shops open

Remember the building that was growing day by day right beside the gym that I go to?

Well, some of the shops on the ground floor of that building opened this week and here are some pictures. (Sorry the images are so blurry, my cellphone doesn't take very good pictures especially at night. Maybe I'll go back tomorrow for a take two.)

This is a boutique selling clothes, shoes, bags and other accessories. Not being a fashionista, I can't tell whether their merchandise is any good. But I'm pretty sure that their signage is an eyesore, and it's not just because of the poor quality of the photo. A bit kitsch for a very modern building.

LBC Express couriers will soon be moving to this prime downtown location from their present office in front of the provincial capitol where finding a parking space is quite difficult.

And finally, this here is Highway 10, a road-themed fastfood restaurant with broken lines on the floor (like in a highway, separates this lane from that lane), traffic lights on the ceiling and road signs all around. They also have groovy names on the menu like Baby Comeback Ribs, Pizza Seryoso (complete with all the works), Beef Zteak, Zotanghon guizado, Tapzilog (Tapa, Zinangag, Itlog), Buzilog (Bulad, Zinangag, Itlog), Zizzling Banguz, Zizzling Zizzig, Ziopao and Ziomae. Quite an eclectic menu there. From burgers to pizza to siopao to tapsis to mizwa soup.

So how was the food? Ahh. As with fashion, I'm no connoiseur when it comes to food. There are just two food categories for me: the flavor of the month (current favorite, must eat almost everyday) and everything else. Maybe this place would be lumped together with everything else.

But just picture this. We're at the gym and every break time we look over the balcony and we see this colorful scenario: black tables and chairs, splashes of yellow everywhere, waiters and waitresses scurrying around in black pants and bright green shirts, carrying trays heaped with delights. Around mealtimes, most of the tables are occupied and sometimes there's a cluster of peole waiting in line. That's very typical of Dumaguete. Whenever there's a new place, everybody would flock there. If the food's any good, the restaurant survives. If not, it dies a natural death.

And so while we kick and crunch at the fourth floor gym our minds are constantly on the bustling restaurant below. Bantay ra gud ka karon...