My Refrigerator Door

I've been friends with Jonathan Lim for a little more than 37 years now, he was my classmate in high school. Jonathan was the kind of student who wasn't bookish but extraordinarily smart. He lost his father sometime before we graduated, and he started working right after high school at the Pines Hotel Casino in Baguio to support his family. After his stint at the casino, he qualified to enter the US Navy, and there he saw much of the world, giving security to his family at the same time. Now retired and taking his masters, he visits every year or so, and every time, we set aside time to catch up and reminisce. For his visit this year, I planned a nostalgic tour of Manila. I wanted to show him how beautifully curated our National Museum is today.  Joining our tour is a good friend of mine from a much younger generation, Kimi Lu . Kimi is a life coach and a plus size model, a bundle of protons. A visit to the National Museum is free of charge on Sundays and you'll s...

Name it, they have it. The fanciest chandeliers, the most exotic food, fresh fruits,  haw  flakes, herbal medicines, fine jewellery, and lucky charms, you can all find them in Binondo, Manila's Chinatown. In the heart of Binondo is Ongpin Street, stretching from the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz to Carriedo Street in Quiapo, where they have some of the best Chinese restaurants in the city. I occasionally go when I'm craving for Chinese food but this time, I went because I wanted to see the Chinese doctor recommended by  Lulu Tan-Gan . The doctor would hold your pulse and from there he'll identify your illnesses. My dear friend from college,  Gwen Tangcueco  accompanied me, she's always happy to volunteer as my tourist guide and interpreter. We got a queue number from the doctor and calculated it will be an hour wait more or less, so we decided to take a little tour of Ongpin. I hoarded ube hopia from Eng Bee Tin  and tried their ube pao and some...