"Taga-Dabaw Gyud": The Classic Davao Life

This is a sequel to my previous post: Classic Davao "Eats". The title above basically translates to “Certified Davaoeño” or literally “Genuinely from Davao”. If you grew up in Davao City back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s then the following blast from the past will put a smile on your face…

SHOPPING:
Davao City back in the ‘80s didn’t have malls but there were already a lot of department stores such as Gaisano Ilustre, Felcris, Mantex, and Datu Complex which probably had the very first escalator among all of these retail outlets, and then there was the old NCCC in Uyanguren, infamous for the urban legend about a half-man half-snake hiding underneath the women’s apparel fitting room.

Urban legend has it that this creature was actually the child of the owner and that it allegedly excretes GOLD which explains all the wealth of the family. And to make the creature keep on depositing Golden Stool, the family actually kept it inside the fitting rooms to feast on unknowing customers. Hahaha! Davaoeños are so creative and imaginative, don’t you agree?

For high end grocery items, we go to Park N’ Shop and for imported brands of toys, clothes, shoes, perfume and other things you can only learn on magazines, Davao’s haven for fine living was A&M, our version of Rustan’s. It was definitely tagged as “sosyal”. When you get a gift presented in the signature A&M gift wrap or bag, you were to be ogled at. I remember that it was the only store where I found complete and new editions of the toys I wanted that time: Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony, and of course the latest Barbie models.

A&M closed down when malls started growing in Davao City. This is what's left of the original building. I remember that their window treatments back then had a Rustan's feel. [photo source]

MOVIES:
If New York’s Broadway Avenue had musicals, Davao’s Claveria Street had movies (double program pa!) Movie houses literally lined up that street: Eagle, Galaxy, Garmon, Lawaan, Queens, and Odeon to name a few. I think it was either Eagle or Galaxy that had the most upscale reputation. Of course, who could ever forget the Classic Davao movie house tagline: Relax and See a Movie! :-)

[photo source]

What's left of the old movie houses...

NIGHTLIFE:
I don’t have a single clue where to go now if you ask me about current “gimikan” or the happ’ning clubs in Davao City. BUT if you were to ask me saan kami nag-di-disco dati (hahaha), then that would have to be either Acropolis or Spams (for the older set)! I remember the first time I was able to go inside Acropolis – I was in Grade 6! Can you believe that? Our classmate Jeremiah Jaro had the place closed for his private 12th Birthday Party! And then, I was able to frequent the "disco" during High School because my next door neighbor’s dad always took us there. He was THAT open-minded. We were only 15! Well, I guess there was no such thing as “minors” back then.

That's my Ninang Babes, the fashionably fabulous Optometrist.
Posing galore @ the Gap Farm Resort. Circa early '80s.

WEEKEND FUN:
The Land of Promise A.K.A the Gap Farm Resort was a default picnic getaway because it was the nearest place to go to. Sliding down the giant letters that spelled out “Land of Promise”… posing with the stone sculptures of farm & zoo animals in parade… enjoying the trickle of rain water coming from the giant carabao’s ass that will greet you at the entrance… finding the one-eyed kapre named Cyclop inside the man-made WW2 cave… doing the Nestea splash on the swimming pool… ahhh, what’s a Davao Childhood without the Gap Farm Resort?


Left Photo: That's me with Jaku, my Ninong Joey Ayala's son. I think we just saw CYCLOP, the one-eyed giant monster hence the little boy cried. I was just catatonic. :p
Right Photo: Years later, my sister Marla and I fighting over who gets to take a photo with the turkey first. Hahaha!

The Times Beach has been the most accessible beach in the city since time immemorial but it already lost its glory in the late ‘80s. Before Samal Island became more open to the public, families would drive up to Toril to have an overnight stay at Villa Victoria Beach Resort. This was the only resort that had air-conditioned cottages during the ‘80s. Then in the early ‘90s, the Durezas built Seagull Beach Resort. Speaker Dureza's daughter Liza (Ning) was my classmate that time.One night I lied to my father about having an overnight lay-outing session for the School Paper. The reality was Ning invited our barkada to have a slumber sparty at their family's newly built all-white beach house on Seagull, which was still exclusive to the family at that time. (Yeah, I was quite precocious when I was a kid. Sorry Pa.)

And if we didn’t fancy the sea, we would ask our parents to take us Roller Skating in Magsaysay Skating Rink or to that earlier skating rink near Ecoland. Gosh, I forgot the name of that place. And then for bowling nights, Doverlanes was the most popular joint. And then in the early '90s, Sonicboom was our primitive version of the video game arcade.

YOU ARE TAGA-DABAW GYUD…
…When you had your studio portraits done in Cesar’s Portrait, and most of your Yearbook Photos (in Ateneo) were taken by Chiaw Photography or Bobby Razon.

Our 1981 Family Portrait taken at Cesar's Portrait.
See the trademark logo on the bottom right part of the picture.

And then these yearbooks were printed by no other than Tesoro’s Printing Press and later on Midtown Printing Press took most of the Ateneo accounts.

…When your summer vacations meant being enrolled in any of the following summer schools: Locsin’s Dance Studio, Fernandez School of Music, Kiddie Math and Speech Power. My mom actually enrolled me in ballet and advance math! Whew talk about “relaxing” during school break.

…When you know what this phrase means, “After LQ… QL na” (wink wink) :-)

How about you? Are you a fellow Taga-Dabaw Gyud? Then tell the world why it was awesome growing up in the Land of Promise back in the ‘80s!

Classic Davao... My Fave Childhood Restos

To be honest, I hardly know Davao City any more. Well it’s my fault. I left my hometown back in 1995 to pursue a college degree in UP Diliman. Later on Metro Manila inevitably became my new permanent residence after I graduated. During my recent visit last March I was overwhelmed by the dramatic make-over that my former humble and simple town underwent. I always visit Davao every year but it was only then I really took notice of its metamorphosis.

As of date 3 new malls are being constructed, coffee shops are found at practically every street corner, the restaurant industry is booming, the increasing number of international flights, traffic is much heavier, etc etc… One clear indicator for me that I’m already a stranger in my own land is when I don’t recognize even one person on the plane home any more. I’ve been experiencing that ever since the turn of the century.

I remember that I used to dream of a developing Davao in one of my feature articles on our High School Newspaper back in the very early ‘90s. I even had an interview with Mayor Duterte for that cover story and he was able to share to me the city government’s plan to construct a flyover across Buhangin and Bajada. And now it’s been there for years. I feel a tingle of pride knowing that I was one of those privileged few to learn about the infrastructure project beforehand.

As much as I am impressed with the growth spurt of the municipality, I can’t help but be all sappy and nostalgic about the Davao that I know back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. The cityscape has certainly changed. While some of the iconic Davao establishments are still there, most are already gone. Let me just drive down memory lane and reminisce about the places that were uniquely Davao during my childhood. Let me start this list with my favorite thing: FOOD!

MY FAVORITE CLASSIC DAVAO RESTAURANTS
Some of my family’s favorite restaurants still exist and it’s quite a delight to know that these Davao Classics are still alive. They may have refurbished their restaurants to keep with the times and improved their menu but nothing beats the good ol’ days…

1. MERCO (Bolton St/227-4435)– Owned by the Ferrazinis, this café/restaurant/bakeshop which was originally just an ice cream parlor is truly a Davao Icon since 1946!!! Right now I’m not sure how many branches they already have but the one I have fondest memories of is its mother branch on Bolton corner Rizal Sts. How can you ever forget their posters that said “Share a Seat, Win a Friend”? And oh, did I mention their banana split… classic Merco rolls… and Durian shake? Yummy!!! Haaay… nakaka-miss.

2. HARANA (Torres St/ 227-3937)– This is the place to go to whenever an occasion calls for a nice dinner celebration. The cuisine is All-Filipino. Dining is al fresco. The best time to go is always in the evening. I love their sinigang na baboy and the grilled tuna. But of course as a kid, food was secondary for me when we have a family date at Harana. The best thing about this place is its PLAYGROUND! This is the only restaurant I know that has that classic steel monkey bars, old tire swings, and giant slides made of marble stones! Child safety was certainly still unheard of at that time. And true enough, one of us always had to go home with a bump on his head or a scratch on his knee after a visit to Harana. The old Harana in Matina Street has long been gone. There’s still another one at F. Torres Street but I’m not sure if they still have those marble slides.

3. CHICKIES N’ PATTIES (Bonifacio St/ 227-4918) – I think this restaurant was more famous for its jingle than for its chicken! Hahaha! If you were a kid growing up in Davao City, you probably at some point in your childhood memorized the lyrics to the Chickies & Patties jingle. Okay, let me see if I still remember them… “Come all friends! Come to Chickies & Patties, where the chickies are always the best! Taste is different at Chickies & Patties, once you bite you will never go for less. Prices are right at Chickies & Patties. Quality. Specialty for you and for me like na na na na na na and yummy sandwiches, cheesy chickie burgers and many many more. Plus quality service from Chickies & Patties!!!” ... Need I say more? Hahaha. I forgot some of the lyrics. Anybody?

4. DENCIAS (Gen. Luna St/ 227-6777) – We go to Dencias for one thing only – lugaw and tokwa’t baboy! And they have been serving this comfort food for 70 years now. What is even amazing is that it has stayed on its original location all this time. I remember back in the ‘80s, the restaurant had two areas – the main dining hall where customers order the typical Chinese ala carte dishes and then there’s the smaller “lugaw” room as I call it. They serve nothing else but lugaw in that room and the people don’t mind. Once you enter the room, no need to tell the waitresses what you need. Just take your seat and for sure a bowl of steaming hot lugaw will appear right under your nose before you know it.

5. CECIL’S SNACK INN (Anda St/227-5305) – When I was a kid, I loved going to the dentist not only because my dentist was a nice sweet old lady who gave me lollipops after each tooth extraction (kinda ironic, huh?) but because right across her clinic on Anda Street is Cecil’s Snack Inn – home of the best Luglug (palabok in Tagalog) in town, if not in the entire Philippines! A visit to the dentist was always followed with a merienda at Cecil’s. I think another reason why my mom and I always frequented the place was because the owner was an old classmate of hers or something like that.

Other noteworthy of being named as part of the Davao Classic List are the following:

6. JALTAN FOOD CENTRUM which started as a small canteen right beside the family’s Jaltan Drugstore in the ‘60s and has been the go-to place for its bestseller merienda fares: fresh lumpia, maruya, and other native delicacies… (City Hall Drive/227-3477)

7. TAPS for its (you guess it) variety of student-friendly tapsilog meals. I remember back in High School, we would sneak out of the campus during lunch time just so we could eat here… (Duterte St)


8. HONEYBEAR CHICKEN HOUSE, which already closed down several years ago and now is back… (Quirino Ave/226-8288)

9. MOLAVE for its greaseless chicken and for being one of the “fine dining” places in Davao BACK THEN… (Jacinto St/227-6522)

10. COLASA'S for its world-famous chicken barbeque… (Magallanes St/224-0098)

11. LUZ KINILAW for being one of the Mayor’s favorite seaside dining places; also where you can savor seafood at its best for coastal cheap prices for 40 years now… (Quezon Blvd/226-4612)

12. ZED PIZZA for their famous and Davao’s first square pizza… (Bonifacio St/221-0958)

And though it doesn’t exist anymore I’m sure fellow Ateneans could remember:
13. DELIHOUSE, the burger & hotdog kiosk right outside the Ateneo Grade School gate which serves a mouth-watering bacon-cheesedog. Oh my! I think that was when I started becoming chubby in Grade 5.

If you’re visiting Davao City anytime soon, get on a Food Trip and experience the same Davao I had when I was growing up. The Area Code for the phone numbers I provided is 82.

Check out my next blog on Classic Davao Shopping & Lifestyle! :-)

A Destined Detour: My SSEAYP Experience

10 years ago, I had an incredible journey that totally changed my life… In 1999, right after graduating from UP Diliman, clueless about what to do with the Creative Writing Degree that I just earned, I threw all caution into the wind and decided to take a detour instead of heading on into the working world, or Law School as I had originally planned. I was neither ready for a “career” nor for Higher Learning… BUT I was craving experience… I hoped for an adventure… I longed to feel life and see the world. And well, my wish practically landed on my lap.

So I saw this ad for the 26th Ship for South East Asian Youth Program on the newspaper and I just knew right then and there that I was going to be a part of it. They were looking for young people aged 18-30 years old, Youth Leaders specifically, to become Youth Ambassadors for the Philippines who will travel around South East Asia and Japan for about 2 months on board a luxury liner. It was a Cultural Exchange Program sponsored by Japan, so basically it meant that it was a subsidized trip A.K.A Free.


Here’s the thing. I wasn’t really THAT active in college any more than I was back in High School for me to really qualify myself as a “Student or Youth Leader”… BUT somehow, I just really felt that this gig was for me. Yeah, I’ve been civic-minded. I’ve had my hands on socially-relevant activities. They weren’t very recent though but I told myself, nothing ever happened to those who didn’t try. So I sent my application. And since I just got back home in Davao City that time, after 4 years of college life in UP, I decided to apply as a Representative for Region 11. Imagine my surprise when I came in for the panel interview. There I was, waiting in a room filled with University Student Council officers, Councilors, Lawyers, Doctors, Honor Students, Scholarship Grantees… the bigwigs!!! I’ve never felt any smaller than I already am in physical size. There were around 40 applicants for Region 11 and they were only going to get 2 – a male and a female. I thought, gosh, how can I even compete with these people who sure looked like they were sure about themselves, their advocacies and their career plans? I was but a Fresh Grad who didn’t even know if she could actually make a lucrative or even just a decent profession out of her college degree.

The moment I stepped inside the interview room, I got the reaction that I was expecting… “You’re so small!” The interviewer glanced back and forth from my application form to me, surprised that there weren’t exactly hints about my short stature in the 2x2 ID photo. Duh! I just quipped back with a smile, “The photo’s not lying. I’m really larger than life!” In my head, I was laughing out loud and telling myself “Ang yabang mo Virgilind!” But guess what? My witty comeback actually sealed the deal. The five panelists (from the National Youth Commission and the SSEAYP Alumni Board) enjoyed my “joke” and from then on, they were just interested in ME and dismissed the fact that I didn’t do anything socially-relevant during college except to have a major crush on a Student Council Officer with the initials A.K.P. Hahaha! But hey, kidding aside, I really had a nationalistic heart and my passion for promoting Philippine culture was undeniable. More applicants had better resumes but at the end of the day, it was my personality that won them over. I guess they needed someone to make Philippines “memorable” during the program. Or perhaps, it was just really my Destiny… Just don’t quote me on that. Haha! The present NYC officials might raise some eyebrows.

Anyway, so the rest as they always say is history. I emerged from the regional applicants and became part of the 30 national youth delegates to the 26th SSEAYP. Fresh from college, I had the privilege of traveling to Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam (for free!). I met State Dignitaries and even Royalty. We traveled around Asia with 300 fellow Youth Leaders from the ASEAN countries and Japan on board a cruise ship called Nippon Maru. I lived with foster families and experienced local life in these countries. I saw the world… grew wings, an open mind and a bigger heart.

SSEAYP really changed the course of my life. I found true friends and learned a lot about people, other cultures, and life in general. SSEAYP really planted a seed of Nationalism in my heart. Before anyone ever knew what Pinoy Big Brother was all about, we already had our own sort-of PBB experience in the ship… the drama, the back-stabbing, the romance, the tasks, and most of all – the responsibility of being an exemplary Pinoy in the eyes of our Asian neighbors. Nippon Maru was our version of Bahay ni Kuya.

This year, our batch is celebrating its 10th Anniversary. It’s been a decade since our SSEAYP experience but ‘til now the stories just don’t cease around reunion dinner tables… the after-curfew cup noodle trysts, guessing who’s dating who or who locked themselves inside the storage room… the gossip, the games, the parties, and the debates on politics… Whew! It was like High School all over again except that we were all in our twenties!

I was so naïve back then – all set to be consumed with adventure! The experience gobbled me whole but I managed to come out alive! SSEAYP may have a different effect on every other person but for me, it was certainly a Coming of Age experience… a Rite of Passage of sorts… my Debut into the Real World. The little girl turned into a woman, in more ways than one.

If you want to take the same "detour", check out the National Youth Commission website for the SSEAYP Application Process. Deadline for Philippine Participating Youth will be on April 13!
Be a Youth Ambassador for the Philippines!
Check out some more of my SSEAYP photos HERE

Davao City’s Best Siopao: Kuilan's

I never leave Davao without a box of my all-time favorite KUILAN’S SIOPAO! So when I went back to Manila yesterday, I just had to get a box. I swear once you go Kuilan’s, you’ll never even dare eat another brand of siopao. Made fresh every day, Kuilan’s Siopao is probably the most filling siopao I have ever tasted. The size is just right and you definitely won’t feel cheated once you take a bite. Unlike most siopao’s, Kuilan’s is smaller in size but bigger in the filling. I like siopaos that have an egg inside and Kuilan’s boiled egg is definitely freshly cooked. Definitely no air pockets inside, Kuilan’s is overstuffed to your heart’s content for only 9.00 pesos apiece. It’s so good by itself that’s why it doesn’t need any of those sauces that other regular siopaos come with. So if ever you’re in Davao City, skip the usual Durian Candy and explore other culinary delights that the city has to offer. Kuilan’s Siopao is also one pasalubong that’s uniquely Davao.

By the way, they're closed on Sundays.

Kuilan Foodhaus(Main Branch)
Dacudao Avenue near Opal St. Agdao, Davao City
Tel No: (082) 227-6416, 226-8320, 221-8511

Kuilan Branch
#24 Acacia St., Juna Subd, Matina, Davao City
Tel No: (082)297-1770

Davao Diary: Day 4 (Philosophy Spa)

A trip to Davao City would not be complete for me without a visit to my favorite PHILOSOPHY SPA, found on Bonifacio Street right behind Apo View Hotel. If I’m not mistaken, Philosophy was one of the first if not the very first spa that opened in the city back when going to one in Davao was still unheard of. And lo and behold, it’s as if I just blinked a couple of times, spas are now practically everywhere in Davao City. The industry has certainly swelled dramatically in the last 5 years. Well the thing is… most of these establishments call themselves Spas when in fact they’re just Massage Clinics. Not Philosophy though.

I’m no expert but I can fairly call myself a massage connoisseur, given the fact that I’ve done my own rounds of Spas & Massage clinics around Metro Manila for many years now, and I have a “suki” home service masseuse. Philosophy may not be at par with the likes of The Spa and the Oriental Spa at the Mandarin Hotel in terms of amenities BUT it surely gives more value for its price. For a total of 600 pesos only, one can get a FULL spa service which I don’t normally get in Manila with that price, and by that I mean the following:

Hydrotherapy Shower with shampoo, shower gel and even feminine wash. You’re lucky to get all three toiletries in most Manila Spas who offer Executive Massages for that price.

Exclusive use of Jacuzzi. The dressing room assistant will even bring you light snacks such as a tall glass of lemonade and a sandwich while you're having a private Jacuzzi moment. For 600 pesos, that perk is hard to find in Manila.

Sauna. You’re lucky if you can even get a glass of cold water in most Spas. Here at Philosophy Spa, the assistant will not just bring you that. You’ll also get a face towel on top of small tray of ice cubes, and a bottle of aromatic oil.

Great Massage. I already told you that I love getting massages so I definitely know the good from the bad. The therapists at Philosophy are well-trained. And best of all, I always liked it when a therapist knows how to do that neck and shoulder cracking thing. I know that’s pretty hard to do and that’s why not all masseuse can do that. One thing I can say… “SARAP!”

And finally after the massage, just when you think the service is over and it’s time to fork over the 600 bucks, the assistant will even Blow Dry your hair while you peacefully sip your hot or ice cold tea which she already has prepared as soon as you’re done dressing up.

I’ve already brought my husband here and he even swears by their Facial. Joseph’s quite sensitive and the slightest dermatological pain easily makes him yelp. He said that only the facial therapist at Philosophy Spa was able to put him to sleep while pricking his whiteheads.

By the way, you can get that Facial with the Massage for about 700pesos+. They have several reasonably priced Spa Packages but the better part about it is that, you can even use them on installment. Like for example, if you plan to get the massage+facial+footspa package, you’re not obliged to get all three services at once. You may avail any of the 3 services for the meantime and comeback the next day or whenever your schedule permits for the other services. I don’ think you can get the same deal in other Spas.

When it comes to services like these when we're supposed to pay for some pampering, don’t you agree that we should at least feel like princesses for even an hour? Sure, you can get a Cleopatra treatment for the minimum price of 1000+ pesos at posh places like The Spa but for 600 pesos, I don’t think you can get some Zen anywhere in Manila. Heck, the Executive Massage at The Spa doesn’t even include a Jacuzzi use. Snacks? What snacks? If you don’t even ask for a glass of water, the assistants at The Spa won’t even give you some H2O.

If there’s any downside to this place, I would have to say that it has lost its polished look. Normal wear and tear had taken its toll so it would be best for the management to do a little refurbishing and sprucing up. But overall, Philosophy Spa still tops my Spa Choice (at least in Davao City). You can definitely be a Princess even for a Pauper’s price.

Davao Diary: Day 3

I’m not much of sight-seeing kind of a tourist. I’m more like a traveling gourmand. When visiting a new place, the first thing I check out is the FOOD! Sorry but I really love to eat. Hehe. Eating with gusto runs in our family (in the mother’s side).

Anyway, so on my 3rd day right after I had my wrist treatment at the East Asia Orthopedic & Rehabilitation Institute (see separate blog on this), I met up with my Tita Sally (my mom’s 2nd to last sister, who’s only 9 yrs older than me) and my sister Marla for lunch. Tita took us to her friend’s café Tata Benito’s A WholeLATTEloveCOFFEESHOP at the Paseo de Legaspi compound in Legaspi St. Davao City.



It was quaint and it has free Wi-Fi :-) Great for Internet Addicts like me. Their menu is typical of any coffee shop except that you have everything much cheaper here compared to Manila. At their Paseo de Legaspi branch, you can also find a tiny chic boutique also by the café’s owner, who we found out, was my sister’s old classmate back in grade school.

And then after our lunch, we went to our Tita Raquel's salon and dress shop (the one who made my wedding gown and entourage dresses). We did the usual girly stuff – trying on the newest dresses on the rack and then foot spa, pedicure, hot oil… I also had a blazer and pants set tailored for me.



Then I met up with two of my high school close friends for dinner. Connie came with her husband Julius while Pyrite came alone. Her hubby was home taking care of their 1 year old. Toink. Anyway, my sister and Tita Sally recommended this “secret” restaurant owned by one of her friends, Richie Ferrazzini, heir to the Davao Merco food dynasty. It used to be casually called “Brother’s Kitchen” for the lack of a real name actually but now Richie officially calls it “Belito’s”.

It’s not “really” a restaurant. In fact, it is actually just an outdoor patio of the owner’s residence, who by the way cooks the food himself (most of the time). Going there could be tricky if you’re planning to go at night. The place doesn’t really have a sign and the subdivision where it’s situated in is a bit starkly lit. From Bajada, you have to enter Palm Drive. The most conspicuous marker would have to the Buzz Café. Once on Palm Drive, count 4 “kantos” or street corners to your left. Turn left on the 4th. It’s a dead end but it is here where you will find the Davao’s best kept secret.

Paella Negra

Though they welcome walk-ins, it’s better if you can make reservations with the owner himself. He would then ask you your initial orders. It’s actually very convenient because it saves up on waiting time. My sister advised me to order their famous Paella Negra and Steamed Pampano. And boy oh boy, it was delish!!! It was worth getting lost going there. Hehe. Then we also tried their Crispy Spare Ribs and Sinigang na Isda, which I forgot to take pictures of ‘coz we were already caught up in our conversations and gluttony. Haha.

Steamed Pampano

For 4 entrees, we only paid 900 pesos. Welcome to Davao City indeed! So if ever you’re in Davao City, don’t miss the opportunity to try Richie Ferrazzini’s backyard restaurant “Belito’s”. You may text/call him at 09065721188.

Davao Diary: Day 2

My sister was my “willing” driver last Monday. She ranted about Davao’s new traffic lights that practically mushroomed overnight. Practically every corner has one now making all Davao-grown drivers perplexed. Traffic lights are not usual in the old Davao I know. It is quite overwhelming to see Davao’s traffic almost looking like that of Manila’s. Gone were the days when driving around the city were leisurely and relaxed.

Anyway, my sister and I had coffee at CUPS & LOWERCASE @ F. Torres St (beside Bistro Rosario), one of the popular new cafes here. She wanted me to try their pugon-baked pizza.



And then, we visited the “future mansion” (hehehe) of our Nanay & Tatay (maternal grandparents). This was actually their old residence – the usual meeting place of the Jonson clan every weekends and Holidays. Finally after 40 years, the old bungalow is being renovated to a grand 5-bedroom two-storey house, complete with a large Family Entertainment room and a stage for our Videoke Nights!!! :-)

Before we headed home, my sis and I dropped by the oldest Mall in Davao City, Victoria Plaza ‘coz she needed to buy a cell phone charger. I was amused with an ad that I saw. Davao advertising sure is direct to the point. :-) And then, we saw a bazaar so we bought a few bargain blouses. Hahaha.



Finally when got home, I sweated it out with our Wii. Hahaha. Gosh, ang hirap pala ng Boxing.

Davao Diary: Day 1

To free myself of any child responsibilities and for me to able to accept more projects and work full time on the Church Commemorative Book, Kean and I took the early PAL flight to Davao City last March 22. I was just basically dropping him off. My flight back to Manila is dated on March 27, Friday. I basically have 5 days to enjoy my hometown.

Davao City sure looks very different already. I actually feel like a stranger… a tourist in my own hometown. I don’t recognize the place where I grew up any more. As of date, 3 malls are being constructed: A Robinsons Mall beside our subdivision… an Ayala Mall and a 2nd SM. Whew! Talk about modernization. I actually feel excited about this trip. Since I practically don’t live here anymore, I might as well take on the tourist role and experience Davao like it’s my first time. :-) So I’ll let you know more about my Davao trip in the following days ahead.

On my first day though, Piper my sister’s lovable 7-month old Golden Retriever welcomed us with glee. She’s so adorable!!! In the afternoon, we visited our dad and our paternal grandmother at her house. My father has been looking after our Mommy Virgie (that’s what we call her) ever since Daddy Joe died of a stroke 6 years ago. Then we got hungry so we went to SM and grabbed some Yellow Cab pizza, together with my dad, sister, and brother-in-law.

Wanna be a Bride in Batangas?

When in Nasugbu, Batangas make sure to have your lunch or dinner at this place called KAINAN SA DALAMPASIGAN. I chanced upon this “rustic-elegant” restaurant on our way to Pico de Loro Cove for an event site ocular inspection, together with three other events groups bidding for the project. Our host from SM Properties brought us here and I would have to say it’s a lovely place.

I was sleeping in the van during the whole trip so I was totally surprised to wake up to the sight of hanging vines as the van crept its way into a narrow road. Then the whole group was more pleasantly amazed when we finally made a stop in front of a Spanish-themed casa with its colorful stained-glass windows. Bougainvilleas and other local flowers adorned the place. I think the floor was made up of terracotta tiles, reminiscent of Spanish lanais, and all the tables were made of wood. Certainly, it has a country feel. It reminded me of the Bohol Bee Farm and other country inns that I have visited so far, though it’s different from Sonya’s, which I think has a more shabby chic appeal – feminine and quaint.

Anyway, I learned that the restaurant has been there for years and it was only recently that they made renovations. For a Thursday, people were streaming in like it was a weekend. So I could just imagine how this place would be packed by then. Our host said this restaurant was famous for its Tangigue steak, so we had that plus Pinakbet and Baked Tahong. Though the food was good, and really makes you feel right at home (like you’re eating at your lola’s house) there’s really nothing to "super" rave about it. I was even quite disappointed that the prices were similar to Manila restos. I expected them to be way cheaper since we were in the "province" after all. Good thing their servings were hefty so that kinda equalized the costs. Despite that I’m just saying that I don’t think you need to intentionally drive down to Nasugbu just to have a piece of their Tangigue steak, like some celebrities allegedly do according to the waitresses.

They were more than eager to tell claim-to-fame stories like Regine and Ogie used to have lunch and dinner here straight from Manila way before they have announced their relationship to the public. (Wow, they were really running out of hiding places in Manila, huh?) And the waitresses were also very excited to share that this was the restaurant used in Juday’s telenovela where she was a cook with that infamous secret chicken recipe.

Like I said, food is okay but nothing to be crazy about but it's GOOD. However, it would really be a shame if you miss this place if ever you’re in the Nasugbu area. It’s worth the stop at least. If not for the food then the aesthetics of the place would certainly give you your tourist's fill. Great for photo ops. The only thing that really piqued my interest is the fact that they actually have a chapel in their garden. So if ever you’re planning on a destination wedding and your bridal compass is pointing to Batangas, I think this place would be perfect for that country garden wedding. There’s already a chapel and then just a few steps away is the restaurant which is almost as large as the reception area of Sonya’s Garden if not a little bit bigger.

Kainan sa Dalampasigan (+63 43 931-1134) Barangay Bucana, Nasugbu, Batangas