Perfect Loaf Cafe/Bakery, Angeles City, Pampanga

Pampanga will not be called the culinary center of the Philippines if it doesn’t boast one of the best cafés and restaurants. Perfect Loaf is one of the oldest bakery/cafés in my hometown, Angeles City. Through the years, it had already gained a considerable amount of media exposure, respect from the culinary industry, and a steady following among the residents of Angeles City. Located at Teresa Ave. corner St. Joseph Street, Nepo Mart Complex, it sits squarely in the center of Angeles city, enjoying the bursting atmosphere of city life.

Although being mainly a bakery and café, Perfect Loaf offers more than breads, cakes, and coffee with its highly expanded menu. It serves set meals, pasta, and other merienda treats which truly depict the diversity of the Filipino, more specifically, Kapampangan cuisine. At a budget of 100-200 pesos, you can already have a filling meal. My mom and I visited a day ago before I left for Manila and I had the chance of tasting their lasagna, palabok, and Decadent cake.

The palabok was really divine at a price of 55 pesos while the lasagna which looked very appetizing but tasted quite bland for me. But it’s still good, probably, there was just nothing too remarkable about it. The decadent cake was very moist and had a balanced caramel and chocolate taste. I usually don’t like eating anything with caramel since I don’t like the feeling when it sticks on your palate. I must say, this decadent cake from Perfect Loaf is a lovely exemption.

What I like about this café is that it also offers menu options for vegetarian and health buffs alike. It serves a variety fresh salads and freshly cut fruits in season. Truly this café has this all-in-one feel in it. It’s one of those restaurants where the menu is so flexible that you can stay here the whole day and they’d have something to serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And not to mention, merienda too!

The ambiance provides this cozy, laid back atmosphere. I like the enhanced logo of the café which had a color combination of pink and blue. The similar colors were used in their counter, walls, and chairs. Coupled with a nice incandescent lighting, it gave a classy and modern feel to the place yet retaining the edgy colorful motif of blue and pink. On the left side of the store, a view of the busy city can be seen while you eat your fill.

I’m also buying the cool uniforms of their crew. I’m sorry for the blurred photo, it was just a stolen one from a kuya who was busy bussing one of the tables.haha!

Perfect Loaf is one of the must go café/restaurants when you visit Pampanga. The menu offering will really give you a sampling of the different gastronomic delights of the province at a very affordable price and at a very relaxed ambiance. Be sure to drop by here when you're at Angeles City!

2nd Sabuaga Festival at Santo Tomas, Pampanga

Sabuaga Festival or the Flower Showering Festival is a day long festivity celebrated in the municipality of Santo Tomas, Pampanga every Easter Sunday. It is a festival deeply rooted in the religious and spiritual tradition of the locals where they scatter or “sabuag” flower petals to the life size saint figures mounted on carrozas which is especially evident in Salubong, a common tradition in the Philippines where they reincarnate the meet up of the Risen Christ and the Sorrowful mother. 

The term “Sabuaga” came from a play of two Kampampangan words, “sabuag” - as mentioned earlier – and “sampaga” which means flowers. 

Haircut Fiasco

I recently got a haircut two days ago (see picture). It just came to me that I sorta have this fetish of taking photos of myself after getting a haircut. Some may call it self-love, narcissism, or vanity, but I prefer it to be called appreciation of oneself. If you yourself doesn’t appreciate how you look, trust me, no one else will do.

The hardest and most mind-boggling part when getting a haircut is when the hairdresser asks you what hair cut do you want. I, who lived in a generation of schools requiring a 2x3 haircut, aside from being a style imbecile, would always find it very hard to answer. I would usually say, “Kahit ano po” then the stylist would jokingly quip with “Kahit kalbo?” then I would reply, “Wag naman po yun…”. That’s the usual script. 

If I would put up a salon/barbershop, I’d provide a catalogue of hairstyles so that choosing a cut would be in a jiffy, less stressful and guarantee that the cut is suitable for one’s preferences. Salons would really learn a thing or two from the karinderya’s turo turo system.

When I was in high school, I used to sport a 5x6 haircut because, believe it or not, I used to be a CAT officer. The barber from the kanto played as my personal hairdresser, me going to his shop every two weeks without fail. One time I asked him to do my usual cut but ended up having a semi kalbo head. It was a disaster. I then had to suffer being an egg head for two excruciating weeks that’s why I choose to play it safe now and be very particular with the places I get my haircut. And I swore never again to go to barber shops.

***

If I badly need a haircut when I’m in Manila, I’d usually go to Mary Pauline Salon Dapitan Branch – that’s where I recently got my haircut days prior. Although one observation I had here is that after two weeks, my hair becomes kinda messy and hard to manage.

Pampanga always has some of the best hairdressers. I highly recommend Matrix Salon and Lykx Feliciano, formerly from Dan Jose Salon but now operating a shop of his own, Trenvision. The former is more student budget friendly at the price of 100 per haircut while the later is more costly at 180 pesos. But more or less, the quality is just the same.

1st Sabuaga Festival at Sto.Tomas, Pampanga

The 1st Sabuaga Festival was truly a blast! Kapampangan talent and artistry were once again highlighted during the festivities. Children with colorful costumes sashayed throughout the streets of Sto. Tomas, Pampanga while the festival theme song played. It was a really festive moment for the Thomasians (people from Sto. Tomas, Pampanga). You could almost see everyone jiving with the festive mood as processions and street dancing paraded before their eyes.

The Flower Scattering Festival

Sabuaga Festival got its name from a play between two kapampangan words, sabuag which means to scatter and sampaga which means flowers; hence, the name Sabuaga festival or the Flower Scattering Festival. The festival got its roots from the religious tradition of the people during Easter Sunday which they call “Salubong” where estabats scatter flower as part of the ceremony. This festival happens every Easter Sunday. Truly, religion and tradition go hand in hand with the festival.

Quoting from the Vice Mayor Ronquillo(not her exact words), “Sana ali mu sampaga ing isabuag tamu, pati narin, sabuag lugud at pangadi kareng aliwang lugar”- I hope we do not only scatter flowers but also love and prayers as well.

A Move for Tourism

Mayor Joselito Naguit shared in several reports from Sun Star that the festival, aside from its religious aspect, aims to improve the tourism sector in the area. Sto. Tomas, Pampanga is well known to be a exporter of world class coffins and pottery, thus increasing tourism in this area would greatly benefit the business of the townspeople.

Sto. Tomas, Pampanga is small town located near San Fernando and San Simon, Pampanga. Its former name was Sto. Tomas de Baliwag or simply, Baliwag which originated from the Spanish direct translation which means, “tardy” as the people from this province usually arrive late during mass at the time of the Spanish colonialists.

Festivity Proper

The events that composed the festival were a “Salubong”, Inter-barangay Street dancing and cultural presentation.

The “Salubong” is a form of ceremony depicting the first meeting of Jesus and Mama Mary after Christ’s resurrection. Sculpted figurines depicting saints were paraded from opposite directions with the head of Mary covered by a veil. After the procession, Mama Mary and Jesus meet at a certain point (most commonly at the church) and a ceremony where an angel descends to remove the veil of Mary.

I think the Salubong is very prominent here in the Philippines during Easter Sunday, but the difference with the Sabuaga festival is that artworks similar to the ones you see at Disney Channel’s Art Attack are laid on the streets which will be passed through by the Mary during the procession before the Salubong itself.

Here's the video, notice the street artworks! 

An Inter-barangay street dancing was also organized, participated by the seven barangays of Sto. Tomas namely: San Bartolome, San Vicente, San Matias, Poblacion, Sto. Nino, Moras de la Paz, and Sto. Rosario Pau. Each barangay showcased their main product such as San Vicente for coffins, Poblacion’s aquatic products, San Bartolome’s poultry supply, Moras de la Paz’ textile industry, San Matias’ Jeepney making businesses and so on.

Here's the video from Youtube.com:

I really enjoyed this street dancing parade in the afternoon. I even said to myself, “Kaya pala ng mga taga-Pampanga and ginagawa sa ibang probinsya.” To think, the participants were only children in their elementary and high school years.(Parang gusto ko na rin sumali next year!Haha) The parade was really a sight to see. Really a feast for the eyes.

After the street dancing, a cultural presentation competition was started which was again participated by the street dance participants. Again, colorful props and costumes were very prominent among the participants. Pampanga Governor Among Ed Panlilio also graced the event during the announcing of the winners. Barangay Sto. Nino managed to get the Best in Costume and Headress award, while Barangay San Matias got the Best Street Dancers and Best in Choreography citation.

Barangay Poblacion bagged the best cultural presentation followed by Brgy.Sto. Nino and San Matias, 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the end, Barangay Santo Nino managed to get the overall championship forthe 1st Sabuaga Festival

Truly, Sabuaga Festival and Sto. Tomas,Pampanga is really worth paying a visit.


Picture courtesy of www.santotomaspampanga.com