Goo Jun Pyo's Vegetarian Meal

Dosirak (도시락) is the Korean term for packed meal or lunchboxes. It is the Korean equivalent of Japan's bento. The ultimate dosirak content has got to be kimbap or rice rolls. Just simple, easy and inexpensive. But nowadays, just like the Japanese counterpart, it has become more sophisticated and has turned into art. Check out this Korean guy's blog for pictures.

This vegetarian dosirak was made on an impulse. Sometime last year, I was gonna join an online contest for bentos showcasing a vegetarian menu but for some reason wasn't able to submit it.

Goo Jun Pyo inspired dosirak includes some small rice balls rolled into some crushed seaweed laver (김) for the Goo JunPyo-style hair(구준표) , 계란마리-gyeran mari or eggrolls, boiled flower-shaped carrots and cherry tomatoes for fillers on the top compartment. On the second compartment- 시금치 ,콩나물 무침 or seasoned spinach and beansprouts , some fried tofu, 호박전 or pan-fried zuccini slices, 팽이버섯 or seasoned enoki mushrooms, cucumber strips tied with spring onion, dongchimi (동치미) strips also tied with spring onion. dongchimi (동치미) is the winter radish kimchi. And some boiled flower-shaped carrots for fillers. I use only olive and grapeseed oil for this meal for that full vegetarian effect.

Pinoy develops new Malaria vaccine

Filipino entomologist and biologist at John Hopkins University Hospital Rhoel Dinglasan discovered a new vaccine against Malaria. This one is called TBV or transmission-blocking vaccine. It actually works by preventing the Malaria-carrying mosquitos from spreading it.

Check out the story on Times magazine.

The Korea Herald also runs a story on this.

This is how a Pinoy scientist looks like. Here's his pic I stole borrowed from Daphne's.

Validation

I wanna share a really inspiring short film - Validation. Starring Fox drama Bones' TJ Thyne and Vicki Davis. Check out what the power of smile can do.




Smile. You're wonderful.

Prayers for baby Emma

This is baby Emma. She was born 10 weeks early at 990 grams on October 21, 2009. She has underdeveloped kidneys, heart and lungs which are causing numerous problems on her fragile little body. After her first operation, her lungs began functioning well and she seemed to be growing strong and healthy. But on a Sunday night a month later, Emma went thru a septic shock. It is a fatal infection in the blood stream that shuts down all the organs. She had gone through dialysis and several surgeries including stitching up a ripped intestine.

As of now, baby Emma has already undergone 10 operations. She has made this far and still showing so much strength. She needs our prayers.

I'm urging you to pray for Emma.

1: Her brain. Pray that there would be no long-term brain damage from all the

challenges she's faced.

2: Her kidneys: Pray that her kidneys would function in perfect health to filter her body and produce urine on a daily basis.

3: Her intestines: Pray that this would also heal as soon as possible.

4: The doctors told us today that her lungs seem to be getting a bit weaker the past few days.

Pray for strength and health for the lungs too.

5: Her heart: Her heart rate dropped quite a bit several times the past few days. Pray it would be strong again.

Your prayer support is Emma's life support.

Check her facebook page.

UPDATE: Eddie and Hyun's princess~ Baby Emma Byun passed away on Saturday morning, Jan. 23. Thank you for all your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for the strength of the family.

My condolences.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

In a few hours I'll be off to some remote island in the west coast of the peninsula. So I leave you this sad song from Gary V. Let your tears flow for this one. Reminiscence of the ghost of your Christmas past.

Or just enjoy this Jose Mari Chan classic with memories from your teens. You know, the school Christmas parties with Jollibee meals, exchange gifts wishing you don't get the picture frame. Hoping that your monito/monita was not your teacher. And yes the puto bumbong, bibingka and tsokolate after the "simbang ligaw" I mean simbang gabi.

But if you're into games like me. I'm sure you'll enjoy Ariel Rivera's Sana Ngayong Pasko with the Flyff twist.

Lastly, here's Sungha Jung wishing you a 메리 크리스마스!

Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!

~ Jempres

Pushcart educator named CNN Hero of the Year

Efren Peñaflorida is "CNN Hero of the Year". Although i got the news just moments after it was announced last week, I've only just seen the awarding. Here's a script of his speech.

"Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry," Peñaflorida said upon accepting the honor. "Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need.

"So to each and every person inside this theater and for those who are watching at home, the hero in you is waiting to be unleashed. Serve, serve well, serve others above yourself and be happy to serve. As I always tell to my co-volunteers ... you are the change that you dream, as I am the change that I dream, and collectively we are the change that this world needs to be."

Truly remarkable.

Everyone's a Hero

We need more heroes.
Vote for Efren Peñaflorida for the CNN Hero of the Year.
Read about him and his pushcart classes here.
Vote for him here.

Artwork by Mark Gosingtian.

Flowers for Cory

CoryAquino.ph

Sorbetero in Korea

Do you remember your mamang sorbetero? You know, those manongs going around your neighborhood selling what others call "dirty ice cream" in a pushcart similar to this one in the picture, only more colorful. They would let us know they're coming by ringing those hand-held bells. We would then get our scoops of good deliciousness for only just a few pesos. Sigh... Those are the times.
So I was so excited when I spotted this pushcart ice cream in Korea. I immediately run to her to purchase my scoops of deliciousness. This one is quite expensive though. You get a cone with 2 scoops for 1000 won, and the taste is a little disappointing. I'd rather get one of those ice cream cones from Lotteria or even Mcdonalds. But it's still fun seeing it though. And cute parasol.

My Korean language class

I've been studying Korean language these days. Probably harder than ever. I've got a couple of good books on Korean verbs and words. I also attend a Korean language class twice a week. In this class, there are about 15 or 16 of us, my classmates are from Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Uzbekistan and Yemen. There is only one other Filipina whose son incidentally goes to the same school with my daughter. Our 선생님 is a quite a good teacher who can also speak English and Chinese. Attending this class is very helpful for me as I get a lot of practice speaking in Korean. Though I'm quite disappointed that there aren't a lot of activities or tours that others have experienced in their classes.
We've already finished our book for this term, so this week, we are to take this long test of basic Korean expressions and greetings. In the book there is a list of greetings translated in different languages. I just find it kinda inconvenient that there isn't one in English. There's Filipino/Tagalog translation though. But I find it hard to use coz some of the translation's a bit off, reminds me of the 'Rainbow' mags. So I have to study every word of those expressions and translate them myself, and it's taking up a lot of time. But my husband thinks it's a good way though.

After this week, we are to take a long summer vacation from the class. I'm starting to look for other acticvities I can do for the summer. Probably some Korean cooking lessons or even knitting :-). Photography is also good but might be quite expensive. Have any tips?