received the first item. Nakabox 
May 21, 2021 - I received the remaining items. Nakaenvelope lang and nilagay ni LBC sa plastic. 

May note sa first package ko na "We've sent this part of your order to ensure quicker service. The other items will be separately at no additional shipping cost"


The second package "This shipment completes your order"



Ordered the following items because it is not available in the Philippines. 

Shipping & Handling $24.11
Total before tax $65.95

First shipment is $27.95
Second shipment is $38
Total is still $65.95
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April 30, 2021

Korean Travel Variety Show List

It’s been more than 400 days already since I’ve been stuck at home and I can still count on my fingers how many times I went outside. I can clearly remember that two years ago, I was itching to travel on my birthday, semestral break, and Christmas break and I was looking forward to the year 2020.

We were supposed to visit Taiwan, Japan, and Siargao but all plans had been canceled because of COVID19. This year, we tried domestic travel but it was canceled too so for now, I gave up the possibility of leisure travel. I already conditioned my mind that there will be no travel trips for the next two years. I am just hoping that we can still use our passports and Japan visas before they expire.

Tripophobia (n.) the fear of not having any travel trips that are currently booked. 

Even though our travel plans are on pause, it doesn’t mean that I don’t miss traveling. In fact, I find comfort in reminiscing our past trips and I’m thankful that I have pushed those trips even though our budget is limited. I also find joy in watching Korean dramas that were filmed abroad and some Korean travel variety shows. I like watching travel-related shows because they give me a glimpse of the places that I want to visit including the places that are not on my bucket list. 

“I heard an airplane passing overhead, I wished I was on it” 


Sharing some Korean travel variety shows that I have watched so far… 


1. Twogether 

Last year, I watched “Twogether”, it is a travel documentary on Netflix that was released last June 26, 2020, starring two celebrities from South Korea and Taiwan. Lee Seung-gi and Jasper Liu traveled to 3 countries (Indonesia, Thailand, and Nepal) and 6 Asian Cities (Yogyakarta, Bali, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pokhara, and Kathmandu) in order to meet their fans. But before they can meet their fans, they need to complete the missions first that were recommended by their fans. 

I enjoyed this travel series, even though I’m not a fanatic I felt happy for their fans. I like the chemistry between the two celebrities. I only watched Lee Seung-gi in the Korean Odyssey drama series but after watching him at “Twogether, I began to like his cool personality. He is a total package, he can act, sing, and host. 

I'm not familiar with Jasper Liu since Meteor Garden is the only Taiwan drama series that I have watched. But this "Prince Pajama" has a cool personality too and I got curious so I watched one of his dramas which is “Triad Princess” 

2. Trans-Siberian Pathfinders 

Kim Nam Gil was my first Korean actor crush, I fell in love with him when I watched Queen Seon Deok, twelve years ago. Just recently, I finished watching “The Fiery Priest” and because of that I started searching for his other drama series and movies, then I found this travel variety show “Trans-Siberian Pathfinders”. 

Trans-Siberian Pathfinders was aired last September 26, 2019 starring Lee Sun Kyun, Kim Nam Gil, Ko Kyu Pil, Kim Min Sik, and Lee Sang Yeob. These five celebrities traveled from Vladivostok to Moscow Russia via Trans-Siberian Railway. Do you know that TSR is the longest railway line in the world? It has 126 stations with a length of 9,288 kilometers that was built in 1916. 

Honestly, I have no idea about TSR so I really enjoyed watching this show because I learned a lot. I know that Russia is the largest country in the world but I was still surprised when I learned that they have 7 or 8 time zones and as you travel from West to East Russia or vice versa, you will notice that the weather changes too. 

Russia is not part of my bucket list but after watching Trans-Siberian Pathfinders, I wanted to visit Moscow. I’m still contemplating if I want to ride the Trans-Siberian Railway because I am not adventurous, and I don’t think I can endure the 168 hours of travel via train. The longest train travel that I’ve experienced is from Oslo to Trondheim. I experienced sleeping on a bunk bed when we rode DFDS Crown Seaways but we have privacy and our own bathroom.  

The series has only 9 episodes so I felt sad when I already finished it because I like the chemistry of the 5 celebrities, it is nice knowing their personality outside the Korean drama series, especially Kim Nam Gil. How I wish, magkalovelife na siya. Hehehe! 

Travitude (n.) when you start to feel grumpy and sassy because you miss traveling 

3. Traveler 2 

Traveler is about backpacking trips of different actors in different countries. I haven’t watched the first season yet but I already finished Traveler 2. Ahn Jae Hong, Kang Hae Neul and Ong Seong Wu traveled to Argentina for two weeks, they visited Buenos Aires, Puerto Iguazu, El Calafate, Fritz Roy, and Ushuaia. 

When I started watching the series, I had very low expectations because all I knew about Argentina was Evita Peron, an exporter of beef, and a stopover to Antarctica but as I watched each episode I became fascinated by this country. Wow, I was blown away and loved their travel adventures in Iguazu Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier, Penguins, and End of the World. In addition, I am a meat lover so I was salivating while watching their food trips, I love steaks and crabs. And because of this, I wanted to include Argentina on my travel bucket list. 

4. Jung Hae In's Walkumentary

Jung Hae In became a documentary producer and hosted his own version of Backpack Travels. He planned, filmed, and documented his travel in New York with his friends, Eun Jong Gun and Lim Hyun Soo. New York is a very popular city so even though I've never been to Big Apple, I'm quite familiar with the tourist spots so I was having second thoughts if I would watch this show. 

But because the star is Jung Hae-In, I gave it a chance. It is nice to know more about him through this show, he loves burgers, oysters, spicy foods, and beers. He is so kind, caring, and generous to his friends and families. I really like his smile. The highlight of this show is their trip to Niagara Falls, I have no idea that there are so many ways to enjoy these falls, no doubt that it is one of the world's best falls. 

5. Youn's Stay 

For the past few years, I have watched several episodes of Youn’s Kitchen where they went to Bali, Indonesia, and Tenerife, Spain but this time because of COVID19, no travel outside the country. So for the third season, it is now Youn Stay where they invited foreigners who are appointed in Korea because of business or school. Foreigners will experience staying in hanok and eating Korean cuisine.

Still travel-related, although this is more of a staycation where you eat, sleep and enjoy the facilities and amenities of the homestay in Gurye Country, South Jeolla. I miss doing staycation too, nakakasawa na rin yung bahay lang namin ang nakikita namain for the last 15 months. Hehehe! I love all the casts here especially Jung Yu Mi and Park Seo Joon, bilib lang ako sa pagprepare and pagluluto nila. Parang ako nga ang pagod na pagod sa kanila.

6. House on Wheels

When we went to Europe, I saw a lot of RV so traveling in a recreational vehicle is part of my bucket list. I got curious so I watched this show to give me an idea of staying in a wheeled house. It is not easy so I guess, I can only do this for a few days. 

House on Wheels is a Korean travel variety show featuring Sung Dong Il, Kim Hee Won, and Yeo Jin Goo. The three celebrities travel to different parts of South Korea in a wheeled house. They visited Ganwon, Jeju Island, Damyang, Gochang, Mungyeong, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Geojedo. They invited their own friends to stay in their House on Wheels for one or two nights. 

You will also learn about the popular tourist spots and foods in each place. It is nice to know more about the different celebrities that I usually watch in Korean Dramas, especially Ha Ji Won and Lee Sung Kyung. 

7. The Hungry and The Hairy 

A few days before the end of Christmas Break, I decided to check The Hungry and The Hairy, I had no expectations because I was not familiar with these two celebrities. I know that Rain is really popular but I haven’t watched any of his shows or series even the famous “Full House” but after watching this travel reality show, I understood why he is indeed popular. Aside from his talent, he has a good personality and is a good cook too. 

The Hungry and The Hairy is a travel reality show where Jung Ji Hoon “Rain” and Ro Hong Chul travel to different parts of South Korea on their motorcycles. They use different brands of motorcycles in Jeju Island, Gochang, Busan, Gangwon, Gyeongju, and Namhae. The two celebrities have opposite personalities but surprisingly, they became close. I enjoyed this travel and food trip series and my favorite place is Namhae.

Update: 2023

8. Europe Outside Your Tent

It's been a while since the last time I watched a travel variety show. I missed traveling so I'm happy to stumble on this travel show "Europe Outside Your Tent". Four actors went to Europe for a camping trip, they traveled from Switzerland to Italy, visiting different campsites. I enjoyed this show because of the amazing scenery as they explored different places. I learned a lot of things about Parmesan Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar. I also felt hungry when they ate T-Bone Steak, Pizza, and Lasagna. 

9. Traveler: Cuba

A few years ago, I watched the second season of Traveler so this year, I tried my best to look for Season 1. Unlike Season 2, there are only two actors here; Lee Je Hoon and Ryu Jun Yeol traveled to different places in Cuba like Havana, Vinales, Trinidad, Playa Giron, and Varadero. I've seen Cuba when I watched the "Encounter" drama series but this travel documentary gives me more insights about Cuba. 

Cuba is not on my bucket list but I watched the show because I want to know more about the two actors outside the drama series. This travel series shows their struggle in looking for accommodation, looking for wifi or phone signals, and communicating with people. It also shows how they learn to haggle and says few Spanish words. Food is a hit-and-miss too. 

10. Youth Over Flowers: Africa

Africa is part of my travel bucket list but I’m not sure if I can fulfill this dream because it is so expensive so I just enjoyed Africa by watching Youth Over Flowers: Africa. Reply 1988’s actors traveled to Namibia to start their 10-day road trip in Africa. Ahn Jae Hyong, Ryu Jun Yeol, Go Kyung Pyo, and Park Bo Gum goal is to find Victoria Falls.

11. Youth Over Flowers: Iceland

Jung Sang-hoon, Jung Woo, Jo Jung-suk and Kang Ha-neul traveled to Iceland to see Aurora Borealis. It is one of their dreams to see Northern Lights and Iceland did not fail them. It is also my dream to see Northern Lights and I experienced that during our trip to Norway. 

I’ve been to Iceland so somehow nakakarelate ako sa feelings nila when they saw the Geyser and Gullfoss. Just like them, amaze na amaze ako noong nakita ko. We only stayed in Iceland for four days so there are so many tourist spots that we were not able to visit so I really love this variety show kasi nakita ko rin yung mga namiss namin so parang nakapunta na rin kami. But I am crossing my fingers that I can revisit this country. 

I like the camaraderie of the four actors and we are all the same, we like traveling on a budget.  

Update: 2025

Last December, my friend asked me if I had watched “Jinny’s Kitchen” and I told her no. Out of curiosity, I researched about it and I found out that this series is a spin-off of Youn’s Kitchen and Youn’s Stay. I watched Youn’s Stay before so I wanted to watch Jinny’s Kitchen but unfortunately, it is only available on Amazon Prime. 

Anyway, I found some travel variety shows on VIU so I spent my Christmas holiday, watching the Korean Travel Variety Show. Even though, I was not traveling, feeling ko nakapagtravel na rin ako sa mga napanood ko. 

12. Bros on Foot 

Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Choi Min-ho, and Yeo Jin-goo traveled to New Zealand for a road trip. The four actors needed to complete different missions to win vacation tickets and gifts for other people. The motto of this show is “I’ll suffer, so you can travel” and true enough, these actors tried their best to finish the mission even though it is out of their comfort zones.

13. Europe Outside Your Tent: Romantic Italy 

This was the first all-girls travel variety show that I watched. Ra Mi Ran, Kwak Sun Young, Lee Ju Bin, and Lee Se Young traveled to Italy, Austria, and Germany. I enjoyed this show because I was able to see Italy’s hidden spots, ang dami magandang places pero I am sure ang mahal puntahan.

14. Europe Outside Your Tent: Spain 

I started watching this series in 2023 but lost interest so I stopped watching. After two years, I finally finished the series. Actors Cho Jin Woong, Kwon Yul, Choi Won Young, and Park Myung Hoon went to Spain for a camping trip. It was supposed to be a fun trip but the campers experienced a lot of weather challenges. Despite the challenges, their camping trip became memorable.

15. Rented in Finland 

Lee Je Hoon, Lee Dong Hwi, Cha Eun Woon, and Kwak Dong Yeon traveled to the countryside of Finland. These four city boys tried to live in an unfamiliar place in Lapland where there was no signal, no internet, no electricity, and no water supply. 

Finland is on my bucket list so I was really surprised when I watched this show. I can take no signal, no internet, and no electricity because I experienced that before when we stayed on an island. But no toilet bowl with a water supply? I don’t think I can take it for a few days. 

16. Actors on the Road - Scotland 

Actors Jung Hae In and Im Si Wan went to Scotland to explore the castle, golf, the largest producers of whiskey, and experience catching fish. 

17. Europe Outside Your Tent: Norway 

This is the 4th Europe Outside Your Tent season that I watched and so far this is my favorite. I really like the camaraderie of Yoo Hai-jin, Jin Sun-kyu, Park Ji-hwan, and Yun Kyun. And I’ve been to Norway a few times already so somehow I can relate to their experiences. They were able to visit the popular tourist spots Flam, Stavager, and Lofoten and I was hoping na mavisit ko rin in the future.

Unfinished Series
Summer Vacation

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April 29, 2021

Tips for Traveling Safely and Hygienically

If the Coronavirus pandemic has taught us one thing, it’s that germs and harmful bacteria are everywhere and carry a very real threat to our health. The good news is, most countries have rolled out an effective vaccine program which means the most vulnerable members of society are protected from serious health complications as a result of contracting Covid-19. 

Whilst the threat of Covid is reduced, though, it doesn’t mean you can pack away your hand sanitizer and stop washing your hands whilst traveling just yet. There are lots of other illnesses you can pick up whilst traveling that can leave you feeling really under the weather and potentially ruin your trip. 


Some of these infectious diseases include: 

Influenza
Norovirus
Common cold 

All of these are extremely unpleasant but can be prevented through good hygiene whilst traveling. Here are just some of the ways you can travel safely and hygienically. 

Hand Sanitizer

The most obvious way to practice good hygiene when traveling is to keep a hand sanitizer within easy reach. Whether you’re traveling on an airplane from LAX to Sydney, or if you’re getting in a taxi from Maidstone in Kent to central London, it’s always good to have hand sanitizer on you. Bottles are typically small and can last a good while. You can even buy bottles that clip to the strap on your bag so you don’t need to contaminate every other item in your bag with your unclean hands.

Antibacterial Wipes

This is more of a tip for those who are traveling whilst already infected with a disease (like a common cold). Airports and train stations are full of high bacteria points, such as handrails, ATMs, electronic booking screens, and doors. If you have cold or other infectious diseases, consider getting an antibacterial wipe and placing it between your hand and the item you’re going to touch. This will stop you from spreading your germs to other people. In the case of screens, think about wiping them down after you’ve used them. 

Self-Awareness 

In a similar notion to using antibacterial wipes, you should always exhibit self-awareness when traveling. This means avoiding touching your face and mouth without first washing your hands, not eating before washing your hands, not coughing/sneezing into your hands, and effectively disposing of tissues, etc. Also, consider personal space. 

Practice Personal Hygiene 

This point goes without saying, but when you’re traveling it’s important to practice good personal hygiene. This means keeping your nails trimmed, cleaning them regularly, washing your hair at least once a week, and showering every day. Your hair in particular can harbor colonies of bacteria, especially when wet with water or sweat. A good rule of thumb is to always wash your hair after traveling or being in the sea/a swimming pool. You should also try and dry your hair immediately so that moist, warm conditions (which bacteria thrive on) are kept to a minimum. 

Oral Hygiene

Aside from your fingertips, your mouth is the next biggest hub of bacteria. Millions of bacteria live in your mouth and are spread through saliva. Whilst you might not directly spit on something, you might bite your nails or put food in your mouth, inadvertently touching the inside of your mouth and saliva. You might then touch a high bacteria item like a door handle or a handrail, spreading mouth bacteria in the process. You can minimize the effects of this by regularly brushing your teeth and using an antibacterial mouthwash. 

Summary 

These are just a few of the ways you can travel safely and hygienically, reducing your risk of contracting and passing on illness as you do.
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April 28, 2021

DIY Envelope Using Cricut

They say ”Nothing lasts forever. Forever is a lie. All we have is what’s in between hello and goodbye”. I hate goodbyes and farewells because I don’t know if we will see each other again. But we all know that is part of our life and we cannot avoid it. Last month, I was surprised when my friend announced that they are moving to Abu Dhabi and they only have a few weeks left before their flight. 

To be honest, I can no longer count how many farewell videos and farewell cards I’ve made in the past, all I know is nauubos na friends ko sa Pilipinas. I feel happy for them but at the same time sad because I only have a few friends tapos nababawasan pa. huhuhu!

Anyway, I was preoccupied last month because I made a video and farewell cards. I collected all my friends’ messages, designed the card, print it, and cut it. Unfortunately, I don’t have an A6 envelope at home. And because of the community quarantine, I’m not allowed to go out so I can’t buy an envelope. Good thing I love DIY projects so I make my own envelope. In the past, this is how I DIY my envelope but since I have a Cricut Maker now, I used it to make my own envelope. 


For the A6 envelope, I just searched for a free envelope template online and uploaded it to Cricut Design Space. I created a rectangular box to make sure that my card will fit the envelope. I did not use the scoring wheel or scoring stylus, I just use the fine point blade to cut the paper. It took me three tries before I made it. I’m using letter size paper so minsan bitin yung cut sa gilid. But I’m happy that I’ve made it. I only need 2 envelopes but I made several envelopes using the assorted paper bundle that I bought from Bee Happy Craft.  

Cricut Maker
Cricut Light Grip Mat
Cricut Fine Point Blade
Paper
Masking Tape
Ruler
Glue


I only have a light grip mat so I put masking tape to make sure that my paper will not move during cutting.


I used a ruler to fold the envelope. Glue tape to seal but if the paper is thick, I used glue. 




Update: I purchased a lot of Cricut Insert Card designs and most of the files have SVG Envelope Templates which I can also resize. For this template, I am using 12x12 cardstock and I already knew how to use the scoring stylus. :)


If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I love making printable cards so the following day, I tried making 5x5 envelopes, using the SVG template that I bought from Design Bundles.


I need 12x12 paper to make this envelope so I used the only 12x12 Paper Pack that I have. 


I’m happy that I can make my own envelope in a few easy steps.





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April 26, 2021

How to Make Hot Chocolate Using Tablea

I’m not fond of coffee but I love hot chocolate and this is my usual order if ever we are going to eat breakfast meal in restaurant, resort or hotel. The waitstaff will always asks if I want coffee or tea but my usual reply is, “do you have hot chocolate?”. Fortunately, they always have it and yung iba pa talaga, tablea ang gamit nila. 


I love hot chocolate made of tablea, iba talaga yung lasa niya. It is thick, creamy, and chocolatey. The first time I tried making this was more than a decade ago na, I bought tablea during our Bohol trip but I don’t like the result so I stopped buying tablea kasi hindi ako marunong gumawa. Fast forward to this year, my husband bought tablea, it just happened na nakita niya ito nung bumili siya ng Sagada Coffee so binili na rin niya. 

He searched YouTube for recipes and he tried making this and surprisingly, mas masarap lasa niya compared sa ginawa ko. Then when we went to Landers, he saw this Alfonso’s Classic Hot Chocolate, one pack is PHP99.75 for 10 Cacao Tablets. We love this tablea compared to the previous cacao tablets that we tried because this one is already sweetened. 


One more thing, the packaging includes recipes for hot chocolate, champorado, chocolate Espaňol, instant chocolate, and mocha. So far, he only tried making hot chocolate and he doesn’t use water, pure milk lang kaya and bilis maubos ng milk namin. Good thing I can buy a dozen of Fresh Milk online. Iba pala lasa ng hot chocolate if milk gagamitin, now I know bakit hindi masarap una ko na gawa. Hehehe! 



Hot Chocolate Recipe 

At medium heat, dissolve 2 tablets in 1 cup of water. Stir and simmer until creamy or microwave for 2 minutes. Watch out for boilover. 

Champorado Recipe 

Boil 2 cups of sticky rice in 10 cups of water. Add 10 tablets and 1 cup of brown sugar. Stir constantly until thick and creamy. Add milk (optional). 

Chocolate Espaňol Recipe 

Prepare hot chocolate. Add 1/3 cup of fresh milk or evaporated milk. Add butter (optional). 

Instant Chocolate Recipe 

In a blender, mix 2 tablets, 1/4 cup of milk, and a cup of water. Serve hot, cold, or iced. 

Mocha Recipe 

Add 1/3 teaspoon of coffee to 1 cup of hot chocolate. 

Ever since we tried this tablea, we always buy 3-5 packs of this but because of ECQ, I’m not sure if pwede pa kami dumayo sa Landers. I was searching online and this is the cheapest that I found, I’m still contemplating whether I will buy it or not. Hehehe!

Update December 2022: I found this tablea at Waltermart for PHP118+, mas mura kaysa online. 
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