Mommy Pehpot, Author at Mommy Pehpot

Overdrive: Bataan-Pampanga

You know that song from 1995?

OVERDRIVE.

Magda-drive ako hanggang Baguio
Magda-drive ako hanggang Bicol
Magda-drive ako hanggang Batangas
Tapos magsu-swimming do’n sa beach

Yup, that one from Eraserheads. That and their recent “Sabado” and we scratch the word boring to our weekends.

We recently discovered that day trips are awesome! and cheaper… hence a new category is born: OVERDRIVE

Limited time.. unlimited destinations..

For our first overdrive: Pampanga- Bataan. I have never been to Bataan! Itinerary includes: Breakfast at Atching Lillian Borromeo in Mexico Pampanga or at Lapid’s Bakery in Gagua. Lunch in Bataan, then dinner in Everybody’s Cafe in San Fernando.

I do not know what happened, but we’re already travelling the road to Subic..this is not part of the plan! But I do love this part of the world. Not Subic but the road going there. It reminds me so much of the movie Cars. Go figure.

Where are we heading? Bataan still but via Subic.

We drove around Bataan, stopping from time to time.. OK 3 times only.

3 Things We Did In Bataan:

1. Pawikan Conservation Center

This is a good place to educate the kids about endangered species and care for animals.

They don’t have baby turtles when we arrived but the caretaker mentioned that by November some of the eggs will hatch.

TRIVIA:

Just a few minutes after an egg hatches, they release it to the ocean.
It takes 25 years before a Pawikan starts laying eggs.
It will take 3 years before it lays again.

Pawikan Conservation Center entrance fee is only P20.

2. Eat at Loleng’s Hu Tieu-an

This is a small food establishment that offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine (they say, I have no idea if it is true or not, that’s the first time I tried Vietnamese food).

How to go to Loleng’s Hu Tieu-an ?

This is near Morong Bataan Church,so just as around when you go to Morong Church.

3. Visit Dambana ng Kagitingin in Mt Samat

After so may winding.. as in a lot! I lost count already!!! We reached Bagac, where the famous Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is located. Hindi man lang kame nakapag ocular inspection! The Zero Km Death March Marker is also in Bagac.

Another countless winding road and we reached the road to Mt Samat.. which is another countless winding road. I cannot put into writing what I feel about the roads in this side of Bataan.. I don’t want to offend anyone, but most part of this trip, I am holding my breath.

But all that went away as soon as we reached Dambana ng Kagitingan.. pero hindi na kame umakya sa cross no.. mualan na eh.. excuses.excuses. hehehe

OK ladies and gentlemen.. let’s take this opportunity for an obligatory selfie with the cross on the background. bow.

Ay si Dora, kulang pa sa selfie!

After Bataan, our next mission is to look for the famous Lapid’s Bakery in Guagua public market. Mission failed. And we were lost. We drove around Guagua hoping to find the way to San Fernando. It was the most beautiful drive ever..well for me. I think of all the things we did that day, this is the most exciting part for me. We passed by a few old houses in Guagua and each is as charming as the other. My heart belongs to old house. I can spend days and days and days marveling at old houses. It’s one of the reason why I love our North Luzon trips.

I wish I took a photo of the most enchanting/ haunting old house I have seen.. since I did not..I did a few research and here’s what I got (photo and history source)

Built in the 1930’s. It was owned by Doña Juana and Don Alejandro Lopez. In the 1935 telephone directory the house was named as “The Pride of Guagua Pampanga.” When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1942, Doña Juana and Don Alejandro left for Manila. Almost all of the houses were burned but the house was spared. A Japanese (Colonel/General) saw the house and occupied it. (Sato/Makato) It was said that the dungeon below the house was used to imprison the filipinos and americans that japanese caught. It was said that some of these prisoners died there because of torture and were left there to die. It is also said that there were tunnels leading to various places in Guagua. It contained several jars(banga) and other artifacts. When the Japanese left the Philippines in 1945 Doña Juana and Don Alejandro went back to the house. And the rest is history. Since the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 the dungeon was buried in mud.

Sobrang ganda ng bahay na yan sa personal, as in!!!

We had dinner at Everybody’s Cafe. I am actually looking forward to eating Kapampangan dishes.. ah no, Kapampangan cuisine.. the way they cook their meals.. oily and full of flavor. That kind of dish is nowhere to be found at Everybody’s Cafe. They do sell exotic though, like Frog and Kamaro, other than that, there is nothing special here..

side note: mas masarap pa ang luto ko

I’ll definitely be back in Pampanga, to look for that Bakery and to try Atching Lillian dishes.. and to marvel at old houses..

and though Bataan is winding up there, I’d still go back! Masarap daw cashew nuts doon eh.

Where will be our next overdrive? Suggest a place!

6 Transformational Tips For Upgrading Your Kitchen

6 transformational tips for upgrading your kitchen this festive season

The Masterchef phenomenon has swept across the globe bringing with it a new, exciting and creative perspective in the ways many home owners are now viewing their kitchens.

Coupled with cutting edge advances in kitchen appliance technology and design, the average home cook is now able to transform their entire experience in the kitchen from the droll day to day monotony of just cooking, into the vibrant, creative and dynamic experience of creating delicious meals and entertaining with confidence – and there is no better time of year to put a great kitchen through its paces than Christmas.

Here are some remodeling and kitchen appliances upgrade tips to set you on your way to a total kitchen transformation that everyone in your family and social circle will enjoy.

Tip #1 – Create space to move

Most family kitchens resemble a beehive of activity during the week. Meals need to get made quickly and cleaning needs to be quick and hassle-free. For this reason, creating enough space to move quickly and efficiently is key.

All paths through your kitchen need to be at least 36 inches wide, and up to 48 inches around the cooking zone. There is nothing worse than a cramped kitchen space where a whirlwind of frenetic cooking can soon turn to a blood boiling nightmare of wielding hot pots and pans whilst pushing your way back and forth through other family members from the cooktop to the fridge and on to the plating area.

Tip#2 – Integrate your appliances

Kitchens have evolved away from merely being the room in which the cooking is done. In many homes the kitchen is the centerpiece of the household. You are going to want your kitchen to be a warmer, more sociable space.

In order to achieve this, your major appliances – refrigerators, ovens, cooktops and dishwashers – need to be integrating seamlessly with the overall kitchen layout. This means choosing appliances that are designed to fit together seamlessly and that merge with the walls and counters in materials that are consistent with their surroundings.

Tip#3 – Design your kitchen around your lifestyle

If you have kids and they are forever scrambling in and out of the kitchen, then design your cook space so that it is out of the warpath. This way you will reduce the risk of having the little ones catching on handles and causing potentially dangerous spills. Station your refrigerator where it is easily accessible to everybody even when you are cooking. Also, create shelf space for microwaves, kettles and toasters that are easy to reach for everyone in the family.

Tip#4 – Create counter space where it is needed most

The most important areas to ensure you have enough counter space to work with when cooking, plating and cleaning are each side of the cooktop, refrigerator, sink and microwave. A good rule of thumb is to go with around 15 inches of free counter space to either or one side of each area.

Tip#5 – Add a splash of style to your cabinets

The days of rank and file kitchen cabinets that resemble cold-war era East Berlin apartment blocks are a thing of the past. Break up the monotony of dull block cabinets by incorporating more open shelving and replacing cabinet doors with glass or wine storage style options.

Tip#6 – If you have the space, incorporate an island bench

Kitchen Island benches are without doubt the easiest and best way to create multi-use space – from preparing food, and meal setting for fast, convenient breakfasts to simply having guests in the kitchen whilst you cook and entertain – Islands are the way to go if you want to transform your kitchen from a workspace into a dynamic living space.

The Kitchen of the future is about more than just having a place to cook, wash dishes and store food. It is a vibrant, creative and warming living space that should merge with the rest of your home. The key to creating such a space is by blending the perfect appliances with an open and progressive kitchen design.

Landing Soon! The Fun-O Ultimate Space Invaders!

OK, so here’s another reason to be more excited in going to school… nyahaha.. seriously, these kids are lucky! Now until October 31, Jack ‘n Jill Fun-O Ultimate Space Invaders are set to land in select elementary schools around Metro Manila.

What’s in store for the kids (and the parents haha)?

Coming from the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) galaxy, Jack ‘n Jill Fun-O Ultimate Space Invaders will set up a spaceship docked in a futuristic gas depot aka booth. Kids and the young-at-heart can interact with friendly brand ambassadors dressed in cool alien-themed costumes and get free samples of yummy Fun-O Roundwich crackers.

Purchase a loot bag and kids got to help RK, the Fun-O alien, gas up his spaceship through a digital game. Kids can imagine that they are one of the galaxy’s elite guardians while playing as high pointers, and will be generously rewarded with RK premium items such as shirts, backpacks and flashdrives.

Keep your eyes open for the landing of your Fun-O out-of-this-world friends. When they do, be sure to grab a pack of your favorite Jack ‘n Jill Fun-O crackers so you can go on an exciting adventure in the great beyond! Jack ‘n Jill Fun-O Roundwich Crackers are available in Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Mocha flavors at all leading groceries and supermarkets nationwide.

For the Jack ‘n Jill Fun-O Ultimate Space Invaders landing schedule, visit Jack ‘n Jill Fun- O Facebook Page.