Window Shopping in Cubao Expo

I miss going around Cubao Expo, and since I have been so busy the past year with work, I never get the chance to go window-shopping there.

But, when Kim agreed to having dinner in Penpen's, I didn't let up the chance to stroll around, even if it were around 10:00PM.

The vintage shop right next to Penpen's was closing when we finished eating. I was able to spy a Coke alarm clock on the window, though. Now that's a stocking stuffer I definitely would want to have. 

There's a new vinyl shop opening. It didn't have a name yet, but I was smitten with their window display. The vinyl covers were all so colorful and eye catching, especially at night. 

The Humidor was still open. It seemed so inviting, had it not been quite late already. I've always wanted to try it. There's also a Japanese restaurant on top of it. I'm also curious about their sushi there. 

This is a new shop in Cubao Expo, at least for me. It's Mad Surf Kahuna - they have surfboards for sale inside. 

I really wish I had time to stroll in Cubao Expo again. There are so many new shops that I would want to browse through. 

Late Night Dinner at Penpen's

Last Wednesday, Kim and I had late night dinner in Cubao Expo. I wanted to introduce him to Penpen's, a place Brian and I frequented from a couple of years back. Derek and I ate here sometime last year also.

The restaurant is located inside Cubao Expo, and it being a weeknight, parking was quite easy.

Penpen's Filipino Kitchen serves Filipino-fusion cuisine. The current restaurant is half the size, making way for a bakery that will be opening soon.

I ordered the Tortang Giniling which was a value meal at PhP 120.00.

Kim on the other hand ordered Tortang Alimasag. His order was better than mine.

We also ordered one of my favorites in the restaurant, the Gabi Chips:

Their Pandan Iced Tea was such a hit with Kim!

Penpen's Filipino Kitchen

Cubao Expo, Gen. Romulo Ave., 

Araneta Center, Cubao, QC

telephone number: 02.330.1934

Penpen's in Cubao Expo

All the milling around, jumping parking fences, and shopping eventually tired out the A-List Manila team. Derek and I decided to have dinner at this place in Cubao Expo that I've eaten at several times already. 

It was a first for Derek, so I was quite excited at how he was going to react to the Filipino-fusion cuisine that Penpen's served. 

Right at the exit of Cubao Expo, facing General Romulo, you can see the restaurant already. I discovered it because they served their own version of cocktails at PhP 99.00 per pitcher. If you're really depressed and suicidal, you can do drink-all-you can for PhP 220.00 per person here. 

Now the food is not at all that bad. In fact, they serve rather interesting fare, and is best taken after soaking in the vintage shopping experience that Cubao Expo offers. 

Their placemats act as their menus and is printed on newspaper print, to give more of a local-homey feel to it. The columns are plastered with vintage Filipino movie-posters from decades ago, and it is such a treat already to see how many of the old movies you've seen. 

It was pretty quiet also. The restaurant is located at the exit, far from Bellini's and the hipster crowd that frequent the restaurants and bar inside the compound, so you can really be able to dine and wine in peace. 

For starters, Derek and I ordered Gabi Chips, which was freshly fried, and became even more crispy after waiting for it to dry. 

It was very reasonably priced at PhP 70.00, which I suppose is what you will end up having as pulutan for their various cocktails. 

I ordered their very sinful Pinggoy's Pasta Aligue. It was delicious! And very affordable at PhP 170.00!

Derek ordered the Malunggay-Quesong Puti in Pili Oil Pesto, which was only PhP 148.00. It really got me thinking how easily this can be made at home, but I would make it using olive oil. 

It was such a filling dinner, with their own Pandan Iced Tea. Will definitely go back to try their other pasta dishes. They also offer rice meals, all Filipino-fusion. 

Should you wish to visit them, their details are below:

Penpen's 

Unit # 15A, Cubao Expo, General Romulo Avenue, Araneta Center, Cubao, QC

tel. no. 02.330.1933

Rediscovering Cubao, Cubao Expo

On this boring Saturday afternoon, Derek sent me a BBM message wanting us to meet up. Knowing that the horrid EDSA Saturday traffic should be non-existent, I asked him to meet with me in Gateway, as I wanted an alternative place to visit and go to for window-shopping. Bored with the same old mall experience, I was thinking, maybe we can visit Cubao Expo.

Derek picked me up from Gateway, and we made a beeline for HMR Surplus in Araneta first. There were so many cheap finds there. I ended up buying a documentary DVD on Obama for PhP 15.00, an Ashlee Simpson CD for PhP 50.00, and a soul music CD for PhP 9.00. Derek bought the same stuff, and two belts.

Afterwards, we headed for Cubao Expo. Now, this isn't really the first time I've been to Cubao Expo, as growing up, we would visit this place, then called Marikina Shoe Expo, whenever my mother would need custom-made boots for her trips abroad.

The old shoe shops were still there: Janylin, Valentino, Russ. However, there were a number of vintage and curio shops that have opened as well. They sell LP records for PhP 50.00 each, CDS, cassette tapes, Coke memorabilia (heaven!), figurines, vintage clothes... well, basically everything!

Here are some of the shops that had interesting displays:

 This shop had a lot of books, LP records, military memorabilia.

The shop above had categorized their items according to niche. There was a section for Coca-Cola memorabilia, a section for Beatles items, a section for cat figurines, and imported mugs.

I've read up on some of the shops in Cubao Expo online, and I visited the Reading Room.

I wanted to check out some of their vintage clothes, in their Sandy's closet corner - because online you can see that they sell some Uniqlo and Cacharel items, all at PhP 100.00 each. I ended up buying my sister 3 dresses. Of course, my mom stole the 3rd dress and claimed it as her own.

Another reason I wanted to visit their shop was to get a Ninja Plushie. I'm sure this isn't a craze, but I just fell in love with the Ninja Plushies from when I was reading about them online. I think I saw them in The Reading Room's Facebook account. I noticed that no two ninjas are made of the same design. I suppose the makers engage in recycling and make the ninja plushies out of left over cloths, so definitely, no two ninjas will have the same design. Really, I so wanted to adopt one, and promised myself that when I find myself in the area, would look up the shops.

It wasn't difficult to choose which Ninja Plushie I was going to take home. In fact, he was practically jumping off the shelf when he saw me enter. It was love at first sight really. I guess people know already what to expect for Christmas from me.

So everyone, I'd like you to meet Chanel Ninja. Here he is proofreading this article before I post it.

I love The Reading Room's products. Most of them are found items that they recycled. Some are old pieces of clothing that they converted to be useful items again. There was a bag being sold there for only PhP 75.00 and was made of old neckties.

Please feel free to visit Cubao Expo, it still has an old world charm to the place, amidst the redevelopment of Araneta Center. I certainly do hope that they maintain the place, because anybody who grew up in the 80s and 90s would definitely have fond memories of the complex.

Visit The Reading Room. I spoke to the person in the shop, and they're open until 11:00PM. Would love to adopt more Ninja Plushies, they're priced at PhP 125.00 each.

The Reading Room
Shop # 39, Cubao Expo, Gen. Romulo Street, Araneta Center, Cubao, QC