above image taken from www.nbcnews.com

        

        According to the WHO or World Health Organization.  Washing your hands appropriately significantly reduces your chance of contracting the virus that causes the deadly COVID-19 or Corona Virus Disease of 2019.  So how do we wash our hands the right way?  WHO, in their website, gave tips and suggestions on how to do it.

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image take from www.mrrooter.com

Clean hands protect against infection

Protect yourself

• Clean your hands regularly.
• Wash your hands with soap and water, and dry them thoroughly.
• Use alcohol-based handrub if you don’t have immediate access to soap and water.

How do I wash my hands properly?

Washing your hands properly takes about as long as singing "Happy Birthday" twice,
using the images below.

**Text and image are from WHO website: https://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/

image taken from www.ourfamily.org

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Jamos the Explorer

also presents, 

in video Youtube format, an interesting way of washing your hands for 20 seconds or more by singing the song, "If you're Happy and You Know".  Stay safe during these hard times of COVID19 crisis.  Remember to #StayHome as much as possible and to Wash your hands for 20 seconds every 30 minutes.

Together....Talunin natin ang COVID-19.

Image from Adarna.com.ph

"Masaya at Maganda"

ni JamosX

Minsan o madalas, 'di bale na.

Ang buong akala'y wala nang lunas.

Dahil batid ng lahat 

Na wala ka na, wala.

Sa tuwing nakikita, o napupuna,

Mga larawan ko,mo at nating dalawa.

Hindi mapigilan, mga alaala.

Dahil habang buhay, ako'y tatanda

Sa mga araw na tayo'y

Nagtatawanan at laging masaya.

from the internet unknown source.

Bakit nga ba kailangan maghiwalay?

Bakit kailangan na ang isa'y mauna?

Bakit may nabubuhay ngunit sa huli ay namamatay?

Bakit nga ba...bakit, oh bakit ba?

Saan patutungo kung ika’y hindi

Na muling makakasama?

Akala ko'y hindi na matitinag

Ang pagsasama at kasiyahan

Na araw,buwan at taon nating binuo

At pinagsasaluhan.

from FactsandDetails.com

Kayo sana'y masaya

At walang problema.

Sa lugar na punumpuno

Ng Ligaya

At sana nawa'y, inyong pagmasdan,

Alalayan at tulungan,

Kaming mga naiwan.

Araw-araw akong sumisige sa buhay.

Araw-araw na nagsusumikap

Sa pagtitinda at pag-o-online benta.

Minsan nahaharap sa mga pagsubok

Tulad ng pagatake ni Hagorn, Pirena

At Avria.

Pero laging tinatandaan,

Na ang buhay sa lupa 

Ay pansamantala lamang.

 Sana nga, may buhay pa

Sa kabilang dako ng pagkamatay.

Dahil mahirap sundan ang inyong habilin.

Na ang buhay ay maganda at masaya,

Na ang buhay ay higit pa sa ginto

Ang tunay na halaga.

from Lifeofannie.blogspot.com

Sana'y muli na tayong magkita.

Nang magbalik-tanaw sa noon na natapos na.

Muli nating namnamin ang sarap

Ng mga alaala.

Mga alaalang may dalang halimuyak

Na sa tuwing nalalanghap,

Tayo'y bumabalik sa mga eksenang

Ating ginampanan.

Isang pelikulang hindi mapapantayan.

 Maraming salamat sa lahat,

Ngunit kami pa rin ay naririto sa mundo.

Patuloy kaming maglalakad

Sa daan na aming tinatahak.

Hanggang sa huli, hindi susuko.

Tulad ng sabi nyo,

 Ang buhay ay maganda at masaya.

Ang laban na ito ay hindi bibitawan.

Ang laban ng buhay ko ngayon

Ay para po sa inyo,
Aking ina.

from Fine Art America

p.s.  Thanks to all the sources of my images. ingat po.

        "It's Fortune, or nothing at all!"...this was what our mother used to tell us when she was still alive.  And by Fortune, she means Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant. According to the best cook in my life,  this resto serves the best Chinese cuisine in Pampanga, and maybe even better than those found in NCR or Metro Manila.  As I've mentioned, my Mother does the cooking in the house.  And her expertise?  You've guessed it right...Chinese Food.  Therefore, according to her,  no one beats her cooking except...(drumroll)...the Fortune Restaurant.

The Best Sweet & Sour Pork

        Fortune Restaurant is located in downtown Balibago area in Angeles City.  Balibago is considered as the nightlife center of our city.  The famous strip of resto, bars and cafes along McArthur Hi-way is at the heart of Balibago. And also,  the world famous Fields Ave. of Angeles city is also found in the area.  In October,  in lieu of the city's Fiesta celebration,  the dance party "Tigtigan, Terakan queng Dalan"  is also held at the same area.  During this party, for a minimal entrance fee, people get to drink beers Unli-style!  Lots of stalls in the event sell food or pulutan that you can pair up with your beer.  If you're a beer addict, then you have to visit our city every October.  Haha!

Shrimp with Broccoli

Kris & Bam wannabees.

        Going from Angeles city's Poblacion or city proper,  you will find Fortune along the left side of the McArthur Hi-way road going to Mabalacat.  It is a couple of blocks away before Fields Ave. and the road leading to Clark Freeport Zone.  Before mama passed away, we had to eat in this restaurant for at least once a month...it is because according to her, it is not just the best Chinese resto, but it also is the only resto that satisfies her "taste impairment", being a senior citizen that has stepped-in on the old aged segment of our society.  When we visit Fortune with her,  we must and always have to order the Steamed Eel specialty.

Eight Treasures soup

        According to Chinese medicine, Eels boosts stamina and provides additional energy that is very beneficial to old/senior people like my mother.  Almost the same way that drinking ginseng tea or ginseng infused food servings benefit us.  I'll talk about the Steamed Eel Entree when we get to order it in the future.  Another mother's favorite is the resto's Seafood Tofu in Hotpot.  This one is served sizzling hot in a "hotpot" or an oriental ceramic "pot".  A handful of seafood tidbits are sautéed and slow cooked with Tofu slices and choice vegetables in the pot before being served.  Since it was me who my parents used to go to Fortune when mama was alive,  I also get to order my favorite......the Chinese Style Beef Tenderloin.  This meal offers tender Beef slices cooked to perfection with a sweet, tangy sauce and is also served in a sizzling plate.  In the past, they didn't used sizzling plates in presenting this entree...but for the past four years, when they had a new Lead Chef, the started to serve the Beef sizzling style.  It is far better than before...so I liked it more than ever!

Patatim or Stewed Pork Leg

        We ate at Fortune last Saturday.  Together with the kinakapatids, my father and a cousin.  We had the opportunity to eat with the kinakapatid who came from Austria to visit our father.  Just like traditional Chinese restaurants, our table is round with a lazy Susan glasstop that rotates for our convenience.  We ordered Shrimp with Broccoli, the bestselling Sweet & Sour Pork, Eight Treasures Soup, YangChow Fried Rice and our Father's favorite.....the Patatim or Chinese Pork Leg Stew.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

        The best thing about YangChow Fried rice, is that you can eat it as it is even without toppings.  But since we are in the Philippines, we can't eat with rice alone...we need to have other ulam.  Eight Treasures Soup features 8 very special ingredients cooked in a broth based soup.  Father's favorite, Patatim, on the other hand, is a slow cooked Pork Leg with assorted authentic ingredients such as White Fungus, Mushrooms and sliced Bamboo shoots.  But if it's your first time to try Fortune,  never fail to pick their Sweet & Sour Pork......it is the best in all of Pampanga and Metro Manila imho.  Yes, the best!

Quan Kong Chinese Business deity

Live Lobsters

Live Lapu-Lapu or Grouper fish

        After the sumptuous meal, I chanced upon the resto's "aquariums" featuring the highly honored or priced Lobster and Lapu-lapu(grouper).  Sometimes, you also get to see their live Horseshoe Crab, unfortunately that day, they were sold out!  I also took a shot with the resident deity in almost all Chinese businesses...Quan Gong or Kwan Kong.  A famous Chinese general who was so popular that he leveled-up and became a mini-god or deity that governs businesses or more specifically, strategic competition or in line with the applied Sun Tzu's concept of business wars.   Given the opportunity,  I also was able to take a selfie with the Resto's celebrity icon/Manager/endorser/mascot, Ms. Janette.

        Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant is the best place to eat when your craving for an authentic Chinese cuisine taste!  They offer a lot of choices in their menu that is more affordable for family get-togethers and group party celebrations.  For birthday celebrations, you may also request their waiters/attendants to perform a very special Happy Birthday song for the celebrant!  Don't forget to visit this resto if you're here in the city of angels like me.  You'll surely come back for the best of the best in Chinese Food. 

Fortune Restaurant Frontage

Update: Brickhouse Cafe now offers Breakfast Buffet on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. 

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       Sunday is the day, that the Lord has made!....for family bonding that is.  Last Sunday, it was a pleasure again, to be able to eat at my father's favorite Sunday breakfast nook.  The place is The Brickhouse Cafe, located along Sto. Rosario street in Angeles City, Pampanga near the Simbahang Matua(old church) beside Mercury Drugstore.  

        The Cafe offers a Breakfast Buffet menu that caters to people who love Filipino dishes, particularly treats that are served in the early morning hours.  Me and my late mother are fans of the Filipino culinary taste, thus when she was still with us, we usually had our Sunday mornings here at the resto with my father.  She loved everything that the Brickhouse Cafe offers in their buffet...but she didn't eat much then since she was already suffering from kidney ailment plus an impaired sense of taste caused by aging.  

        The first part of the buffet table offers the traditional rice and viands meal.  You will find hot garlic rice at the front end of the buffet but if you're not interested in eating rice, then you may opt to eat Bihon or thin rice noodles  cooked Filipino style.  These are then followed by a couple of dishes such as pork giniling(ground pork),  Scrambled Egg, fried hotdogs and Pindang or Tocino or a type of pork dish where the meat is marinated and preserved with a sugary syrup based mixture before being cooked sautéed in a pan, a specialty in our pampanga province. 

         Other treats are fried Talong(eggplant), Kamatis(tomato), Itlog na maalat(salted egg) and Longganisa, a Philippine "sausage" where ground meat and spices are thoroughly mixed, marinated, then inserted in pork intestine "skins" before cooking.  However, this procedure is the authentic Philippine Longganisa.  The Brickhouse's Longganisa is a mass produced one where use of intestine skin is discarded and the Longganisa is shaped into small sizes and then thrown straight in to the pan for cooking. The taste of this Longganisa is sweet, a common taste of Filipino dishes.  

        Next part of the table is the American inspired breakfast menu.  You are given the option to pick Pandesal or the Philippine staple bread.  This bread is usually round to oval shape.  It is cooked under the oven usually with a crunchy outer covering and or the plain soft finish.  Together with the Pandesal, you may opt to choose heart-shaped mini pancakes! Haha!  And you may drip over your pancakes, maple syrup and/or condensed milk.  Tiny rolled Turons are also offered, these are bananas rolled in rice crepes then fried with brown sugar overlays. Again, a sweet Filipino treat.  Lastly, if you are a fan of rice congees or porridge, the Brickhouse Cafe also provides it's very own Arrozcaldo.  This is my father's all-time favorite here at the Resto.  The traditional way of eating Arrozcaldo is to season it with a small amount of calamansi juice, patis(fish sauce) and a dash of ground black pepper. Hmmmm....yummy!

        For my brother who lives in Manila, his favorite feature in the Brickhouse is the bottomless or unlimited Brewed coffee!  Yes, together with the unli breakfast buffet, you also get a pass on unlimited freshly brewed coffee.  If you're not a coffee addict, like me, you must try the resto's specialty cold drink,  the Tanglad juice or juice made from lemongrass.  It is by far, the best Tanglad juice I had in my life...that is FREE of course!  Iced Tea is also a choice in their beverage line-up.  But for the overly health-conscious customers, the Brickhouse Cafe also provides bottomless Fruit water.  This is characterized by a generous amount of sliced fruits mixed in water then served via a classy glass jar that comes with a faucet!  It's a complete Filipino breakfast IMHO(in my humble opinion). 

        Sadly, the resto only offers its Sunday Breakfast Buffet during Sundays from 6:00am until 10:30am in the morning.  On that Sunday morning, it was my treat.  I paid for the sumptuous breakfast meal of my father and that of our kasambahay.  It is very unlikely for us to eat here when my mother passed away.  My sister, the usual sidekick of my father on Sundays, is not a fan of Filipino food.  Therefore, if you love Filipino dishes, and is highly interested in trying out Filipino breakfast Unli-style...please come, stop by at Angeles City and taste the specialty of The Brickhouse Cafe on a Sunday morning.  You won't regret it for sure.  This is Jamos the Explorer,  "Mangan ta na!"  (Let's eat!)

#Update: for a new write-up on The Brickhouse Cafe....please read this post. 

#Video: for video watch this here.