Covid Chronicles: My personal list after the quarantine

Today, April 26, after 46 days of confinement, the Spain government allowed the children, infant to 12 years old, to go outdoors.  This is a milestone as we are flattening the curve, there are lower incidents of new Covid cases and for the past few days, the statistics of the treated patients are higher than the victims.  Praise and Thank God for His mercy and healing grace. 

My son was hesitant to go out but eventually, he did go out with dad for a quick outdoor experience, complying with the social distancing and safety protocols laid out by the government. 

I hope and pray that albeit slow, we will be able to establish our lifestyle and adapt to the new normal.  I am hopeful that small and medium sized businesses, that self employed entrepreneurs will be able to get back to full operations, that we will be able to report back physically to our offices, that school will resume and that we will be able to take the public transport again and many other things, as these would signify that we are beating the covid.  

In the meantime, here is a short personal list of the shops, bars, restos and activities that I will indulge myself into when the confinement is lifted and we adjust to our new normal.  Note:  This is a very personal list.  This is a reflection of what I truly, terribly missed at a personal, whimsy level. 

I will dine at or order to go at: 
1. Bite Me Cafe - they serve the most delicious, innovative flavors of artisan vegan donuts/halos. 
2. Restaurante Veronica - they have the most delicious home made foie, good food and desserts in general, fanciful interior, amazing service and lovely people! We are regulars since 2006! They´ve seen me when I was pregnant and my son is growing up in their eyes as well! 
3. Go Hyang Mat - the best Korean restaurant in the city! And it is in my neighborhood! They serve the best JapChae, Bulgogi, Bibimbap, Jemulyeon, Rice cakes! Everything is delicious and really affordable! 
4. Hattori Hanzo - a fusion Japanese resto that serves really refreshing ramen, baos and takoyaki! Delicious! 
5. Taberna Maceira - our go to place for quick, economical, classic Spanish tapas and cuisine. They have the classic pulpo (octopus), croquettes, chorizo (I am drooling as I write this hahahah) 😊😉😋 And they have refreshing wine and classic Spanish desserts! 
6. Five Guys Burger - my go to fastfood and comfort food - hamburger or hotdog with cheese and milkshake 😋😋😋
7. Pasteleria Mallorca - freshly baked canapes, pastries and healthy comfort food 
8. O Paso De Lugo - classic spanish cuisine, really good good food - callos, tapas, lacon, everything is just good in this resto! Really love this!! And its in my neighborhood!! 

I will go to: 
1. Churches:  I would love to go back to Jesus de Medinacelli, Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Almudena Church or just simply be in the church in my friendly neighborhood. 
2. Retiro Park 
3. C/Huertas, Sol, Calle Arenal, Gran Via, Plaza de España, Callao
4. Cercedilla for a hiking or walking 
5. Paseo Castellana for a long (approx. 7,5 kms) and tranquil walk 
6. Casa de Campo for a long quiet walk and to have some sort of "nature feels" 
7. Madrid Rio 
8. Museo de Ferrocarril 
9. Museums - Reina Sofia, Thyssen, Prado

I will avail of the following services: 
1. Acupuncture, Kobido and Ventosa massage at Yo Me Cuido
2. Foot Spa and pedicure
3. Full Body Massage at The Organic Spa
4. Eyebrows waxing/trimming and facial hair removal 
5. Hand waxing 

I feel like dreaming as I write this.  I am seizing the day.  I know in God´s perfect time, everything will fall into place and we will be able to enjoy our new normal. In the meantime, let us continue to trust the process, do our part so that we will continue to combat covid and as what they say in the kdramas, "AJA! HWAITING!" (which means: Never give up, never stop fighting, Fighting!). 

Covid Chronicles: Q&A in this time of Covid

Working from home with the kiddos is literally juggling between the kids, family and work.  My 9 year old love of my life, my precious son, is always understanding with our work commitments. But there are days that he is more clingy. And when he sits on my lap and looks at me with the puppy eyes, please mom look, how can my heart not melt and give in?  In one of my conference calls, he gladly obliged for a Q&A as I cannot move away from my laptop and my headset.  😀😀

Sharing with you our random and impromptu Q&A, done on April 16, 4pm.  

I had to be somewhat present in my conference call but the important thing is my son and I had a quick yet meaningful mom and son quality time.  I love you always my son! Always and forever! 

Question	Answer
How many days are we in quarantine	A LOT (with feelings!)
What do you miss most during this quarantine	My school
Who do you miss most during this quarantine	My friends and family/relatives
What have you been eating	A LOT of stuff
What is your most favorite activity during this quarantine	Doing homework, I really like that
Do you take a shower daily	No
Do you brush your teeth daily	Yes
Have you been sleeping late	Yes
Have you been sleeping well	Yeap
What will be your 1st activity when quarantine is lifted	Go out to the park, go to school
Message to Covid	You're stupid and I hate you
Are you happy with the way the govt is managing the covid pandemic	Yes, because they are doing their best
Do you clap your hands at 8pm to salute the frontliners	Yes
What is your favorite TV program during this covid	Victorious of Nikoledeon
What is your favorite movie	Toy Story 4
Have you been spending lots of time with mom and dad	Yes
Who spends more time with you dad or mom	Both
What keeps you busy	Doing homework and playing with my toys
Have you been reading a lot	Yes
What was the last book that you read	Geronimo Stilton Wild, Wild West
What is your typical bfeakfast	Cookies, toast and milk
What is your typical snacks	Apple
What is a new skill that you have learned during this quarantine	I learned how to do canapes
What values did you learn or relearn	To be more respectful and contain my emotions especially when I want to go out
What household chore do you do	Prepare the dining table, clear the dining table and tidy up my toys
Do you wash your hands often	Yes
Do you watch Kdramas with Mom	Sometimes
Kim Soo Hyun or Lee Min Ho	None of them
Do you talk to Google Nano/Okay Google	Sometimes
What was the last song you requested from Okay Google	Follow the Leader by Wysin and Yandel
What was the last song you sang	Well, I practically didn't sing any song
What was the last meal that you ate	Chicken Curry
Who cooked the chicken curry	My Mom
Was it delicious	Yes, pretty delicious I have to say. It was the best chicken curry I've had in my life
Message	We can do this! We can beat this virus, once and for all.

Covid Chronicles: To Miss or Not To Miss.

Covid pandemic has changed our lifestyle and routine.  Am I missing my old routine or not? We are already on day 31 of the home confinement and the change has been noticeable.
While I am most grateful that I can work from home and that I am blessed with the essential resources to adapt in this home confinement. And needless to say, as an authentic introvert this home confinement has gave me so much time for my much needed retrospection and introspection.  

But, a coin always has 2 faces. There are many facets of living that I am missing while we are in this period of quarantine.

1. Cleaning up:  Read:  Dressing up, putting on very light make-up, wearing my fancy shoes, accessories and putting on my gorgeous bags.
2. Rushing :) while tranquility is good, the occasional adrenalin rush caused by almost fixed public transport schedules, one meeting room to another, etc is a good booster
3. Seeing my boylets in the office! Yes, I am married, a mom and an old woman but... that does not mean that I no longer appreciate the looks and the appeal of my colleagues. I´ve always had my top 5 in every organization I´ve been through. I miss seeing, saying hi and chatting with my top 5 at work.
4. Interacting with people - Visiting and getting in touch with family and friends. interacting and exchanging casual conversations withcolleagues and the cleaning lady at work.  It is amazing how a simple hi, hola, que tal, lead to profound conversations!
5. Doing our Family weekend routine - my personal early morning weekend run and long walks, weekend family dine out, weekend family long walks, visits to the park. Being spontaneous - not having plan and just taking the metro or having my feet lead me to wherever, especially on weekends.
6. Queuing and witnessing busy lines and almost "cheek to cheek" closeness in the supermarkets, public transports, bakeshops. :)
7. Buying my magazine supplies in my favorite magazine kiosk.
8. Doing online shopping and the operation is seamless. Nowadays, there is a seeming high volume of online transactions!
9.  Going to the church.

I maybe confined in my home but I am loving every second of it. As I stay at home during this covid pandemic, I am most grateful to:
1. Be able to fulfill this full time homemaker routine and lifestyle - household chores, domestic living, unlimited and limitless cooking
2. Have unhurried time to do all the household chores and work responsibilities
3. Have all of my Me time anytime I want to - reading time, meditation in the form of ironing the clothes, journaling (after 8 long months, I am able to update my blog, yehey!!) etc
4. Have unlimited netflix time (yes, you are talking to one couch potato here)
5. Be able to video call with my family in the Philippines, anytime. 
6. Have all the time spent for all of my indoor physical exercises and activities.
7. Have all the time with my family - spending time with my son and husband is just the best!  Family mealtime together, always! The family that eats, prays, plays, laughs, talks and does things  together, stays together.

Life is not perfect but life is beautiful.  Hopefully, we will be able to go back to our normal routine.  Resuming to our normal routine means that the covid effect is diminishing  and we are  flattening the curve;  restaurants, museums, schools and all other trade, commerce and businesses will resume operations, so hopefully the economic impact will be mitigated. 

In the meantime, let us continue to pray and seize the day. Enjoy every moment of this. There is always a silver lining no matter how difficult, gray and gloomy times may be. Hang on and keep the faith.

The Amateur Cook in Me.. Filipino Classics in this time of covid quarantine

The kitchen is my sanctuary.  I am so fortunate that in this period of quarantine, I am able to do mindful cooking. And the result is tastier, more delicious food!! My outpouring love as I cooked the dishes was so evident in the taste!! 

This is a homage to the Filipina and the Ilocana in me. :)Mangan tayon! :) 

Main dishes:  Chicken Adobo Flakes 
Ginisang Repolyo with Canned Tuna and Sardines 

Snacks: - typical during the lenten season 
Ginataang Bilo Bilo 
Biko with Latik (Glutinous Rice with Coconut Curd) 

Chicken Adobo Flakes 
Complexity: Easy 
Prep and Cooking Time:  45 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. Chicken wings or chicken thighs 
2. Soy sauce 
3. Vinegar 
4. Lots of peppercorn 
5. Lots of garlic, minced 
6. Water 
7. Olive oil 
8. Diced potatoes, optional 
9. Ginger, optional

1. Heat the pan with olive oil. 
2. Slightly fry the potatoes until they are light brown.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add a portion of the minced garlic and the ginger.  Mix. 
4. Add the chicken and cook until they are brown. 
5. Add the peppercorn, soy sauce, vinegar, water and let it boil. Upon boiling set to medium fire until the water evaporates and the chicken is cooked (typically in 10 minutes).   
6. When the chicken is cooked, separate the chicken from the adobo sauce (strain). Debone the chicken and cut them into strips. Set aside. 
7. In a separate heated pan, put olive oil, the remaining garlic, the deboned chicken and the fried diced potatoes.  Pour the remaining adobo sauce and cook for additional 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced. 
8. Ready to serve and enjoy with steamed white rice!! Naimas! Masarap!! Que rico!! 

Ginisang Repolyo with Canned Tuna and Sardines 
Complexity: Easy 
Prep and Cooking Time:  25 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. Minced Garlic
2. Minced Onion
3. Olive Oil 
4. Fish Sauce and Water 
5. Ground black pepper 
6. Cabbage thinly sliced 
7. Carrots sliced in julienne 
8. Canned Tuna and Sardines 

1. Heat the pan with olive oil.  Saute garlic and onion. 
2. Add the cabbage and the carrots. Add the black pepper. Mix. Cover and let it steam for 3 minutes.  Mix well. 
3. Add the canned tuna and sardines.  Add the fish sauce. Mix and add water. 
4. Let it boil.  And then simmer until the cabbage is cooked (additional 10 minutes). 
5.  Serve with white steamed rice!! Enjoy!! Naimas!! Masarap! Que rico! 


Ginataang Bilo-bilo 
Complexity:  Easy 
Prep and Cooking time:  45 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. 1 can coconut milk 
2. Glutinous flour
3. Sweet potato/camote, diced 
4. Banana, sliced 
5. Optional:  langka, ube halaya, tapioca 
6. Brown sugar 

1.  To prepare the bilo-bilo:  in a bowl, mix the glutinous flour and water until they are all incorporated and sticky.  Using yours hands, form in small circles the bilo-bilo and set aside. 
2. Pour a portion of the coconut milk with water and the diced sweet potato in a pot.  Upon 1st boiling, add the rest of the ingredients - banana, langka, ube halaya, tapioca, bilo-bilo (glutinous flour), coconut milk and brown sugar. 
3. Cook until all the ingredients are properly incorporated and cooked.  
4. Serve and enjoy while still hot!! 


Biko (Glutinous Sticky Rice with Coconut Curd) 
Complexity:  Easy but requires a lot of muscle strength for mixing 
Prep and Cooking time:  45 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. Glutinuous Rice. cleaned and washed 
2. Coconut Milk 
3. Brown sugar 

1. In a pot, put the glutinous rice with coconut milk (1 cup). Cook until the glutinous rice has absorbed all the liquid and has rice texture. 
2. In a separate pot, pour the coconut milk (1 - 2 cups) and let it boil and evaporate until all is left the coconut oil and the coconut curd.  Stir to avoid being burnt.  Set aside. 
3. In a separate pot, pour 2 cups of coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix well, until a slightly thick consistency is achieved. Add the cooked glutinous rice and mix well, until all the ingredients are properly incorporated. 
4. Transfer the biko (cooked glutinous rice) in a tray and put the latik (coconut curd) as toppings. 

The Amateur Cook In Me.. Various Recipes in this Covid Quarantine

Here are the recipes of some of the dishes that I prepared during this time of covid.  Needless to say, they are delicious, budget friendly and cooked with love.  

Asian Dish:  Beef with Broccoli 
Complexity:  Medium 
Prep and Cooking time:  45 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. Beef sirloin
2. Ginger or turmeric 
3. Garlic 
4. Onion
5. Cornstarch dissolved in water 
6. Broccoli 
7. Carrots 
8. Olive Oil 
9. Water 
10. Egg 
11. Ground black pepper 

1. In a bowl, put the beef and add the soy sauce, cornstarch, black pepper and egg.  Mix well and set aside. 
2. Blanch the carrots and the broccoli and set aside. 
3. In a pan, pour the olive oil and saute a portion of the the garlic and the onion. Add the ginger. 
4. Add the beef. Cook the beef until tender and set aside. 
5. Saute the remaining garlic, onion and ginger.  Add the blanched broccoli and carrots.  Pourthe remaining soy sauce, cornstarch dissolved in water. And mix.  Add the ground pepper to taste.  Let it boil. 
6. Add the beef and simmer for 7 minutes. 
7. Best served with steamed white rice.  Enjoy! 

American Dish:  Home made Flatbread (home made dough) 
Complexity:  Easy 
Prep and Cooking time: 3 hours 

Ingredients: 
For the dough: 
1. Flour 
2. Salt 
3. Water 

For the flatbread: 
1. Mushrooms 
2. Garlic 
3. Canned tomato sauce 
4. Mozarella cheese 
5. Ham

1. For the dough: Mix the flour, salt and water.  Knead until the ingredients are properly incorporated. Cover with damp towel or in a kitchen film and set aside for 1 hour to let it ferment/set. 
2. When the dough is set, with the rolling pin, form it as a pizza or flatbread base. 
3. Slice the ingredients - mushroom and garlic. 
4. Prepare the flatbread. Flatbread dough, tomato sauce, mozarella cheese and the toppings. 
5. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. 
6. Enjoy!! 


Spanish Dish: Merluza con Salsa Verde 
Complexity:  Easy 
Prep and Cooking time:  30 minutes 

Ingredients: 
1. Hake/Merluza 
2. White wine for cooking 
3. Parsley 
4. Potatoes 
5. Onion 
6. Olive Oil 

1. In a pan, pour the olive oil and cook the potatoes until they are brown.  Set aside. 
2. In the same pan, saute the onion, add the fish (hake/merluza) and add the white wine.  Let it simmer until the alcohol from the white wine evaporates. 
3. Add the potatoes. Cook them all together until the potatoes are cooked. 
4.  Add the parsley. 
5. Ready and enjoy your meal! 

My Lovestory with Asiandramas

Netflix catalogue and the latest in streaming has been a staple group conversation topic in this time of quarantine.  I get all thrilled seeing comments, images, features on Korean dramas in my feed!  Kdramas give a totally wholesome feel good and giddy impact. It´s funny because as the years go by, as more and more kdramas are produced, they just keep getting better!! 

I am now in my early 40s but kdramas continue to give me the feels! It all started when I was in my mid-20s. It was triggered by my first ever asian drama, Meteor Garden. It was a phenomenal hit! The lead actors were just so handsome, not the stereotype looks. The story is shallow and too much for middle schoolers, a lot of bullying, but as a young professional in my mid 20s, I got so hooked! 

From Meteor Garden, Taiwan based asian drama, the subsequent dramas that I invested my time on were Korean dramas.  I started watching kdramas in my mid 20s, took a pause when I was on my 3rd year here in Spain and resumed watching 3 years after and from then on, so far so good. The list just keeps getting longer!! :D:D:D:D I still remember my "commuting days" - after a productive day at work, I lwould leave the office on time to make sure that I reach the primetime block (1930h) in the Philippine television. 😄😅

Kdramas tick because of the storyline. It tackles love, family, love triangle, ambitions, values, beliefs and all sorts of relationships.  Needless to say, the lead actors are just so gorgeous! Poreless! Beautiful! Eye candies!  They are oh so fashionable as well! There is something with the way the leads look at each other as they profess their love! The kdramas also paved the way for the famous Kdrama heart sign. 

Kdramas are good stress busters, stress relievers. A glimpse of the gorgeous Korean leads is a perfect way to cap my busy, demanding and strenuous week combined by family and work obligations. I get so thrilled, I would scream like a giddy teenager and my husband gushes and supports me! Isn´t that amazing? 

I am self confessed Asian drama fan and I am proud of it! It has helped me as I coped with my anxiety and with my busy lifestyle as a working mom.  It has been a perennial topic with my closest friends and it rekindles so many good and beautiful memories.  

I would like to share with you a shortlist of my favorite Kdramas, Actors and Playlists. 
Warning: Some our super old, which is a reflection of my age/generation. :D

Kdramas: 

1. Winter Sonata

2. Meteor Garden 

3. Jang-geum A Jewel in the Palace

4. Moon Embracing the Sun 

5. All about Eve 

6. Love Letter 

7. Goblin

8. Its Okay That´s Love

9. My Love from the Star 

10. Crash Landing on You

11. Legend of the Blue Sea 

Playlists:  

1.Legend of the Blue Sea - Someday, Somewhere (by Sung Si Kyung) 

2. Moon Embracing the Sun - Tears falling like Today and Every Moment of You (by Sung Si Kyung) 
3. Two People (by Sung Si Kyung) 
4. Last Love (by Kim Bum Soo) 
5. Lee Min Ho´s My Everything and Always 

3. Love Letter 

The Hearthrobs: 

(all photos not mine. CTTO. All photos grabbed from the net. Thank you). 

 The original: Jerry Yan

  The original: Jerry Yan

 Kim Soo Hyun

 Lee Min Ho

 Hyun Bin

Park Seo Joon