WEEKENDS AT 30

        It's been a rough week, right? Now we're all looking forward to the sunny (rowdy?) weekend ahead. Some of us are only living for that, sadly. At 30s, you think you have it all figured out, but only one call from  a friend asking to meet up for drinks is all it takes to become a complete clueless mess.

 Back on our roaring twenties, this is a no brainer. Friday through Saturday nights are the best days of our lives, and sometimes even Sunday afternoons. We'll only slow down on Sunday evenings, when the grim realization that Monday is inevitable has already started creeping up. 

But now at your calmer 30s, what do people your age usually do during weekends? After a lot of observation and painful personal experience, here's what I've got:

1.) They prefer to stay at home. No shit Sherlock. People in their 30s are always tired or sick. So staying at home never sounded any better.

2.) When they go out, it's usually just at some friend's house. They prefer to hang out inside the house still, just not their own house. Well on the brighter side, some of their friends are already moving to new houses, so it's always nice to pay a visit now and then.

3.) When they go out, they prefer open spaces like rooftop bars or open air bars. It's nice to actually be able to have a conversation while gettin' fucked up. Indoor clubs can't provide you any of that.

4.) When they go clubbing, it's usually out of town like music festivals, annual holiday raves, etc. If you're already married, clubbing in the metro is no more fun. It's nice to really dance and get messed up on a nice beach somewhere with your long-time friends, compared to throwing up on a puke/piss-filled toilet on your local pub.

5.) Travel has become therapy and a luxury. Whether it's a financial or an existential crisis, most of them crave to get away every time bad luck comes knocking. But oftentimes, they can't just go. Work, family, kids and other adult commitments makes it almost impossible to be away even for a day. Planning usually takes months only to end up not going. 

6.) Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Those non-alcoholic friends of mine look forward to trying all the new cafés weekly. It has become their salvation.

7.) Groceries. What's more therapeutic than having to walk on different aisles of soaps and detergents on a rainy weekend?

8.) Laundry and cleaning day. Don't be surprised to see a lot of us hanging out at the laundry shop with our phones or even laptop all day. This is the only time we have actual time and will to do these things.

9.) Sleeping in. They are just too tired of their lives and angry at the world that sleep outshines everything else.

10.) Nothing. Sometimes they want to do this and do that. But there's no one available, or they're broke. Or they simply don't know what they want, and that's okay. We're just big clueless kids who have jobs to pay bills after all. 

 

Can you relate?

CAVITE FOODTRIP DIARIES: The Black Apartment

Recently, my wish of having more hip and funky new restos in this side of the south (Cavite) is slowly being heard by the food Gods up above. My friend won't stop talking about this cool, new burger diner just in Imus, Cavite (only a few steps from home!) and the only way to calm her balls is to just go and check this thing out.

So we went there on a weekday, Tuesday I think, to keep away from the usual weekend/noisy/irritating crowd and long lines. This is just located in Medicion, malapit lapit pa rin naman sa katotohanan. If you're from Imus, malapit lang sa Imus Cathedral, but still, lumagpas pa rin kami syempre, because that's part of the fun isn't it?

When we arrived at the street, nasa medyo bukana naman sya, and for sure hindi mo mpagkakailang eto na yon, kasi siya lang ang nag iisang itim na apartment na napapagitnaan ng mga all-white nyang kapatid. Rebel look kumbaga.

Outside of The Black Apartment

Ayos ang concept, may waiting bench sa labas ska onting mono blocs para sa mga waiting, wala nga lang bubong. So pag umulan party party na haha. The exterior is simple, all black with huge, bold white letters indicating their sign and yung wall sa gilid (ung pinipiktyuran nung yosi boy), may naka-paint din na name nila. 

Ung pinipiktyuran ni Yosi Boy

We waited for a good 15-20 minutes before getting seated inside. Well still not bad, I've experienced worst sa iba, and standing pa. Atleast dito, may pampalubag na mono-bloc at sariwang hanging pwede mong yosihan. Habang nag aantay, ibibigay na sainyo ni Kuyang nka all-black din ang menu para maka-order na. Hindi ko na piktyuran ang menu (sobrang gutom sorry), but I can tell you, the prices are all reasonable, abot kaya mga P130-270 lang range niya, and ung P270 yun na ung pamatay sa laki at cholesterol na burger nila. 

So when we finally got inside, malamig at may libreng radio sa background. Kaya syempre

Let me take a selfie/groufie

After 5 more minutes into waiting, dumating na yung order, nagbayad na pala kami agad pag pasok, as advised by the waiter, para pagtapos kumain, larga/yosi na. Here's what we got:

The Landlord

Hot Chix

The Bedspacer

The Nakalimutan ko po (sorry)

Hole in the Wall

All in all, it was good. Not bad para sateng mga Imuseño, mababawasan na tayo pakpak kakakaen sa Jollibee, Mcdo, at KFC. We should embrace the possibilities even more. I hope more of us here makita ang potential ng lugar naten to become one of those hip food hub in the South para dayuhen din tayo para sa pagkain, hindi lang pag me inuman, Haha.

Definitely one of the must-try here in Cavite.=)

The Burot Experience

Recently, underrated, quaint and quiet beaches have been the new craze to all sorts of travelers out there. Kumbaga "cool kids" ka pag nakapunta ka sa medyo di kilalang beach. Feeling pinoy explorer datingan pag nagpost sa FB at Instagram. Kaya naman syempre hindi papahule ang iba kong tropang cool kids forlayf. Haha.

Just last week, one of my friend invited us to go with him sa Burot Beach, Calatagan. It is an underdeveloped beach  owned by SM Holdings (based on what I've read, just google for verification) and isa to sa mga patok sa mga camping boys or dun sa mga tipid meals ang gusto pag nag outing.  

So we set out for the 3hr drive from Las Piñas to Calatagan, Batangas. We readily suggest you do your last minute grocery sa Palengke ng Calatagan bago tumuloy dun sa beach kase tindahan lang ang meron don, offering basic necessities pero walang bilihan ng mga karne. 

Beautiful trees along Calatagan road. 

Once you reached the gate of the property, sisinglin kayo ng guard ng 10php/pax as pre-entrance fee (hindi pa po ito ang tunay na entrance). 

Rules and regulations and a free trash bag upon entering the gate. 

The place has no electricity, no accommodations, may ilang open kubo at floating raft para sa mga yamanin, pero other than that, you really have to pitch a tent for your own accommodation. Kung wala kayong tent, meron sila pinaparentahan starting from 300php  pero I believe ung 300php na tent nila is only good for 2pax, pangisahan lang kung medyo lusugin. Haha. 

They have an entrance fee of 130php/pax and 30php fee for each of  the tent you brought for yourselves. I wasn't expecting much knowing na camping nga to and walang kuryente, but with that entrance fee siguro manlang karapatan ng mga customers magkaron ng disenteng CR. For the whole place they only have like 6 CRs. 2 sa boys and 4 sa girls. Hindi ako maarte sa CR, pero ung CR nila during that time e beastmode haha. Sayang d ko napiktyuran, but I can clearly describe it kase di talaga malilimutan. Hollowblocks lang ang pader, semento ang sahig (which is okay lang), indiro lang ang nandon, no flush, may isang balde at ginupit na 1.5 para sa tabo. Wala rin ilaw syempre (pero okay paren koboy naman kami). Nga lang, nasampolan ako pag pasok ko nung kadarating lang namin, (excuse for the words) pag bukas ng pinto e may suka sa sahig tapos me taeng nag a-outing sa inidiro. Hahaha urong lahat e. Isa pa wla manlang kahit plastik na tapunan ng basura, kaya ung mga gamit na pantyliner at napkin e kala mo ninja kung mkasingit sa pader.  

Ayun, isa lang din ang lababo (hugasan ng plato, karne, etc) for the whole resort. Since maaga pa, nakakuha kami magandang puwesto at nai-park namin ang mga sasakyan just behind our tents.

We rented a table w/chair for 300php and we talked to one of the kuya to arrange a bonfire later that night for 200php. 

Our tents with our emo friend. 

Our rented table.

Crowded Saturday afternoon. 

I really won't recommend going here on weekends, kase when we arrived umaga palang medyo ayos lang number ng tao, pag dating ng hapon, lahat ng klaseng reunion, team building at field trip makikita mo. Sobrang siksikan. And to think na anim lang ang CR, ediwow.

The sand here isn't really white and fine, in fact mabato, but still hindi siya itim, creamy white siya which is always better. About sa water, hindi rin siya ganun kalinaw. Hindi mo makikita paa mo sa ilalim lalo na't puro seagrass o "buhok" (tawag ko sa kanila) ang lapag ng dagat.

Sunset view.

Ang mumunti naming bonfire. 

Nag island hopping pa pala kami which is 130php/pax pero wala naman kami pinuntahang isla. Dinala lang kami sa gitna ng dagat mga 2x haha. Okay na rin kase walang "buhok" don sa gitna at may makikita kang starfish.  

Anyways, 7pm palang e wala na kaming  magawa kaya isa isa na naming binuksan  mga baon naming kwatro kantos. Ayun, alas-jis palang tahimik na ang kapaligiran. Haha. We readily packed up as soon as  we were awoken by the early drunk-risers in the area. Ayaw na namen abutan ng purgatoryong init nanaman and wala na kaming kahit anong supplies.  

All in all, I don't think I'd be going back anytime soon dito, maybe if medyo na develop na siya or nagkaron na ng makataong CR hehe. But for the people who really want to check this place out, please, just please skip the weekend. 

Burot- twilight.

Addicted to the fast life.

Well it's been months since I dropped by this page, long alcohol- filled months. It's past two in the morning and as expected, I'm writing this whatever thoughts you'd like to call it. Summer's long gone, it's been nearly two long months since school started, and yeah, I'm really a tourism student now.
Well I'm kinda' gettin' used already, or so I think, I still have those what-the-hell-am-I-doin'- here moments though. But still, I'm doin' good.
Last two months of summer were fun, crazy, random and the most unforgettable I think. I kind of reunited with old friends, and made them known to my new buddies. We had fun drinkin' every week, not almost, but EVERY single goddam week. We went out, partied like shit, and went to places so randomly unexpected that we did it almost every time.
We made it a point not to miss out and call such really insulting names to those who do. We've kept in touch and made our weekly reunion a routine. The only fun routine I've known my whole life.
Obviously, I'm here because we missed out on this saturday. Our first failed supposed-to-be reunion, again. Everybody's been busy on having their own issues that nobody came up today. But it's okay though, everyone needs a break sometime, and maybe this is ours. But after this, another season will start, lol. It's nice keeping in touch, it's like a weekly reward from this tiring , not to mention boring, redundant life. That's what others don't see, I still believe in that "All work and no play.." thing.
Even though life's drivin' you crazy from the weeks workload, give yourself the break you deserve, which for me comes weekly. Don't stress. Life's too short to fuss. XD