5 Things We Love About Spanglish Restaurant in Clark, Pampanga

September 8 is Mama Mary’s birthday. It is also the date when we had our marriage vows in a civil wedding ceremony at Imus Regional Trial Court in Cavite, 17 years ago.

Yes, we just celebrated our 17th year of wedded bliss.

September 8 is not a coincidence…it was our choice to be married on that day. And though it is our official wedding date, but we always celebrate it simply. For years, it was always dinner at home, painstakingly prepared with love by our “home-cooked chef”.

But yesterday, Jonjie suggested we dine-out for a change. Come to think of it, maybe he just wanted to relax and not be stressed with all the task of cooking…but it’s just a thought. For I know he enjoyed cooking and for him, it was not a task. And the kitchen is one of his happy places.

Dine-out, it would be. We think of possible restaurants near and inside Clark, Pampanga. But there is one restaurant which stood out among the rest…

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7 Things To Do at Prado Farms in Lubao, Pampanga

The place was once a sprawling sugarcane plantation owned by three of the prominent families of Pampanga. It has its own airfield and back then having one was of course synonymous to vast financial capacity.

In the 1960’s, it was acquired by the husband and wife, Victor Gutierrez and Amanda Ocampo. In 1970s, They converted the frontage of the property into an LPG refilling station.

The LPG refilling station is long gone. What remain is the gate made of “LPG tanks” which is just the tip of what lies inside Prado Farms.

Inside are collections of junks turned into colorful and beautiful pieces of artsy junks. At Prado Farms, nothing go to waste...everything was transformed into something else.

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Prado Farms, A Gem of a Farm in Lubao, Pampanga

Through the years, much had been written about Prado Farms but the one thing that’s common is the gate made-up of “old LPG tanks”. And if my memory served me right, it was even featured in one of the episode of Korina Sanchez’s Rated K.

Prado Farms is located in Brgy Prado Siongco, Lubao Pampanga, less than an hour travel from Manila. It was just a few kilometers from Mabalacat City where we are currently residing.

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Wakeboarding at Deca Clark, Pampanga

Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques.

Deca Wakeboard Park is part of the Deca Clark Resort Residences located in Margot, Angeles City. Its close proximity to Clark Freeport Zone ensures access to other amenities that the area can offer such as parks, restaurants, hotels.

Deca Wakeboard Park is a man-made lake which is surrounded by a series of masts that hold an overhead cable. The overhead cable rotates in a counterclockwise motion around the lake. Along the cable there is a number of carriers. Riders are pulled around the lake by the ropes attached to these carriers.

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10 Things To Do in Clark and Angeles City in 4 Hours

Yesterday, Jonjie had a visitor from Malolos, Bulacan...Ms. Icecycles Florentino. She was one of the members of Mapua Dabarkads. She took a UV Express Van from Malolos and Jonjie picked her up at Dau Bus Terminal. She arrived at around 10:30 am.

At 12:00 pm, we had our lunch courtesy of Jonjie and Ate Bev in our humble abode: Baby Back Ribs, Baked Stuffed Green Bell Peppers, Potato Salad with Raisin Bread and Fruit Salad in Light Syrup for Dessert.

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Haduan Falls, A Hidden Paradise in Mabalacat, Pampanga

The first time I heard about it was way back in 2008, when my previous company conducted a community service in one of the barangays in Mabalacat. After the event, some of the members trekked to the falls and the following day shared interesting anecdotes of the trip…of rocky roads…and of chilly waters.

This hanging bridge is 120 meters long and 1.2 meters wide. It links the Aeta community to Clark Freeport and the rest of Pampanga and Tarlac which is the only way used by the tribesmen to transport their commerce outside their community. For the complete info,please click http://balita.ph/2014/04/02/haduan-falls-in-pampanga-now-accessible-to-tourists/

Summer of this year, we are thinking of a one-day trip around Clark…and then “the falls” suddenly pop in my mind. I asked around for somebody who knew about it but only got a vague information that its entrance is in Gate 14 of the Clark perimeter fence. After work, Jonjie and I cruised along the perimeter fence but we could not see any opening except for the entrance to the quarry and to a Korean golf club…and the obvious choice, the quarry entrance. Jonjie was referred to Kuya Nognog, a worker in the quarry and a relative of one of the elders of the Aeta Community.

We set the date for the trip which was May 3, Saturday. A day before the trip, some of my officemates decided to join us and we agreed on a “KKB, kanya kanyang bayad, kanya kanyang baon”, which means “pay for one’s way, bring your own food”

This was taken 6:58 am before the start of our trek. We were 12 + Jonjie (taking this photo) + the 3 guides.

The day arrived. Kuya Nognog with two others waited for our group near the quarry entrance and lead us to Gate 14. We started the trek...and...let the pictures describe the sights along the way to the hidden paradise…

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Shrine of the Miraculous Apung Mamacalulu, Angeles City, Pampanga

We have been living in Pampanga since 2004, 2 years in Angeles City and almost 8 years in Mabalacat City…two neighboring cities. Ever since, I knew that Friday is “Apu Day” in Angeles City because of the bargain shopping and the best time to go is early morning. But I never realized how significant Friday is until we visited the Apung Mamacalulu Shrine last Monday.

July 28, 2014, Monday, I was on holiday from work due to swapping implemented by our company…the declared holiday is July 29 as Eid’l Fitr (end of Ramadan). We had a lazy morning at home after Ate Bev and Daniz left for school and at noon we left for Angeles City. We had our lunch at Downtown Café and then proceeded to the nearby Holy Rosary Parish Church but it was closed. Before we left, Jonjie ask the church personnel where to find Apung Mamacalulu Shrine. 

Through the direction given to us and by the visible signs along the route, we reached the area with a few wrong turns and asking where is the right way to the shrine, twice. When we arrived, the church was closed but we were told by one of the staff that the side entrance to the right is open.  When we entered, it was just the two of us…

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Extreme Outdoor Adventure: Sandbox at Alviera, Porac Pampanga

Sandbox is a new outdoor adventure park developed by Ayala Land, Inc. located at Alviera, Porac, Pampanga. Sandbox is defined as “a ground partly filled with sand for children to play in”, but in this case, it is a huge playground, with lahar, for children not below 4 feet and those "children at heart" with thirst for extremely intense outdoor activities. The attractions includes: a 10-meter tall Giant Swing (the tallest in the country), a 30-minute course Aerial Walk, a 5-storey Adventure Tower for Wall Climbing and Rappelling, jump-off for the Free Fall and jump-off for the 180-meter long Avatar One Roller Coaster Zip Line (the first in the country).

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