Mug shots: Mrs Elizabeth Muffin mug

This mug has a story behind it. I acquired the mug as a prize after filling up a stamp card for Mrs. Elizabeth Muffins. You had to purchase muffins or cookies like how you buy coffee and other beverages at Starbucks or CBTL. There are milestones like a free muffin after 8 or 10 stamps and then this mug when you fill out the entire card.

The mug is bigger than most of my mugs. My favorite beverage then and now is hot chocolate and I used to buy Morinaga or Meiji powdered chocolate for my morning drink. During the day, I would just get a can of hot choco or tea from the university vending machines. These also kept the hands warm during the cold months in Japan.

The mug is basically plain except for the brand in the previous photo.

I remember bringing back 3 mugs from Japan but broke one so only 2 remain that I am very careful about. There's a lot of sentimental value that I place on these mugs and others that I used while I was studying in Japan. Yes, I drank from these mugs while I was in Japan. I have two others that I brought to the lab for my personal use that I also brought back. I no longer use them like these two and are on display in my office at UP.

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Ilona's Place - Beverly Hills, Antipolo & Taytay

There's a new restaurant/cafe near our home. It is actually located inside our village but at the perimeter and near Ortigas Avenue Extension (though there is no direct access to that road). Ilona's Place used to be an old house that was once among the most glamorous homes in Beverly Hills. After years of neglect, it was sold and is not being renovated into an events venue aside from the cafe. The house is also big enough to have rooms rented a la bed & breakfast or closed door meetings.

Poolside tables with amazing views of the cityscape of Metro Manila

Poolside restaurant bar and a balcony for even more views of the metropolis and surrounding areas

Drinks menu

Food menu

A landmark is the tall statue of Our Lady seeming to look over the surrounding areas.

Here's a shot with the setting sun framed by a nearby tree. Visible in the photo is the Metro Manila cityscape.

Poolside sunset view as seen from the bar

Seats for groups and a relaxing sip of your preferred beverages

Restaurant grounds

An old stove that's now part of the garden

Driveway - Ilona's is located atop a small hill so it would be better to drop off seniors or persons with disabilities right at its front door if you have to park outside (i.e., parking spaces are limited).

Ilona's Place has become an instant hit in the neighborhood. Our friends have been posting about dining there and before the surge, having some get-togethers there. An old friend from grade school who used to reside in Beverly Hills dropped by with his family and mother for a sentimental trip of sorts. The food is good and the ambiance even better. Do expect some glitches for now but the staff are attentive and try their best to give good service to customers.

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A 1950s Cyma bumper automatic watch

The only Cyma in my collection is this bumper automatic from the 1950s. I acquired this from abroad (another pandemic acquisition) where I have found some trustworthy and dependable sellers. This was not an expensive acquisition as I also discovered vintage watches like this are usually overpriced here but more reasonably priced abroad even through auctions. Here are photos of my vintage Cyma.

The watch has a black dial with triangular hour markers except at 12 and 6 o'clock. The lumes are also visible for the hour markers. The lumes on the hands are already gone. There are no day or date complications.

Side view showing the crown

The other side view

 

 Close up of the dial

The watch back showing it to be polished with no marks or etches such as those typically showing the serial number or the characteristics of the watch.

I haven't opened the watch myself but got photos of it from the seller. Here's a photo of the signed movement and the inside of the watch cover.

The watch is powered by a Cyma Cal. 420KT that runs at 18,000 A/h with a potential reserve of 30h. I have not timed the watch but the 30h reserve is quite short relative to my other watches. The movement was produced by Cyma from 1947 to 1954. That

The routine wrist shot

I had the watch serviced recently as the movement seemed to have been stuck somehow. It's now part of my rotation though understandably cannot get as much wrist time as my more hardy watches that I use more regularly especially when I go to work in the office or in the field.

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