Davao

[QUOTE=Dragon Slayer]X Man,

I think he meant "scruffy beard". I make these typos all the time. No, I am not a poor typist but my vista software seems intent on having me misspell every third word I type. On letters the "spelling software" catches these and corrects them for me. Here, I have to proofread.[/QUOTE]X knew what the hell I meant he just being an ass as usual.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Speaking of lifestyles, I guess I recently passed some heretofore unknown milestone at the Dusit.

During this trip a bunch of current and former NBA stars were staying in the hotel and I had a chance to chat with several of them in the lounge and in the club room. Each one seemed to be traveling with his own entourage of fine looking American women and various other hangers on. I did miss seeing Kareem Abdul Jabar, though he was staying at the hotel as well. I guess he didn't hang out with the other guys.
GE[/QUOTE]NBA stars at the Dusit? If I had the type of money those guys have the Peninsula or Shangri-la ( I have spent time at both) would be in order. The Dusit is kind of on the cheap side for a 5 star that is exactly why I use it for my by the hour dates.

Tonight we ate again at the Bangkok Wok on JP Laurel in the Robinson's Cybe Gate center. While the service left a bit to be desired, the quality of the food was excellent: the preparation, the quality of the ingredients and the taste were all authentic Thai. This is a nice place to come for an informal meal. It's attractively decorated, there's plenty of parking and the prices--with 10% service included--are not bad at all. We had a multi-course meal with no alcohol, and the bill was about Php1250 for two. This is the only place in Davao, or at least the only place I know about, where you can get my favorite desert, mango with sticky rice.

GE

Guys,

The count in the Davao Board has it at 999 Posts. This should be # 1,000. Surprised we got this many Posts here. I guess GooDEnough and I do a lot of writing here.

I hope this Forum and the Davao Board are entertaining, informative and fun reading material for you. In any event I am inserting a photo of my Son here in Davao City taken during breakfast in the Continental Club last August 10.

Dragon Slayer

[QUOTE=Dragon Slayer]In any event I am inserting a photo of my Son here in Davao City taken during breakfast in the Continental Club last August 10.

Dragon Slayer[/QUOTE]Congratulations on both the new son and forum milestone.

Healthy looking lad.

I see you already have him in boxing gloves.

SbySW

Guys,

Here are photos of the 28 year old Accountant in Davao City. When I arrived here last July 12 I had plenty of free time as it was just Noon when I got to my room in the Marco Polo. As noted in my post back then I was deciding whether to invite over 18 y/o Bianca (38C tits), a college student, or the 28 y/o Patty, an accountant. Bianca kept texting me that she was taking a bath and dressing up to come see me.

I decided a 28 y/o accountant would be more dependable and less likely to turn staker later. This was important as I would be meeting Rose with my newborn Son and going to dinner that evening. Did not want someone banging on my door later in the night.

Good to know I do make mistakes in judgment, at least occasionally. The 28 y/o said she was not busy and would be right over. When it was 2:45PM I texted her inquiring as to what the fuck was her problem. Her reply was she had "some things to do" and was running late. Remined her that at Noon she was coming right over. I had told her to take a taxi and I would pay for it.

At 3:30PM I told her to Fuck Off! Said she was over three hours late and beyond rude. I contacted the 18 y/o and she arrived 20 minutes after I texted her. Fucked me twice and then returned home for dinner. I met Rose and her hot looking, 18 y/o sister at 8PM in the MP lobby. We went straight out to De Bonte Koe Restaurant. We had our son with us, now two weeks old.

Back iin the room later with Rose and our son, I get a text from the 28 y/o. It is 11:30PM. She says she is in the lobby and wants to know what room I am in so she can come up. I reply that I am not available and for her to leave.

Here you can now put a face and body with the fool.

Dragon Slayer

X man here, yes Warbucks, I knew what you meant. Everyone knew what you meant. That's how sarcasm works. But, if both parties aren't laughing, I'm willing to admit the joke didn't work. My bad.

As for the quote below, Yea, you got that right.- Grade A asshole. Just glad I'm not the horse's ass. That honor is for Warbucks, aka D'etat, aka Illogic. (More like a dead horse's ass)

Yes, we should all use the Dusit for "by the hour dates".

Umm, what is a "by the hour date"? If you don't reply, I'll ask at the front desk.

X. Beating a dead horse?

[QUOTE=Warbucks]X knew what the hell I meant he just being an ass as usual.

NBA stars at the Dusit? If I had the type of money those guys have the Peninsula or Shangri-la ( I have spent time at both) would be in order. The Dusit is kind of on the cheap side for a 5 star that is exactly why I use it for my by the hour dates.[/QUOTE]

There are two new Mediterranean restaurants opening here during the next four weeks or so, thereby increasing the number of Western-type culinary choices in Davao. The first, called Farfalla, will be opened by Celina, the daughter of Claude (Cafe de Ville) in the Victoria shopping center next to Ah Fat. It will feature less expensive French food than her father's restaurant, with lots of pastas, liter French fare and less expensive French wines. The second, which will be called Buenna Terra, will open on Torres St., next to the Holiday Spa. It will feature Mediterranean food of a different type, including Abarbic-influenced food from Tunisa, and home made confit de canard and lots of lamb dishes. It will also include a deli selling many of the restaurant's offerings (including the duck confit) to go, so you can reheat them at home. This restaurant will be owned and operated by Annie, who owns Spirale Italian restaurant in Damosa Gate. That place makes (in my judgment) the best pizza in town and very good chicken parmigeana. I have high hopes for both places since both of the ladies are trained chefs. Celina used to work in Monaco and Annie was trained in Switzerland and the Napa Valley.

I'll be sure to visit each shortly after they open and will report back on the overall quality and ambiance of each, but I'm hoping they live up to expectations.

GE

Tonight we went to the "soft" opening of Farfalla, the new Mediterranean-style restaurant opened by Claude's (Cafe de Ville) daughter, and I'm happy to report that it's fully up to DS' standards as well as my own. The ambiance is lovely and intimate, with soft candles on every table, fresh flowers, lovely table cloths and relaxing colors. Service is unobtrusive but efficient. With seating for only twenty and a wait staff of five or so, there's plenty of attention from the staff, but it's not overwhelming.

We ate with South by Southwest and his companion and had literally a soup to nuts meal, with two bottles of wine, a couple of entrees, a couple of different soups, main courses and deserts of home made pecan pie a la mode and tiramisu, and it was all wonderful. I had an appetizer of focaccia with grilled steak and mozerella and my lady had a mixed sausage and beef dish in spicy tomato sauce. All of it was superb. Then we had mussels mariniere followed by desert, coffee, and washed down with two bottles of Valpolicella. The entire meal for four was about Php4,300. SxSW had roast chicken that he said was delicious and his lady had steak, which she said was excellent.

The restaurant is located in the Victoria Mall shopping center parking area, immediately to the right of Ah Fat Chinese restaurant, an on the bottom floor of the la Cour building.

I recommend it highly and I'm anxious to go there with DS as I know that he will enjoy it thoroughly.

GE

GoodEnough,

Thankyou. I am looking forward to many dinners there. At the Champagne Party for Conor's birth Celine described her "Restaurant Plan". I asked if it would have tables cover with white, linen tablecloths and adorned with candles. She assured me it would. The Lady is both beautiful and talented. Graduated from a Cluinary Institute in Paris. Most recently worked in Morocco. Let's see now, Saturday night at Claude's and Sunday night at Celine's. Perhaps a Thursday or Friday night there also.

Guys,

I began this month doing what I should have been all along. I detail the Amounts sent for each of my three children monthly. Rent, Tuition and Major Purchases get a separate schedule. No rent or mortgage for the Home as I paid cash for its construction and the recent, major improvements. But tuition and other items make up for this.

Living in the Phils on $ 500 - $ 800 per month is a JOKE!!! Anyone who tells you this is ON POVERTY STREET, living like a bum!

I mentioned how the dumb fuck at GE's NYE Party called asking to find a place for P5,000/month AND NOT A PESO MORE. Rose's apartment cost 5,500 pesos. It is in a gated area of apartments for employed, working class filipinos. She found it and was instructed to keep Conor at home and NOT mention me to the landlady. The apartment has one, large, clean room, a nice sized bathroom and a large closet. No a/c and she pays water and electricity.

Rose is back working full time and her Mother decided to stay and care for my son, fearing trusting him in the care of a nanny. I pay everything. This has no impact on my cash flow, except when I had to pay for the Hospital bills and surgery for Conor's birth and when he was ill a few weeks after.

I had never mentioned to ANYONE that for over three years I had been helping Jen, paying her rent in the Boarding House she shared with three girlfriends who also worked as professional singers. I also send her money every 10-14 days to assist her in her living expenses. It was about what I send Rose for Conor. Jen is on her own and most likely seeking a "sucker" to pick up where Slayer left off last year when she headed to Europe, only to return six months later.

If I were to live in my Home on Leyte full time, I could get by for $1,000 - $ 1,200 US per month. This assumes NO trips to Hong Kong, five star hotels in Manila, Cebu or Davao and little in the way of fine dining/fine living like I do both in my US City and in Makati, Hong Kong and Davao City.

Retiring Sucks! I remember what it did to my Father. When every day is Sunday you become very bored, very quickly. Want to see examples of this? Check out the "Our Place" Bar on Pelaez/Sanciangko Sts in Cebu City,outside tables at Henny's Restaurant on any Fri/Sat evening in Davao or the ex-pat bar in Makati on Burgo St (Eagles Nest or something; avoid it in recent years). If that is what you are seeking, GREAT! You "enjoy"!

Dragon Slayer

Guys,

Checking my "Support List" (payments sent for each of my children monthly). Now how much did that "living in the____" say you need to live comfortably in the Philippines?? I will exceed that basic (bullshit) Amount FOR EACH OF MY THREE CHILDREN THIS MONTH! So much for that nonsense website. Perhaps the young mothers' should "check out" that site and comment therein.

Food and clothing are NOT free. Rice is NOT as cheap as some expats claim. One guy once commented that you could support a child even in Makati City on $100 per month. Guy did NOT have any children and I still believe he is ___ (so does GE's Lady and the Kid). As mentioned, even a basic, one room, apartment with NOTHING IN IT, cost me 5,500 pesos/month for Rose. Had to buy a refrigerator, bed, small stove, tv and plastic chairs and table. No a/c and electric and water are additional at about !,000 pesos for the first and a few hundred for the latter. Have to consider medicines, vitamins, doctors visits and constant upgrades in clothing.

That was the "site" where Sir Brad got his start. GoodEnough invited our "man in davao" over to ISG, primarily to fuck up my life in Davao City, I believe. Even if you intend to live here in Davao City with just a filipina (Ya like that will fucking work), you need to ask yourself if you want to spend your days in utter poverty. A basic place with run around 15,000 pesos in Davao and still no a/c. Add a/c like I did in Leyte and the electric bill doubles (or more).

What about dining out? What about pussy? Unless you can work the ladies like I do, the pros are not cheap (except the ones on the streets). GE is constantly commenting on dining here in Davao. The filipino barbecue places around J Camus & Illustre Sts (Ground Zero) can be cheap. Have to like barbecued beef, pork and chicken. Lots of fat and tons of salt. My Son's mother is on staff at a Hospital in Cebu. She told me there was nothing in any of the filipino barbecue places I could eat. I avoid fatty foods and anything with salt.

Eating good and living a halfway decent life here is not cheap. Add a child or two and it escalates dramatically. And I do not entertain Family members or freeloading "friends" of the Lady ever. Met none of Rose's friends to this day and met only one of Jen's friends ever in 3 1/2 years together. And that was only to fix her up with my nephew, the Kid (was a joke! Girl was a 9.3 in face/body and the Kid is a fat, heavy smoking, heavy drinking slob).

Looking to retire to Davao City is fine. But there is no point in deceiving someone about the cost of living here. Retirement should be fun, relaxing, exciting and enjoyable. Not a one room apartment with no a/c and having to live on filipino foods (disgusting at best), tubock and san miguel pilsen beer.

Dragon Slayer

DS,

I dream of salt occasionally after a week or two in the sun. Carry small air-plane bags in my pocket to fight of the dizziness sometimes. Soy sauce is used instead of salt in those places.

I agree to everything you write if I can change the word "salt" for "sugar". Sugar glacéed chicken. Yummi?

To quote GE: "Philippino bread - equal amounts of sugar and wheat flour".

H

Ds,

You've lived in Asia for too long. Of course living the western style in Davao or anywhere in the phils isn't *that* cheap. But for euros like me who live in London or Paris is dirt cheap.

Real estate is cheap, you seem offensed by 15K pesos rent, well in central Paris a parking spot (for ONE car) cost 35, 000 euros that is roughly 2, 500, 000 pesos for a few meter square of raw concrete while for that same amount I'm sure you can get something descent (and small) in Davao. How much is a one bedroom condo at those condos near SM Davao?

Of course, you can't live "large" with 500 USD (340 EUR) per month in the phils, but in Europe with 500 USD you doomed to being homeless.

With 1,000 euros you are doomed to life of privatation in western europe while in the phils with 1, 000 EUR (69K pesos. Lucky number-) you can have an ok live rent a descent flat go to the restaurant 5 times a week, book 2 or 3 girls for an overnight, do some activities.

Escort Fan,

Thanks for posting. I do not live in the Phils. I do have a second home on the ocean in Leyte but most of my time when in Asia is spent in Davao City. I grew up in New York City and I live in my primary home in another major US City where the climate goes from very hot to mild and beautiful during the Year. My work is entirely in the Financial Field so I DO understand the cost of money.

Putting in perspective anything I pay out for another residence is going to mean "additional expenditures". My Son and his sister, mother and two nannies in Cebu live in a large apartment with two bedrooms and a nice sized bathroom. I pay for everything and it was unfurnished and I had it furnished. My new Son and his mother and grandmother live in a clean, decent, large, one room apartment with a bathroom and large closet. Unfurnished,I have been shelling out for appliances and will wait until I return to finish as Rose appeats unable to do much more than look after my son.

What I am looking at is keeping any additional payouts within "reason". I am at the point where I save a high percentage of my monthly income from my Company. I love the "Good Life" but I have had the fortune of coming from a middle class Family and having "fucked up" when young and learned the hard lesson of "keeping finances in check"

Three children, plus an adopted daughter, who attends the same International School as my daughter, Angelica, I have some expenses already. Again, I have certain "Short Range" and "Long Range" goals towards which I am keeping intact. These involve careful saving and investing. NOT throwing my money away or forgetting where I came from. I could relate how much I spend weekly in Davao City, staying in a Club Room of the Marco Polo, including Continental Club Privileges. Or better yet, just mention how much a few nights on the top floor of the Marco Polo Gateway Hotel on the harbor in Kowloon sets me back, including temporary Club Privileges.

Point IS that anyone should carefully review their expenditures and limit Fixed Costs as much as possible. I was spending a fortune (and I DO mean a fucking fortune) on fine wines and great champagnes until three years ago. The birth of my Son Danile had me forming Investment Companies and other entities towards saving for the future and that of my children. My illness 18 months ago had me stop drinking for a period of months and then limit drinking to ocasional red wines.

$ 500 US per month is what I used to spend weekly on wine and champagne here in the USA. Not a lot of money in comparison to the reality of life in a major City, be it Europe or the USA. Still, I am paying out for all the children and looking to the future. Call me "koriput", "Kenio", "yatsui", or just CHEAP. I am only being careful. I DO NOT WANT TO EVER BE CALLED BROKE!

Dragon Slayer

Ds,

I never called you cheap! My point was just that imho the phils are just one of the country where the cost & quality of living is the cheapest. And o, ly a fraction from high end european cities.

So regardless your income, you lifestyle should be better in the phils!

Us frogs also thank you for your expensive purchase of wine & champagne!

Actually I am cheaper than you, during my last davao visit in dec. Jan, I was quoted 120 USD or so per night at the Marco Polo so I opted for a deluxe room at casa laeticia for 3, 000 pesos!

MP are dumb they could have made good biz with me.

Saving for the kids is a wise move. If I had children I would do the same.

[quote]Retiring Sucks! [/quote]I hear you there. Over the last 10 years, I have been learning Internet marketing, and I see ways I could continue to make some supplemental income online, with no ties to any particular place, except the need to have good connections. Trips to Hong Kong could even help.

And I see in Davao looks like 3-4 golf courses. I could live with golfing 3-5 days a week.

But yeah, what you miss is your home, and civilization. Car racing, rodeos, state fairs, football, blond girls in short shorts.

OTOH, being treated like a Lord in your home by soft brown girls...might be worth it.