Writing from Paradise ...

This week, I get to check off one more thing on my list of places to visit before I die. :)

I have always wanted to see El Nido in Palawan. I have seen way too many photos of its picturesque bays and limestone cliffs and all the empty beaches and islands, heard so much about its super clear waters and friendly fishes which makes it a great spot for diving or even just snorkelling, and I was really drawn to its sleepy town and the kind of slow days we can have and spend there. So, since we owed the Little Boy a “holiday trip” because we were working on Christmas Day and worked through the rest of the holidays; and because our last two weeks became the busiest, most stressful week we have ever had and we were in dire need of a quiet break just to rest, recharge our batteries and spend time with the Little Boy, we decided (albeit last minute!) to finally go and visit El Nido.

So after a flight to Puerto Princesa, a night’s stopover in the city and a very long, very uncomfortable van ride (more on this later!), we are finally in paradise that is El Nido.

We're actually on Day 4 in Paradise now and we have been enjoying it so much that we’re already dreading the thought of leaving in a couple of days. We haven’t really done much these past few days except for very exhausting activities like feasting on seafood and fruit shakes and fresh coconuts all day, and staring at the water and the views that we never tire of, and listening to the waves, and laying out on the beach, reading a book in a hammock, and the occasional island visits to swim and snorkel and say hi to El Nido’s friendly fishes… and it’s bliss. Spending time in El Nido and having days of doing nothing is such a welcome respite after a very stressful year that I felt went by way too fast.

Our only setback with this trip so far was a fever the Little Boy developed when we got here. We were supposed to spend just 4 days in El Nido, but because we couldn’t really head out to the islands on our first couple of days since we had to let the Little Boy rest, we ended up extending and adding a couple more days to our itinerary and I think and feel that it was the best thing that could’ve happened (Not the fever, of course! Good thing Little Boy’s okay now. El Nido’s Dr. Reyes made a house visit to see him and said it was just a case of cold and fatigue – probably from the 7-hour van ride! And that he just needed to rest and breathe in some fresh sea air.) The thing is, the Mister and I are so used to the “let’s-see-and-do-as-much-as-we-can-possibly-fit-in-a-few-days” kind of travelling, that the concept of not having any set itinerary planned for each and every day of our trip seemed a bit alien to us. Our usual mindset is: since we’re here, let’s make the most out of it and see everything that we could possibly see. But when we were forced to stay in town and in our rooms because the Little Boy had to rest, it made us appreciate the “art of doing nothing”. To be able to wake up in the morning to the sound of waves and fresh sea air, with nothing to do but stare at the bay and not having to worry if you’re running late for island hopping or a breakfast reservation is just refreshing.

Today, the weather seems perfect. It’s 7am and the skies are clear, and with the Little Boy feeling so much better now, I think we’re finally going to head out for some island-hopping today. Today, we finally get to see the famous lagoons of Miniloc, and a few other islands for snorkelling and just lazing under the sun. But who knows? The view is perfect from across our room’s balcony again and that hammock by the beach looks pretty inviting right now so we might just end up doing absolutely nothing again today and the day will still be perfect.

P.S. I realize that in one of my last posts, I made a promise to blog more diligently. Obviously, I haven't made good on that promise. :( And I do apologize. I honestly don't know what made me think I would have the time to blog through the holidays especially since it turned out to be a complete whirlwind for us -- easily the busiest, craziest, most stressful month we had in 2010. It's over now though and while I won't be making any more promises that I might not be able to keep again, I will atleast try to blog as often as I can, every chance I get since I definitely have soooo much more to blog about!

Back from another hiatus!

The universe works in the funniest ways.

The Mister and I had been dealing with some pretty heavy stuff lately and we were getting pretty burnt out when we got a call from his family in Seattle asking us to visit very soon since my dear father-in-law was recently ill and during that time didn't seem like he was getting any better. Of course, the immediate thought bubble was: "Wow, when it rains, it really does pour!". We were of course terribly worried, so we took our chances and tried to book tickets and in no time, we were booked for a flight that leaves in a couple of days and barely had time to pack and fix things at work before we had to leave.

So in a rush, we left all reservations, recipes and bilins to my family and our staff and packed and left for what was supposed to be just a two week-long visit to Seattle.

In the plane on the way to Seattle, I was already thankful for the time off and the extra time I'd have on my hands to spend with family and finally be able to read atleast a couple of the books that have been piling on my bedside table; experiment with more raw food recipes; do yoga daily; and was really looking forward to finally being able to post all my blog backlog from so many of our recent trips and green adventures. What made me think I'd have time to do all those things is beyond me now. Of course, no blogging happened. And as hard as I tried, I didn't even get to read a single page from any of the books I brought with me!

I did get to do so many other things though. Apart from the time we happily spent with family, I did get to enroll at Hot Yoga in Federal Way and was able to go to class almost daily (something I could never do back here since the nearest yoga studio is about an hour away!)... I also went gaga over how beautiful organic veggies and fruits in Washington are and how easily available raw natural food is so the Mister and I ended up cooking up a storm there and making and experimenting with more new dishes than we ever have back home... I was also able to finally fix my body clock and am happy to say that we sleep normal hours now, no longer going to bed way past midnight and waking up a little before noon; and basically, I was just happy for the breather that the Mister and I along with the Little Boy got from this visit.

beautiful fresh organic fall produce

a raw food dinner we prepared in Seattle

The best news, however, was that when we got there, my dear father-in-law was no longer ill and was just getting better and better each day and in no time, was back to his daily laps in the gym pool and watching football like he never even got sick at all! It was like the Universe just made an excuse to get us there for literally a breath of fresh air and a dose of positive energy.

Washington was gorgeous at the time of our visit, too. It was my first fall in the US and I was just amazed and overwhelmed by its beauty: the trees with their red, orange and pink leaves; the beautifully-shaped fallen leaves that still looked just as beautiful covering the streets and the sidewalks as they were when they were still clinging on to their branches; the gorgeous views of snow-capped Mt. Rainier from just about anywhere; the calm lakes and the sounds; and just how crisp and fresh the air was.

Of course, my lovely in-laws were such gracious hosts and took us to more wonderful places to see more of Washington's beauty. We went to Leavenworth for its little Bavarian village that makes you feel like you're in a fairytale; we visited Stevens Pass to make a snowman and throw snowballs; we went to gorgeous Snoqualmie with its trails & waterfalls; Alki Beach for a grand buffet at Salty's and the best view of Seattle and the Puget Sound; and just saw so many incredible places while we were there.



faerietales come to life at Leavenworth



our Little Boy's first snowman!

gorgeous Snoqualmie Falls

the view from Salty's at Alki Beach

On our own, we rented a cozy little apartment at St. John's in Capitol Hill in Seattle for a few nights and explored downtown and its many vegetarian, vegan and raw food cafes! We went for a full Vegan Happy Hour at Plum Bistro; a lovely vegetarian lunch at Cafe Flora; bought colorful organic fruits & veggies from Pike Place Market; had a deliciously spicy Thai vegan dinner at Araya's at the University District; tried raw nachos, yummy cacao tortes and smoothies at Thrive and more raw desserts and chai tea lattes at Chaco Canyon and Healeo. We also met Kelly of Seattle Raw Food and she gave us super useful tips & easy recipes and made us yummy raw treats like tacos, pizza and those carob fudge brownies that were just too delicious! While I am a pescetarian at the moment (I cannot give up seafood & fish just yet -- especially with all the salmon & clam chowder Washington has to offer!!), we did have a lot of full vegan days while we were in Capitol Hill and it felt great! We didn't even have to try so hard to look for full vegan meals because they were so readily available!

flying fish at the Pike Place Fish Market

more fruits and vegetables at the Pike Place Market

Vegan Happy Hour at Plum Bistro

raw nachos at Thrive

In a nutshell, that visit to Seattle (or Washington actually) was just what we needed! We were so happy in Seattle that leaving became a bit painful, so what was supposed to be a visit for just 2 weeks was extended to 3. And despite the extra work that we had to put in just to be able to manage work from the other side of the world and all its hassles, it was worth it! 

It really was amazing. At a point in our lives where were were at the brink of being just too burnt out and jaded, the Universe interferes and conspires to bring us to this place where we were able to regain a sense of belonging and balance in our lives again and gave us that much-needed inspiration and all this positive energy to go forth and live happy and passionately once more!

So, I am grateful. Very, very grateful. And as a means of expressing my gratitude to the Universe, to Washington and for all the beautiful people that sent us so much loving, positive vibes while we were there (whether thru actions, thoughts or thru their wonderful food), I am promising to blog a little more diligently now. I have so much to share about how green the state of Washington is in so many ways and what I've learned on eating sustainably that it would be a pity not to be able to share it with friends and more people. Not to mention all the amazing vegetarian finds we discovered in Washington that I MUST write about!

Also, some of the most important things I brought home from Seattle with me are my new raw food recipe books, a brand spankin' new blender and food processor (yay!) and all the natural raw food ingredients like nuts, carob powder, grains and seeds that I hoarded from the Natural Food Store's bulk section. So needless to say, I've taken over our kitchen now and have been experimenting relentlessly on yummy raw food recipes since we got back! So I've got loads of recipes to share, too!

raw stuffed mushrooms

raw nori shiitake sushi rolls

coconut carob fudge

So dear blog, let me get my recipes together first and starting tomorrow, I'll be posting recipe after recipe, and many other stories to tell, and blogging every day. I promise.

And again, dear Universe, for all your good energy, a big, big THANK YOU. :-)

the Best Boracay Breakfasts at Real Coffee

It's funny how despite the fact that I hardly ever wake up before 10 in the morning, breakfast still remains my favorite meal of the day! Even if I wake up past noon sometimes when everyone else is having lunch, I still must have breakfast food.

So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I found myself frequenting this tiny little shack, hidden in a small alley off White Beach at the end of station 1 for my omelette or iced mocha or french toast fix during our past few trips to Boracay.

 

Real Coffee has become somewhat of an institution on this island already. For years and years now (since 1996 apaprently), Real Coffee has been the go-to place for good coffee and even better breakfasts in Boracay. On any given day, you get both locals, tourists, or long-staying island guests visiting this tiny little hut for coffee and their all-day breakfast!

Some say Real Coffee has become the tourist magnet it is now because of its coffee (at one point, it was the only place where you could get a good cup of coffee on the whole island!).. While others say that its the warm, friendly owner, Lee, that keeps them coming back... Most will argue though that Real Coffee owes its fame to the legendary calamansi muffin!

baking muffins...

Personally, I fell in love with the place just because of its rugged island charm! With its tiny nipa hut structure; its bamboo tables, stools & chairs; the homey open kitchen where the smiling staff busy themselves with brewing coffee, making pancakes and omelettes, baking muffins and serving their guests; their light laughing banter with each other and their guests; mismatched mugs, china and coffee cups; the small jars of Clara Ole jam that they serve with your toast with the bread knife sticking right out of it; and that fat lazy cat that's always ALWAYS napping on one of the stools every single time I'm there... makes being at Real Coffee feel just like having breakfast in your own kitchen. A nice airy kitchen in the province with a view of the blue sea from afar, that is.

Having breakfast at Real Coffee has never failed to cheer me up or just to give me a great kickstart to another day at the beach. And our Real Coffee breakfast on this last visit to Boracay wasn't going to change that.

We arrived in Boracay too early on our first day and while the staff at Discovery Shores were kind enough to give us a temporary room, technically, we really weren't checked-in yet, which meant that complimentary breakfasts didn't apply just yet. Yay! Perfect excuse to head out and bring my mom and the boys to Real Coffee for some good ol' island breakfast fare then.

And boy, did we need comfort food on that first day! After a traumatic flight to Caticlan (turbulence almost throughout the entire flight with a couple of violent dips in the air -- I swear I thought it was the end of us!) and an even rougher landing, all of us needed a good pick-me-up! And Real Coffee certainly did not fail us!

Eek! The plane ride from hell. :(

My mom ordered their Jack-A-Lean Omelette (P250) -- two eggs, onions, tomatoes, tuna and cheese with toast. Now, cheese in an omelette always does it for me but what makes this omelette even better is when you have them put in some pesto (for an add'l P20) so of course I had to be devil's advocate to Mother and convinced her to go for the pesto version.

the Jack-A-Lean Omelette with Pesto & Toast

This Jack-A-Lean Omelette is actually a lighter and as the name suggests, leaner version of one of their best-sellers, the Jack's Omelette (P280) that's made with 3 eggs instead of Jack-A-Lean's 2 eggs! And man, the Jack-A-Lean was already a pretty big breakfast! Mother couldn't even finish it and that was with me stealing forkfuls, too! So I can't even imagine how anyone can even finish the Jack's!

All their breakfast specials come with a cup of brewed coffee or a cup of tea so my mom got her caffeine fix for free! :) So for P270, that's not a pretty bad deal!

The Mister and I decided to split one of our Real Coffee favorites: the Zesto Pesto sandwich with cheese (P220). It was a very hard decision to make though: it was between this or their Egg Salad with Cheese (P170) which is just as amazing!

Zesto Pesto with Cheese

In the end, I think we made the right choice! Chunks of chicken in mayo and pesto mixed with super gooey melted cheese topped with tomatoes & lettuce sandwiched between two toasted, heavily buttered bread. YUM! We couldn't finish this either, their portions were just a bit too big for us, and trust me, that says a lot! :|

The Little Boy being a little French Toast addict at home wanted to try Real Coffee's version. While they had a regular French Toast with Syrup (P130) on the menu, we decided to try the Mango French Toast (P160) which was basically thick slices of mangoes in between two slices of French Toast. Pretty good, too. But I remain faithful to their Banana Pancake (P130) or their Peanut Butter & Mango Jam Sandwich (P100).

Mango French Toast

For drinks, the Little Boy ordered their Calamansi & Mango Shake (P130) which is the perfect drink to order on a hot summer day (though it was a great citrus pick-me-up for any other day, too!), the Mister ordered the Boracay Buzz (P140) which is basically an Iced Mocha with a banana blended in (we love this drink!! Beats Starbucks' frappucinos anytime! ;p), Mother stuck to her cup of brewed coffee that came with her breakfast set while I finally had the perfect excuse to finally order a hot cup of Cafe Mocha (P100).

I had to have dessert, even for breakfast so of course, the mandatory Real Coffee calamansi muffin (P45) was a must. They have other baked goodies like Oatmeal Raisin cookies (P20 or 3 for P55), Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies (P80) that I am absolutely dying to try! ..and a really good Banana Muffin with Walnuts (P45) but it's the calamansi muffin's unique tartness that makes me a loyal fan!

my Calamansi Muffin

Mother, who isn't exactly the adventurous type (I was worried about what she'd think of having breakfast in a tiny little kubo hidden in an alley), absolutely loved Real Coffee! She says that it took her back to her 'probinsya days' when breakfasts were quiet, relaxed, slow, simple affairs. :)

lazy cat seems to think so, too...

And finally, as a testament to my love for this little island breakfast spot... On our last day in Boracay, despite the lavish breakfast buffet we were entitled to at Discovery Shores, I found myself wide awake at 6 in the morning craving for a calamansi muffin. So what's a girl to do? While Mother went to Church and while the boys were still fast asleep, off I went and walked the long stretch of beach from Discovery Shores (from one end of Station 1 to the other) and in some parts, actually waded in thigh-deep waters (it was still high tide at that time) all the way to Real Coffee. Oh, the things I do for a Real Coffee breakfast!

When I got there, I had the whole place to myself so I was able to enjoy a quiet, peaceful breakfast of calamansi muffin and a cold glass of Iced Cafe Mocha (P120), book in hand, while most of the island was still fast asleep... Bliss!