2019 Recap: Year of Surprises

To say that 2019 was the year of surprises would be an understatement.

This year, I got pregnant, became legally free, moved to a new house with someone, and put up a small business. Whew. WHAT A YEAR!

I also took a step back from blogging, lost two major gigs, was published in two print magazines, and uploaded over 10 videos on my YouTube channel and found my niche in vlogging.

I was also one of the speakers for the first-ever Philippine Social Media Week and it was definitely a huge honor.

I also bought a second-hand car for my Mom and finally paid it off in full after a year. It's nothing major but it does feel nice to actually see something that I bought with my own hard-earned money. Next on my list will be a lot where we can build our home and an educational plan for MK.

This year, I also got my first insurance! I'm officially an adult!

My son is also in his 2nd year of high school. When I look back on how I was able to provide for his schooling, I find myself in awe. How did I manage to send him to a pretty good school on such meager income? I've never asked for anyone's help in paying for his tuition and schooling but I managed to send him to school for the last 9 years. I'm really proud of that fact.

Overall, 2019 wasn't a bad year for me. There were hiccups but nothing major thank God. M and I have been together for two years now and though it hasn't been all roses, it's been getting better and better.

I was also able to do my no-buy year. It was my birth month that did me in though coz I got the Fenty Lip Gloss Set eventhough I did not need it. Next year, I'll try to make it a less buy for the year. With a baby coming in, I think it's going to be a true challenge to have a no buy year so I'll focus on less buy.

I'd still consider my no-buy year a success because the only shoes I bough this year was for my pregnancy. I didn't buy skin care and I only bought one set of cosmetics that I did not need but just really wanted.

Yes, I'm still struggling financially but I'm in a better headspace now. I finally got my spending pattern and identified areas where I could save more. The last two years have proven to be good exercises for me in identifying how to manage my income and how to curb my spending.

And for 2020, here's something that I plan to follow with all my heart.

How was your 2019? 

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Vision Board 2020

Last year, this was what was on my vision board.

Sadly, I wasn't able to achieve much of what was on my vision board. Perhaps it's because I didn't really put my vision board somewhere where I could see it daily so for this 2020, I'm going to make sure that it will be something I see daily.

So for 2020, here is my Vision Board.

1. My main thing for 2020 is to give birth to MK safely into this world via normal delivery. This is priority one and I have been going around the village to walk more and making sure that I don't eat so much rice. I'm also going to be doing some of the exercises recommended to help have a normal delivery.

2. Second, to choose to be kind. It may sound weird but being kind really is hard, this I admit. It's easy to pass judgment and to just get mad. However, I realized that the more you choose to be kind and attempt to understand where people or things are coming from, the easier life gets. When you choose to be kind, you end up attracting all kinds of positive energy into your life and this is something that I really want to have more of.

3. This one is ambitious. I have 1270 subscribers as of the moment on my YouTube Channel but I would like to aim for 100k by the end of the year. After 2 years of thinking and pondering, I feel like I now know what I want to vlog about and how to go about things.

I have procrastinated enough and it's time to really sit down and do this. There have been so many things that I wanted to share with the world and so it's time to do it from my little corner and as with my blog, if it touches one life, then that video would be worth it.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

4. I'm also hoping that this year, M and I would be able to make a downpayment on a lot where we will build our dream home. It's nothing big, just something right for us.

5. This year was a bit of a struggle financially but 2020, with M and I working together, we'll be able to achieve things. We have to for both B and MK.

6. Finally, this is one thing that I need to take seriously especially with MK coming into our lives. I need to be healthier to make sure that I am able to provide for a better future for him and of course, B. M and I need to do better. We have to.

What's on your vision board?

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on finally being free ....

For the last 15 years of my life, my past has haunted me. It has hindered me from being truly happy. It has destroyed relationships and it has made me decide on things in a different way because I had to always mind my past.

Today, I woke up to the news that I never dreamt I'd ever received.

Today, I found out that I am finally free. I am free to go back to my old self. I am free to do what I want. I am free to marry M when the time comes. I am free of my 15-year-old past mistakes.

This is the best thing to happen in this decade. I am no longer shackled to something that should have been cut 11 years ago. I am no longer bound just because a piece of paper says so.

Today, after 15 years, I am finally free.

God you are so good to me. Thank you.

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Christmas 2019

This year, we are almost complete. This time around, it's my older sister who isn't with us since she chose to celebrate the season with her own family.

Still, this Christmas is more meaningful because of Baby MK who is now 8 months in my tummy and will be born in about 6-7 weeks. OMG.

As always, we had a simple celebration at home where Chef cooked for us all. I loved the Gambas and the meatball pasta he made. It was SUPER GOOD!

My older sister did cook Lechon Belly and sent it to us so that was awesome.

They spent the day playing Mario on Switch.

I finished this diamond painting while waiting for M to get home from work.

I also sorted out Baby MK's stuff since I'm on a nesting phase now. We have diapers that should be good for at least 2 weeks haha. Thank you Pampers for sending a lot of NewBorn diapers.

We had a simple meal and then we had what is becoming our annual photo, taken by none other than Captured by Mark Balmores.

I even have a really cute photo of Yang looking for her gift.

I'm also really happy that my not so little brothers still say yes to my crazy ideas.

So from our family to yours, we hope that wherever you are, you are surrounded by love, peace, and good health.

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5 Gifts for the Foodie in your Life

This is probably the last gift guide that I will be making for 2019. We've done the platters, the ones for the beauty conscious, the healthy gift, and the sustainable ones as well as a random gift guide for the ones who are a bit hard to give stuff to.

1. Wrapsody Nut 

This is one of the best, if not the best, Pili Nuts in town. Locally owned, these glazed pilinut and roasted pilinut is more than enough to satisfy even the picky eaters. Consistently invited to showcase their product all over SouthEast Asia, there is a reason why Koreans and other countries can't get enough of this local goody.

The Wrapsody is made from carefully selected pilinuts and then concocted meticulously to come up with this product. Eating this is truly an experience and one box is not enough to satisfy your cravings because it is so addicting.

This is manufactured in Daraga, Albay so when you purchase it from this page, you are also supporting local sellers.

2. Kraft Eden Cheese

Who doesn't like cheese? I love cheese. M loves cheese. B loves it too. We put it on our sandwiches, pasta, and even viands. The one thing I recently learned is that you can also put it on top of your leche flan to make it even creamier. GAH. So go ahead and gift a foodie friend with leche flan topped with Eden cheese to make things more special.

3. Gardenia Festive Bread

Yes, you read that right. Gardenia has a couple of surprises up their sleeve and this Holiday season, they came up with breads that fit the season. The Pineapple Walnut Loaf is perfect paired with lechon belly, the festival loaf with pasta, and the red velvet load becomes a dessert on its own.

When you can't think of something to gift someone special in your life because you may be on a tight budget, these bread from Gardenia are more than enough to show you care without breaking the bank.

4. Goya Chocolatey Goodness

Whoever said that local chocolates are not good enough have not tried Goya. I am addicted to ZAP and Take It, while my little sister loves the dark chocolate. It's something that I give out to B's classmates and they look forward to getting it yearly.

The Goya Chocolate Spread is also a welcome treat because you get to indulge while not spending too much. It's comfort food when you're having a lousy day or when you simply want to treat yourself because you did a job well done. 

5. Maya Kitchen

You can also give these different packages from MAYA Kitchen for the person in your life who loves to cook or even better, grab these and make something for the foodie in your life. This will be extra special and definitely a welcome treat unless you end up giving them a stomach ache. Haha.

Whatever it is that you choose to give, always make it a point to choose something that means something to the person you are giving it too and make sure that it comes from the heart. Nothing is better than love and time but little tokens are also appreciated and loved. 

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YouTube Year End Review for MsKathyKenny

I started my YouTube channel way back 2012 and then I completely forgot about it.

I went back to it in 2016 and for a year, I uploaded a lot of videos that performed well enough that I was able to monetize it.

In 2017 and 2018, I sporadically posted on my channel but never really took it seriously. In 2019, I half-heartedly went back to it but not with a lot of enthusiasm.

Thankfully, my spirit is now on track and for 2020, I have made a commitment to uploading a video at least once a week.

I am finally inspired and ready to share what I know to people around me. 

Here's to more knowledge sharing and uplifting the lives of people through my YouTube channel. If you haven't subscribed, I hope you will. Cheers.

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2 Years of #MARKadoniKAT

Two years and one month ago, I met The Photographer.

In the last two years, we've had a lot of ups and downs though thankfully, it was mostly up. We had our first official date, surprise dates, sundates, and M had his cheesy moments. We also celebrated our first year together which was celebrated in the most not ideal way possible.

This second year, we finally had a better anniversary.

We had a small staycation at Savoy Hotel where we had our maternity shoot as well. Out of 200+ shots, we had 4 great ones. Sigh.

They gave us this cake and it was the sweetest.

I treated him to pizza ordered via room service. The price was not unreasonable too. Php515 with tax and all charges.

He treated me to authentic Chinese food.

We walked around a bit, watched a couple of CSI and managed to just spent time together which we needed because he has been away covering the SEA Games for almost two weeks. M also took some really pretty photos of me.

Trust me that this is an achievement because he normally takes really bad photos of me.

As with any relationship, it is not always pretty but what matters is that you work things out together. Our celebration last year was a disaster but this year, it's finally the way it should be.

Happy 2nd year M.

Antonio Uno

Located at the Expansion Wing of Festival Mall facing Asian Hospital is a pizza place called Antonio Uno that boasts of the best Salmon and Cavia pizza as well as the best scallop pizza. I kid you not.

The salmon is not small. You can literally see the slice and smell how fresh it is. When you take a bite, there's none of that fishy smell. Make sure you combine the caviar and salmon to really maximize the experience and taste of this pizza. It will be quite an experience.

The scallop pizza is definitely one of the best of it's kind that I have tried. The scallops are fresh and juicy. When you bite into it, you can really taste the sea. It's that fresh!

Another must try is the Bagoong Pasta. I know that it's weird to have bagoong pasta in an Italian restaurant but upon trying this, I had no complaints. Think pinakbet turned into pasta, this is exactly what you will get.

Antonio Uno may be new but if they can produce more kind of these dishes, they will definitely be here to stay.

Nina Daza levels up a Classic

How can you improve a classic? How can you better something that has been tried and tested through the ages? Most people can't do it but Nina Daza did just that by improving the classic cookbook created by her Mom Nora Daza.

When one mentions Nora Daza, great food comes to mind. A true champion of Filipino cuisine, Nora’s culinary contributions have made a huge impact in the local food culture. Now, the legacy continues in the Daza family as Nora’s youngest daughter and renowned food writer Nina Daza Puyat recently launched a new edition of the iconic Let’s Cook with Nora cookbook to fit today’s kitchens. 

In honor of the launch of the cookbook’s new edition, The Maya Kitchen pays tribute to the culinary legend by hosting To Mom with Love: Nina Daza Puyat’s Loving Tribune to Nora Daza’s Iconic Cookbook, a special cooking demo with Nina who dishes out how she restyled her mom’s timeless recipes to make it more relatable to modern-day cooks and foodies.

At the demo, Nina features some Noche Buena-ready dishes such as Daza Chicken Relleno, the Daza family’s signature dish, Orange Tart, a must-try at Nora’s Au Bon Vivant restaurant, Kaleslaw, a healthier version of coleslaw, and Parmesan Fish Sticks, an updated version of her mom’s Fish Sticks Italian Style.

“It took me over a year to kitchen-test all the recipes in my mom’s cookbook Let’s Cook with Nora. The new edition remained true to the easy-to-follow recipes, but I tweaked some instructions, updated the ingredients list, and added variations, so it reflects how we cook today,” Nina explains. “My mom’s cookbook was launched over 50 years ago, so it was about time we upgrade the recipes.”

Dubbed as the Philippines’ first culinary ambassador, Maya and Nora hosted the pioneering cooking and baking competition The Great Maya Cookfest with Nora Daza that ran from 1976 to 1990 and helped launch careers of a new generation of chefs and cooks. She also joined the show winners as they traveled to the United States, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, among others, to promote Filipino cuisine and learn about the host country’s food.

Nora and Maya’s connection goes beyond the cookfest, as the culinary legend actively promoted The Maya Kitchen, formerly known as Maya Bakeshop, and Maya products by holding cooking demos all over the country. Most of the episodes of her show, Cooking It Up with Nora, were also shot at The Maya Kitchen. 

“Hosting Nina’s demo of recipes off the new edition of Let’s Cook with Nora brings Maya’s bond with her family full circle,” says Eric Fajardo, Business Development Manager of Liberty Commodities Corporation. “The Maya Kitchen has always been proud that we’ve been a part of the impact of the Daza family—from Nora to Nina—to the Filipino culinary scene.”

As Nina takes on the mantle to ensure her mom’s well-cherished dishes remain relevant in today’s homes, the legacy of Let’s Cook with Nora remains 50 years on to inspire and delight a new breed of culinary enthusiasts.

Like and follow The Maya Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram @TheMayaKitchen1 and follow us on Twitter @TheMayaKitchen.

Learn great recipes at www.themayakitchen.com. If you want to take your baking and cooking skills up a notch check out Maya Kitchen’s course offerings at the website, e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com, or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 or 892-5011 local 108 or +63929 679 6102.

Panda Express Orange Chicken, hype or not?

Finally, Panda Express is here. I've heard the hype, read all the great reviews, and followed the stories on Instagram, Facebook, and whatnot. Panda Express is great! Panda Express is all about the orange chicken. The Orange Chicken is the best!

Now that it's here, the question on everyone's mind is: IS IT REALLY WORTH FALLING IN LINE FOR?

I was able to try the Orange Chicken.

It comes in a small box packaging when you take it out. Think RICE IN A BOX.

This is the inside of the box. The rice reaches only half the box but it's stuffed well. The orange chicken was crunchy and it did taste good.

Verdict: The Orange Chicken is good BUT it's not "omigod this is so good I could eat this for days" or "I need to go all the way to the North from the South for this!"

For me, the hype is strong. It's not something I would regret eating but it's also not something that I would fall in line for three hours for. Again, this is just me. No hate on anyone who loves it.

Panda Express is now open to the public and is located at the UG Building A of SM Megamall.