Sakae Sushi

Sakae Sushi was the first to introduce conveyor belt sushi in Manila way back in 2009 or at least the first to commercialize it in Manila.  Conveyor belt sushi has been around since the '50 in Osaka, Japan but we used to see this kind of set up only when we traveled to our more developed Asian neighbors such as Singapore and Hong Kong.

Conveyor belt sushi is considered to be Japan's equivalent of a fast food since you can easily get your ready- to-eat food from the conveyor belt.

You can either opt to pay the per plate consumption based on the color of the plate:  Blue is Php59 (approx USD1.34)/plate, Yellow is Php79 (approx USD1.79)/plate, Green is Php99 (approx USD2.25)/plate and Purple and Red are both Php109 (approx USD2.47)/plate.  If you are planning on getting two or three different plates, then this would be the best option.  But if you are a person who usually has a big appetite, then the best alternative would be to go for the All Day Sushi Buffet at Php 399 (approx USD9.06)/adult and Php 249 (approx USD5.65)/child.  It comes with a bowl of miso soup and bottomless hot or iced green tea.

Being a 'kiasu' person, I wanted to dive in and concentrate on the purple plates as they were the most expensive.  Unfortunately, when I looked at the purple plate selection, it was all fish dishes!  Being allergic to fish, I had no option but to try the other colored plates instead.

In the end, wanting to make sure I made the most out of my Php399, I was able to finish food from ten plates and several glasses of the iced green tea.  Stomach satisfied? hell yeah!  Palate satisfied? Sadly, not as much.  It's a place you go to if you are extremely hungry and you don't want to spend too much but the food selection is a bit on the limited side.

                                                                         Burp!

Chinese New Year 2014 (Gong Xi Fa Chai!)

The world, or at least places where there is a Chinese community, recently celebrated Chinese New Year with much fanfare (this year's fell on January 31st).  The Philippines, with about 1.5 million Filipinos with pure Chinese ancestry, just recently declared the turn of the Chinese calendar, more popularly known as Chinese New Year, as a special non-working holiday (started in 2012).

Although I am one of those Filipinos with pure Chinese ancestry, our family has never been one to make a big deal out of the celebrations for Chinese New Year.  It was probably due to the fact that we were usually at work/school back in those days when it wasn't considered a holiday yet.

This year was to be different as I finally realized that it being a holiday, I needed to embrace one of the most important occasions of my ancestors.  The center of the Chinese New Year celebrations in the Philippines were centered around Manila's Chinatown otherwise known as the area of Binondo.  Luckily, there was no need for me to drive to Binondo as my residence is a comfortable walking distance to it.  As expected, Ongpin Street was closed to all types of vehicles and traffic (both human and vehicle) was horrendous  around its vicinity.

                             Trivia:  The oldest Chinatown in Asia is in Manila (established in 1594)

Ongpin Street was filled to the brim with Filipino Chinese, curious kibitzers, street vendors, foreigners, and all sorts of different people from all strata of life.

Street vendors were selling all sorts of wares that were not in the bit least Chinese related but they added color to the celebration.

A form of animal cruelty if you ask me!

Everlasting???  I thought they only sold these in Baguio.

Of course, staple shops in Binondo such as Eng Bee Tin is already a must-visit for Tikoy (glutinous rice), hopia (flaky pastry) and other Chinese delicacies were all busy.  Lines were very long and this was evident in almost all the stores and restaurants.  It was impossible to buy anything much less find a seat in a restaurant.

Lastly, we can never go through Ongpin Street without passing through two creeks.  They still look as dirty as ever but believe me when I tell you that this is already at its cleaner state.  It used to be strewn with trash and debris that if you fell into it, you could probably do a walking-on-the-water kind of miracle.  However, nowadays,  if you accidentally fell into the creek, you'd die first of the bacteria clinging on and entering your body before you actually drown.

It was indeed a festive celebration that happened all over Binondo but most of the noise and fanfare was concentrated in Ongpin Street.  Would I still come back next year?  Probably not, since I can visit any day of the week and the shops would still be there minus the crowd and the vendors and having to worry about pickpockets.  However, for those not residing nearby, it is a fun albeit chaotic experience that one is sure to remember until the next Chinese New Year rolls around.

I ♥ Mulberry

Ever since I could remember, after hitting a level of maturity in my adult life, I've always been fascinated with the exquisite leather goods collection of Mulberry more than any fashion houses'.  Maybe its the British sensibility or the simplicity of its designs that make its collection timeless and classic pieces.  Not many people recognize the brand which gives it a plus factor in my book.

I started out with this Mulberry Clipper bag which,  I was so lucky to be able to find during the time when Rustan's still carried Mulberry in their stores.

It has been the most expensive purchase as far as a Mulberry product is concerned and every penny was worth it as I always get compliments from people whenever I carry it.  Its not flashy as some It-bags are but it serves its purpose as a bag and the leather is just soft and supple.

My next Mulberry purchase was also made at Rustan's not long after I bought the Clipper.  

It's a Mulberry passport holder made of natural black leather.  Simple yet it gives your passport the needed class it craves ☻. (just make sure the Philippine Immigration officer does not recognize the brand or else....)\

Next up we have my very first Mulberry iPhone case (4S) case in black snake print.

Bought back in 2012 at a Mulberry store in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore (I clearly remember it was during Chinese New Year), I've since lost the original iPhone 4S to a thief back when I still used to take the train to work/school.  Luckily the phone was not encased in it that time so I did not lose the Mulberry case.  I so love the case that I decided to buy a new iPhone 4S back in November 2013 even if I knew I was going to be getting an iPhone 5S in December.

My most recent acquisition is my second Mulberry iPhone case (5/5S).  I got it as a gift this time which makes it even more sweeter! (ok, it was a gift that I specifically asked for from my 'mommy' last December but its still a gift!)

The chocolate colored case is made from natural leather, it fits perfectly in my hand.

Now, here are some pieces that I would love to add to my small collection:

1. Oversized Bayswater

At a cost of approximately Php 93,000.00 (£1250), I think it will just remain as a dream as I am not willing to fork over that amount capable of feeding a family of 10 for a month (?)

2. Zip Around Travel Wallet in Natural Leather

Since I already have the passport cover, I might as well have the travel wallet to go with it.  Priced at approximately Php 20,000.00 (£275)

Bric's - Servizio Straordinario

I've always seen the bags and luggage of Bric's being sold at the different stores of Rustan's back in the day but aside from browsing through them from time to time, I never really gave it a thought to purchase anything from Bric's.

Until one day in May 2012, while in Kuala Lumpur visiting one of the department stores inside Suria KLCC, I happened to look once again at the pocket collection of Bric's and this laptop bag happened to catch my attention.  First it was on sale (the most important factor), and 2nd, the bag itself looked durable that I wouldn't have to worry about 'throwing' it around.  I wasn't really planning on using it for my laptop but rather, it was to be utilized as a bag for my teaching stint.

                                                      Photo courtesy of  http://www.brics.it/eng/

Bric's Pininfarina 14" laptop bag is a combination of nylon and leather that is fleece lined and comes with a shoulder strap.

The above bag is a collaboration between Bric's and Pininfarina (collection ranges from luggage, wallets, briefcases, laptop bag, etc).  Pininfarina is best known as an independent Italian car design firm that services companies such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Maserati to name a few.

The bag is a joy to carry since it is not too bulky and all my school materials can fit into the bag.  However, one day, I noticed that the leather part on the handle was starting to unravel.

I didn't know what to do about it so I just continued to use the bag trying not to mind the damaged part of the handle.  Luckily, one day, I was at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall and spotted a Bric's store (Bric's has another store located at the Aura BGC).  I perused the items at the store and casually asked the SA how to handle items that have been damaged through time.  The SA mentioned that Bric's can actually try to repair the damaged item and asked me to bring the item on my next visit.  I returned a week after with my bag and after the SA got all my pertinent details, promised to SMS me as soon as they have news on the status on the repair of the bag.  It only took a few days and I, indeed, got an SMS informing me that the bag has been fixed and ready for pick-up.

Voila!  My bag is now as good as new.

When we think of Italian craftsmanship, we often associate it with good and lasting quality.  I guess now I can add excellent after-service to the adjectives that best describe Italian products.  Arrivederci!

Rizal Park, National Pride of Manila(?)

Rizal Park (also known as Luneta Park), currently maintained and managed by the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) http://www.nationalparks.ph/index.htm, is a landmark of Manila that is not only a tourist attraction but also a favorite leisure spot of Filipinos to have a picnic with family and friends, jog around in, exercise (aero boxing, tai chi and zumba 'classes' are happening simultaneously within the park area).

Rizal Park also plays a very important role in Philippine history.  Gomburza (Gomez, Burgos and Zamora), three Filipino priests was executed on the park grounds in 1872 for acts of subversion.  Jose Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, has a bronze and granite monument at the park (his remains can also be found within the monument) and most visiting foreign dignitaries make it a point to lay a wreath at the monument. Most recently, the Million People March in August 2013 was held at the park to protest the improper use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

                                               Jose Rizal's monument, which was unveiled in 1913.

Towards the latter part of 2013, the park underwent some renovation which included the installation of a new flag pole that cost Php 7.8 Million (approximately USD181,000).

I couldn't be more excited to visit the park once again at the start of 2014 to begin my road to good health by jogging at the park.  06 January 2014, I entered the park once again at around 0700H to begin my run around the park.  My excitement and enthusiasm was eventually shot down by disappointment as the stench that hit me once I entered the park was totally unbearable.  Imagine having to jog in a path that smelled of garbage.   The 'green' men and women (NPDC) cleaners were just starting their work (or they started late) and I guess they never took into consideration that people visit the park as early as 0500H to jog or to walk around.  Granted that the day before (Sunday) was the busiest at the park in terms of the number of visitors, the cleaners should have been tasked to clean the park at an earlier hour on that Monday.

I've been to Central Park in New York, Sydney Harbour in Australia and Kinabalu Park in Malaysia to name a few and none of them can be considered to be an embarrassment to the cities/countries that they represent. 

                                                                                  Can you smell the stench?

    This woman was using a hose to wash down the floor, making it dangerous for people walking and jogging through it.

To add insult to the injury, the park has just been renovated and there are already signs of substandard quality in materials used or poor craftsmanship done on the renovations.  The flooring were chipped in several areas, holes were present everywhere and drainage was left unfinished.

I am fervently hoping that the NPDC does its job to make Rizal Park a park that we can be truly proud of.  To be fair to them, security has vastly improved in the area.  Since they have decided to do improvements at the park, why not go all the way in making the park the star attraction of Manila that it truly deserves to be.