... and my family just keeps getting bigger. :D
This past Easter Monday, Mary and I hied off to Aduana, the Pier area in Manila to help me buy my very own first sewing machine. (I do say "my very own first" because this was the first sewing machine I bought with my own well-earned money. It's a very good feeling, it is. ^_^*)
We started our trip from Cubao, and drove, drove, drove past Quiapo, past Intramuros, even past the Manila Hotel. Upon arrival, I was thrilled to find the shops were so close to the newspaper presses near the harbor. It brought back fond memories of my father and I driving through those gates, sharing a small bottle of Coke, and spending some quality time talking about creativity with Dong Ampil De Los Reyes for my thesis. He's a writer with a mind, body, and soul to be reckoned with, and I do say he is the Kurt Vonnegut of our shores. (no, Sir Dong, I'm not taking that back. :D)
The Pier in Manila has earned its notoriety for being the dumping ground for Japanese appliance overruns sold at astoundingly cheap prices. Have money and good haggling skills ready, and you're good to go. Just don't forget to pick up a transformer for your new purchase if you don't want it to fry. Where else can you find a 21-inch flat screen TV for around P5,000, or a washing machine for P4,000? (That's roughly $100 and $80, respectively.)
Or in my case, a Holiidaynu Bernina package (complete feet, extending table, knee lift, cables and instruction manual -- in hiragana, unfortunately -- included), with a free baby transformer, fresh needles, and high speed bobbin winders thrown in?
And all for the tidy price of P3,000? No, scratch that -- I very nicely asked for a discount on the beauty, and the storekeeper closed the deal at P2,800. (that's about $60, reduced to $56.)
First, a quick clip of the store we visited -- one of the many peppering the Pier walk -- with the ever-lively and lovely Mary:
We certainly enjoyed that a little bit, didn't we? ^_^ Mary, Mary, quite contrary, what a dear she is. I wouldn't have my baby home without her, and that's God's honest truth. She had me over for a spell at her gorgeous home and spoilt me with silvanas and chocolate-striped suman from Bacolod, and let me drive her cat and two dogs nuts. :D
And as promised, the unveiling at home!
Ta-dah!
but does the adventure end here? Oh no, dearie me! There's still more fun and stories and pictures to be had with our denouement, coming to you soon in the next blog post! Stick around for it. ;)
We started our trip from Cubao, and drove, drove, drove past Quiapo, past Intramuros, even past the Manila Hotel. Upon arrival, I was thrilled to find the shops were so close to the newspaper presses near the harbor. It brought back fond memories of my father and I driving through those gates, sharing a small bottle of Coke, and spending some quality time talking about creativity with Dong Ampil De Los Reyes for my thesis. He's a writer with a mind, body, and soul to be reckoned with, and I do say he is the Kurt Vonnegut of our shores. (no, Sir Dong, I'm not taking that back. :D)
The Pier in Manila has earned its notoriety for being the dumping ground for Japanese appliance overruns sold at astoundingly cheap prices. Have money and good haggling skills ready, and you're good to go. Just don't forget to pick up a transformer for your new purchase if you don't want it to fry. Where else can you find a 21-inch flat screen TV for around P5,000, or a washing machine for P4,000? (That's roughly $100 and $80, respectively.)
Or in my case, a Holiidaynu Bernina package (complete feet, extending table, knee lift, cables and instruction manual -- in hiragana, unfortunately -- included), with a free baby transformer, fresh needles, and high speed bobbin winders thrown in?
And all for the tidy price of P3,000? No, scratch that -- I very nicely asked for a discount on the beauty, and the storekeeper closed the deal at P2,800. (that's about $60, reduced to $56.)
First, a quick clip of the store we visited -- one of the many peppering the Pier walk -- with the ever-lively and lovely Mary:
We certainly enjoyed that a little bit, didn't we? ^_^ Mary, Mary, quite contrary, what a dear she is. I wouldn't have my baby home without her, and that's God's honest truth. She had me over for a spell at her gorgeous home and spoilt me with silvanas and chocolate-striped suman from Bacolod, and let me drive her cat and two dogs nuts. :D
And as promised, the unveiling at home!
Ta-dah!
but does the adventure end here? Oh no, dearie me! There's still more fun and stories and pictures to be had with our denouement, coming to you soon in the next blog post! Stick around for it. ;)