Pinoy Life At Large

They have the nicest pool, the biggest shampoo bottles, the fluffiest pillows, the best service at the best location. Nice place to spend the weekend with the family and kids but too pricey, right?

WRONG! Recently the Makati Shangri-la has announced that they have a promo for local residents only. For Php 5,800++ you can avail of a weekend getaway plus buffet breakfast for two at Circles (their coffee shop). If you can view my previous post on the Edsa Shangri-la, you can only imagine how good it must be to spend the weekend at the Makati Shangri-la. This hotel is newer than Edsa Shangri-la and is expected to be more expensive, but the amenities and the extras are well worth every cent, moreso with this promo.

But you have to hurry because the promo ends on May 2, 2007. I was most impressed with their buffet spread, one of the best I have ever experienced. Medyo marami lang kaya nakakapanghinayang na hindi ko masulit, kahit na gutom na gutom ako. The pool is also a great place to frolic the summer heat away. For those who want to go on an out-of-town trip with the kids, dito na lang kayo. No long drive, no traffic, just opulent surroundings, wonderful service and great food. The kids will enjoy it! And so will you.

(Note: This image was borrowed from www.philippines-travel-guide.com.)

Ah the trouble of finding a cab during rush hour! It’s more difficult than lining up for a loan at SSS. I tell you this, folks. Cabs are as ubiquitous as rats in a sewer, but not all are willing to take you to your destination. Some would rather take you to THEIR destination than yours.

And so on Mondays, I am immobilized by the coding system (my car’s plate ends in 1) so I take public transportation to and from the office. Not that I’m complaining. I get to the office in 8 minutes flat in the morning, in spite of rush hour, because of the trusty “habal-habal” (motorcyle riders that take you anywhere for a fee), but that’s another story. Going home at 6.30 pm is hell for Makati commuters. Especially in the Glorietta area. So I decided to make a short list (as experienced first-hand) of places where you shouldn’t try hailing a cab in the Makati area. Hope it helps.

1. Glorietta - yes, it’s at the top of my list. Try getting one with bags of groceries on both hands and it’s a painful 45 minute wait, especially around rush hour. Tip: cabs are not allowed to get passengers in the Ayala area in front of Glorietta so it drives you to go to the Oakwood area where you get frustrated. Try going to the Intercon area, where they usually line up.

2. Landmark - though there’s a line, it usually takes forever for you to get into a cab. No tips here, you just have to wait it out.

3. SM Makati - another hellhole for cab riders. Better try your luck in the Intercon or the Dusit area.

4. Ayala Avenue - you can’t get a cab here because cops won’t let you, if they’re on duty. Tip: Go to the Dela Rosa side or the Valero side. Cabs are easier to find there. Also, special mention is the RCBC dropoff area. Cabs seldom refuse passengers there because the guards take note of their numbers. A few reports on a particular cab and that cabbie will not be able to pick up passengers from there again. I saw this with my own eyes. A group of guards dissuaded a lady from taking a particular cab because its plate number was in their list of unwanted cabbies.

Borrowed the image from www.unofficialcook.com (obvious naman di ba?).

This, I believe, is the only real local ice cream brand left standing among the major ice cream brands that we have in the market today. I remember how good Magnolia was, until Nestle bought it and called it Nestle ice cream. It was all sugar and emulsifiers galore. Selecta, packaged in the recognizable metal can, was my personal favorite until Walls stepped into the picture and changed the logo, along with the flavor. Someone told me that Arce Dairy used to own Selecta before they sold it to Walls for a hetfy sum, I would assume. Lucky for die hard fans like me, they managed to save the recipes and churn out heavenly flavors, just like the ones I remember as a kid. They still have the metal cans that Selecta used to be in, and they even came out with better flavors like Cookies and Cream and Noreen’s favorite, Green Tea. I think their Green Tea ice cream is good enough to rival Haagen-Dazs’ Green Tea ice cream. It’s summer and the heat is making Meralco richer by the kilowatt. i suggest you try buying a gallon of Arce Dairy ice cream and cool off this summer.

Note: I am NOT paid by this company to promote their ice cream. Hell, I couldn’t even find their website. Even had to borrow the picture from another website. But I tell you, Arce Dairy does not disappoint. That’s first-hand experience talking.