Lucky Supermarket Surrey is opening on July 30!

Finally, the long wait is over! Lucky Supermarket's first BC branch is opening next week, July 30!

Photo taken from Lucky Supermarket's FB page

Grabe, sobra ang excitement ko! Feeling ko nagiging ok na unti-unti ang buhay ko rito sa BC. I am about to have a house again (Thank God!) tapos magbubukas na ang Lucky Supermarket dito sa Surrey. Haha, friends na lang ang kulang!

Aayain ko talaga si Ford sa Lucky pagkagaling niya sa work. I am hoping na parehas ang sistema sa stores nila sa Edmonton -- mura ang meat, maraming choices ang fish, maraming Pinoy products, may frozen calamansi, pwedeng magpa-barbecue cut ng liempo, at masarap ang lutong pagkain.

One week to go!

Lucky Supermarket in Surrey

I am so happy and couldn't contain my excitement. I literally screamed on top of my lungs after reading this ad that Ford showed me just a while ago (my son even said: "Mommy, are you ok?!).

Finally, we'll have LUCKY SUPERMARKET here in Surrey!

Lucky was my favorite Asian supermarket in Edmonton. It's actually the very first Asian grocery store that I have been to here in Canada and I became a suki throughout my 3-year stay in Edmonton.

I preferred Lucky over T&T (another giant Asian Supermarket that's originally from BC) because the former has more Filipino goods than the latter. They have better meat and fish section, too. And their prices I found relatively cheaper. Kaya doon kami talaga "namamalengke" noon eh.

When we moved here in Surrey last year, nahirapan talaga ako kung saan kami mamimili ng ulam. I was clueless because clearly, I am not a fan of T&T (nakokontian kasi ako sa Pinoy items nila). Sure, there is Henlong Market, but I find it too small and walang binatbat sa Lucky (hindi ako talaga makamove-on sa Lukcy haha). Until now, sabog-sabog pa rin ako mamili ng pang-ulam. Unlike sa Edmonton na talagang sa Lucky lang.

Kaya ngayon para akong nabigyan ng maagang pamasko talaga. At parang ayaw na rin kaming pabalikin talaga sa Edmonton ha (I listed Lucky as one of the reasons why I wanted to go back to Edmonton). I just wish na yung Lucky dito ay yung parang sa Edmonton din because I am sure Filipinos here will be thrilled. Sayang nga lang because Lucky will (probably) open when we're in Pinas na. Di bale, at least mae-excite ako pagbalik namin ng April. =)

Disheartened home-seeker

My husband is not a fan of second-hand, be it on cars at lalo na sa bahay. We are not on the same page nga when it comes to house preference. Ok lang sa akin ang hindi bago basta maganda ang loob (renovated as much as possible) at ok ang location. I've been trying to convince him na kumausap na ng realtor pero talagang gusto niya ng bagong gawa. Kahit maliit, basta bago.

There's this new townhomes development in Cloverdale (Surrey) na namataan niya. He was positive na within our budget ang price doon so we signed up. It took a few weeks bago nila na-email back sa akin ang presyo (nag-finalize pa raw kasi sila). To Ford's dismay, ang pasok lang sa budget niya ay yung 2-bedroom - 1 bathroom 990-sq ft unit (the cheapest unit). Expected ko na yun kaya hindi ako nagulat. Binigyan ko na lang ang asawa ko ng "I told you so" look.

To give you an idea kung gaano ka-crazy ang housing market situation dito sa Metro Vancouver, take a look at this brand new 3,990 sq ft house in Las Vegas. Yan ang kaya naming bilhin  sa budget namin. Seriously.

So disheartening noh?

Ok na sana ang buhay namin dito sa Metro Vancouver eh. Bahay na lang talaga. Pero hindi "lang" yun, di ba? Napaka-basic sa buhay ng tao yun kaya no wonder many people are relocating to places na affordable ang bahay.

Bakit naging ganito kataas ang presyo ng bahay dito? Kasalanan ng mga foreign buyers (mostly chekwa) yan. Yung pera nila from their country, dinala nila dito at namili sila ng namili ng properties. Tapos fini-flip nila, pinapataas ang presyo. Hanggang sa dumating na sa point na hindi na ma-afford ng ordinaryong Vancouverites ang magkaroon ng sariling bahay. It is now nearly impossible for ordinary workers to own a laned/detached home, lumang townhomes at condos na lang ang mabibili nila. Luma, as in 20 to 40+ year old units. Objectively, hindi malaki ang sweldo ng mga tao rito ha. Marami lang Asians na may mga baong pera from their respective places of origin kaya may disposable money sila.

Nakakalungkot talaga. Paminsan-minsan sumasagi pa rin sa isip namin na bumalik sa Edmonton kasi nga doon pwede kaming magkaroon ng malaking bahay. Or we could just buy another townhouse (tulad ng bahay namin dati) and have more extra money for travel and other leisure things. Kaso nandito na kami eh, mahirap na uling bumalik doon.

Ayoko na. Sabi ko sa asawa ko mag-condo na lang kami. Mahal din pero I want a slightly bigger space than 990 sq ft. And we need at least 2 bedrooms + 1den just in case may bisita. Pumayag na rin siya, basta bago. The other day, he informed me na may project sila na itatayong condo malapit sa office nila sa Langley, abangan daw namin. He already checked the site plan at malalaki ang units. We already signed up kaso by spring pa raw sila magrerelease ng presyo at magsisimulang magbenta. Ford heard from their office na March daw to be exact. Oh well, let's see. Baka mamaya ma-disapppoint na naman kami. But just in case magustuhan namin at bumili kami, ang drawback is that we would have to wait for another year bago ma-turn over. Hay, parang ang tagal pa. Kaya ko pa bang mag-antay??? =(

First Uniqlo in (Metro) Vancouver

We were at Metropolis at Metrotown (or simply, Metrotown Mall) last Saturday (October 14) so we finally got to "experience" the hype on the newly opened, first ever Uniqlo in Vancouver.

This store is actually not in Vancouver but in Burnaby. But I read somewhere that they are looking na rin for a Downtown Vancouver location na may malaking space at di gaanong mataas ang rent (haha, meron kaya nun?).

Anyway, I like Uniqlo. I used to buy shirts and a lot of fleece jackets from there before. Gusto ko rin ang tela nila for kids' shirts. Kaya natuwa talaga ako nang malaman ko na magkakaroon na sila ng stores dito sa Vancouver. Ang alam ko may dalawa na silang naunang stores sa Greater Toronto Area eh.

I was so excited to look at their merchandise kaso sobrang dami talagang tao, nakakahilo! Kasama ko pa ang mag-ama ko kaya hindi ako makadiskarte. I want to compare prices din kasi, kung mas mura pa dito o sa Pinas. Ang hula ko ay sa Pinas, cheaper labor and business costs.

No doubt na dadagsain talaga ang Uniqlo kasi napakaraming chekwa and other Asians dito who are familiar with the brand. Parang wala akong gaanong napansin masyado na Caucasian.

Pinaikot ko lang ang mata ko sa prices and my conclusion -- MAHAL! Mahal sa standards ng Canadians/Westerners na sanay sa outlet stores at sale items. Kung taga-Pinas ka at gusto mo ng winter jacket kasi magta-travel ka, bibili ka sa Uniqlo kasi saan pa ba? Pero kung taga-dito ka, andami-daming pwedeng bilhan ng jacket noh. Nandyan pa ang pang-masang GAP at Old Navy.

Oh well, marami nga palang mayayamang chekwa dito. Siguro sa kanila, kebs lang ang presyo haha. pero sigurado ako, mamamahalan ang mga puti sa Uniqlo.

October 6 lang nagbukas ang store (one week pa lang when we visited) so talagang nandun pa rin yung hype. I wonder kung hanggang kailan kaya. Parang nung nag-open ang Muji, ilang weeks na pipila ka sa labas bago makapasok.

I'd probably go back on November na to further 'observe' lol. Maga-antay din muna ako ng sale bago bumili. As far as I know, ok naman ang prices nila kapag nagse-sale.

Kate Spade Outlet in Vancouver

I am so happy!

We went to McArthurGlen Designer Outlets (near Vancouver Airport) last Saturday and guess what, Kate Spade is already open! It was still under construction the last time we were there eh.

OMG! Di pa rin ako makapaniwala na may outlet na talaga ang Kate Spade dito! One of the reasons why I like to cross border in Washington is because of Kate Spade (in Seattle Premium Outlets). Ngayon meron na rin kami dito sa Vancouver yebaaah! No need to pay in US dollar pa.

And our store is bigger ha! Mas maraming tinda. Parang mas malaki pa nga ito sa outlet sa California na napuntahan namin last May. Tapos hindi pa ganun karami ang tao, unlike in Seattle na pipila ka pa sa labas. Hindi kasi accessible ang McArthurGlen sa mga public commuters. Ewan ko lang kung may free shuttle from the airport.

I promised my BFF Raxie na uuwian ko siya ng Kate Spade this January. Sakto talaga kasi kapag nasa US outlets kami, I couldn't message her (and send her pictures of the bag so she can choose) kasi wala akong data plan outside Canada. Saka kung wala kaming magustuhan, we could go back some other time kasi mga 25 minutes away from our apartment lang ang McArthurGlen.

I wasn't able to take some pictures inside (pero ang laki niya talaga ha), na-excite kasi ako. Mga black bags lang which I sent to Raxie na di naman niya nagustuhan haha! Sabi ko naman sa kanya, Kate Spades are known for their bright purses nga di ba.

Pero wag ka, natempt na din akong bilhin ito for myself. I am partial to saffiano leather, ewan ko ba. Saka I realized na konti lang ang black bags ko kaya parang I need this in my life haha.

I have a boring taste, I know. Binabagay ko na lang din sa edad ko. Saka classic bags lang talaga ang gusto ko, para hindi mawawala sa uso.

Oh, I love Kate Spade bags! Simula nang naging nanay ako, ito na lang ang naa-afford ko (and occasional Michael Kors) lol! Keri lang naman kasi type ko talaga ang colors and designs ng Kate Spade. Super mura pa sa outlet, kailangan mo lang pumili ng sossy na design kasi meron ding obvious na obvious na from outlet lang.

We will definitely go to McArthurGlen on Thanksgiving weekend (October 7 to 9). Sana maraming good deals. =)

#CheapEats: Go-Grill (Central City)

Ford and I love eating out. Sa Pinas dati halos everyday akong nagdi-dinner sa labas (mostly fastfood lang naman). Ford naman is used to eating alone (and he doesn't cook) so talagang sanay na siyang magdine-out. At dahil parehas kaming hindi makatiis na lutong-bahay lang ang kinakain all the time, ang laki talaga ng gastos namin talaga.

Katulad nga ng sinasabi ko all time, we might be earning dollars here pero in dollars din ang expenses kaya wala rin. Admittedly, hindi rin naman kami talaga matipid. Ang rationale ko, nagpunta ba kami dito sa Canada para i-deprive ang sarili namin? Parang hindi naman dapat ganun.

Anyway, we usually eat on sit-down restos during weekends or kapag may okasyon. Kapag ordinaryong araw at we feel like eating dinner out (pagkauwi ni hubby from work), maghahanap lang kami ng cheap na makakainan na katulad ng Mc Donald's o sa foodcourt ng mall. Pero naku ha, hindi naman talaga mura ang meal sa foodcourts dito. Maga-average ka rin ng $10-13/pax para sa simpleng pagkain. So kapag kaming dalawa, around $25 (or roughly Php1,000). Wala pang drinks yun ha.

Kaya nga I am thrilled whenever I discover a kainan na "cheap." At least I won't feel guilty kasi nga hindi ganun kamahal.

Just two days ago, we were at the Central City and I got to try Go-Grill's "Specials." Lagi daw kumakain dito ang asawa ko dati (when we were vacationing in Pinas) kasi nga mura.

At $6.25 (5.95 + 5% tax), may nakakabusog na kanin at ulam ka na. Masarap din siya, in fairness. Pero sige na nga, hindi pa rin ganun kamura kung iko-convert sa pesos kasi papatak na Php250 siya, kaso mataas talaga ang cost of living dito sa Canada eh. Lalo na dito sa Vancouver area.

Other Chinese stores in the foodcourt may offer the same one-rice + one dish for the same price but what I like about this Go-Grill Specials is that they cook it after you order kaya mainit pa talaga. Ang dami ring rice saka meat, very filling.

The drawback though is that pure meat siya, walang veggies na kasama. Kung gusto mo ng gulay, add $2.49 (plus tax). Not bad pa rin kung tutuusin kasi may drinks na na kasama.

I wish lahat ng foodcourts ng mall ay may ganitong cheap meal. Para hindi nako magluluto ng dinner haha! Kaso sabi ng asawa ko sa Central City lang meron nito kasi may school sa itaas, pang-student meal kumbaga.

Hanap pa ako ng ibang murang machichibugan dito sa Metro Vancouver. Stay tuned. =)