Ibyang Sanchez, Author at Ibyang

Costco Shopping in Sydney (Finally!)

15 August 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 9 Comments Category: Aussie Life

The moment Sydneysiders have been waiting for has finally unfolded. The first Costco branch in Sydney opened in July this year and grocery shopping has never been the same again. Well for those who are members (and members who bring visitors with them) at least.

We chose to wait out three weeks before we go for our first visit in the hopes that the crowd will at least be manageable. We took a day off together last Friday because we heard that weekends are the busiest.

We left home at 9:30am and arrived at the store at 9:58am. There were many people on queue going inside Costco. We went to get our membership IDs first which took less than 10 minutes because we already registered online. All they did was check our details on the computer and took our photos for the ID.

In less than 2 minutes, our IDs got out of these machines and we were off to do some fun shopping.

Don’t forget to grab a trolley before going in! These trolleys are easily spotted in a corner in each parking level. There are no trolleys inside the store.

Since we were early and it was a Friday, the crowd was manageable. There were the not-so-busy aisles that you can easily pass thru.

And there were aisles where you seem to find everyone in it.

At 12:00 noon, the crowd got thicker. Although a lot of people are checking-out, the people coming in were greater in number. The Husband and I even witnessed a “Desperate Housewife Moment” where three ladies were about to engage in a catfight because there were two ladies chatting idly in the middle of the aisle and this one lady was getting pissed off at them for blocking people with there big carts. I would normally get pissed off too but I was too happy last Friday, enjoying my first official grocery shopping at Costco. The Costco visit I experienced in Melbourne doesn’t really count because I was just a visitor then and shopped only for chocolates.

The Husband and I just enjoyed our grocery shopping and if a crowd was too thick in a certain area, one of us will just stay at a corner with our trolley and the other one will go to wherever he/she wanted to go.

As Filipinos, we love shopping at Costco because we get to see and buy familiar American products which are not available in local supermarkets. We also appreciate the great deals and sales. I was tickled pink when I saw 60 rolls of tissue for only AUD$17.99. As a wife and homemaker, that’s a big deal for me. Finding 16 bars of Ivory Soap for only AUD$5.99 means we won’t have to buy soap for probably 12 months.

We finished at 12:30pm and decided to have lunch at Costco too. Prices of their food were very affordable.

For two hotdogs with softdrinks and a slice of cheese pizza, we only paid for AUD$7.97.

Costco Shopping for Two

We regarded our shopping at Costco the same way we shop at a local supermarket by:
1. Having a budget limit and sticking to it
2. Checking our supply at home thoroughly and make a list of must buys
3. Buying stuff we only need even if some items are only on sale
4. Buying a few items that make us happy
5. Taking into consideration storage space at home
6. Taking into consideration the expiry date of items

When you are at Costco, it’s so easy to get swallowed in by sales. In any grocery shopping scenario, a homemaker must be very smart and firm. Smart in choosing what items to buy and firm in saying “No” even if an item is on sale.

For our first official grocery shopping at Costco, we have a budget of AUD$200.00 and I made a list of supply we needed at home. When I did our list, I concentrated on dry goods instead of raw produce. Since we have a small household, we didn’t think it was necessary for us to buy big bulks of raw produce at Costco.

Items we needed to replenish: Rice, Olive Oil, Cereal, Taco Shells and Salt. We found 3 pcs of Spam for only AUD$10.79 so we bought it for “emergency purposes”.

Some toiletries: Laundry Powder, Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Toothbrush, Shower Gel, Liners & Soap. Except for the shower gel, toothpaste and mouthwash, we think we won’t need to buy these items for the next 8-12 months.

Stuff that makes us happy: These are items that we missed! Lays, Swiss Miss, Hershey’s Syrup and Chips Ahoy. We didn’t buy any American Chocolates because we still have some Japanese Chocolates at home.

After two and a half hours of going around numerous aisles at Costco, we bought a total of 23 items that amounted to AUD$199.05! We were so proud of ourselves for being able to stick to our budget.

Based on our first grocery shopping at Costco, we think, we will visit Costco every 6 weeks.

Please click this link for some of the prices of items at Costco.

Philippine Food Festival at Grace Hotel

14 August 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Food

In cooperation with Department of Tourism Philippines, Philippine Airlines, Grace Hotel Sydney brings you the Philippine Food Festival from 5-21 August.

Indulge in a sumptuous buffet of well-loved dishes skillfully prepared by Chefs Dimatera, Pring and Zabala from Via Mare (Philippines).

Sydney food lovers will be delighted with tantalising buffet featuring 3 courses of well-loved Philippine dishes, carving station, live cooking demonstration and delectable desserts.

Heard about the Philippine Food Festival at Grace Hotel last year and luckily this year we found the time to try and enjoy authentic Filipino cuisine prepared by Via Mare chefs from the Philippines.

We dined on Thursday night and we were privileged to meet and chat with Chefs Zabala, Pring and Dimatera. It was wonderful to meet them and learn about their cooking experience here in Sydney. According to them, most of their time are really spent inside the kitchen as they are the only ones who really cook all the dishes served during the festival.

I have to admit that I wasn’t too excited to go to Grace Hotel because I cook Filipino almost everyday. However, I looked forward to enjoying being surrounded by Filipino dishes not cooked by me (LOL) for a change.

The Husband and I were not disappointed with their drinks as they served San Miguel Beer and fresh Coconut Juice straight from the Coconut shell. Drinks are of separate charge from the dinner buffet of AUD$48.00. A glass of San Miguel Beer cost us AUD$8.50 (definitely not cheap) and the fresh Coconut juice was AUD$6.50. We both enjoyed our drinks immensely because San Miguel is not easily available in Filipino restaurants nowadays and the coconut juice was very sweet and refreshing.

They served Pandesal for bread and Sinigang na Hipon for soup.

The salad section was abundant and one that I truly enjoyed.

I loved their Ensalang Mangga with Itlog na Maalat (Green Mango Salad with Salted Egg). First time for me to see Green Mangoes sliced into perfect julienne. The fusion of the sour green mangoes with the salty egg was amazing. I’m definitely copying this at home.

Other salads I liked: Ensaladang Ubod at Tahong, Adobong Kabute, Steamed Kangkong, Okra & Sitaw with Vinaigrette.

For the mains, I enjoyed their Lechong Kawali. You have the option to eat it with the usual Sauce for Lechon or Bagoong (Shrimp Paste) and make it into your do-it-yourself Binagoongan.

Other mains you can enjoy: Adobo, Chiken Inasal, Morcon, Bam-I Guisado, Tyan ng Bangus Asado. To accompany the mains, they prepared Adobo Rice.

The dessert section Sapin-Sapin, Maja Blanca and an assortment of fruits. What I loved the most for dessert was the Halo-Halo and Leche Flan.

Even if some dishes were not as spectacular (for me), I still enjoyed this foodie experience over-all. I really felt proud seeing non-Filipinos getting to know our food and enjoying it too. It also felt good to be able to support a Filipino event such as this.

Philippine Food Festival (only until 21 August)
Grace Hotel
Corner of York and King Streets
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

$38* lunch buffet, Tuesday to Friday
$48* lunch buffet, Sunday
$48* dinner buffet, Thursday to Saturday
For reservations, call (02) 9272 6888 or email restaurant.reservations@gracehotel.com.au

Things I Love: Royce Chocolates

11 August 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 5 Comments Category: Food, Things I Love

We seem to have a fascination with chocolates made in Japan. We’ve heard a lot of raves about Royce and some friends have recommended that we try it too. Fortunately, the Husband and I received a box of Royce Nutty Bar Chocolate last year and it was one chocolatey pleasure we can’t forget. Unfortunately Royce Chocolates are not available here in Australia.

So when we vacationed in the Philippines a few months ago, we’d always stop by the Royce ‘store’ (it’s not really a store) whenever we’re in Greenbelt 5 and hoard…yes, the best way to describe the way I shopped for Royce chocolates was hoard.

The Husband is more of a chocoholic between the two of us so we tried the Royce Nama Chocolate. We chose the Mild Cacao because I love white and he loves dark and we just had to compromise. The Chocoholic Husband loved it and I liked it. Like lang (I only liked it) coz it’s too chocolatey for me.

What we bought more of was their Chocolate Bars. Knowing that we want to bring them home to Sydney, we needed chocolates that has a longer shelf life. We bought four flavours: Dark, Milk, White and Almond.

I had high expectations on the Royce White but unfortunately for me, it was a miss. The chocolate was smooth and light. I was hoping for a richer milk flavour and it missed the mark I was hoping for. I’d still buy this bar again though but I would never hoard it.

The Husband enjoyed the Milk and Dark flavours. However, he said he will never consider the Dark flavour as one of his favourites because it wasn’t as rich as well.

What we really loved the most from all the bars was the Almond flavour. This was a winner for us. We can finish a bar in one sitting and we felt bittersweet as we enjoyed our last Almond bar at home. I’m definitely hoarding this again when we chance upon a Royce outlet somewhere.

Our Royce chocolates are all gone now but one of our friends is visiting Singapore soon and she promised she will buy some for me.

So there, other than the Royce Nutty Chocolate, our newest favourites from Royce are the Nama Chocolate and the Royce Almond Bar.

What’s your favourite Royce chocolate?

Let Him Have His “Me” Time, Too

9 August 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 16 Comments Category: The Married Life

I have always shared my “Me” times and I’ve always been grateful for having a partner who gives me the space I need on a regular basis.

Since I’m a strong believer of “Me” times, I encourage and let my Husband have his “Me” time too.

I mentioned before that the Husband and I seldom take our day-off (Note: In Australia, some companies give employees an extra day off work that you can take any day of the work week) together. Not that we don’t want to spend extra time with each other but because we want to give each other the space to spend the day however each of us want.

Sometimes we’d joke and say, “Yay! I have the house to myself while you’re at the office!” While we love hanging out together, I think it’s healthy whenever we’d say that joke to each other. When the Husband’s on a day-off, I love it when the day is about to end, he’d call me at the office and ask, “What time are you going home?”. I feel my heart go a bit tender knowing that deep inside he misses me.

On days when he felt like going to the mall and do grocery by himself, I let him. Shopping for grocery may only be his little excuse because he probably just wants to check out the latest gadgets in the shops by himself so he can have more time to play with them. This kind of “Me” time is truly a big help to me. Imagine, skipping doing grocery once in a while? Not only do I have more time to do other stuff I want to do, he also becomes more of an expert when it comes to doing grocery shopping.

Thursday night is shopping night in Sydney. Shops in the city close at 9:00pm and that’s everyone’s opportunity after work. When I’m feeling tired, I’d go home and let the Husband do his own shopping. He’d normally walk around the shops for an hour before going home. He appreciates this time because it helps take off the stress he’s had at work.

Some Friday nights we’d have separate drinks-after-work parties with our workmates. I never join him with his friends from work because that’s when I grab the opportunity to be with my workmates, too. After an hour of two with our mates, we’d rejoin for a late dinner date and share stories of how our week at work had been. This may not be an exclusive “Me” time but I believe going out separately with friends is healthy for both of us.

Everyday at night, he spends a few minutes in our balcony before going to bed. He enjoys looking out the streets below us and the quiet that comes with it. It’s his time to reflect on what happened that day and thinks about the things he look forward to tomorrow.

Those are just a few of his “Me” times. Most of it are just a short time for him to relax and de-stress. Quick, fleeting moments, but nevertheless, important in his daily life because it makes him happier and healthier.

This entry is for Toni‘s Blog Carnival, “It’s a Wife’s Life”. Join now!

The Sweetest Things

8 August 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 8 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Deep Thoughts, The Married Life

It’s Monday once again and for most of us, it also means back to the daily grind of tasks and responsibilities. So how are you feeling this morning? I know that the usual feelings on Mondays are denial, sleepiness, crankiness and laziness (anything else?). I sometimes have a variation of all these emotions every Monday morning but I try to snap out of it as quick as I can because I want to arrive to work cheerful and ready to be productive.

I catch the train every morning to work and during my 45-minute transit I try to come up with some mental exercises to wake my brain up and bring out the positivity in my spirit. Every morning, I always think about the happy things that make me feel blessed.

For this morning, my list consisted of The Sweetest Things that I have shared in Instagram before. My Instagram account (follow me at @ibyang if you have an account and let’s share photographs!) has been a repository of random photographs that immortalize special moments of my life. It’s an easy, user-friendly iPhone app that instead of just sharing minute details here in AWCL, I just upload a photo in instagram and voila! I get to share a significant part of my life in a split second.

Moving on, here are some Instagram photos that immortalized some of The Sweetest Things that made my heart warm and tender.

One of my BFFs in the Philippines gifted me with these cute grooming set and a Rizal mug. According to her, she immediately thought of me when she saw this Korean/Japanese-looking grooming set because she knows I love anything Korean. It was also very timely that she gave me this because I was on the lookout for a grooming set that I could always bring whenever I travel. This grooming set is now part of my travel make-up bag.

She gave me this Rizal mug years ago since she also knows I’m a Rizal fan. This mug not only reminds me of my love for Rizal but most importantly, this reminds me how much my BFF and I love coffee.

One of my College BFFs is another person who knows me so well and always seem to give me the cutest, useful things. This year, she gave me a pair of winter slippers with heart designs (she knows I love the heart symbol).

And this winter season, she gave us the biggest surprise by knitting beanies for us. Yes, she not only knitted a beanie for me but for the rest of our gang. So sweet of her and the beanies are sooo cute and colourful!

The Husband’s high school friend whom we got to spend time with in April when we were in Manila gave us these lovable His and Her key chains. The lips of the boy and girl key chain are magnetic so everytime they get close, they “kiss”.

I got to spend time with my youngest cousin two weeks ago and during dinner at their place, he hugged and kissed me all of a sudden. I asked, “What was that for?”. He replied, “Nothing, I just want to.” Awwwww. That was simply a precious moment. I’m glad that even if he has grown up to be a big boy now, he never forgets to make “lambing” (be sweet). No matter old he gets, in my heart, he will always be my baby cousin.

My High School Barkada (friends) have our own facebook page and that’s where we get to plan our get-together(s). A few of us are living abroad now but thru our page, we get to update each other with statuses and photographs. Last week, a few of them decided to have dinner on Friday night and all was planned thru comments in facebook. One of our friends also tweeted about it so when I saw the tweet, I messaged back and told them that I will call them during dinner…and I did. It was lovely to hear their voices. It was a comfort and joy to know that even if we’re miles apart, there are no walls and awkwardness. The minute we heard each others’ voices on the line, we picked up where we left off and it was instant fun and laughter. Below is a photo of my coffee date with them before I left Manila.

It’s always a treat when there’s cake at home and it’s always wonderful when the Husband makes the effort of baking it. On Saturday night, he baked my favourite Vanilla Cake enveloped in Buttercream Icing and topped with Pink and White Sprinkles. Not only does the thought of having a Husband that bakes my favourite cake makes me feel loved, I’m happy that I get to bring a slice of his cake with me to work, to enjoy during my Monday morning tea.

Wishing you all a week filled with sweet moments! Happy Monday!