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JANUARY 2003 HIDDEN VALE CHRISTMAS PARTY Hidden Vale had the honor of being the first establishment in town to hold a Christmas party to jump-start the holiday season. On 30 November an all day member's party was well attended as events were scheduled from 0700 to 2200 hrs with Father Christmas making an appearance at dinnertime to the delight of a large contingent of children, all of who received a gift from Santa. Events included a parent & child Ambrose Golf HVSC members' cup, mixed beach volleyball, 9-ball pool, children's sports day, bingo, dinner, live band, raffle and awarding ceremony. A fine buffet meal was served and MC Peter O'Donnell did a fine job of keeping the evening moving along according to schedule. Once again, though, this Horse did not win a raffle prize but I ate enough to justify the P350 ticket cost but I think Priscilla the Horse ate more than me. Let us hope that 2003 will see planned construction projects at Hidden Vale completed, financial problems resolved, (members, please pay your dues) and the full potential of this club realized. If all goes well then Greg and all members, for sure, will have something to celebrate at the next Christmas party; lets put that on our 2003 wish list!
PONDEROSA HOTEL Previously known as the Bonanza Hotel, the Ponderosa is open for business! I know that I have mentioned this before but it appears that some of their old customers are not aware of the name change. Bones and Bob are still combining their talents to run the place and anyone wanting to make a reservation can do so by e-mail: ponder@datelnet.net. Those of you planning to stay there in late April can help Bones celebrate his fiftieth birthday on 1 Mar. See you there? REBIRTH OF JERRY'S CAFÉ HEALTH VISIONS The fantastic new Health Visions Hospital located near Villa Modesto is scheduled to open sometime in February 2003 and I will present a few photos in the Feb column. Additionally, construction is ongoing at the site just past the Galleon on Perimeter Road, Clarkview, which was the original location planned for the Hospital. This location will now contain Health Vision offices, the Olongapo Satellite RAO Center that is presently situated on MacArthur Hi-way, the DAV office, and a VA Services office. Once the lease expires on the remaining buildings situated there a cancer treatment center with state of the art equipment will be constructed. For the American military retirees and their dependents living here the easy access to good medical care is a big plus and believe me, it is a lot easier than trying to gain access to retiree medical facilities in the States. Regardless of how good it is here though, for very serious illnesses that could be life threatening or requiring serious operations I still, strongly, recommend stateside treatment. TAPS Last month saw the passing of two fine old soldiers, George Buck (Angeles City), and Bill Kiss (Las Vegas, Nevada). Condolences to the families of both of these honored veterans. GREAT VEGGIES There is an interesting business located in the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) near the old Friendship exit gate named the Hydroponic Agriculture Development Corporation (HADC) that builds greenhouse systems/nursery greenhouse, comprehensive greenhouse climate control systems, irrigation and fretigation control for hydroponics, and irrigation and fertigation control for open fields, orchards and gardening systems. Now I realize this will not interest most people but for those of you living in the Balibago area the one draw is dropping by the site every once in a while to see what vegetables are available to buy. I was able to purchase some beautiful green and red dell peppers but missed out on the tomatoes. Believe me, this is an interesting place to visit and it does not cost anything unless you buy the veggies or the various farming equipment available. The staffs, led by GM Enrique V. Mupas III are very friendly and will take the time to show you the greenhouses and the hydroponic systems they use to grow various produce year round.
THE PATIO The Patio, located in Diamond Subdivision, near the Swagman Narra Hotel is not only a nice place for travelers to stay but also, with the arrival of Chef Manny, an excellent location for some fine dining. The trio of Bill Lyon, Chef Manny, and Dave Donney has an objective for the year 2003, to provide tourists comfortable rooms and food at very reasonable prices. Additionally, Bill took the time to show me the new apartment complex that features fully furnished studio apartments and three one bedroom apartments, again priced for the economy minded expat looking for a quiet, safe, conveniently located domicile. Back to the food department, Manny was with the Swagman Narra Hotel for a lengthy period and when he decided to move on Bill made him an offer he could not refuse. A full menu is offered but the specialty of the house is Thai food and it is excellent. The real asset of the Patio is Bill Lyon, a fine gentleman that any visitor would enjoy meeting so get on over there and share a few cold ones with him; you might find yourself staying longer than planned.
PLANET WOODY'S Last month I was happy to add an advertisement for Planet Woody's because this Horse can sure use the extra money but darn it, after the boss gave me the money I ended up spending it all in his store plus an additional amount. Not only that, but also a few days later I went back to purchase another gift and then a week later another one. Now I try to avoid the store so I am not tempted to enter and spend more money because once you look around, you can't leave without finding something to purchase. It was a real convenience for getting Christmas gifts and any special occasion needs. It helped that the store is located only a few meters from where I reside but every time I was there I saw many friends that were doing their shopping also. This is one store I hope will be around for a long time.
HUNGRY MARLIN BAR AND GRILL The dynamic duo of Ron Wakley and Rodney Hegerty have teamed up to have the soft opening of their Hungry Marlin Bar & Grill located adjacent to the Subic Bay Yacht Club, Olongapo. The Hungry Marlin includes a ship's tannery, travel agency and charter boats. They have formed the duly registered Subic Bay Sports Fishing Club and will be running sports fishing contests out of the Hungry Marlin. Don't worry about operational times, as it will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. There are already five vessels available for charter fishing but I do not know the price range at this time. HAPPY NEW YEARS GUYS Her name is Marites, 19, working out of HoneyKo's Bar. She hails from Zambales, and when I interviewed her four weeks ago she was still a bit innocent. Naturally, she is looking for that special guy (gee, isn't that new), so hurry on over to Honey Ko's and put your name on the list.
YOU WANT TO BE A MAD DOG? I just happened to be present during the initiation rites for two lads that were being accepted into the Mad Dog Motorcycle Club and it was a site to behold. It is not enough to own a motorcycle, be proficient in its handling, get the required tattoo on one's arm, and pass the scrutiny of the members, for then comes the initiation. It was the first time I had witnessed this and all I can say is that you have to have a sense of humor and a good change of clothes for the crew in charge mixes up some ghastly, stinking concoction that they dump on the initiates heads, then smash eggs on them as well as putting eggs in their pockets and smashing those as well. Needless to say, no one goes near these dirty, smelly, but happy new members until they have showered and changed. After watching this ceremony I have decided I would not like to be a Mad Dog, not because of the "mess" but because my arm is not big enough for the tattoo!
STILL AN "ON-ON" The Angeles Hash House Harriers are still running all over town like little rabbits with a few slow walking turtles as well but when it comes to the "down-downs" all the tired, worn feet and aching bones are forgotten and a good time is had by all. By all means, when visiting Angeles City, look up the Hashers and join them on their Sunday afternoon runs.
THE REAL BEAUTIES Regretfully, you won't see any of these beautiful women working on Fields Ave but wouldn't it be nice. It would certainly help increase the number of visitors to this area. Pictured here are the candidates for the Ms. Asia Pacific Quest Beauty Pageant as they visited the Angeles Bahay Bata Center, on 13 Nov. Miss Korea was the eventual winner and if you look closely you will spot her as they sat in the sun on a rather hot, sunny day. Despite the obvious discomfort, they kept smiling, even as their make-up started to run but they loved meeting the street children who performed for them by singing and also presenting a short performance by the newly formed drill team. Despite a few glitches, it was a very successful afternoon, one that 18 young boys will not forget for a long time (include a few adults as well).
A MERRY CHRISTMAS Somehow I do not think this lady and her child had a very Merry Christmas. Just a little reminder to one and all of how lucky we are. Believe me, this Horse appreciates every day that I wake up in a nice bed with a good breakfast waiting for me. In this respect I am sure I am not alone.
GREETING FROM SALVATORE'S Since the passing of owner Sal I have not had the opportunity to visit the popular Italian restaurant he pioneered in this town. Before, whenever I had an overwhelming desire for a good pizza I always headed for Salvatore's, located right next to the Roadhouse, but then when Domino's opened I opted for the convenience of their home delivery. It is time for me to cut down on that habit and return once in a while, with Priscilla, for a pizza treat in a nice comfortable dining environment. Sal left Dave Lillig, from Portland, Oregon as the trustee for managing the place and to keep the loyal staff on board. When I dropped by I was the only one there at 6 PM and found that Dave was in the States but the staff agreed to a photo shoot in order to wish all their old and hopefully, new customers a very happy new year. I did not take the time to order their big family pizza which, by the way, is less expensive than Domino's but I have promised that my first heart attack pizza in 2003 will be shared with Priscilla the horse at Salvatore's Restaurant.
MANAGER'S CHOICE OK, I'm guilty - I like the Roadhouse and not just because I get to eat those great snacks during the Happy Hour. The place is organized, the ladies friendly and by golly, those dancers really work at the job and do not spend their time looking in the mirror or have any of those disinterested, bored looks common with so many of the dancers in other locations. On top of that, I find myself enjoying the videos being shown on the TV screens. When making my rounds I hate to go into the Roadhouse because I find that I want to stay there too long. Additionally, I found out that if you go in early that is the best time to buy Mark Smith a drink, as he does not start on the Scotch until later in the night. Manager Fred selected a charming lady to represent the Roadhouse this month, even though he does not know it. Her name is Nida, 19 years old and still childless so this is a good choice. As a New Year bonus I am also presenting a lovely quartet of ladies that want to wish one and all a happy new year (for those of you not familiar with Angeles City, it is not easy to find a working girl that is not supporting a child that they had when some Filipino in the Province got them pregnant at an early age and then dumped them).
KRUNG THAI RESTAURANT Natalie has opened the doors of her new Thai restaurant located below what used to be the Birds of Paradise on Fields Ave. The food is excellent and a welcome addition to the Fields Ave area. Natalie provides the experience and expertise since she is from Thailand, and despite living here many years, has not forgotten the Thai style of cooking. It was not too many years ago when one could only find Thai food at Margarita Station, now it is offered at the Wanjai in the Villa Sol Subdivision, Kokomos, DM apartments in Santa Maria, Swagman and the Patio. The Krung Thai offers a very nice comfortable dining atmosphere with good air-conditioning and the services of Danny to assist you in menu selections. Future plans for Natalie, who owns the building, is to establish an international restaurant on the 2nd floor and possibly some guest rooms as well.
THE PICK-UP One of the newest clubs on Real Street, the Pick-Up has been open a few weeks and there have been mixed vibes on its rating. The 150 peso entry card has been off and on but for now, it is on again in an attempt to lessen the amount of lads entering just to hang out. The times I have been in there, along with other customers that have talked to me I have found the customer base to be rather heavy with Filipino males. The only folks dancing are the waitresses and a few girls that go there on their own. The 1, 000 peso fee for the room on the third floor has been dropped but when I was there, no one was on the second or third floors. With my old arthritic knees it was difficult for me to get up to the third floor because there was no railing to hold onto as I climbed the steps. When I looked up at the ceiling from the ground floor I was taken back many years to a movie theater I used to go as a kid in Astoria Long Island, New York. I am sure the Triboro theater on Steinway St. has been torn down by now but I will always remember the night sky effect of the ceiling with the stars shining. As the lights dimmed for the show to start, the sky scene got darker and the stars came out. I never forgot that and I was reminded of it as I exited the Pick Up. It is an interesting place to visit and there is entertainment offered as well but lets give this place a bit longer before a final opinion is rendered.
CADDY SHACK This club is definitely a place to stop in to enjoy a drink and a pool game with the comfort of good air-conditioning. The new bosses are friendly, the dancers are upbeat and the layout is a 2000 percent improvement over the old bar. They had a bang-up opening with plenty of delicious food and the dancers were not shy at all. Put this club on your "A" list.
BITE THE BULLET Sometimes, before I walk into a new bar I have a preconceived notion that I am not going to like the place and am
SORRY TO SAY The Top End Bar, along Perimeter Road, is due to close its doors on 31 Dec. A victim of the economic down turn, many folks will be sad to see its closure. It was a nice bar, no dancers, but had some very lovely waitresses. Business slowed down after the closure of Mustang Sally's, now the 24 hour massage is due to close as well as the Good Times Bar. When Ken asked for a reduction in the rent the owner turned it down flat but now she will have to look at four empty spaces. Ken will be heading back to Australia where he has a job waiting. The one of a kind aske (ice-chest) belonging to Pat Lynch has been purchased by the Blue Boar Inn's Jimmy D who has no idea where to put it but is optimistic that some year there will be enough business to justify its use. One has to be optimistic to stay in business in this town. NEW ROOMS NOW AND FUTURE The three new rooms at Kokomo's pool side are now ready for occupancy and Mo is so optimistic that he plans to build 6 more inside Kokomo's on the balcony level. What would be the obvious name for these rooms? Would you believe "MOtel". The rooms are modern and have queen sized beds, marble floors, cable TV and every room has its own computer linked into the Kokomo's LAN for free 24 hour Internet access. The introductory rate is P1, 250 which includes breakfast at Kokomo's. GOOD NEWSI am very happy to report that Twister has moved their staff to Voodoo and Kokomo's has resumed regular night time operations, now I can return to peaceful, quiet dining there at night. The dancers will move to Voodoo until Lollipop re-opens the 2nd week of January. I have found out that the renovation of Lollipop will include a cement roof in anticipation of adding another 6 rooms later this year. Two areas in Lollipop will feature shower shows; this Robert Sullivan original idea seems to be catching on (shades of Cleopatra and the G-Spot). Does this mean we will see chocolate wrestling at the Lollipop? SCOTCH LESSONS This is on the job training (OJT) with instructor Allen. He is trying to show first time visitor Andy the ropes but being an innocent lad from Edinburgh, Scotland, he is a bit shy as this is the first time he has been away from his Mum. Allen is confident that by the time Andy returns to Scotland mid-January he will be able to fend for himself.
JAN EVENTS 4 Jan - Kokomo's New Year's Wet T-shirt contest - Price P750 (includes all u can eat buffet lunch & all u can drink until 8 PM). 4 Jan - Blue Boar Inn's Knights of the Brown Ring (AH Club) meeting (Price P300). 17 -26 Jan - 2nd Annual RSL fiesta at Hidden Vale HEALTH VISIONS Good news here as their new hospital will have a soft opening sometime in January. I will be taking a tour of the hospital on 30 Jan so will be able to include a few pictures in February. More good news is that new and those current members renewing in 2003 will be offered free membership. It has not been decided how long this promotion will last. This writer is hoping it will be permanent as is Cybercare's policy. TRUE STORY A guy was out bar hopping (what's new) one night and lost his reading glasses. The next day he was walking down Mac Arthur Highway looking for an optical shop to replace them. Reading glasses (in fact most glasses in the Philippines) aare very inexpensive. You can buy a cheap set with plastic lenses and frames for around P75. Here's the conversation: He said "I need some reading glasses". She said "What strength"? He said "+1.5 and please give me the least expensive kind" (no figuring he would lose them again). She said "Is P500 too much"? He said "Yes, I can get them for P75 in Manila". She said "That's the cheapest we have". He said "OK, thanks, I'll go next door to see if they have cheaper ones". She said "I can do that, we are the same store". He said "Are they cheaper there"? She said "They have them for P100. Is that ok"? Only in the Philippines! Harry the Horse's comments - Having lived here for 24 years and always buying my glasses in Balibago I figured the shop in question had to be Kurt Optical/ACEBEDO across the street from Johnny's Supermarket. By coincidence I was picking up my new glasses just after I received this story via e-mail. I mentioned it to the owner and she confirmed that it was true and her explanation was that at ACEBEDO they sell a variety of less expensive glasses than they do at Kurt Optical because many Filipino customers cannot afford the better brands. OK, fine, the next time I go to buy my glasses, for sure I will compare prices at both stores and see how much cheaper I can get my glasses. |
December was a very tiring, but interesting month and it has not been all good, especially for business establishments in town. I have been here for 24 years and this is the lowest tourist season that I have seen. In fact, I think I would be safe in saying that there is no tourist season to speak of. No doubt there have been many contributing factors, i.e., the economy, bomb scares, Embassy closings, police and NBI raids on the Fields Ave bars, bar owners being arrested for hiring underage girls, and in one case, even as young as 13 years old, abuse by Immigration personnel as people enter and leave the country and so on. All of the preceding sent the wrong message out of the country and travelers reacted by going elsewhere. The sad thing is that as far as Angeles City was concerned, business went on as usual and there was a bit of apprehension for a short period of time but nothing so serious to cause any change in everyday routines. In fact, some good has come about in an increased police presence and one side of the street parking that has contributed to smoother traffic flow on Fields Ave. Only one establishment, Margarita Station, made a bit of a physical change by constructing some ugly looking concrete barriers outside the entrance making one think of the U.S. Embassy instead of a restaurant. It was probably a good idea but many hope that J.C. will paint them and plant some flowers to soften the image. It was peaceful during the Christmas week as the various bars had their employee parties and special nights for customers. New Year's Eve followed suit and those tourists that were here had a very good time. It is hoped that January will see the return of tourists to this area, as this remains a fine city to visit. Every effort is being made by business owners to reach out to you, the customer and with the help of Police Supt. Jimmy Restua the police are aggressively seeking out ways to assure your safety. Is it guaranteed? Absolutely not! We are certainly living in a different world now, where terrorism spreads its tentacles worldwide and more and more people fear to travel away from their homes. It is hoped that this will not keep the tourists away from Angeles City in 2003 for believe me, there are places in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Sydney, Paris, etc., that would make me far more nervous than walking along Fields Ave. Whatever, the case, I intend to enjoy 2003 right here in Angeles, and I hope to see many of you doing the same. Happy New Year!
I ran into old snaggle tooth Jerry of Jerry's Café fame and he told me that he would be opening the New Jerry's Café on 11 Jan 2003. It will be relocated right next to the Stampede in the building that used to house the Dog House and for a short time, Staggers Bar. If you remember, Jerry's Café was sold to the folks that built the Stampede and at that time Jerry told me he was tired of the bar business and would not be interested in starting up another one. Ah, how time changes one's mind and of course, the addition of one or two, or three partners helps that process. For sure the new facility will be a lot cleaner than the old one and will have two pool tables, nice bar area and a dining room. Initially, the dining room will not be air-conditioned but by late April one will be installed. No doubt Jerry will be introducing his budget meals that were so popular at the old location and it will be interesting to see if the Stampede and Jerry's Café complement each other or not. Jerry indicated that his customer base is different from Stampede's so there will be no competition. If you believe that then you believe in the tooth fairy as well (for sure, Jerry has never had a visit from the tooth fairy). This Horse hopes that those good hot dogs will be back on the menu, with the relish as well!
One person that will never forget the Sunday opening of the Hungry Marlin is Ray Kelly who went up with the group on Saturday and by early Sunday morning was feeling no pain from the vast quantities of booze consumed. Earlier in the evening Ron had indicated that he needed to get something from Ray's car and Ray gave him the keys to the trunk of his Mercedes. No problem so far, except that old Ron, who had a few pints as well, accidentally locked the keys in the trunk of the car and headed out to the hotel, not realizing what he had done. What followed is a long story that would be better told by Ray himself over a beer at the Orchid Inn's Flamingo Bar but make sure he does not leave out picking up a very heavy cement block and smashing the driver's side window of the Mercedes; being found Sunday morning asleep, in just his skivvies, in front of the Hungry Marlin with no one able to figure out how he got there. Mechanics were called from Angeles City and they removed the steering wheel and entire dashboard to get to something that would release the trunk latch. All of the preceding was told to me by a very reliable source that is still laughing about it, and no Ray, I couldn't reveal my sources. 
prepared to write a negative report. This was the case with the newly opened Silver Bullet Bar located in the Hensonville area, near the Villa Modesto Hotel, just alongside the Red Book offices. As soon as I entered the place I knew I was wrong as it only took me a few minutes to realize that I did not want to tell anyone about this little hide-a-way lest it get too popular. If possible I would have liked to keep it to myself but being a true, fair-minded columnist I decided to come clean with those who read this column. This bar is nice, very nice. It shows that you do not have to spend millions of pesos to create a place that will attract customers. You just have to have the right mix of personnel, ladies, décor and comfort to entice patrons to want to make repeat visits. The Silver Bullet does this and my horseshoe is off to owner Tim who has taken the chance to open a bar business in a location that is way off the tourist routes. The majority of customers will be expats living in town but I would recommend that if some tourists would go to the trouble of visiting this establishment they would not be disappointed. In fact, I was quite happy to have found my "I would if I could" lady for Jan there. Her name is Jovy, 18 years old from Mindanao, no kids, no boyfriend and has an e-mail address: 
OK, I know I am late again but this time I will SHARE the blame with Tom because he was in the States until 28 Jan and I did not finish this column until 28 Dec. December was just too busy playing Santa Claus for donations to my hospital visit project, taking care of the business, and yes, at times, even getting a bit tipsy with all the parties. I am certainly grateful to have lived another year and hope you will continue to read my humble words for another year. I welcome the Swagman as an advertiser and this will help in offsetting the expenses I incur (drinking, of course) in researching information. Time to close for I have some customers in the bar that I must shout a round of drinks. Looking forward to 2003 and may you all have a good year, stay healthy and get your asses over here for a visit, all the girls are waiting for you. Oops, before I forget, be kind to horses - buy this one a New Years drink - Cheers |