Odds and Ends

Before starting to type, I had so many things to write on in mind, hence the title. But suddenly, my mind seems to focus on just a few things. Lest I forget them, let me list them: Godin/Yupangco, Manila Pen.

Let's start with Manila Pen.

yesterday, we were scheduled for two free lunch buffets (we had to pay for the third) and luckily, my son was more than pleased. he didn't have breakfast so I guess that made him easier to please? Anyway, the spread of breads and cheeses and cold cuts was what thoroughly made him happy. The sashimi choices included snapper (lapu-lapu) and unagi plus some others. There was asparagus soup and lots of meat choices. I'll just list what I remember. One was japanese beef stew. It had carrots and potato. It looked so Filipino (estofado) and when I tried it, it tasted so Filipino except that they used Kikkoman soy sauce instead of Silver Swan, Datu Puti and their ilk. There was roast beef and another beef entree with mashed potato. I didn't like them too much because they had herbs that weren't to my liking. My husband liked the lamb ragout. I tried the bringhe (first time in my life) and it had chorizo. I think it was Chinese chorizo and either the chorizo or the greenish rice (with turmeric) gave the dish a rather odd (to my taste buds) flavor. Unlike in Circles (makati shang), Nielsen's didn't have lechon. There was also baked salmon and some pasta, a shrimp martini, crab relleno (Vir made them better) and lots of desserts. Yummy desserts. The Napoleon was really rich -- unlike Roli's which just has a hint of custard, this version was custard with thin crusts at the top and bottom. The top crust was glazed with confectioner's sugar that had a hint of chocolate care of the design on it. There was tiramisu, chocolate mousse that tasted more like coffee (I think it had Kahlua). Lots of fruit choices too. There were lots of native kakanin-- maja blanca, malagkit, sapin-sapin. So how would I rate the Nielsen's lunch buffet? Three stars, I guess. I think most buffets don't have impressive meat dishes in the sense that these are kept warm by food warmers rather than freshly cooked. On the other hand, their cold cuts, sashimis, breads, cheeses and desserts are what catch the palates of discerning (or gourmandish?) foodies because they are served as they should be. But it was a pleasant experience altogether. My son remembered a waiter from a year or two years ago who was his usually, jolly self.

I would have wanted to take pictures but my camera battery had no charge. In fact, I was planning to take a picture of the movable gate (yellow and black thingy) along the driveway leading to the hotel when I realized the battery's lack of load.

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Godin/Yupangco. Okay, given that my son was not and would not have his Godin for the next 30-45 days as of thursday's assessment by Yupangco, we decided to pay their shop a visit after lunch. My son went in ahead (music stores excite him) while husband and I wheeled in. (an aside-the stench of the garbage receptacle in their parking lot is the pits -- reminds me of that dump site in Silay when I was a little girl. Should the stench have forewarned us of what was in store?)

When we got in, my son was nowhere to be found. Then my husband saw him surrounded by 3 men. He was seated. (think Finding of Jesus in the temple). And one of the men said, "tanungin natin". LAter I asked my son what that was all about and he said he told them of his plight - no guitar for a gig tonight because of Godin. That part of yesterday at Yupangco was impressive. So was the attention of the Roland personnel who gave all the right answers/suggestions/apologies. A real asset for Yupangco. Very polite and capable. What got my husband's goat was the girl manning the phone lines. Customer service person cum operator? Anyway, when my husband mentioned to her that the Godin we got was on display rather than right out of the box, she said, "Eh bakit niyo binili?" My husband was so floored he didn't say anything. He brought me to the lady after telling me that to show how she looked. When the lady saw us, she said, "Eto ang manager." Maybe she thought we'd be intimidated? SO that gave us the chance to tell on her. And she kept apologizing. I told her, or was beginning to say something, when she kept saying "sorry kung yun ang dating" without sounding contrite. I told her in the first place, "bakit rin binenta? At inassure kami na ok pa siya?" What a contrast to the ROland guy who said the part had been ordered and would be ready in 3 weeks to a month. FEDEX na daw. See, because we complained there was an easing up of waiting time? Hope they deliver. And when I said, "what if the pick up would break down again? Another 30 to 45 days? The Roland guy said possibly they would order 2 sets so there would be a spare. Heavens.

Earlier my son tried out a Yamaha silent guitar with steel strings. Notwithstanding our Godin experience, we were ready to buy it. But when my husband was so badly treated by the customer assistance cum operator, we opted to leave.

we decided to go to Megamall. JB Music Store had Ovation and while my son said it was okay, I knew its quality was nowhere near the Yamaha guitar he had tried out earlier. The price was a third, true, but quality pays in the long run, right? So we went to a Yamaha branch in Megamall and got him one. Suckers? But we didn't have much choice. Earlier we passed by Audiophile along EDSA but it no longer stood where it did. The building had been demolished. Sad. Their biggest store hopefully still stands in Ali Mall. But that would have been quite an effort to go there.