Not easy to do

I missed my two columns. Through the years they were traditionally geared toward the Holiday Season. They would contain accounts of our clan’s two reunions—in our home for Christmas Day and in my brother and co-STAR columnist Rey’s house for the first day of the year.

I found pleasure in customarily sharing with my readers the array of food that our families shared and the fun and enjoyment of seeing nephews and nieces growing up fantastically fast—they were the only ones in the adults’ eyes who were adding up age while the grownups would stay in suspended animation—only the young ones were growing old, while the “young once” were taking the opposite direction.  

But I just couldn’t start writing. Just looking at my blank computer monitor would give me images of my late wife and I would start to tear up. Simply because she has always been a part of all that’s about Christmas since the time I decided to stop wondering around and resolved to settle down. But that’s an understatement—she was just not part of everything about Christmas but a huge part of everything about me and our children, from the time they were very young up to their adulthood.

Babes would always be in the center of the universe of preparing for our clan’s Christmas Reunion—from dressing up our home to preparing the menu and actually cooking most of what was to be served and to the minutest details of giving a gift to everyone.

This was my first Christmas without Babes and it wasn’t easy.

I digress

On Business & Leisure we continue our seeming unending quest for interesting leisure destinations in the metro, all over the country and even outside, which we share with our readers.

Our B&L production crew’s persistent exploration and research for interesting content for this column and its counterpart on cyberspace, www.businessandleisure.ph, lead to a concept café along España in Manila, which has been turning out to be a hit among young customers.

Dedicated to students who need a place to hang out at after a long day in school is Amo Yamie Crib and Movie House.

Being once a student who would feel so conscious about the time she spent just hanging around in fast-food chains not knowing when the restaurant’s crew would start eyeing her for staying too long, the owner saw the need for a place wherein students can relax and enjoy their time without limitations.

“Here in our place pwede kang humiga, tumambay and mag-relax nang walang iniisip na may sisita sayo, if mag-stay ka nang matagal” (Here you can lounge and relax without fear of anybody calling your attention for staying too long), was the concept of the place thought of and founded by a 20-year old daughter of a middle-class family from Pampanga.

As for its unique name, Amo Yamie is a combination of different words. “Amo” came from the word “amor”, which means love. While, “Yamie” is from “Yummy”, which defines delicious food. And “Crib” in urban dictionary or parlance means “Cozy Place” or a place to hang out.

And speaking of food and cribs, those are exactly what the place is known for among millennials as its interior is filled with decks of cribs that can accommodate a group of friends. 

They have 72 cribs that can cater to four persons for every crib. Each crib comes with pillows that customers can lie on or simple snuggle with while eating, studying or just chilling out with friends.

Amo Yamie Crib serves a variety of food, the servings of which are claimed by their owners as “instagrammable” aside from being delicious and of high quality.

As for the movie house part of the package, Amo Yamie Crib hosts private events and film showing in their movie theater house that can accommodate eight to 12 people.

Although their España branch is the most well-known, the one in Angeles, Pampanga was actually the real hometown of Amo Yamie Crib. After several months since the first branch was put up in 2012, four more branches across Pampanga, Bulacan, Cubao and España have opened.

The owners are planning to cater to more customers not only in Manila but also in nearby provinces as well. They are eyeing areas like Baguio in the north and Cavite in the south.

Business & Leisure’s quest for leisure destinations continues.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.

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