Michi Photostory

August 24, 2021

Happy Lockdown Birthday

Cheers to myself for surviving my second lockdown birthday. I never thought that I will be celebrating another quarantined birthday but of course, this pandemic won’t stop me from celebrating. Despite what is happening in the world, there is always a reason to be happy and thankful.

Another year down and I'm grateful to God for the gift of life. Waking up every morning is already a gift so I’m really glad to spend and share my life with my two boys even at the comfort of our home. My love language is time so as long as they are present on my birthday, okay na ko. I'm also thankful for all the people who remember and took the time to greet me.

For the past few years, my birthday wish is always good health because it is true that “Health is wealth”. If you get sick, mauubos ang pera mo sa pagpagamot and worst pa, kung hindi mo rin maenjoy ang wealth mo. So I'm praying for a healthy life ahead because I want to grow old pa.

And because this is another quarantined birthday, wala ng ibang iisipin kundi food. Last year, we had Steak and Seafood Grill so I was planning for a Shabu-Shabu Birthday Celebration but I changed my mind. I felt lazy to prepare for the ingredients, naisip ko marami ko i-slice na mga veggies, seafood, and meat. Ayaw ko mapagod sa birthday ko, hehehe! So I told my husband to order food at Illo’s Party Trays.

I learned about Illo’s last month, ito yung handa ng pamangkin ko nung graduation niya. Nasarapan sila so I checked the website and social media. Nagutom ako sa kakabrowse ng food and even celebrities pala bumibili din sa kanila. They have different packages and I was choosing between Ricardos and Remedios, but I settled for Ricardos kasi ito yung order ng sister-in-law ko dati.

Ricardos PHP3,080

Beef Caldereta

Lechon Kawali

Cajun Roast Chicken

Chorizo Fried Rice

Mixed Nuts Banana Loaf

We are just a family of three and the food package is good for 4 to 6 persons. As far as I know, ito na yung pinakamaliit and mura sa menu packages. It is not really a problem because my birthday leftovers will be our food for the week. Hehehe! Hindi pa ko magluluto ng ilang araw, nakapahinga pa ko.

My husband just called but was advised to send a message through Viber or WhatsApp. Then he paid through online banking. As expected, my husband chose pick-up, nagtitipid sa delivery fee. All foods are safely packed in plastic containers and may sariling eco-bag din so hindi mahirap bitbitin.

While I was preparing the food, my son kept on saying “wow, sarap ng food”. It was funny because hindi pa naman niya natitikman except for the cake and leche flan na all-time favorite na namin. But after trying the food, we knew that it won’t be our last time. For our future celebrations, Illo’s Party Trays will be part of our options. My son likes the Cajun Roast Chicken while my husband and I like the Lechon Kawali.

My husband also bought Cafe Mary Grace Cheesecake PHP1302 and Contis Leche Flan PHP195. I told my husband to buy a small cake for my birthday but he ended up, buying a big cake because he said, mas malaki pa daw cake topper ko sa small cake. Hahaha! Actually, I made two cake toppers for my birthday but I will share my DIY Cake Topper in a separate post.

August 20, 2021

Homemade Cheeseburgers

Since I am not fond of food deliveries, I will just cook the fastfood meals that I am craving at home. My malunggay pandesal was a hit so this month I prepared cheeseburgers for our merienda but this time, I made my own burger patty. I just mixed ground beef, salt, egg, and flour and cooked them in Air Fryer again. 380F for 10 minutes.

But my patty shrunk so it looks too small for our burger bun. My husband was expecting that it will look like a Cheese Whopper of Burger King but I told him, it is Angel’s Burger. Hehehe!

Para makabawi naman, I made another homemade cheeseburger using the Chef’s Selection Value Beef Burger Patties that I used for the malunggay pandessal. For a change, I fried the burger patty on the pan so it will fit my burger bun. I’m trying to copy the Bacon Mushroom Melt of Wendy’s so I put burger patty, bacon and mozzarella cheese then toast it in the oven toaster until cheese melts.

Sayang, wala lang ako mushroom but my burger looks presentable now compared before so lesson learned, I will just fry my burger patty. If I will use the air fryer, it will take me a lot of time since it can only fit 2-3 burger patties.

August 19, 2021

I’ve Got My First Jab of COVID19 Vaccine

Living in times of Coronavirus is no joke, it’s been more than a year of being confined in the four corners of our house and no one can tell when it will end. Just when I thought that everything would be back to normal, we are suddenly back to MECQ/ECQ. The never-ending cycle of community quarantine.

A lot of us are looking forward to resuming our normal life and some of us think that vaccines will solve this global pandemic. But when I learned that the COVID19 vaccine is already available, I was not excited to register for it. I am not part of the anti-COVID19 vaccine, I’m just not brave enough to take the first shot. I can never forget the Dengvaxia or dengue vaccine issue so part of me was scared to get the vaccine because I don’t know if it is really safe.

Read: A Dose of Pneumococcal Vaccine

COVID19 Vaccine for Teens

In my mind, I don’t need to rush and I will just wait for what will happen. I’m just at home, my husband is working from home and my son is taking online distance learning so we seldom go out of the house. Deciding to get my COVID19 vaccine is not easy because I have an autoimmune disease and I have to stop my medication before and after the vaccine.

But everything changed when my husband started to go back in the field, I started to worry for our safety because he is always out of the house. So last month, I finally decided to register for the COVID19 vaccine. Nauna pa magparegister si hubby sa akin pero since I am part of A3, ako ang naunang natawagan for vaccine sa local government namin. I’m thankful to Makati because they allowed my husband to register in their city, since doon naman nagwowork si hubby.

We can't choose vaccines so we will get whatever is available. My husband got his first jab of Sinovac, (first week of August) and I got my first jab of Moderna (second week of August). My husband's Sinovac side effects are pain on the injection site, sleepy and parang lutang daw siya. My Moderna side effects naman just pain on the injection site and it is hard to move my arms (bigat ng feeling).

Possible side effects of Sinovac

1. Pain at the injection site

2. Headache

3. Fatigue

4. Muscle and joint aches

5. Nausea

6. Diarrhea

7. Cough

8. Chills

9. Itchy Skin

10. Loss of appetite

11. Runny nose

12. Sore throat

13. Nasal congestion

14. Fever

Rare side effects of Sinovac

1. Muscle spasm

2. Eyelid swelling

3. Nosebleed

4. Constipation

5. Loss of sense of smell

Possible side effects of Moderna

1. Pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site

2. Tiredness

3. Headache

4. Muscle or joint aches

5. Chills

6. Nausea and vomiting

7. Underarm swelling

8. Fever

9. Swollen lymph nodes

Rare side effects of Moderna

1. Pericarditis

2. Anaphylaxis

3. Myocarditis

When my husband went to Makati, it took him almost two hours (morning schedule) bago siya natapos. So before going to our barangay vaccination site, I even bring a water bottle because I thought it will take me hours but luckily, it only took me more or less 20 minutes to get my shot.

Update: Second Dose of COVID19 Vaccine; September 2021

My husband had his second dose of Sinovac and pain on injection site lang ang naging side effect. Mas okay ang second dose side effects niya compared sa first dose.

If the second dose of my husband's COVID19 vaccine went well, my experience was the opposite. I had my second dose of Moderna vaccine past 8AM (Friday) and I was still feeling normal throughout the day. But when evening came, my arms started to feel heavy and I'm already in pain so I slept early. Before 1AM (Saturday), I woke up with fever, headache, and muscle aches so, over the weekend so I just stayed in my bed.

I was paranoid when I had a fever so I made some research, I've learned that side effects are good signs that the vaccine is working because it triggers the immune system. And it is pretty normal to feel more side effects after the second dose because there are more immune cells ready to attack. So I felt relieved na but I was praying na hindi magtagal ang side effects.

Sunday afternoon, I started to feel okay and my fever is going down. On my third day, no more fever, no muscle aches, and no more headache but I can still feel the pain on my injection site pero hindi na affected buong arms.

* If you don't experience side effects, it doesn't mean that vaccine didn't work. Kanya- kanya lang talaga ng epekto sa katawan.

Update: January 2022

We thought the booster shot is after six months so when we learned that after three months is already okay, we started waiting when it will be available in our local government. So when I saw the announcement, I immediately told my husband about it. Good thing that he no longer needs to go to Makati again, dito na sya sa amin nakapagpabooster, though it took him 2 hours sa pila sa dami kasi gustong magpabooster. Ito yung time na pataas na ang COVID19 cases ulit. He had Sinovac vaccine before so fortunately,, maganda naman ang booster shot niya which is Pfizer. The side effect is only pain on the injection site.

Hindi ako sumabay kay hubby sa booster shot because I am afraid of the possible side effects, mahirap kung dalawa kami magkasakit. After two weeks, I had my booster shot which is also Pfizer. And I am lucky because it only took me 15 minutes and I am done. Direderetso lang kasi yung process, yung recovery na yung matagal. I immediately feel the pain on the injection site after one hour, unlike sa Moderna na almost half day bago sumakit. Pero tolerable siya unlike sa Moderna na affected buong arms and mabigat ang feeling.

Pfizer-BioNTech Common Side Effects

Pain on injection site

Fatigue

Headache

Chills

Muscle pain

Fever

Joint pain

Swollen lymph nodes

Nausea

Decreased appetite

Are you also scared to take the risks?

“You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen” Paulo Coelho

“Do one thing every day that scares you”

“To know what life is worth, you have to risk it once in a while” Jean-Paul Sartre

“Every risk is worth taking as long as it’s for a good cause, and contributes to a good life.”

“Living with fear stops us from taking risks, and if you don’t go out on the branch, you’ve never going to get the best fruit.” Sarah Parish

August 12, 2021

My Japanese Drama Series List

I watched a lot of Korean drama series but there are times that I cannot finish one series so I also have a long list of unfinished dramas and I don’t know if I can convince myself to finish those series. A few days ago, I was watching one kdrama but I lost interest when one character died. I watch series to unwind so if I feel that the story is too heavy or all about revenge, I lost interest.

Read: My Korean Drama List

Two months ago, I started watching Japanese Drama Series, I already blogged about Doctor X, we enjoyed this series so much and we finished the 6 seasons in just two weeks. Then we watched Legal V because the lead actress is Ryko Yonekura too. Then just this week, I shifted to Japanese drama series again because I can’t find a good kdrama to binge-watch. I also enjoyed Kotaro Lives Alone, it was a short series that you can finish in less than 5 hours.

I created this blog to document the series that I have watched, let us see if I can reach 100 too. Lol

1. Doctor X Season 1

2. Doctor X Season 2

3. Doctor X Season 3

4. Doctor X Season 4

5. Docyor X Season 5

6. Doctor X Season 6

7. Legal V

8. Kotaro Lives Alone

9. The Ingenuity of the Househusband

10. Doctor X Season 7

11. Alice in Borderland

12. Alice in Borderland 2

13. Let's Get Divorced

14. Burn the House Down

15. From Me To You

Unfinished Japanese Drama Series

Good Morning Call Epi 6

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Series Epi 1

Care to share your favorite Japanese drama series.

August 11, 2021

DIY Garlic Bread Toast

Our favorite garlic bread is from United Village Breadhouse and it is always part of my grocery list but because of the community quarantine, ang tagal na namin hindi nakakabili. We usually buy this at Landmark supermarket but since the start of the global pandemic, we lessen our grocery trip.

When we learned about the approaching ECQ, my husband immediately went to Landers so we can store some food. He also bought a few packs of bread kasi mga naka-Buy 1 Take 1, like this baguette. I am aware of the expiration dates so I usually put some of our bread in the fridge and some in the freezer to make them last longer.

A baguette is a long stick of bread that is always connected to France but it is bake around the world. This is often sliced and served with butter, jam, cheese, or pate. My son likes garlic bread so using the baguette, I made my own garlic bread. I just mix butter, dried parsley and season with garlic salt. Then spread the mixture on my sliced baguette and toast it in the oven toaster for few minutes. It is so easy to prepare so we have snacks in few minutes.

Since we don’t always have baguettes, I normally used sliced bread to make my own garlic bread. I think any bread will do, it just depends on your preference if you want to have soft bread or crisp crust.

Ingredients

Sliced Baguette

Butter

Fresh or Dried Parsley

Fresh Minced Garlic or Garlic Salt

Read: Cheesy Garlic Bread

August 10, 2021

Korean Enoki Mushroom Omelette

In my previous post, I shared about Korean Egg Roll and because my first gyeran mari was a success, I also tried another Korean egg recipe which is Korean Enoki Mushroom Omelette. It is supposed to be Korean pancake but I removed the flour from the ingredients. I just used whatever ingredients I have at home.

Ingredients

Cooking oil

3 Eggs

Enoki Mushroom

Quickmelt cheese

1 tbsp of spring onion

1 tbsp of bell pepper

Garlic salt

How to Cook Korean Enoki Mushroom Omellete

1. Removed the woody stems of the enoki mushrooms and sliced them.

2. Rinse and pat dried the mushrooms.

3. Crack the eggs and mix all the ingredients.

4. Season with garlic salt.

5. Preheat the pan over medium heat and add cooking oil.

6. I used a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop my enoki mushrooms mixture.

7. Cook the mushrooms until they turn brown or until you can flip them.

8. Cook the other sides and remove them from heat.

9. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

My Korean Enoki Mushroom Omelette was a hit so I will add this to my breakfast menu. I will cook this again kapag may enoki mushroom na ulit kami and next time, I will add flour and see kung may difference ba sa lasa.

And because I was happy with my Neoflam Fika Egg Roll Pan, I also invest in Neoflam Fika Frying Pan but this one, I bought it from SM (online) because it is cheaper. Nakasale kasi sa SM + voucher, ang laki ng tipid. I loved this pan because I did not use a lot of oil to cook my Korean omelet. You can purchase the pan here.

Watch the video here

August 05, 2021

Korean Egg Roll (Gyeran Mari)

I have already watched a lot of Korean drama series, variety shows, and movies so slowly I’m adding Korean foods to our menu. I’m a picky eater so I know for sure that I can only add few dishes to my list. One of the side dishes that I’ve been meaning to cook is Korean Egg Roll or Gyeran Mari. It is a popular Korean side dish that I always see whenever I watch drama series, movies, and even variety shows.

The only thing that hinders me is I know that I am not good at rolling eggs, that is why I rarely cook omelets at home. Then I realized maybe I should invest in Omelet Pan but I was hesitant to buy because it is expensive but after few months, naicheck-out ko na rin sa cart ko. I finally bought Neoflam Fika Egg Roll Pan, I know that there are cheaper versions of egg roll pans pero gusto ko yung design ng Neoflam. Hehehe!

Neoflam Fika Cookwares are also available in SM and it is cheaper compared to other sellers online but SM does not offer Egg Roll Pan so I ordered my pan in South Korea. You can purchase from this store. What I love about this pan, the egg mixture doesn’t stick talaga so you don’t need a lot of oil and rolling an egg is not a problem.

In cooking gyeran mari, you only need eggs, salt, and cooking oil but of course, you can also add other ingredients like carrots, bell pepper, spring onion, ham, cheese, and more. The list goes on depending on your preference. On my first try, I added bell pepper and spring onion. I mixed all the ingredients in a measuring cup so it would be easy for me to pour the egg mixture.

Korean Egg Roll Recipe

4 Eggs

1 tbsp of spring onion

1 tbsp of bell pepper

Garlic salt

1 tbsp of cooking oil

1. Mix the ingredients

2. Heat the pan on low heat and add cooking oil.

3. Pour a thin layer of egg mixture into the pan and spread.

4. If the egg is semi-cooked, start rolling the egg to the other side.

5. Pour a thin layer into the empty space.

6. If the egg is semi-cooked, start rolling the egg again to the other side,

7. Repeat the process until you finish your egg mixture.

8. Remove the rolled egg from the pan and let it cool.

9. Slice the egg for about 1 inch thick.

I'm so happy with my first try of Korean Egg Roll so I have no regrets about purchasing my egg roll pan. Hindi ko nagagawa ito sa round na pan e. Now, I have the confidence in making omelets and egg rolls. The advantage of this, my son can eat vegetables too.

Watch the video here

Read: Korean Enoki Mushroom Omelette

July 30, 2021

Worth Remembering Quotes from Hi, Bye, Mama

I’ve been seeing this Korean drama series on Netflix since last year but I was trying to avoid this because I know that this drama is about a mom who passed away after delivering her baby due to a traffic accident. My sister passed away last year so I know that my heart won’t take this kind of drama. I watch Netflix before bedtime so I don’t want to sleep with a heavy heart. But after more than a year, I finally had the courage to watch this series and I just finished it yesterday.

Hi, Bye, Mama is a story of Cha Yu-ri who died because of a tragic accident. After she died, she became a ghost who follows her family and friends for five years. Then she was reincarnated and was given a chance to become a human again if she succeeds in returning to her place within 49 days. But it was a challenge because Gang-Hwa, her husband is already married to Oh Min-jung.

How I wish it can happen in real life, that our loved ones will return even just for one day so we were able to say our last goodbye because not all of us had a chance to say our farewell. Anyway, this series is a comedy-drama so it is a roller coaster of emotions. I like the casts of this series too, magagaling sila lahat umarte especially Seo-woo, kasi boy siya in real life. I like the beauty of Kim Tae Hee, sa Love Story in Harvard ko siya last na napanood and nagmature lang siya ng konti pero mukhang bata pa rin. Kim Min-kyung, perfect lagi sa mga mother role.

There are so many lessons that you can get from this series like the unconditional love of the mother and stepmother and how people deal with pains when they lose someone. Speaking of pains, what a coincidence because when I opened the 365 Pocket Prayers for Women Book, the prayer today is about sorrow.

A prayer about sorrow when I’m burdened with grief

Merciful God, I’m mourning a loss, and my grief is heavy upon me. I have moments when I’m overwhelmed with sadness and I can’t think of anything else. Yet sometimes it seems that others feel I should be over my loss by now. I’m comforted by the example of Jeremiah, who in the book of Lamentations declared his grief in almost the same breath that he proclaimed his hope in faithfulness. That shows me that the grief process is not intended to be swift, and it’s not a steady progression. I’m reassured to know that tears and joy may be intermingled for a while. The best comfort is that you are with me Lord and that you care about my pain. Thank you for your promise that those who mourn will be comforted.

Sharing some worth remembering quotes or lines that I love from the Hi, Bye, Mama series.

“Everyone passes through a tunnel of darkness in life. A long tunnel that makes you think that you will never see light again. But there are no tunnels without exit, there is no eternal love or eternal pain in the world”

“Since my beloved family isn’t in this world, I will fly up to them”

“A woman who lost her husband is called a widow. A man who lost his wife is called a widower. And a kid who lost his parent is called an orphan. But there’s no word for a parent who lost their kid”

“Goodbyes hurt more as you get older and understand life better”

“We could never possibly find a way to deal with goodbyes."

“If I had known the time given to us was this short, I would have treasured every insignificant moment”

July 28, 2021

Happy Birthday to my Sister in Heaven

It’s been more than a year since you left but it still feels like yesterday. I cannot forget my last birthday greeting to you because I have no idea that it would be the last.

“When I look back our childhood days, all I remember is the moments that we’ve shared, we are so opposite in so many things, but at the end of the day, we are sisters and we are friends. Neither of us is perfect but our imperfections make us close. Happy 40th birthday! Don’t regret the things that you haven’t been able to do. Forty is the time to refresh and start anew. Don’t worry about what you couldn’t achieve. Look forward to the dreams in which you believe. Don’t forget to make a bucket list and do things one step at a time”

That was two years ago but I vividly remember that you immediately messaged me when you saw this post on your Facebook because you don’t want me to reveal your age. I know that part of you wanted me to delete the greeting but I didn’t, I just untagged you. I even told you the famous line “Be proud that you are getting old because it is the privilege denied to many”

Nine months after, God called you home. It was so sudden and it is a struggle to accept. The moment that you left, our family chain is broken and our life has to go on but it was never been the same. I can no longer count how many times you appeared in my dreams, in those dreams you came back, alive and kicking. I really wish you are here because it is a challenge to move forward knowing that you won’t be part of my future.

Today is your second birthday in heaven and your birthday brings laughter, tears, and memories that will never fade. I’ll forever treasure the memories of growing up with you. I’ll cherish the times we had like our travel adventures and family events. You know what, going to Valenzuela now is not fun at all because reality hits me more.

It is sad, knowing that you are not here anymore but you’ll always be remembered. I badly miss you more than you’ll ever know. I miss my sister, my friend, and my prayer warrior. Happy birthday in heaven Ate.

It’s hard to turn the page when you know someone won’t be in the next chapter but the story must go on. -Thomas Wilder

Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve. - Earl Grollman

It doesn’t matter how fast you move on in life. What matters is you have to keep moving regardless of pace.

July 26, 2021

Easy to Prepare Japanese Ramen

For the last several days, it’s been raining non-stop so I was feeling blue and lazy, Hello #bedweather! I don’t like rainy days so I’m thankful for instant meals sa panahon na parang ayaw ko kumilos. Hehehe! We had instant Pork Congee, Korean Ramyun, and lastly Japanese Ramen.

I bought these 3 instant Japanese Ramen, a few months ago but it was only last weekend that I remembered them. All labels and instructions are in the Japanese language so thanks to Google Translate, we were able to prepare the ramen. There are 3 flavors but we only cook one pack which is Marutai Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen.

White: Marutai Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen

Red: Kumamoto Kuro Mayu Tonkotsu Ramen

Green: Oita Torigara Soy Sauce Ramen with Yuzu Zest Powder

One pack is good for two servings of noodles but in our case, pwede for 3 persons. My son and I shared one bowl since mahirap ubusin yung isang bowl. Even my husband had a hard time finishing it. The package includes noodles, powdered soup, and flavored oil. You can cook them at the same time, just double the amount of water. Since this was our first time, we only cook one serving. After tasting the soup, we immediately cook the other serving.

How to Prepare Japanese Ramen

1. Boil 470ml of water in a pot.

2. Add 1 bunch of noodles and boil for 2 minutes.

3. When the noodles are boiled, turn off the heat.

4. Add 1 bag of the powdered soup and flavored oil.

5. Serve and add your toppings.

To upgrade your instant ramen, just add your own toppings. I want to imitate the ramen that we have tried at Surugin Ramen House but we don’t have roast pork so I just added pork floss, dried wakame seaweeds, and boiled egg.

Read: Foodtrip at Surugin Ramen House

Marutai Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen is a pork bone soup. According to my research, this is a light broth and less greasy. Surprisingly, the taste of the soup is quite similar sa nakain namin sa Surugin. We’re satisfied naman and we’ll try other flavors next time.

July 23, 2021

Things to Consider for Your Apartment Hunting

First-timer or not, apartment hunting can be exciting and overwhelming; exciting because it means that we are growing up and moving out from our parent’s house. Overwhelming because it is not easy as we think, there are so many things that we need to consider before renting an apartment. Even experienced renters find it challenging to look for the best deal so I’m sharing some things that might help you in finding your own apartment.

1. Know Your Budget

Knowing our budget is very important because it will give us an idea of how much can we afford. Monthly rent is not only the expense, there are some payments that we need to consider before, during, and after renting the apartment. Allot a budget for apartment hunting, processing papers, advanced payments, security deposit, and apartment utilities or amenities. Compute the possible expenses so we will know how much can we pay without breaking the bank.

2. Location, location, location

Next to budget is location, it is a very significant factor because it would help us to decide where to start our apartment search. Answer these questions so we have a realistic idea of what kind of neighborhood do we like.

a) Is it near or far from my office or school?

b) How much will I spend on my transportation?

c) Is it a safe neighborhood?

d) Is it accessible to malls, markets, restaurants, hospitals, or other establishments?

We have to keep in mind that the price of the property varies per location too. Are we looking for an apartment in one of The Most Expensive Cities Around the World to Rent or not? Hong Kong, San Francisco, USA, and New York USA are on the top list.

3. Apartment Preference

It would be easier for us to find an apartment if we know what are we looking for. There are several types of apartments, the common types are studio, loft, duplex, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom apartments. It varies on the floor plan, style, number of bedrooms, and others.

4. Research

Once we know our budget, preferred location, and apartment, it is time for us to do our homework. Looking for a place is quite challenging so it is very important to make some research. Lucky for us because we can do this online, depending on the location, I’m pretty sure there are user-friendly sites where we can do our rental research.

If you live in the USA, Zumper will help you in finding your own apartment, condo, house, or room for rent by filtering the price range, location, and how many bedrooms do you need. You can discover affordable, expensive, and popular neighborhoods in specific areas like New York. Based on their data, the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in New York is $2,700 and the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $2,900. Does it fit your budget?

5. Apartment Tour

Researching online is just part of the process, let us not forget to visit the apartment and make our own self-inspections. We need to take pictures and check water pressure, power sockets, cabinets, the presence of mold, and of course, the neighborhood.

These are just a few things that you can consider in finding your apartment. Don’t rush, take time to do your research, read more reviews, and visit the space at different times of the day or week so you will have a better sense if you want to live there.

July 22, 2021

Malunggay Pandesal Burger

Whenever I watch movies or series, I always see hamburgers or burgers. It is a common quick food or snack that people love to eat, but in my case, I don’t crave for a burger. There are only two burgers that I can eat, I only eat Bacon Mushroom Melt of Wendy’s and 4 Cheese Whopper of Burger King. My only reason is I don’t eat food with ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, or relish that is commonly found on burgers.

Sometimes I order a cheeseburger and I will request to remove the dressing but unfortunately, kahit nirequest ko na nakakalimutan pa rin ng staff so sayang lang. Ayaw ko na ipaulit at baka ano pa mangyari sa food. So for my own good, I will just make my own burger at home. From time to time, I make my own burger patty but I won’t deny that it is easy to buy a ready-to-cook burger patty.

A few weeks ago, I bought malunggay pandesal at Sonya’s Garden and burger patty at San Miguel Frozen and Chilled so I prepared Malunggay Pandesal Burger. The only cheese we had at home is cream cheese so yun na ginamit ko. I reshaped my burger patty into small balls so I can cook everything in Air Fryer in one batch and it will fit my pandesal. 380F for 10 minutes. The taste of the burger patty is just okay for me, hindi siya beef na beef but my two boys love it so I guess I will order it again.