The DJ who's not a DeeJay

Circular ceiling lights with different colors. Could pass for the inside of a lava lamp.

I think the barrier is the sign.

A microphone up close

scrupmtuous bowl of chirashidon

The simplest of tasks was to go to the appliance stores and scout out the TV section. Then look at all the brands and prices and choose from there. Simple right ? Wrong !

First of all, there are a myriad of brands now of televisions. What used to be only a predominantly "Sony" market is now filled with equally good brands like JVC, LG, Samsung, Phillips, Pioneer, Toshiba, Sanyo, Sharp and the less popular ones and never-heard (by me) brands like Devant, Konka, Rainbow, Sansui, Chongwang, Pensonic and the list goes on and on.

All I knew was that my parents wanted a flat screen TV and they depended on me to give a recommendation based on features and price. As I carefully looked and read each TV specifications, the respective salesmen also gave their sales pitch on features and why their brand is the best. This is where the hard part began.

Suddenly, I was blasted with terms like Trumotion, Bravia Engine, Series 4-7, T, V & W Series, HDMI, 1080HD, 720p, pixel ratios, megapixel rates and many many more terminologies that I had the salesmen explain cause I was at a lost.

To make matters worse, each brand have their own terminologies and models making it difficult to just compare and contrast each TV with the other brands. Heck, I even had a hard time comparing different models of the same brand !

So when I was asked by my parents which was the best TV, I couldn't give a direct answer. I said it simply wasn't that easy. It really depended on which factor. Like if it was in terms of parts, I'd choose Sony or Samsung. If it was in terms of price, I'd choose Samsung or LG. If it was in terms of top of the line features, I'd choose Sony or Philips. If it was in terms of sound clarity, I'd choose Sony or Pioneer. If it was in terms of energy efficiency, I'd choose LG. And the if's would go on and on.

In the end (around 2 hours of deliberating), we finally agreed to get the LG 32" flat LCD for its picture quality and discounted price. And our choice didn't disappoint.

What was disappointing though was that finally after choosing the TV we wanted to buy, this salesman representing another brand, kept on badmouthing the particular brand and model we got. It was like a desperate move on him for us to change our minds and buy his brand instead. I hope that despite the competitiveness of salesmen to sell and push their brands that they don't resort to sabotaging their colleagues' brand just to make a sale. After all, it's the customer who's right and it's our right to choose whatever appliance we want.

I'm always on the lookout for new websites and new things to do on the web. It's kinda hard sometimes to discover a new website simply because it stays unhidden. But thanks to websites like www.AyosDito.ph, the catchy site's name makes it interesting to learn exactly why it is "ayos dito".

AyosDito.ph is the newest Pinoy buy and sell website. Post anything you need to sell and while you're there, check out anything you might see worth buying. The searching process makes it easier since their ads are categorized by region. So there's no need to go through the painstaking process of finding a car you like and wanna buy only to find out that the car and it's owner is in Zamboanga.

Being a musical enthusiast, I immediately checked for some musical instruments up for sale and found a long range of electric guitars of different brands and models including a lot of guitar accessories.

Looking for something not available in stores or in the market anymore ? Hunting down that collector's item CD you always wanted but couldn't find it for its rarity ? Or simply looking for a great deal you can avail on. Check out www.AyosDito.ph. They have new items every day.

Caution: May be addicting.

a. Beam of light communicating with human life form ?

I remember 2 years ago, while I was making the leap from dial-up to broadband, there was a waiting period for my DSL application.  And since I needed fast internet access immediately, I opted to buy the cheapest 3G enabled phone in the market.  Unfortunately, during that time, the cheapest handset from any brand capable of fast speeds cost a little close to P10,000.   But since I needed the connection,  I got it anyway.  

Since then, I've been checking out prices of 3G phones and if the market prices would lower.  Last year, LG released one for around P6,000.  But just recently, Red Mobile released the cheapest 3G phone in the market for only P3,290.

Along with their new handsets, Red Mobile is also rolling out very affordable usage rates.  They have the cheapest call rates for only P0.50 per minute for inter-network Red Mobile calls.  That's like a 10 minute call only for P5.00, even cheaper than a landline call on a pay phone.   What's even more spectacular is that their video calls are also priced at P0.50 per minute.  With those rates, you can make a video call and have someone virtually attend a birthday party any other momentous ocassion for a cheap price.

And with Red Mobile's various affordable new mobile handsets to choose from, your 3G experience will be complemented with your new mobile phone's experience.  Red Mobile recently released 4 new 3G capable phone models, Verzio Duplii, Nokia 3120 C, Red Mobile SPARK and Red Mobile FLAME.

Among the four, the Verzio Duplii seems to be a new brand not familiar with majority of the public.  Verzio is a Singapore-based manufacturer which introduced its new Duplii phone, the first dual-SIM handset.  The phone features a "simultaneous dual mode standby" and is able to handle two incoming calls from both SIM cards.   It also includes a 2 Megapixel camera, a 2.2" QVGA TFT screen, a microSD slot, and an integrated media player.

With all these new offerings from Red Mobile, using 3G is as cheap as sending text messages.  Experience 3G now with Red Mobile.

Piece of breaded banana on a small stick ready to fall onto a luscious chocolate mousse dip.

I have very fond memories of SM City North EDSA.  When it newly opened in 1985, our family visited the new mall and even back then, we were already fascinated at how big the mall was.  I was still a kid then and we loved going to the amusement center where we would play, win and collect tickets which I even have till this very day.  I remember catching glimpses of celebrities, both local and foreign, who would visit the mall to perform and hold autograph sessions at the SM Entertainment Plaza.  I was even able to catch a live episode of Family Kwarta o Kahon hosted by Pepe Pimentel when it used to tape there.  And snacking at the food court and rest was a must after all the excitement afterwards.

When I was in college, my classmates and I would go to SM City North EDSA to watch a movie during our breaktime.  I even remember that we watched two movies straight at the SM Cinemas when we learned that we had a 6 hour break in between classes for that day.  When I graduated from Ateneo, my very first job was a musical arranger and I had to collaborate with my co-arranger who lived in Valenzuela.   We would regularly meet over merienda at Wendy's at the SM Annex to talk about our next song.  And after a heavy brainstorming session, we'd relax by playing some rounds of bowling at the SM Bowling Center.  When I needed to buy computer parts, I'd go to Cyberzone which used to be located where the carpark is.  I bought my very first hi-tech mobile phone there too.  I guess in a way, I grew up with the City as it evolved during the years.

And now that SM City North EDSA introduces The Sky Garden, the newest addition to its ever-growing city, I couldn't let the opportunity slip to learn and experience this new addition.  After all, it's because of this newest addition that SM City North EDSA is now the largest mall in the Philippines.

The entire Sky Garden is an elevated structure connecting SM's The Block, the City Center and The Annex as well as the overpasses crossing EDSA and North Ave.  Living up to its name, the Sky Garden is beautifully landscaped with trimmed grass, green tress and groomed bushes. I later learned that the Roof Garden has fifty five botanical species which grow on lightweight garden soil.  I couldn't help but notice that simply strolling around the Sky Garden leaves very few traces that you're actually beside a very busy highway.  It actually takes you away from the busy metropolis and gives you a feeling of serenity without having to go far away.

In addition to the tranquil green scenery, there are various ponds and fountains spaciously spreaded out at the Sky Garden.  There's the calm and soothing pond surrounding the soon-to-open Starbucks Coffee, multiple mini fountains parallel to the walkways, and the most spectacular waterfall leading from the Sky Garden to the ground level.   The waterfall is a 2-storey drop from the Sky Garden to another pond at the base near the bus terminal.  Who would've known that EDSA would gain such a scenic waterfall courtesy of the Sky Garden ?

Cafes, grills and eateries are conveniently positioned along the walkways.  You could snack, dine, or simply have a cup of coffee at the Sky Garden.  And even if the mall closes, you can hang out at the Sky Garden because they offer patrons extended hours.   

At the heart and center of the Sky Garden is the Sky Dome.  This is the newest venue for events which can accommodate more than a thousand people.  Half of the dome-shaped top is transparent.  You may even be able to see the moon and the stars on a bright night even from inside the Sky Dome.

The main artery of the Sky Garden are the well lit and covered walkways leading to different parts of the Garden as well as to and from the malls.   I was also impressed by the sound system for the entire Sky Garden as state-of-the-art Boss branded speakers are placed in each section of the covered walk's stretch.  Whether playing relaxing music or a making a public service announcement, everybody within the Sky Garden will surely hear it.

Another thing I noticed is that the entire Sky Garden is curved.  From the covered winding walkways, to posts and establishments within the Sky Garden including the Sky Dome, everything is curved.  It breaks out from our notion of malls being square or rectangular buildings  with stores in them.  most of the artistic structures also follow that fashion.  It's another reason for its uniqueness.

Take a stroll with your loved one.  Hang out with your friends.  Watch an event at the Dome.  Or simply admire the surroundings.  

Overall, the Sky Garden is one beautiful sight.  I'm thrilled with SM City North EDSA's newest addition.  A city never stops evolving and the Sky Garden is a perfect addition for people in a busy city.  After all, what would a city be without a garden ?

(My article to follow)

It sounded kinda like gay linggo.

The actual, unerased sign is this:

"Wag Takapakan Ang Luhuran"

(Don't step on the kneeling area)

some tropical fruits ready for the picking