4:14p

another b-day gift
spent the first half of today with my boyfriend.
we had lunch together at Palapas near his work.
'had some Yummmy chicken tortilla soup and cantaloupe juice.
afterwards, as he was fighting sleep, we walked around the corner
and he bought us some Mrs Field's cookies - 12 nibblers
(half milk chocolate chip/half white chocolate chips with macadamia nuts).
I was already full by this time, so I could only eat 2. what a shame!
I told him to take it to work. He needed the sugar high more than i did.
Poor baby...he still hasn't caught up on sleep from our Vegas weekend.

I walked him to his office and went on my way....

to Bay Street in Emeryville
It's a brand new shopping complex next door to Ikea.
It's outdoor...very quaint. I like.
Unfortunately, I can't afford to shop in 75% of the stores there.
It's funny cause neither can most of the Emeryville/Oakland/Berkeley population.
One thing's for sure....I will not be there to shop on the weekends.
It's bad enough that there's all kinds of traffic from Ikea.
I can only imagine how bad it will be with this new mall next door.

Pilipino-themed Hotel Casino in Las Vegas
so the cab-ride conversation from Venetian back to our Hotel, MGM,
went something like this...

person 1: hey, what's that new casino they're building over there?
person 2: I dunno.
person 3: Hey, you know what they should build? A hotel casino with a pinoy theme!!
ALL: hahahahahaha!!!!! yeah, and they should have....
(people are throwing these ideas left and right)

* plastic covers over all the furniture
* all the dealers speaking with a Pilipio accent
* plastic runners placed in all the hallways!
* a polluted river running in the middle of the casino
* a replica of "smoky mountain"
* suggested name - Hotel Boracay
* 24 hour Silog buffet
* all the utensils, straws and condiments would be from other casinos or fast-food places
* climate in/around hotel would be hot and sticky but everyone would still walk around in long sleeves/pants and with umbrellas.
* A 24 hour buffet that lets guests take some food home - we could even provide the used tupperware and tin foil
* At the buffet, you would take off your shoes while the polluted river runs under your feet. You would eat on banana leaves with your hands. You would have packets of Mafran Banana Sauce.
* A last supper in every restaurant, over every table...don't foget the ubiquitous big spoon and fork
* jeepneys as hotel shuttles
* valet deliveries would be via electric tricycles
* as a bonus to guests, we would offer calesa and carabou rides (similar to the gondola rides at the venetian).
* halo-halo, fishball, taho and balut stands throughout.
* bars that serve drinks made with tanduay rum
* the staff would be dressed white t-shirts, bandanas and khaki flood pants...for evening/formal attire, they would wear barongs.
* we could have a luau-style celebration every night with a huge lechon (OH MY GOD!) cooking over a fire. they could serve food using gigantic forks and spoons.
* people could take pictures next to life-size statues of man-and-woman-in-barrels. (schwing!!!)
* tinikling demonstrations every hour on the hour.
* guests sleep under mosquito nets.
* all the drink servers will be pinay, wearing flare jeans, page-boy haircuts and knock-off shirts from tommy hilfiger, oh and bakya for shoes
* casino floor complimentary drinks served in clear plastic bags ... with straws
* there's got to be a piano somewhere
* pit bosses named "tito boy"
* slot machines where you match weapons of the moroland
* card games but no tables ... everyone must "squat"


(there's more, but I can't remember them. will add more as soon as I refresh my memory)
feel free to add your ideas, though