Our "New" Second-Hand Ride

I'm not a sporty person, though I'd love sana how to play tennis. Too much exposure to Mr. Sun discouraged me to engage on it. But I'm glad that at an early age I was so eager to learn and eventually know how to ride a bicycle. I learned on my own and those bruises that I got was all worth it. My uncle used to have a BMX bike when I was in grade school. Whenever he is not using it, I sneak into our tiny garage and practice until I get tired. I cannot remember when was the last time I rode in one. My eldest daughter kasi loves to have a bicycle maybe because she saw her friends in our neighborhood driving around with their own bicycles. Yung kind na like this...

Mala- 'Lovers in Paris'. It's so dreamy, right? (Photo NOT mine)

My husband and I are actually planning to buy her a new bicycle because the old one is already too small for her. That now is the one my 3-year old girl is using. 

 

We scouted for it in malls but we are having second thoughts getting one because: (1) it's a bit expensive and (2) we cannot attest of its longevity. We then heard that buying in Japan surplus shops saves us a lot of money and we get more of our money's worth. Not to mention it's durability and quality-tested. So we check out some shops here in the city and found nga not only one but two bicycles. The second one is for me. I'm so happy I own one now even if it's pre-owned.

Here is my girl's bike. 

It's only Php1,800.00 and I tell you, it's so sturdy 
though there are a few scratches and minor dents noticed. 
But it's in a very good condition. 

Just a few flaws were there like the LED lights isn't working though we can just replace the defective bulb and it will light na. The other grip has a rip but the other one is still in good condition so we just leave it as it is. The plastic basket have only minimal cracks and dents and stains but it doesn't matter. There are also minor rusts seen but we can have it repainted and it's good as new. We just bought an extension tires (at Php300.00) at the back since she cannot balance yet with just a two-wheel. Before that there was a bicycle stand attached to it but it was removed to replace the extension tires.

We can really attest of its durability and quality because the bicycle itself is heavy. It's like I'm having lifts every time I carry it. The bell and brakes works perfectly. The seat cover is in nice condition (not dirty) and durable. The paint finish is totally fine. The height of the seat can be adjusted. I can even ride on it. 

And now presenting to you my bicycle. 
Guys would you believe its worth is only Php1,800.00?! Sure steal!
But we got it for 2,500.00. Why? Everything is in superb condition 
and it's a reserved item. Meaning 'may nagmamay-ari na'. 
My husband haggled for it and wants it so badly for me.

He didn't mind paying for that amount because of the following reasons:

- the seat is leather, just a few (almost invisible) blemishes

- the LED lights, bell and brakes working perfectly fine

- there are just minor scratches, stains and rust

- almost no dents

- adjustable seat
- it has a lock/key attached to the back wheel that secures it and nobody can use it except me. Though I don't lock it so the nanny can use it to accompany my kids when biking around the village

- the paint finishes is fine (off white/chocolate color, yum!)

- the steel basket is love

- I love also that it has a bicycle stand

Overall, I love my Japan surplus/pre-owned bicycles we got. We saved a lot for the cost we bought given of the quality of the bikes. We can just have it groomed some other time if we really want that spunky/new feel of it. For the meantime, we love as it is. My hubby told me it's his Christmas gift to me. It doesn't matter if it's not new as long as I am loving it. He's planning to buy one for him and our youngest. And it'll be a family sport we'll be engaging in. How I love it! Thank you Lord for the blessing!

Kitchen Tools for the Holidays

I really wanted to invest in small appliances particularly for our kitchen. I've been meaning to test my "sleeping" culinary skill (I believe somehow each one of us has it) for the longest time now and thinking of buying cooking aids that would surely realize what I wanted to whip up for my family particularly for my sweet tooth. Baking is my ultimate to-do wish. I know it entails a much needed time to be able to focus on making wonders in the kitchen. But I'd like to seriously start and not just wishing. I have to make a move and decide. So as I was scouting for some appliances to add up to my humble kitchen, two things I had in mind: a convection oven and the air fryer of Philips (see here or here or here).

Okay, let me start first with the oven because I had been dreaming about it for a very long time already. Before, it's the electric oven from La Germania I've been yearning to buy. Maybe today it would cost around P8,000-P10,000 pesos depending on the model. But I've been hearing about the name convection oven from a lot of mommy bloggers. It's like a turbo broiler (boiler?) pala. But now, it looks like an oven toaster that can bake and a rotisserie in one. Now I want this! It's not even that bulky and can fit in a small kitchen space like mine. Its size is like an oven toaster or a bit bigger depending on what brand. How is the two differed? You can read it here. As I searched further in the internet, I have short it to 5 designs I have to choose from.

Given I have extra, extra money, I will give Hamilton Beach Countertop oven with convection and rotisserie (31103 model) a shot. It's price is less than $100. In Philippine peso including racks and trays, it will just cost me less than P6,000.00. I tried buying online through Amazon but the shipping, handling and import taxes hurts a lot amounting to a whooping P18,000.00 (super ouch!)! Ridiculous no? The product itself is very cheap compared to the tax and shipping I'll pay. I'll just ask a family member residing outside the Philippines to buy for me and ship it here. A review of the product here.

 

Or maybe a Cuisinart CSO-300 Combo Stem/Convection Oven which priced a little bit higher for $300.

 

A Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven 1800W Convection Toaster Oven with Element IQ would also suffice my choice for a good convection oven that would cost around $250.

 

But if I have a budgeted money, I'd settle for a Japanese and affordable brand, Imarflex. My rice cooker, oven toaster and blender are all Imarflex brand which I assure of good quality. I saw this from Ms. Aileen Apollo's blog including the photo below when she raved about it here. Maybe for a starter like me, this is good enough because it's already a 3-in-1 technology. What's important is I can bake. That's all that matters to me.

I encountered Mommy Juvs blog in this particular post. There's this one photo which shows an oven from behind one of her son's photo. Funny because it wasn't that of her topic but I just saw at a glance and asked her what particular oven (convection oven to be exact) she is using. I was touched because she emailed me back with the photo of her Kyowa oven she's using. Here's what she says about her Kyowa oven.

I think the KW-3307 model (photo below) she is using because of the design against the one she emailed to me. It's much clearer from the manufacturer's website as the photos below.

Image from here

I'm beginning to get excited for my new convection oven. I really wanted to start baking hopefully during the holidays and the start of the new year. I wish I'll pick the best and the one suited for my baking moods.

How about you guys? Would you recommend a good and user friendly convection oven applicable for a newbie like me? Please share.

Pinkyicy in Wattpad

Do you have any idea what it is? For those who are bookworm and is into ebook reading nowadays, they would know. Here's an avenue of budding writers and book lovers in one great online bookstore. It's at www.wattpad.com. In one of our family gatherings, my cousin who submitted her written teen romance fiction story, told us about this online site. Being the more older cousin that was around that time (looks like my generation is way too far already from them, tee hee), I was clueless about it. But the rest of my cousins were amazed by Pinkyicy's own version portrayed by our local celebrities as characters in her own story. It garnered quite a lot of views. As soon as I got into my computer, I searched for that site and onto my cousin's profile.

Here are her works:

Wattpad is a community of writers and readers alike who loves to write and read as a hobby. This is a good venue for aspiring writers who would want to showcase their writing ability to the public. And for bookworms who can just visit a one stop book library. Accessing to Wattpad is very convenient and every kind of fiction stories you like, you may browse in there easily.

I am proud of my cousin. She's known to be a story teller in our group ever since in our childhood days. Everytime we gather around and eat, she's always the last to finish her share of food because she talks a lot and is our 'kikay' entertainer.

Here's the link to her stories:

• You are My Only Love ( A JulQuen Story )
• The Romantics
• LOVE found ME and YOU

There are various story genres you can find there. Who knows? You might be the next best-selling book author at all times.