"'The Woman King' is Worth Watching: A Movie Recommendation"

 "The Woman King" starring the glorious Viola Davis is an astounding cinematic experience from start to finish. Without giving any spoilers, it's a movie with warring themes and heart wrenching situations. There were many times I wanted to close my eyes but forced myself to keep them open to look on. And it's not because the scenes were overly gory (although to be clear, this movie is not for the faint of heart) but because it evoked powerful emotions--anger, disgust but also hope and triumph. 

It's a celebration of one's personal history--all the good, the bad, the hard, the joys, the relationships, the loyalities--and honoring those that trail brazed before us and who will continue on after us. 

The performances were spectacular lead by Ms. Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu and others. John Boyega, which many will recognize in the Star Wars sequels is quite fabulous as well. 

The movie is based on real historical events. 

It was first released in theaters but can now be found on streaming platforms.

"We Read To Know We Are Not Alone" : Book Recommendations

 

These books are from the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series written by Mia P. Manansala and they begin with:  "Arsenic and Adobo" then "Homicide and Halo-Halo" then "Blackmail and Bibingka" then "Murder and Mamon" which is set to release on October 17, 2023 (looking forward to that). 

For Filipinos, the titles alone will invoke a reaction and as a Filipino American myself, I didn't need any convincing to give these books a read. The main character is Lila Macapagal--she is strong, determined, loyal--but also quintessentially human with all the challenges, obstacles, and self-doubts anyone can have--well, maybe more than the average person. The books are murder/mysteries and she finds herself sleuthing in order to unravel the truth to not only save her own life but the lives of those she loves. And she loves a few eccentric and interesting characters. You have to read the series to meet them all. 😄

It's set in a small town alongside a relatively large Filipino Community with food at its core. I found myself craving many native dishes while reading this fun series. And I especially loved it because as an avid reader, this is the first time I've read a lighthearted, story-driven (not some kind of documentary) set of books that centered around my culture--Filipino American--the good and fabulous parts, but also the generational trauma parts too. Life, in general, is not always roses and rainbows. 

But the whole theme and tone is meant to be lighthearted and I feel that the author captured all the realistic and nostalgic elements of the culture. Ultimately it's about an American girl that seems to periodically (and in every book, LOL) find herself in the middle of trouble that she must find herself out of--and she also happens to be Filipino. There are serious moments and funny moments and the reader is seeing it all through the eyes of a relatable character (well, relatable to me anyway). Also, there is a cute dog in it with the most adorable name. Come to think of it, there are lots of elements different readers may find endearing. Consider these books recommended! 

💓

"We Don't Have to Eat Everything in our Backyard!"

We have many weeds in our front and backyard. 😓Like, many. And we often have a hard time staying on top of it and making sure they don't grow so out of control that the neighbors start to complain. We're not natural gardeners and to be perfectly honest, have many other hobbies we want to spend our time on other than gardening.  But we do our best. 

Awhile back, it came to our attention that the Stinging Nettle, which grows plentiful in our yard, is edible and nutritious. After doing research and confirming that we have correctly identified the weed, we decided to go ahead and eat it. We just painstakingly harvested them with gloves (because they do sting), washed them thoroughly and put them in stews and soups (they don't sting after they are cooked).  It was the only weed in our yard that we felt comfortable eating because we knew it wasn't harmful.

One day we spotted a couple cutting some of our weeds on our side yard. The Huz asked them what they were using it for (and after being reassured that we weren't going to stop them and get angry at them for pulling our weeds), they told us that it was a very nutritious and delicious green. The Huz took a picture and we spent some time looking it up and identifying that, yes, the weed is called a Mallow and is completely edible. It pretty much works like spinach and is great in stir-frys, stews and soups. And I've been harvesting and cooking a lot of these because they are growing quite plentiful. So, thank you anonymous couple for tuning us into these beautiful edible plants. 

When we told our Youngest that we found another edible weed, he responded, "We don't have to eat everything in our backyard!" (He is a delightfully cynical teenager). That one sentence made The Huz and I laugh so hard and we still quote it for our own kicks. It's funny. He's right though.  We don't.  But we'll definitely eat some and most. LOL! 😁😄