I've been dying to cook ribs since I got my mini oven. I know I've raved about that mean machine of a kitchen appliance since I got it and I don't think I'll be stopping anytime soon. There's just so much to discover in the wonderful world of baking. I haven't even gone to pastries yet! As of the moment, I've only explored veggies and chicken. I've abused the art of baking my vegetables to death because it's highly convenient if you're always on the go. I prepare my veggies during the weekend and pop them in the oven when I don't have a lot of time to spend on cooking. 

I've tried baking pork in the form of Bacon-wrapped Enoki mushrooms. Because, why the hell not? Nothing ever goes wrong with bacon--well, except this. My experiments usually dwell within the confines of Chicken to vegetables. I'm a bit scared when it comes to dealing with Pork because a lot of things can go wrong. And it's not cheap too. 

I am an exceptionally dramatic person. Case in point, I always get nostalgic when I go to QC. I lived and worked in QC for about 5 years and it's like my comfort zone in Manila. It's not in ANY way similar to Baguio, of course. But I get a comforting feeling of familiarity when I go there knowing most of my friends live around the area. I know where to go for cheap drinks, I know where to go for a quick bite, I know where to retreat when I want to be alone. Aside from nostalgia, there's also a sense of bliss knowing I can prance along Maginhawa and satisfy my hungerlust. 

While driving along Maginhawa (I didn't really get to prance around because it was hot), we saw a lot of enticing restaurants we wanted to try but of course our tummies can only handle so much, we decided on Yvan Navy. Unfortunately, we were told they won't be opening until 3PM. We went there around lunch time and realized we were too hungry to wait. We drove again and saw Abdul The Cool. Before that, I remember seeing a friend on Facebook rave about the food so I thought we should find out ourselves. So, Abdul The Cool it is. Side note, I just realized how tedious the decision-making process is when looking for a place to eat. Or maybe I'm just immensely indecisive.

At 20-something, I know I should start taking care of my body. When medical professionals told me my metabolism would start slowing down at this age, I didn't know they weren't kidding. I started to feel ~old~ about 6 months ago, when I got out of the hospital. I was admitted for over a week due to a problem with my Liver and Gastritis. My health drastically went downhill from there. I wasn't allowed to eat solid food for a while, I was prohibited from eating spicy and sour food, I couldn't drink alcohol and I was advised not to smoke. I was also REQUIRED to drink a lot of water. This was the hardest for me. I don't like water, that may come as a surprise to some, but I really loathe water. I mean, it's boring, it's tasteless and I bloat easily. I also have a tendency to pee every now and then because I don't know, tiny bladder perhaps? But whatever, it's very inconvenient! But we all know it's good for us so kids and whoever is reading this, 8-10 glasses or more per day!

With that, I've been trying to re-invent how I cook my food. One time, I was craving for Lechon Kawali but then remembered how painful the whole cooking process is and all the fat and oil that comes along with deep frying. I was wondering if it's possible to ~bake~ the pork since I've been addicted to oven-baked everything since I got a mini oven! I know this defeats the purpose of naming it Lechon Kawali but who cares?! It's as yummy so fuck off!

I moved to Manila some five or six years ago with delusional thoughts of a greener pasture and an idealistic mindset that I'm ready to take on the world and start building my future. Well all know too well I was wrong. Looking for a job isn't hard. Looking for a job that fulfills your needs and wants as a corporate individual, getting paid the right amount with the skill set that you have and being nurtured as a person and as a professional, that's a different story. Another story would be living close to work and being well within your means to at least live a comfortable (not even a lavish one) lifestyle since you're an independent, working person. That's at least what you deserve, right? I couldn't be more wrong. Apparently, Metro Manila and I are not on the same page. 

When I graduated, I was opposed to the idea of moving to Manila for a job. I love Baguio, as mentioned a gazillion times in this blog. The weather, the people, the pine trees, the honest cab drivers, the economical cost of living, I could go on. But my Mom insisted that I find work closer to home. Home is Pampanga, by the way. Contrary to what most people know, I'm not from Baguio. I did study in Baguio, and fell in love with the place in the process. I declare myself an honorary Cordilleran too. Going back, the daily commute has always been one of my vital problems. I worked in the night shift for a while and that didn't seem to prove much of a difference when it comes to the amount of vehicles traversing the major roads. I always make it a point to live close to work to eradicate the tedious travel to and from work, and also to be able to use my time more wisely. I was quite successful with that, until I moved to Ortigas. 

The weather lately has made me think of Sagada more than my usual yearning to be nestled in a cold place while enjoying a cup of coffee and having my daily morning stick. I love the Summer weather but I hate how it makes you all sweaty and sticky. I think I'd prefer the cold weather any day which is why I chose to talk about Echo Valley for today! After traversing the Lumiang-Sumaguing Cave Connection, which would explain why I'm still wearing my rash guard underneath my hoodie, we went on with our journey to explore Echo Valley which is also where you can find the Hanging Coffins of Sagada. 

From the town proper, our guide dropped us off at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, which is an Episcopalian church famous for its rose-colored stained glass windows. After making our way inside the church and offering our own personal prayers, we went on with the tour. You'll pass by Echo Valley on your way to Hanging Coffins. The trek to Echo Valley takes about 10 minutes and another 5 minutes to the Hanging Coffins. Echo Valley was named as such simply because there's an echo whenever you produce a sound. A lot of tourists mistakenly thought it was Kiltepan and started channeling Angelica Panagiban in TTCT--expressing their woes on love as if the echo would make everything go away. More than the illusion of vanishing love woes, the view from Echo Valley was breath-taking. We stayed longer at that spot more than we did at the Hanging Coffins.