All I Want for Christmas

 

All I want for Christmas is...

 

A BIG, STRONG, MACHO MAN

 

 

Who has beautiful, powerful hands, and a luscious pair of lips that will send me to the moon
every time we kiss 

 

 

Who owns a cool ride, because, you know, cars are a big deal for silly girls like me

 

Oh, and a gingerbread mansion with a dozen or so little elves to clean up after my trail of crumbs. I want a handsome man who will buy me diamonds and feed me chocolate cake while he admires me and tells me how perfect I am. Yes, I am a very simple girl with very simple needs. 

BUT

I've been a bad, BAD girl this year and Santa said no.

Pffffffffttttt.

 

So I'm spending Christmas away to play with snow!

 

 

When the parents went to Hong Kong last week, I asked Mom to buy me some beanies to protect my fragile and defective head.

She got me this.

 

OMG, MOM!!!!!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS??????
HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA!!!!!!

 

 

There will be no posts here until I defrost. 

Till then, follow the "Rebel at Heart" on Instagram (@jinlovestoeat) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/jinlovestoeat).

 

I guess until my mighty Knight in Shining 24-carat Gold Armor comes along, there is always desserts. So, what do you think will happen first - true love or diabetes? :P

 

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 
AND AN ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS 2014!!!!!!

LOVE,
THE JINCH ♥

 

Champetre, A Fifth Time ♥ ♥ ♥

 

I kinda envy December celebrants.

They get to celebrate their birthdays in the midst of all the Christmas hullabaloo when people are naturally kinder and happier, streets are dressed up in cheerful lights, restaurants emit that warm glow, and people get to kiss whoever they wish. (Hurry up and hang those mistletoes!!!) 

 

For Uncle Rolly's December birthday, we were asked to come in Christmassy reds and greens

 

 

BOOM!!! Fatterside invades Champetre!

 

 

Okay, this looks like one of our regular birthday parties. Lol! Them old people love wearing red.

 

 

Now this is more like it. Merry Christmas from The Fatterside!!! :)

 

Since we were a big group with an even bigger appetite, 3 servings of the following dishes were served to each table:

 

Pate Platter - my favorite of the night

 

 

Roasted Chilean Sea Bass with Cauliflower Puree and Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

 

Butter Seared US Wagyu Onglet with Salad, Fries and Roasted Shallots

 

 

Foie Gras Risotto

 

 

Braised Lamb Shank in Sauce and Angel Hair au Jus

 

 

Simmered Ox Tongue with Braised Leeks and Ravigote Sauce

 

 

Roasted Marinated Duck Confit with Stewed Lentils and Foie Gras Sauce

 

 

Oh, and our server brought us this portobello mushroom appetizer, "compliments of the chef."
It was good, except ¾ of the guests would never know, because it was impossible to share 
one little dish among 12 hungry people. :$

 

 

Champetre Assorted Berry Souffle

 

 

Dark Chocolate Nelusko Mousse Gateau

 

 

Warm Green Apple Tart with Grand Marnier Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

 

 

Of course we brought our own birthday cakes. In addition, each of Uncle Rolly's
four kids made a "fruitcake" for their health-conscious dad.

 

 

Dianne's Fruitcake

 

 

I brought Dessert du Jour's Chestnut Crepe Cake. It was the first to be wiped out. Yay!

 

 

The perfect cake for our "health-conscious," burger-loving
Uncle Santa Rolly  :P

 

 

Behind the scenes: Attack of the Cake Buffet

 

 

Instead of giving everyone the same birthday giveaways, the Chiang kids
prepared different take home gifts. Here's Archie asking me to pick mine.

 

 

I got a set of those 3-piece food containers on the left. There was no purple so I chose blue.
Mom, the Fruitbox Queen, was ecstatic. (She got a water kettle.)

 

 

Look! Our very own Tessa Prieto-Valdez! LOL! :P

 

 

Merry Christmas Birthday New Year, Uncle Rolly!!! :D

  

Champetre: Ground Floor, Net One Center Building, 26th Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Tel: +632 815-8801 to 02

See my previous Champetre posts:

Champetre
Champetre, Revisited
Champetre, A Third Time
Champetre, A Fourth Time 

Auntie Jean and Jordan's Birthday Dinner 2013

 

Every year on the first week of December, Auntie Jean and Jordan hold their joint birthday
celebration at A-ma's house. For me this occasion officially marks the start of Christmas
because, as you can see, the house is so Christmassy! :)

 

 

I also get to catch up with my "Fatherside" of the family. That's Auntie Judy on the left, 
and Ninang Nena on the right.

 

 

My pretty cousins Ashley and Sammi. I can't believe they are already as tall as I!

 

 

Ahia Emil and The Manila Bulletin Boys

 

 

Jordan and his teachers and classmates (well, just some of them)

 

 

Dinner was simple home-cooked food prepared with love using my A-ma's recipes. 
After traveling near and far to eat the world, sometimes all I want is something
uncomplicated and familiar, such as... 

 

 

SWEET SPAGHETTI WITH HOTDOG!!!!!! :)

 

 

Chicken Adobo

 

 

Fried Pork Chop

 

 

Pork Barbecue

 

 

Chicken Pastel

 

 

Sauteed Veggies

 

 

Fruit Salad

 

 

Choco Cream Puffs

 

 

Leche Flan

 

 

On the tables were dolls made from 100% recycled materials

 

 

As you can see, A-ma was more interested in my love life than the camera. Lol! :D

 

 

Happy Birthday, Auntie Jean!!!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Jordan!!!

 

See previous posts:

Jordan's Christmassy Dinner 2010

Auntie Jean and Jordan's Birthday Dinner 2012 

Maria Luisa's Garden Room, A Third Time ♥ ♥

 

The best kind of marriage is when two people TRULY want to be together.

Not because of obligations, children, vows… But just because.

It is when even without all the duties and responsibilities, they cannot imagine being with anyone else. And if given the chance to go back in time, they will choose to marry the same person again, and again.

 

After 36 years, 4 children, 2 sons-in-law, 1 soon-to-be daughter-in-law,
and 3 grandkids...

 

 

Mom and Dad still hold each other's hands

 

 

They still go on movie dates (except I always tag along)

 

 

They still go on dinner dates (except I always tag along)

 

 

They take care of one another and help each other up the stairs

 

 

They still kiss. EEEWWW.

 

 

36 years is difficult. But being with the one person you truly love makes
life's challenges easier, life's surprises sweeter, your hearts fuller, 
your souls richer. It is the most sublime feeling in the world when
one cannot ask for anything more. 

 

 

Jamie and Benjie's anniversary is one day after our parents' so we 
celebrated the two happy occasions together. They're one year already!
See photos of their wedding here, here, and here. 

 

 

Mom usually leaves restaurant decisions up to me - her food-loving and loving daughter. Lol. 
But for this special occasion, she requested (for the first time) that we go to Maria Luisa's
Garden Room even when we were just there a few days ago (see post here). She wanted
to bring my dad, the love of her life, to her favorite restaurant of the moment. So sweet. :)

 

  

I always look forward to the welcome snacks at Maria Luisa's. That night it was
jamon serrano and crispy onions in a pear cone on pumpernickel. It was quite tasty. 

 

 

To start, we had Moules a la Baltazar in Garlic and Parsley Sauce

 

 

And another Moules a la Baltazar in White Wine and Cream. We all loved this version more.

 

 

I drank the sauce like soup and mopped clean the bowl with crusty bread

 

 

A whole basket of it! BURP!!!

 

 

Dad had Merlot Braised Lamb Shank with sweet beets and couscous

 

 

Mom had the Ciopino Seafood Bake with salmon, red snapper, clams, crab claws, shrimps, 
and tomatoes. It tasted like the sea. I know because I finished half of it. :P

 

 

JR had Steak Charles, a 50-day aged New Omaha tenderloin with chèvre goat cheese, 
and truffle sauce

 

 

Benjie had Steak Walewska which was topped with a piece of prawn, asparagus spears,
and béarnaise sauce

 

 

Jamie and Kim both had the Merlot Braised Oxtail with mountain bacon and pimiento risotto
because I wouldn't stop raving about it. Hehehe.

 

 

I ordered the Duck Leg Confit with potatoes and cranberry sauce. This was also what I had
during my first time at the Garden Room (see post here). I am happy they now serve the
sauce on one side of the leg rather than all over it. I like my duck skin dry and crispy.

 

 

Kim brought cakes from Bebe Rouge Patisserie to celebrate the (not so) romantic occasion. Hahaha! We love making a whole family affair out of wedding anniversaries.

 

Strawberry Shortcake (Read my full post on it here)

 

 

Something Something Soufflé (Don't worry, it was forgettable)

 

 

 Happy 36 Years, Mom and Dad!!!  ♥ ♥ ♥ Happy 1 Year, Jamie and Benjie!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
In you I see that love always protects, love always trusts, love always hopes and perseveres,
and love never fails. 

 

 

So much love on that side of the table! More power to me!!! :D

 

See my previous Maria Luisa's Garden Room posts: 
Maria Luisa's Garden Room
Maria Luisa's Garden Room, Revisited 

Maria Luisa's Garden Room: Makati Garden Club, Recoletos Street corner Ayala Avenue, Barangay Urdaneta, Makati. 
Tel: +632 552 7051, +632 552 7045