Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

The most awaited 2 days - 19-20 April 2008, we went to Laiya San Juan, Batangas, rented 2 cottages at Kimberly Beach Resort. We occupied one cottage and the other for the parents and siblings of Che. We prepared the food at home and cooked them in the resort. One dish that got so much attention is presented below. I call it 'pinaputok na seafoods' - it is composed of a slice of bangus, 3 pcs halaan, 3 pcs tahong, 1/2 alimasag, 2 slices of pusit, 2 pcs hipon suaje. A slice of margarine is placed on top and garnished with a mixture of vegetables such as celery, onions, ginger and garlic, all chopped. The ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves very tightly and wrapped with aluminum foil to steady the banana leaves and grilled in very high heat for 4 to 6 minutes. The sawsawan is toyo with calamansi. We also have big bangus and a big container of chicken BBQ prepared by Jay. We did a lot of eating that we forgot that all of us are on-diet. Hindi bale paminsan-minsan lang ito. We did not eat so much rice to lessen the intake of calories. We deeped (because I do not swim) into the water late before the sun sets to refresh and early in the morning to avoid the heat of the sun. It is amazing that at 9 am it is already very hot so all of us stayed in the cottage and eat the rest of our 'baon'. The chicken-pork adobo of Che's mom is very good when it is 'bahaw' so we brought home some which was eaten the following morning. The outing turned out to be more of 'food trip'. I guess all of us earned extra pounds.

Lola Goring's 14th Death Anniversary

Before Mama died on April 7, 1994 we were celebrating her birthday on Nov. 17th in Tanauan at Tio Dioneng's house. All the relatives were expecting this event every year. She's liked a debutante with food enough to feed a barangay including special cakes for take home. She emphasized the take home. Now, after her first death anniversary which we celebrated here at my house at LB, the yearly celebration was done at different places where her sisters live. One time we did it in Sto. Tomas at Tia Oreng's house. the following year at Tia Henya, then Tia Nena's. We are all comfortable at Tia Nena's house so we made it there often. Every year, Ronald had the assignment of taking pictures, he made a collage of the event in one page and distribute a copy to the 4 sisters (Elena, Dominga, Asuncion and Aurelia) and of course to Tia Henya. This year, Issa took the pictures because Ronald and Nancy were on a pleasure trip to Sagada, Mountain Province.
I brought beef caldereta, pork hamonado, fresh lum,pia ubod, pancit malabon, bangus and tilapia for inihaw, buco pandan, green mango salad prepared by Che. All the foods were cooked by Jay, except of the inihaw done by Domeng and Joel.
Tia Nena prepared a galapong na bibingka and cassava bibingka, Tia Asuncion, a rice cake the recipe of which was taken from her biyenan who died years ago and prepared by one of the apos, suman sa lihia was given by Tia Ludy who happened to be here visiting her kids. All unconsumed foods were packed for take home.
Cely came with Heidi and Ellen and 3 apos, Hanna. Hazel and Reine, the boys were left behind hindi kasya sa kotse.
We have a short time to interact, but I am so happy for the party was well attended.
I brought one bottle each of multivitamins and calcium, I guess this time it will be for Tia Nena and Tia Inggay na lang.
I almost forget, before we eat we prayed a very long prayer for Mama led by Tia Inggay, the usual prayer for the dead. I think tia Inggay is sickly now, mahina na parati sa doctor, meron siyang scoliosis and heart problem.
Tia Ludy is with Lina in California. She went home to visit the other children. She is very healthy.
We left at 4:30 pm and proceeded to the Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas to hear the sunday mass. I had a 9 days mass novena for the dead at San Antonio parish from March 29 to April 7 for Daddy whose death anniversary is on March 30.