I miss Quezon City, my city of the stars!

QC Circle where Timog and Morato meet 

My QC Apartment

Bridge way from The Block to Trinoma

Almost five years ago, I found this incredible job in the City of the Stars which made me decide to move from Makati where I lived all my life in the family house I grew up in.  

At first, the City scared me.  I wasn't used to its busy streets 24 hours of the day.  People walk freely in slippers and house clothes even in the business and restaurant areas where I lived for four years.  My apartment was in a modest 6 storey building with thick concrete walls.  I slept through Typhoon Ondoy in 2010 which devastated many parts of Manila because it was cold inside my apartment and I couldn't hear the heaavy wind and rain outside.  I remember waking up late in the afternoon in my pajamas and going out to my terrace to see some of the surrounding streets flooded up to my neck.   

Although the City was rugged for my taste,  I was never robbed, mugged or assaulted.  I actually blended in fine.  I traded my usual neighborhood shoes to a pair of havaianas and my white muscle tees to cut off old shirts when going to my favorite fast food or coffee shop.  I painted my apartment white, and bought from an American Missionary Store second hand furniture which I repainted white. 

My beddings and curtains were all white and blue and 2 white and black victorian inspired lampshades lit the inside of my apartment.  By the end of 6 months since I transferred, I was able to fill my apartment with everything I needed.  

The Morato, Timog and Trinoma areas became my frequent hang out places.  Food and services are cheaper in Quezon City compared to Makati.  I learned to cook and did all the household chores.  Life was simple, fun, and uncomplicated.  My office was walking distance to my apartment. My co-workers were the best I've had so far.  Work was fun and fulfilling.  From a staff, I was gradually promoted to a manager position.  

As I was young when I lived in QC, my personal life busy was exciting.  I was frequently out with friends and dated a lot. But towards the last year, I mellowed down and stayed in most of the time to enjoy my apartment, DVDs in my huge TV screen.  The gym, the mall and grocery stores became my usual go to places.  One does get over the "young stuff" afterall.

Trinoma Activity Center

Now that I have transferred back to Makati, I didn't go back to our family house and got a pad near my favorite mall.  I miss QC sometimes.  It's simple and laid back lifestyle, neighborhood and casual atmosphere and very affordable standard of living.  I miss working out in the gym where local showbiz personalities move about just like ordinary people.  I crave for Nathaniel's siomai and desserts, the McDonald's and Burger King stores where I spent most of my nights and early mornings writing blogs in the company of college students who seem to live in these stores,  the string of restaurants in timog and morato where you don't have to dress up to eat, the girly bars that I pass by everyday to work and back, the reckless jeepney drivers, the barber shop where  I get my haircut, the Quezon Avenue overpass and various side streets where there is not a day that passes by without a photo shoot or video shoot for a movie,  a morning show or something, the MRT commute to the south and back and the big malls that are always full of people to shop, to eat, to hang out or eyeball with a stranger!

Because most people look ordinary in QC, (well, at least those who are frequently out of their houses or maybe the good looking ones go to Makati or elsewhere) a good looking girl or guy is easily spotted in the crowd.  I so miss a lot of things in QC.

But most of all, I miss the friends I met there.  Goodbye for now and I'll visit you from time to time my dearest Quezon City.  You brought a lot of smiles and laugh to my life.  Thank you!