Personal // I Did Not Forget

... so I hope you didn't think I had forgotten.

I know this is an almost 24-hour late greeting. But since I was so SWAMPED with work for the past few days (like really, swamped is an understatement) I opted to write you a rather delayed but heartfelt message. Here it goes.

Hi friend! Good morning! 

How does being 23 feel? Exciting? Happy? Anxious? Maybe all of them? I'd understand cause I've been through the exact, same thing! Turning 23 for me felt like a sad, boring plateau, a time when nothing too exciting was going on. Things might seem a bit too overwhelming even though there's really nothing happening, so it could be a tad confusing. Left with a couple of months before I embark on my 24th year of existence, I thought of sharing a ThoughtCatalog-inspired birthday greeting. Maybe I could reuse the same greeting for Madeeha? Who knows.

1. Don't beat yourself up. For anything. Easier said than done! (Jinx, I knew you'd think that.) But really, what's the point of punishing yourself for something unchangeable and beyond your control...at least for now (ie being single, being broke, not knowing what to do). I know I won't be the first person to tell you this, but these things happen to EVERYBODY, so don't feel special for encountering all of them. Nobody has starved to death for not having a concrete life plan, right? RIGHT? So it's okay, be careless, laugh it off, be stupid. Enjoy being 23 because this age does not happen twice in a lifetime. 

2. LOVE. Now being the romantic that you are, I'm quite certain that you were thinking "But Drei, I'm single, remember?" Well, Mel, whoever said that loving has to entail you being with somebody? Again, and I've told you this before, NOW is the perfect time to love yourself. Love yourself for making it for almost eight months in the States through all the ups and downs and stagnancy! Love yourself for crying, because that just means you're human for feeling something, which just means you're normal! Love yourself for being you, because that's what make you special: the eternally supportive you, the crybaby you, the hopeless romantic you, the easily perturbed you. Love yourself for being you, despite all of these weaknesses, because that's exactly why WE love you. *cue in our favorite John Legend song*

3. Take your time. You panic. A LOT. And there's nothing wrong with that (I guess). But amidst the panic and the anxiety and all the negative thoughts and feelings, take your time relishing being unemployed, because having a job would mean less time for friends, Facetime, and blogging. And isn't that sad? Take your time enjoying being single, because once you're back in the game (LOL) finding the time to do introspection and think things through thoroughly and logically could be elusive, since your emotions would by that time be on a high. Take your time not knowing what to do--as long as your longterm goal is clear--because moments like that come very rarely in a world like ours. Take your time appreciating life, your surroundings, the people around you, the feelings you are feeling, the thoughts you have, the little things that make you happy. Because as W. Somerset Maugham puts it, "Nothing in the world is permanent, and we're foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we're still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it."

Happiest of birthdays, Mel. Missing you everyday. 

Drei

Personal // The Silver Lining

I've been wanting to write something personal as I haven't done so in quite a while. The recent circumstances have just been not conducive for coherent writing, so I decided to put it off for a bit. Saying that it has been a long week for me is a complete understatement. Unlike most writers I know, one thing I couldn't get myself to do is writing without thinking...similar to a rant and rave composition? Maybe it's because I'm a such a careful person (not necessarily in a good way) that I couldn't just write stuff down without having to contemplate if it sounds good or not. Nevertheless, that's exactly how I'm rolling right at this very moment. I have way too much in mind that I opt to get hold of an outlet for my thoughts--perhaps another compartment for me to store them in. 

The past few days were filled with some extremely bad and frustrating news. I deem it's much better if I don't disclose all the deets here, though I could go on and on talking about my frustrations and qualms and worries and annoyance about EVERYTHING. I am almost sure everyone has had that experience of receiving the worst news there could possibly be, but no matter how much you try to bullshit your way out and about, there is just nothing that could be done. So you give yourself a few hours, if not the entire day, to think things through and come up with a game plan. Some of us fight in the hope of sparing ourselves from entering the losing side, while some of us consider it a waste of resources to even try. 

We let go. 

And in moments like this, it is critical for us to know when to do so. Because at the end of the day, all we could do is hope and pray that things pan out the way they should. 

Or look at the clouds and find the silver lining.  

Food // Chicken Alfredo

I haven't blogged for more than a week now since I have been pretty swamped with work, being sick, and trying to figure my life out. But anyway! I am back with a food post that you might just enjoy doing on your own, or with a buddy on a Saturday night right before a night out, just like what I did!

WHAT

NOTE: You could skip the mushrooms if the taste disgusts you. Also, butter here is very, very important. So if you've recently turned into a health freak, you could check out alternatives to butter here. 

HOW
1. Heat pan (preferably a huge wok) and olive oil over high heat. 
2. After a minute or two (or when the pan and oil are both hot), put in onions. Stir occasionally. 
3. Turn the heat down, then add the garlic when the onions turn translucent. Do not burn the garlic!
4. Immediately mix in the butter, chicken and mushrooms. Combine all ingredients well.

5. While the chicken is cooking, boil the pasta in a separate pot. 
6. Check on the chicken. Mix the ingredients up so as not to burn anything. 
7. Meanwhile, combine the hot water and the packet of cream of mushroom in a bowl. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture!

8. When the chicken is cooked, pour in the cream of mushroom. Stir occasionally and allow to simmer.

9. When the mixture thickens a bit, introduce the cream. Now is the time to guard this thing with your life! (read: don't leave it unattended)

10. After stirring it until your arm starts to ache, turn off the heat and add in the cooked pasta. 
11. Serve on a plate and garnish with your favorite cheese! I topped mine with a bit of Parmesan.

And that's about it! Too easy, huh? If you wish to add your favorite herbs and spices, or add in the cheese while there's heat, you could perfectly do so. This batch could serve up to four people with a normal appetite. If you're with your special someone and you're both starving, then maybe this batch would suffice. Otherwise, you could store leftovers in the fridge and take it to work for lunch the next day! 

What's your favorite pre-night out dinner?

Food // Steamed Garlic Chicken

This is my first ever entry showing a concrete intention to start living healthy. So yay me!

I have decided that the first recipe I would be making public is my own version of steamed garlic chicken. Now a lot of people I know are intimidated upon the mention of the word steamed, since it obviously entails the use of a steamer. I must admit, this particular cookware could look lethal, but I have recently discovered that it's actually very far from that. In fact, it is very safe to use, plus it is super duper healthy! Steaming cooks food by boiling water (and not oil/lard/other unhealthy stuff!) so it's practically impossible to burn or overcook your food. Also, it could cook almost anything. 

Now let's begin. I have previously mentioned that steaming makes use of boiling water as a means of making food edible. From this I derived one very important thing to keep in mind when steaming: keep your water good and seasoned. I suggest ginger or garlic since these two give off pungent smells, and because strong aromas somehow conditions your brain to take smaller bites of food, this could help you in losing weight as well. 

WHAT

My run-to marinade mixture would be olive oil, sesame oil, more garlic, thyme, black pepper mill, salt, or whatever spice I find in the kitchen. For this particular recipe, I combined all of these, but you could always buy the powdered ones that come in small packets at the grocery. They're easy, cheap, but not so healthy.

HOW
1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a huge bowl. 
2. Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
3. When you think your chicken has absorbed all the flavors, place the rest of the ingredients in the steamer pot. Mix well and bring to a boil on medium heat. 
4. Meanwhile, line the steamer basket with aluminum foil. NOTE: It's for gathering the juices so you won't end up with a dry slab of meat.

5. Place the chicken in the steamer basket and put over the pot when the water starts to boil. Lower the heat for a slow, steady cooking process. It should look something like this.

6. Cover the steamer with the lid. NOTE: This is very important to retain the flavors to be absorbed by the chicken. Remove the lid only when it starts to lightly pop off. 
7. Turn off heat when meat is tender. NOTE: You would know when the meat is white and by poking it with a fork. It should feel...cooked.
8. Allow the pot to cool down for a minute. Gather the ends of the aluminum foil (with the meat inside) and lift the entire thing up to transfer to a plate. 
9. Pat yourself at the back. You have just made yourself a very healthy dish!

Serving Suggestions
Because it is very flavorful, it is perfect with some simple garden salad or a serving of boiled potatoes. I normally take a portion of this from last night's dinner for lunch at work with some lettuce and tomatoes. It's usually enough to keep me running all day!

PS: If you have just moved out and buying a steamer isn't something you're planning to do anytime soon, you could check out the alternative options here. 

PPS: I am in no way an expert in cooking, but this recipe seems to work out just fine for me. 

PPPS: The ingredients/steps aren't very restrictive, so as long as you know you it does the job and it could make your chicken edible, don't hesitate to experiment and try new things out. Enjoy!

What do you normally take to work for lunch?

Lifestyle // Furniture Critique Part I

My closest friends would know how obsessed I am with anything related to interiors and interior design. I have always wanted to pursue a career in it ever since, but my loving mother – an architect/interior designer herself – discouraged me suggested that perhaps going for another career path would be better and would give me more financial stability in the long run. (FALSE!!!) It made me sad, of course, but since then my interest in it has only grown stronger. 

As my blog title suggests, one of the things I wish to constantly blog about is LIFESTYLE, which in my very narrow scope of knowledge on the subject matter, involves everything personal: hobbies, passions, and way of living. Since interiors is something I am very interested in, I guess that would imply that I would be talking about it a lot, so YAY if this gets your interest, too!  

Now since I do not own a lot of furniture yet, and the ones I have previously owned I left in Colombia, I would be making use of articles/videos that I encounter online. That should suffice for now. 

As my first ever entry on LIFESTYLE I would be sharing a few photos of some relatively "new" pieces of furniture/installations/ornaments I got online, and I would be rating them using a scale of one to five (the latter being the highest) with a house icon  on style and functionality. I was a professor for two years so I'm kinda legit when it comes to giving scores, ya know. 

Ready?

Collapsible Shelf Stairs

Style: It's a bit too modern for my taste, but I guess it could easily be incorporated into most of the styles a home may have. 

Functionality: Super duper practical since it could save you a lot of space especially if you are one like me who lives in an apartment and shares it with a few other people. The only downside though is that the "stairs" don't look as stable as they should for climbing. It could also be a hazard for small children. I would say it's ideal for people young enough to maintain their balance but not too young for them to fall unintentionally. 

Rating: 

The Rekindle Candle

Style: All I could say is LOVE. I love love love this decorative piece! Everybody needs candles in their house, be it decorative or for practical use. Style-wise I think it looks very versatile, and well there is really not much to say about candles when it comes to style. I just hope this comes in a variety of colors. 

Functionality: I don't even know how this invention has just come up when we already have cloning and genetically modified organisms! Aside from it looking totally cool, this piece of genius never ever ends. Maybe it's the only thing that could survive a zombie apocalypse?

Rating: 

The Cube Kitchen

Style: Similar to the Collapsible Shelf Stairs, I find this too modern style-wise (in fairness to this manufacturing a country-themed cube kitchen won't be very feasible). Again this would be very perfect for tiny spaces like studio apartments or bachelor pads, BUT 

Functionality: ...wouldn't it be weird seeing a huge block of plastic/stainless steel on one corner of your flat? It could look like a slightly bigger version of your cabinet, only that it's not. Also not advisable for people like me who enjoy cooking. 

Rating:    

The (Modern) Murphy Bed

Style: The Murphy Bed has been around for quite a long time now, but because of overpopulation which causes a great scarcity of space in densely populated areas, more and more people are drawn to getting their hands on this installation. Murphy beds come in different shapes and sizes so there's a lot to be said about its style, but all in all I guess they are pretty trendy. It could work quite well with you too if you're not a morning person (read: you HATE making your bed). 

Functionality: I have seen quite a number of videos displaying some recent additions to the Murphy bed. Some have shelves on them that could act as support when the bed is lowered (as seen above), some come with nightstands, and some could even be a bunk Murphy bed! Oh the things technology could do. Because of this installation's perceived functionality, it could totally de-clutter your room and turn it into three different spaces! (Watch the link above.) Also, the newer ones function with piston-lifts or torsion springs which make them way easier (and safer!) to use. Hmm, I wonder how it performs in terms of comfort and quality. 

Rating: 

Okay, I may be super interested in this more than anything, but I am in no way a professional furniture judge/critic/developer. I must admit that coming up with this short list was a LOT of fun, I might just do this more often! After all, judging is something that I love to do all the time. 

What's your favorite piece of furniture? 

Adventures // An Illegitimate Love Affair

Since the beginning of 2014, I have maintained a somehow ~conservative~ lifestyle. Or at least I tried to. As I have mentioned in my previous entry, I asked alcohol if he could give me space, and because of this I rarely go out. If I do, it's just for food shopping, doing errands and occasional beer runs. It has also been a piece of work for my friends to reel me into getting dressed and spending a bunch of money on drinks and transpo fees when at the end of the night, we all know what is bound to happen: feeling broke and regret, and getting the inevitable hangover this old age has gracefully bestowed upon us. Also, CALORIES!

See, just a few months back, nothing–and I say NOTHING–could stop me from indulging in alcohol and social interaction. To me it didn't matter how penniless I was, I just had to go out (my closest friends could attest to this). Now it's just different. Even the most attractive offers (read: an all-expenses paid gimmick) could hardly make me consider getting out of bed. Perhaps I'm finally committing to my #1 New Year's resolution of cutting back on alcohol? Well maybe then it's a good thing.

But then this weekend transpired., and boy did a relapse happen. 

It started on Thursday night, when some girl friends had a spur-of-the-moment plan of spending the eve of Valentine's Day at a Mexican cantina called El Chupacabra. It was my first time there, and *@#!!($*&$@* it made me miss South America soooo much. It was everything from the blasting salsa music, the occasional vallenato, the legit-tasting tacos, the chilled out street vibe, FREE VODKA SHOTS, to the way the staff was just too friendly (LOL)... it was like I was in Colombia all over again!

The main bar of El Chupacabra. Viva México!

NOTE: Being there is also a good way to meet and interact with a lot of foreigners if you are one who is into that. I don't mean the D.O.M. type, although they are easily spotted within the vicinity. The cantina is right smack in the city's red light district, so go figure.

When it was time to head home, we took advantage of being in that area and crossed the street to check out Ringside, a place where midgets wrestle and ladies box! A definite must-see!

Because the normal-sized boxing gloves just won't do.

For Valentine's Day, which was the day after, I scheduled a movie marathon. Notting Hill was of course on top of the list, followed by various films ranging from indie Irish flicks to the usual Hollywood motion pictures. Partnered with homemade grilled cheese sandwiches (recipe soon, so stay tuned!) and a huge batch of baked potato wedges, it was easily the best date I've had in a while.

Yum yum in my tum! Easy recipe soon!

Saturday, well... Saturday was something else. My roommate, who happens to be one of my best friends, and I originally did not have plans of going out. We wanted to get dessert with another friend and stay in for yet another wholesome evening. Again it started out with a spur-of-the-moment invitation to where else but El Chupacabra. So off we went, with the same set of girl friends, and one thing just led to another. Next thing we knew, we were already conducting a "social experiment" on prostitution and its sociocultural implications. What better way to do this than immersing ourselves in the scene of the crime, right?

Girls just wanna have (too much) fun.

The aftermath involved more drinking, a random encounter with a Brazilian guy from São Paulo and an American dude from "New York City" (he said that in such an ostentatious way), a trip to Black Market/Finders Keepers NOTE: Also a cool place to meet new people and dance the night away. Be sure to already take a swig or two of scotch before heading there, prices might not be that friendly, and a late night Chinese food fest at North Park which included a dozen dumplings and a whole lot more. NOTE: North Park food is good but even better when slightly intoxicated. So much for eating healthy, huh?

Another thing I succumbed to that I had not done in a while was getting a haircut! Two years, one month, and fourteen days to be exact! It entailed a lot of emotions and doubts, and a lot of hair.

Before and after. The art of letting go.

Too much to handle in one weekend for an already reformed homebody, I would say, but tons of fun nevertheless! I definitely missed binge-drinking and seeing other people's faces other than that of my workmates'. I sure hope I don't give in to the old habits again anytime soon. 

Today I went back to my homebody self and did some cleaning, food shopping, and making one of my favorite healthy lunch combos (recipe soon!) for work tomorrow. Now I could just promise to be faithful to water again and to not cheat on him with alcohol, and I promise to hold it out as long as I could this time.

Ola!

So it's been almost two years!

And saying that a lot has changed is an understatement. This quick list would show you exactly why. 

There are too many who's what's when's where's how's and why's to answer, and I shall try to cover all that in a post or two.

I'm not in Colombia anymore.

Well girls and boys, I'm sure a lot of you have experienced the novelty of being in a foreign country. How everything in the beginning just seems so bright and shiny -- like opening a present -- that even buying your first loaf of bread there is Instagram-worthy.

On the other hand, I'm also quite certain that only a few could relate to me when I say that living in that country after a year or so could definitely tire you out. How waking up and knowing how exactly your day is going to be could drive you N U T S. Factor in not seeing your family and friends for that long and being utterly clueless about your future, and you get a very good reason to book a ticket back home. 

Also, buying bread isn't as fun anymore (though buying bread is always fun). Maybe that's why I decided to come home?

my favorite loaf of bread

I'm very, very but happily single.

I'm single and having fun! Getting to spend more time with family and friends is just priceless, especially since I constantly beat my brains out thinking about leaving. Being in my comfort zone means being comfortable enough with the people around me and not trying to impress anybody by not farting out loud in public.

I'm 30 pounds heavier.

Now this is just sad. Perhaps the saddest part of my life right now. A few months before I decided to come home was when it all started. Maybe it was the confusion? All the emotions? The homesickness? Whatever it was, I ate them all away, and seven months, a few plane rides and a good amount of beer and whisky later, my clothes from last year won't fit anymore. 

Also, who wouldn't weigh as much if she had this as her date for Valentine's Day?

Dreamy, huh?

I don't drink (as much) anymore!

To be honest, I think the massive weight gain was MAJORLY caused by alcohol, and it has been the only bad thing it has caused me thus far. To be able to wear my clothes again, I told alcohol that I needed a break. And now I'm seeing water behind alcohol's back. I just hope water doesn't bore me soon, or else I might have to get back together with alcohol.

Goodbye for now, Alcohol.
(photo from Google)

These changes are the exact same reasons why I decided to revive this blog. And if you read on, I guarantee you a thing or two about food, lifestyle and adventures, and I'm sure there's just something in there every twenty-something could relate to.

PS: My next post would be on the highlights of my life between the last post and this, so stay tuned!

Chaulin, penguin!