A day in the paradise: My 26th

I have always been so fascinated of Shangrila Hotels ever since i saw them in post cards and online. So it's now my time to experience the luxury this brand has to offer to its customers.

I was about to celebrate my birthday and was planning to just spend it somewhere near Cebu City so i could just relax without having to travel long. You know traveling can be so exhausting. 

So i decided to book an overnight stay at the Shangrila Resort in Mactan Cebu in a De Luxe Room on September 25, 2014. Yeah, Shangrila, known for its 5-star rating, is quite expensive and could really damage your wallet badly. But anyway, i only spend my birthday once a year so be it in Shangrila then.

Cafe Noriter

Here's my photoblog of Cafe Noriter. All photos herewith are all original (unedited) captured using Canon EOS 55D.

Cafe Noriter

Archbishop Reyes Ave, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

 The entrance...

 The Bar...

 Group selfie...

 The over priced bread. LOL

 A stairway to the top deck...

 They only have very few coffee and food selections...

 With my NCR officemates...

 I love Teddy!!! BTW, those 2 koreans behind me are the owners

It's all in Bohol, Bohol has it all!

Bohol has always been a dream destination for many tourists both local and international. Who wouldn't want to visit this island full of beautiful white sand beaches?

Here's a photoblog featuring 2 of the most sought staycations in Bohol, Amorita Resort and Bellevue. All photos herewith are original (unedited) using a Canon EOS 55D.

A white long beach of Dumaluan.

Amorita Resort

Infinity Pool at Amorita Resort.

 Right on top of a hill lies the infinity pool of Amorita. Dumaluan beach is a great  backdrop.

 Cozy beds on the hill where air is nothing but fresh!

 The Gang. Special thanks to Aqui for hosting us in Bohol. Of course, Rex and Judy for their hospitality.

 Chillin' on top! love this site.

 One formal pose.

 Group selfie... Ivy, Acqui and Judy..

Now moving on to Bellevue Resort.

Native cabanas housing the restaurant.

 Lovely touch of nature.

 The white sand beach.

 The hotel's main wing.

 Group selfie.

thanks for visiting....

josh Kitchen: Mango Crepe

Filipinos are fond of sweets. That's why we always love desserts. While there are varieties of tropical fruits available, i always like putting Mango on top of my list.

Here is my own version of Mango Crepe. Crepe is actually a pan cake in a thinner version. For this entry, i used fresh mango fruits and whip cream as fillings. 

Ingredients: 

- 2 pcs fresh Mango Fruits

- 2 cups of cake flour

- 1 table spoon mango flavoring syrup

- 20 grams butter

- 2 pcs of eggs

- 2 cups of refined (white) sugar

For my home made whip cream:

- 250 ml all purpoae cream

- 1 cup of refined sugar

- 1 teaspoon of mango syrup

You don't want your crepe to be oily so do not pour oil on your pan. Instead, soak a small piece of tissue in a bowl of oil and apply it on the pan. Ensure that your pan is hot enought before you pour your mixture. Occassionally lift your pan when it gets too hot to avoid burning your crepe.

Here's the finish product!

Cheers,

Joshua

- josh Kitchen

josh Kitchen: Mango Pana Cotta

I have always been a fan of lovely looking desserts. It just gives me a sense of foodgasm in my appetite. 

Since i love mangoes, i tried putting this flavor into my own version of Pana Cotta. This dessert is very easy to make. You'll need fresh mango fruits, sliced and puree and some sweeteners. See the list of ingredients below: 

Ingredients:

3 pcs of riped mangos 

1 table spoon of mango flavor

2 cups of fresh milk

3 table spoons of gelatin (unflavored)

1 cup of white/refined sugar

Procedure:

1. Peel off the riped mango. Create a puree out of 1 mango (you may use blender on this), while slice in small long pieces the other 2 mangos.

2. On a low heated pan, pour the fresh milk and sugar. 

3. While waiting for the sugar to dissolve, using a bowl, create a gelatin mixture (use a luke warm water).

4. Once the sugar already dissolves in the milk, pour your gelatin mixture in the pan.

5. Stir occassionally. Once you get a sticky texture, pour it in a bowl or molder.

6. Add the sliced mangos on top of the molded pana cotta. 

7. Refrigarate before serving.

Finished Products:

Cheers,

Joshua

-josh Kitchen

josh Kitchen: Cheesy Italian Bread Pizza

This Pizza Bread is perfect for friends and family at home. It is very easy to prepare and won't require baking. 

I used a loaf bread (big size) which served as the dough of the pizza. I used anmicrowave oven to heat up and toast the bread. 

Ingredients: 

1 pack Loaf Bread

1 pack Italian Pizza Sauce

2 packs of Cheeze

100 gm Cooked Ham

10 gm butter

1 pack fresh pine apple

Basil leaves (pounded) 

Finished product: 

Cheers,

Joshua

- josh Kitchen ❤️

josh Kitchen: Mango de Crema in a Jar

My inspiration of this creation is the cake in a jar of Country Basket pastries. I was able to taste their product but was not that happy of its taste. Not that it was bad, i just didn't get the flavors i was expecting. So, here i come, trying to showcase my own creation in a jar. 

Whenever i cook food or make desserts, i always want to give a twist of them to bring something new out of the tradition. This Mango de Crema has different texture in each layer, from flakes to crushed Grahams plus nuts.

Ingredients: 

3 pcs fresh mango fruits

1 pack of Graham crushed

1 pack of Graham Flakes

1 can condensed milk

1 can All Purpose Cream

1 pack raisins

1 small pack of Peanut Brittle 

Cheers,

Josh

-joshKitchen 

josh Kitchen: Hot & Spicy Tuna Pasta

Pasta with toasted & buttered bread

Ingredients: 

500gm Pasta

2 cans of Hot & Spicy Tuna

2 cups (500ml) of Fresh Milk

1 pack McCornick Creamy Garlic Pasta Sauce

Basil leaves (pund)

White pepper (powder)

Oregano (pound)

20gm butter

Method:

1. Cook Pasta in a boiling water for about 8 min. Put 1 table spoon of oil and butter in the boiling water.

2. Set aside cooked pasta in a caserole of warm water.

3. In a pan, put oil and butter. Once butter has melted, put the hot & spicy tuna. Let it simmer. 

4. In a bowl, mix the fresh milk and pasta sauce powder, stir it well until powder dissolves in milk.

5. Pour the mixture in the pan of tuna. Stir occasionally.

6. Add white pepper, basil and oregano spices. 

7. Once the sauce already thickens, pour it on the pasta you've set aside. 

Enjoy it with toasted bread.

Backpacking Beijing (Part 2)

Hello there, thanks for checking my blog. This entry is a sequel to my Backpacking escapade in Beijing! 

Beijing, being China's capital is very rich in history and culture. This very big city has been a witness of the Ancient, Imperial, and Modern China. Different Dynasties had ruled China in Beijing hundreds of years back. This is why Beijing has become one of the centers of culture and tourism of China.

Backpacking Beijing (Part 1)

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” 

― G.K. Chesterton

I was fortunate enough to have obtained a Chinese Visa despite of a not so good relationship between the 2 states (PH & CH). I have traveled to a number of countries, often alone; however, traveling to China is one heck of a challenge.

First, people in China do not speak English (well, at most majorities). Second, Beijing is so BIG. By big I mean its land area and its crowded population making it hard to move around the city. Lastly, I was limited to a 3-day trip which I had to carefully maximize. 

Bonding at Bondi Beach Sydney [PhotoBlog]

This is the view that welcomes us after getting off the bus. I took this photo from the road right at the bus stop.

Who says beach is only for summer? Well, this is not true for Aussies as Bondi Beach was swamped with locals and tourists even during Fall. 

It was a weekend in Sydney when my very good friend Yanti toured me in some of the beautiful sites of the city. After a steeply walk in The Gap, Yanti brought me to Bondi Beach.

Bondi is one of the many beaches in Sydney that is located just few minutes from the CBD. It took us a smooth 20-minute bus ride to reach the beach. Since it was Fall, the sea breeze was really cold which we often refer to a winter breeze. 

Experiencing NSW Australia's capital, Sydney!

My week of hectic schedule in Auckland and Wellington New Zealand was set to end in Sydney. Australia was part of my business itinerary for the following week. I opted to spend my weekend in Sydney as i had a couple of friends to meet. Yanti was one of them. She was the former Team Lead of the accounts i am currentl managing in Cebu when the business was still in Sydney.

I got a very early flight (06:10AM) with Air New Zealand. With that being said, i had to be in the Wellington International Airport as early as 3:30AM. Geez, i woke up at 2:45AM! Anyway, fast forward. Sydney is 3 hours flight away from Wellington. We landed at the Sydney International airport at 07:20AM local time. Hmmm, wondering about the time? Well, Sydney is 2 hours behind NZ so just do thr math.