Up Yours, Martha Stewart.

I had no reason to believe that today is a Saturday. When I woke up this morning, everyone was already out and I was left to roll around my bed for as long as I'd like. After enjoying the freedom on my futon, I had to get up and feed myself. BTW, we have Skippy again. I have tapped that motherpeanutbutter twice already. So anyway, when I got to the dining table, what was waiting for me was this:

Finally, a reason to be productive! So I picked a playlist on my iPod and put my gameface on. This would be unnecessary but just to be clear, I actually am a good baker. I swear on future husband's life. What you're about to read/see is just one of those humps that all mere mortals stumble upon.

To successfully bake Red Velvet Cupcakes you will need the following:

There's actually more to the recipe that that but I can't really post my mom's recipe here lest some intense nagging when she gets home.

After mixing all the ingredients and a couple of songs,

To kill some idle time, it's best to work on your frosting which is really simple and easy as long as you have an electric beater. You may also kill time by Facebooking or Tweeting your progress as you go. Whichever you prefer.

After I had finished making my frosting, I literally stood in front of the oven and observed my cupcakes. Something didn't seem right. I had to follow my instincts and get them out ASAP.

It felt like life was sucked out of me. I was tired, hungry and a bit angry (at the world and at my mom's hand-written recipe). But I'm no quitter! So I decided to make a new batch only this time, I'll read the recipe and follow every single step.

While the second batch was sitting pretty in the oven, I already knew they weren't gonna bake to perfection. In fact, they were the opposite. This time, I was singing to myself James Ingram's I did my best but I guess my best wasn't good enough.

I had one "tart" and I was really surprised that it actually tasted good. But at that point, I couldn't bring me to trust myself so when my sister came home, I had her eat one. Well, at first she said no but I made her eat one anyway. She agreed they look like shit but commented that they do taste just like how Red Velvet Cupcakes should.

Also, I was gonna post a photo of a successful batch of Red Velvet Cupcakes I made last Christmas but for some reason, I can't seem to download the image from my Facebook. It's like the universe has conspired to make me look like a complete kitchen-failure!

Whatever you do, do not attempt baking Red Velvet Cupcakes citing this as a reference.

Of Breakfasts and Supers

Out of all meals in a day, I'd have to say that my favorite is breakfast. Breakfast needs no bullshit. You're excused from presenting yourself at the table sleepwear-clad with your bedhead, you may eat as much greasy food you want and basically just indulge in all the bacon, Spam and eggs life has to offer. It is after all the first meal of the day. I like believing that calories begin to matter past breakfast hours. So imagine my excitement when just before bedtime last night our dad told my sister and I that he'd take us out for breakfast and we'd hit thrift stores afterwards. I remember responding with a "YAY!" and immediately knew I wanted to have pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. Well, that didn't work out.

My sister and I got out of bed at 11am. In my defense, I couldn't sleep right away 'cause I was distraught by a horrible tummyache. So plans changed and Dad decided we eat at the nearest diner/coffee house, Komeda's. We got there at 11:15 and the breakfast service had already expired by 15mins. Great. But oh, it gets worse.

They didn't have pancakes! hfdkjfg&W#)((&$"!&((!#$ /wrist

I've actually eaten there many times before and I knew they wouldn't have any pancakes but was it so illegal of me to hope?? I had to move on. So I ordered this instead.

I ordered an egg bun which was ginormous! Had I known its size, I would have just split a sandwich with my sister.

My sister's scrambled toast.

I was still happy to go there because I've been craving for a cuppa hot coco for breakfast.

That's like ice cream mounting the coco. I know.. but it's breakfast!

Their house blend coffee.

After breakfast, we had to run to one of the supermarkets and restock on eats. In Japan and I would assume as in many other countries that are not the Philippines, people bag their own groceries. No one's going to carry your stuff for you and ask you if you want it in plastic bags or in boxes. So if you've chanced upon this entry of mine and is responsible enough to be doing one's own grocery shopping and currently living outside the Philippines, today is your lucky day!

Presenting: An Idiot's Guide to Bagging Groceries

Disclaimer: We have actually chucked the practice of using plastic bags in carrying our groceries and shifted to using eco-friendly bags but since this trip to the super was unanticipated, we left mother nature's bags at home.

I hope you learned a thing or two!

xx

My Life As of Late

Today officially marks my first month here in Japan. So far, nothing much has changed. Save for the fact that I've gained n kilos and my hair's not as pretty. And oh, I have a job now. Not exactly what you would call legit but I received my salary yesterday so I guess it pretty much accounts for an occupation.

Most days are spent indoors then when the day begins to creep away, I walk to the subway and commute to work. I have been avoiding the sun as if it were a stalker but what I don't get is why I can still feel (and see) them damn UV rays' damage on my epidermis. Ahh well, that's just one of my many mundane woes. The bigger issue I am facing is how to transition from being my parents' charity case to an independent and fulltime working girl. That issue kept me occupied for the past month so to cope with it entirely, I thought of "The Secret" and did just what the book said. I attracted the positive and did it by doing loads of shopping. If it doesn't make any sense to you, allow me to elaborate. I figured, I have to be positive all the time and look forward to being employed soon. And to be a fully legit working girl, one needs work clothes and shoes and bags and accessories (because everything just looks prettier). So I spent money I don't have for a really good cause. I can already hear the footsteps of a job offer coming towards me. :)

Just to break my thought diarrhea, here are a few photos you might/might not want to see.

Here I am, trying to look as cool as a cucumber.

Dinner at our already favorite Indian restaurant. Seriously, the best salad I have ever had that had tofu in it.

Went to my sister's friend's birthday party at a beer garden. As soon as she mentioned beer, (ding ding ding)!

With my sister whom I have missed like loco.

And a snippet of me in the middle of a regular commute.

Well, that's all really. I'm on the brutal GM diet again. I'm on my all veg day and so far, so good. I'll blog about next time. Maybe in a month. Kidding.

xx