Sam stays in a rented condo five days a week. No one cooks for her, no one wakes her up in the morning, no one picks up her dirty clothes… And she’s doing fine. We talk on the phone everyday, we exchange long chatty text messages, we talk about school… Still, it hasn’t been easy for me, this college thing, this living away from us and seeing her only on weekends. Speedy sees her more often because he visits her during the week. He takes her out to dinner, he brings her little things… It’s a good thing, really, how much better they’re bonding these days.
When she first moved to the condo, I bought Sam a “starter kit” — plates, mugs, a microwave oven, boxes of coffee, milk, bottles of fruit juice… And, every week, she brings five packed home cooked ulam for dinner. She could buy cooked rice after her afternoon classes and reheat a packed ulam so she wouldn’t have to go out at night – at least, until she’s more familiar and comfortable with her new surroundings. But for breakfast and lunch, she’s on her own. I can’t pack the whole house for her. And I refuse to have one of the house helpers move in with her. Living away from home, after all, is supposed to teach her a certain amount of independence.
Last weekend, we were having dinner and Speedy asked Sam about the eateries in the area. He wanted to know if Sam has discovered those inexpensive eateries that serve good food that are popular around university areas in the city. Sam said the food in the school cafeteria was okay but not inexpensive, around 90 pesos per meal. She said the less expensive eateries around the school were often packed from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The really inexpensive ones, she said, have jeepney and tricycle drivers hanging out most of the time and she did not want to go there. So, they started talking about prices. Speedy wanted to know what expensive, less expensive and inexpensive meant in terms of pesos.
Sam: “D’un sa SEx, mga 70 to 80 pesos (At SEx, around 70 to 80 pesos)…”
Speedy (sitting bolt upright): “Anong SEX (What SEX)?!?!”
Sam started giggling. She didn’t answer at once, I don’t know whether she was teasing her father by prolonging the agony.
Speedy (eyes wide and face gaunt): “ANONG SEX??? AYOKO NA NG GANYAN HA! (WHAT SEX??? I DON’T LIKE THIS ANYMORE!)”
I had heard the SEx story before so I decided to end his agony.
Me: “Sinangag (Fried rice) Express. SEx.”
What can I say? That’s what the kids call the eatery. For whatever it’s worth, I hear that the food’s okay and so are the prices. So, Sam likes Sinangag Express a.k.a. SEx. Good for her.
i can just imagine speedy’s reaction,,, teehee…
I thought he was gonna get a heart attack hehehe
luv that eatery’s name. this Saturday morning, i’ll ask my wife if she wants to have SEx for breakfast. if her answer is no, i’ll just ask for her standard pusitlog.
Hehehehe I can just imagine her face when you ask.
haha! I can’t believe she’s already in college and living on her own! Time sure flies, doesn’t it?
We’ve been having more and more of these conversations lately too. It’s so much fun watching the interaction between fathers and daughters. Some of the conversations they get into, I could never even imagine having with my dad…. even now.
Turns out, fathers are more prone to shock and trauma where daughters are concerned. hehehe
LOL. Advice from an ex-CSB’er: Go across the street, and for great chicken, check out christopher’s chicken near the A. King bldg.
Hey, thanks! I’ll show your comment to her when she comes home tomorrow. We’re still fixing her internet connection in the condo…
Ang cheap nga nyang SEx na yan… baka kaya nagulantang si Speedy di makapaniwala sa price
I can imagine around the campus studes are going “oi ano SEx tayo lunch?” — oo ba har har
Hahahahaha SEx tayo lunch hahahaha I’m wondering now if the priests from DLSU eat at SEx. Eh masarap daw eh hahahaha
It’s funny when my male classmates ask each other: “Pare, SEx tayo!” LOL.
^Hehe tell each other pala.
Or ask: “Pare, gusto mo mag-SEx?”
I did once, but never said it that way. My girlfriend was with us! Imagine the slaughter if she heard me ask one of my male classmates that question? hahaha
Ah the nostalgia of having lunch at SEx while thinking of the next classes. Good times, and good food!
So, it’s been known as SEx for years already! And I thought it was something new coined by Sam’s friends hahahahaha
u r wickedly funny, aren’t u
Hahaha! This is funny I can imagine the scenario….
Grabe na… I used to commute from San Pedro, Laguna to UST everyday! Except for 6 months during Thesis year. Of course, that was ages ago hehehe
With the traffic these days, San Pedro to UST would take half a day — what more when it rains! A lawyer friend who works at the Senate and lives in Paranaque and was complaining the other night how it took him 3 hours to drive from Pasay to Paranaque.
hehehe Consuelo, i could ever imagine when you’re husband heard the “that sentences” hehehe…
how time flies really!, naaalala ko tuloy yong carinderia sa tapat ng Caloocan High that sells spaghetti….and banana cue.
considering the cost now / 80 pesos for fried rice/ during those days e baon ko nayang 80 pesos during my four year stay in Caloocan High….hehehe
and to remember e 10 cents lang ang bayad sa jeep sa 10th ave to city hall……anyway……musta na lang.
Imagine — an 80-peso meal today is considered not that expensive. My high school daily allowance – 5 pesos!
techguy,
I wonder kung anong siglo pa yung 10cents ang minimum fare! Incidentally, parehong alumni ng Caloocan High ang parents ko and yung ibang titos and titas ko.
Patay, anong SIGLO daw? HAHAHAHA For the record, fare was 25 centavos when I was in high school hehehe
SEx!Hahahaha! These kids talaga!
I’m glad Sam is adjusting just fine. My daughter used to call me almost every hour on her first days in college. Sabi ko, ay, kung ganyan ka, umuwi ka na lang dito! hehehe.
Every hour — now, that is homesickness! Pero yang “umuwi ka na lang” sinabi ko rin yan hehehe Told her kung di nya kakayanin, we should entertain the MRT-LRT option.
i graduated from UPLB and we also had SEx there. SEx for Shanghai Express.
Mahal na pala ng meals ngayon sa pinas. Yung 90 pesos nun,nakapag date ka na nun! hehe.hindi pa po ako ganun katanda, talaga lang mabilis tumaas bilihin sa pinas.
Aba, uso pala SEx hanggang UPLB! Universal talaga ang SEx! hehehehe
anong siglo?…….hehehe bata pa naman ako! batang isip!
under oath ba ako rito Atty Connie?
i refused to answer that question on the ground of self-incrmination
anyway si Atty Connie was Batch 79 Caloocan High
yours truly is Batch 77…….honestly….nagkikita pa kami ni Atty during high school days….hehehhe
Wow, defensive, o! HAHAHAHAHA
Miss Connie,
May I ask po kung anong klaseng mga ulam ang pinapabaon mo kay Sam? I need to have an idea what meals to prepare when school starts and everybody is busy. Then, reheat na lang from the fridge kung kakain na. Tamad ba? hehehe…
Thanks po.
There is a “school lunchbox” category in Pinoycook.net but those are ulam I prepared in the morning. With Sam, it’s mostly de-sarsa which are tastier after a few days in the fridge. I try to stay away from soups with veggies because they might spoil.
Thanks for the information. Your blog is really informative. I will check the other site later.
hehe.Daughters are dads’ achilles heel. Kawawa pala talaga tatay ko, four girls kami e.
I used to live in Vito Cruz/Pablo Ocampo. There are eateries near St. Scholastica. Pls. tell Sam to be extra careful during these rainy days. I walked from Makati to V.Cruz one stormy evening, with floods reaching up to my waist. There are also lots of snatchers in that area. Hala, do I sound like a paranoid mom?
One good thing I found out is that DLSU and DLS-CSB have private security roaming the area. Because I agree that going around that neighborhood isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
Connie,sometimes you remind me of Erma Bombeck…
I’m still laughing!!!
Now that is something to aspire to — thank you!
hahaha! this made my day!!
haha, naalala ko daw ang conversations namin ng papa ko when i was still in college, ganyan na ganyan sya magreact with a red face to boot, hehe.
Hey Connie,
SEx outlet in DLSU is open 24 hours a day. Tapa is sweet, tastes good, but knowing you abhor MSG, would not recommend. Minsan tambayan ng mga lasing, kung sister ko si Sam, di ako papayag na pumunta sya doon sa gabi
Can the panganay cook at the condo?
Tell Sam to check out “chicken – chicken” it’s a clean restaurant that’s been there for like 9 years na ata. It’s at the back of Angelo King Center (Estrada St) – Serves very good liempo, chicken, pork chops, at 70 pesos. Kinda pricey but the servings are huge. Eating there is a “Lasalle” thing as they say…
Next is another food staple called “Garahe” it’s at the back of the Gokongwei Center. usual ihaw ihaw (bangus, liempo, etc) clean and affordable.
Last, I’d recommend this sort of a “to go” food outlet. Located in front of La Salle Main (beside Metrobank) serves good chowmein, rice toppings. Price? around 65 pesos…
Eto lang, I’d suggest she avoid the carinderias fronting St. Scholastica’s. Not clean. not good. Daming tambay.
Goodness, I feel old na din. parang dati lang she was in junior high, ngayon freshman na in college….hay buhay….
Hay precisely why I’d rather that she reheats home cooked ulam for dinner. I think all eateries in the area become inuman at night. No stove at the condo that’s why I bought her a microwave.
Will list down all the eateries you mentioned, including location. Thanks. That “Garahe” I’ve been told about before.
buhay pa pala yung garahe! i thought it was overrun by the new buildings na. masarap talaga dun at saka mura pa. used to eat there when i wanted to gain weight because one cup of rice was actually one bowl of rice!
Sam should go there. She’s lost weight already and it’s only three weeks into the first trim.
Hello,
I think this is a very good preparation for your daughter for the REAL LIFE ahead of her. Living away from home.
But then, what’s happening here in North America where kids go really far away for University,is that they are now starting to live with their parents again…just because it’s too expensive to maintain one’s quarters and they have yet to pay for their college loans.
Ang galing naman ni Sam. What a way to scare her dad.
Yeah, good for her. I can almost see Speedy’s face.. hehe.
Karmi, I think if she hadn’t told me the SEx story before, I would have gotten scared too hehehe
Dexie, your hubby’s turn will come soon enough hahahaha
Wow!
Iba talaga pag ang nanay ay Filipina. The children are really lucky because they always have food to take back to their college dorm/apartment when they come home. I have 2 kids in college – daughter 3 hours away and the son 6 hours away from home. They try to drive home once a month for the weekend and when they go back they both have a big cooler each full of all sorts of food- ulams to sweets to siopao. Daughter can make her stash last atleast a week. Son last max of 2 days. I cannot figure out how he can eat so much food so fast when he finally told me that after the first time he brought food back from home and had let his dorm buddies taste it, it had become a special event every time he comes home for his dorm buddies to come over his room and raid the cooler. They did give him their caferteria “meal bucks” in return but that is how 4 Anglo Texas Tech freshmen got their first taste of Filipino home cooking. When i finally met them at the end of the school term, it was like having 1 son and 4 nephews get together for one last cooler raid. So to you Connie, and to all the mothers out there who so lovingly pack lunch boxes for their kids, I salute you- carry on.
Oh, by the way, the cooler contents towards the end of the school year had a good number of items from your recipe lists- most requested- siopao, custard cake, shanghai., spicy caldereta and puto. Wow you’re really getting famous over here.
More power.
Oh, wow.
Good thing I tool photos of some of the meals that Sam will be bringing to the condo later tonight. Will post it in the food blog later. Right now, we’re all going out for a movie and dinner together.
Sam is so lucky to have a mom like you. I am imagining now what are those five “ulams” that you cook for her each week. God bless us, parents!
I think I’m lucky to have her for my daughter too.
Posting some of the ulam recipes in the food blog now.
Connie, no stove in Sam’s condo unit? If it is allowed, perhaps you can buy her a one-burner hotplate and a really small (2-cup rice cooker). She can cook rice twice a week and she can just heat portions in her microwave oven. In Bangkok, you can get a small Panasonic rice cooker at P1,100. It’s not available in Manila, though. If you have friends going to Bangkok soon, they can get it at any Central Department Store.
I’m just another Mom who had gone through what you’re going through now. All the best for Sam.
No, no stove. The thing about buying a stove is that we’ll have to have a range hood installed too (it’s a rented condo so we can’t bore holes). Otherwise, the sprinklers will get activated.
Oh, I see the complication with a stove — range hood, vent and all. It’s easier to just buy cooked rice outside then.
Sometimes, simple things can get so complicated, no?
Gee, I was around DLSU some time ago (the son goes to Benilde) looking for a place to have lunch. Had I known about this, I would’ve had SEx instead of the usual fare in Chowking. Now I gotta ask my son how often he has SEx with his classmates! Haha! Whatta name!
O, we might even see each other there next time hahahaha
yes! i love eating at SEX. have you tried their iced tea? i love it! haha