Funny how I loathe the terrible traffic en route to Ortigas Center... it was nonstop cursing from Marikina all the way to Emerald Ave. Now that I regularly traverse the residential hills of Loyala Grand Villas, via "Tumana", to CP Garcia and the equally chaotic traffic of Quezon Circle/Elliptical Road, it's relatively stress free. Except Mindanao Avenue, Barangay Pag-Asa where I now work, is the most boring place on earth. Yes I have a lovely view of Veteran's Golf Club, artificial greenery and... is that the sound of the Selecta Ice Cream cart???...very entertaining.
Oh yes Lorns... here's what I miss.
Mababaw...but I miss Mini Stop. If I want my Chicken hot & crispy, Col. Sanders is right across the street. The McDo hotcake meal is accessible and not a 10-minute-walk away. Lunch out with Kumareng Agi at El Pueblo. I walk up and down Emerald Avenue in my 3-inch heels and my favorite pin-striped dress. Yes, I wear them and I don't get asked why. People dress up, and even over-dress. The young chain-smoking agents from Sitel, the Fitness First trainers in their spandex, the seriously stressed uniformed employees from CIGI, retirable agents of PruLife, over-dressed agents of TRG crowding the entrance of MiniStop. I miss the way my clothes smell like food after ordering lasagna at Greenwich, or hell, the basement canteen at Wynsum.
Robinson's Galleria is an exciting treat. I can walk around blindfolded and still know my way around. For some reason, The Podium relieves me of stress. Expensive place to hang, yes. But it's quiet and I can get a decent cup of coffee on my own without people wondering why the hell I'm all alone. And...the mall closes at 10pm. (not that I enjoy waiting up to that time) I miss St. Francis square tiangge. The hungarian-sausage-sandwich kiosk on the 2nd floor. People lined up at Hong Kong Style noodles kiosk like a box office hit. Lastly, the mecca...SM Mega Mall.
Of course I will my miss trainer Ike from the Elorde Boxing Gym at Home Depot. He reminds me so much of a young and a more good-looking version of Jograd dela Torre. I love the smell of JayJ's inihaw na pusit right after training. Metro Walks' Yoohoo BBQ. Rocky moon-crater parking-lot along Emerald Ave. Small things pero exciting.
For now I have the busy streets of Mindanao-North Ave. Noisy traffic, dogs barking, ice cream carts.. yes Master's Pub is on the ground floor frequented by old male folks. The smoke-infested online casino on the other side. But hey, there's Trinoma mall and SM North Edsa. More tempting places to burn my hard-earned cash. (naks!) After a few months... hello UP technopark!!!
