Black-naped Oriole (oriolus chinensis yamamurae)

     Finally shot the Orioles we hear at dawn.

    ONLY with CAMERAS please! 

New roads, car stickers and rice paddies

     Residents of Ayala Land villages this side of Binan and Sta. Rosa, get the Greenfield Parkway stickers for a shortcut to home.  We exit the SLEX via Mamplasan, and go through the parkway.  It is a big deal to be skipping the traffic when exiting via the Sta. Rosa toll exit. Going past and reaching the Paseo de Sta. Rosa area via the Eton exit is alright, scenic, but more expensive and longer. 

   Recently I learned there is yet another stretch of 'scenic' road from Mamplasan to the Laguna blvd, and that cuts through the entrance of Verdana Mamplasan, and the Tamayo estate, among others.  I hadn't heard about this place before, so I really don't know if there are lots for sale, or if it is some sort of club.

   I actually hope the rotunda from the Greenfield Parkway to Verdana never changes.  There are rice fields, their accompanying egrets, and banana plants by that small roundabout.  It's nice and green, and I consider it very important for our children to view it. When I was growing up, we passed roads to Pasig with rice fields as well. I remember my mother practicing driving with us as passengers...and my fear of her driving us to the edge of the road into a muddy paddy.

   Driving through the new roads to Nuvali, I still saw some cows, and various birds.  I believe the bird population from the Laguna blvd. to Nuvali has dwindled though...

   So I guess I can't decide...rural or urban. I want to live in both.

Not Sonoma

   Yike, I just saw banners along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road in front of Laguna Bel-air, of Sonoma...and their background looks something like this blog's current design. That was the blue spring one with bubbles and white flowers. You're looking at "Glisten 3" with bird, by TCBOB's Ashley.  Thank you TCBOB it's pretty!

   I'm not affiliated with any real estate developer. Not at all.  I'm partial to Ayala Land, but I do not sell property, I do not have anything to do with them or any group.  This Sonoma is an Empire East development. It is just a coincidence that my choice of this "spring" design from "The Cutest Blog on the Block" looks like their ad's background.  

   It is hard to choose a design from TCBOB...there are too many cute ones! Anyway, summer is officially over, it is June, and PAGASA has declared the start of the rainy season. So I will change the design. 

    For free blog designs, custom designs and more:
  http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/

   They're great. They make blogging sooo much fun. Thank you tcbob!

I heart Earth?

    A friend in another village found 6 copies of this brochure in her mailbox. I received mine electronically a week earlier. 6 pieces of glossy color paper. She says she received around 4-5 brochures for the Xavier school before.
    So much for loving the earth.


 

     Would love to attend something, but my schedule does not permit. Anyway, weekend traffic on the highway to Nuvali is a deterrent, and the crowd on the Solenad is getting too uncomfortable for me. Traffic jam is probably still not as bad as Metro Manila's, but it's enough for us residents to stay away.  Road improvements and corresponding advisories have begun, to Ayala land's credit.

Great Camp Out

McDonald's Laguna Bel-air

   This branch, at the corner of Laguna Bel-air's entrance and the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay highway, used to be such a landmark and stopover for those heading to Tagaytay.  Well, it was for me at least, a pitstop (pee-stop) if we didn't stop by any of the gasoline stations along the SLEX (South Luzon Expressway).

   It is a cute and friendly little branch with a "Playplace" inside.  It is therefore also a party place. One drawback is the street boys selling sampaguita in the parking area, beggars, and pirated dvd vendors.  It has still retained most of its charm as a little neighborhood branch. Somehow, it feels more homey and cozy than those in Metro Manila in there.

   I'm trying not to consume too much of this fastfood too frequently, and try not to have the kid enjoy it too much too.  Thankfully the kid does not really look for it but just enjoys it when it's there.  I would rather avoid character themes for kids' birthdays, much less in fastfood joints whose philosophy is the louder the PA system, the better. I concede however, that having a themed birthday party in McDonald's is not too harmful and young celebrants really enjoy mascot costumes.  I would compromise and review the hosts' plans for music and games though.  McDonald's I guess finally realized that the original Ronald clown scared many kids and that young children are attracted to the baby-faced character with a big costume head and big eyes.

   Searching their corporate website for birthday party packages is not too helpful to the many moms searching. So I'm doing this out of compassion for mothers (because it's the mothers who usually prepare for this) who have to go out to the branch just to get ballpark figures and details.
  The party themes listed are not updated, there are no rates, and no contact numbers for branches.  So, here is some price information about the current packages in this branch :

   Themes aside from Ronald and the Gang:   Php 3,000
            Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
            Disney Princesses
            Toy Story
    Themes include gifts, invitation cards, party hats, traymats, balloons, giveaways, game prizes, a character appearance (choose between Baby Ronald and Birdie)

    Food packages (minimum 30 pax):
            1. Php 135   (with toy)
            2. Php 150  (with toy)
            3. Php  160 (with toy)
            4. Php 155

    There's also a "birthday partipid" promo until June 15, 2011, with freebies for food bills beginning at Php 5,000.
            Director's Chair, Pinata and Inflatable Bouncer

     Unlike Jollibee however, this McDonald's branch does not have a lunch hour party schedule.  The party times are 9-10:30 am, 1-2:30pm, 3-4:30pm and 5-6:30pm.

Services, shops and schools in the area

     Now this is what I really originally intended to do:  provide information, directions, a directory, and my own experiences with the shops and services around the area.  So far, with all the children of both expats and locals around, it is education and schools I am frequently asked about.  I have strong opinions about this (everyone does) which I prefer to discuss in another blog. So in this one, I will gather names and locations of schools/learning centers.  Philosophies and beyond will be in the other blog.

  I am quickly becoming a resource for expat wives who are not allowed to work and are therefore staying home.  Might as well post information I have been sharing with them, on this blog.  Soon.