A taste of Randy's Donuts

Last Father's Day, the wife surprised me with a box of donuts from Randy's Donuts. There's a newly opened and re-opened store just across from our condo at BGC but last time I checked it was closed. Apparently, they ran out of ingredients or stocks after they opened and it took a while before they got going again. I had wanted to get a box but the lines were long and I didn't want to queue for something that I could eventually get easily after a few weeks. It was like that for Krispy Kreme and JCo, even for the cronuts of Wild Flour. Somehow, the wife was able to sneak a box while on an errand and brought it home.

A box of 6 donuts

Our first donuts from Randy's included 2 sugar-frosted ones

The donuts were really good. The dough was definitely delicious and not "ampaw" as we refer to the donuts of another popular brand. I hope they will be consistent with their donuts' quality. Perhaps that's why Iron Man chose to hang out at Randy's Donuts after a night of partying?

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My first diver's watch - Swatch Aqua Chrono "Radar" SBB106

I was checking my posts about my watch collection and learned I have not written exclusively about my first diver's watch. I got this watch while I was in Japan back in 2001. It was on sale at a popular electronics store and I got it for the price 1,280 yen (I still remember). At the time the price was equivalent to a little more than 500 pesos! This was one of the many Swatch watches I ended up buying in Japan. Some became souvenirs to family and friends while others I retained and started my watch collection.

The watch features a velcro strap that was convenient for wearing and easy to dry after a swim. The velcro's color has faded after many years of use.

There are 3 sub dials - one for the second, another for the minute and the third for the hour. Come to think of it, the watch has 6 hands! The chronograph buttons are stuck and these Swatch watches are quite difficult to repair so I just make sure the watch runs and keeps accurate enough time.

Side view showing the crown and chronograph buttons

The other side view showing the overall condition of the head.

 

A recent wrist shot when I took out the watch for some routine inspection and this photo shoot.

Partially hidden at the bottom of the dial is the information that this watch is from the 1997 collection. This means this diver is a 25-year old watch.

The watch back showing the cleverly designed battery case and the watch to be 200m water resistant.

The last photo shows the battery compartment to be partially damaged and might have already compromised the water resistance of this watch. It has a rubber cover over the battery and secured by the metal cover but I don't want to risk damaging the watch. I still use it but not for swimming. I'm currently trying to look for the same model but couldn't find an "new old stock" so far.

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A vintage Seiko 6139-8030 chronograph

I have been writing about my watch collection, which now and then is being updated with the addition of some select pieces I have been able to acquire. One such model is this rare 6139-8030. This adds to my collection of Seiko chronographs. My favorites are the 6138s but the 6139s are not far behind.

The 6139-8030 features day and date complications as well as a sub-dial.

Side view showing the crown and chronograph buttons

The other side view showing the overall good condition of this watch. The watch band is aftermarket and is not the most appropriate one for this model. It serves its purpose though and I prefer the steel band over leather ones especially if I want to wear the watch on the field.

The case back bears the correct model number. The serial number indicates the watch to have been manufactured in January 1973 - the birth month and year of my wife.

 

Close-up of the bottom of the original dial showing the correct dial number

Close-up of the dial, which is in very good shape. I suspect though that at least the hand set has been replaced. Still, all the parts are consistent with the model.

Close-up of the dial number

The mandatory wrist shot

I don't have a photo of the movement but this is the same Cal. 6139B that runs at 21,600 A/h with a potential power reserve of 45h. The movement is supposed to have been manufactured and installed on chronographs made by Seiko from 1972-1979. This is definitely a keeper.

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What a difference the right straps make for watches

With the arrival of my second Powermatic, I decided that the leather straps of the two were not suitable for these watches. And so I ordered a couple of straps to match the watches. I have a go to guy when I need such straps and he didn't disappoint in the alligator straps he recommended when I showed him the watches. He also made the straps on my King Seiko chronometer, Baume & Mercier chronograph and LeCoultre Memovox.

Two vintage LeCoultre Powermatic watches with their old straps.

Vintage brown and black padded alligator straps on the JLCs.

Another look at the Powernatics with their new gator straps.

You can check out Two One Four Straps and Jun Talusan for your watch strap needs. Panalo! (Winner!)

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Salmon for dinner

I forgot about this draft I started just before Holy Week last April (yes, that was a couple of months ago). I was at the supermarket to replenish our food and drinks when I spotted these salmon products beside the freezer where I got our supply of bangus (milkfish). I usually see only the salmon belly and the imported smoked salmon in the frozen section of the supermarket so these were a pleasant addition to the choices for seafood.

Lemon pepper salmon and herbed salmon

I got two of each as I assessed that one box won't be enough for us whether its lunch or dinner at home. It was Holy Week so the seniors usually prefer to eat seafood over meats (beef, pork or chicken). Still, seafoods here in our country is quite good so the 'sacrifice' part of Lent is lost when one goes for the likes of tuna, salmon and shrimps. The salmon turned out to be very good. I liked the lemon pepper more than the herbed salmon. The former tasted fresh while I found the latter to be somewhat on the overwhelming side because of the herbs. Of course, that's me and my palate there, and I'm sure others will be choosing the herbed salmon over the lemon pepper.

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Another LeCoultre Powermatic with Cal. 481

I now have a couple of LeCoultre Powermatics. This second one was acquired recently and came as a surprise as there were few bidders for the very popular model. I assume this was because the seller misspelled LeCoultre and that led to many not finding this watch when searching for it. 'Powermatic' was not mentioned in the label as well, adding to its relative obscurity on eBay. Lucky for us who found it and even luckier for me to have acquired the watch at about a fourth of what its currently worth.

There is an interesting story about LeCoultre and Jaeger-LeCoultre that you may read about here. LeCoultre was basically behind the movement (what some will call the heart and soul of a watch) while Jaeger was a jeweler. There's also a clarification there about why most of their vintage watches bear only the LeCoultre brand while nowadays its always Jaeger-LeCoultre.

This automatic watch features a power reserve indicator at the top of the dial that gave it the Powermatic name.

Side view showing the crown and the thick, solid lugs of the watch.

The other side view showing the overall good condition of the watch

Unlike my other Powermatic, this watch does not have an engraving at the back.

Close-up of the pristine dial. The power reserve indicator shows at least 30h remaining.

The watch has a Cal. 481 bumper automatic movement inside. This runs at 18,000 A/h with a power reserve of 40 hours. The caliber was introduced in 1948.

The watch was cased in the USA and bears the serial number engraved on the inside of the back cover. There is no L&K here but there is a stylized A under 10K Gold Filled. I assume now that the 'L&K' and the 'A' stand for jewelers that issued the watches.

Another look at the Cal. 481 bumper automatic movement

 

Wrist shot the first time I wore the watch.

I recently changed the straps of the two Powermatic watches and will show them in another post.

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Drip Kofi at Beverly Hills, Antipolo

There's a nice addition to the small shops at the Village Corner at Beverly Hills in Antipolo City. Drip Kofi opened last summer just behind the original building where it has an al fresco set-up. The original Drip Kofi is located inside the subdivision and is still open to customers but the main cafe is now more conveniently located and near the road (Ortigas Avenue Extension).

The coffee shop is a welcome addition to the shops at our village center located near the gate of the subdivision.

 

Cold drinks and a cheesecake

The outdoors is perfect especially if you're conscious of health protocols including maintaining physical distance and proper ventilation. There's still a pandemic, after all.

Outdoor tables and seats

Service counter where they take your orders

Menu - there's a nice selection of hot and cold drinks and then some - food and dessert

Their coffee is good and they also sell them in beans or ground. The desserts are also good. We haven't tried their food but we hear they're also good. I wonder though if there are many "dine-in" customers. We usually only see Grab riders placing orders there. We hope such coffee shops are able to sustain their businesses. Many stores and shops like this closed during the pandemic and were not able to recover. We hope these will be able to overcome the challenges amidst the pandemic and the economic difficulties now attributed to the war in Ukraine. Tangkilikin natin! (let's support them!)

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Donuts from Tipulo, Antipolo City

The wife brought home some donuts from Tipulo restaurant located in Antipolo City. This is the restaurant located in the Metro Pacific training facility that also used to host the lunches and dinners of trainees or guests. The restaurant has evolved particularly when they transitioned from being under Meralco to Metro Pacific. I hear the food is good and you can have meetings there aside from family meals.

I wasn't able to get a 'clean' photo of the donuts as our daughter already started munching on one. She agreed to return the doughnut for a quick shot.

The donuts come in a nice box if you get 6 of them.

The donuts were excellent and some that were not eaten immediately survived well 3 or 4 days after they were purchases. The wife said its in the dough and I cannot help but agree. I'm not sure you can order these and have them delivered via Grab or Lalamove (I checked and they were not on Grab) so you will have to drop by the restaurant to get your dose of doughnuts.

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The trip to and from Balicasag Island

It's been about two months since our trip to Bohol and I haven't posted about it for a while (despite the promise to do so). Here are more photos, this time about the trip to and from Balicasag Island. I think this was my fourth counting back to the first in February 1996.

Panglao Port's pier

Outrigger moored near the mangroves surrounding the port

Outrigger boats at the port of Panglao - most if not all of these boats are for tourism purposes, bringing visitors around the island's attractions including Balicasag Island

There's an extension to the pier to maximize the number of boats

The floating structure that extends from the pier is built like a pontoon bridge. Its buoyancy can support many people but should not be overcrowded considering its load limit.

One of our boatmen spotting for our departure for Balicasag, which can be seen in the horizon. One of this guy's tasks is to check if there are lines or debris that can get entangled with our boat's propeller.

A beached boat at the Balicasag Island Dive Resort

The resort seemed deserted but for a few people who likely might be the caretakers of the still closed resort.

Beach front seats with no one to use them

Approaching and leaving the island takes the boat across from the Balicasag Island Dive Resort, which was the only formal accommodations on the island. It was practically deserted except for some staff who probably stay there to keep things in order.

The Balicasag Island Dive Resort was not yet operational (i.e., haven't reopened yet) when we visited the island. The first, second and third times I was there, there was no dive resort at the island.

A buoy marks shallow parts of the waters between Panglao and Balicasag

The port and the old watchtower. You can also see the roof of St. Augustine Church.

Approaching Panglao Port, our spotter positions himself at the bow of the boat. The boy is the son of one of our boatmen and tagged along for the trip.

The old watchtower is just across from St. Augustine Church

Mangroves surround the Panglao Port

Approaching Panglao Port

Other outriggers have been idle that afternoon, with most tourists apparently not going island hopping due to the weather. We practically had the island to ourselves that afternoon and the light rains did not deter us from snorkeling and just having a great time with our daughter (she was a natural according to our swimming guide there).

Another boatman, who was in-charge of running/driving has turned of the engine and joins in maneuvering the boat into docking position at the pier.

Final docking procedures at the Panglao pier

As mentioned previously, we practically had the island to ourselves (of course, with the exception of the residents and the marine detachment stationed there). The usual tours were scheduled in the morning when the tides are usually low and sandbars emerge from the waters. We traveled in the afternoon and in gloomy weather. Still, we were able to spot and gave short chase to dolphins en route to Balicasag. That was after we floated for a few minutes as our engine stopped. The propeller got caught in a line our spotter failed to see. And we like to think the dolphins appeared as they detected our predicament.

More on our Bohol trip soon!

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