Valentines Pizza

They say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! So ladies, if want to do something special and personalized to your boyfriends or husbands this Valentines, make him dinner!

Today's blog, I will be sharing to you my easy Pizza dough recipe. And the toppings? It's up to you! You can put whatever you want or however you like it.

Hope you enjoy my pizza dough recipe and Happy Hearts Day. ♥

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
1 tablepoon White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup warm Water
Butter

Method:
1) Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly.
2) Cover the bowl with cloth, let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
3) Knead the dough flat for 10 minutes, add flour if necessary.
4) On a non-stick pan, rub some butter and place the dough carefully.
5) Spread tomato sauce on top of the dough, add toppings like tuna,vegetables, cheese.
6) Place pizza inside the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until dough starts to become brown. 

For my other recipes, click here.

Trakai Island Castle

A 15th century style castle located on an island in Lake Galvė, Lithuania. Trakai Island Castle was once a residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The castle doesn't only exhibit the affluent history of Lithuania but is also a favorite venue for cultural events and conferences.

Built in 3 phases, the construction of the stone castle began in the 14th century by order of Grand Duke Kęstutis. In 1377, the castle was attacked by the Teutonic Knights with Kęstutis defeated.

The second phase, regarded as the major development in the history of the castle, started its construction in 1409. Two wings were added and a 6-storey keep was also built. The castle was adorned with glazed roof tiling, red Gothic bricks were utilized to build the walls and embellished the windows with stained-glass.

The expansion of the castle in the early 15th century marked as a the third phase. The outer walls were expanded to a thickness of 2.5 metres. A main gatehouse was constructed and 3 major defensive towers were built.

In the 17th century, the war against Muscovy created a massive destruction of the castle. But it was not until the 19th century where the reconstruction of the castle began.

Today, Trakai Island Castle is one of the major tourist attractions in Lithuania.


Trakai Island Castle
Address: Trakai, Lithuania

Coordinates: 54° 39′ 7.2″ N, 24° 56′ 2.4″ E Admission:  6€

The Benefits of Saffron Spice

For the love of cooking, I collect herbs and spices and usually purchase them from my travels. During my trip to Bali some years ago, I went to a local spice shop. Like a child in a candy store, I was very excited and at the same time, confused on what to buy. Long story short, I took a package of Black Chili, 50 grams of Turmeric Spice, a package of Cinnamon Sticks, 50 grams of Yellow Curry Spice and 20 grams of Saffron. At the cashier, I was quite shocked the bill ended up more than 100 USD. I thought I was being ripped off. It was not until recently I learned that Saffron, apparently, is the world's most expensive spice. I have been using it like crazy! I should have known then I wouldn't have used it like any other spice.

The Health Benefits of Saffron

1) Asthma and Cough: It helps clear the airways making it easier for you to breathe.

2) Cancer: Saffron contains Carotenoids and apparently has an "Apoptosis" effect on cancer cells sending them signals to self destruct.

3) Antidepressant: The active components of saffron makes our body lose its depressing characteristics making it a dietary necessity sometimes.

4) Skin Diseases: Apart from imparting its exotic flavor and aroma to several recipes, saffron possesses beauty benefits. It has natural skin lightening qualities. Saffron can be beneficial for your skin and treats acne and blemishes.

5) Insomnia: Mixing it with tea will help you avoid restless or sleepless nights.

Ideas for Empty Spaces/Corners

Convert empty spaces/corners into something fun and useful.
For instance, if you are dreaming of having your own walk-in closet, you don't have to utilize a big area or even a room for it. And especially if you have a tiny place, make an awkward space in your room into an open closet wherein you can finally decorate your clothes, handbags, shoes and accessories.

An enjoyable Do-It-Yourself activity and you don't have to spend a lot of money. You can even reuse old cabinets from the storage; recycle shabby furniture and paint them with rustic or vibrant colors; or simply purchase a cheap bookshelf from IKEA.

Last year, I turned a dead space at our apartment in Saigon into a corner closet. And for about $100 US, I was able to conveniently display my favorite or most-used accessories, bags and shoes. Definitely an accessible and tidy way without digging through my whole closet.

All You Need:
Shelf
Rack
Small Carpet/Rag
Screws
Hooks
Screw Gun

Make A Difference This Holiday Season!

Are you in or travelling to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam this holiday season? One of the best things to do to share the love this Christmas is to visit the Orphanage for the disabled in Binh Thanh District. You can share your blessings by donating your old clothes or toys; give grocery goods like rice, noodles, milk, oil, etc; or simply just interact with the children there.

Get involved by embracing this act and you will surely make a lot of underprivileged children happy!


Address:
153 Xo Viet Nhge Tinh
Ward 17, Binh Thanh District
Ho Chi Minh City

''Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.''
                                                                                    - Hamilton Wright Mabie

Mactan Island Hopping

My husband loves Mactan Island Hopping! So every time we're in Cebu, we always try to spare a day to do this enjoyable escapade.

A whole day trip filled with amusement, Mactan Island Hopping is definitely for nature lovers and adventure seekers.

There are many places in Mactan where you could hire a local boat to visit different small islands and sanctuaries. If you're staying at a resort in Mactan, perhaps they could even arrange it for you. But the most popular place to rent the local boats is the port beside Mövenpick Hotel. The rates vary depending on the size of the boat and if food is included but the price normally starts from 50USD.

During our recent Cebu trip, we went out island hoping twice! First, we hired a small boat with 4 crew, went around different islands and sanctuaries outside Mactan. The second trip was with the resort, Plantation Bay, visiting only a sanctuary.

The local boat for Island Hopping.

Natural Pearls!

The Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary.

Our crew cooking our lunch. ;)

The crew busy preparing our wonderful meal. It was fresh and really tasty!

The first island we visited! Though we never really stayed long at this island but it was so peaceful here.

Uninhabited island! What a paradise! :)

Plantation Bay

On our way to the sanctuary.

Huge Coral Castle.

The staff brought lots of bread for us to feed the fish in the sanctuary.

School of fish.

These two were very curious!

Relaxing!

What at lovely marine sanctuary!

The Sanctuary!

The Sanctuary!

The Sanctuary!

Hop On Hop Off London

When we visited London, we didn't have enough time to see all of the city's gorgeous attractions. So the easiest way to for us to see London without the hustle and bustle is The Hop on Hop Off Bus. For only £30 (per person), you will get to see the city's biggest attractions like The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, London Eye, British Museum, Palace of Westminster, St. Paul's Cathedral and a lot more plus a free River Thames Cruise. The Bus tour also provides earphones for tourists to listen to the history and story behind every attraction and sites.



First Stop: The Tower Bridge and Tower of London

View of Tower Bridge and The Tower of London.

The Tower of London, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home of the Crown Jewels of England.

Built in 1886, The Tower Bridge has become an iconic symbol of London.

View of River Thames from The Tower Bridge.

Second Stop: St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral is the second largest church in United Kingdom. It is an Anglican Cathedral, where Prince Charles and Princes Diana got married. The dome of St. Paul's Cathedral is among the highest in the world.

Third Stop: The Shard

The tallest building in London and the fourth tallest building in Europe- The Shard or Shard of Glass is a 95-story skyscraper. 

Fourth Stop: The London Eye

Also known as the Millennium Wheel, the London Eyes is a giant Ferris wheel with a structure of 135 meters tall and has a diameter of 120 meters. It is currently Europe's tallest Ferris wheel.

Fifth Stop: Big Ben, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace

Big Ben, the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, holds the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most notable religious buildings in the United Kingdom and has been the traditional place of coronation and burial site for British monarchs.

The lovely St. James Park.

Home of Queen Elizabeth II, located in the city of Westminster, Buckingham palace is the London residence and principal workplace of the reigning monarch of United Kingdom.

The Changing of Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Seventh Stop: Harrods

Located in Knightsbridge, Harrods is a famous upscale department store in London.

Eighth Stop: Kensington and Notting Hill

The Churchill Arms is definitely a must-visit pub in London. Built in 1750, it is one of the oldest pubs in England.

Ninth Stop: The National Gallery

The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the city of Westminster. It is one of the most visited art museums in the world.

So these were the attractions we hopped off! :)