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This month I write with mixed emotions. My heart is not in it as much as it has been before. The town I love so much is changing and the direction is a mixture of good and bad. My heart is heavy with frustration, disappointment and apprehension. My spirits are lifted as I see more investment coming into town. I see the Walk-a-bout hotel near completion, I see new multi-story condominiums being built in the Fields Ave area and also further up Perimeter road. I see more restaurants, more Clubs, more businesses opening up in the Freeport Zone (Clark). I see a most needed drainage system being constructed along Perimeter Road thanks to our Mayor. Angeles City is growing and becoming more exciting with each month. The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) is making it easier for foreigners to retire here. The Department of Tourism (DOT) is working hard to promote the Philippines as a tourist destination. Subic and Angeles have become much closer thanks to the new toll road. The entertainment zone, from Fields Ave to Friendship remains a wonderful place to visit and meet the lady of your dreams, and yes, sometimes, your worst nightmare. But, yes, there is always a "but" when it comes to Angeles City, not all is well. Clubs are being raided and closed, foreigners are being arrested under very questionable circumstances, the card playing scammers are back in force with no fear of apprehension, foreigners are being attacked on the streets, underage children are back in force on Fields Ave, and many investors are being asked for unreasonable donations to certain greedy men of influence. Of course, this is the Philippines and when one chooses to live here certain adjustments have to be made. Sometimes it is an easy adjustment and yes, at times there are adjustments that are difficult to live with. At this time, not every Expat or foreign investor is calling it quits and heading back to their home countries but there are many that are having second thoughts. As for myself, I remain optimistic that things will improve, if not, no problem, I will allow myself to become less active and just wait for another generation to try and right the wrongs that exist today. I am sad to see one of most dynamic investors in Angeles City depart. He is controversial, strong willed, and not really a "people person" but he is smart, one of the best organizers one can hope to meet, civic minded, respected and admired by his many friends that took the time to get to know him. This Horse is one of those who respect and admire Mr. Mark Smith. I was saddened when I heard that he was packing up to head for Las Vegas, Nevada to start a new life there. I understand his reasons that center around a better life for his children and that this is the time to buy a house or Condo in the States with the housing situation that allows a buyer to get some very good deals. What is not mentioned too often is that the latest harassment from City officials was the straw that broke the camel's back. Mark had planned to make this move two or three years from now but after the latest raid on his Club (Roadhouse) and then being threatened with certain legal actions he felt that enough was enough. Home, family and his health (he suffered a major heart attack last year) was more important to him than trying to lead fellow businessmen in standing up to certain irregularities in doing business here and not receiving any support from those he was trying to help. So, the "Sheriff" is leaving AC and whether you agree with me or not, I feel it is a big loss to ACTA, the Bahay Bata Street children's Center, the Rotary Club of Clark Centennial and Fields Ave.
Since I mentioned the Angeles Clarkfield Tourist Association, Inc. (ACTA) it is time to let you know that at a Trustee meeting last month it was decided that due to lack of support and political harassment this organization will become less active and take a back seat in seeking improvements within the entertainment area. It is felt that the "one voice" concept is falling on deaf ears. This will be discussed at the next general meeting on Thursday, 5 Sep, at the Rhapsody Club, 2 PM. LETTERSOn Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 9:05 PM, Melissa Lara de Leon wrote: Hi Mr. Horse!
This is the first time that I received a letter for a Philippine citizen who came across my column. My reply to this young lady follows: Dear Melissa, Do not get me wrong. Many foreigners, like me, have met and married Filipina women that represent the best of what the world has to offer. My column does focus on those incidents where Filipina women do take advantage of foreigners, even to the point of having participated in the murder of a husband or taken physical abuse of their spouse or live-in partner. It is not an every day event but it happens enough that foreigners here must be aware that not all Filipina women are the sweet, charming, honest females they picture themselves as. One trait that is prevalent in many Filipinas in this City is extreme jealously and a dominant trait. The same, I guess, could be said about South American women. I have lived here going on 28 years and love the Philippines and Angeles City. I am not a journalist, was never trained as such. I write the same way I talk and I doubt that I could be of any use to you in your project with PTV 4. You mention "a case" and I have no idea which one you are talking about. I am very sensitive about the general assumption of far too many of your countrymen in that we foreigners abuse the women here in the PI. If you took the time to interview the many ladies that work in the bars here you would find that at least 85% of the time they came to work here after some Filipino in the Province took their virginity when they were young and then left them. Many have one or two kids before they come to AC. So, who are the abusers? I am pleased that somehow you were able to read my column and were able to realize that not all foreigners are abusers of the Filipina. Cheers, Harry the Horse -- Her short reply to this was: Harry, Thanks for opening my mind. Sincerely yours, Lara. Seems like a nice, smart, level headed young lady to me! Harry, My name is Jeff. I am a single 30 year old Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army currently serving my third deployment over here in the “sand box” as a transporter. This time I chose to spend my R&R in the Philippines mostly in Angeles City and Cebu. I should be arriving there at the end of September. I just wanted to let you know that ever since I chose the Philippines as my R&R destination I cannot stop reading your columns. You provide so much insight and great information to us that have never been there before. Your columns seem
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion. The lawyer sued....and won! In delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The Judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy, from the company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be “unacceptable fire," and was therefore obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000.00 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires." NOW FOR THE BEST PART... After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000.00 fine. (ATB, David - This is a true story and was the 1st place winner in a recent Criminal Lawyers Award Contest. From the archives of David Chapman, Sr. May 1997. The following comments were sent by Anthony J. Bamforth, a Seaman with the U.S. Navy:
"I am a seaman working for U.S.Navy. I am planning to retire in 5 years in Philippines. I have been dealing with cebu pacific in Singapore for 4 years now. The reason they give for not accepting foreign credit cards is due to fraud by pinoys in U.S. giving them stolen or bad card numbers. I have had no problem with travel agents paying for my tickets they only charge a $30sgd fee or at airport and just pay for ticket I reserve on-line. Agree this is sometimes a hassle but it is not Singapore's policy it is Cebu Pacific's policy. I Fly my Filipino girlfriend to various countries on cebu pacific and credit card is only problem I have had with them."
Harry: Was having E mail trouble . Was doing test. Glad to see it worked. 2. A local Texas boy ( 56 ) murdered his Leyte wife ( age 28 ) , then took his own life. Two weeks ago. Used a pistol. My wife and I knew them both well. They had problems . But, we never expected this. The Pinoy community is stunned. No kids . Had to pass the hat to handle the girls funeral. Terrible tragedy . Joe W. Ret E7 Previous 5 yr. Angeles resident. (Joe, That is a hell of a way to save money on a divorce. Sometimes these guys that marry girls half their age and take them to the States discover that the sweetie that was so sweet here in the PI kind of changes when she gets to the States. Whatever the problem, that sure was not the way to go. Such actions are becoming all too common in the US. I can imagine your feelings since you knew them both. The good news, hopefully, is that you and your Mrs are still happily in love and your guns are not loaded, eh, except for that good old one shot tool for romance.)
TIDBITS
For info on the goings on with the Angeles City chapter of the RSL go to www.rslangelescity.com. For those of you that remember Keith Gray and would like to keep in touch with him, his correct email address is kigray52@yahoo.com.au and he would love to hear from any of his old friends in the Philippines or elsewhere.
Half and Half! That was the latest vote at the VFW regarding the ongoing debate on the no-smoking ban that was voted on for the first time two months ago but the subject was not allowed to die. The last general meeting held in August was was well attended, so much so that the members overflowed into the bar area. The last word was that the pool room and bar area would be a smoking area but only after an effective exhaust system had been installed. Twenty-six thousand pesos in donations were collected to help fund a smoke extraction system. The smokers gathered their supporters for a last gasp (literally) effort to out vote the non-smokers 55 to 22. One would wonder why with 77 members in attendance only P26,000 was donated, who were the cheap charlies, the smokers or non-smokers? So, is this the last of the great smoking debate? Maybe not!
Since the ACTA had to reduce it's Tourist Police (TP) force by half the chaos on Fields Ave and beyond has increased dramatically. Many drivers ignore the one way traffic rule, vehicles park anywhere on Fields Ave thereby ignoring the no parking rules, the vendors are back in force as well as the beggars and underage boys and girls at night. Crime has increased, traffic flow towards the checkpoint is a mess, especially when it rains. Even violence has picked up. One early evening last month (5-6 PM) two foreigners were snacking at a Bar-B-Q stand across the street from the Cambodia Club when five drunk Filipinos ran across the street and attacked them without any provocation. They hit them, knocked them down and kicked them then they all ran away. There were many witnesses but by the time the PNP got there the culprits had disappeared. During the time of the Tourist Police this either would not have happened or at the least they would have been chased and caught. You see, the TP had motorcycles, a vehicle and radios and patrols throughout the Fields Ave area and they had a quick response capability. This service is now history and the Barangay police are not nearly up to the capabilities of those they supposedly replaced. This may change in the near future but for now, be a little extra careful when out on those barhopping jaunts. Well done USA's women's basketball team for wiping out the Australian women. A good game and I will miss Liza Leslie, a fine 36 year old woman. I will never forget the player on the US team I nicknamed "big lips", Ms. Tina Thompson. She sported the biggest red lips I have seen in a while, so much so that all I can remember about her is her lips. All in all I would have to say the Australian women were much better looking especially giant Jackson. They just have to work on their basketball skills a bit more. For sale P45,000,000.00 walk in walk out.......Swagman Manila Hotel, Travel agencies (five branches, and all Transport equipment (4 vans and one mini bus). This is a turn key business currently netting 21% on gross turnover for year 2008. The Hotel property lease runs thru 2015 and negotiations are currently ongoing to extend thru 2025. This announcement caught me by surprise. I heard through the grapevine that a sale was forthcoming but was not sure. Finally I was able to talk with Ron's partner and confirmed the details. This will be a hell of an investment for someone or some group with the bucks to swing the deal. The Swagman Hotel has been a mainstay in Manila for a hell of a long time and its location within walking distance of the American Embassy makes it a favorite of many foreigners and Expats. Rod, Broadwater Marine Aust.Inc. Subic Bay Freeport. Olongapo City. Philippines 2200 Tel: 63 9189007614 www.broadwatermarine.com
Life can be so pleasurable in the Philippines but there are many pot holes to avoid. Be careful folks, I can only give examples of what to look out for but regretfully, not everyone who comes to Angeles City reads this column and they are not getting the word on what to avoid. Information was passed to me about two incidents. One involved a Swiss lad who was caught up in the underage girl scam. He ended up paying the complainant P150,000. He fell into the "girl on the street" pothole! A second case involved Australian citizen Dr. Stephen Soul. He got caught up in trusting a pregnant woman he knew and was helping her with medical assistance. She brought three ladies to his apartment and you can guess the rest of the story. Of course we had the mother who ended up being a complainant and was asking for P500,000. After negotiations the price was dropped to P100,000 and agreed upon but the next day things kind of went awry and he ended up in the City Jail. He contacted Attorney Duro who was able to get him an arraignment rather quickly and is now out on bail. The Doctor has decided that he will fight the false charges brought against him. He fell into the "trust an older woman who brings younger relatives or friends to visit" pothole). Steve was heard to say "that if someone is involved in a delicate situation that allows one to post bail then go to jail, pay the bail and then use the legal system." Of course, there are not many victims that can afford the legal expenses and the time necessary to go that route. It is a difficult decision and 99% of the time folks choose to pay and run and personally I cannot blame them. The legal system in the Philippines is stacked against the foreigner, it is a way of life here. This Horse is not a crusader, I can only try to inform foreigners who live and visit here of what to look out for and what to avoid. It appears that Angeles City and Manila are areas that require much more due care than other geographical locations in the Philippines. Amazingly, the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) are making it easier for foreigners to retire here; the Dept of Tourism (DOT) is promoting the Philippines as a wonderful tourist destination but yet there are many scalawags that are doing their best to negate the efforts of the PRA and the DOT to satisfy their own greed for quick money and they do so without any fear of retribution.
The well known "hot guy", Curry Steve is serving up his hot Indian cuisine at the Phoenix Hotel on Perimeter Road. Steve was the Australia Day winner for the best humdinger (spicy) Vindaloo Indian curry in town this year. His creations start at P200 that includes free rice or nan bread served up 27/7 in the restaurant or poolside. I did not know this until I met Steve poolside at the Lewis Grand Hotel one afternoon last month. Now I do enjoy a good Vindaloo so will have to stop by the Phoenix to have a chat with "Pig" and burn my insides out with Steve's Vindaloo. See you there? Lot for sale - The Bourbon Street Bar and Bistro closed its doors on 28 Aug after a fine night of dining at their last 50% off night on food and wines. The closure will be short as I have heard that Kelly will be making some renovations and will reopen as a Pub but that is not confirmed at this time. It may be a different theme but I do no believe a restaurant will be part of the new look.
Rumor has it that Shanno is the lad that will be moving over to the Walk-a-bout Hotel. Another Hotel has tried to get this popular lad but methinks he will fit in more at the Walk-a-Bout. Could it be true that the Caddy Shack has been sold? You know I pick up some of these tidbits of information at the last minute without time to get confirmation. Supposedly a well known American who sports a pony tail is putting up the bucks and no, it is not pool playing Hollywood Dave. It's a guy that even if I knew for sure it was him, does not like his name in print and I would respect that. But, it might not be him at all and maybe Caddy Shack has not been sold. Ah hell, let me check it out this month and get back to you all. It is confirmed, the Caddy Shack was bought by the Gentlemen's Club owners and a complete renovation is in progress. If you want to get away from it all and just relax on a nice white sand beach, swim, fish, drink, read, make babies, whatever, you have to check out Club Cagpo in Marinduque. I have a couple of friends there that have built rest houses there and they love it but you don't have to build a house to enjoy the beach. Check out this website - www.clubcagpo.tk that will fill you in on a nice little hide-a-way that can provide you with the fresh air you don't get in Angeles City and the nice clear water you don't get in Subic. For me it is too far to go but for the younger adventurous folks it is an ideal location and worth the effort getting there. If you go there, when you get back, tell me all about the place. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER
UPCOMING EVENT - HOT NEWS FROM THE ABC HOTEL - I received this info at 0900 hrs, 31 Aug, the day after I sent this column off for publication so hope I can this info to you. That sexy marketing lady Donna had an old Email address for the Horse. This event is definitely different and sounds exciting so let me just insert what Donna sent to me: We are pleased to invite you to one of the hottest promotions In Angeles City and worldwide called MAGANDA FILIPINA SWIM SUIT & LINGERIE MODEL CONTEST presented by ABC Hotel and Angeles2.com. Starting October 2008, Over the next nine months there will be a series of online judging on www.magandafilipina.net and live events at the ABC Hotel. The search is on for the most beautiful girls in the Philippines with a primary concentration on Angeles City, Subic and possibly, Manila and should yield hundreds of Contestants and thousands of judges worldwide as we have set aside over 1,000,000 pesos for prizes and first class events with the winner getting over a QUARTER OF A MILLION (250,000) pesos! The live event is anticipated to draw, in the beginning months, 100 to 200 attendees up to over 300 as more and more people become aware of this awesome promotion through our marketing, both online and well placed tarpaulins, posters and other print and media advertising. These live events will be just as exciting as the other successful Wet & Wild Boxing events we have at our hotel. For full details, you can either go to the website: www.magandafilipina.com above and click Sponsors and Contest Info or please call our office phone numbers 045.892.2222/045.625.6256 The ABC Hotel will be having 25 ladies on board for judging every first Saturday of the month at 7 PM starting in October. Tickets will be P1,000 which allows you all the food and drink you can handle during the event. It is just like the boxing shows they put on before but this time you can stare at some beautiful ladies in their bathing suits and lingerie that should make for some beautiful Kodak moments. This is one hell of a big project and one that will put Angeles City and the ABC Hotel on the map. I wonder if they will be able to get the ladies in some of those "Victoria Secrets" outfits - oh yeah, old horses can dream too. TAPS
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to be filled with a lot of police corruption and setups that make me a bit uneasy. Is it really that easy to get caught up in a scam and get thrown in the slammer there? If it is I just hope I can learn how to keep myself out of jail seeing how I LOVE THE LADIES. Anyway, I would love to sit around with you one day and just shoot the shit sometime when I get there. I am big on listening to people in the “know”, especially vets. I have traveled all over the world and basically that is how I learn to keep my nose clean. Once again thanks for what you do. You are STILL doing a great service to your country by informing us service members and civilians alike to the anticipation of Angeles City. (Thanks Jeff - be advised that I post stories about corruption and set-ups so visitors and Expats here are forewarned about what could happen if they are not careful. There is no reason for you not to enjoy a very safe romantic R&R here. Stay away from free lancers, stay away from girls that look too young, do not allow unannounced lady visitors to your room, do not allow yourself to be alone in a room with a young friend of an older girl that you got to know. Do not talk to a Filipino who approaches you on the street and indicates he knows you from the hotel you are staying at, do not get in a tricycle with someone who promises to show you a "new club" or some other bull shit story. Do not walk down dark streets alone at night. I am sure you will enjoy your well earned visit to our City and no doubt will enjoy Cebu as well. If you visit my stable the first drink is on the house as well as any of your fellow troops over in the "sand box". We appreciate your efforts and sacrifice and I wish you a safe tour but I think three deployments is more than enough for you. Don't push the odds too far buddy - stay safe and I will see you when I see you)
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EMERICO'S
If you have not checked out this great place to eat, especially when they have their Thursday and Friday night buffets then you are doing yourself a disservice. On Thursdays they have a regular International buffet but on Fridays they offer a theme buffet. They also offer a breakfast buffet on Saturday and Sundays that should get your day started off on a full stomach. The evening I tried out the theme buffet Indian food was featured and I do like a bit of fire and the great taste of Indian cuisine. I thought it was great but I checked out a few of the diners on hand and they concurred with my evaluation. I must bring up my English friend Ian who went with his wine drinking buddies for a Thursday roast lamb buffet and told me with his rather reserved English accent that it "was excellent" and they have asked Ann to put on a repeat performance. Thatmight take a while since Ann has grown a bit of a large stomach with her first born nearly ready to greet the world. When I took this picture what interested me more than the menus on display was the sight of the young, good looking, charming lady on the left. She was quite shy at first and I had to go in and get Ann to talk her into allowing me to take the picture. She is 18 year old Aubrey, a local lass who is also into modeling but at Emerico's she is the waitress with the big happy smile. A waitress like this can really make your dining experience so much more pleasurable.
CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST
By now most of you are aware of what the Christmas in August is all about. It is the first of two fund raisers held by Mark Smith at the Road House for the Bahay Bata Street Children's Center and the funds donated by Expats and Tourists alike go a long way to keeping the Center operational. On 2 Aug I was waiting for the door to open at 6 PM so I could get a good seat and be comfortable while taking pictures. Normally, by 8 PM the place is so crowded one can't even walk as it is shoulder to shoulder standing room only. This time it was different, all seats were filled but there was plenty of space to walk around easily. I feared that the the money collected would fall short and knew that the one million peso goal would not be reached. To my surprise and much pleasure the event raised P752,000! The board of Trustees for the Foundation want all those in attendance who bought tickets, sold tickets, bought raffle tickets and participated in the auction to know that their efforts were very much appreciated. This is a project that Mark Smith takes on twice a year and works his ass off on it. He has help from people like Wayne, Kim, Jonathon, Hank, Erling and many others who participate with attendance and by putting their hands in their pockets and bringing out their wallets. Hell, I don't do much but this time I got carried away and bought two auction items. I tried to get them at a low price but that darn Erling kept bidding them up. As usual it was a fun night and yes, there will be another one in December and I hope that all of you reading this will make an effort to attend if you are in town. OK, picture time -
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C'DELI AND CAFE OPENS
First there was C' Italian Restaurant that over the years has become very popular for fine dining. So, like a proud mother, a baby has been born in the form of a Deli and Cafe but this one will be residing within the Freeport Zone of Clark. It is located on Abat Santos Street next to Sutherland and Icor. The official opening will be on 7 Sep but I was able to visit the place on 14 Aug to sample a meal and enjoy a nice cup of coffee. Yep, it was open for near full service early to undergo training of additional staff and to iron out any problems before going into a grand opening and 24 hour service. I kid you not! Twenty-four hour operation in which now, finally, all those people living and working on the base can have some great food, regardless of the time of day or night but customers will have to wait until after Sep for the all night service. As you know, after midnight on base the place goes into dead mode and hunger pains must be satisfied off base. They will specialize in providing daily food specials featuring different countries like Spanish day, Portuguese Day, German Day, Italian Day, Indonesian/Malay Day and Greek Day. I visited when they offered a Classic Greek Special for P200+. Me, I have simple tastes, I will wait for a New York Day but me thinks that will never happen. All specials will run between P180 - P250 which ain't all that bad. I had the lemon chicken with onion and herbs served with dtzasiki dip and coriander pilaf rice. I had no idea what tzasiki dip was and the pilaf rice tasted like normal rice to me but you know, you have to be one of those gourmet fanatics to appreciate what you are eating. So, I'm not into the specials but I'll tell you this, lead me to the counter where the cheese and meats are and I can pick and choose what I want to build a sandwich. Now you are in my New York head mate! Man, I tasted a Calabrese salami that nearly made me spend P1800 for a Kilo. It was out of sight but my wallet, fortunately did not contain enough money so now I know not to go to this Deli with extra money on me. It has screwed up my mind as I can't get the taste of that salami out of my system. Enough said, there is something for everyone at the Deli and WiFi access will be added soon. You can call up and order for take out or delivery on base and a lot of the busy executives are doing that as many do not have time to go out for lunch. As far as I am concerned there cannot be too many eateries at Clark, the more the better and I certainly welcome the addition of this new Deli with a bit of "C" Italian influence. By the way, the charming lady to the right is holding a very delicious pre-packaged Black Angus Steak that has been marinated, sealed up and ready to put on the grill when you get home. That is a treat I will definitely give a try in the near future.
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WALKING AND DRIVING ON REAL STREET - A REAL PLEASURE
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DRINK EAT AND SLEEP
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You will notice in my title to this little bit of writing I left out the word "women", you know, like in wine, women and song. Why did I do that? Actually for no bloody reason at all except that the women part should be understood without any details. One visits Angeles City for no other reason right? OK, yes ok then let us talk about sleeping and food which is essential when searching for that other thing. Now, the Hotel La Casa/Blue Boar Inn, my stable, covers all three items at very reasonable cost but one does not want to stay sleeping all day and one does not want to eat in the same place every day. I, reluctantly, admit that so it is with great pleasure that I announce that one can exit my stable and find nourishment only one minute away, well, three minutes if you walk like me. A bit of food can be found at the newly opened "Willie Pig's Coffee Shop and Diner that is run by Nick and his partner located next to Club 68 (they have some ladies there) and a small grocery store. This is a small eatery in size but large in its food offerings. they are open from 0700 hrs to 2400 hrs and Nick's claim to fame is that he has the best hamburgers in town. I cannot attest to that right now because Nick himself claims that distinction based on claims made by his customers on the internet. He does have a hamburger that has 3 lbs of meat in it costing P640 pesos and I think he said if you could eat it completely in so many minutes you could have a second one for free. Nick is determined to keep his food prices as low as possible and still pay the rent as well as maintaining a high standard. I liked the place and even without being officially opened he was enjoying a brisk customer trade. The Club 68 is a small bar and like most small bars has a friendly atmosphere and some lovely hostesses on hand to keep you smiling. If you get hungry you can send the waitress next door and order your food to be delivered. Again folks, check out the action along Perimeter Road where the vendors, hustlers, flower ladies, underage kids, Billy Boys, parking problems, heavy traffic, peanut vendors and what all are NOT seen. Fields Ave is still the big draw with a lot of action and the Clubs there stay open until 0500 hrs where on Perimeter Road most close by 2300-2400 hrs. By the way I have heard that "Cadillac Jack's" might be opening again with a new partner that has money to invest. They are trying to sort things out now. I just stuck that in here for the information of those Expats that live here and remember the original Cadillac Jack's and the operational problems encountered by the owner. OK already, I should have put that part in the Tidbits section. Screw it, I am using writer's prerogative. I'm too lazy to cut and paste!
I WOULD IF I COULD
OK, reality check here. I am definitely too old for a twosome but there is nothing wrong with my imagination. Being the nice guy that I am I always try to make it to all away pool matches that my Blue Boar Inn plays at so I can watch them play and cheer them on, win or lose. I always buy them a round of drinks as well in the hopes that they will be so grateful they won't quit my team. Of course that did not work with the "two Willie's" but thankfully I still have Chuck, Larry, John, Neriza and a few others that stay with me with or without the drinks. But, wait a minute, why am I writing about my pool team instead of the two ladies featured here. Oh yeah, I met these ladies at the Fire and Ice Club where my pool team was playing. I really like this Club because I enjoy seeing old Ozzie running around and they do have quite a few good looking ladies in attendance. The two ladies you see here are sisters - damn, there goes my imagination again. I won't describe what I am thinking so let me just give you their names - Alma and Elma, from Samar. Alma (L) is 27 and Elma is 22 and that is all I know. I did not get all the other non-essential details that I usually provide except that Elma has one kid. What the hell, drop by the Fire and Ice and fill in any additional information you might want on your own. I would go back myself except that I hate climbing those damn stairs!
HOW BOUT THIS ONE
This lady's name is Delia and she is both eye catching and a hand full to handle, literally. There is something that is very distracting about this young lady. It could be that sometimes she puts on a little too much make-up or maybe it is that her blouse seems to be too small for her. Whatever, I am happy to say that she works in my stable at the Blue Boar Inn. The reason that I am so happy is because my place is known for having waitresses that are nearly ready for social security payments. Delia is a younger version of an employee that worked for me for a number of years named "Big Boobs" Barbara. She had worked in a number of Clubs but I met her at the old Birds of Paradise. She was a hard, dedicated worker that had personality plus as well as a big bust size. She was in her mid 30's when she left me to marry an Australian and they both keep in touch with us at the stable. Anyway, Delia, at 24, fits the void left by Barbie Doll and she sure does bring a bit of life back to my humble bar/restaurant. It is my hope to keep this lady employed for a few years so I don't mind if a bunch of mammary gland gazers come on by to fiddle around a bit, just don't take her off with you on any permanent relationship, at least not until she reaches 35 or later, like me old "Barbie Doll".
THIS IS DIFFERENT
I received a message from my mate Rob last month asking me to pop on down to Shanno's Pub to see their newest idea. I figured it some new concoction that he had added to the menu. I was certainly surprised to see a Deli set up on part of the stage area. This has to be a first for Angeles City, a deli sharing space with one hell of a long big bar! It is called Paddy's Market offering deli meats and cheese, fresh baked bread, selected wines and imported Aussie and English food at competitive prices. Folks can order specially made bread as it is baked right on the premises. This certainly is a unique idea and lets see how it works out. A couple of lads stopped by while I was taking the picture and immediately informed one and all that the HP Sauce was less expensive at Johnny's Market. Yep, they were Aussies and Rob, shortly thereafter, informed me that it was only the first day and no doubt there would be some price adjustments. In addition to the Deli Rob informed me that they will be offering daily food specials and on Sundays certified black angus U.S. choice steak meals will be offered at P800-P900 pesos. It was news to me to learn that certified means that they actually have a certificate issued that verifies the Black Angus meat is the real thing. Supposedly only the Holiday Inn and now Shanno's are the only restaurants in Pampanga that have this. So, when a customer orders this steak at Shannos he can be assured that he is getting the best of the best. Sounds good to me and one evening, for a special occasion I may treat Priscilla the Horse to one of those certified steaks but I ain't committing myself to a specific day or year!
YATS WINE CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT
Bastiaan Van Der Walle is a young man from Holland who is the newly installed curator of the Yats Wine Club on Clark and it was my pleasure to meet him last month at his place a work that has thousands of bottles of wine on hand to choose from. As you drive on to the Freeport zone it is the white building on the right that used to be the old USAF Air Force Weather Station. My mission was to meet Bastiaan and get the details on a new program that should be a delight for those who love wine and good food. Bastiaan and Phillip Go have come up with monthly regional wine dinner that combines wine and food for a gourmet delight on the third Friday of each month. Attendance is by invitation and limited to between 25 to 30 diners. The initial dinner was attended by 10 customers and then within a month grew to 30. A ticket to this event costs P3,500 and is held on the third Friday of each month from 7 PM to 11:30 PM. Recently Italy was the featured Region and of course, Italian wines were carefully chosen and the dinner featured Italian cuisine. The dinner environment is relaxing as a 6 to 8 course meal is served with 6 fine wines served representing 6 different regions of the country featured that night. The attendees are pre-selected from the Yats mailing list and those who agree to attend are known to be appreciative of fine wine and food. For further information you can call Bastiaane at 0917520441 or send him an Email at bastianne@yats-intl.com. I would also recommend you stop by and check out the Wine Club when driving on base and have a chat with this very friendly man and at the same time discover the plans he has for the Wine Club and how you can have a fine day with your friends or family by using the roof deck garden/picnic area. It is unique!
GET READY FOR THE WALK-ABOUT AND THE VORTEX
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yep, the Walk-About Hotel is just about ready to open, probably towards the end of September but bad weather may delay it a bit. I had a walk through with the owner last month and I have no doubts that this new hotel will do a fair bit of business once opened. The location is ideal and the prices are certainly reasonable compared to others in this general area. You are looking at a standard room for P1200, deluxe - P1400, VIP - P1800, VIP jacuzzi - P2,400 and a 2 BR family suite for P2,200. On top of that a client can get a 10% discount for paying cash and I kind of like that. As far as Gary Stone's Vortex Club you do not have to wait any longer. It is already open and packing in the customers. I took a picture (left) a couple of weeks ago to give you an idea but my flash was not strong enough to do a decent photo but it will give you somewhat of an idea of what it looks like. I threw in a picture of the still under construction of the hotel swimming pool as well. Needless to say I will return at a later date to get some better pictures. The Walk-About is located towards the end of Fields Ave, just across the street from the 1230 Pizza. Another convenience is that a McDonalds Restaurant is being constructed on the corner of Fields and MacArthur Ave. Gerard was going to build a multi-story hotel at that location but went through a few disappointments with City Officials lately and figured he had invested enough for now and went the fast food chain. Gerard did tell me that he still has a portion of that lot available for development and anyone interested can contact him at the ABC Hotel. Great, now anyone staying at this new Hotel can walk out the door and in minutes have access to pizza, hamburgers and lovely ladies at the Vortex - sounds delicious to me.
DR. STREDA'S COFFEE SHOP
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Man, you really have to check out this place and do your best to meet Dr. Leos Streda who is a citizen of the Czech Republic. This coffee shop is located in the Phil Excel Industrial Park on the Clark Freeport Zone. As soon as you pass the entry gate turn right into a small compound. The Doctor is a nutritionist who dabbles in massage techniques and reflexology and believe it or not offers up some fine Thai and Vietnamese food at his coffee shop. Prior to coming to the Philippines he was teaching in the University of Prague, then went to Cambodia to teach and finally in Thailand where he developed a close relationship with two very nice Thai ladies. He has brought those ladies to the Philippines with him and they comprise his entire staff. What is unusual is to walk into the coffee shop and see two red lounge chairs that look very inviting. I asked the waitress about them and was told that they are for relaxing with a nice cup of coffee. My problem is that if I laid down to relax I would never be able to get up again without help. Over a nice bowl of Vietnamese herbal and beef noodle soup (Pho-Bo P150) and Thai fried noodles (Pad Thai P100) I was able to talk to Leos and found him to be very interesting. I do believe that the draw of this little eatery will be the opportunity to talk to "the Doc". He told me that he will be on a local TV show in one or 2 months to deliver some nutritional tips. Anyway, he is very casual in his approach to business and he told me that he will closed for a week or two because and this surprised me since it had only been operational for a month. His reason was that it was time to return to Vietnam with his "staff" to visit and to shop for some authentic herbs and what not. He should be open again by now so time for me to check out that noodle soup again. I wonder if I should try one of those red chairs out?
TOURIST OF THE MONTH
This month I am happy to introduce Dieter Rodenberg along with his fiancé Vanessa. I was tempted to wait until Feb so I can make it a Valentine's pick since they are so much in love with each other. Dieter is from Las Vegas, NV and met Vanessa in Baguio while attending a Fil-AM Golf Tournament and he claims it was love at first sight. Yep, I guess that stuff still happens, let me pause while I wipe a happy tear away from my one good eye ---- pause ---- ok, I'm alright now. Anyway, Dieter is a part time golfer with a "12" handicap and is an audio engineer with local 720 (IATSE) in Vegas. This is the first marriage for 42 year old Dieter and Vanessa will be joining him in Vegas on 11 Sep via a fiancé visa. From the day of her arrival they have three months to to complete their "I do's" and live happily ever after. Damn, I'm all choked up! I feel like I should fly in for the wedding. Now I will be waiting for their return trip to the Philippines after they have produced two or three kids and I can feature them in this column again. For sure, after 42 years of single life Dieter is ready and raring to go. I forgot to ask how old Vanessa is so will let that slide. I bet all the folks from IATSE, local 720 will be at the wedding and reception. I'll be there in spirit Dieter and wishing you and Vanessa a long life of happiness together. Drop me a line after the deed is done and for sure, let me know when the first rugrat comes along.
COMING FROM KOREA
I was not going to use this picture of two happy travelers from Korea until my Oct column but, the picture is so good that I decided to go with it now. They found my stable for the first time on 30 Aug just as I am trying to finish up this month's edition. Fortunately they were visiting the VFW and noticed my sign and decided to stop in. I had just returned from shopping at the SM Mall so the timing was good. Karl (L) works in Seoul and James hangs his hat in Taegu, 4 hours away by car. They both have interesting jobs. Karl is with a contractor responsible for the Korean Battle Simulation Center and James is also on contract as a Life Support Coordinator Karl can only get to Angeles City twice a year but James tries to get here every time there is a four day weekend. Both lads are single and you better believe that they look forward to their trips to Angeles City. James reminds me of one of my favorite actors of long ago and that is Woody Stroud. Karl spends a lot of his spare time in Korea in the gym and James is active in Karate but does not compete anymore, now-a-days he teaches self defense. Karl stays at the Wild Orchid hotel and James rented one of the Bourbon St. Condo's that is managed by the Wild Orchid. That is one of the advantages of purchasing a condo unit as when the owner is not in town the Wild Orchid will manage it for you and rent it out to folks like James. I believe he said the rent is around P5,000 a day and he loves it. The picture above was taken in my stable with a few of my waitresses that were thrilled to death to pose with these two great guys. I loved meeting them as they were very personable, had great sense of humor and were able to give me a few insights on life in Korea that convinced me life is so much more enjoyable here in Angeles City. They told me that many folks read this column every month in Korea so to those readers I bid you all a very good day and appreciate your readership. Karl and Jim, I look forward to seeing you again.
THE COLD DROP
There are many reasons to make that trip to the Friendship area to drop in at the Cold Drop and they are all good. First and foremost is the fact that the suave Des is on board as the manager after spending so much time managing various clubs on Fields Ave and Perimeter Road. He is one of the most sought after managers in town and it ain't because of his looks or athletic build. Nope, it is because he is well liked, knows what he is doing and is just one of the good guys in town. Another reason is to see the only shuffle board in town and have a game or two. By golly, people were lined up outside just to see this creative wonder. You have to get reservations just to get a game or two. Dennis is thinking of getting three more installed just to handle the crowds. OK, I am kind of bull shitting here but the Cold Drop is unique in that it is the only bar in town big enough to have such a sporting game on hand. Other reasons to visit is the lovely ladies on board to greet you, the large rooms that can be rented daily, weekly, monthly or longer. How about the food and the very popular Sunday buffet? Ah hell, just go there and greet Dennis, he is anxious to toss those round things along that long table with someone.
THE HANA-MI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
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This restaurant is located along Perimeter Road going towards the Friendship area. It is close to the EZ-Rider Club, you can't miss it. Yeah, I know you heard that one before, just remember when the road widens, start looking for it. I am mentioning this because they did renovate the place and I have been told that they have some great Japanese food there. You might ask what about my opinion, what did I think of the food? To be quite honest I don't like Japanese food or at least all that raw stuff so I have not eaten there myself. I did check out the menu and found the prices reasonable and I noticed that there were some items that I would like to check out, dishes with chicken, beef and noodles so I promise I will dine there soon. But, it would not be fair of me to ignore a place a reader of this column might be interested in simply because of my personal tastes. So, when a number of people tell me that this is a fine Japanese restaurant then I am more than willing to pass that on to you guys. I am sure there are a lot of folks reading this that like Japanese cuisine so check out the Hana-Mi and if you have time, drop me a line as to what you think of the place. See, I try to be "fair and balanced" - (smile).
BIKE SHOW
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I led off this month's column with a word about a fine charity raising event put on by three Clubs on Perimeter Road. It was well attended despite it being a rainy day and not only did the various bikes look good but the ladies from Wee George's, Roadies, and Lost in Asia were in fine form as well. Ken Burke had the best customized bike that took one year to build and cost P500,000. The work was done by Mendiola Motors. The Best Harley award went to Larry Johansen and the best non-Harley went to Jack Dietz. Now I had something in my notes about fast Eddy and something about the best little bike, then I had "lady" and then the name Stephanie Kusturin. Now, when I am writing this up nearly a month later I can't remember what the heck I was writing about. Wait, I just looked at the picture and Stephanie is holding up a trophy for "best little lady bike" so my notes were not far off. It was a neat little bike and for sure, it was not one for Fast Eddy to ride. Bottom line, these three clubs joined together to sponsor a very worthwhile project and it was successful. I hope the next one will be even bigger. Picture time!
Ok guys and gals, it is time for me to get out of here. I hope that little RJ enjoys seeing his picture here and I was told that his Dad reads the entire column to him each month. I am pleased to see that the Presidential election in the States has finally become quite interesting. Old McCain pulled a rabbit out of his hat and I am anxious to find out more about this VP lady and for sure, I will be watching the debate between her and Biden. Thank goodness that Hillary is out of the limelight. I was impressed with Obama's speech delivery, maybe not as much substance as I would have liked. Anyway, I still have to send in my absentee ballot so I better get my ass in gear. I don't want to miss out on the action. Last month was interesting and I hope that this month will be filled with wine, women and song and less problems. The two big parties last month were the changeover rituals for Roy's Pub and the Road House. Both events were well attended and it will be strange not to see Mark and Clive at the head of their respective clubs. There is a lot of talk about "change" in the US electoral speeches and here in AC we are going through some changes that are hard to accept but though some changes are hard to accept folks learn to adapt and life goes on. We will miss Mark Smith but Derek will do a fine job and Clive is not going anywhere, he is staying on as the old geezer sitting at the bar making sure that the Roy's Pub tradition stays on course. Whatever happens, remember folks, be kind to horses!
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