Scenes from Two Shopping Malls

    Even my own mom shushed me...when I continued to rant about the artificiality (artificialness?) of the latest developments this side of town. Can't blame her...I've been so negative of late.  Wasn't too excited to go see it and then did not totally enjoy the lights...the laser lights, the led lights..the beautiful accompanying music (the music did a lot)...on the once grassy lot.

   The killer was when a flock of birds flew over the lights--were they real?--their wings and bodies glistening white above the field of twinkling wires and bulbs.

   So now we do not see as many stars as we did just a few years ago.

    From up the Silang Hills, the Light Show's music is heard loud and clear, carried by the wind.  The search lights have been, again, diminishing views of stars.  If you turn the volume up really high, you can hear the music.

     Also in the same direction,  a surreal scene...a retailer's nightmare...
I mean, these were peak hours, DECEMBER 16!

    So why are there many cars parked out front and in the expansive rear? They are all dining...in The Legend, Denny's, or the All Day Supermarket "Paluto".  At one point I stepped out of the supermarket, heard some ''office people" obviously from out of town, asking the guard where the "Dampa in Vista Mall" was.  Ha ha.  Guard had no idea.  Well it's the PALUTO, I butted in.  The visitors were grateful...yes! The Paluto! They said.  Paluto means "to have cook", and there, one can buy the fresh produce and have it cooked many ways according to their menu.


   Apparently, this Vista Mall has been referred to as "Nuvali" by visitors. I guess they refer to this general location as Nuvali....as if it is now a town's name.   

    (The escalators are moving continuously!)

 This was the Paseo Market this morning... sounds of torotots, and the usual morning weekend marketing scene...with maybe a little bit more shoppers.

So my last post for the year ends with a view and sounds of fireworks over Paseo de Santa Rosa, as seen from the hills of Silang, Cavite.

   Happy New Year! In my selfish way, I hope 2017 leaves me with still enough clear views of the sky.  Because really, it is quickly getting crowded up here.

Paseo

     So this is what they've done to that first, original row of buildings in what is now Paseo de Santa Rosa...

     I had wrongly assumed another building would rise in this spot, after its tenants were moved to other parts of the center.  Instead, I found grass, sky...and a good playground set.

    Perhaps management realized people were skipping this area for Nuvali?

    I got a little bit sentimental. On this spot stood the original strip with the Safari car rental office, Japanese restaurants, and a few offices. I really wish I had photos of the place almost twenty years ago.

    This was where we would stop for breakfast, brunch or lunch, on the way to Tagaytay. This was back when--and I am sure I have said this before--we would take this route up, but not down if it was too late in the evening.  The Japanese restaurants served the Japanese men from the surrounding Japanese companies. They still are around--Umenoya and Ippon Yari, but in other locations.  Pancake House is still there, in the building pictured on the right.

     By the time we moved here, the center of this strip was occupied by bars...it was pretty seedy actually, especially when they opened by twilight and on Wednesday and Friday and Saturday evenings.  It was actually a relief that they knocked this down.    

    Frankly, I find that this commercial area is confused, confusing, and really, not maximized. Well, I don't know about their profits, but from a customers' standpoint...it could be better.  It is too late in the evening for me to expound on this. I'll just leave it at that.  

     

Pics from Months Past for Moments Present

  Simple things to enjoy here while it's still slightly suburban. It isn't, but versus Muntinlupa...you get it.

     Enter Malitlit, Santa Rosa, through the empty Eton toll exit in the golden hour just before the sun sets.

      Have sushi and ramen at Ippon Yari.

     With your favorite beer or even sake of course.

Säntis Delicatessen in Paseo de Santa Rosa

...is now open. It is where the restaurant Poquito Mas used to be.  European expats are probably pleased. They do not have to go to the Alabang or the Silang branches.  This branch seems to have most of what the other branches have.  But the Rockwell branch is still the most inviting, in our humble opinion. Perhaps because it stands in a charming cluster of cafes. Or does it still? I have not been there in three years.

   Anyway...I saw bunches of giant leeks in the new branch. 

Red Ribbon in Paseo

    So I craved some cake. Like Shakey's was the "top-of-mind" choice for pizza, Red Ribbon was, for cake.  Well, really the Mango Cream pie.  The other choices in the Paseo de Santa Rosa area are the small Goldilocks (actually, out of Paseo, across the street, next to South Supermarket), which usually runs out of cake in the evenings; Poquito Mas, which houses the former Babycakes' cakes. Babycakes are not like the commercially produced Red Ribbon and Goldilocks ones.  They're closer to homemade. Wait, I believe they are homemade. They have good cakes and not so good ones...but their cheesecakes are really good.  It's a pity they closed the quaint little coffee shop in Paseo 3 (can't blame them, that area down there is so hidden).  But I say it's still a pity, knowing they did have regulars. Two years ago we enjoyed its cuteness, the availability of coffee, smoothies and snacks, and of course cakes. 

     Back to Red Ribbon.  I so craved something from there.  But the craving was gone when I remember the terrible customer service.  I'm not alone. A "tita" complained about the loooooong wait, just to learn that there was no delivery of mango cream pie. This despite having called up previously for availability.  I have had two experiences within the shop, of serious delays.  The first experience was when I picked up two or three mamons, and took them to the counter to pay.  There were 3 women there. All with nothing to do.  And it took FOREVER for me the transaction to be completed.  I still cannot understand why.  All I remember is they were all staring at the POS machine, and just to bag the stuff took an hour.
The last time was really ridiculous. First, there are very few tables in the shop and we were practically the only customers there.  Then, there were around 4-5 staff all standing next to each other, constantly fussing over the POS machine (the cash register).  So there was absolutely no excuse for the slow, dead-looking service.  All I asked for was a glass of water...it never came, even if the request was clear.  Finally, I asked again, at the counter---actually, I reached for the pitcher, which was not on a self-service counter at all...while asking.  Someone nodded, but still, no water. They were all still fussing at the machine.

     We haven't bothered asking Red Ribbon about this. What's up?
Considering it is a Jollibee company, and is next to Jollibee...it is surprising. 
Or is this the POS Machine training room for the crew for next door? Just asking.

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.

Houses by the Church

   Houses by the town plaza, the church and the town hall were owned by the town's prominent citizens.  In the Philippines, we can still see many such houses, made of stone, with wide windows and imagine veiled women walking toward the parish at dawn on a Sunday. Having grown up in Metro Manila, and with no province of my own to visit, I do not have the sense of daily living in a provincial town that some friends and relatives enjoyed.  Maybe this is why I have been making a big deal of Sta. Rosa being actually a beautiful, historically and culturally wealthy old town. 

     I do prefer this "new" side to live in, that is to say, the barangays Santo Domingo and Don Jose. Sometimes though, the noveau nature of life here, fast surrounded by the usual food and services franchises can feel...boring.  I mean,  at Paseo de Santa Rosa, with its Kanin Club, Poquito Mas, Umenoya and Ippon Yari in the beginning, I thought this place would have its own charm.  Now there's no stopping its yearning to become a Makati Commercial Center. Even Alabang Town Center has its own atmosphere. Still, the Paseo area probably retains its own ambience (like that of its lone strip of an arcade with the bike shop and Safari car rental over a decade ago), somehow.

    The bayan has these old homes, with one structure, the Casa Zavalla open for visitors. It is a short walk from the church and close to its mortuary. They host some sort of "pulungan" sessions weekly.  There is a cafe as well.  With our luck, again, it was closed. This time, with chains and a padlock.  It seemed empty, most likely for the Holy Week.  Sayang, the museum security man excitedly told us we could have a snack and view antiques at the same time. 

 The wooden plaque says 1888-1997.

 The casa sits on a corner (of Zavalla St. I think). This is the casa from the corner. Why is there a bell tower?

 Interesting fish carving there.Must return to ask about it.

 The front entrance

 View of the church from the casa. See the Lipat-bahay ad on the electric post? Where's the "Tubero" signage? So like the Philippines :-) 

 structure next to (or part of?) the museum

 Note the Z on the grillwork. This house is a clinic.

 A huge, seemingly vacant house

He stands across the town plaza, in front of a tiangee, in front of Mercury Drug (which was, curiously, closed).  I'm sorry I do not know who he is and I was in the car at the busy intersection, being rushed by a traffic aide to go.