After A Long Day.....

Sometimes things get the better of you. No matter how you tried to be rational, civil and level headed about matters, you just have to say your piece. You just have to let everyone know where you stand, be clear about how you want to be treated - fairly and with respect. It's not imposing respect nor demanding it but it's a simple courtesy that one should extend to another. It's good manners and right conduct to say the least.

It gets pretty annoying dealing with people who are fond of power play to cover their insecurities. Good breeding tells you not to stoop down to their level but moral responsibility tells you you just have to hold your ground, speak your mind and deal with them head on. And so I did without sacrificing integrity, professionalism and tact. Pat on the back for me.

Having said those, let me move on and do one of my favorite things in the world. One of them is snuggling with my daughter before she goes to sleep with soft pillows all around us on her soft bed with the blasting sound coming from the television as our musical score, showing an MTV of I-don't-know-what-band-this-time. Haha.

It feels good knowing that after a long day you are with your family who loves you the most and you love the most.

Funny

I missed doing Photo Hunt especially when I checked the comments and saw familiar names of participants which I used to visit when I was so active in this meme. But I am back. The blogging bug hits me again and I just so eager to keep on posting.

It's Funny for this week's theme in Photo Hunt. I'd like to share photos of my niece in some of her unguarded moments which we find cute and funny. They were all captured by my brother.

Here's one during Thanksgiving. Frankie, my niece, just had to take a bite of their turkey with all her passion. Haha.


The next two pictures were taken a few months ago. She fell asleep while playing the computer. Does it seem like she doesn't want to have anyone take her mouse away from her. Haha.


You are so cute, Frankie dear!

Claw Daddy

It was hubby's birthday a few weeks ago. It was just a family affair, meaning just us three. We had lunch and bought a few things in one of our favorite places in the metro, Bonifacio High Street.

Claw Daddy is the hubby's choice for that particular day. We did away with our usual order of seafood boil since I have been watching my diet. We can't consume them all. I was contented with my nachos and a few dips of carbonara from daughter's plate.

The barbecue sauce proved too much for me. I just really like my nachos simple - with cheese and salsa dip. I fancy the red chips though.


BBQ Nachos
The smoked baby back ribs isn't really appetizing for me. The charred portions are really bad. Scrape, Daddy, scrape! Well he knows it's not good so scrape he did.


Smoked Baby Back Ribs
The carbonara was really good. It has the right creaminess for my taste.


Classic Rustic Carbonara
Happy weekend! I am so looking forward to this weekend. :)

***More food sharing at Picture Clusters and Food Trip Friday.

Tokyo Cafe

Before the pursuit for my daughter's dress and everything else, we had a late lunch at Tokyo Cafe. I often pass by this restaurant but have never really tried the branch at SM North EDSA. I love their food display though. They are synthetic yes, but still appetizing.

My husband had lunch here a few weeks ago and he loved what he had. He told me what he ordered but it escaped me now. Anyway, it was a good thing there were vacant tables and there was a good spot where we can sit so we decided to try Tokyo Cafe last Saturday.

The restaurant is compact but it does not invade the customers' privacy. You can still carry a conversation with whoever you are with without the people from the other tables hearing whatever you are saying (unless you intentionally eavesdrop, haha).

The speed of service is just fine. It's like the usual fast casual restaurants. Maybe we waited for about twenty minutes for our food to be delivered. They served orders on a staggered basis.

The restaurant is small but I find it still cozy. I love the poster hanging in one of the walls.


Take note also of the mural. I guess that makes the size of the restaurant to be perceived as bigger than it really is.


Us. :)
We will definitely go back here. I was really satisfied with the food, the price is good enough. Tokyo Cafe was also the first restaurant I made time to give a tip to my network in my foursquare account. I just said they should try Creamy Ebiko Pasta. I trusted my instincts and ordered it. Anything with shrimps I adore, Creamy Ebiko Pasta for me.


Creamy Ebiko Pasta, P255
It's so yummy and the shrimps are generously spread. I don't have the faintest idea how they do it but the pasta tasted so much like there are a thousand shrimps in it. Maybe it's the seasoning they put.


Chicken in a Basket, P305
My daughter had her the Chicken in a Basket which comes with fries and of course, gravy. We ordered the 3-piece basket. The picture did not do justice but they're quite big. I just had two or three bites (I'm maintaining my diet) but the skin is really crispy. I love it that the chicken were able to hold the heat for a good number of minutes.


Pepperoni Pizza, P258
My husband, a pizza-loving person, tried the Pepperoni Pizza. I only had a slice but yes, thin crust is love! I love the crispiness especially the edges.

We were supposed to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but since it's three hours and we finished late with our little shopping, we postponed the movie date. Instead I bought my favorite chocolate cake from Mary Grace. Yummylicious too, sinfully delicious.


Chocolate Cake, Mini, P245
Burning calories after all these food.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's another week we are facing. Have a great one!

Vantage Point

My daughter and I spent a few minutes "arguing" about what dress we should buy for her. This is going to be used for our major church event next week. I thought the printed dress with frills and laces suit her. It's in between dainty and trendy. But she chose not to hear what I was saying.

It did get into me that she did not like anything I suggested she try. It exasperated me. I told her just look for something she wants. She wanted this black dress to which I said no. It doesn't match with the sacred occasion she is going to attend. I just had to let out a big sigh.

She's about seven months away from being a teenager and we are already having this "disagreement". I know this day will come. I heard this kind of story from my parents. I just have to accept that my daughter has her own preferences already. She knows what she wants for herself especially in what to wear.

Things ended well in our pursuit for her dress. It's a great thing that we both like what I picked. She wanted the dress so much plus the shoes we were both eyeing. And she had a bonus Spongebob shirt from me. :)

Generally, my daughter and I love to bond. There are a thousand and one things we love doing together. We both love shopping (what mother and daughter do not?). We both love books and a trip to the bookstore is one activity we both enjoy. We love magazines too. We love music though from different genres. I could go on and on.

But it's a fact of life that mothers and daughters have their own choices. We may like the same things but there will come a point that the daughter will take a different course. She has a mind of her own and I should respect her disposition and choices. Early as it sounds at 12, I want to be prepared for this. It's the dress now, I am not sure what later on. But I will always be a mother, ready to guide and coach her, maybe from a distance. I promise not to hover but stay at a good distance, keep a good vantage point. That should be fair enough.