The Anatomy of a Sri Lankan Meal

Honestly we are not fans of Sri Lankan cuisine for three main reasons:

1. It is HOT, HOT and HOT. 
2. I feel like all the world’s spices converged into a dish.
3. Curry overload.

Those three reasons may also be the exact reasons why a lot of other people – both locals and foreigners – just love the cuisine.  But for hubby and I, our taste buds never really got to the point where we just craved for it.  That doesn’t mean to say that we never enjoyed it, we actually did!  When it’s not too hot and when the spices are toned down.  The curry, well there really is no escaping it. 

So how does a typical Sri Lankan meal look like?

Hubby's Favorite Papadam, best with Mango Chutney

The usual spread - enjoyed over at The Ark for my birthday trip

Another spread this time at the Tea Trails for our honeymoon

Wattalapam ala Tea Trails

 

Well it is a smorgasbord of curry dishes.  Ok fine not really.  But it usually consists of at least two curry dishes: one vegetable and one protein.  It is highlighted with a few side dishes such as papadam with mango chutney, pickles (our favorite is the roasted brinjals/eggplant) and sambol.  The best part is, since it is super hot, they tend to put a mountain of rice.  Now that scores well in my books!  Of course let us not forget dessert!  There are a lot of Sri Lankan desserts like curd with treacle (like honey) or the Wattalapam – a custard cake similar to our Leche Flan.    

What I learned is when you eat Sri Lankan food in a resort or touristy restaurant, they would tone down the flavors a bit.  If your mouth may not necessarily take in the heat, tell them that you want it mild.  NO SHAME.  Because the hot that you know, multiply that 10 times and that’s the regular in Sri Lanka.  Also do not get shocked when you see them eating with their hands, Sri Lankan food apparently is finger-lickin’ good!  Yes even in office canteens and restaurants!

So Sri Lankan food is not for the faint-hearted.  Brace yourself for an explosion of flavors and spices.  It’s pretty awesome how one meal is one great big adventure! 

For authentic Sri Lankan dining in the city, check out Nuga Gama in Cinnamon Grand or Green Cabin along Galle Road.  A friend of mine also said Sri Lankan food is good at Renuka Hotel (I haven't tried it though!).

Valentines La Vida Lanka

Valentines, big deal right?  But I guess somehow it is a big deal for me.  Hubby and I have a funny Valentine history.  Our very first was in 2009, it was kind of frustrating because I was planning a nice out of town trip but hubby (then BF) turned it down because he promised (and whatever he promises he keeps!) to join his Rugby team for a game (SERIOUSLY! I don’t forget!).  So ok, in as much as I’m hurt (really!) and all, this being the FIRST Valentine’s day ever for us well, I gave in to a compromise.  We had an awesome lunch in Aubergine then we went to the Rugby game.  Well at least we spent the whole day together, right?  Still to this day I couldn’t believe what the he was thinking then!  But he more than made up for it for every single occasion thereafter and even the everyday.

The one after that, well (insert call a friend i.e. hubby) we went to Clark, Pampanga for the Hot Air Balloon Festival.  And of course we just had to have lunch at C! super yummy Italian restaurant.  Can’t believe how that escaped my memory!

Our very first Valentines as husband and wife, well I was away on business.  I made up for it by arranging lunch and a relaxing massage later at Casa Colombo and Spa Ceylon Ayurveda (also in Casa Colombo).

This year was special because it was the first time since the time my mom came to Colombo for my delivery that we would have a “just us” date.  We celebrated it with a simple dinner and coffee and dessert after at The Old Dutch Hospital (will do a post on this later, the place reminded me, though not exactly, of Chijmes in Singapore).  We had dinner at Brewery by O! and coffee and dessert at Heladiv Tea Club, the only 2 food places we haven’t tried there. 

The dinner was nice, nothing gastronomical and it even reminded me of “pulutan” food (food you munch on when you’re drinking) but it was good nonetheless. 

Hubby's Fish and Chips

Wedges!

Shrimps!

What’s interesting about it is they serve imported beers!  These are what Hubby and I tried…

And I totally enjoyed Hoegaarden!  It was light and smooth.  As always, I already have a buzz with the first (and only) bottle.  That’s what happens when you don’t drink for 9 months and you are not really a “drinker” anyways plus you breastfeed.

There was also a “band” playing that night.  “Band” because it was more like karaoke music – yes the actual SOUND of the karaoke!  With the “pulutan” food and the sounds, it made me feel like I’m in a beer garden instead of a pub.  So totally against its “equity.”  Plus they should have ditched the free rose and heart-shaped balloon decor!  Cheesy for a pub!  Haha! 

In as much as the elements of the place did not jive, we still enjoyed it because well I had a buzz (and I’m funny that way) and we usually enjoy just being with each other (cheesy!) – duh. 

We capped off the night with Death by Chocolate and Lattes! 

I totally enjoyed just being with hubby – you know just us.  It’s been a while!  We usually take Luna Lakwatsera around and don’t get me wrong she is a joy to be with but before our party of three it was just hubby and I. I believe in a marriage “us” time is sacred – even with kids and all.  But I also found myself having a heavy heart "prepping" her (or me) about what's to happen that night (lessons learned from the first night hubby and I were both out albeit separately) and eventually saying goodbye to my little rosebud (and her “don’t leave me” eyes).  We also found ourselves watching a video I took of her early that day during our date.  When we got home, she was not fussy, a bit antsy though and still awake.  She was waiting for our return.  Shortly thereafter, she knew her nanay and daddy are home, she then went to sleep.  I joined her soon while hubby worked until 2:30am (back to normal!). 

And that’s how we spent Valentines La Vida Lanka.

Luna Lakwatsera at Gangaramaya Temple

This month is quite busy for my little girl as we have been entertaining quite a number of Filipino visitors.  It’s actually a cool thing – I wouldn’t have expected to have quite a number of friends visiting Sri Lanka.  It’s not really on the average Pinoy’s list of must-go places… at least not yet and I do hope Pinoys will realize what a beautiful place Sri Lanka is, how very different (which makes it interesting!) and very similar it is to the Philippines.  But I digress.

T, A friend from University came this week to join C for a quick trip to Maldives over the weekend.  He had a night and whole day in Colombo to spare and I pulled out my “no fail” Colombo itinerary:

Day 1

Dinner at Gallery Café

Window Shopping (actual shopping for C) at Paradise Road Shop at Gallery Cafe

Day 2

Gangaramaya Temple

Lunch and (Window) Shopping at Barefoot

Hangout At The Apartment

(Window) Shopping at Odel (Colombo’s biggest mall chain)

(Heavy) Merienda at Gallery Café and Shopping at Paradise Road (shop at Gallery Café)

Gangaramaya Temple and Odel Shopping were the two things our officemates took us to during my first trip here in 2009 (for a conference) and I kind of got the idea there. 

Going into Gangaramaya Temple is free and you can basically take pictures everywhere.  If you wish, you may also make a donation for its various causes.  

 

Inside the temple

It has a “museum” and a collection of gifts from other Buddhist countries.  Museum in quotation because things are kind of just strewn all over with reason but without rhyme… it’s grouped together into similar items but a bit too disorganized for my taste.  In short it was not “manicured” but I guess that is its own appeal.

There was a huge elephant when I first came in 2009 however our driver told me the poor elephant died last year.  There is another elephant but it’s smaller.  I just got a little scared because it kind of “chased” us and I was wearing Luna.  It’s not the old big one but an elephant nonetheless!  Freak out moment!

Going around just be prepared to go barefoot as you have to leave behind your footwear to go into the temple and other areas.

Barefoot T

To cap it all off, I wanted my friend T to get the full “Temple Experience” and looked for someone who could give us the pirith noola, a thread tied around one’s right hand as a protection from bad luck.  Luckily we were able to get one and of course Luna girl too!

Luna and her pirith noola

And how did Luna girl like it?  Well she screamed her head off when we arrived (she was disturbed from her sleep) but quickly fell back asleep and kind of slept most of the way through.  I guess the temple gives some kind of relaxing vibes even for babies!  T observed that it is a place that is conducive for prayer and meditation.

the sleeping traveler

After the temple, we went to Barefoot for some window shopping (T didn’t like anything there) and lunch at Barefoot Café.  T liked the chill vibe which is elusive in Singapore (where T is based).  For some practical reasons, we hung out first in our apartment where we changed Luna’s nappy, had her afternoon feed and I had to give nanny/cleaner’s weekly pay.  After resting, we headed to Odel where you can find more souvenir treats.  Because T liked what he ordered when we went to dinner at Gallery Café, we headed back there for some merienda.  T also bought some pasalubong at the shop.

photo grabbed from T

That was the short itinerary we had for T which he said he enjoyed!  Yipee!  One satisfied guest!  Luna and nanay are happy hostesses with the mostess!

Locations:

Gangaramaya Temple is at Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo 2

Odel, 5 Alexandria Place, Colombo 7

Luna Sleeps Over At The Galle Face Hotel!

daddy and his baby girl at gfh

Early this week we had our apartment fumigated.  We have been seeing a lot (and I mean A LOT) of ants lately!  All the way to the 13^th floor.  Crazy!   It would be an impossibility leaving dishes unwashed until the next day without a trail of ants.  These are black ants and I wouldn’t have minded because as they say they “bring money.”  But at the rate there are going, we should have been billionaires!  In black ants currency, eww…  In any case it just got so bad that even red ants have come into our toilet and some parts of our room – crawling over our bed, my closet and Luna’s soiled nappies.  Noooo…  So that made up our minds, fumigation it is!

We have been coexisting with the black ants for a while now and just because it got worse we decided to go for the fumigation.  But it would have been much easier if we just had our home fumigated BEFORE Luna was born.  You see whenever we go out with Luna, we kinda have to bring the “whole” changing table with us.  Now that we had to stay overnight somewhere else, we brought the “whole” house.  Haha!  What more if we’re going on a much longer and father trip, right?

In any case it was a nice opportunity for us to have a sleep over at one of Colombo’s historic hotels.  The Galle Face Hotel faces the Indian Ocean and the Galle Face Green.  It’s colonial and quite lovely really.  The room, well the one we were in was quite a disappointment.  It was small (as in smaller than our bedroom) and it is an adjoining room without (I think) a double door which means we could hear (and smell the room service) of the next room.  Hasslelicious!

Good thing Luna didn’t mind.  Her eyes of wonder are just taking in the view of this new abode and slept through most of it.  What do you expect, she just turned 1 – month.  Hubby and I celebrated with a lovely dinner at 1864 – the hotel’s fine dining resto where hubby took me during my birthday in 2010 (memories!).  The food was awesome and the vibe was too.  With house music in the background, we were lucky Luna continued her early evening sleep.

In the morning, we saw off hubby who went to work and my little moon and I took our usual morning “sun bath” out by the Indian Ocean.  Or rather I lounged on the pool chairs and Luna slept on me.  Mahangin sa labas eh (It's windy outside)!

We then went back to our home sweet (fumigated) home…  Quite uneventful for our baby girl’s first hotel stay but it was nonetheless an Adventure of Luna La Vida Lanka! 

Christmas La Vida Lanka!

I was half-dreading this season.  Half-dreading because it will be our first Christmas away from home, and you know Christmas is like no other in the Philippines.  Only half because the main reason why we didn’t go home this year is because of the birth of our child.  That gave us all the joy (and even stress) the Christmas cheer celebrating it at home can – and more.  In any case, Christmas just the three of us is sweet as it is, but was made sweeter by the presence of my mom.  So how did we celebrate it La Vida Lanka?

our cheese and fruit platter (don't mind my legs in the background! haha!)

Hubby, Luna and I had our first ever Noche Buena with a collection of different kinds of cold cuts (stuffed pork, regular pork ham and beef), 3 kinds of cheeses (Brie, my favorite Blue and Cranberry), “shoshall” (posh) fruit medley of grapes, 2 kinds of peaches, cherries and nectarine coupled with nuts and toasted bread.  All lovingly thought up and prepared by hubby!  We had coffee and skipped the wine but will probably have one in New Year, hehehe!  My mom was too tired to wait for the strike of midnight so it was just hubby, myself and Luna (albeit asleep). 

salmon and beetroot risotto for me

tandoori chicken for nanalou

veal pasta for hubby

In the morning, we had a reprise of the Noche Buena feast for breakfast this time with my mom.  We then went for the noontime mass at St. Theresa’s Thimbirigasyaya and went to Tintagel for our Christmas Day lunch.  We chose Tintagel because it was private and not crowded.  Aside from the awesome food of course.

exchange gift!

We got home to rest for a nap, Skyped with family in the Philippines and had our exchange gift just before dinner.  Dinner was uneventful – just finished up the Callos my mom cooked for hubby’s birthday earlier in the week.  And went on the night as usual – chores and what nots.

ang pamilya zaragoza

As I was looking over Colombo from our balcony, feeling the cool breeze of December touching my skin, knowing that my own family is safe, complete and happy with the special addition of my mother to lighten up any day (and make it noisier!), Christmas away from home is not at all bad.  Actually, in as much as it lacked the usual mega family and friends reunion and wonderful Filipino food, it was also sans the stress of parties and traffic Manila Christmas brings.  This year away from home was a simple, lovely Christmas La Vida Lanka! 

Baptism La Vida Lanka

I look like my daddeh!

Family Picture!

Thank you Fr. Neil!

Today, my baby girl got her very first milestone.  She was baptized into the Christian world!  (And the second one was that the stump of her umbilical cord fell off – Nanalou says it means she’s a “big girl” already… waaah!)  Initially I was planning on having her baptism in the Philippines when we go home for a vacation next year.  However Nanalou got all paranoid to make her travel (even out of the house mind you) more so fly on a plane without her getting baptized.  Blame it on Filipino old wives’ tales.  But it does make sense to baptize her as early as possible and hubby even wanted it done before Christmas.

We had her baptized in a beautiful church we go to weekly called St. Theresa’s Church Thimbirigasyaya.  The process is quite simple:

Step 1: Talk to the Parish priest and make known your intention to have baby baptized in his church.  We just caught up with Fr. Neil, the parish priest of St. Theresa’s on time after mass and he shared his requirements.

Step 2: Prepare requirements.  For St. Theresa’s it is just your Church Marriage Certificate and Certificate of Active Participation of each of your Godparents from their parishes. 

Step 3: Once you have completed your requirements, schedule the time with the parish, complete a form and submit the requirements.  You have to personally go to the church for this.  In our case, I was able to get a schedule 3 days before the baptism but to be sure, a week is what Father suggests.  I suggest you talking to Lurthur who is such a helpful guy.  He usually goes to the church office in the afternoon.

Step 4: Get your baptismal robe (we just bought it from Angels and Brats – a children’s clothes store along Havelock Road), a candle for each of your Godparents and get your video / camera ready.

Step 5: Show up!

It was that easy!  Lurther told me the next day you can actually get the Baptismal certificate.

As Luna was being baptized, I couldn’t describe what I was feeling.  There was an overwhelming sensation that, wow, my daughter is going through something major in her life.  So this is how it feels for parents seeing their kids graduate and what not!  I was so happy for her to be part of the Christian community already and welcomed to the church by our favorite priest in SL no less!  I am a proud mama!  I’m so excited to guide her into her Christian life.  She will be experiencing her very first mass on Christmas day and we are excited for that as well!   

Mama La Vida Lanka: Baby Shopping La Vida Lanka Part 2

Armed with a comprehensive list and a budget to keep you from going astray, you’re now ready to Baby Shop La Vida Lanka!

These are the shops we have discovered and those that have recommended to us.  Enjoy!

If you want lovely linens, go to Elegant Smockers.  The pictures will just make you swoon.  For a time there I wanted to live in their store!  Thanks to M, my workmate who suggested this place.

You may have your whole nursery and smockers for baby (clothes in non-Brit English speak) customized!  Aside from the wonderful design (so absent from La Lanka unfortunately), they also have excellent customer service.  Their manager, Ms. Ksharma is lovely, lovely, lovely! 

Elegant Smockers Contact Details

www.elegantsmockers.com

25 Pamankada Road

Colombo 6

To get a wide array of Philips Avent products, check out MILK.  The owner I believe is the official distributor of Philips Avent in Sri Lanka so they have a good selection in the store.  They also have linens, toys and a huge selection of books!  If you want to take a break from your shopping, they have a vegan cafe that serves really nice pastries!

MILK Contact Details

12 Barnes Place, Colombo 7

(011) 2696286

Mondays - Saturdays, 10am - 630pm 

For general baby product needs, you have Bambino, Baby Mart and Kids Unlimited.

Bambino and Baby Mart would have more aesthetically appealing options as they mostly import from abroad.  They have a wide selection of Mothercare products.  Even Baby Mart has a nice selection of organic products such as organic top-to-toe wash and wipes.

We bought most of our stuff from Kids Unlimited because it was the first place that we saw.  It’s more “mass market” so the stuff are not exactly “nice.”  But you’ll manage.   

Bambino Contact Details

83 Galle Road

Bambalapitya, Colombo 4

0771 319 613

Baby Mart Contact Details

6 1/1 Visaka Road

Colombo 4

011 2500004; 011 4517765

Kids Unlimited Contact Details

Their biggest store is in Kohuwala but they also have an outlet along Duplication Road

75B Dutugemunu Street

Kohuwala

011 4202824

Unfortunately you really can’t find everything here.  But fortunately, we were able to find a way!  Some are blessings literally as these were gifts.  Like the digital ear thermometers!  Thank you to Tita A for sending over some cute baby clothes together with the Braun Ear Thermometer.  My dad also offered to give us a nice stroller – the brands here are pretty limited or brandless.  We had a hard time finding a Medela Breastpump (we eventually found one in Bambino but it was not the one we wanted) so I contacted Medela Moms and Beng was so nice to answer my queries and helped when my dad made the purchase (thank God for involved Grandpapi’s!).    It’s also hard to find Diaper Covers but luckily I chanced upon Sunshine Babies and will be ordering from there.  There are no “decent” baby carriers here as well so we ordered from One Love Baby Carriers (a Filipina based in Thailand owns it!) and will have it delivered to Manila.  Luckily my mom’s coming over so she can bring these stuff for us.  Thank god for an involved and excited Lola!

At first when we started shopping, I felt a bit “depressed” as we couldn't seem to have a lot of options here.  But eventually we found these different places and realized you just need to look closer.  Some really will not be available locally but if it’s really critical, you will find a way to purchase it!

Shopping Baby La Vida Lanka was all about creativity and discovery! Enjoy!