Shopping Splurge

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Alfred went home to Pasay yesterday morning, and he invited me there for a late lunch after my shift on Friday afternoon. I took the MRT and met up with him at the Taft station where he bemusedly told me about the insane number of stores along their street. That wasn’t news, I already knew that. But he said that their numbers multiplied and even he couldn’t understand it anymore. It was like Pilapil and H. Domingo became the capital of sari sari stores.

So we walked along and started counting.

We soon lost count. Haha! Seriously. Left and right there were vendors selling food in their mini-carinderias. There were a number of newspaper stands. Need vegetables for your home cooked meals? You can be sure to find whatever veggie you needed from either of the two vendors selling them. Ang daming tindahan! Alfred’s mom and dad have their own sari-sari store too. One can’t help but wonder if they still make anything from it because there’s just too much competition! But I guess they still do.

There must really be a lot of people living in the area that there’s business enough for everyone.

We had a quick lunch of humba (I honestly can’t tell it apart from pork adobo), and paksiw na bangus, with atsara on the side. All prepared by Alfred’s mom. As expected, they were all yummy and was well worth the trip from QC. 🙂 As expected, Nanay commented about me being bloated again – she said I had gained weight since she last saw me. That must have been on her birthday in September. Yes, I’m afraid I did gain weight since then. Oh well.

Since we were already in Pasay and had the rest of the day off, we decided to go spend the afternoon in MOA and maybe see a movie. We saw Who’s That Girl? but not before a shopping splurge! I hadn’t intended to do any shopping, but well, being in the biggest mall just automatically gets you in that vibe. Right?

It all started with a visit to Beauty Bar where we picked up a big bottle of Purity. The one we got before 2010 ended is almost gone so a restock is in order. This time, we got the biggest bottle they had. The reviews are all true – it is very gentle and possibly the best cleanser out there. I also got The Supernatural for the first time. I haven’t tried it yet but look forward to it. I told the sales lady that I had wanted something for my face because I don’t wear any make up at all, and hardly ever put on powder. I have a Maybelline compact powder in my bag all the time but I always forget to use it. Anyway, she recommended that product for me.

The best part is getting freebies! But I forgot what they were and am too lazy to go up and find out. Last year I got a small bottle of Grace scented lotion and I loved that! When I run out of lotion (I have soooo many bottles in my room) I will restock with Grace.

I was so tempted to try other products in the Philosophy line, and also get a lip shimmer from Burt’s Bees, but I had to control my spending. Ugh. Why wasn’t I born a millionaire? 🙂

And then we had to pass by the Gap store. I’d been wanting one for quite awhile, and so yesterday, I did get one.

These are very comfortable flats. They fold in half and come in a nice small bag so you can tote them along anywhere you might need a change in shoes. So next time I wear heels, these babies are coming with me as backup. But I need not wait for such occasions to wear them, of course. I can wear them anytime I want. 🙂

On our way to the cinema, we had a glimpse of the sea and the barge that we assumed where the fireworks would be fired from for the pyromusic fest later that evening. People were fixing chairs and there were cables everywhere with technicians busy with wire management and setting up a stage and all that stuff. The breeze was calming and I’d have stood there until sunset, but we were due at the theater so I tore myself away from the scene.

So anyway, my Thursday fused on to Friday and we ended the day very late for someone who goes to work at 3am. We were aware of the tragedy happening in Japan, and the potential tragedy to the Philippines and other coasts all over the world, but I guess we coped with it all by seeing a hilarious movie and going shopping. The MOA was NOT full of people as I expected it would be on a Friday, perhaps people were staying away from the sea though Manila Bay was not in the tsunami watch list.