tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50478904870855148572012-01-17T02:03:04.001+08:00...a blog not just about cooking...Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16746995028282564791noreply@blogger.comBlogger211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-19253511297019026582010-11-18T13:02:00.000+08:002010-11-18T13:02:43.049+08:00

There is a scientific correlation between plants and productivity.  One way to do that in an urban setting is to green your environment.  One of the issues I have with having plants is I don't like dealing with the mess, frequent watering, or the bugs that live in the soil. Hydroponics is a viable option and solves all 3 issues I have.  A friend of mine introduced me to Miura, they sell indoor

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-62469849536528118932010-11-17T18:29:00.000+08:002010-11-17T18:29:51.549+08:00

Rustan's Fresh has an on-going promo!For every P1,000 purchaseYou get a free cup of Selecta Gold ice cream!!!This is not helping... hahahahaha!

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-43475373412349449992010-10-06T20:09:00.002+08:002010-10-08T12:24:20.219+08:00

"Gimme the can opener!  Gimme the can opener!"- Sylvester the Cat I recently tried San Marino's Tuna Paella, and found that it's quite good!  Although the tiny can says "Servings per can, 2" ... it's really more for just one. It can be found in most groceries in Metro Manila. ******* Added picture of contents.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-7344995428822429602010-09-08T22:20:00.000+08:002010-09-08T22:20:34.082+08:00

Sigh, I've been neglecting this blog for a while since my Tech Gospel has been getting a whole lot of traffic.  That's not an excuse and I apologize.  One of my favorite house-keeping tricks I learned online.  It's how to fold T-shirts.  Ok, it's not a big deal if you don't use a lot of T-shirts, but I do. Here's the video I learned from:

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-57878671488934593212010-07-31T00:03:00.006+08:002010-07-31T00:43:25.294+08:00

In an effort to save on utility costs, I've been trying to find that balance between convenience, comfort, and savings.My aircon is THE single most power hungry appliance I have. It makes up over 65% of my electricity bill.Next in line is my ref, taking up about 20% of my bill.Everything else... shares the remaining 15%... and I really mean EVERYTHING else.I've seen some eco-sites recommending

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-33560774578615571902010-07-28T21:54:00.011+08:002010-07-28T22:11:40.448+08:00

Just tried this place near Makati Cinema Square in Little Tokyo called Choto Stop. Good food. Has a great Japanese grocery too.View Larger Map

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-34465614125062251152010-07-19T22:48:00.004+08:002010-07-19T23:07:03.218+08:00

Buy one, take one (get one) on Starbucks Fraps!!!!

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-14148076331710783002010-07-12T11:30:00.003+08:002010-07-12T11:34:19.129+08:00

Nothing like a nice cup of coffee to start the day.One of my favorite things to do is to froth up some milk and sprinkle cinnamon on my morning coffee.Non-fat milk doesn't froth up as much, and collapses quite quickly.Regular milk stays foamy for over an hour.How do you guys take your coffee?

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-78776430966930373222010-06-29T21:04:00.006+08:002010-06-29T21:52:33.659+08:00

Living alone has made me reconsider eating habits. Cooking simple meals is very important. I don't have the time, nor the space to cook anything elaborate.One of the nice simple meals I like is soup and focaccia bread. Whether you use canned soup or make it from scratch, it's a decent meal that's nice and filling. I dip the bread in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and cheese as a side dish.I've

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-36454558494819832010-06-02T21:11:00.003+08:002010-06-02T21:24:02.081+08:00

Ok, it's been a while since I've posted anything new.I recently got a cool new rack for drying my dishes.I don't keep my dishes here, it's just for drying them.Looks really cool, and it's modular, you can assemble it an almost any shape and configuration you want!

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-83904978744106281482010-04-22T21:54:00.006+08:002010-04-22T22:24:53.080+08:00

Sometimes being eco-friendly is easy. I found these great disposable party plates/cups in the grocery. I'm not a fan of paper/plastic ware but sometimes when there's an unexpected party they are very convenient.These solve the problem I have with disposable plates, and spur of the moment parties.They're made of cornstarch. And are waterproof & microwaveable.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-1538443629338160132010-04-12T13:43:00.005+08:002010-04-12T14:11:56.262+08:00

Keeping my bathroom clean was something I had to consider. Trying not to be a duck in the bath (ie: splashing water all over the place) was the first step... the next was finding an easy way to clean it with minimal effort.My favorite products are Clorox Bleach tablets. I'm not fond of the blue stuff since it makes white toilets look messier. Although it doesn't totally clean your toilet, it

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-3052630148931454412010-03-24T21:10:00.003+08:002010-03-24T21:14:36.644+08:00

I love deli food. Among many deli things that I buy, like cold cuts, cheese, and the like, I noticed most of the stuff I like are imported by just one brand, ScanAsia. Just felt like mentioning it because I really like the stuff they bring in, and although kinda pricey, not over-priced. So, if anyone from ScanAsia happens to be reading this... thanks!!! Keep up the good work!!!

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-39384295529908911962010-03-13T18:43:00.006+08:002010-03-13T19:05:10.615+08:00

I'm not much of a breakfast person. I usually have cereal, omelette, or French toast. Out of sheer boredom, I tried to do 'eggs in a basket' today. Turned out ok. It's eggs with bread. Not much can go wrong there. Hahahaha. It's good with some cheese sprinkled on top, or jam.You can use butter or olive oil, both will make the dish taste different. Just use whichever one you prefer.You will

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-16035871808184235682010-03-04T17:43:00.000+08:002010-03-04T17:45:45.594+08:00

FINALLY! Been looking for an easy to install bidet in my toilet since I moved in, but none of them had the right size fittings. Although the control valve for this one is a lot bigger than I had wanted, the fittings are the right size, and it also puts the control knob within easier reach.About P900 in Ace Hardware, and it takes less than 10 min to install.

Johnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-57661680126744088012010-03-03T15:54:00.001+08:002010-03-03T22:42:10.178+08:00

I decided to buy my first (and only) frying pan. It's Tefal's smallest pan available. I'm no chef by any standards. I can fry an egg. Nevertheless, I've found it's always good to invest in just a few decent cooking pans, rather than a lot of crappy ones. Teflon coating is a must... whether you just want to use less oil.. or it just makes cleaning the pans easier... it's entirely up to you...

Johnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-27062968038770675442010-02-25T23:34:00.000+08:002010-02-25T23:55:25.364+08:00

Before I moved out on my own, I got used to drinking bottled water. Not necessarily the 'branded' kind, but bottled nonetheless. I was never really very happy with it, due to the amount of plastic you end up throwing out, and the plastic bottles can become toxic if they were shipped in the heat.Since I can't afford one of those active filter systems to install in my place... I looked around for

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-18582503804757010602010-02-22T18:20:00.000+08:002010-02-23T14:03:28.148+08:00

No longer having any maids to clean up after me, I've been trying to devise more efficient ways of keeping my place clean. Cleaning as you do things breaks down tasks and keeps junk and dirt from building up.For my place, A small cordless stick vacuum was more than enough. The Electrolux Ergorapido was a great find for me since it's nice enough to display (so I don't lose closet space), strong

Johnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-11530545663746415412010-02-20T20:40:00.000+08:002010-02-24T19:38:51.777+08:00

Living in an apartment... coming from a house... and being a bit OC... makes you have a new respect for space-efficient appliances and things. Shelves are key to maximizing floor area, while keeping things within easy reach, and ready for use.Another thing I've found is that investing in something that serves more than 1 purpose...more than pays for it's price difference than the multiple items

Johnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-20631770975619729072010-02-17T19:24:00.000+08:002010-02-20T22:01:48.518+08:00

Coming from living with my folks, my idea of grocery shopping was always in wholesale. Get the biggest bag of cereal, a crate of milk, and anything else that came bundled for a World War II bunker. It made sense. Minimize the trips to the grocery, save on gas, time, parking fees...etc.When I moved out, I learned that 'wholesale' isn't the best way to go. You can if you wanted to... bomb

Johnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047890487085514857.post-15762580810723554052010-02-17T16:33:00.000+08:002010-02-17T18:32:42.489+08:00

I like using wine glasses. I like the way they make your drinks look. They can be used for both formal and casual meals. For anything from water to wine.One of the side benefits I discovered with wine glasses is that you don't need coasters.I think they're a great way to make your meals feel special.They're also not that expensive. I've found some for Php30 per glass. Those that are nicer go

Johnnoreply@blogger.com1