I grew up eating fruits at home. My Papa and Mama made sure we have fruits day in and day out. It was normal back then for me and my siblings to be eating guava at 10 in the evening! We used to eat cocoa fruit picked from our backyard. I even go to see movies with a kilo of rambutan and lanzones as snacks. Ask hubby, he knows but thinks I'm weird. LOL
I planted two rambutan fruit trees in front and back of our yard last weekend but I guess I still have to wait for another five years to enjoy on its fruits! I love seeing fruits in the market. I love pictures of fruits! I am a proud fruit lover!
And so sharing you snapshots of fruits on my table.
I Hope you enjoy fruits (and photos of them) as much as I do!
One day at work, I checked on my phone to see three missed calls and one text message from a certain "Cess" who introduced herself as working for GMANewsTV, asking if is it okay to call.
As crazy as I am, I panicked! Why would someone from GMANewsTV contact me? Has something happened to my family? Feeling important? LOL. I called Freedom's yaya, Naynay. They are okay. I called my husband. He is okay, waiting for me at MarketMarket Mall. I am indeed crazy. Crazy paranoid.
And so after my shift, I found out that through their researchers, they bumped into my blog and they were inviting me to be a guest reviewer on PopTalk as they will be having an ilonggo cuisine review episode. I panicked again!
Overwhelmed and excited, I called my husband to ask what to answer. He excitedly said, are you crazy? Go!
Oh how I love my husband!
I didn't have much sleep the night before the taping. I was very excited! You can't blame me. This is one show me and my husband watch every Saturday! Oh how we love food adventures on TV -- from Jamie Oliver to Andrew Zimmern to Nigella Lawson down to Anthony Bourdain.
And so our day began at 10am in the first restaurant in Makati. The whole crew was very nice. While setting up, I got the chance to chat with Chef Jackie and Arthur as well as the restaurant's owner. We were chatting in Hiligaynon (ilonggo), I felt so relaxed and at ease. Jitters? Gone.
This is where I learned how hard and tedious it is to produce a show. While I'm aware that tiny details are important, I was amazed at how patient and resilient the crew and the artists behind scenes are!
What struck me the most about this show was, all reviews and comments were impromptu! So you better know what you're talking about the food and stuff. Ay paktay! Magaling ako sa mga impromptu na yan! LOL
This is why I adore Kuya Tonipet so much. He's very professional and knows well how to make first-time guest reviewers like me feel welcome. Thank you, Kuya Pet!
On the other hand, Arthur was very friendly, humble and nice. He is a surprisingly soft-spoken lad so you can imagine him speaking in ilonggo very gently and humbly.
Chef Jackie is a super nice lady, very classy. We chatted along while in transition to our last location which took a little longer than expected, and I've learned so much from her. Chef Jac shared how she and her husband Chef Lau had to give up France to start their business adventure here in Manila and their road to success. I super adore her dedication to her work and no wonder how the Laudico brand is an ultimate success!
Sharing you snap photos during our taping.
Photo credit: PopTalk and GMANewsTV
Photo credit: PopTalk and GMANewsTV
Unfortunately, the whole crew bumped into a big problem when the second restaurant backed out the moment we arrived at the location and as soon as they saw Chef Jackie! I found their reason though a little pathetic and childish. This resto knew PopTalk was coming. The only thing they didn't know was that Chef Jackie was one of the guest reviewers which they didn't even bother to ask in the first place. The management said they couldn't allow Chef Jackie to review their food because she was a "competitor" and it was "unethical."
According to Merriam-Webster: A competitor means one that competes; as rival or one selling or buying goods or services in the same market as another.
Hmmmm..Okay. This is what I only know.
I don't think they serve the same menu concept to customers to tag them as competitors.
I don't think that location wise, they can be rivals.
I don't think they will be that threatened if their food really tastes good, or even great?
I don't ever remember PopTalk being mean to restaurants they review.
AND I don't even think someone would eat in the same restaurant EVERY time.
These days, the more restos to try, the merrier!
OR Maybe they haven't heard of the PopTalk effect yet. PopTalk effect happens every time PopTalk just aired their Saturday restaurant review and sale of those restaurants reviewed on the show skyrockets! How amazing is that? Many restos would die to be featured on the show I'm sure.
Well, maybe they don't need PopTalk to promote them. Maybe they're too high profile to be reviewed on the show. Okay, okay. I get that they may have their own reasons too, but I absolutely didn't admire how they handled the situation. The owner (who was personally acquainted to Laudicos) was there but chose the restaurant manager to bring the bad news to the crew. It was NOT classy at all, not a bit.
From this, I've learned many things that day. I've learned that like any kind of work, challenges are there to overcome. I've learned that no matter how hard the challenges are, you keep on going and you learn how to laugh at it in the end. This was indeed an interesting day for me.
And without further ado, I share to you IlonggaMommy's TV debut on PopTalk. Enjoy!
Video credit: PopTalk and GMANewsTV
And oh how I admire GMANewsTV for giving bloggers and writers like me to have this kind of opportunity. Not that I didn't admire them before. How I love everything they feature on GMANewsTV. They have the passion to promote real stories of Filipinos, true to their commitment to transparent news and current events, local travels, local food and culture.
Watch out for more PopTalk reviews every Saturday on GMANewsTV!
Disclaimer: This is my blog and opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express opinions of the show, its management or staff or even people mentioned above.
One of the challenges that moms face is how to get kids eat as healthy as possible. I don't want to say that I am very strict with what my son eats. I give my son sweets and junk food from time to time so I am guilty as charged.
For me, it's all about balance though. As long as they eat healthy foods regularly, and I mean on a daily basis, sweets and junk are okay occasionally. I am not that SUPER MOM who manipulates everything that gets to my child's mouth. After all, I am a full-time working mom and I don't get to see what my son's classmates offer him at school. I also do not want to judge moms who micromanage what their kids eat. Wow, I wish I can do that! Kudos to them.I salute moms who can give their children good food 100%.
For those moms who are having a hard time getting their kids eat fruits, I've said this a million times before. If you want to get your kid eat fruits or veges, always have them on your table, DAILY. Be an example and eat fruits and veges too! Offer them to your child on a daily basis even though they try their very cute best not to eat them. Make fun shapes out of it. Slice and plate them in any form appealing to toddlers. Normally, toddlers tend to have favorites also. They may not like apples, but you'll be surprised that they like mangoes so much.
I am proud to say I am successful on this challenge. Freedom loves fruits as much as I do, so check na check on Ilonggamommy! Yay!
Sharing you photos on how Freedom loves fruits, and corn!
So I've been updating the look of my simple home and moving things here and there. Below are the amazing results! It's always lovely going home and I thank my hubby he doesn't give a damn when things are all white around the house! LOL
I can't wait for Christmas! I'll show you the look of our home after I've put on all my DIY decors, promise! Have a lovely day, everyone!
Below was my Saturday night's status on Instragram. "So I can't sleep and super stoked to start my Christmas decor projects! Creativity adrenalin is so on but can't do as family time starts early for Freedom tomorrow. So goodnight everyone. Ilonggamommy signing off! Thank you, Lord, for today."
And so on Sunday morning, our chalkboard behind our coaster cabinet was like this. It may remain that way until I get the time to create another Christmas doddle!
I am so excited to finally add this page to my mommy blog! Simply because my journey to God has changed me 360 degrees! I'd like to give credit to my loving husband in my faith walk. For I know that being a mom, it is my main responsibility to raise a God-loving person in Freedom. For I know that the word of God should be spread first at home. For I know that I am under God's light today because of Him. Because He loves me and He didn't let go of my hand when I turned my back on Him.
This is my favorite verse of all TIME! Jesus Christ is the loving God.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Am I really living my dream? I'd say YES. Well I guess my dream is not at par with everyone else's typical dream. A 1000-sqm lot? A 5-car garage parking? A 8-bedroom house? After all, happiness and contentment are still subjective perspectives. You only know what makes you happy. I guess it still doesn't matter where you live but how you live. And I strongly believe that everything we do in life is all because of our choices. And our choices in the past can do a tremendous domino effect in our future.
I am a simple woman with a simple dream. If you have asked me 15 years ago though, I would have answered differently. But as I mature as a woman, wife and a mother, I decided I wanted to live happily and simply. I don't need a big house with a pool if I can't afford it. Why stress what you can't have, right? I'm hoping to own a car or two. A complete, functional small kitchen will also do for me because I love cooking! But oh I am super blessed. God has blessed me in so many ways my human mind and heart could ever imagine.
I learned that to live simply, you have to minimize stress in your life and focus on what really matters. It's not bad as well to aim high but sometimes, doing what you just love will bring you to heights while not stressing it. And oh, being calm and gentle in approaching life and its challenges will help you a lot.
To best describe how I live out my dream today, I'd put it in four words: Simple, fresh, spacious and clean.
They say pictures can paint a thousand words and so I am sharing with you the version of how I simply live out my dream. This is my dream. To live in a place where I hear dozens of birds chirping morning and afternoon. Where I see dragonflies and colorful butterflies in the garden. Where I can smell and breathe fresh breeze of air. Where I see 360 degrees of blue skies. Where my son can enjoy outdoor play. Where I can plant organic vegetables to cook. Where I can have morning coffee in the garden. Where I can see sunsets in full view. Where I can be near nature.
Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the LORD and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."
Amazing skyline!
Morning coffee here? No problemo!
Afternoon walk with this cutie.
Learning about butterflies.
The blue butterfly.
The yellow butterfly.
I can imagine inviting friends and chill out here.
I can imagine my son playing ball here in the coming days.
I can imagine to get sunkissed here in the summer!
How I love this duo.
Dining al fresco anyone?
My humble organic garden.
Giving the kid some responsibility.
I jumped in joy when I first harvested these.
And stoked to harvest a bowl of okra from these babies.
Cooling off the old school style.
Having some normal childhood.
The moment you have your first remote controlled car on a Christmas morning.
