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Halo-Halo, Mixed-Mixed! | Philstar.com
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Sunday Lifestyle

Halo-Halo, Mixed-Mixed!

LIVING ALIVE - LIVING ALIVE By Dero Pedero -
We have not had any halo-halo articles lately so here’s one for those who miss that zany, throw-in-anything, merry mix and potpourri format. First, let me start with an exciting piece of news, then I’ll let you peek into my e-mail inbox to give you an idea of the diverse mail I get.
* * *
Nostalgia Article Gets Enthusiastic Reactions!
I didn’t expect a lot of people from far and wide to react to my article "Do you remember Berg’s, Banlon and Coco Banana?" Here are some of the varied comments:

Letty V. Guiao, Quezon City:
Yes, Dero, those were the days, and reminiscing makes me happy...the Matorco rides we used to take on Dewey Boulevard... Bulakeña restaurant...The Aristocrat where my sister held her debut...the kropek tinderos...the golden sunsets of beautiful Manila Bay...yes. Those days were in fact so awesome and are beautiful to remember!

Alma S. Conty, Washington DC:
A lot of us do remember! This is why the UP Alumni Associations of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia try to go back in time and use themes like Cadena de Amor and Pasko Na (with native lanterns, to remember the Lantern Parade) in our fundraisers. UPAA Los Angeles celebrates Lantern Parade every year in Southern California. And other Washington DC-based Fil-Am groups use "’60s Philippines" in their fundraising themes. Our area has a Little Quiapo restaurant which still offers the best pancit palabok and halo-halo in town, complete with the plastic red-checkered tablecloth for LQ ambience.

Edna G. Ledesma, Manila:
Just read your column with the accompaniment of ’60s music! It was certainly good to hear the old names of the streets in the Malate-Ermita area, as well as the old haunts and the old movie theaters. I also remember the Matorco double-decker buses going around the Luneta area. We really enjoyed that, being probinsiyanas who have just arrived in the city. Of course, I remember the hayrides and the lantern parades during college in UP Diliman. And the ikot jeepneys which cost only five centavos!

Makes me feel good, just remembering!

Angie Espiritu, New York:
How nice to know that someone else remembers oh so fondly those wonderful places of our youth. Thanks for the memories that you rekindled in me. It made me stop for a while and smile.

Espie Ramirez-Christensen, Ann Arbor, Michigan:
I couldn’t resist thanking you for those reminiscences of old haunts – it’s amazing how just the mere mention of their names made me want to weep! So many of those places carry a fragrance of memories as we drift towards old age, or, more likely, hurry about our stressful routines. It is so gratifying to know that one has shared those places, spaces, times with so many others, and that we are all linked by them no matter where we now find ourselves.

Ruby Aruiza, Rockford, Illinois:
Your Sunday’s article hit a nerve in my spine. Are we really getting that old? Nonetheless, it sure is worth remembering the good times of yesteryears.

Danny Santos:
What a flood of memories your article in the Sunday STAR evoked. My life went on a flashback spin to those days when Butch Belgica lorded it over Black Angel Discotheque, Tito Sotto was with the Tilt Down Men and Danny Bocalan was with the Havocs. Banjo Laurel’s favorite song La Paloma would be immediately played by the Cruz Band in Bayside whenever he entered; Bingbong Crisologo with his bodyguards gate-crashed parties. These memories immediately flashed before my eyes as I read your article.

Reo Raymundo:
Mr. Pedero, it was not Rojas Super Cinerama but Roman Super Cinerama. (You are so right! – Dero)

Auggie Surtida:
It was a Mad, Mad, Mad World not Wild, Wild, Wild World. (Blame it on Sometimers, not Alzheimers! – Dero)

Albie Sia:
Please add the following to your nostalgia list: I remember these as a kid during the affluent ’70s: Good Earth Emporium, Big 20 Burgers, Toppers Tailoring, the Manila Royal Hotel and its revolving tower, Covelandia Resort in Cavite, Tropical Palace Resort, TV Times Magazine, "I found it" stickers, and Tropical Hut Foodmart.

Linda Nietes San Francisco, CA:
Thanks for the article. The father of a good friend, Evelyn Berg Empie, owned Berg’s until the late 1950s. I have sent her a copy of your article and the following are excerpts from her reply:

Evelyn Empie wrote:

Dear Linda,


I was so excited when I read that someone, after more than 50 years, remembers my dad’s store – Berg Escolta, or Berg’s. So many old timers come up to me, take my hand, and almost reverently say that they remember shopping at Berg’s. To me it was just "dad’s store." Thank you so much for sharing.


P.S. The man writing that article didn’t know that my grandfather was the one who renovated the Manila Hotel, and that the Winter Garden was his brainchild. – Evelyn
* * *
Why You Should Be Rich!
You have to be rich because:

• Love is grand; divorce is a hundred grand.

• There is always death and taxes, although death doesn’t get worse every year.

• Time may be a great healer, but it’s also a lousy beautician. – forwarded by Onie Mayo

• Money is not everything; there’s Mastercard & Visa.

• Success is a relative term; it brings so many relatives.

• There should be a better way to start a day than waking up every morning.

• Hard work never killed anybody. But why take the risk? – forwarded by Audrey L. Tan

• Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. – forwarded by Jesse Lao

• Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

• I don’t mind the "rat race," but I could do with a little more cheese. – forwarded by Ronnie Bernardo

• I’ve learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

• I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. – forwarded by Eunice Belen

• Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can spend it only once.

• Every once in a while it is good to ask yourself the question: If money weren’t a consideration, what would I like to be doing? – Os Perez

• Always put yourself in the other’s shoes. (If you feel that it hurts you, buy another pair. – Dero)

• I’ve learned that money doesn’t buy class. (Besides, you can’t eat class! – Dero)

• I’ve learned that love, not time, heals all wounds. (Money helps heal all wounds faster. – Dero)
* * *
Achieve Your Dreams; Make More Money!
Enhance your life with the author’s enlightening and empowering one-day seminars: "Make Your Impossible Dreams Come True!" on November 23 and "Money, Money! Secret Principles of Money & Prosperity" on November 30. Inquire about the early bird discount! For more information, e-mail Dero Seminar@yahoo.com or text/call 0920-4053233.
* * *
Dreams’ Seminar Goes To Cebu!
An impossible dream of mine is about to come true! My success seminar "Make Your Impossible Dreams Come True!" will be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on December 6, Friday, at 2 p.m. It is the first and only seminar of its kind that uses digital computer and television technology to reveal and explain the principles, formulas and techniques to success. It is a fun, multi-media seminar, not like the usual somber lecture types that we see around. So Cebu City, get ready to learn how to make your wildest dreams come true!

The seminar is sponsored by Cebu Pacific and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. Working hard behind the scenes are Waterfront’s F & B director Marco Protacio, executive VP for operations Rex Gatchalian, and public relations officer Pia Almendras, all under the dynamic leadership of Waterfront president Patrick Gregorio.

I cannot wait to see long-time friends Honey Jarque-Loop, the lady who conceived and continues to inspire the seminar (she wanted an event that is different, positive and empowering for Cebu!), Edu Jarque (last time we had a long chat was when he was still assigned in London), and all the gallant and gracious Cebuanos! Hope to see our friends Laraine Yu, Rex Yap and Dr. Henry Yu.

For more information, get in touch with the Waterfront Business Center. See you soon, Cebu City!

Congratulations to my dearest Nanay Nena
and Tatay Daniel Calimlim of San Fabian, Pangasinan on their 60th wedding anniversary. May you be blessed with many more!
* * *
I’d love to hear from you, dear readers! E-mail deeperdoor@yahoo.com (no attachments and chain letters, please!). Should you want to forward this article, be sure to mention the author Dero Pedero and acknowledge The Philippine STAR. The reprinting, recording or publishing of this article in any form including the Web requires copyright permission from the author.

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ALBIE SIA

ALMA S

ARTICLE

CENTER

DERO

DREAMS COME TRUE

LANTERN PARADE

MONEY

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