Winter Clothing

I'm pretty proud of myself because I survived winter without getting sick! I hate to admit it but I don't really like feeling cold. Sweetie's the complete opposite. He likes it when it's cold and he can actually survive with a bimpo on his shoulder when we sleep with the aircon on. Me? I actually use 2 blankets and also use a blanket even if we're just using an electric fan. I like to keep my feet warm.

I never expected that the temperature would go down to -12°C, but I'm glad I prepared to wear the right clothing. Thought I'd make a quick post about what I had to get (in case I need it again in the future).

1. The Coat - preferably the one that reaches to your knees so that it covers your behind. My sister bought one for me in the US (Anne Klein brand) and sent it through my brother-in-law.

2. Gloves - fur lined gloves is the best although I oftentimes wished they were double-fur-lined. I just jammed my hands in my coat pockets for additional warmth.

3. Thermal underwear - get the thickest tights you can find and long-sleeved thermal shirts. Best buy at Uniqlo. Thermal socks from Daiso were very helpful too.

4. Sweater - my brother-in-law advised that I should get turtlenecks. I didn't expect though I'd get allergies from the furry kind (H&M), good thing I got some shirt-type turtlenecks at Uniqlo.

5. Bonnet/Hat - never leave home without a bonnet. I never used my ear muffs since the bonnet did it's job. Using your jacket's hood helps too.

6. Jacket - if you are not as ginawin as I am you can probably do without this if you already have 3 layers on you and you can just use your coat to top your sweater-thermal undies ensemble, but if you're going to go to -3°C temperatures (and onwards) a jacket is mighty helpful.

7. Scarf - aside from protecting your neck, you can also use your scarf to hide your face haha.

8. Boots - get fur-lined boots. My boss commended my choice of shoes and he said that they were really nice and was the best choice for winter. I actually got a size bigger because I anticipated that I would be wearing several layers of tights and socks.

9. Others - arm and leg warmers and ear muffs never used them though.

I layered a lot since I was scared about catching a cold and I definitely did not want to get sick in an unfamiliar country. I'm proud to say that I didn't get sick because I prepared well. My nose though was bleeding all week long because it was cold (hafta get it checked). Buying the right clothing put a dent to my savings, but it was worth it because I got back to Asia in one piece.

Singapore: Tapa King at Lau Pa Sat

Today I blog about a popular local fast-food chain in the Philippines - Tapa King! 

I was ranting to a friend just before I left for Singapore that I was going to miss eating longsilog. He told me that I shouldn't fuss because Tapa King has a branch at Lau Pa Sat. I was really happy when he told me about it because Lau Pa Sat is just a stone's throw away from where I work. 

So one evening last week I headed to Lau Pa Sat because I was craving for some comfort Pinoy food. I just followed my nose and found Tapa King! I think I was so obviously excited the cashier noticed it and they gave me a large helping of tapa which came with local vinegar. So I happily brought home one order of Tapa Prince (sweet) for dinner.

And some longsilog the next evening.

Aside from tapa and longganisa, they also have corned beef (Purefoods) and bangus and a lot of other yummy Pinoy stuff. 

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Tapa King - Singapore

Lau Pa Sat (map)

Price Range: SG$5 to 7

Presidential Museum and Library

I had the pleasure of visiting the Presidential Museum and Library last Friday. I love going to museums and I actually wanted to be an anthropologist, but that didn't happen so I just go visit museums whenever I can.

A few months back a friend mentioned the museum and I was really curious about it because he said that they had a lot of presidential memorablia and old books. I finally got the chance to tour the museum and I was really surprised that they had a huge collection.

Ferdinand Magellan, I just realized that I never really knew how he looked.

The museum is located in the original Malacanan Palace. We went through many different room, most named after former presidents. I confessed to the curator that if I was asked to name all 15 presidents I would likely fail. I absorbed every word she said and I was really surprised to find out that we actually have 4 presidents who took over the remaining days of presidents who died/impeached (so that's why it's very important to choose a VP who would carry on well if the president cannot complete his term).

San Miguel used to have it's first brewery in the area! 

Malacanan Palace was originally a summer rest house which was originally sold for a thousand pesos and then eventually for 5,100 to the Spanish government. It was not originally intended to become the residence of whoever was running the country, but it eventually became a tradition because whoever was head of state stayed there. It was President Magsaysay who declared it to be the 'palace for the people'.

If I remember correctly this used to be the Old Executive Secretary's room

and it used to have an elevator because directly above it was the President's office.

The high-ceiling structure was built in 1920 and the largest renovation made was done by former first lady Imelda Marcos. I got the chance to stand on the balcony where former President Marcos waved his final goodbye before he left for Hawaii. The tree out front is remarkably as old as the Palace (wow!). The second floor held "Imelda's ballroom", but is now the Gallery of Presidents. It showcases mementos and busts of former presidents and there's a special room showcasing President Cory Aquino's collection.

I love sewing and this thimble was used by Teodora Agoncillo when

she sew the first Philippine Flag. 

I did not expect the tour to last almost an hour (or maybe because we were looking at everything in each room) and I must say that the collection is well maintained. It shows our heritage as a people and showcases Filipino craftsmanship (I still can't get over the carved table legs!). I could probably spend a whole day looking at everything and asking the curator many, many questions!

This is where they used to hold Council of State meetings. Council of

State now is more popularly know as the Cabinet.

The leg of the huge table is a carving.

This was the chair that President Marcos sat on when he declared Martial Law.

The balcony where President Marcos waved his last goodbye. 

I used to have all those buttons!

Gallery of Presidents.

To visit the Presidential Museum and Library you can get more information by contacting them at +632-7844286 or 4671 or email them at presidentialmuseum (at) yahoo.com.