Buying Online

My husband and I have a small business engaged in the wholesale trading of petrochemical products.  The thing with a start up business is that it doesn't have enough funds for rental, office equipment and other operating expenses.  I am in that situation right now.  I need a laptop that we can use for sales calls and at the same time as a backup computer.

Asking around, my friends advised me that if I want a cheap laptop, I should purchase it online. People who would want to upgrade their computers and gadgets often dispose of them online with a remarkable discount.

I tried my luck on online shopping.  Surfing the internet for that cheap laptop led me to AyosDito.  I was amazed at the things that I can buy online.  I saw a lot of cheap laptops being offered plus practically everything about computers and gadgets.  One need not look for other websites as the selections at AyosDito were numerous and varied.

I found my laptop, a Hewlett Packard  6530B being peddled by Marlon for P22,950.  Marlon said that it is slightly used but in top condition.  I ran through the specifications and the specs suit me fine. I wrote down Marlon's contact numbers and made a mental note to call him up tomorrow morning.

Buying things online is becoming popular here in the Philippines.  Filipinos are slowly embracing new innovations in technology.  I think online shopping will grow and more things will be offered in cyberspace.  This kind of shopping sits well with me. I hate walking long distances and queing to pay for what I bought when doing my shopping at the malls.  Aside from the convenience of buying from home, I have the whole cyber world to do my window shopping.  Convenience and wide selection make shopping online truly an experience that a physical store cannot match.

Drink to Pure Pulpy Goodness!

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... it's just a marketing ploy to create a buzz.

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added.  So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED!  That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens!  Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I... just can't wait to have my hands on that pulpy goodness.

So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right?  Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... that only choice oranges fresh from the farm were used.

So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna blog about it and shout to the world how good and healthy Minute Maid Pulpy is.

Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)

Love,

Marla Jimenez Rances

Comfort Foods

When was the last time you craved for something that reminds you of home or gives you a feeling of security?  I just did an hour ago.  Jun and I had to go to Shopwise Commonwealth to buy red rice because we don't have any for tomorrow's lunch.  But aside from rice, a half gallon of Arce's Pistachio and a pint of Coffee Crumble ended up in our cart.  The pint is for me while the bigger one is for Jun and the kids.  I am no great lover of ice cream but I couldn't resist a scoop of Coffee Crumble.

Though I know I should go slow on sweets and fats, I feel a certain high and secure feeling after indulging in Coffee Crumble-flavored ice cream.  This kind of food which makes one feel good, gives a sense of nostalgia or self-satisfaction are tagged comfort food.  It doesn't have to be healthy but is a welcome respite from the raging storms inside you.  So folks, what are your comfort foods?

Aside from the Coffee Crumble ice cream that I adore, I feel good with the following;

• Mommy's Arroz Caldo.  I remember that my mother didn't fail to have this on the dining table when one of her children lost his appetite for food because of sickness.  Who would not regain his appetite upon tasting this porridge-like chicken dish laced with ginger?  My son, Marco, likes his arroz caldo with quail eggs.

• Tita Babie's Homemade Hot Chocolate.  As far as I am concerned, Christmas is not complete without Tita Babie's hot thick chocolate.  Ever since I can remember, our Noche Buena is always punctuated with this special brew .  I prefer my chocolate to be slightly bitter and Tita Babie has perfected it.  It is made from cacao beans that she picked at the back of her house and made into tablea.  No store bought tablea for her.

• Mommy's Beef Pochero.  I love this beef soup dish because it is very flavorful what with slices of Spanish sausage and Chinese ham.  This is a complete meal in itself because of the vegetables and potatoes that come with it.  When I was having morning sickness when I was pregnant with Marco, this was the first dish that I was able to eat without throwing it out after.

• Alaminos' Longganisa.  I love the garlicky and salty flavor of this sausage from Alaminos, Pangasinan.  It goes well with fried rice (fried in oil from the longganisa), fried egg and Tita Babie's hot chocolate.  My mother hails from this beautiful place known for the Hundred Islands.

• Mama's Pili Molido.  This is my paternal grandmother's signature pili dessert.  When my grandmother was afflicted with first-stage cancer in her fifties, she would gift her doctor with this heavenly pili recipe whenever she goes for her regular check-up.  She made them herself.  Molido is made of grinded boiled pili nut, sweetened with condensed milk and some flavorings.  She would cook it much like how one cooks ube halaya, flatten it with a rolling pin and cut into rectangles.  She would wrap the rectangles one by one with wax baking paper very similar to the pastillas. I would patiently wait for her to finish so I can eat the extras.  With Mama already gone, I have to settle with Nimfa's molido which is available all year round in Sorsogon City.  Mama's version is better though.

Whenever I think of these foods, I can't stop from turning nostalgic.  They not only nourish but most importantly, they evoke fond memories of people and events.

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