I’m standing on a Cliffside looking over the picturesque scene of the sunset and beautiful coastline down there. This is the perfect place to hang out with friends and the perfect spot to view beauty of nature, you can see the sun is low on the horizon as the day draws to a close, it’s so relaxing to be here till dusk.
Being up on a cliff gives you a stunning view of the sunset making it the perfect spot for a relaxing family moment as we watch the sun dip below the horizon. From the Cliff Jump site, we soak in the beauty of the coastline along the South China Sea with the wind rustling through the palm trees and the stairs leading down to the lovely Sunset Beach. To our left, a striking rock formation towers over the mountains dropping down to the deep blue sea. I’m so grateful for this peaceful moment of togetherness surrounded by nature. Balancing work and family life can be a challenge but this is our chance to unwind and escape the stress of city living. It’s been such a fun time together and a memorable way to end the day.
Experiencing the natural beauty surrounding Tali Beach during our 5-day summer vacation was insufficient, prompting us to plan for an extended getaway.
If you’re a fan of sunsets and stunning landscapes, and you find yourself in Nasugbu, Batangas, make sure you check this out. The Cliff Jump site is one of the top spots for capturing those gorgeous sunset.
How to attract butterflies to your garden? One way to attract butterflies is to feed them with fruit scraps such as mangoes, overripe bananas, apples, plums, watermelon to mention a few.. They love fruits with the most natural sugar in it. Got 2 kinds of butterflies feeding on mangoes, one of the world’s most popular tropical fruit.
Feeding Station for the butterflies. 2 butterflies; monarch and admiral butterfly feasting a plate of mango slices.
Just like human, admiral butterflies love mangoes.
Monarch butterfly enjoying the natural sweetness from fruits.
A very beautiful sun setting in the evening, the glowing radiance of orange, red, purple, pink, yellow and blue with the splashing sunlit reflections from the water brings interesting foreground and background details. Communicating with the beauty of nature and capturing sunset great moments as it descend below western horizon at the end of the day is truly perfection.
I have captured these photos at SM Mall of Asia bayside, it was the last Saturday of ”Philippine International Pyromusical Competition 2018, the whole area was jam-packed with people of all ages and different nationalities, the flow of noisy conversation from people around was so terrible but it’s all worth to be there. This is the only time for me to capture and enjoy two interesting subjects same day; the sunset beforehand and fireworks at the end.
More sunset photos taken before sundown
It’s summertime therefore it’s photography time so expect more beautiful sunset photos…
It’s an easy way to serve dessert or a pick-up healthy snack that’s refreshingly good and in addition, the simplest individual touch to catch your own mood. Here’s how to arrange all-time favorite fresh fruits in a small glass, Fruit medley on the table gives you the freedom to choose your best favorites as well, a few slices of Kiwi, fresh pineapples, red strawberries, green/red apples and pomelo as the best example of my favorites.
You can try-out mixing different kinds of fruits to enjoy the balance of sweetness and refreshing taste.The basic arrangement and good combination applies here, fruits on the served should be fresh, bright and not cluttered.Using the appropriate size and right glassware for individual serving, it looks elegantly clean and at the same time, it’s safe for your health better than the plastic containers. I’m avoiding using plastic containers at all cost. Check other fruit servings and arrangement next posts..
I haven’t seen a fruit like these before, it was exceptionally long and big avocado ! I was lucky to discover such a huge one. Awesome! It was shiny greenish skin, firm and hard fresh. When I bought it, it was still hard and green, it aren’t ripe yet. Day after, the color starts turning into a reddish one and the next day, it was already dark reddish and purple in color. That means, it was already perfectly ripe. However, some varieties when ripen stays the same in color but this one undergoes color changes.
Avocado is good when ripened on and off the tree. Ripening affect the flavor and texture so, it is good to eat when it is still firm and perfectly ripe. When underripe, it tastes bitter, however, when overripe, starts to become soft and the taste you might not like it. For a sweeter version, it is best eaten raw with honey and all purpose cream. Others, they like to eat it with a full cream chocolate milk. Other uses; avocado is good for snacks, salads, soup, sandwich, dressing and sauces.
Avocados nutrition facts is good. It is rich in potassium and vitamins. It is also very rich in fat and high in calories. My dietitian always reminds me of some benefits you can get with it and at the same time, it is bad to people with high cholesterol level and high blood pressure. You must also think of what you can get for the calories that counts also, just eat moderately to be safe.
Here’s the funny thing, I’ve measured it with a piece of foot rule, one foot in length or 12 in inches I’m curious, I want to find out how long?
Got 2 big avocados to measure. Amazing! You can see the foot rule here in between 2 avocados. The foot rule is by inches and centimeters. The measurement of one avocado is 12 inches in length while the other one is merely closer.
Viewing per piece, both avocados has tapered neck and this one is longer than the other one.
It was completely ripe inside, the color is just right, the flavor is perfectly great. The big size is just enough for the whole family to enjoy. Now, I want to prepare something using these fruits, there were many uses and what I have in mind is to make Avocado shake.
Sinabalu is a local specialty famous in Cagayan Valley especially in Piat and neighboring towns of Tuao and Rizal. Sinabalu is a staple of local cuisine; it’s made by roasting glutinous rice flavored with salt and coconut milk in a bamboo tube over a low fire while wrapped in banana leaves.The subtle flavor is wonderful and pairs perfectly with brewed coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. I’m confident that you’ll enjoy it because it has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. When cooked over real wood charcoal, the aroma and flavor are at their peak.
Cagayan residents have spent generations perfecting their distinct regional cuisines and delicacies. Sinabalu and other local specialties like Pawa, Puto, and Patupat (all dekats fairly beginning with letter P), to name a few, are essential components of each Christmas, wake, fiesta, wedding, or other special holiday celebration. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid, and not just for breakfast or midday snacks. Because I live in the city and don’t get to eat the same favorites all the time, I always look forward to my brother and his wife’s monthly visits, because they always bring some local specialties from Piat. A relaxing way to spend time with friends is over a cup of freshly brewed coffee and some Sinabalu slices.
The good quality you can buy it fresh in Piat Public Market first hour in the morning and food stall vendors near “Basilica Minore de Nuestra Senora de Piat Church” You can find the best Sinabalu in a reputable source from Barangay Accusilian, according to my relatives from Tuao, a 2nd class Municipality in the Province of Cagayan.
Both the traditional White Sinabalu and the more recent Brown Sinabalu are available, with the latter offering additional health benefits, particularly for diabetics, thanks to the use of brown glutinous rice in the cooking process. It has a very short shelf life and can only be frozen for 2 days before rapidly losing quality.
Visit my birthplace Piat Cagayan to taste all local specialties. I’m sure you’ll love it!
Chinese new year celebrations around the world is always welcomed by cultural performances, festive shows, fireworks display, lucky foods, good wishes in their own traditional way and Philippines is no exception to that. In connection with the annual New Year celebration at Shangri-La Plaza ( a world class shopping and dining mall destination) Elegant Chinese pagoda on the ground level with an artistic modern looking designs of 12 animal zodiac. Of course! the reigning animal symbol for this year 2018 ”The Year of the Earth Dog”
The grand celebration at Shang Atrium last Sunday February 25, 2018 showcased the Chinese folk culture includes the thrilling high pole lion dance, Dragon dance, Wushu and Amazing drummers performed by multi-talented performers of Chinese Ling Nam Athletic Federation. Ling Nam Athletes performed at Chinese New Year and other holiday events.
The president and vice-president of Ling-Nam Federation with other prominent personalities
Chinese Ling Nam Athletic Federation and Fire and Rescue Volunteer, a non-governmental organization aims to promote traditional martial arts, they produced multi talented performers and received various awards from competition abroad.
With their own field of expertise, the Ling Nam Fire and Rescue Volunteers are very attentive and responsive to the needs of the community. Other projects includes the medical and dental mission. Over the years of helping the needy, their accomplishments has progressed with its vision and growing bigger and very popular. Congratulations and Thank you for continuing fine tradition of service to your fellowmen.
Master William Soon (center) and company
Master William Soon, the chief instructor of Chinese Ling Nam Athletic Federation is very smart and accommodating. He referred me to ‘’Aga’’ for a broad interview detailing the culture and history of the organization.
Playing the gong is Gumey Bautista, Wushu and Lion dance junior instructor.
Lion dancers all dressed with vibrant colors displaying their new year greetings and wishes for the year 2018 ”the Year of the Earth Dog”
Taking part in the photography and publishing level, I’ve excused myself last Sunday from other activities scheduled for the day just to attend the said event. It’s all done and worth it! So many good performers, I feel thrilled and excited more than exhausted.
The dazzling glow of Shangri-La and colorful splendors of the lions.
Loud sounds of drums, gongs and cymbals filled the whole of Shangri-La plaza, it’s the instrument of expression to drive away misfortunes and bad spirits.
The Dragon Dance
The Lion dance
The drummers
Comic performers
Other pictures taken during the live exhibition
Welcoming the new year marks new beginning and good expectations, hopefully it will bring more blessings. It’s the year of the dog, please be more kind to your dogs and love all animals as well. Happy Chinese New Year 2018 everyone!
I would like to thank Master William Soon, to you Aga, to all performers, organizers and to all who supported the event. See you all again soon. Thank you guys!
Following our family vacation previously, I had focused my attention on all exciting enhancements during that time and much more to something which is more relaxing and pleasing to the eye. Our itinerary doesn’t only just cover delicious foods and luxury comfort, it also includes must- sees garden flowers too.
Eagerly to show what I’ve acquired in the course of my Baguio tour, the splash of flowers and attractive features, this is something that gives identity to a certain place,’’Botanical garden of Baguio’’ the field of blooming flowers and an outstanding park for the dahlias. The best series of dahlias can be seen around minus the fragrance as a notable exception, you can also see here all the growing species in a cooler environment and my free time to appreciate is limitless.
The scene satisfies my cravings to photograph everything. One of the great things that I love is photography no matter if it’s indoor or outdoor location is considerably an overwhelming hobby. It took an hour to finished, shows my expression of love for the flowers and it leaves unforgettable memories to remember.
Pleasingly beautiful to the point of my interest, my top choices are the dahlia flowers. I’ve completed all the varieties from single to the large ones. If you like beautiful flowers, you’ll surely love these dahlias!
Dahlia flower- are sun lovers and tender perennials forming tuberous roots. They are fast growing plant that comes in every color carried on long stems above erect plants and classified by both size and type from the big-sized dinner-plate varieties down to the midget pompoms. Wild species were the first introduced in the British Isles. Dahlias are very useful in flower arrangement and garden decoration, they are graceful landscape plants and good for borders and mass planting.
Single-flowered dahlia – Single blooms, having one row of smooth ray florets surrounding a central disk.
Peony-flowered dahlia- having two to three rows of broad and usually flat petals surrounding a central disk.
Decorative dinner plate dahlia – A huge plate-sized blooms.
Informal decorative dahlia
Formal decorative dahlia – The double flowers have broad petals which are normally flat and sometimes slightly twisted and bluntly pointed or rounded at the tips. This class covers a wide range similar to pompom and cactus.
Twisted dahlia – Florets are twisted and curved.
Collarette dahlia – Brightly colored flowers with one or more rings of flat ray florets, the ring collar of smaller florets about half of the ray florets.
Bi-colored dahlia
Double show and Fancy dahlia – Fully double and almost globular in shape. The central florets slightly smaller than the outer florets. The show types are self-colored while the fancy types are bi-colored and variegated. One of the oldest classes.
Cactus dahlia
Cactus dahlia – are very popular for flower arrangement, show no disk and fully double flowers have a straight or in curving petals that tends to be narrow and pointed star-like appearance.
Waterlily dahlia
Orchid-flowered dahlia
Note: (Not available at the moment, to be added soon. Pompom dahlia, Orchid dahlia, Anemone-flowered dahlia, Star-flowered dahlia, Miscellaneous…)
The botanical garden has an area specifically designed for dahlias only. In the Philippines, you can find the best hybrid varieties in Baguio and Tagaytay, the two largest flower producers in the country. Most dahlias we grow today are the product of botanist and gardener’s breeding effort.
Here’s Live Life and Love wishing you all ‘‘ Xin Nian Kuai Le” Happy Chinese New Year. My sincere wishes to all for this year 2018; Good health, happiness, longevity and lasting prosperity!
New expectations and opportunities, may all your wishes come true!