Nuvali Weekend Market

    The day before getting the flu and disappearing for the entire May, I checked out the first day of the weekend Fiesta market at the terminal.  I had not been interested to visit it, uncertain about its offerings.  Nuvali has held markets in the 'tiangge' in the past, and so I wasn't sure if this was one of those very interesting ones with unique finds, perhaps flea market goods, organically-grown vegetables, and local delicacies.  I've ranted in a past post (or have I) about how funny/sad it is to not find many things one expects from this province, such as kesong puti (Mr. Moo has since opened in South Supermarket, as Hacienda Macalauan supplies the grocery).

    Anyway, I agreed to check it out with an expat friend who was excited.  She was just eager as she likes fairs and markets. I reminded her that the concept might not be the same as the fairs in her continent (Europe).  She was aware of this, after having lived here a year and not seeing such a fair as she had hoped to see with more native, traditional goods.

   There were native, traditional goods, but not as much as we hoped.  We are positive people though, and know with time this might grow. I haven't visited it since, so I can't testify.  All I know is I wasn't too thrilled.  I had a chat with plant vendors whose plants I thought were from Bay, or Calamba, Laguna.  They were from Paranaque City! Their actual stores are in Market!Market! where they presumably do well. So the Ayala people had them come over to test this market. I've noted the lack of plant stores in the area and dreamed of having my own nursery here, but then I realize it's because people here simply go to Silang, Tagaytay or Calamba for plants! So I find it kind of funny for me to purchase something grown in Manila.  The vendors were very nice and helpful, too, but again, knowing most of the people who choose to live here are more aware of and into herbs, plants, vegetables, it was kind of funny having them lecture me about their benefits and uses.  I'm being facetious.

   The bayongs and other woven bags were from Tagaytay at least.  Generally, the vendors did not look to happy. It was midday and customers were few.  

   I have to mention the heat...it was probably due to the rain the later fell, but mostly owing to the concrete of the terminal and the Robinson's concrete wall. 

    It wasn't exciting, nothing I'd go to at 6a.m. for but I guess the heat and subsequent flu just turned me off. Well, maybe if it was nice enough to have breakfast in after an early morning jog, maybe...

   I miss the SIDCOR weekend market along EDSA in the '90s, in Quezon City. Everything was there.  There was also one in FTI Taguig, which also had the same vendors in Magallanes Village.  I remember the beginnings of Cream Dory in that market. Back then, Dory was not found in the groceries. There were things like homemade yogurt, also not found anywhere else, and grilled fish, meat, good corn.  Herbs, fruits, plants, everything.

   Well, here's a clip of the Nuvali Fiesta Market. The electric shuttle took customers to the other side of the commercial area (Solenad). 

  

annyeonghaseyo Sunday!

     See what I mean?  She came over with her son (the translator) in time for breakfast. It will be kimchi for breakfast,  lunch,  dinner, and the doughnuts (mashed monggo inside, something like buchi?) were gone in thirty minutes.

Thank you, neighbor!

buko and the wet market

     This is going to be redundant, I know.  I can't help it.

     It was early evening and I had just walked over to a Korean neighbor's to gift her with some sweets. She spoke no English but was quite grateful. I hope she understood I wanted to BUY her kimchi and korean doughnuts.  Now I'm embarrassed she might have thought I only gave her something expecting kimchi in return. My face is red. I hope she knows I mean to pay for it.  But you know the neighbors, they've been sharing food, right. (see past posts!)

    So anyway, I was walking back home, when a car stopped in front of me--it was another friend, the amazing Nigella baker one.  "I have to go to the wet market to buy more bukoh. I ran out of coconut meat" she said.  Whoa! What are you making now? I asked.  "...bukoh crumble, sort of like bukoh pie".

    See? Amazing, right? She's only been here a year. She prefers baking her own from scratch. Why line up at Collette's, Rowenna's, or all the other buko pie stores in Tagaytay, Silang, Los Banos...

    Here's the redundant part. My heart just bursting with the simple joys of--just having twisted off ripe golden coconuts again, for the sweet juice, a friend dashing off to the wet market. Our ability to just dash off to the market at any time, a chore from the makati cbd at 7pm. The wet market itself!  My child ewwing yet staring at "Suso" or those black shells with their black slimy insides sliding and slipping on a tray in the supermarket, and just the laid back atmosphere here.

   I haven't even started on the fresh carabao (water buffalo) milk my child has discovered she loves for breakfast.

   World-class city, technoparks, nuvali...they're all icing on this sweet suburban cake. 

   Sadly, we may have to leave this place soon.

   

from Cake to Sweet Avenue

   In our Makati area, the neighborhood cake supplier was "Cake Avenue".  Here, it was...well...none really, except Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, Babycakes (which has shut down and is now only in Festival Mall), and recently Sugarhouse.  There have been cupcakes from the area with the classic cardboard taste and texture, I hear.  Many residents are, I know, really good bakers.  And so rather than another cake shop, a smart mother has set up "Sweet Avenue", a baking supplies shop.  I don't know her but I can say she has savvy marketing skills.  She left a business card on my table where I sold desserts. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her.  She spoke to my friends, the foreign friends who just two days before, had driven by themselves for the first time to Carla's Confectionery and Baking Supplies in Sucat. 

   My friend who drove was so determined, she overcame her fear of the slex.  My instructions were to look for the huge Bakemasters Inc. sign on the right side of Sucat if they missed the U-Turn slot to Carla's (which is across Shopwise).  They did end up at Bakemasters which I'd never been to, and were happy to find a shop with aisles so they could touch items. They had things Carla's didnt, and generally found prices to be cheaper.  The trip to Sucat isn't too bad, but Sweet Avenue is one of those shops that make you think, why didn't I think of this?  With no scientific research, I have a gut feeling it could really work.

   I know cupcakes were so trendy from a couple years ago.  It just amazes me how many mothers in this town are really into baking. I even asked a friend who used to bake birthday cakes in Manila whether she was planning on going into it when she moves to Nuvali.  She said she had actually given up taking orders in MM due to the saturated market.  If even I have been trying to bake, I guess the 'growing' atmosphere in this town (city) just produces confidence in most of us.

   Sweet Avenue is in the building housing Rustan's Express, across Don Bosco Church.  It seems this building is now an Avida property...I wonder if they will finally renovate it. It needs a facelift, but I was glad to have experienced a clean and dry restroom upstairs! 

   Anyway, back to Sweet Avenue...they have many things Carla's has...nuts, bread baking ingredients, sprinkles chocolate bars, tools.  There are currently summer workshops for kids.  I really love that the owner's children were minding the store by themselves while mom was at the school conducting workshops.  I wish I took photos of my kid doing the transacting with them. I will say again:  I wish this aspect of this place remains the same, though as it 'develops' things will change.

 https://www.facebook.com/#!/SweetAvenueStopAndShopForYourBakingNeeds

    In the years to come, this city will develop its own roster of sweet providers akin to Becky's, Vargas kitchen, Miss Desserts,  Polly's, Purple Oven, Estrell's, Costa Brava...let's make this a game, please add to the list!

sky



yet another sky-over-solenad2-photo. can you blame me? I spent 6 years in Makati wishing I could see more blue sky and less wires, concrete and gray haze.

Also, I grew up practically living in the QUAD and the glorietta when it had no roof over it.  We saw shows and movies in Rizal Theater, where the Shangri-la hotel now stands.  SM was a small one floor Shoemart, and we ate burgers at the Automat.  Oh and let's not forget the Happy Feet bakya store in the same "arcade" as the suki film developer/print shop.

That area, by Makati Supermarket, or was it Rustan's, had water fountains and open-air parking spaces.

The above Solenad is my child's "Quad" now.  She just may end up reminiscing about the sol and sky here, Bgy. Sto. Domingo, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, like I am about Makati, Metro Manila.   



at Ming's Garden in Silang-Tagaytay along the national road.
tres marias with paperback, cellphone, tablet

croc at Ming's Garden

Overcast for a week. Soup and expat cooking

     There had better be narra flowers on all the narra trees after this.  PAGASA however, has declared more rains. Thing is, here in Santa Rosa, it has hardly rained.  It's been cool, overcast, gray with the sun peeking once in awhile.  I think I prefer more showers than these light ones, and drizzles. Just so alanganin (uncertain/undecided).

   On one such day this past week,  I got comfort, real comfort food, so unexpected at my door.  Soup, from my Indonesian neighbor!  Penang Hokkien Mee, she said (husband is Malaysian and this gets his thumbs up).  I salivated seeing the sambal belacan and the soup. She had separated it for me to refrigerate and eat at my leisure.  She's got to be kidding. Why would I make this wait?  It was so very masarap, enak, delicious. 

oops I should've uncovered the soup

This is what I had made. Fish fillet with papaya-mango salsa from the Maya Kitchen

    The same week, I had three neighbors come over on the same morning.  As soon as they settled, I realized I had a cookbook for each of their nationalities.  All three do cook, and in fact we are having a Thai lunch next week.  There is a good mix here isn't there.  Same time last year, a Sri Lankan neighbor who was leaving for home gifted me with something like croquetas--I forget the name and couldn't pronounce it anyway.  The real thing was meant to be spicy, but she cooked it to my taste buds. I would have liked spicy, as I did the sambal above, but I appreciate the consideration.

     Anyway I quickly handed them their respective books.  My Thai friend said I was quite lucky to have the planner with recipes and photos of Her Majesty the Queen Mother.  It contains her personal favorites and specialties, not necessarily Thai.  It is a unique book and I thank an old Thai friend for it.

These mothers are amazing, they've been producing yummy treats and meals for us.  There must be a requirement for expat wives to be excellent cooks.  I have not met one who wasn't.  

My husband's mother was from the North (below Ilocos though); mine from the South (Negros)

Then again, I have experienced having to cook (and sharing the food) while overseas with my husband...and surprisingly came up with a super adobo if I may say so myself.  Staff at the apartment hotel must have been hungry when they smelled the garlic. They tried to convince me to takeover the restaurant  which was closing.  My husband's Filipino colleague must have just been homesick when he raved about it. Ah, the pleasure of not having a ''history'' somewhere else, being new, or anonymous haha.  Seriously, if anything, it's probably confidence borne out of necessity that has produced some culinary talent. In other words, walang ibang magluluto ng gusto ko kapag nasa ibang bansa.

Weather in Sta. Rosa Saturday March 3

     Mainit na. Pero malakas ang hangin kanina. Amoy summer na.  Thank you to someone who commented on the "palochina" post saying she/he was looking for furniture here and thanking me for an informative post. Hay may nagbabasa nito. It feels good to know the information is helping.  Now if I can only blog better and make it more interesting. 

   We're back to the beginning of this blog, where I posted photos of the Narra trees in bloom.  A week ago I walked down the street and inhaled the perfume again.  I looked up and there were all the tiny yellow flowers.  It is time.