Yey, I Cooked!!!

Me, slaving in our kitchen is such a rare sight. Lucky me, it is dear HB who cooks for me and our girls. Last night, on no special occasion, I did putter in the kitchen and produced this treat for my family:

Sukiyaki

I scoured the internet for the easiest recipe for this and was slightly disheartened to see that my ingredients were not complete. Most of the recipes I found called for mirin (Japanese cooking wine) and celery. But HB had already bought the meat and the green onions and he had Kikkoman in the cupboard. Another dash to the grocery would have made my feet cold in spite of the hot and dry clime we are currently experiencing. Postponing the cooking to another time until I get the ingredients complete was out of the question as I would find other things to do then and HB would have no recourse but to cook it. Such was the cycle of my "attempts" to cook something for my family.

So last night, I made do with what was available and cooked. And it was an easy task! I did have a stumbling moment when I didn't know what to do with the vermicelli noodles (whether to soak it first in water or submerge it directly on the stew) and HB sneaked out to buy beer so I couldn't ask him. Thank goodness for Google, I got my bearings back. 

I'm happy to say that I managed to elicit good reviews from my brood. Now I am inspired to try a few more easy dishes. Suggestions, anyone?

Henna Tattoos

After a few hours in Boracay, my eldest daughter turned to me and asked permission if she could get a henna tattoo. In my attempt to be a cool mom, I acquiesced and said I wanted one too!

We scoured the stalls offering henna tattoo services from Station 3 to 1,  in search of the design we wanted. After much thought, we settled somewhere near Station 1 and had ourselves inked:

mother and daughter bonding with henna tattoo

I had a difficult time choosing the design. In the end, the artist drew a freehand design on my back:

my tattoo up close, cost: PhP 100

As soon as my two younger girls saw us, they wanted to get inked too! The next night, they chose their own designs and happily paraded their tattoos:

Zoe's demure tattoo, cost: PhP 70

7-year old Fiona's tattoo, cost: PhP 70

The henna tattoos lasted a good two weeks before they completely faded. When we got the tattoos, we were instructed to wait an hour to dry the ink, wash it with soap and water, and blot the ink with tissue. I did exactly that and found some ink on the tissue and I had to wash it again with soap and water. After the second washing, there were no more traces of ink on the tissue which made it stain-proof on the bed sheets and towels.

The experience of getting temporary tattoos left us not only with souvenirs on our skin but more so, it made us feel the carefree vibe of Boracay. 

Glorious Sunset in Boracay

The Boracay sunset is truly a picturesque and must-see attraction. As the sun goes down on the horizon, an orange glow is cast over land, sea and sky. 

Sunset cruises aboard the paraw (sailboats) are offered and I could just imagine being in the midst of the sun, sea and sky seemingly afire.

As twilight beckons, people revel on the shore, savoring that last luminescence of the sun.

The Casa Pilar Beach Resort in Boracay

beach front facade of Casa Pilar

The Casa Pilar Beach Resort in Station 3, Boracay was a welcome respite to the summer crowds of the island. The resort is mostly composed of native structures but did not lack modern amenities. Guests may choose from a variety of room types ranging from Fan rooms, Standard, Superior and DeLuxe. A total of 69 rooms are sprawled across the vast property, giving guests ample space and privacy.

serenity a few steps away from the beach

cottages

structure which houses the Standard rooms

row of Superior rooms

During the time when we made our reservations, we were told that the DeLuxe rooms were fully-booked, so we "settled" for a Superior room. We were assured that the room and bed sizes were similar and that the only difference was a refrigerator in the DeLuxe room.

interior of a Superior room: 1 single and 1 double sized beds

basic comforts of the toilet and bath 

While it was a tight squeeze for our family, having 2 adults and kids ages 15, 11 and 7, we more than managed with the room. We were quite contented with the air-conditioner, cable television, hot and cold shower and WiFi internet (shameless plug!). What was a bit of a hassle though was the absence of room service as there were no house phones inside the rooms so we had to walk all the way to the restaurant at the entrance of the hotel for our morning requisite cup of coffee. We took our cups back to the porch outside our room (which was about a 3 minute walk) and enjoyed the serenity of the resort. 

I must say that the staff's courteous and friendly demeanor, not to mention their patience with us, was commendable as our girls left the key inside the room on 2 instances.  

the resort's beach front bar and restaurant

Breakfast was basic, with Filipino and Continental types to choose from. We loved the tocino (cured pork) which was on the sweet side and perfect for our girls. 

The bar and restaurant was open until about midnight, and the staff set up tables and chairs by the beach at night where local artists played the acoustics to entertain some of the guests.

For budget-conscious travelers who wish to savor the slow and laid-back pace of Station 3, Casa Pilar Beach Resort is a nice and excellent choice as it offers a spacious sanctuary with traditional Filipino cottages combined with the warm Filipino brand of hospitality.

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Casa Pilar Beach Resort Boracay

Station 3, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan

Telephone Number: (63 36) 288.3073

Telefax: (63 36) 288.3202

Website: www.casapilarhotel.com (under construction at the time of this post)

Email: casa_pilar@yahoo.com