The Hallmark Company: Was ffounded by JC and John Hall two guys from Kansas City, about 100 years ago.
Two weeks ago my girls, to include: our daughters, my granddaughter and Mayang (Plus my Grandson Jaden the other guy in our house) decided to take me to lunch on father’s day. I know this is not a real holiday but one invented by Hallmark Greeting Card Company to sell more product.
But I kept my mouth shut about that and enjoyed the lunch; they took me to the California Café at the Harbor Point Mall on the Subic Freeport. Two new shirts were part of the day’s festivities, and if it wasn’t for my birthday, Christmas (Yes I did use the term Christmas) and Father’s Day I’d still be wearing shirts from 1993. Mayang is in charge of shorts, Jeans and slacks albeit for some reason she believes my waist is 36 inches and all pants must then be altered. (The no refund policy) I have 3 pair of Jeans size 32” that are older than 30 years. Both of my daughters have asked me to leave the Jeans to them in my will. Mayang I wear size “32”.
But I enjoyed the meal, and the company, but I noticed that my son-in-law Chris was notably absent. I asked Colleen where her Papa was. It seems that his younger brother was involved with a young lady, and Chris’s family were bring lunch to the future brides house to discuss the wedding, or why there would be no wedding, if it went in that direction.
Over a decade ago Chris wanted to marry our daughter YoHanna, and the house assault was missing from the process. This is a tradition that families in the Philippines strictly adhere to. The answer to Chris from me was “NO” as his family had insulted my wife by forgoing that most important step in the courting process. Shocked that the Kano even knew about it the following Saturday it happened and the wedding was on track.
Now at the Harbor Point Mall I wondered why we were having lunch at the California Café vice, Sit-N-Bull’s, Vasco’s, Texas Joe’s or any of the other eateries that I like. Then I had my light bulb moment, I’d been tricked, hoodwinked and mislead. We were there because it was Sunday and it is a Mall. I cried out; “Chris, why hath thou forsaken me?” I would have gone with him and assaulted the house. Because I know beer was involved there. But alas I’m at the Mall, and there I must stay.
In the past when Chris has been at a mall with us, I had noted that all of a sudden he was gone, and nowhere to be found. About the third time this had happened I went to seek him out and found him contently wandering the aisles of a Car Parts Store, or Hardware Store as if they were a Mancave being used as his own “Fortress of Solitude”. When I found him, he smiled and said; “You too daddy?” I nodded and a partnership was formed.
Back to Father’s Day at the mall, I said I would take my presents and takeout food to the car and wait for them. Yeah right, I was going to stand in a parking lot for the next three hours.
Off I went back to the mall to visit manly shopping stores as Chris had taught me. To while away the hours touching power tools, ATV’s, all things man. Taking in the sights while walking between stores, is a nice pastime also. Then a cup of coffee at the coffee shop across from Starbuck’s only because I can order their coffee in ten words or less.
I have no time measuring device, and Malls, much like casinos do not want you to note the time, so I wandered back to the parking lot and found the lady group milling about smarty around the car. Since that was their original plan they had for me I approached them totally guilt free and smiling broadly. By the look on my smiling face they knew I would broach no comments as to where I’d been or what I’d been doing.
So, Mr. Hallmark, thank you for the holiday, as it turned out to be a nice day for all involved. Plus my Daughter and Granddaughter took Chris out for a Father’s Day Dinner that night with “BTW” no mall involved for him. Chris is my new idol.
Paul,
Chris really has a great idea to survive those long mall shopping trips. I tested it yesterday while we were shopping in Alabang yesterday.Your daughters are right about your old Levis. They are worthseveral times more than what you paid for them.
If there is one thing this country needs to improve for the quality of life, is to add more Husband benches in the Malls. There are just to few places for a weary spouse to set down the packages and rest his weary feet while the wife looks at every item in every shop ;).
Randy;
The beer stations and watering holes at the Mall on the Free Port make shopping almost fun.
Scott;
I wonder if we’d be allowed to bring a lawn chair and a cooler? I might just try that
Paul,
I have Much the same feelings about going to a mall with asawa ko and her entourage of Female Family members and friends. Unfortunately for me Our only mall here in Ozamis is Gaisanos and is more like a department store than a mall. That means no estrogen free zones like Ace or beer stations! If I am able to Slip away (read Escape temporarily) I hurriedly exit Gaisanos, walk across the street to a Filipino eatery, get a seat by the window where I can see my Multicab and order Sam Migs Until I see them exit. At that point I rush back into Gaisanos front door and out the side door to my truck and Ask them where in heck they disappeared to. That seems to stop the interrogations as to my where abouts before it starts! ,
Joe;
If the plan works it’s a good plan.
Hi Senior Chief Paul,
I was actually in Manila last week for vacation, to be exact 17 days! Back in California now.
Stayed mostly in Makati, and most of the talk on the radio that day was about Father’s Day. I was in one of the taxi cabs on my way to Ermita/Malate to go to some bar close to Robinson’s Place, and the ride was about 15 minutes or so, with the traffic and all, haha! The radio program the taxi cab driver was listening to was talking about Father’s Day. And the Sunday newspaper that day, most of the articles, I believe it was the Philippine Inquirer or was it Manila Bulletin, the subjects of most of the articles in the paper were written about his or her Father, or a Husband.
BTW, I had my first one of my so many San Mig LIGHT beers in that bar in Ermita, they’ll served you with 6 bottles in one bucket for 280 pesos. I never had a San Mig Light beer before, LOL! Or sometimes I’d get a Red Horse in the bucket. Mostly every night I would buy crispy pata with it for pulutan, and the guys/servers, would helped me drink the beer in the bucket or eat the pata. There’s a a live band on the weekends. And when this bar closes, then these servers, my new-found-friends would take me to another bar by Roxas Blvd close to Manila Bay, with more drinking and dancing until about 5 a.m. and then would get out the bar and the day was already dawning and then decided and had a morning breakfast at Jollibees. Haha, btw, I had my first Jollibee spaghetti there, it wasn’t bad at all, it was made al dente which I like. My friends had corned beef and garlic rice, and the other one had bangus with garlic rice. 🙂
I even spent some time in Boracay and had some San Mig Light beer there, too! My goodness, that place was packed, especially D’Mall, but then the beach also or that whole stretch of walking the sidewalk, people were everywhere, and I thought I went there on a low season! I even met the boxer Donaire there and his 3 or 4 bodyguards, and they were singing karaoke in one of the bars. One guy I met there and live there said on Christmas time or Holy Week, Boracay could take at least 100,000 people or tourist!
I didn’t get any rain or anything like that, but I knew, the rainy season supposed to start. If at all, there was a rain once but I was in my room but that didn’t stop people from being “busy” everywhere! Greenbelt Mall, Glorietta Mall, and Landmark in Makati were packed and “busy” everyday I go there. Went to Market, Market at Taguig, that place too, was packed with people. And so was the SM Mega Mall in Ortigas, and the Mall of Asia in Pasay. And people building high-rises!
And then back to Robinsons Place in Ermita, (again, and again! because of the bar! haha!) and that mall too especially were packed with people, and there were two lines for people going inside (briskly!) and with couple of security guards waiting (male and female) ready to checked carry-on bags.
That’s it for now! Have a good day! 🙂
Thank you!
From, Aklan Heat.
Aklan;
First I love that term “Live Band” and I wonder what the alternative would be.?
SanMig (Light Beer) I also like along with SMB. But SanMig in a bottle tend to foam over due to a design error, they should use stubby bottles like with the SMB. Red Horse is like drinking 151 Rum, it for people who want to end the night early.
But I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed your mini-vacation .
All Malls should have some areas, with comfortable couches, a big TV and cold beers. Good business for the Mall, since frustrated husbands would have all the time in the world to wait. More time for the ladys for shopping.
If i ever (as in never) should open a mall, it would have those sitting areas with big tv screens.
If i accidently find a chair/bench to sit on…some will come running at once and present me for shoes to try.
lol Axel!
Axel;
You must be going to the wrong malls, I’ve always found a beer joint.
Paul – I noticed in the pictures that you weren’t wearing sunglasses. Do you not wear them anymore when you go to the mall? It wasn’t that long ago, I remember, when we both agreed that the most beautiful sights seen at any mall are best viewed behind a pair of sunglasses? LOL
Wise of you to grin and bear it Paul. The Hall brothers sell some cards, you get a couple of shirts, and the ladies get a shopping trip. Everybody wins, especially the Hall brothers I suppose.
Your story of the oversized pants reminds me of the first time my mother-in-law made shirts for me. She never took a measurement, just looked at me and said “ah, you’re the same size as your daddy”. It’s true that my late father-in-law and I shared the same height, weight, and build. I’ve since learned that the average Asian ribcage is smaller around than a western one. I couldn’t get the shirts to button around my chest. She has since made several shirts that fit just fine, and still has not taken a measurement.
Take care,
Pete
John;
I was wearing sunglasses, as my prescription gets dark outside. But light inside. Not much I can do about that. (LOL) When my daughters asked why the Kano nose was shaped the way it is, I explained that it was because God thought the Piney was too beautiful to wear sunglasses. They liked hearing that.
Pete;
Never trust the size of anything you purchase here either, they weren’t cut to fit the Kano body. I do have a tailor who does make some things for me, but I bring the cloth out of self preservation against chafing.