Legally Bland

I went to Robinson's Place Midtown today and I was hoping I'd see some fantastic find in this Greenbelt copycat. They've been brandishing the new stores and new concepts they have unveiled since their re-branding. On top of that, they were having a clearance sale of sorts. So I thought I'd find good stuff today. I was prepared to shop a little and feel guilty after, but today was rather a disappointment.

Aside from the fact that the crowd was not as heavy as I expected it to be, the merchandise are all ugly. I am not just talking about Rob in general, but even the other stores. There was some kind of ugliness happening all around.

First off, there are hardly any good looking shoes and sneaks out there now. Except for my all time favorite Puma, there was hardly anything new. And technically it's not new since I've that pair in HK already. Actually, I already own a pair in another color scheme. I had that in silver, but they were selling it now in black. It was just so nice. But then again, Im on shopping embargo now in Puma, until i've fully worn out at least one pair. So I skeedadled and looked for other pairs in other stores. None. Nothing nice. Nothing new. Nothing even short of curious.

Second, long sleeves. I normally love the stuff in CK Jeans and Springfield. But the branches there didnt have anything interesting as well. I've seen better sets of merchandise in trinoma. I am sorry, but that didn't raise my shopping mojo. Zara, Celio and Diesel are no where in sight.

Third, the new stores there are not well-merchandised and even well-reviewed. I dont know Salsa is supposed to be exciting but when i saw the people there inside parang all the lusting just became nothing. It looked a little trying hard to me.

Fourth, there are bazaars happening everywhere. Underwears clustered with mango chips and costume jewerly. Is there any merchandising mix manager looking at all the stuff happening. It's some kind of disaster in the making.

Fifth, there are dark alleys and smelly hallways in Rob. And there are far worse - darker alleys, and smellier hallways. It's the smell of a reeking canal and left over pop corn from the movies. Then the areas being repaired are just toooooooo dark. It's scary. It doesn't help even that the mall is situated near.... uhm, I'd rather not say it.

Lastly, parking is a mess there. Driving all the way up to the rooftop, is not exactly environment friendly. Gas-guzzling and ill-thought. Parang just to be able to set a parking they did that nalang. I just wish that there were more thought to it.

However, I must commend Rob for making their Department Store look so much better now. I have to say that the clean lines (except for Crissa Jean's very ugly space with splashes of vomit) are nicely executed. It looks very warm to the eye, relaxed. Despite the fact that the sales ladies and men are running around like triathletes in tawdry heels, the look still managed to save the utter chaos of human. Note to salesladies, really- if it's not life or death, please stop making unnecessary noises, clanking, chattering, howling and shouting in the hallways. We want to make the most of our shopping decisions. Those noises - they're annoying.

Overall, the mall despite all the facelift and botox injected in it, despite all the "jewels and blings" they put in it, it still is very bland. I can see why. I think it's the whole mix that is the problem. The crowd and the marketing will not change overnight. 

When Zombies Walk

When Zombies Walk…

Waking up today was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. To begin with, I hardly enough sleep. I don’t know, for some weird reason, I just didn’t feel sleepy at all when I lied down on my bed. But the opposite was true when I was on the ride home. Strangest things happen, really.

I can only attribute it to one reason: massage. The massage I had last night was very invigorating. Every cackle on my bone and stretch I endured only made me feel more alive than ever. It must be some masochistic thing that I only realize I have until last night. After more than 80 minutes of pulling, kneading and wringing, my senses were working overtime last night. For once, my memory was functioning again; I could taste how good the fried bangus was and how delectable every pulp of the pomelo was. It was delightful.

The downside? I was up the entire night. And I’m really like that. Nothing ever forces me to sleep when my senses are all aware. No matter how many times I roll, if my mind isn’t tired yet I won’t be able to sleep.

I fell asleep in about an hour or so. But that sleep was not REM sleep. You know that state of sleep when you dream lucidly and your body goes on full repair. And when you don’t achieve that state, you wake up feeling tired just the same. Worse, you will be even sleepier. The opposite is true if you oversleep. Meaning, when you snoozed too much, you also get the risk of feeling tired too. Something about REM (rapid eye movement) that makes you that is really amazing.

So anyway, I was to work early today. Now when I truly need to be alert, focused and well-rested, I come in sleepy, tired and woozy. I hope two glasses of full on black iced tea would do it for me. Otherwise, the next one would be a Coke. Or if I still feel sleepy, I’d get some much-needed zzzs.

I think the thing with waking up early and not getting enough sleep is such a bad combination. I am not an early waker during weekdays. I have not much reason to get up early. Everytime I wake up early I always get late to work. Take this, if I wake up at 6:30 and be out of the house by 7:30, waiting time for a commute will take me around an hour or so. So I’ll get to work by 10am na. If I wake up at 8:30 and get out of the house by 9am. I am at work by 10am too. Strange isn’t it? Life could really play harsh jokes on us most of the time and I am pikon. I don’t like jokes like that especially when I am serious about going to work early. It’s so ironic even that whenever I tell myself I want to come in early for work, I always arrive 30 minutes later than my usual time. Or worse, whenever I tell myself I want to go home early, I always end up going home around 12am or past that. Life is a cruel joker.

Anyway, I am here now at Milward Brown waiting for the first respondent to arrive. She’s not yet here. I already downed the McDo Longganisa meal in 5 minutes anticipating that we’d start any moment now. Alas, we have not started yet. Oh well, there’s still a sausage McMuffin waiting there for me now.

Oh, and the last thing, we start the group discussion later I will be staying on the other side of the room – the dark room. I fear that I will only fall asleep if I don’t try to listen to every word she says. And I have legitimate reason to feel that since so far I am the only one on this side of the room. Shucks. Well, catching up some zzs isn’t bad, but this is work hour. Haha.

I think we’re starting anytime now. Thank God.

Now the zombie shifts focus from food, to the imc, then to fgd. The zombie lives for another day.

An Uber Saturday!

An Uber Saturday

So how does one make a weekend really uber? And what does it take?

Not much, I say. Perhaps the only three things you’d need would be enthusiasm, friends and energy.

After a long week that was my weekend started as early as Friday night. I went to Greenbelt 5 to cram for a gift for baby Via Montebon. Although I was by myself, it didn’t feel bad or anything. In fact it was rather therapeutic, as I normally would say.

Greenbelt 5 is uber-magnificent.

I guess most of you know that I had a very short stint with Ayala Land (for Greenbelt). I had not been to Greenbelt in a long leisurely stroll after a long time and it felt great to be back in what I used to consider “home”. And amazed I really was. Phase 2 of Greenbelt 5 has finally opened and it really is such a sight to see. The extension part features some of the best brands the mall rats have yet to see. And I am quite amazed how fast the turnover was. And seeing those stores just broke away the financial worries and recession bad news that had been haunting me for some time now. Well, at least for an hour or so.

What’s also nice with Greenbelt 5 is that it finally completes the Greenbelt series malls. I can really say now that Greenbelt is truly connected. I remember back then how Greenbelt felt so inaccessible to me especially when it’s raining. Imagine, one has to go out of the building and brave the summer heat, or rainy weather just to get to the other side. And as if not enough, many still get lost inside the area (not me, though :P). And now with the interconnection of all the Greenbelt buildings, it’s just so easier to go around, without getting lost. And identifying the building is a cinch.

I remember my bosses reminding us all to find a way to somehow make the interconnection work. By that she meant accessibility and convenience in the grand address. I know. As shoppers, aren’t we all looking for little conveniences?

And so seeing Greenbelt 5 now connected with Greenbelt 1 is really fantastic. Although I was not able to take a full glance, I somehow saw a newly face-lifted Greenbelt 1.

That same night, I saw my ex-boss AC Ocampo with Chef Ricky and Sheryl Laudico of Marciano’s, John and Yoko and Sumo Sam fame. It was fun to see them again. Had a fun time working with them back in Greenbelt.

Shopping for Gifts: Uber-confusing.

I thought shopping for a gift will be easy. Apparently not…

I went to Chicco to check out what stuff do they have there. The friendly staff there toured me around and recommended what to give baby Via. I was particularly excited when I saw this baby book that had all the textures in it. What makes it exciting is that it had textures inside the storybook. It had rough, smooth, rolling, furry and everything else. It also makes a sound. I didn’t know that babies at 3 months or so are actually looking for texture already. And hear this, they are also anticipating sounds. There in the storybook had a button that was making all these cutey-patootey sounds made especially for babies.

And I looked for more things around the store and it just confused me more. Should I give clothes? Or something educational? Or perhaps something that Via could use right away like milk, or diapers. It’s such a tedious process to buy gifts. But seeing all those cutesy stuff make you want to have a baby sooner.

But wait. I had to remind myself to give Via what she really needs. And so I left the store… and just ask from mum who have better experience in buying stuff for babies. I am quite inexperienced so better heed advice.

Bar Uno: Uber-funny!

After milling around the mall, I thought it would be nice to go back and see a comedy show. So I went to my new favorite comedy bar BarUno. It was just so funny that whole night. I had 6 bottles of beer that night and went home with a slight buzz and headache. But it was worth it. I can’t forget the slapstick jokes they dished that night. For a change, I needed a laugh particularly because of a heated argument during a meeting last Friday. That argument kind of got ugly and I just needed to brush those thoughts away.

I slept smiling.

Uber Saturday Delight

Gastronomic feast: that’s how I’d call my Saturday. Despite waking up with a slight buzz still, I had to perk up my morning sooner. Via’s baptism was at 1PM at the UP Chapel.

Mum prepared lunch early enough. She served the yummiest lunch! Ginataang Tilapia, Fried Chicken and Pinakbet. I ate a lot. The tight long-sleeved shirt was going to get tighter, that much I knew.

Via has got to be one of the cutest babies I’ve ever seen. She’s so lovely and well-mannered. She only cried a little considering that this is her first outing.

Reception was then held at Chateau Verde inside UP. This is a famous restaurant frequented by UP students and other guests. The food was yummy. I remember there wascarbonaragyoza, piadina, mango crepe and spring roll. I liked the gyoza because it was fried just fine, and not too oily and soggy. I also liked the empanada piadina.

After that, we all headed to BED Bar in Eastwood for some drinks and pulutan at 5pm. Happy hour it is.

After that, we decided to give TANKE TANKEKO’s newest baby a try – 1521. 1521 is the newest resto very near Mr. Poon along Shaw Blvd. Tank’s resto allowed me to re-discover and look at Filipino food differently. I love Filipino no less but the food there, made me look at Filipino food at a higher respect. The food she recommended were POCHERO, BONGGANG BONGGANG BINAGOONGAN. We also tried her silinglabuyo with white cheese, Kare-Kare with hint of turmeric.

We started with the silinglabuyo with cheese. It was so yummy. There was no hint of anghang in that. It was so cheesy and yummy. As you bite into it, the cheese is slowly melting in your mouth.

Then came out the crunchy binagoongan. The sauce was just so mouthwatering. It just has the perfect saltiness and sweetness to it. Every bite was crunchy. Angsarap, lalo, with rice!!!

Then the Kare-Kare too! It was heavenly. Though I still prefer the traditional kare-kare this one is a variety of its own. Partner it with binagoongan rice with tomato, onion, egg and nuts. YUMMY! And the pochero too was served with a twist.

I had kamias cooler to refresh me. It was just perfect. The asim gave the meal enough kick cleansing the palate and making you ready for the next bite.

Trinka had the chocolate with yogurt for dessert. That means dark chocolate melted to perfection with yogurt and nata de coco. To die for. It was absolutely yummy.

We capped the night with Greenbelt and Greenhills (read Kamias Margarita and Green Apple Margarita). It’s nothing that you ever tasted.

I thought the meal would somehow be a little commercial like Bistro Filipino, but this one is a little cultish for me. All the right food, with cutie name study is sure to make you want to crave for more.

I am already looking forward for my next visit there.

Sunday – Just resting.

Today Sunday, I am just resting. Trying to write something for my blog is quite a struggle again. I don’t know. Last week I wrote a full version and commentary of my favorite horror movies but the internet hanged. And all those things that I wrote, kaput in ten seconds. That’s why I am slightly irita with bloggingnow a days.

Oh, well. Are you having an uber-weekend?