Crema De Fruta

I love experimenting with desserts but my husband does not like fruits when they are cooked. He says it destroys their vitamins. Much as I like to try making short pastries like apple pie, I don't dare since I will end up consuming it all. So in my in my quest for summer perfect dessert, I made my first ever Crema De Fruta. Hubby enjoyed it thoroughly and I figured he should be delighted at all because he likes gelatin and fresh fruits, so that he tolerates the sponge cake base, Like other regular guys who cannot stand sweets, he can only have a tiny portion in a slice of cake.

I share with you today my recipe.

 Crema De Fruta

Ingredients
Sponge cake mixture
1 canned fruit cocktail, drained

Custard filling
 2 egg yolks beaten
2 tbsp custard powder
400 ml of milk
100 ml evaporated milk
2 tbsp sugar

Gelatin
2 cups of pineapple juice
2 tbsp unflavored gelatin

Here's How
1. Bake the sponge cake for first layer and let cool completely.
2. Combine all ingredients for custard filling in a heavy based sauce pan.
3. Stir constantly until it thickens. remove from heat.
4. Spread warm custard on top of sponge cake. Level and even it out all over the dish.
5. Let cool for 15-20 minutes then spread the cocktail fruits on top of the custard.
6. Wait for another 15 minutes before proceeding to cook gelatin.
7. Blend all gelatin ingredients and gently pour on top of the cocktail fruits.
6. Chill for 6 hours or until gelatin is set.

Happy cooking!

An entry for

Yummy Sunday

Password Recovery

Early this year, I found that my Yahoo account was sending spam messages to all my e-mail contacts. Hubby said that I must be using the same password when using my account for Facebook, Friendster, Blogger, and all the other social sites I joined and subscribe to. That is definitely a no, no  but I forget all other things half the time. So I figured it will be most convenient if I use only one password.

I learned my lesson so when I got my new e-mail account, Hubby bought an Advanced Office Password Recovery. I now have different password for each site I am linked to. Even on the documents and programs we lock in our desktop, Hubby and I decide to use a different password. It really is more secure and I feel more confident doing business online. 

You too can refrain from being frustrated every time you are locked out in your account. As we have experienced with a password recovery program, you do not have to reinstall the whole program saving you a huge time and stress.

Chandeliers and Wall Sconces

At last, our bathroom make-over is finished! Like I shared in my previous post, I played with glass accessories, green and white colors to give a contemporary look. A 190-degrees turn from our previous Japanese zen theme =)

Now hubby and I are planning to change our apartment's lighting. The Eid Holidays is barely a month away and so far, lighting option is the most dramatic change we can do. For weeks, we've been looking for something like the mini-chandelier in our hotel room in Venice. I fell so in love with its glass detail because the light emanating from it is so romantic! I even took a photo of it and you can see below.

 Burano Glass Chandelier in Hotel Diana, Venice

I know it's unreasonable to look for a Burano glass here in Dubai, not to mention that it is expensive so I am thinking of buying online. I found a website called Lamp Click where you can buy chandeliers of all shapes and sizes, for different types of use. They have vast selection of chandeliers made especially for foyer,  dining room, bedroom, and even lighting exclusively for billiards! So far I am very partial on the Elizabethan Traditional Chandelier but Hubby thinks we stick to something more with Venetian interior. Well, if we have the budget, than maybe we should go for that Grand Canal but it is just too huge for the apartment.

Since Lamp Click provides discount volume, we are thinking of including two wall sconces for each side of the room to complement the chandelier. Hubby thinks that it is better to have a choice when we want to dim the lighting. He wants something really simple like the Fontano Traditional Glass.

Fontano Traditional Glass Wall Sconce

Anyway, we have a week to discuss before Ramadan starts. We should purchase by then so it arrives in time for our visitors' pleasure on the Eid. Maybe I should also inform our family friends who are currently redecorating their bedroom.

Beef Mushroom In Oyster Sauce

Sirloin strips, fresh mushroom, capsicum, young corn, ground pepper, and oyster sauce.

Beef mushroom in oyster sauce

An entry for

Unlimited DS Downloads

Hubby is on a one week leave so we went to beach resort the other day. Except for the family jacuzzi, we did not enjoy the other famous resort rides like the blackhole because of the scorching sun. Think 40 degrees Dubai temperature. Hubby said that it is best if we stay inside the house, watch movies and play Nintendo in between.

I think that is also a healthier option than to suffer heat stroke outdoors. I know Hubby won't be bored with his toy since we  found this awesome website on unlimited quality Nintendo DS downloads. You pay a one time small fee of $35 and get unlimited access to an enormous games data base.There are around 200,000 workable ds, dsi, and ds lite games, roms, iso and emulators, movies and MP3s which can be played in the console.There is 24/7 support feature and certainly dowloads at a lightning speed. Definitely a good value for money.

I'm aware of free DS downloads but they all come with virus and malicious codes as endured by our family friend to his great disappointment.

 

IPod Touch For Your Man!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

My Aunt Hermie called last night to ask what are the best gifts in town today. Her husband is celebrating his birthday next week and being a very devoted father to their two young daughters, Aunt Hermie wants something really special. But the thing is she has no idea because her work as a registered nurse gives her no time at all to go shopping.

She knows I go online shopping so she was asking for any good deals lately. Fortunately, I came across some special deals on Charter which any regular Daddy will want to have. Just buy any of those Charter best bundles - services you want for your mobile phone or internet or TV and you will receive a gift card worth $300 that you can spend in retailers such as Home Depot.

Charter is also giving away 100 Ipod Touch to their lucky visitors. There is no purchase necessary so enter now to win an iPod Touch. This is to show the new charter app for Iphone, Blackberry and Ipod Touch. The new mobile app makes it easier to access news, weather, and sports. One can also check TV Listings so her husband  won't have to miss any of those LA Lakers game he is very fond of. They truly value their customers as you can also get updates, fun extras, and Facebook only deals on Charter's Facebook page.

I gave her the link to this video where you can see how the Charter mobile app works but I am posting as well for other interested readers out there.

The Lamb

I took this photo while we were about to wrap up our visit to Vatican Museum.

"For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

~ Bible Quotes

An entry for

Sepia Scenes

Auto Warranty

I mentioned in my recent "moving news" post about my Uncle M and his family in the United States.  I was waiting for his weekly call the other day. I am excited to hear how they are doing in their new home but he failed to do so.

Early this morning, his phone call arrived and he apologized for missing the regular phone chat. He shared that he took the family car to a service facility for some minor repair and to finally replace the air conditioning compressor (he had been complaining about it since late last year). He was quiet pleased that he bought an extended car warranty from USD so that the whole thing was not a major slice from their family budget.

He urged us as well to do the same for our vehicle. Hubby said that we will do so if we can find here in the UAE something as good as USDirect - which has a policy that you can take your vehicle in any repair facility of your choice.

Have a Good Laugh!

Little Johnny was doing his math homework. 

He said to himself aloud, 

“Two plus five, that son of a bitch is seven. Three plus six, that son of a bitch is nine.” 

His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, “What are you doing?” 

The little boy answered, “I’m doing my math homework."

"And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?” the mother asked. 

“Yes, ” he answered. 

Infuriated, the mother  called Little Johnny’s teacher the next day, 

“What are you teaching my son in class?”

The teacher replied, “Right now, we are learning addition.” 

The mother asked, “And are you teaching them to say two plus two, that son of a bitch is four?”

After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered, “What I taught them was, two plus two, the sum of which is four.”

Tile Cutter

Finally, we found the perfect gift for my grandfather's birthday come October!

He lives in the province and is a retired industrial arts teacher. A year ago, we sent him an electric powered drill as present. He was so delighted about it because even though of old age, he enjoys being a handy man for free around the neighborhood.

Now we are thinking of buying rubi tile cutter for him because he's in the middle of planning to renovate the kitchen and the adjacent bathroom in time for the huge family reunion  come Christmas. We thought that he will be able to save more if he has his own tools to cut and shape the ceramic tiles he ordered. 

We chose rubi because it is a leading manufacturer of ceramic tile cutter that is already well known with professional range of rubi quality standard.We are assured that what we are buying is of a high quality equipment. If you want to read some review of rubi products, visit here at http://rubitilecutter.com/

Project 365: Batch 3

 The following photos were taken during last week's The Collectors Exhibit at Burjuman Mall.

11/365 - Princess Diana & Prince Charles memorabilia as part of an Emirati's Antique Collection

12/365 - Commemorative bronze medal for 500 Year Discovery of Brazil. It is minted from 1000 medals. Weighs 250 grams.

13/365 - Plenty of the prettiest snowballs but I chose this. I'm a huge Mickey fan =)

14/365 - Thirty thousand Australian dollars from a rare coin collection.

15/365 - A vintage gown and the fringe detail has definitely made a come back.

If you want to see the Evian Bottle Limited Edition collection, visit here.

LED Grow Lights

Have I mentioned that Hubby is recreating Banaue Rice Terraces in our kitchen? ((^_^))

He bought this huge rectangular plant box early last year. He placed it between the oven and kitchen sink and plants whatever bulb, herb, or seeds he can get his hands on. Because he has green thumb, I've seen seeds of Valencia orange sprout to five inches long and then they whither. It is always like that including with the onions and basil. We have to use/harvest them the soonest least they will turn yellow and wither.

Hubby has always been an avid tree planter and gardener. He thinks that the reason why the plants don't grow much healthier is due to lack of enough sunlight. We tried bringing them out but the Dubai sun and 40 degrees temperature does not help.

Perhaps I found the solution last night when I learned about LED Grow Lights. The UFO type uses 90 watts of power that are more intense and could result to faster growth of plants. Moreover, it does not produce any heat so it is still safe even when kids are around. 

Hubby was delighted to learn such option of growing plants. He has always talked about how we should be growing our own coriander, oregano, and basil in the kitchen. LED Grow Lights are definitely on our must-buy list next month.

Berlin Wall Original Pieces

As part of Dubai Summer Suprises, Burjuman Mall hosted The Collectors Exhibit last week. From modified vintage cars, to rare coins and currency, vintage branded sunglasses, designer bottles, and other antiques, the shopping mall's alleys and atrium were filled with priceless hobbies.

Today, I am sharing to you the prestigious historical collection by  Suhail Al Zarooni. These are the original pieces of Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall (German: Berliner Mauer) was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) starting August 13, 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin.

Euphoric public and souvenir hunters chipped away parts of the wall. The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification.

An entry for

ABC Wednesday Round 7

Laptops To Suit Your Budget

Howdy to my visitors! 

We just arrived from our routine evening walk and we ran into J who informed us that our common friend had been let go by her company. I felt really as sad because it's been awhile since we heard about employees terminated. I thought the Dubai economy was stepping up to regain its previous economic glory.

As we continued chatting, J mentioned that our friend wishes to purchase a laptop to bring home to her siblings in the Philippines. Good thing that I spent my afternoon searching  online for affordable external hard drive that I was able to recommend a website where you can buy cheap laptops such as Fujitsu and Samsung.

I believe Samsung is a good value for money. While we were on travel last May in Europe, I saw plenty of exchange students tinkering with their Samsung laptops on board TrenItalia.

A Poem By The Ruler Of Dubai

Note: As we complete our book collection from the Middle East, we bought a copy of **Poems From The Desert authored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. There are about 27 poems and I am not yet done reading all of them. Below is the first from the collection. Hubby and I both agree to its beauty and that it should be shared to all of you.**The book has a foreword by Paulo Coelho

A Mother's Lament

With sorrow she approached me, to speak of her son.
She seemed a broken soul, mistreated by him...

She thought that he valued her so dearly,
He who was part of her own flesh and being.

Wounded, she came to me when her hopes had been dashed,
She came with pain no time could measure.

She said: "After his father's abrupt demise,
I took care of him, and raised him so dearly...

An orphan with no place for shelter,
A mere infant, still sleeping in his cradle...

For his sake, I took up a servant's job,
Hoping nights' promise would someday be fulfilled...

Years went by, and grew into a man,
The day I awaited had finally arrived."

She paused right then, with silent tears,
Running down her cheeks, her pain I could see

With a broken voice, she spoke once again,
Of how he threw her out of the place they called home.

At first I kept silent, my soul was enraged
By the cruelty and injustice, brought upon her.

I said to her: "Your rights were denied as if in a lion's den,
They will be returned to you, after the beast's defeat..."

With an intention to help in such difficult times,
I called for him to reprimand his wrong-doing.

My words were interrupted by her pleading voice:
"What are you doing?" she asked in a startled tone.

"I am his Mother, Sir, do not condemn him.
How can a mother's heart oppress her own child?"

How vast is her forgiveness, how tender hear heart?
When empowered she pardoned and forgot his cruel deeds.

A portrait of The Ruler of Dubai on display at Burjuman Mall.

Free Ipad eBooks!

My good girlfriend J was freaking in excitement on the phone yesterday as she revealed she was now clutching her ultimate dream toy - the Apple Ipad Tablet. Last week, we went through her savings and she was so ecstatic that she can afford to buy the 32GB Ipad with Wifi + 3G. She asked me to help her save such amount by helping her remind that those Jimmy Choo shoes won't satisfy her as much as the Ipad. She would sulk everytime but hey, she's been on Dubai for like four years and it's time she buys something tangible other than Chanel.

Since I am proud of myself as well that my friend was able to achieve something with my gentle reminders, I also helped her research on where she can download applications and I came across a website called Ipad Books. 

New users will learn plenty from the website such as how to read ebooks on your Ipad. I learned that Ipad has no USB port so the question of many is how to get PDF on the device. The website says that the simplest way of getting PDFs onto the device is to email them to yourself and download them via the email application. Then you can read books this way.

The website also explores how the Ipad can be the perfect laptop for students. It is lightweight, extremely portable, long battery life, and the touchscreen makes it convenient in a quiet classroom. It has no webcam and a cameraless device is much more welcome by school officials. Lastly, it is slightly cheaper than some of the laptops out there.

Oh I can't wait for my friend to pop over and show her stunning new toy! Then I can share the Ipad Books website and have her take advantage of all those free downloads.

H3 in Pink

I saw this Hummer H3 last Friday at The Dubai Mall, Fashion Car Park.

H3 was introduced in 2005 and the smallest of the Hummer models. It is also the first to be built by General Motors.

It is available either as a traditional midsize SUV or as a midsize pickup known as the H3T

An entry for

Schwinn Jogging Stroller

Our club president's wife is on her last tri-semester pregnancy with their first child. She called last night asking if we could meet up to check on her baby wish list. The fact that I have a two year-old son, she has asked my opinion on various pregnancy issues while we sip coffee at Barista Cafe, our favorite meet-up place these days.

She is has a lovely figure and I bet she cannot wait to get back to her pre-pregnancy weight. Like us, they won't be getting a nanny so she will be taking care of the baby 24/7. I would be glad to share her over the weekend about Schwinn Jogging Stroller. This is designed to make a baby's ride smooth even on terrain with its extra padding, bigger sunshade, and reclining features. Moreover, the stroller has bigger wheels than the standard ones thus making it more efficient to maneuver.

Choconana Muffins

I made this over the week for my muffin-crazy toddler =). Home-baked muffins are hard to resist and this combination of chocolate and banana will really test your will power. The easy recipe follows.

Choconana Muffins

Ingredients
225 g plain flour
25 g cocoa powder (sometimes i used Nesquik)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100 g caster sugar
3 ripe bananas
2 large eggs beaten
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 cup chocolate buttons

Here's How
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Grease 12 hole muffin tin.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Mash the bananas on a plate. Then beat eggs together with the oil.
4. Add mashed bananas and the egg and oil mixture to the dry ingredients and beat together lightly.
5. Divide the mixture between muffin cases. Decorate with chocolate buttons.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Serve warm.

An entry for

Hangover Ratings

Time for some good laugh!

I got this from Belgian Beer Cafe notes on FB.

1 Star Hangover *

No pain. No real feeling of illness.. Your sleep last night was a mere disco nap which is giving you a whole lot of misplaced energy. Be glad that you are able to function relatively well. However, you are still parched. You can drink 10 bottles of water and still feel this way. Even vegetarians are craving a Cheeseburger and a side of fries.

2 Star Hangover **

Slight headache. Don't feel sick, but something is definitely amiss. You may look okay but you have the attention span and mental capacity of a stapler. The coffee you chug to try and remain focused is only exacerbating your rumbling gut, which is craving a full English breakfast. Last night has wreaked havoc on your bowels and even though you have a nice demeanour about the office, you are costing your employer valuable money because all you really can handle is aimlessly surfing the net and writing junk e-mails.

3 Star Hangover ***

Definite headache. Stomach feels crappy. You are definitely a space cadet and so not productive. Anytime a girl walks by you gag because her perfume reminds you of the random gin shots you did with your alcoholic friends after the bouncer kicked you out at 1:45 a.m. Life would be better right now if you were in your bed with a dozen donuts and a litre of coke watching Good Morning with Richard and Judy. You've had 4 cups of coffee, a gallon of water, 2 Sausage Rolls and a litre of diet coke - yet you haven't peed once.

4 Star Hangover ****

Your head is throbbing and you can't speak too quickly or else you might honk. You have lost the will to live. Your boss has already lambasted you for being late and has given you a lecture for reeking of booze. You wore nice clothes, but that can't hide the fact that you missed an oh-so crucial spot shaving, (girls, it looks like you put your make-up on while riding the bumper cars), your teeth have sweaters, your eyes look like one big vein and your hair style makes you look like a reject from the class picture of Moss side secondary school circa 1976. You would give a weeks pay for one the following: 1. Home time, 2. A duvet and somewhere to be alone, or 3. A time machine so you could go back and NOT have gone out the night before.

5 Star Hangover (aka Dante's 4th Circle of Hell) *****

You have a second heartbeat in your head which is actually scaring the employee who sits next to you. Death seems pretty good right now. You can't focus as your eyes are scrunched up against the overpowering glare from your computer screen. Rancid vodka vapour is seeping out of every pore, staining your shirt and making you dizzy. You still have toothpaste crust in the corners of your mouth, at least you think it's toothpaste crust. You don't give a damn either way. Your body has lost the ability to generate saliva and your tongue is suffocating you. You'd cry but that would take the last of the moisture left in your body. Talking is not an option. Your boss doesn't even get mad at you and your co-workers think that your dog just died because you look so pathetic. You should have called in sick because all you can manage to do is breathe....very gently. 

Bathroom Makeover!

For a week now, I've been making the most of IKEA Sale offers. I got a nod from Hubby to redecorate our bathroom. We've been on the apartment for a year and a half and I think it's time for a whole new bath look. Besides, come September we will be having visitors for the Eid Holiday so that is more reason to redecorate.

I bought an elegant white shower curtain with ruffle trimmings, some pretty scented candles in all shades of green to match the new apple green bathroom mat. I brought in lucky bamboo plants in a tall rectangular red glass vase for a hint of romance hihi. From red and blue his and hers bath towels, we are now in soft hues of orange and green thanks to a previous Marks & Spencer sale.

I am all for modern look these days because our previous bath theme decor was of Japanese zen with more of wood pieces and earth colors. I am also discarding our four-year old weighing scale in favor of a glass digital bathroom scale (I read that the electronic ones are more accurate). Lastly, I need a 15x20 abstract painting framed in glass to complement the whole look.

Hopefully, Hubby and our visitors will be pleased!

Abaya Fashion Show

As part of the Dubai Summer Surprises, a weeklong of Sheila and Abaya Fashion Show was held at the at The Fashion Avenue of TDM. The abaya or cloak is a long overgarment, essentially a robe-like dress worn by women in some parts of the Islamic world. It is considered a national dress here in United Arab Emirates.

I asked Hubby if I can buy one. I qualify since I am half-Muslim and he said, "You want to wear one? Landi!" ((^_^))

An entry for

ABC Wednesday Round 7