Friday, December 28, 2007

Somewhere In Time Movie

Backdrop is the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan. The movie "Somewhere in Time" was shot here. Played by Christopher Reeve (Superman) and Jane Seymour.
If you have the opportunity to visit the island..please do it in summer or spring. I'd visited this place several years ago. You will truly love the island.

Ideal for honeymooners and families who loves peace & quiet. You can tour/explore the island by carriage, bike or foot. You can bring your own bike or rent one from the bike rental places on the island. For someone like me who doesn't know how to bike, I rented the tandem(double bike) with my sister. Oh yes, don't forget to visit the Fudge and caramel corn shops.
Note: This is the only (US) state highway without motor vehicle traffic!!!!






Somewhere In Time Movie - One true love across time....



Plot summary
The film begins in May 1972, when playwright Richard Collier(Christopher Reeve) is approached by an elderly woman who places a pocket watch in his hand while pleading with him to "Come back to me". Eight years later, Richard stays at the Grand Hotel and becomes entranced by a strangely captivating photograph of a mysterious, beautiful young woman. With the assistance of Arthur Biehl, an old man who's been at the hotel since 1910, Richard discovers that she is Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour), a famous early 20th-century stage actress. Upon digging deeper he learns that she was the aged woman who gave him the pocket watch eight years ago but who subsequently passed away later that same evening.
Richard learns about auto-suggestive time travel from an old college professor of his. To accomplish this feat of self-hypnosis one must remove all things from sight that are related to the current time. He is also warned that such a process would leave one very weak, perhaps dangerously so. Back in his hotel room Richard tries to will himself into the year 1912 using tape-recorded suggestions only to fail for lack of real conviction. After a trip to the hotel's attic, Collier finds an old guest book from 1912 with his signature in it and realizes that he will/did eventually succeed.
Richard again hypnotizes himself (without the benefit of a modern tape recorder) and allows his absolute faith in his eventual success to become the tipping point or trigger for the journey back through time. He drifts off to sleep in 1979 and awakens to the sound of whinnying horses in the year 1912. Collier looks all over the hotel for Elise, even meeting Arthur as a little boy, but he has no luck finding her. Finally, Richard stumbles upon Elise walking by a tree near the lake. She seems to swoon slightly at the sight of him but then suddenly asks him if he's the one. McKenna's manager, William Fawcett Robinson, abruptly intervenes and sends Collier away. Richard stubbornly continues to pursue Elise until she finally agrees to accompany him on a stroll throughout the surrounding idyllic landscape. Richard ultimately asks why Elise wondered aloud if he was the one and she replies that Robinson somehow knows that she will meet a man one day who will change her life forever. Richard then shows Elise the same pocket watch which she will give him 60 years hence.
Upon returning to the hotel, Elise invites Richard to her play. Collier attends the comedic farce and during intermission finds her posing formally for a photograph. Upon spotting Richard, Elise breaks into a radiant smile and veritably glows with soft affection. Just then the camera's flash goes off and forever captures that wondrous moment in time. We realize now that this picture is the same one which Richard will see 68 years later on a wall near the lobby at the selfsame Grand Hotel. He later receives a letter from Robinson asking to meet him immediately and saying that it is a matter of life and death. Robinson tricks Collier and has him tied up and thrown into the stables. Later, Robinson tells Elise that Richard has left her and isn't the one, but she replies that she doesn't believe him and he's wrong. Elise admits to Robinson that she loves Richard and that he will make her very happy. Dispirited, Robinson leaves her dressing room and reminds her that they leave within the hour.
Collier wakes up the next morning and escapes his constraints. He runs to Elise's room only to discover that her party has left. Richard then goes out to the hotel's capacious deck and begins giving in to despair but presently perceives Elise calling his name and running towards him. They return to his room together and it is there that Elise becomes truly intimate with a man for the very first time in her life. Later that evening she asks Richard to marry her and he readily accepts. She then tells him that the first thing she will do for him is buy him a new suit (the suit Richard has been wearing the entire time in 1912 is about ten to fifteen years out of style). Collier begins to show his true love what a wonderful suit it is because of its many pockets. He is alarmed when he reaches into one and finds a shiny new Lincoln penny that has the date of 1979 on it. This has the effect of wrenching him out of his hypnotically-induced time trip, and Richard feels himself rushing backwards from 1912 as though through a tunnel with Elise screaming his name in horror as he is pulled inexorably back to 1980.
Richard then wakes up in the same room he just left although now it is 68 years later. He is very weak, physically and emotionally exhausted from his trip through time and from the devastating unexpected return. He scrambles desperately back to his own suite and tries to hypnotise himself again without success. After wandering around the hotel property and sitting interminably at the places where he shared his innermost thoughts with Elise, Collier eventually retires to his bed and remains there until discovered by Arthur who then calls for a doctor. Richard then sees himself drifting above his body, and he is drawn to a light shining through the nearby window framed with gently billowing white gauzy curtains. In the light that lies between Earth and Heaven is Elise, waiting for him just as he remembered her and where they will remain together at last in a place beyond time itself.
Differences from the novel
In the novel, Richard travels from 1971 to 1896 rather than 1980 to 1912, and the setting is the
Hotel del Coronado rather than the Grand Hotel. Unlike the movie, he is dying from a brain tumor, and the book leaves open the possibility that the time-traveling experience occurs only in his mind. The scene where the old woman hands Richard a pocket watch (which an older version of himself had given to her) does not appear in the book. Thus, the ontological paradox generated by this event is absent; however, there are more subtle versions of the same sort of paradox. Richard thinks he remembers having once met an old Elise, and he does find an old hotel register with what he takes to be his signature, but we don't know how reliable his perspective is. In the book, it is two psychics, not William Fawcett Robinson, who anticipate Richard's appearance. And Richard's death at the end is brought upon by his tumor, not heartbreak.





Thank's to Wikipedia

Chicken Balls



Ingredients:
1 oz butter
1 oz all purpose flour
1/4 pint milk
dash of salt & pepper
8 oz. cooked chicken, chopped
2. oz. pickle relish
1 egg
For coating:
2 oz. breadcrumbs

Procedure:
In low fire, mix butter, flour, milk, salt & pepper to make a thick sauce in a pan. Add the chicken, pickle relish, eggs and crumbs. Allow to cool.
Form into balls and coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil until crisp and slightly brown in color, about 1 minute. Drain well. Serve with catsup or hot sauce.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Food I Made For Christmas Day (Noche Buena)

Pina-upong Manok (Sitting Chicken)
Christmas Midnight Chocolate CakeLumpia Shanghai



My sisters and I prepared some delicious goodies for our Noche Buena. I made four dishes as part of my share for the family party.

Here's the recipe for Pina-upong Manok (Sitting Chicken)

This is a Filipino dish that I haven't cooked for many years now. It was simply disregarded and completely forgotten in my recipe boxes. This morning as I was dusting and sorting my files, I found this recipe tucked in a cookbook.. A Kapangpangan friend of mine handed this recipe to me 10 years ago).There is a traditional way of cooking this chicken (without water, just let the chicken sit on the bed of salt and steam it) but I prefer my recipe with 7-up.

Pinaupong Manok

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 bottle 7-up or sprite
1 pc. onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 pcs. whole peppercorn
3 pcs. calamansi or 1 pc. lemon juice
1 pc. chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup margarine
achute for coloring or 3 tbsp. soy sauce(Add some more if you want a darker sauce)
1 tsp. salt.
Procedure:
Boil chicken with 7-up, onions, calamnsi juice, chicken cube, margarine and salt, enough water to cover the chicken. Cook in medium fire until chicken is tender. Cook for about 1 hour for a kilo of chicken. Reserve soup for sauce.

I'll share the other recipes later...

Sunday, December 23, 2007

GREETINGS TO ONE AND ALL

To my fellow Bloggers and Readers:

I wish to thank you for visiting my blog. My sincere greetings to everyone. Have a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Take care and Peace to all!!!

Lee

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Philippine Christmas Celebration

Christmas Lantern (Parol) - is the symbol of Filpino Christmas spirit


Christmas is an important celebration in the Philippines, being the only Asian countries that is predomintly a Christian nation- majority is Roman Catholic. Christmas is a mixture of western and Filipino traditions. In the Philippines, Christmas starts early. Filipinos decorate the christmas tree way before other countries do, (usually September) be it in their homes or shopping malls. Lights are lit in the shops and homes. Christmas songs are played in the shops and radios.

Masses (simbang gabi) are celebrated at 4:00 AM for nine days before Christmas. The novena ends at the eve of Christmas. After attending the Christmas midnight mass, there is a dinner feast (Noche Buena) prepared at home with lots of holiday foods served like Ham, Cheese ball, Puto (Rice Cake), Cakes, fruit salad, noodles, roast chicken, morcon, embutido, lechon (roasted pig) to name a few. However, the food serve depends on the finances or budget of the families. The rich prepare grand feast while the poor families prepare meals within their budget.

Another Filipino tradition is to visit the Godparents of the children and Godparents give gifts or money to the children...

Friday, December 7, 2007

Tabouleh


Tabouleh

1 cup chopped parsley
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup bulgur (crushed wheat)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
sprinkle of black pepper

Place bulgur in a bowl, pour water to cover it completely, let it soak for 15 minutes. (You can also soak in cold watre but ita has to be soaked for 2 hours to become soft). Drain and squeeze water from burgul using hands.
Mix together the chopped parsely, chopped tomatoes and add them to burghul.Add lemon juice, chopped onions, salt, black pepper and mix well. Then add the olive oil and toss gently. Put in a dish line with lettuce and garnish on top with sliced bell pepper.
Refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve cold


(This is a Middle Eastern appetizer)

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Sambousek

This is a Middle Eastern food. One of my favorites during my stay in Abu Dhabi.

SAMBOUSEK
Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp oil
1 cup water

Filling
1 tsp. allspice

1/2 kg. pork or beef or chicken of your choice (chopped)

2 medium chopped onions

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cummin

oil for frying or bake



Method:
For the dough:
1. To prepare the dough, in a small bowl sprinkle the yeast with the warm water, flour and sugar. Let stand for two or three minutes, then stir to dissolve completely. Set aside to double.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture. Add the oil and some of the water, kneading about ten minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding more water if necessary. Dip your hand in some oil and knead a little longer. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a towel and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about two to three hours. Form the dough into eight to ten balls, and cover while you prepare the filling.
3. Combine the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl, blending well. Set aside.
4. On a lightly floured surface roll each ball into a round about quarter-inch thick. Spread the filling over the dough and crimp the edges and bake as is or form into triangular shape, folding the edges over, leaving a small portion exposed in the center so the meat will cook well. Repeat the procedure until all ingredients are used. Arrange the Sambousek on well greased baking pans. Bake at 500 degrees about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are well baked.
Another Option:
Heat oil in a deep frying pan and deep fry samousek till golden brown in color. Serve hot.

From my Lipton recipe collection

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Seafood Salad




Seafood Salad

Ingredients:

1 kg. squid, cut into rings
225 gms. cooked shrimps, peeled
3 tbsp. vinegar
1 large carrots, cut into matchsticks size
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. white sugar
salt, ground black pepper to taste


Procedure:

1. Poach squid in simmering water and vinegar for 5 minutes in medium heat. Drain and cool.
2. Poach shrimps in simmering water on high heat until shimps turned pink. Drain,cool and peel.
3. Put in a bowl the squid, shrimps, & carrots.
4. Pour lemon juice over the mixture.
5. Season with salt, pepper, & sugar.
6. Allow to marinate for 2 hours in the fridge before serving.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Bloggers Over 50!!!

Just found this link for bloggers over 50. I have started reading some blogs and it would take me ages to read all of them. Nice to meet this people through their blogs.

Blood Moon

I captured this Super Blood Moon last January 2018 from our balcony.