Craft Corner

At some point in our life, we girls learn the craft of cross-stitching. Or were forced to learn it because it was part of Home Economics. Cross stitching is not at all difficult. It requires some basic skill with a needle and a thread. But one thing that makes it hard is the need for patience. Yards and yards of patience. This counted-thread embroidery can take days up to several weeks to finish depending on the pattern you're doing. 

Arm yourself with DMC threads when cross-stitching

Two of the most patient women in my life are into cross-stitching: my grandmother and my mother. My grandmother used to cross stitch huge patterns that I couldn't even fathom why she's doing. Her works range from ballerinas to country houses to ladies wearing elaborate Victorian clothes to fruits and vegetables; a testament of her unwavering commitment to this needle craft is an ancestral house filled with frames of projects she patiently cross-stitched. My mother followed her footprints, or should I say, hand skill, stitching relatives' faces from patterns made with their photos (needs a hundreds of threads in various colors) to sceneries and landscapes. She's still into cross-stitch up to now. I had my moment when I was still in high school but didn't have the patience for it, obviously. Haha. 

Threads of various kinds, colors, and sizes.

A craft store in the corner of the Shola Shopping Center, bereft of a proper signage, is my mother's haven for cross-stitching in Riyadh. I didn't know how my father found this but this is where he took her when she needed more DMC thread for the pattern she was doing. She bought the patterns in the Philippines and brought them here in Saudi Arabia but the materials she uses comes from this gem of a store, named Adel according to the receipt, that carries not only cross-stitching paraphernalia but also aida cloth (used for cross-stitching), ribbons, fabrics, yarns, tulle, buttons, and brooches. I tended to stray away from the store while waiting for the friendly store keeper to finish finding all the threads my mother require. But the other week, I decided to roam around the small store and see what's available... just in case there are still a few of you who are into crafts that needed these materials. 

Batangas, Ala Eh! {1 of 2}

If you noticed in our sidebar, we placed the Philippines' tourism slogan, "It's More Fun in the Philippines." We are proud of the Philippines, especially of its natural beauty and resources. And we are here to encourage Saudis, other nationalities, and even Filipino expats who haven't traveled the Philippines to go and explore our home country. You won't regret it, promise!

While it's true that Manila is bustling with traffic and energy (yes, pollution and chaos included), the other provinces have a lot of beautiful sceneries and wonderful activities in store for you. Take for example, Bohol, which Sampaguita Pride started featuring in her entry. It's in the Visayas region and if you're coming from Manila, you need to catch a flight in one of the Philippines' domestic airlines to get there. If you're not into flying, you can still visit beautiful provinces that just need an hour or two road travel to reach. Here's one... Batangas. Ala eh!*

Last November, I used a voucher I got from one of those coupon-buying sites (similar to Cobone) to treat my college girl friends to a quick getaway outside Manila, where we're all residing and them, working. The voucher, which I bought for around P5,000 (around SR500 / $120), is for an overnight stay at a resort for four persons with free use of amenities (pool,  lounge decks, etc.) and buffet breakfast. It's a sulit (worthy) deal!

Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas proved to be a beautiful place with a good view of Taal Volcano, the Philippines' smallest volcano located in a lake within  a lake. The Taal Volcano is one of the must-see spots in our country. Tagaytay, a cool elevated city a few hours away from Manila, is a good viewing point but we've been there a few times already that seeing Taal Volcano within eye level is a refreshing change. We occupied one huge room in the resort that is comfortable for four persons.  

There were a few of this kind of buildings in Club Balai Isabel.

Lots of rooms to stay in.

Every room has a small porch where you can hang out.

There is an abundance of sunshine.

A Pleasant Piatto

Piatto, a restaurant formerly known as Duo, is making waves across the Riyadh cityscape with its reinvented concept of particularly fresh Italian dining. A brighter and better ambiance welcomes you as they zone in on the trademark traits of Italy with fountains, a vespa display and an outdoor dining setting that will somehow make you forget that you are in fact, in Saudi Arabia.

Buongiorno! Welcome to Piatto!

Since its revamp more than a year ago, Piatto has experienced not mild, not fair, but a great amount of success with their customers. This is proven not just in the numbers tabulated by their annual gross sales, but by the continuous flocking of guests to their restaurant even though it is around 30 minutes away from the city center. Customers are also willing to wait to be seated even during evening time just to be able to dine there. (Yes, I've seen it happen before when I went there for my birthday dinner with the family and upon leaving, I saw the waiting room packed!) So what is it with Piatto? :) Read on to find out.

Here's a rundown of what our palates enjoyed that day. Be warned though, may cause excessive salivating (as our pictures always do):

Bruschetta Trio, 48SR

To begin with, expect a close-to-authentic Italian cuisine when headed to Piatto. It's a bit on the other end of the spectrum than that of the Asian palette so, don't be surprised if you don't encounter the usual sweet or spicy flair of Asian food. Featured above is one of their hefty starters and a good choice if you want to taste a lil' bit of everything. The three are topped with Pomodoro (tomato+basil+olive oil aka "tomato" in Italian), Warm Goat Cheese+Chive and Wild Mushroom with Eggplant. I particularly enjoyed the Wild Mushroom and Eggplant Bruschetta because it had the most flavor of them all.

Warm Artichoke Spinach Dip, 44SR

In fairness to this one, they did serve it "warm" as the name implies. I liked how the spinach didn't overpower the rest of the flavors and this one actually lets you distinguish the artichoke for what it is. Sometimes, this particular dish is often mistaken to be made of purely made of cheese because other restaurants capitalize on that aspect of the recipe rather than the artichoke itself. (Oooh, am I starting to speak like a judge on Food Network's Chopped? Hahaha, jk) It was a well-balanced recipe and this, I will definitely order again. 

Greens+Tomatoes with Cesar Salad Dressing

Booked for Ramadan

Aka Top 5 Young Adult Fiction Book Series To Read (Recommended By Sundrenched)

It's Ramadan... and while our Muslim brothers and sisters are fasting during the day, there are some of us who are lost on what to do when work hours are shortened and malls and stores are closed. Where do we go? What will we do? You have your computers and internet and television, of course.

More often than not, I escape from watching sappy teleseryes and surfing the internet by reading books. I know some of you might be groaning and scoffing with the mere mention of books. Haha. Reading is boring... NOT! I have long believed that reading is sexy. I like men who read (figures why I do not like a lot of men, hehe... kidding!) Watching television and movies do not interest me as much as reading books so if you're like me, please read on.

These book series written for young adults (for adults too!) are perfect for the Ramadan season because they take quite a few days to finish. But if you're like me who eats books for dinner, you'll be jumping from one book to another and you'll be done in no time at all! You won't even know the Ramadan days are over and hello, Eid vacation na!

As discussed in my book shelf, I like a lot of genres but I stay away from how-to and philosophical books because I am stubborn in following pieces of advice and haven't got enough brain cells to wade through them. Haha. I go for Middle Eastern fiction and mystery thrillers most of the time. But lately, the young adult fantasy genre is filling up my book shelves fast. And because they're the ones with sequels, I spend days reading one book after another. If you can't see any new entries in the blog, that means I'm immersed in one.

Disclaimer: I am omitting Harry Potter (too popular), Twilight (haven't read because the writing and characters put me off), and Games of Thrones (too complicated).

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Watched the movie already but didn't know it was from a book series? I tell you, grab a copy of the book and read pronto! The Hunger Games is the most popular novel nowadays. Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Panem, The Hunger Games tells the story of Katniss Everdeen from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th annual Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose, whose name was drawn at the Reaping. Along with Peeta Mellark, the boy tribute, Katniss goes to the Capitol and fights for her life in the arena. The second book, Catching Fire, tells of the 75th Hunger Games and the third installment, Mockingjay, tells of the rebellion of District 13.

Packed with action!

The paragraph above is too much to process if you didn't go beyond The Hunger Games movie. Read the three books and you'll know why they suddenly shot to the bestselling racks in bookstores and book review sites. I think I read the three books in two working days. Didn't have time to breathe and eat snacks. Haha. They're that good. 'Nuf said.

How To Send Money Back Home

We know a lot of you already know how to remit money to your home country but we are quite forgetting that a lot more expats are new in Saudi Arabia and a stream of new blood is coming in almost every day. They might require assistance and information on such processes. We were surprised when one of our kabayans emailed us on how to send money to the Philippines and we all went "Oo nga naman pala!" We haven't written a how-to on this topic. So here it is! :)

First and foremost, you need to have an iqama (residential permit) to do this. It will be easier for you to sign up. Every thing in your Riyadh life becomes relatively easy when you have your iqama already. I signed up for an account in Enjaz a few months ago. It was my first time to do so.

REMITTANCE CENTERS

Enjaz is one of the popular remittance centers in Riyadh. A lot of Filipinos and other nationalities go to Enjaz and I'm not surprised when I saw branches packed to the brim during salary day. Fortunately, I am living near the Suleimania branch. It's in front of the Military Hospital and beside Blue Ribbon Bakery. I went on a Thursday morning and it was already packed with people. 

1. Fill-up a form that will ask you about your important information (name, address, birth date, etc.). Check the form if you've filled it up completely.

2. Present your iqama (residential permit) along with the form to the person behind the computer desk. He'll input your information in their system and photo copy your iqama to go along with your form.

3. Receive your Enjaz card with a smile (yes, with a smile dapat... bawal ang masungit! Hehe!). Check your card if it contains the following information: Name, CIF No., and Center No. They will all be filled by the Enjaz representative.

4. To remit money to the Philippines, just fill up a form for bank transactions. The remittance fee now is SR16. You can also send via Western Union for SR25. Their is a smaller form that only asks for the receiver's full name, country, and amount. Present the forms along with your Enjaz CIF Card and money to the window. Ladies have a separate line and window.

That's it! Easy as 1-2-3! They also keep track of who are you sending to, especially when you have a few accounts or persons in mind. It gets easier and faster when you come the next month and the next... These remittance centers offer cash payouts, credit to account on all banks, and door-to-door cash delivery.

I haven't opened an account with Telemoney but I'm guessing they have the same process as Enjaz. If you'll ask me what's better between Enjaz and Telemoney, I can't answer you. It probably depends on what's nearest to you. Haha. (That's what my father said. He has both Telemoney and Enjaz cards so...) Here's where to find branches for ENJAZ and TELEMONEY.

The Marks & Spencer Food Hall

Months ago, Marks & Spencer officially opened their Food Hall in Panorama Mall. Their Food Hall in Riyadh Gallery opened a few days earlier. In the Philippines, the Digestives of Marks & Spencer was a favorite of colleagues to give during special occasions. They're affordable and they come with nice, expensive-looking paper bags. So I was one happy foodie when finally, the digestives are here! But apart from the sweet, gritty biscuits, Marks & Spencer's Food Hall have a lot more in store for consumers. Here are photos I took inside their Riyadh Gallery branch:

I like their simple, classic packaging

Biscuits and chips

Top 5 Floral Looks We'd Like To Wear

Two years ago, floral designs on clothing was already a rage in the fashion world. Even before that. And until now. The floral design didn't really vanish in mainstream fashion. As a matter of fact, fashion labels like Coast, Oasis, and Warehouse are still at it. 

We couldn't resist styling their latest floral dresses coming in stores nearest you! Here are five floral ensembles we created via Polyvore that can go from day to night, from laid back Thursday brunches to powerhouse formal parties and events...

1. Laid back Thursday

Unknown to most people in Saudi Arabia, we start our weekend with Thursdays instead of Saturdays so don't be surprised when we have the luxury of eating brunch on a Thursday morning. Warehouse's blue dress is flowy lending that much-needed freshness on a look that subtly says 'summer.' You can wear this ensemble until the winter season comes around. After all, Saudi Arabia doesn't scrimp on sunshine everyday. It's the cool wind that's missing (and the presence of the abaya, haha!) but whatever! A mix of blue and yellow is cool to the eyes.

2. 'Meet the Parents'

Nothing says spring than butterflies and flowers. C'mon, they look good together! And this ensemble will look good on you too especially when you're at a family event. Say for example, meeting the parents of your beau for the first time. It's not supposed to be a very formal event but it's not supposed to be that laid back also. This Oasis dress, with its white/black color splashed with little bits of bright colors here and there, suits most occasions so this is one versatile piece to have in your closet. And turquoise has always been a stunning color. Add it!

Oi! Sushi

We are always cruising along Tahlia St. that every time an opening soon sign is erected, we see it and get excited. When Oi Lounge's opening soon sign was up, it was the wonderful play of colors that caught our eyes, including the sushi illustrations that went with it. We were on the lookout for its opening. When it finally did, I asked a friend to treat me there for her birthday (demanding pa ako?! haha!).

Modern Japanese restaurant

Oi Lounge brings to Riyadh the concept of having sushi and maki plates in a conveyor belt. The plates parade before you and you just have to snatch what tickles your fancy. The prices ranging from SR24 to SR100 are according to the color of the plate.

Conveyor belt with plates rimmed with color

The interiors of Oi! is very nice. It's clean and elegant yet fun, pretty, and trendy. The mix of violet, green, orange, yellow, and pink reminds us of tea time ala Breakfast at Tiffany's. And if it's not glaring enough, there's a huge tea pot in the floor...

I get it, you are a Japanese restaurant.

Cute color accents on a predominantly white Ichida lounge

Love the wall decals.

The royal purple couch beside the conveyor belt

We took a booth with violet couches near the conveyor belt and ordered away. Here are the food in our table:

Sanni Combination: salmon, tuna, and shrimp in a roll (SR

Shezuan Ramen: egg noodles with spicy broth (SR)

Tendon, a rice bowl with tempura (SR35)

Beef Teriyaki (SR75)

For a Japanese restaurant, Oi! Lounge serves a very different kind of maki. We like that the fishes and shrimps in the maki are fresh and tender but the rice used was too soft, wet and lacking in vinegar. Isn't vinegared rice used in sushis and makis? If this is an original take to the maki, then we wanted the tried and tested ingredients please. The ramen is bland and boring. It is true to its spicy claim though. The tendon was okay: the tempura pieces are hot and crisp. It's the beef teriyaki that took us by surprise. The grade A strip loin used was really juicy and tender and went well with the sweet teriyaki sauce. Even the veggie salad on the side was yummy. If we're ever to come back, this would be the sole reason. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to shell out SR75 for beef teriyaki every time.

I can write a love letter for you.

Oi Lounge is a surprising gem in Tahlia St. Its waiters and chef are friendly and courteous. We'd love to be back but not until we tried other Japanese restaurants in the city. ~ Sundrenched

Oi Lounge
Address: Tahlia St., Riyadh, KSA
(near Centria Mall)
T: +966-1-464-4661
W: www.oilounge.com

THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED. 

The Jeddah Weekend (3 of 3)

And we're down to our last day in Jeddah! (Yes, yes... it took me quite a while to post this. It's been weeks since DAY 1 and DAY 2. So sorry!)

As you've probably seen in our Facebook page, this is the day we went to a beach resort. But first, if you still have time in the morning, a perfect way to spend it is to see Jeddah's historical district in Balad. Lucky for us, it's just a stone throw away from our hotel so we always pass by this area and take shots while we're in the taxi. However, we should've really got down and roamed around to see the old houses up close. A friend once mentioned that it's actually closed off and there were guards but they're probably more lenient on women in roaming around and taking photographs of the area. 

The gate to the historical quarter

Welcome!

Old buildings and houses

The mosque in the area

A look from the other side of the street

Know more about Jeddah's Historical District here. 

Oh Bohol! (Part 1)

Day 1: We began our southern sojourn to the beautiful island of Bohol last April 2012, right before my graduation from UPOU. It was a graduation treat from my parents, so once again I was able to go on a trip for free! Yes, I am amazingly lucky.

The flight to Tagbilaran was uneventful, save for the slight delay of our flight. When we arrived at Bohol, the hotel transport service was waiting for us. My family booked a reservation with El Portal Inn, a quaint hostel about two minutes from the airport and pier. It is very close to the University of Bohol and Marcela Superstore and the wet market. The hostel was adequately furnished and had free WIFI service, good enough for checking emails and uploading photos. A family room costs around 1250 pesos per night. Not bad. We weren’t looking for a high end hotel to stay in because in our experience, we only use the hotel as a launch pad - mostly sleeping and taking baths because most of the time we were out and about exploring the cities we visit.

The best thing I liked about El Portal Inn was their tour service. They offer an eight-hour countryside trip of the island by car (2000 pesos) or van (3000 pesos). However, this is not inclusive of the entrance fees at each stop. The driver works as the local tour guide as well. We had the pleasure of meeting Sir Jonathan or Jojo for short. He's a local Boholano who knows the ins and out of the city. He is very knowledgeable and very polite.  He drove us in and around the beautiful countryside.

Our first stop was the famous Chocolate Hills. Legends vary, some say the hills were giant cow poop, other legends claim that the hills were rocks thrown by feuding giants. Science indicates that the hills were coral and limestone deposits. 

We tried the viewing station at Sagbayan Peak first. There weren't a lot of people around and you get a clear view of the hills. The climb up was wide enough for groups and was not so steep. Perfect for groups with very young children or old-timers.

The view from Sagbayan Peak

However, I liked the other Chocolate Hills Complex at Carmen better because the hills were closer to the viewing station.  But to see these fantastic hills, you would have to climb 214 steps to reach the top! The steps were steep and were a bit cramped. I remember stopping every 10 steps whenever I felt my thighs aching. Hehe. But in the end, we reached the top and it was worth it!

Sampaguita on the hill. Hahaha!

The way down... I was gripping the rails the whole time :))

I must admit though that I am a bit altophobic so I spent most of my concentration on the rails on my way up, and not on my camera. Hahaha... The Chocolate Hills complex at Carmen is also home to two tarsiers. Unfortunately, visitors are no longer allowed to hold them. Strictly no flash photography as the tarsiers’ eyes are very photosensitive. They are also very shy creatures. They were holed up way up their trees and the photos I took were very dark. Ergo, no tarsier photos. Sorry, ladies...

Our next destination was the Loboc River Restaurants. Once we've paid for our meals on the riverbanks, we were  given tickets to board one of the river restaurants. The boat runs the course of the entire river while we enjoyed a buffet of seafood delicacies and the view of the river, all for 400 pesos per person. :)

One of the river restaurants about to dock the floating the stage.

But the highlight of this river ride would be the stopover. A floating stage was constructed so that locals could perform for tourists. The very talented locals entertained the tourists with singing and dancing. There was even one American lady who couldn't help but dance with the locals. It was fun!

The Talented Ladies of Loboc

They really know how to dance!

Oh and there were souvenir shops along the riverbanks too! You'll see a lot of these stalls in every tourist spot in Bohol.

Caps, shirts, fans! You want 'em, they have 'em! :))

After our very filling lunch, we passed by the beautiful mahogany trees near Loboc. Our driver said that this was a local government project of Bohol 50-60 years ago. School children planted mahogany trees to create a man-made forest.

It feels like Twilight's Forks, with the sun barely penetrating.

We also visited the Butterfly Farm and had a very comical guided tour by a man named Richard. The butterfly farm is a sanctuary for different species of butterflies and plants in Bohol.

Butterfly Haven

Beautiful Flora

Then, our driver Sir Jojo brought us to the hanging bridge at Sevilla, Bohol. The locals use this bridge to cross the Sipatan River. For tourists, the toll fee was around 20 pesos. On the other side of the bridge we found some souvenir shops. Sir Jojo said that these were the best buys because they were not as expensive as those sold on other souvenir shops.

The bamboo bridge

After that, we also visited a few old churces around Bohol. This being one of the first few islands to be converted to Christianity, Bohol is home to a few of the oldest Catholic churches in the country. I love old buildings and architecture, so visiting old churches is a treat for me.

Baclayon Church

Panglao Church

Bell Tower at Panglao

We rounded up the day with a stopover at Island City Mall to buy supplies and to have dinner. Then we returned to the hostel very tired but generally excited for the next day! Stay tuned for Day 2 of Oh Bohol!

Love,

Sampaguita Pride