Here are some pictures we took at the Clearance Sale I posted about earlier. Will you take a walk down memory lane with me? 
Let me know if any of these toys are familiar to you.
Old Toys, Big Memories: The Pictures
Leave a reply
Monthly Archives: April 2007
Old Toys, Big Memories
Remember Nova Fontana? It was a specialty store from way back that sold toys, books and other stuff. I remember scouring their stores for Dragonlance books, graphic novels, and other hard-to-find Dragonlance stuff. My husband remembers getting excited just walking into Nova Fontana. He used to buy Centurions toys, G.I. Joes, Dino Riders, Transformers; toys that were really popular in the ’80s.
Nova Fontana no longer exists. I remember being disheartened when I saw it close down at the old SM Carpark and at Shoppesville Greenhills. Last weekend though, my husband and I came upon two stores in Shoppesville that had so many old toys and old books. We went absolutely ga-ga. Old RPGs, Dragonlance, the toys he got when he was a kid, an old family computer, old Lisa Frank stuff, old toy planes… what a treasure trove! As it turns out, all the stock there were from Nova Fontana! We learned that the owner of Nova Fontana still had all these old toys and books, and had decided to hold a clearance sale.
Some of you may be interested. The sale started a few weeks ago and will continue to go on till all the stuff is gone. The prices are relatively low, the stuff relatively old but still in good condition. This will probably be a haven for collectors. The place is a bit cramped and dusty though so get ready to sweat and sneeze.
So far I’ve scored an old Dragonlance Atlas (for only P99), a 1985 Dragonlance calendar (for only P50), a Marvel Superheroes RPG kit (P99), and my husband got old GI Joe figures, Dino Riders, and an X19 Phantom Stealth Fighter Jet at good prices. There are a lot more things — old paint-by-number kits (I’m not sure about the paint’s quality though!), an old wooden dollhouse, lots of toy planes and jets, old figures and dolls whose names I don’t remember, board games (I saw a Dungeons and Dragons cartoon one for only P50), lots of old fantasy books and RPG, old posters…
It’d be best if you see it for yourself. Be prepared to say the following lines: “Oh my gosh!”, “Hey do you remember this…?”, “I had one like this before!” or “Uuuuuuuuuy!” (said in the tone of one hitting gold unexpectedly). One store is right behind Tropical Hut in Shoppesville, the other store at the area of the old Aristocrat, also of Shoppesville. There are no store signs, just a piece or two of bond paper with the words “Clearance Sale” taped to the glass windows. I’ll be there this weekend, and my husband definitely will be. We’ll probably be there next weekend again, if there are still supplies. Let’s see. And let’s see if we see each other there. 
Link:
Read Nostalgia Manila’s memories of Nova Fontana. Thanks for helping me spread the word, NM!
Three Words Make A Big Difference
At the end of each day, I take out my calendar and write down three big things that happened during that day of mine. I do this for several reasons:
1) It’s like a condensed diary. It’s great to take note of these big things (whether good or bad) without having to spend time writing about them in detail.
2) When I flip to older entries, it’s a wonderful way to reminisce. It helps build my memory too as I’m a bit forced to conjure images and feelings from that day. This is an exercise I do for myself as my memory is terrible. I think Dory and I were related in a past life.
3) Even if a day is utterly boring, it makes me believe that there were at least 3 big things that happened that day.
Three words is all it takes me to relive a day. Here are some samples from my calendar I’d like to share:
April 13. The three words captured this wonderful Friday the 13th for me. It was Songkran in Thailand and I was able to see the locals squirting water guns and throwing buckets of water at each other. How I regretted it was my last day in Bangkok! I was there for a conference but had to leave on Songkran. Sayang! But that was okay as I was eager to go home. When H picked me up from the airport, we proceeded directly to Duty Free. Our Duty Free is in dire need to be renovated, by the way.
February 6. I got over my fear of the dentist and went for a check-up. I remember being turned off by the owner because she kept selling me things while I was getting my teeth cleaned! I will never go back to that clinic again. After my check-up, I went to Color Me Mine for the first time and painted a candle holder. It was one of the most relaxing afternoons I had in a long time. I met up with H there and he totally took control of the candle holder I was painting. I kept telling him to get his own thing to paint but he insisted on retouching mine. Hmph. We then had dinner at Tiendesita’s. Dessert, per our tradition, were yummy pear cubes on toothpicks and pomelo slices.
How do you like your eggs?
Lasang Pinoy is back! For the 17th round, the secret ingredient is: EGGS. The announcement at afbeercan’s blog goes:
The LASANG PINOY 17: EGG’S A DEAL! event is open to everyone who has either a traditional, original, contemporary egg recipe or article to share hinged on Philippine history and culture.
You can submit your entries by:
1. Sending it to afbeercan@gmail.com or lasang.pinoy@gmail.com with your name, email address, your blog’s name and the permalink of your entry.
2. Posting your entry in the comment section of this post with the same specifications found in No. 1. Label it as Lasang Pinoy 17 Entry for quick identification.
Please submit your entries on or before May 6, 2007 which incidentally is International No- Diet Day. Now, that is symbolic isn’t it?
For those who don’t have a blog but want to join, we are happy to share a space for your recipe(s) and/or article(s) . Just email your photos and entries with the corresponding specification located in No.1.
Entries will be rounded-up and published in Eat Matters.
Feel free to steal the Lasang Pinoy17 icon by clicking on it.
Egg-citing, right? Time to eggs-plore and eggs-periment with some recipes. Join the fun you guys!
5 Things on a Monday
Good morning! I’ve got some recipes and cleaning tips in mind, but am not up to writing them just yet. Please indulge me in my random thoughts for today.
At the end of this post, I’d like to read some of your random thoughts too. Write down the first thoughts that enter your mind for each of the following five themes. Be sure to write down your thoughts in the comments section before reading my take on them!
Currently Reading.
Distraction.
Make your own ice cream.
Where would you rather be right now?
Looking forward to reading what you have to share.
I think therefore I am
Thank you to Rachel for giving me a Thinking Blogger Award. I was touched by the lovely and encouraging words she has shared on her blog. What a lovely blessing this week.
Here are the rules of the Thinking Blogger Award: 1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think. 2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme. 3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.
Let me fulfill #1 of the tag. While a lot of blogs do make me think, these five are the ones that make me go “hmmmmmm” the most.
Sidetrip with Howie Severino – Howie Severino is a journalist associated with GMA Network. He says his blog’s mission “will attempt to find relevance in the exotic and the commonplace, value the undervalued, and satisfy my personal curiosity about all things that have anything to do with being Filipino.” He does so in a very engaging way.
gapingvoid — Hugh MacLeod is a marketing strategist and a guy who draws cartoons “on the back of business cards.” I especially like his thoughts on advertising and the Web 2.0. And his drawings are simply brilliant and make you want to see more, more, more.
Adopt a Microbe — Emma Laurie makes bacteria, virus and parasites seem snuggly. When you see how she’s transformed them into cute characters with notes spoken from the first person, you’ll see how that’s possible.
Reading Matters — kimbofo is a bibliophile, which makes her site a gold mine for bookworms. I was intrigued by the book The Amateur Marriage because of her great review; that Anne Tyler book has become one of my favorites. I scour her blog for her many wonderful book reviews and any literature-related tidbits.
From East to West — Originally written by one guy from the East and one guy from the West, this blog is now maintained mostly by West. I’ve always known West was a talented writer (we go way back), but it was through this blog that I discovered his passionate and insightful way of writing. He writes mostly about his gay experiences in his part of the world and does so in a very intimate way that makes you feel you’re right there in his apartment, waxing poetic about life and its intricacies.
Show these five blogs some link love and discover why they make me go, “Hmmm….” and maybe you’ll be “Hmmm…ing” along with me soon.
Happy weekend beautiful ones!
Late Starter
We’ve all had those times in our lives when we we felt left behind, left out, perhaps unwanted. I stumbled upon this poem while bloghopping and connected with it quite deeply. Past experiences of being picked second, not being picked at all, futile attempts, crushed dreams, and unmanaged expectations came back to me. As heartbreaking and disappointing they were, I find myself still strong and standing. I’m still here. And so are you. There is always hope. I’d like to share this insightful poem with you. Beautiful words from a brilliant poet.
Late Starter
Charles Bukowskiby the time I got good with things
other people were into
something else.
from the worst baseball player
I became the best,
unbelievably swift in the field,
tremendous power at the
plate
but by then the others were into
schooling, books, getting ready
for the future.
from a sissy i developed into
one of the best fighters
around
but by then
there was nobody left to fight.
the girls took me even longer.
by the time I became an expert lover
all of my compatriots were
either married
or disillusioned by the
chase.
all that was left for me were
the leftovers, the uglies,
the divorced, the mad, the
ladies of the
streets.I always became the best
at things when those things
no longer counted:
football, high-speed driving,
drinking, gambling, clowning,
debating, bullshitting, going
to jail, going crazy, lifting
weights, shadow boxing with
fate.but I was alone.
Yummy!
Upon getting the March and April issues, I immediately tore open the plastic wrapping and devoured the articles. The food photography was excellent. Can you say food porn? The articles were very interesting and well-written. The recipes were friendly and encouraging. That the recipes are simple enough to follow but still not typical are highly important to me. Ingredients are not hard to find. Perfect for amateurs.
What I love most about Yummy is its encouraging simplicity. The mood and tone of the mag is very friendly and informal, unlike other food mags I’ve come across. When I read those other food mags, I feel like I need to have had professional culinary background. The recipes get quite complicated, and even their food presentation looks like something out of a highly classy restaurant. Quite intimidating. I’m no chef, folks! I’m just a regular lady trying to put a meal together in my cramped kitchen!
I haven’t quite gotten comfortable in the kitchen just yet, but Yummy definitely has me excited to get my cooking groove back. I have only one suggestion to the folks at Yummy: Tear-out recipe cards. This is a magazine I’d want to carry all the time. Who knows when you’d get an impulse to try their recipes? I’d definitely tuck those tear-out cards in my purse.
See a sampler of the magazine on their site, and check out some of their recipes online.
~*~
Note (as of 4/17/07): I inquired about overseas subscriptions for Yummy. If you live outside the Philippines and are interested in availing of this food mag, subscriptions can be arranged. Leave a comment if you’re interested so I can share the contact details of their publisher with you.
Four Reasons Why I Like Back Issues
One of my favorite weekend activities is going to Booksale and going through their magazine displays. I enjoy perusing back issues of O, Glamour, Lucky, Shape, but usually end up purchasing “homey” magazines like Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping and Family Circle. Why back issues? Here are 4 reasons why I like them.
1. Back issues are priced cheaper! Because they’re usually a couple of years old, they are quite low-priced. Each of the magazines pictured above costs only P15.00 (a little more than $0.30) and they date back only to one year. Some magazines go for P30 and P60, and that’s still not bad.
2. Recipes never go out of style. I buy the above magazines for their recipes, housekeeping tips and other homey advice. They’re classic and relevant, and even if they’re a year behind, there’s no problem. A basic recipe for Chicken Curry today is the same as Chicken Curry a couple of years ago. Granted, some ingredients may change, e.g. healthier substitutes, other ways to cook the dish, but the essence of Chicken Curry is the same across the years. You know what I mean? It’s the same for cleaning tips. NOW, if you’re a fashion magazine reader, I’m not sure if back issues will be relevant to you. But who knows, right? You might spot a trend that’s on its way back.
Cherries and other sweet treats
Tikoy with Sakura Cherry Sauce. Have I got your attention yet? Good. This is my favorite treat at the Dimsum & Dumplings Tea Bar. Tikoy is a Chinese delicacy made from glutinous rice flour. This tikoy was made extra-special with sweet cherries, a generous drizzle of cherry sauce, and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Divine! I’ve ordered this dish four times, but have only eaten it twice. The other two times the dish was out of stock. I guess that means this dish has a huge following.
This treat was what drew me to the Dimsum & Dumplings Tea Bar at the Greenhills V-Mall. But upon going back several times, I discovered they also served pretty delicious meals. Have you ever tried French Toast cooked the Shanghai way?
How to straighten up a room in an hour
Use an alarm clock or a timer. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish in just one hour. I’ve read this tip in magazines a lot but just recently put it to the test. As much as I wanted to enjoy a hiatus from chores during the past week’s vacation, I still had to unpack a lot of boxes from our move and declutter our living room. So I got my cell phone, set the timer for one hour and got to work.
Flying Into Positivity
Happy Easter everyone! Easter is all about new beginnings. Are you getting rid of any habits that are dragging you down? Or perhaps you’re choosing to create new ones that will do you some good? Good luck! One thing that I’d like to lessen is my being a worrywart. I tend to obsess over the littlest details to the point that the party pooper label’s nearing my forehead. It’s not easy to be spontaneous, but I’ll try harder. Here’s a toast to new beginnings!
I love the optimism that new beginnings bring. Venturing into this newness can sometimes be daunting though; self-doubt can pull you down, or others’ words can be quite discouraging. Here’s a line that I hope can help you deal with all these bad vibes. When I feel a not-so-nice situation coming my way, e.g. reading negative things, turning molehills into mountains, feeling my anger rise, I take a deep breath and repeat the following line to myself over and over:
“No to negativity.”
It’s a good mantra to have. I always feel calmer afterwards. My friends and I also remind one another about the mantra when one of us gets too wired up. Perhaps it can help you too. You can also try other mantras that can put you in a more positive frame of mind. How about “Chocolates… chocolates… chocolates…” or “White sand. Blue waves. White sand. Blue waves.” Or maybe cute little bunnies? What puts you in a good mood? What makes you feel better quickly?
Wifely Steps at the Philippine Blog Awards
I still can’t believe it! Wifely Steps won last night at the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards under the Home and Living category. Wow! Two words capture this whole experience: disbelief and gratefulness. Now that I’ve expressed my disbelief, let me express my thanksgiving now. Thanks to the judges who believed Wifely Steps deserved to win the Home and Living blog award. Thanks to the Blogging Berks for their constant encouragement and friendship. Thanks to YOU GUYS, my Wifely Steps community, for being such a wonderful source of inspiration, for being so warm and supportive. Thanks to the Ganns for nominating my blog. And of course, thanks to H for without him, this blog would not have existed in the first place.
Was that a good acceptance speech? 
The winners didn’t give any speeches, but that’s what I would have said anyway. Eek! I’m still giddy. It was a really great evening. More pictures and stories after the jump.
Not Quite Easter with Krispy Kreme
When my sisters and I were kids, my Mom would prepare an Easter Egg Hunt for us. There would be three sets of searches (one for each of us girls). The hunt would start off with Mama giving each of us our own clues. Each clue would lead us to a location where a bright-colored egg is hidden, which would also have another clue that would lead to more colored eggs and more clues. The end of the hunt would culminate in only one corner of the house, and so my sisters and I would try our fastest to go through our own searches to get to that corner first! Ah, fun fun times. Because of that wonderful childhood experience, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Easter eggs.
When I saw Krispy Kreme’s EDSA billboard announcing its egg-shaped doughnuts, I was ecstatic! I love Krispy Kreme. I love Easter Eggs. I couldn’t wait to get to the nearest branch. And so when I was gifted with two boxes of these Easter Krispy Kremes, oh boy, I just couldn’t wait till snack time to give them a try!
Okay, here’s the hard truth. I was expecting Easter Egg doughnuts. Translated: Doughnuts shaped like eggs. Doughnuts with frosting in pastel colors like green, pink and yellow. Doughnuts that had the typical Easter Egg designs like bunnies, flowers and zigzags. Wouldn’t you be expecting the same thing? Here’s what they looked like.
