A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

…and boy are my arms tired! (badabump!)

I’m back in the wacky world of Manila (because Manila is not the Philippines — there are more sane places in the country) and still feeling a bit of the holiday hangover. Yeah I know…haba na sobra bakasyon ko. But still.

Anyway to contextualize this entry, ang nakaraan:

FPJ, Bangungot ng Bayan, chose Loren to run for VP while Kabayan Noli backs GMA; as usual - kahit matagal na madaming humihingi isantabi ang contrata ng COMELEC at ng MegaPacific ngayon lang ginawan ng aksyon; of course they’re saying the elections might be postponed; Crying Ladies got the best picture award for the MMFF (I hope I can still catch it); ROTK is finally on Philippine cinemas…

<parenthetical>
Overheard

At National Bookstore while paying for my stuff:

Cashier: “Bakit ba kailangan dalhin ni Sam si Frodo dun sa bulkan?”

Bagger-lady: “Kasi sinabihan na sila ni Gandalf na hinahanap na nung demonyo yung singsing. Kailangan na kasi niya.”

ROTK as a heist movie. Who wudda thunk?
And who’s to say good cinema is lost on the masa?
Got that Bong Revilla and Kuya Germs? You don’t have an excuse to make lousy movies anymore.

</parenthetical>

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

…essentially by being a tourist. The wife-unit and I checked out the Big Apple to see what the fuss was about. Ala ‘eh and lamig pala di’re!

It was the first time in NYC so we did the touristy stuff: Times Square, Metropolitan Museum — which should have a shoe store for all those people with aching feet–, The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Soho, East Village, NYU environs, Liberty Island, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and of course, WTC Ground Zero.

Did the requisite food trip and ate a lot - Chinatown, John’s Pizza, Haveli’s (Indian restaurant), ate New York style cheesecake (and since we were in NYC it was just known as cheesecake) at Veniero’s and Mars bar deep fried served with vanilla ice cream at A Salt & Battery.

Dragged Petite to music pilgrimages - CBGB and John Lennon’s Dakota Apartments.

Intentionally avoided cds/dvd shops. Or as Petite would warn “Step away from the box sets, sir!” Went in a few bookstores (Boo Barnes & Noble! Yey Shakespeare & Co Booksellers!). Currently reading the bio of Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish immigrant who rose from telegraph delivery boy to steel magnate who would then give away most of his fortunes later in life. Reason why Petite and I became interested in the man? He built libraries. (Also his house which the Design Museum occupies features some beautiful carvings from the Philippines.)

We had fun figuring out the subway system. Kung kaya mo sumakay ng jeep sa Metro Manila, madaling maintindihan ang subway system. Except on weekends.

Pictures? Fuggehdaboutit! Leave a comment and I’ll send you the url where they are at.

And New Yorkers? Let’s just say, buti na lang laking Manila ako.