Classy New Year's Eve Dinner At Abaca Cebu

Here's a really cool and expensive way to spend the New Year Holiday. Why don't you treat yourself to this lavishly expensive and classy dinner at Abaca Restaurant. I've posted the menu below for those who are interested.




There are a number of other establishments offering New Year countdown packages and dinner specials like Marriot and Waterfront Hotel I bet. These should include dinner, a show and fireworks too. Be prepared to shell out nothing less than a thousand or two though per person.

Christmas In Cebu

Christmas in Cebu is heavy traffic and crowded malls. But aside from that, there are a multitude of festivities going on for people who are looking for a good time. I've already enumerated some pretty good places to hold a party.

Mall hours during Christmas in Cebu is very typical. Mostly commercial malls like SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu will be open. They will close early on the 24th and open late on the 25th but nevertheless they will be open. SM is even holding a cool movie marathon. One for kids (shows include the latest Harry Potter film - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Fantastic 4, Night at the Museum and Eragon) and also one for adults featuring blockbuster films like Die Hard 4, Blood Diamond, Ocean's 13 and 300. So if you've missed those films, you can still go see them in SM City Cebu Cinemas from December 19 to 24.

Places To Party In Cebu

Well Christmas is just around the corner and everybody is scrambling to get from one party to another. It will be a little late to get into the more popular locations specially for bigger groups, but here are some places I recommend as cool party places in Cebu.

1. Mr. A - just up in Busay the food and drinks are affordable PLUS the view is to die for
2. Sand trap - this place is usually for members only but it's a nice place to hang out (usually haven for foreigners), but there's a pool and good food as well
   
3. MB Tavern - pizza's good, they've got beer and stuff too at affordable rates
4. Loft - I hear this is the place to be if you want to be seen in the "social" scene (typically not my type - expensive there too)
   
5. Lantaw Garden - up in Marco Polo, I have yet to get details on this place and when I do I'll be sure to let you know. But from what I remember when Marco Polo hotel was still Cebu Plaza hotel, this wasn't so bad (also with a great view of the city)
6. Cafe Orchidia - also near Marco Polo, I haven't tasted the food here but I have had a few drinks and it wasn't so bad. The place is cozy
7. The Port - at Waterfront Cebu is a good place to eat with their eat-all-you-can buffet. Sometimes though there are be a LOT of people to watch out
8. Paseo - if you jive with the younger crowd, this is also one of the more popular hang outs in the city

(Image from photo.net.ph by Blogalicous)

US Bank Notes Worth $3 Trillion Found In Argao Cebu

US banknotes amounting to $3 trillion that were recovered in barangay Talaga, Argao town two months ago. According to the Philippines Star, the US Secret Service confirmed them to be counterfeits.

Here's a little history from that same article:

In October, a resident in Talaga, Argao recovered a chest left behind a banana grove by a Caucasian-looking man.

The chest, which is 27.3 inches long, 10 inches wide and 14.4 inches in height, has the markings of Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, Ohio. On top of the markings was an engraved seal of the United States.

The opened compartments contained seven film clichés, 12 bank certificates, 12 redemption act certificates, 12 treasury certificates, 12 inventory lists, 12 gold reserve act certificates, 11 insurance certificates and 12 gold bullion certificates.

The fourth compartment contained 200 pieces of US federal bond interest coupons, with each coupon stating it was worth $1 billion.

And here's an update from Sunstar News:

The US Embassy also requested PRO 7 to burn the notes, or to send these to the US consular agent’s office in Cebu for destruction.

“On behalf of all US federal agencies involved, we thank you for your professionalism and timely response in handling this sensitive matter. I look forward to personally meeting you and your staff in the near future,” the letter said.

The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), particularly operatives of the Argao Police Station, recovered the bonds last Oct. 12, after a Caucasian man abandoned the trunk in a banana grove in Sitio Prenza, Barangay Talaga, Argao.

Samples of the bank notes were sent to the US Embassy for analysis, although the police and US Honorary Consul John Domingo earlier pointed to signs the recovered documents were bogus.

Efforts to identify and locate the person who dropped the trunk in Argao town are also ongoing. Police have yet to find out what he intended to do with the bonds or how he produced them.

The recovery of the counterfeit bonds earned the provincial police office an award from the Department of Interior and Local Government last month.

(image from ABS-CBN News)

SM City Cebu North Wing Now Open

We got to visit SM City Cebu Northwing over the weekend. The entrance was indeed grand. There were many new shops like Power Books, Diego and Espada. Although most of them are already in Ayala Center's new renovated area as well. SM North Wing was not to be outdone. They held ABS-CBN's "Deal or No Deal" there. The place was just crawling with people. It was even more crowded than normal.

I think it's going to be great there once all the shops are open. The spaciousness is just refreshing. Kids can run around while parents can shop. It won't just be a place to shop but a place to hang out as well.