Mellow Yellow Monday #34: Red, blue and yellow

@ mirandablue

A bold statement displayed at the Eastwood mall to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day last June 12th.   Today, we are also celebrating the National Heroes Day---the colors of our national flag are appropriate for today's celebration. The yellow sun also cheers me up on this rainy, stormy day.

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Emeral Vine/Today's Flowers #51

@ mirandablue
Strongylodon macrobotrys, Emerald Vine, Jade Vine, Tayabak

A species of leguminous perennial woody vine, a native of the tropical forests of the Philippines, with stems that can reach up to 18 meters in length. A member of the Fabaceae (the pea and bean family), it is closely related to beans such as kidney bean and runner bean.  

This was taken at a pergola in Eden Nature Park, Davao City.

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." ~ Walter Hagen

Flowers from around the world at Today's Flowers

Callos ala Monserat

@ mirandablue

I planned of cooking callos on Sunday--I had been craving for it the past few days.  I had all the ingredients ready. Unfortunately, I woke up late on Sunday morning and my mother was already cooking for lunch while I was making coffee.  I am a firm believer of  "too may cooks spoil the broth" so I let her be. This is my mom's version of callos---and her name is Monserat.  She added the bacon but not the Chinese sausage which she claimed she didn't notice in the chiller.  I know she prefers Chorizo de Bilbao. My mother, a stickler to her own cooking style, didn't add white wine, either.  The result was still callos...it was missing the flavors that I craved for, but I couldn't complain, could I?:p

Callos is a stew of ox tripe, sausage and chickpeas.

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Signs: Spread Love and Stupidity

@ mirandablue

I don't know what this store slogan was all about---I had to google David & Goliath.  Their website says that they "make stupid stuff, so you don't have to."  They design and manufacture "stupid, funny graphics that aficionados love to wear".  Their store is called "Stupid Factory" and they're pretty successful, too.  I don't get it.:p

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Mellow Yellow Monday # 33: Golden bamboo

@ mirandablue

A foliage of golden bamboo at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City.  Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the planet, and has cultural and economic significance not only in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia.  It has a potential to preserve the forests, contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, provide food, livelihood and a versatile raw material. Bamboo also plays an important role in the Philippine creation myth.  Legend tells that the first man, Malakas (strong), and the first woman, Maganda (beautiful), each emerged from split bamboo stems. :p

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Pink Periwinkle/Today's Flower #50

@ mirandablue
Periwinkle, Chichirica, Catharanthus roseus

Study of the leaf juice showed that it lowers blood glucose supporting its Ayurvedic use for diabetes.  The anti-cancer drugs, vincristine and vinblastine, are derived from the alkaloids of periwinkle.   Extract from leaves has potential anti-bacterial agents, it also aids in wound healing, and has antioxidants.  In folk medicine, it is being used for dysmenorrhea and high blood pressure; juice of leaves is used for bee stings, flower decoction is used for asthma, root decoction maybe abortive, and is used for intestinal parasiticism. Source

"Whoever loves and understands a garden will find contentment within." 

~ Chinese Proverb

@ mirandablue

See flowers from around the world at Today's Flowers

Hungarian sausage & shrimps pasta

@ mirandablue

Pasta dishes at Icings are my current favorite.  This is the Hungarian sausage and shrimps pasta I had last week.  The light tomato-based sauce blends well with the spicy sausage.  I visit them once a week now, trying other dishes in their menu one at a time.  They have great-looking cakes, too.  Too bad, I'm not very fond of cakes but would definitely buy one soon--their cakes make the best-looking hostess' gift.

Join us at Food Friday hosted by Maiylah

Signs: Finally, a price rollback!

@ mirandablue

Took a snap at this sign while I was filling up at Shell.  A 1.50-peso rollback in oil prices took effect on Sunday after cost of oil  fell by $7 per barrel last week.  It took oil companies a week to reduce prices whereas price hikes usually take effect immediately.  I believe the rollback should be more than 1.50 pesos per liter. The seemingly slow response of oil firms in reducing prices exasperates the public, especially the transportation sector. But what is more annoying is seeing the government's helplessness in this situation. Unlike in other Asian countries where gas prices are subsidized, the petroleum industry in the Philippines is deregulated, forcing consumers to pay free-market rates for gas.  In this year alone, gas prices here went up 18 times!

More at Signs, Signs

Golden Trumpet

@ mirandablue
Allamanda cathartica, Golden Trumpet, Yellow Bell

Allamanda cathartica is notable for its medicinal properties; all parts of the plant contain allamandin, a toxic iridoid lactone.  The leaves, roots and flowers maybe used in the preparation of a powerful cathartic (hence the name); the milky sap is also known to possess anti-bacterial and possibly anti-cancer properties.  Gardeners exposed to the sap will develop rashes, itch and blisters. (Source:  Wiki)

"Flowers...are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

@ mirandablue

Today's Flowers #49

See flowers from around the world at Today's Flowers

and delightful yellows at Mellow Yellow Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday #32

Batchoy craving

@ mirandablue
La Paz Batchoy from Ted's Oldtimer La Paz Batchoy

Blame it on memory gap.  I couldn't remember if this was Extra Super Batchoy or the variant Beef Batchoy.  But I remember it was über delicious!:p

I've been hankering for La Paz batchoy since the typhoons and monsoon rains started.  Batchoy is my ultimate comfort food---it's a hearty bowl of hot, feel-good soup and nostalgia.   It is a quintessential Ilonggo dish as sisig to the  Kapampangans. Growing up in Negros, we had batchoy any time of the day, in all kinds of weather.  Unlimited servings of kaldo (soup), chicharon bits and crunchy garlic were free then.

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Signs: Smoking Area

@ mirandablue

A sign outside a mall. Last month, MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) started implementing its drive against smoking in public places.  MMDA teams arrested several people caught still puffing away in various areas.  Offenders insisted they were not aware of the anti-smoking drive (even after months of information campaign).  I hope MMDA would impose stiffer penalties.

Join us at Signs, Signs hosted by Lesley

Midweek Blues: At the bar

@ mirandablue

If your doctor warns you that you have to watch your drinking, find a bar with a mirror. ~ John Mooney

Join us at Midweek Blues hosted by Rebecca

Mellow Yellow Monday #31: Mother of Pearl Dish

@ mirandablue

A polished mother of pearl dish accented with cast brass frog on a leaf.  Designed and crafted by a company in Cebu.

More cheerful yellows at Mellow Yellow Monday

Purple Rain/Today's Flowers #48

@ mirandablue
Purple Rain, Dendrobium

A huge genus of orchids that contains about 1,200 species, over 60 species are recorded in the Philippines. 

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

@ mirandablue

More flowers from around the world at Today's Flowers

Bulalo Soup for the Soul

@ mirandablue

A bowl of hot beef bone marrow soup, more popularly known as Bulalo.  This was a kind of reward after a long drive in Batangas on a dark, rainy night. The hot soup energized us on our journey home.  

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Lots of Signs

@ mirandablue

A myriad of signs along the highway at Subic, Zambales when we stopped to buy paracetamol from a drugstore.

P.S.  I wasn't able to link up last week so I'm re-posting last week's post.

My contribution to Lesley's Signs, Signs

Mellow Yellow Monday # 30: Yellow Flowers

@ mirandablue

Bunches of yellow flowers grace these vases made from carabao (water buffalo) horn.  The mirror frames are also crafted from carabao horn.  The Philippine Carabao Center promotes the carabao as a multi-purpose animal and a source of milk, meat, hide and draft. Taken from TN Philippines' booth at the Manila FAME.

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