Latest Posts

Cooking Demo with De’Longhi MultiFry

Published by

An invitation for me to host a cooking demo came as a surprise, I coordinating a Mother’s Day event for the #UAEMomBloggers when suddenly the question if I would be available to host the event came. I said YES without hesitation thinking that I will be standing in front of people I know (well mostly just online) and have had a chance to talk too.

I did a demo with my kids as audience at home and prepared two recipes I was going to present that day a few times.  My kids were tough critics to please! One thing I know for sure is that I have been using the MultiFry for the past two years now and it is one of my favorite kitchen gadget.

Daniela from Twister Communications ME assured me that I have nothing to worry about, the whole team from De’Longhi and Jashanmal Home will be there to assist me should I need it.

De'Longhi MultiFry Demo

I arrived early to familiarize myself with the place and talk to the Jashanmal & De’Longhi team. Every thing that I could possibly need was just an arms reach, we were after all inside Jashanmal store.

Machines were in place along with the ingredients and other materials needed to make Mushroom Risotto and Italian Sponge Cake.

By this time, I was chatting my nerves away. Even forgot to use my phone to update my social media.

De'Longhi MultiFry Cooking Demo aInvited bloggers arrived tagging their families along, it was nice to see familiar faces and personally meeting some I have only chatted online. All of them were excited to learn more on how the machine works, which made me somehow comfortable.

De'Longhi MultiFry Cooking Demo cShowing the attendees and shoppers what the machine can do and how useful it is came naturally. I believe I have answered mostly all the questions they had, shared my personal experience and tips on how to use the MultiCooker.

Italian Sponge Cake made with De’Longhi MultiFry MultiCooker

Mushroom Risotto made with De’Longhi MultiFry MultiCooker

I let out a happy sigh of relief when the dishes came out the way I imagined them to be and it was also delicious. Our guests were surprised that the machine can do more than just frying, so happy that I have delivered the message we wanted to convey.

De'Longhi MultiFry Cooking Demo

A Saturday morning I will always cherish with these lovely ladies. Yes, I would do it again if another opportunity comes by.

Thank you De’Longhi team, Jashanmal Homes and Twister Communications Middle East for the opportunity to host the event.

Photo credit to Filsan Lamberang, MJ Serrano and Hena Jacob.

DUKESY Beach Brunch at West 14th

Published by

We found ourselves driving to the Palm for a brunch last week, our invitation came with a promise of a lazy river, tons of kids activities and beach access. While good food is an essential part of brunching, the question if my two kids will have fun tops the list.

FUN is an understatement of how my kids describe the DUKESY Family Brunch.

I asked Kuya V and Chloe to tell me why this could be the best family brunch in the UAE…

Water Fun

Both the beach and pool was just a few steps away from the restaurant area, which is awesome according to Kuya V because he can just easily go back and grab some food. Guests are welcome to enjoy the beach and pool from 10am – 6pm. It is included on the brunch deal. Beach towels are available for all guests to borrow, free of charge.

Lazy River
Dukesy Family Brunch q
Dukesy Family Brunch p
Dukesy Family Brunch r

LittleMiss Chloe (5yrs old) was tall enough to walk around the lazy river pool. Three lifeguards were on watch to make sure every one was safe. Swim rings both for kids and adults are available for guests to use for free.

Infinity Pool

Water in this pool is heated which made it more inviting, it is unusually cold here in Dubai at March. Pool is deep that I myself need to tiptoe while carrying Chloe in my back, I forgot to pack her swim vest.

Beach

Dukesy Family Brunch l
Dukesy Family Brunch m

After enjoying dessert we headed down to enjoy sunset by the beach. Plenty of lounge chairs were available as well. Both kids hurried to the water, Chloe singing to “How Far I’ll Go” while Kuya V was looking for seashells.

A toddler pool is also available for young swimmers just outside DUKESY Kids Club.

Shower and changing rooms are available, toiletries such as shampoo and soap are not available so pack some. And bring some floaters and life vest for the little ones.

Kids Entertainment

If swimming is such a hassle, worry not because kids can enjoy various activities such as bouncy castle, an outdoor play area, kids club with qualified nannies, movies and a lot more.

Dukesy Family Brunch g
Dukesy Family Brunch s
Dukesy Family Brunch w
Dukesy Family Brunch i
Dukesy Family Brunch o
Dukesy Family Brunch c

 

Activities may vary every week depending on the theme, from superheroes and princess to pirates.

  • 31st March: Movies and Cartoons Characters
  •   7th April: Superheroes
  • 14th April: Fairytale and Princesses
  • 21st April: Mermaids and Pirates
  • 28th April: Movies and Cartoons Characters
  •    5th May: Superheroes
  • 12th May: Fairytale and Princesses
  • 19th May: Mermaids and Pirates

Pack some extra clothes, kids are guaranteed to have fun.

Food

A wide range of food is available for all to enjoy from Arabic, vegetarian and seafood, plus live cooking stations of pasta and stir-fry vegetables. They had a wide array of appetizers and freshly baked breads to snack on in between all the entertainment. Food is served from 12:30 pm to 4pm.

Dukesy Family Brunch a
Dukesy Family Brunch d
Dukesy Family Brunch f

A kids have a dedicated buffet with ample seating just beside the movie area. During our visit, they had assorted sandwiches, pizza, pasta and colorful pancakes made upon order right in front of them. My kids however preferred to have some freshly grilled chicken, steak and lamb.

Good Value for Money

With all the entertainment for the whole family to enjoy, I personally think it is worth every dirham spent. Remember that all the stuff I mentioned above is included in the brunch cost, arriving as early as 10am and leaving till late at 6pm gives you 8 whole hours of fun with good food too.

Complete price list below.

0-5 years old Free of charge
6-11 years old AED 97.50
Adults – with soft drinks AED 195
Adults – with house beverages AED 369
Adults – with unlimited bubbles (including signature drinks Piña Colada and Mojito) AED 419

We do think Dukesy Beach Brunch is one of the best family brunch available in Dubai.

A shout out to Mr. Tauseef for making our brunch experience extra special. 


For Reservations: Call 04 447 7601 or email reservation@west14th.ae.

All activities are subject to change and guests are advised to visit the West 14th social media pages for updates in advance of their visit. For more details, visit West14th site, Facebook page and Instagram. Available every Friday from 10am-6pm.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: We were invited for the launch of Daycation Brunch at no cost and no obligation to write. It was wonderful Friday brunch for our family that we just had to share. As always all opinions are my own.

#LetsMakeLunchFun for our Family

Published by

I have been using the hashtag #LetsMakeLunchFun on Instagram for a while now, with an aim to challenge myself and inspire others to prepare healthy fun lunch box food for our kids.  Last September 2016, I invited my IG followers to use the hashtag and join me in my little campaign.

The challenge to pack a healthier school food began when my son asked me to pack extra food for his friends. To make things clear, all his friends bring packed lunch in school but it consist mostly of sandwich, cupcakes or cookies and a juice box. Absolutely nothing wrong with the food they have but I think what makes our packed lunch different is the way it is prepared.

#LetsMakeLunchFun is not limited to lunch box packing, it can be any meal – breakfast, snack or dinner. Remember that our goal is to make our family eat healthier, one meal at a time. If you have eventually managed to make your child eat a food they usually avoid is a big achievement.

quinoa meatballs bento lunchbox“I like that you have a lot of food to choose from.”

My kids are good eater but they are selective of the food they want to eat, it is however different when they are in school. Teachers have big influence with kids so when “teacher” says to eat a fruit or vegetable they will take a bite, this “trick” however only works for nursery and kindergarten kids. Another trick is to make fun shapes, a heart or flower shaped carrots is much more fun than strips. I have also adopted a meal time rule “Try a spoonful of what is served on the table” before you decide.

#LetsMakeLunchFun now have 1,039 posts on Instagram which also means that we have a over a thousand of packed lunch inspiration. We also now have a lunch box packing group in Facebook.  Thankful to every one using the hashtag and who are contributing to the group even when I have been slacking.

I hope you can join me make better and healthier choices with the #LetsMakeLunch campaign. Every Sunday, I will share four meal inspiration on our Instagram account.

Daycation Brunch at Lapita Hotel

Published by

Lapita Hotel located at Dubai Parks and Resorts has launched a new family experience available at the park – The Daycation Brunch.

Dubai Parks and Resorts is obviously becoming our favorite family destination, it is after all the biggest theme park with LEGOLAND Dubai, MotionGate and Bollywood Park. Have you been yet? You should really check it out while we have this beautiful weather in Dubai.

The lobby terrace gives you a beautiful view of the property, makes one forget that you are still in Dubai.

lapita-hotel-terrace-view

lapita-hotel-lobby-b

Polynesian brunch

What makes Lapita’s brunch different? We have been to a couple of brunches and I think what stands out with them is that the whole setup did not feel crowded and overwhelming.

lapita hotel daycation brunch

Brunch is hosted at Kalea Restaurant which occupies the whole ground floor that extends outdoors. Inside you will find salad area, sushi, fresh seafood, cheese table and generous choices of desserts. Kuya V kept going back for more nitrogen popcorn prepared by CandyKool.

lapita-brunch-sushi
lapita-brunch
lapita-brunch-macaroon

 

lapita-brunch-edible-garden

Outdoors, you will find Chinese hot pot & noodles, roast beef with all the trimmings, curries and a grilling station. I sadly miss having some butter chicken which the gang at And They Were Two claims to be the best they have had.

lapita-brunch-roast-beef
lapita-brunch-grilled-section
lapita-brunch-chinese-hotpot

A good choice of drinks ranging from fresh fruit juices, cocktails, mocktails and some themed drinks are available.

Kids Entertainment

As we walked towards our table, I was informed that the kids have a special corner outdoors with their own buffet spread and games provided by staff of Luna & Nova Kids Club. I managed to get both kids eat proper food before they discovered the special area for them. They happily forgot about us, Daddy C and I enjoyed a plate or two before checking them out.

lapita-brunch-kids-activities

The staff made sure that all of the kids (specially the younger ones) were included in all the games, LitteMiss C who is usually shy happily participated in all the activities. I would suggest though that they provide some label or tag for each kid just so the staff know to which family they belong too in case they wander off somewhere. Another thing would be to make families with children seat close to the area just so parents get a view of what the kids were up to.

lapita-kids-corner-buffet

A dedicated kids buffet with a good choice of fresh fruits, sandwiches, muffins, pasta, hotdog sandwich and of course candies were available for them to enjoy. It was difficult to get the kids out of the play area since pretty much what they want is already there.

All day pool access

Additionally, the brunch package includes an all day pool access which the kids can’t resist even with the overcast skies and rain we had last week.

lapita-hotel-pool-access

The temperature of the pool water was warm enough that made kids want to even stay longer. Both even dared ask us to get food from the buffet and bring some for them! Unfortunately, the staff informed us that the shower area is still not ready so make sure to confirm if the facility is available before you take a dip.

lapita-brunch-pool-area

We stayed later than most guests with plans to stroll Riverland which can be conveniently accessed via Lapita’s transport. Rain poured before we could get out and the kids decided to pass time at the indoor kids corner which offered movies and wall climbing

lapita-kids-club-wall-climb

Daycation Brunch Package

as of February 2017

AED 95   – kids under 12 years
AED 195 – adults including kids 12 yrs and above with soft beverages
AED 295 – adults with house beverages

For more information visit Lapita FB page or  call +971 4 810 9999

They currently have a good launch deal for March 3 brunch where “kids pay and adult eat for free.” Yes! Adult eat free with one paying child under 12 yrs at AED 95. Parents can pay additional AED 150 for beverage package.

 

We were at the launched with some UAE Mom Bloggers, check out what Our Globtrotters , And Then There Were Two , Ayu Tanimoto and Mummy on my Mind had to say.

 

Disclaimer: We were invited for the launch of Daycation Brunch at no cost and no obligation to write. It was wonderful Friday brunch for our family that we just had to share. As always all opinions are my own.

 

Bento Lunch Box Menu January 8-12

Published by

Rice is a big part of our meals and this week I packed mostly rice meals for Kuya V. Our recipe used for the week is pan grilled bbq chicken and banana oatmeal cupcake.

Join our lunch box packing FB group via this link. The aim of #LetsMakeLunchFun community is to inspire and help families prepare and pack healthier meal.

This is the last week for you to win a Yumbox Panino from us! Details over at our Instagram post, here.

Sunday– January 8: pan grilled chicken, banana roll-ups, carrots and strawberry.

barbecue chicken bento lunch box

Monday– January 9: beef tapa, boiled quail eggs, rice, carrots, kiwi and watermelon

beef tapa bento lunchbox

Tuesday – January 10: chicken popcorn, carrots, strawberry and blueberries.

Monday– January 9: beef tapa, boiled quail eggs, rice, carrots, kiwi and watermelon

0110-panda-sandwich

Wednesday – January 11: hotdog sushi rolls, fruits and banana oatmeal cupcake.

hotdog sushi rolls bento lunchbox

0111-banana-cupcake

Thursday – January 12: sausage tortilla, fruits, carrots and chocolate wafers

sausage tortilla bento lunchbox

banana oatmeal cupcake

You can follow us on Instagram, @cuddlesandcrumbs for more lunchbox ideas and feel free to use #LetsMakeLunchFun hashtag on all your packed meals.

Philippine Passport Renewal in Dubai for Kids

Published by

LittleMiss C’s passport expires this year and what I thought was a daunting task only took us 12 minutes! I could not believe that we were done with the whole process that fast, sharing with you some tips for a smooth and fast process.

philippine-passport-renewal-for-kids-in-dubai

5 tips for a FAST Passport Renewal process for kids

1)      Prepare DOCUCMENTS and bring EXTRA COPY. You can save and fill out the E-Passport Application Form on your computer. I strongly suggest you type the information needed from your computer to avoid misspelled names and be sure to recheck once printed. Form and documents needed for passport renewal are listed in the Dubai Philipine Consulate General (PCG) website.

2)      Talk to your child about the whole process and why they need to have this done. Practice how they should smile without teeth showing. You will be asked to remove jewelry and have your daughters hair tucked behind ears so keep hair tidy. I told LittleMiss that a person will take her photo so she can ride the airplane again.

3)      Start early. Your child is already skipping school and used to waking up early so take advantage of that to avoid waiting for a long time. Consulate working hours starts at 8 am. We arrived at around 7:30 am and was allowed to wait inside the premises. Always check PCG site and Facebook page to find out if consulate timings and if open on the day of your planned visit.

4)      Talk to the guard and/or PCG staff about the purpose of your visit. As soon as we entered the consulate gate I greeted the guard and told him I was there to renew my daughter’s passport. He then told me to go straight to the Mini Hall and give my papers at window.

5)      Bring exact amount. As of January 2016, I paid 240 DHS for the passport renewal. Prepare 100, 50, and 5 denomination bills.

You do not need to get prior appointment for any passport process if its for

  • Newborn baby
  • Kids ages 5 years old and below
  • If you Lost your passport
  • You work as Maid

PCG Dubai confirmed that the four listed above do not need to get appointment to process passport application and renewal. Below screenshot was the confirmation I received from PCG Dubai facebook page.


Important links:

Website of Website of Philippine Consulate General of Dubai

Facebook page of Philippine Consulate General of Dubai

Our friends over at AB and ME wrote a more detailed post on how to renew your child’s Philippine passport in Dubai, here.

Recipe: Pan Grilled Chicken

Published by

One concern I had before moving to Dubai was availability of ingredients and products I was used to using specially when it comes to cooking. I packed a good stash of ready made sauce mix to make caldereta and sinigang. Why? I was not a confident cook because while I helped in the kitchen someone always did the cooking for me.

The good news is Filipino products is widely available in small and major groceries here – your favorite Pinoy corned beef, canned tuna, suka, toyo and Mama Sita’s oyster sauce are sold here.

Now lets get on to this super easy Pan Grilled Chicken recipe. Made easy with the use of store bought Mama Sita’s barbecue marinade. YES, I admit and take no shame of me using ready made food flavorings specially when I just spent the rest of my free time watching Elementary.

How easy is this you ask? Wash and pat dry chicken thighs (I prefer dark meat), place on a container with lid, pour enough Mama Sita’s barbecue marinate to cover chicken, keep in your fridge overnight or for at least 30 minutes. Bake on a pre-heated 180c oven for 40 minutes then get those pretty marks on a heated grilled pan. You can of course cook straight on the griller but I was in hurry and had to make sure chicken was cooked. Enjoy!

mama-sitas-chicken-bbq

I also packed this grilled chicken for the boys lunch box.

barbecue chicken bento lunch box

LittleMiss C and I had it for lunch with some greens.

mama sitas chicken barbecue

This is the product used for the recipe.

mamasita-barbecue-marinade

Disclaimer:  PR company of Mama Sita’s gave me several product range to feature on the blog. Mama Sita’s is already a staple brand in my pantry and a Filipino product I am happy to promote. All opinions are my own.