Lunch at Buffalo's Wings N Things

I went to Fairview Terraces today with my office mates to have lunch. We went around for some 15 minutes to look for a good place to eat and I found one called Buffalo's Wings and Things. Although the space was relatively small, it's cozy enough and since it's a weekday, there were no other customers but us.

 Their specialty is, what else, buffalo wings and ribs.  But I wasn't in the mood for some heavy lunch today so I ordered one of their set meal called "No Bones Fun." It's their take on the classic battered chicken tenders. 

The set meal comes with dirty rice, basically fried rice topped with salsa, and a can of soda (Pepsi products only). I went for Pepsi Max.  You can choose the sauce depending on how spicy you want it. I chose "Basil N Garlic" because our very helpful server said that that it is not very spicy and it tastes good.  My office mates both asked for the classic buffalo wings but I didn't get the sauce they each chose.

No Bones Fun

We didn't wait long for our orders to come. Our first impression was the serving was really generous.  I expected around 4 to 5 pieces only but the serving had more than that.  I love the sauce! It's tasty alright and not very spicy.  Just the right amount of heat that made me want to have more.  

By the way, the set meal is only PhP189 plus 10% service charge.  Actually, it is a steal for the size and quality of the meal.  The service was fast and the staff were very helpful. I had a good experience so I'd like to go back and try their regular offerings.

Buffalo's Wings N' Things is at the 2nd Floor of Ayala Fairview Terraces 

Birthday Celebration at Vikings Buffet

This year, I celebrated my birthday at the Vikings Buffet The Block SM North EDSA.  Its food spread is quite extensive and includes Asian and Continental cuisine.  If you choose to, you can even ask their cook to make something special for you.  Drinks are also unlimited, but wines and liquor are not.

I went for the roast leg of lamb first.  I love lamb, and theirs passed my taste. Tasty and juicy, the meat was soft and tender.  I missed the distinct lamb taste though my brother said it was still there.  I also tried the Angus beef, and it's also tender even when I had it prepared medium-rare.

The Japanese selection was also extensive and well prepared.  However, to my utter shock, they put on display the remains of a giant tuna with all its flesh removed, and only the head, spine, and tail remained intact.  I pity the poor fish.

And the choices for dessert are quite extensive too.

By the way, if you're celebrating your birthday, the restaurant has an ongoing promotion where you get a 100% discount as long as you eat there with a group.  Just make sure that it is your actual birthday, and you show them a government-issued ID (driver's license, BIR, GSIS/SSS, or TIN ID) that indicates your birth date.  As an added treat for my birthday, I was given this special chocolate cake.  Little did I know that this cake also serves as a marker.

You see, they have a surprise for birthday celebrants where some of the staff sing to you a special "Happy Birthday" complete with guitar and some shouting.  They would even shout out your name before they start singing.

At first, I wanted to join in the fun, but then I saw that one of the staff was dancing, or should I say, gyrating in front of the other celebrants. I was turned off and decided to let them pass.  I also think that this merrymaking is quite rambunctious and somehow disturbs other patrons who want to eat in peace.

Overall I enjoyed the experience.  We went there on a weeknight, so the buffet was priced at PhP888.  You'd think that's quite pricey, but I tell you, there's so much to eat there.  Compared to other buffets I've tried, the food in Vikings is also delicious.  If there's a senior citizen in your group, he's also entitled to a 50% discount off the regular price.   You must also reserve a table two weeks in advance to have seats and need not fall in line to get a number.

Vikings is located on the 4th floor of The Block SM North EDSA.

Lunch at Krazy Garlik in Resorts World Manila

We recently had lunch at Krazy Garlik at Resorts World Manila. We actually wanted to try something new and ended up going inside this restaurant. The first thing I noticed was the decoration and the theme of the restaurant.  The walls were painted with scenes from  the Mad Hatter tea party in "Alice in Wonderland" except that there was an abundance of garlic.

I half expected that the store will have that distinct garlicky smell but there was none. I like the smell of garlic as long as it is not being cooked or sautéed. The place was small but nice and cozy.

For starter we ordered the Amazing Krazy Garlik Salad.  It's made with the usual salad mix of cucumber, bell pepper, onions with some chicken and shrimped.  To give it its uniquely Asian taste, it was tossed in sesame oil.  It was then topped with fried wanton and peanut oil.  I find it refreshing and cool.

One of us ordered the seafood pasta and was gracious enough to let us try it. It's a bit salty for my taste though. 

The Angus beef sirloin steak was my father's choice.  I wasn't able to try this but my father said that it tastes good and the beef was tender.

I ordered the Tofu and Baby Eggplant.  The tofu and eggplant were braised in light soy sauce and then topped with ground chicken.  It reminded me of a Thai dish.

Although it is not something that I would go crazy for, eating at Krazy Garlik was still a different experience and I somewhat enjoyed it.  You may want to visit it the next time you go to Resorts World Manila at the 2nd floor of the Newport Mall.  

Not so good Teriyaki Boy Donburi

We had lunch yesterday at Teriyaki Boy at the Promenade in Greenhills Shopping Center.  We were supposed to have Chinese food but at the last minute our father decided he wanted something Japanese.

Donburi is one of my favorite Japanese food so I ordered a Suki Beef Teppan Don.  It's made of thin slices of beef stir-fried in teppanyaki sauce and onions and then placed in a bowl of steamed rice.  A raw egg served as a topping to the dish.  Sounds good, right?

Well, I didn't like it.  First, the dish was on the bland side.  There's something missing in the taste of this dish, a little salt or a little sweetness?  I couldn't tell but the over all taste was not as satisfying as I hoped it would be.  My sister-in-law also complained that the bit has a rancid taste in it.

Then of course there's the beef.  It is not tender even though the slices were thin enough.  It was like the cook forgot about it and somehow cooked it for too long.  Another disappointment was the rice.  It was not soft like the ones in other Japanese restaurants.  It was flaky and honestly, I had a hard time eating it with chopsticks so I had to ask for spoon and fork.

Luckily we ordered for their salmon and kani sashimi which were a lot better than the Donburi and saved our lunch from being a total disaster.

Macau Tour Packages On Sale at SM Marilao

If you're making plans for a vacation or a trip during the long weekend at the end of this month, why not consider a trip to historic Macau.  Now is the perfect time to do so as SM City Marilao and the Macau Government Tourism Office join hands to promote picturesque Macao through a sale of tour packages to the city.

Simply visit SM City Marilao’s Macau exhibit area at the Mall Atrium from August 12 to 14, 2011 and get a big discount on the ‘On Sale Macau Travel Packages’ promo. Be one of the lucky first 25 booked on the spot customer of the day to get a special Macau gift pack from MGTO - Philippines.

There will also be a display of different tourist spots showcasing the beauty of Macau.  So visit SM City Marilao for huge discounts, special gifts and experience Macau.

The Search is On for the Best Pancit Marilao and Pastillas at SM Marilao and Baliwag

SM City Marilao and SM City Baliwag are on a search for the best Pancit Marilao and Pastillas dessert in Bulacan.  This is in time for the Singkaban Festival in Bulacan through their My City My SM My Cuisine cookout challenge.

The SM Supermalls launches the second leg of its campaign this year with My City, My SM, My Cuisine, a project that aims to discover the country’s rich culinary heritage by identifying, collecting, retrieving, and promoting traditional recipes and culinary techniques. 

It's a mall-based event highlighting Bulacan cuisine and the heirloom recipes of prominent personalities in the province.  The culinary contest featuring Pancit Marilao and Pastillas dessert is open to all SM shoppers in the province.

If you're interested in joining, all you need to do is submit their recipes for Pancit Marilao for the main course or any Pastillas for dessert through email at sm_starculinary@yahoo.com or smmarilao_publicity@yahoo.com. You can submit either or both recipes, which should be good for six persons.  You must include your name, address, and occupation with your submissions.  The deadline for submission of entries is on August 12, 2011.

There will be a pre-judging, and a total of ten (10) finalists, five for the entrée and five for the dessert, will compete in the cookout on September 8, 2011, in SM City Marilao.   

Two (2) winners will be selected, one for the entrée and one for the dessert, who will each receive P5,000 worth of SM Gift Cheques.   The other finalists will receive a gift pack from SM Homeworld.

Tong Yang at SM Megamall

As a birthday gift to him, we treated our father to lunch at the Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu and Grill Restaurant in SM Megamall.  We got there near lunch time so the place was almost full already.  Luckily we were seated quickly.

Shabu shabu is the Japanese version of the hot pot.  You get some raw ingredients from the buffet and then cook it on your table either by grilling it or boiling it in the soup.

Upon being seated, we were asked for our choice of soup base.  I chose the chicken soup and the Asian spicy soup.  Both were placed in a pot and then brought to a boil.

It's been a while since we went to Tong Yang so we were glad that the food choices for both shabu-shabu and grill were still the same.  The choices included vegetables, fish, meat and stuff made from tofu.  

I went to the fish choices first and get the kinds which I planned to grill.  I then chose some meat for grilling too.  I got some vegetables, more fish and mushrooms for cooking in the Asian spicy soup.  After getting my ingredients I went ahead and cooked my food. The fun part of course was grilling the meat in butter!

Tong Yang also offers sushi and other cooked food.  The fried rice was a delight!  Aside from this, all drinks were unlimited and already included in the buffet price.

The buffet price was already reasonable compared to other establishments that offer all-you-can-eat lunch.  Just remember not to have so much left-over food or you'll be charged an additional PhP500.  I must say that we had a really great lunch and we're definitely go there for more.

Banana Leaf Asian Cafe at Promenade, Greenhills

On one of our Sunday family lunch outs, we decided to go to Greenhills Shopping Center.  We decided to eat at Teriyaki Boy in the Promenade Mall.  However, we were already seated for about 15 minutes and none of the staff were serving us.  They were just walking around and past us even though there were just a few patrons inside.  

We decided to transfer to another restaurant and we went to Banana Leaf Asian Cafe which was just a few steps away.  We were seated immediately and waited on by a very helpful staff.  The menu consisted of mostly Southeast Asian cuisine, some were familiar and others not so familiar.  We decided to get the ones we were not familiar with since the staff who was serving us helped with our orders.

The one that makes Banana Leaf different from the other restaurants is that you would actually eat on a banana leaf and not on a plate.  I told my sister in law that on one occasion that my friends and I met for  dinner in their Makati branch, I shredded part of my plate and it had to be changed.

We ordered the Vietnamese fried rice.  I was expecting it would be salty or sweet but it tasted just right and was actually really good.

We also had the Malayan Beef Rendang which is one of my favorites here in Banana Leaf.  It's beef  stewed in a sauce that's both sweet and spicy at the same time.  It is then covered with desiccated coconut.  I liked because the beef was so tender.

For some fish dish, we ordered the Tilapia fillet in Assam Sambal sauce.  We were warned by our server that the sauce is a bit spicy so we asked for a more moderate sauce.  It tasted like they used some sweet chili because it's not totally hot and spicy.  The fish was deep fried and crispy.

We also had Malayan Chicken Curry with Potatoes which tasted like, well, chicken curry.  There's really nothing special about this dish although it was also good.  It's just that we were expecting that it would have something different from the usual chicken curry you can get from a non-specialty cafe.

 My brother was so intrigued with the Stir Fried Chinese Turnip Cake with Beansprout and Chives so we decided to order it.  It was a great choice because it tasted good too.  The turnip cake had a very nice mouth fill, which is entirely different from tofu.

We all had a pleasant eating experience at the Banana Leaf Asian Cafe at the Promenade.  Good food, good service and also, the price is just right.  There still other great dishes that we could try if ever we come for lunch again.

Mango Kreme Cake from Krispy Kreme

I passed by the Krispy Kreme store at the SM City North EDSA Annex this afternoon and I couldn't resist buying half a dozen donuts.  I bought three pieces of my favorite Original Glazed and another three of the Mango Kreme Cake.

They call it the "official doughnut of summer" perhaps because one of its ingredients is ripe mango.  The doughnut is topped with cream, nuts and bits of ripe mangoes.  Like any variant of Krispy Kreme, this one is soft and sweet. It has a slight hint of cinnamon but I cannot pinpoint whether it's from the doughnut or the cream.  The mango in this batch has a little tartness but it complements the sweetness of the cream.  Anyway, I like it and I think I will get more of this when I pass by a Krispy Kreme branch again.

Whatever Happened to Bantay?

The dog has become a fixture in many Filipino households today.  In many homes in the country, man's best friend is not only a pet that is almost like a member of the family but also the official provider of security for its owners.

Before,  a dog was given a name for his trait or purpose.  If his task is to guard the house he would be called Bantay (guard), Bagsik (fierce), Tapang (brave), among others.  A pet dog's name could also be based on his color or appearance like Batik (spots),  Puti (white) or Tagpi (patch).

Many of these dogs were natives. They do not have pure breeds but mostly mixture of several breeds and characteristics.  More recently they're called askals short for asong kalye (road dogs).

When we were young, our grandmother who was then living in Manila had a pet named Manilenya (an old way to call a native of Manila).  It was a big brown female dog who slept most of the day under the stairs because she was already too old.  Our first dog was also a native dog and my mother named him Clever.  Since then, most of our dogs have English names except for one which my sister named Bansot because she was so small.

Nowadays, Filipinos have developed a liking for dogs with breed.  The most popular is the shih tzu, which can be found almost anywhere.  One cannot go to a mall or park and not see a shih tzu being carried by a human.

 Many of these dogs are now given cute foreign names such as Charming, Ashley, Princess, etc.  Even my dogs, who are all native ones, have proper names (Betty, Rod and Ted).  My sister in law's shih tzu is named Disney and my brother's girl Rottweiler is Margaux.

So whatever happened to Bantay, Tagpi and Tapang?  Perhaps the days of naming our dogs with good Filipino names are over.  Maybe, it's more "in" nowadays to give a dog a foreign name.  I still believe that Bantay, Tagpi and Tapang are still very much around but only with a different collar.  Or name.

Summer is (almost) here!

I went to SM Marilao here in Bulacan this afternoon to meet a friend.  While waiting for her, I noticed that most shops were already selling goods for summer.  After all, classes in schools officially ended yesterday so most kids and their families must be preparing for a trip to the beach or some fancy pool resort.

I was attracted to the colorful items at the mall's toy store, Toy Kingdom. There were inflatable swimming pools in fancy shapes, designed to instantly set up in the backyard or in my case, the frontyard. I wanted to buy one but then thought of how the neighbors would react upon seeing me splashing like a child in a rubberized pool.

Then there were the toys and gears that can be used at the beach. There were assorted inflatable rafts, boats, and other floaters for cruising the pool.  There were also goggles, swim masks and snorkel sets for exploring the waters at the beach.  And then there were the cute sand rakes, shovels, and pail play sets for the little ones who still can't swim but still need to be busy at the beach.

Looking at those items made me want to be a child again!  

Hapadog: Japanese Style Hotdogs

There's a newly opened store at the SM North EDSA Sky Garden that offers Japanese style hotdogs.  It's called Hapadog.  I passed by it last night and decided to take out something from what they offer.  I was given the menu but since it is a new store, I didn't know what to get.

Finally, the server told me that their bestseller is the Temp-tation.  The menu described it as a hotdog cooked like a tempura -- covered in batter and deep fried.  It is then topped with tempura sauce and the trimmings that come with the food that inspired it.  

After giving my order, a girl sitting in one corner offered me a seat and asked me if I wanted something to drink.  I said I'm fine and I'll just sit and wait for my hotdog.

While waiting for  my order, I can't help but notice the sign at the counter that says something like, "Thank you for patiently waiting."  I prepared myself to wait really long for this and realized why the girl asked me if I wanted something to drink!

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait that long for my hotdog to arrive.  It was given to me in a small black rectangular box.  My first thought was whether that was their version of a bento box.  Written in green on the side was the word Hapadog and a definition of what Hapa is.  It was something like: Hapa (adj.) a pacific islander blah blah... 

Anyway after giving me the box, the server said, "That will be 175 pesos, sir." I paid for the hotdog and went home to eat my Temp-tation.

The Temp-tation hotdog fitted the description on the menu.  I took a bite of it and got the first taste of tempura sauce: sweet and tangy.  It was also crispy because of the batter that covered it.  After a few bites however, it tasted just like any hotdog in a bun.  Perhaps because the bun tasted ordinary and although the hotdog was firm and juicy, it still tasted like something I can buy from a deli.

While the concept of dressing up a hotdog "Japanese-style" is cool and unique, what will keep the crowds away from this are the prices.  I checked the prices in the menu and the lowest priced item was at 155.  One can buy a "hap-a-dog" or half bun at 85 pesos but I think it will be good for 2 to 3 bites only.

I only tried one item though.  So I will limit my post on the temp-tation.  Did I like it?  I like hotdogs but the Temp-tation is a very expensive hotdog.  It's a novelty but I am not sure what Hapadog's target market is.  As I've said earlier, their prices will be a big factor.

Why I Don't Believe Everything That's on the Internet

This picture circulated in almost all social networks on the Internet this afternoon. It's supposed to be a sign at an entrance of an upscale mall at the central business district in Makati, Metro Manila.  It clearly said that no poor people are allowed inside the mall, perhaps to protect their patrons from having a not so pleasant stay in their mall because of the visible "disturbing realities."

It was also a bad joke. A prank by someone or a group of people who have so much time in their hands.  A dead give away was the name of the "Corporation".  There is no such entity as "Ayala Land Corporation". It is "Ayala Land Inc" or ALI. Also, the one managing the malls is Ayala Malls and not ALI.

What surprised me was the swiftness some people online passed judgement on the mall.  Without even verifying from authorities whether the poster was true or not, some Filipino netizens posted angry words on sites like Twitter and Facebook.  Some celebrities even joined in the fray, tweeting how they were offended by the poster.

I called the people I know who work with ALI and told them about the photo.  An explanation from the company came out later and also posted in the Internet.

This incident should be a lesson for many of us.  Although the Internet is a rich source of information, we should not believe everything we find there.  We should always be discerning of whatever we pick up from the web.

Koryo's Garlic Potato

I pass by the Koryo Garlic Potato stall at the SM City North Sky Garden often and it's always packed with people.  It made me really curious and I planned a number of times to try it.  I finally got the chance to try the product tonight.

I believe the Garlic Potato comes in one size only, a mini tub.  The diced potato is deep fried and then slathered in Korean barbecue sauce.  As a final touch, it is topped with some sesame seeds.  The resulting products is sweet with a little spicy taste and yes, garlicky.  The garlic flavor isn't overpowering and gives the potato a good punch.

I think it will go well with a can Coke.  However, I will not buy from the stall because they sell it for PhP40 per can.  If that is not overpriced, consider buying a small bottle of water from them at PhP30 each. This is even the SM branded bottled water which usually sells at PhP20 in the food court.

Without the over-priced soda and water, I still enjoyed the Garlic Potato because it is a tasty snack.  The mini tub size is good for one person.  But if you do not each that much, you can share it with a friend.  I will go back and have another go for this.  But I will definitely bring my own soda.

Savoring Savory

While in Trinoma Mall yesterday, I decided to try the Savory Chicken Stall at the Landmark Foodcourt.  I like Savory Chicken because it is oven roasted and it's gravy is different from those of other chicken food stores.  They have several restaurants around the city and some malls.  This is the first time I saw them as part of a food court.

I tried the 155-peso "solo meal", which included a quarter of a chicken, a choice of side dish and a choice of either plain rice or yang chow rice.  There were several choices for the side dish, including fish fillet in sweet and sour sauce, pansit canton, mixed vegetables, and others.   I chose their mixed vegetables and the yang chow rice.

The part I got was a lot bigger than those from other eateries.  It was also tender and yes, juicy.  The gravy which I like the most was sufficient for the part.  The mixed vegetables also tasted really good but I was disappointed with the yang chow rice.  It didn't taste like one at all and the only thing that makes it a yang chow rice is the yellow color.

I also ordered their spinach seafood soup, which cost only PhP10 per cup when bought with the meal.  All in all I spent PhP165 for the meal, excluding the drink.  You have to shell out an additional PhP20 for a 12-oz. cup of juice or iced tea.

Inspite the rice, I still enjoyed my meal.  I didn't finish the chicken though because the serving was really too big for me.  I will try the pansit canton next time.  Too bad I didn't have a camera yesterday.

CYMA at Trinoma Mall

We finally had a chance to try the Greek specialty restaurant, CYMA last week when my brother celebrated his birthday.  We had lunch at the Trinoma Branch of this Greek restaurant last Sunday.  My sister-in-law and I have already decided on what to order even before we went there so there was no problem on what to get once we got there.

We got one serving of their Hummus and pita bread.  I have tried hummus before but the one from Cyma was really nice. It was a really nice way to start our adventure to Greek cuisine.  I just wish that they have more pita bread per serving since theirs were really soft and really good.

For the main entree, I ordered one of Cyma's specialties, lamb chops.  I asked for the shoulder loin chops  grilled medium-rare.  I also opted for the Greek roasted potatoes instead of the rice stuffed bell peppers.  I actually prepared my self for the peculiar taste of lamb (ango in Tagalog), so was curious why my chops didn't come with the usual mint sauce.  No need for mint because the meat actually tasted fantastic, aside from being juicy and tender.  I would get another of this when I come back to Cyma.

My sister in law ordered the Pork Tenderloin Souvlaki  (Greek Kebabs).  The skewered pork came with vegetables and a generous serving of pita bread.  I tasted some of it and I promised myself that I will get some of those too when I come back.  The meat was so tender, juicy, and seasoned so well but not over powering.  It's good that there was enough pita bread that we used to finish off the hummus we ordered earlier.

My brother ordered the Greek beef stew, ribs stifado.  What I like about the dish, aside from the really soft beef, was the sauce!  I could put it on top of a cup of rice and I would be a very happy eater.  For our father, we ordered another Cyma specialty, the Psari Fournou.  It's salmon baked in parchment paper with lots of dill, fennel and I suspect a generous amount of olive oil. I also love this dish and would get it on another visit to the place.

For dessert we went for one of the more popular of Cyma's offerings, the  Flaming mangoes.  It is not a flambe but before the server puts it in your table, they will set it on fire and the restaurant crew will cheer OPA! in unison.  Unfortunately, that day they only have one order left so we had to choose another dessert.  We chose the Skolatina which was recommended by our server.  We really don't know what we're getting but we were all happy with it.  It's a molten chocolate cake with chestnut sauce and vanilla ice cream on the side.  I have to admit that I liked this one better than the Flaming Mangoes.  I don't know maybe because the mangoes were on the sour side.

I am sure by now that you know how I truly enjoyed the food at Cyma.  But I am also happy to tell you that the price is very affordable.  For the service and the good food, it's also worth it.

Christmas at SM City Baliwag on November 6!

SM City Baliwag joins the simultaneous launch of "Joyful Christmas 2010" at all SM Malls on Novermber 6, 2010.

SM City Baliwag will be Santa's Toy Room.  Everyone is invited to take a peek inside Santa’s Toy Factory where toys and gifts for good boys and girls are kept before they are given away.  You can lounge in Santa’s favorite chair and take your pick among the gifts you want to receive!

So come and join the launch from 4 in the afternoon onwards.  

To get everyone in the right mood, here's the teaser jingle from SM.

Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia

We went to the SM Mall of Asia yesterday to have lunch and at the same time do some malling.  It was a pleasant surprise to see the mall with very few people at noon time.  We decided to eat at Racks and it took us a while to get seated.

We decided to have the Family platter and clam chowder.  While waiting for our orders to arrive, we spotted something new being served at the other table.  We asked the server what it was and learned its name: Onion Brick.  We told the server to add it in our orders.

First to arrive was the Clam Chowder which was creamy but a little salty.  It came with a toasted bread but the chowder was still salty.  I have to add that you can ask the server to split the soup so you can share it with another person.

Then we were served the Onion Brick.  I actually didn't expect much from this one thinking that it would be like the other onion rings and onion loaf in the market which have the overpowering taste of fresh onion.  This Onion Brick though was different.  There was enough breading to make it crunchy in and out,  and the onions used were sweet and not too spicy.  Surprisingly, it wasn't too oily even though it was deep fried.  Well, I believe it's deep fried because it was shaped like the deep fryer ladle and besides, how can something be so crispy if it wasn't deep fried.

The entree, the Family Platter, consisted of flame broiled baby back ribs, beef ribs and chicken.  It also came with a pitcher of drink and two side dishes; we chose mashed potatoes and coleslaw.  What I like about this platter is we don't need to think a very long time to decide what to get.  Everybody gets to taste what Racks has to offer in just one order.  I also like that the meat are always tender and not dry.

After lunch, we went to the used-books store named BookSale.  The books here are cheap and unlike other stores where the books are almost flayed and smelly, their stocks are almost new and well taken care of.  I also like the branch here because it is roomy and brightly lit.  Unlike in some of its branches, you will not bump into other customers while checking a book at BookSale MOA.

By the way, we also noticed that the area around MOA has changed a lot.  For one, there were so many construction going on that the place has began to look a bit crowded.  We realized that it has been a while since we last went to the mall.  Maybe we should check again sooner next time.

When Mother Nature has a Bad Day

There's no doubt about it, Mother Nature was having a bad day yesterday and she made us know about it.

The whole day was so humid.  We were in Tiendesitas yesterday and I never felt so uncomfortable.  There was sweat on my forehead and arms and I was thirsty the whole time even just after taking a drink of water.  It was like the heat was coming from inside my body.

It was so uncomfortable that I could not enjoy the all breed dog show that was going on in the area.  I feel sorry for those pooches for being subjected to the harsh weather we had yesterday.

On my way back to Bulacan, the  skies over Bocaue started to darken and at 5 in the afternoon, it looked like it was already early evening.  Just as I stepped off the bus, it started to rain.  It was that big, fat rain that could drench you in seconds.  I hurriedly took a tricycle to bring me home as water was starting to fill the streets.

Rain fell from the sky and it was accompanied by bolts of lightning and claps of thunder.  It lasted for more than an hour and when it stopped, it stopped suddenly like a faucet turned off.  In a matter of minutes, the chorus of frogs croaking filled the air.  Then it started to get warm again.

It was like being hit by a double whammy.  Warm and humid in the daytime, and torrential rains in the afternoon.  I hope it Mother Nature doesn't have another tantrum and it doesn't get that bad again today or tomorrow, which is the start of the new school year.

SM Baliwag Free WiFi Service Launch Event

SM City Baliwag is now an official hotspot here in Bulacan as it launched its free Wi-Fi service this afternoon.  

Upon arrival at the food court where the event was held, I immediately tried the free Wi-Fi service and I am happy to say that the connection is fast.   I checked my this site and I was satisfied with the fast time that the entire page was opened.  By the way, part of  this post was written, and saved in draft right  at the food court using the Internet connection at the mall.

I also tried using my other wi-fi capable devices using the service.  I had no problem connecting with my Blackberry  although there was a slight delay in downloading this site.  

I missed the opening program since I came late.  I was able to catch one of the two bloggers' events, the food blogging contest.  The establishments in the food court provided some of their food for the bloggers to try.  I tried the takoyaki balls from Takoyaki along with the goto from Pinoy Lugaw.

There was also an appearance by Super Mario, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime as part of the Cosplay event that coincided with the launch. The kids in the mall were all excited to see their favorite comic characters in person.  But I noticed that there more adults than kids who were more than eager to have their pictures taken with the said characters.

It's good that I went to this event because I was able to meet Dave and his wife, who organize events for bloggers who are based in Baliwag and nearby towns of Bulacan.  The event ended with the awarding of prizes for the bloggers who wrote the best blogs for the food event and the earlier movie event.  Special thanks to Ms. Bev Cruz of SM Baliwag for the invitation and I hope to get invited to other events of the mall in the future.