Comments Posted By John McCrarey
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Bars of Barretto: John’s Sushi and Steak
Kev, no, the #11 ranking isn’t about price. I was actually just ranking it according to my personal preferences as a bar. If I were basing the rankings on the food, he’s likely to be #1. I do need to review the restaurants in town as a future project.
Yes, I rarely see John himself doing the cooking, except for special projects. He told me once he prefers hiring inexperienced cooks so he can train them his way. The exception was the sushi chef., who was already an expert in that specialized field.
The second floor restaurant is airconditioned, which I’m sure you’d appreciate more than the bar.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/September/2022 @ 3:08 pm
Day turns into night, night turns into day.
Ha! When I read this comment, I went back to take a gander at the Jesus photo. I see what you mean now, and that’s probably the only way I’ll ever see that crucifix ever again. Thanks for that!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/September/2022 @ 6:18 am
Dan, I’ve had the same thought. The early onset of childbearing is one of the biggest contributors to the cycle of poverty that exists in this country. I talked to one bargirl who was 21 with two kids. How old? I asked. She said the oldest is 7. I was like, wow, you had a kid a 14! Her response was they were poor, and she was bored. There was nothing else to do.
I don’t know exactly what you mean by a “North European” family model, but generally speaking, families here are very close-knit. They have to be to help each other raise all those kids. The Filipino fathers don’t always stick around though and child support is not a thing in this culture.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/September/2022 @ 6:16 am
Hard to say, but it sure does open your eyes to a world the MSM doesn’t want us to see.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/September/2022 @ 6:18 am
Ted, saw the owner yesterday when I walked by Kamto. She had a crew there stripping the place bare. I think, for now, she is going to focus on her other business, Snackbar, and maybe find some vacant space to add a kitchen to that venue.
That pic you reference is a Korean girlfriend from six years ago. It just popped up in my Facebook memories, and I shared it here. Oddly enough, the subject of my being currently legally married came up in a chat with a girl from a dating site. I’m not sure how she took it. It’s not something I lie about, though.
I should have the review of John’s bar up later today.
I no longer vape and haven’t for a year or so now. Don’t miss it either.
I don’t think I’d ever bother my docs when they move here unless I was having a medical emergency. I’m not sure we share the same political views; we haven’t discussed politics. We do seem to be of like minds regarding the scamdemic and all the suffering that has been imposed by governments in response to COVID.
Yep, I did my time on the ice yesterday. It’s part of the price you pay for being the Hare.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 13/September/2022 @ 6:33 am
Yeah, it really is too bad. A couple of the gals will be moving over to Snackbar. That’s an ironic name now that food won’t be available from Kamto.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/September/2022 @ 6:21 am
Yeah, I will do some food stops too, but you can have alcoholic beverages with your meal in all of them, so “constant drinking” is still an option.
Yeah, since all the bars are on the same highway and within a one-kilometer area, a map isn’t really a necessity; it will just give some clarity for those wishing to follow in my footsteps.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/September/2022 @ 6:37 am
Brian, that was called Maris and it went belly up late last year. Marissa left town and moved to Manila, but returned to Barretto last month. She’s working as a waitress now.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 11/September/2022 @ 6:31 am
I think I saw that same PSA. The stupid thing is that I didn’t start smoking until I was 30 and when I quit 20 years later, the damage was done. I understand the addiction, but it Don’s case my sense is that he was determined to live his life his way and consequences be damned.
Yes, it was a productive doctor visit and hopefully, I’ll be back on track soon.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/September/2022 @ 12:32 pm
S/he is the correct phrasing because it is a husband and wife team. Spent almost an hour with them talking about my health issues and some what’s going on in the community chat. Trying something new up my nose for the congestion, adjusted my BP meds to hopefully bring those numbers back down, and gave me some antibiotics for what could be a lung infection. Hopefully, I’ll be back to “normal” soon.
I really enjoyed your entreaty regarding the meaning of the name “Lux.” Sumptuousness seems to be what look the bar was going for. The Latin origins also are a good fit. I was thinking there was an Egyptian history to the word for some reason.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 10/September/2022 @ 7:34 am
“Seeing the string of cheese hanging out of Joys mouths makes me think of other things.”
Oh, yeah. Like someone right after a big sneeze!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/September/2022 @ 1:13 pm
Yeah, you never miss your lungs until they stop working properly. Not sure what triggered this flareup but hopefully, I can tamp it down soon and feel normal again.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/September/2022 @ 6:29 am
Much better sleep and woke up feeling stronger. Onward!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/September/2022 @ 6:27 am
I think that’s called running the spectrum between good and evil. 🙂
» Posted By John McCrarey On 09/September/2022 @ 9:47 am
Yeah, I am a subscriber to Grammarly. Are you saying all those sweet words are lies? Who do they think they are, my girlfriend?
Thanks so much for the links. I will check them out and do a little experimenting to see what I can come up with.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 08/September/2022 @ 5:10 am
Kev, yeah, the first part of the trail was more in keeping with Guenter’s reputation for being borderline dangerous. No regrets about missing that. The part I did was challenging, but I never felt at risk.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/September/2022 @ 7:38 am
James, hell, I have more than two ex-gfs in this town. I was just a little surprised to see them posing together like that. I guess they do know each other.
I don’t think it is a bidding process; we’ll approach a bar and see what they have to offer. The real key is how much they charge for a beer. Anything over 55 pesos, we lose money, so we look for somewhere cheaper. One of the IDM owners and his wife are members of the Hash, which might be another reason we visited this venue. And no, I don’t have a leadership role in the Hash; I’m just an active participant willing to share my opinions when asked. The Hash does store the ice chests and other items in my carport, so there’s that.
I’m sure at some point I’ll start throwing darts again, probably just in an occasional tournament, though. The bottom line, it just stopped being fun, so what’s the point? I was an active player for over 17 years; I just felt like I needed a break.
Yeah, I don’t do much to stimulate my mind. I can’t remember the last time I read a book, and I have a hard time making it through a movie with my limited attention span. I do read several blogs every morning to catch up on the news of the world. I play some solitaire online, but that’s about it. I had a weird dream the other night where I was back at work dealing with some crazy issues. Maybe my subconscious is telling me to find something meaningful to do. Then again, I worked for 35 years; this is my time now.
As for scuba, there are several dive shops in town and lots of WWII wrecks to explore, but I’ve just never felt any desire to strap on the gear and swim underwater. I’ve got a slight case of claustrophobia, and the thought of breathing through a tank isn’t appealing. Probably not a good idea with my limited lung capacity as well.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 07/September/2022 @ 7:34 am
Well, I turned on the oven, sprayed cooking oil into the pan, then poured the cake mix powder into a bowl and added two eggs, some water, and some oil. Next, I poured the grated carrots into the mix, got out the electric hand mixer, and blended all the ingredients. Poured the batter into the pan and popped it in the oven. The recipe said 30-35 minutes, but it took a little over 40 to bake properly. I used the pie tin because I thought I was going to be taking the finished cake to Hideaway with me.
Yeah, I do things the easy way; I’m no chef. I can’t think of anything grated I use other than in carrot cake, so a food processor would be a waste of money.
No falls yesterday, so I’m living a blessed life!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 06/September/2022 @ 6:26 am
Yeah, and at some point, you just get so damn old it’s hard to overcome “why bother?”
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 9:29 am
Yeah, I’m the same way–bitch about the heat and look forward to the cooler rainy season. When it arrives, I bitch about the rain. I guess that makes me a racist. 🙂
And as long as we are parceling out blame, those photos of Stallone and Diesel caused me to say “fuck it” and switch back to beer last night. Maybe it is time to just let it all hang out and enjoy life.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 7:31 am
Yes, there are some cuties at Snackbar, and they will sit and drink and provide entertaining company. They are not available for takeout, however. Lots of other places nearby where you can find that, though.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 7:26 am
QP, I’ve actually stayed at the Pub a couple of times. It’s a basic, no-frills room, but it is clean and comfortable. Not expensive either; the rooms used to be around 1500 pesos a night. It’s a good deal at that price.
Another option is the Outback which is almost directly across the street from the Pub. It’s practically new, on the beach, and has a really nice pool and pool bar. I’ve heard good reports from people who have stayed there and that the rates are fair.
I’ll do a post on hotel options in Barretto soon.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 7:22 am
I’ve never worked with Photoshop, and I see I have to pay to get it, but if that’s the best option, I’ll explore doing so. Thanks for the tip.
My initial thoughts on the bar crawl themes were pretty basic: girly bars with dancers, bars with takeout, regular drinking hangouts, etc. The Dante idea variations are good food for thought, and I’ll see about doing something along those lines as well. I mentioned that the Hot Zone motto is “Between purgatory and hell,” so that would be a good fit on the way down (or up).
The rankings are just my opinion, and as we know, opinions are like assholes, so I don’t expect an owner at the bottom of the list would take it personally. For every asshole like me, there’s another asshole who would love his place, I’m sure.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 7:41 am
Bars of Barretto: Updated Rankings
Yes, that’s what makes it interesting. Visiting a live band bar before the band plays is a whole other world than during the show.
Glad you like the rankings anyway. And I do intend to revisit the bars and update the rankings periodically. Stay tuned!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 05/September/2022 @ 12:14 pm
Thanks again for the tips and recipes. I’ll keep practicing!
I’m hearing typhoon talk, but these recent rains are consistent with the regular storms we get on an almost daily basis this time of year. When a typhoon gets added to the mix, the flooding starts. Could be on the horizon. Good luck with your storm; it would suck to see a repeat of what you recently dealt with.
I think Buddy could handle the hike, but I have no desire to bring him along. When Max brings his dog it is a constant battle with strays on the street going on the attack. It’s much better for him up in the hills, but we’ve been pavement-bound lately. You are right though, Lucky is a lazy boy but he is also more aggressive than Buddy. He’d probably enjoying fighting with those strays.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/September/2022 @ 6:37 am
Yeah, I’m using the large tortillas, just overloading the hell out of them. Going to go with the “less equals more” method you suggest and do two smaller ones in the future. I’ll learn to wrap better, too; thanks for the tips and link and for that.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/September/2022 @ 6:46 am
HaHa! Yes, I did misunderstand the browning method, but it still turned out better than warming in the microwave. Actually, the way I tend to overfill the tortilla would make it difficult to use your method without spilling some of the contents. Yeah, I could just make two smaller burritos, but where’s the challenge in that? Thanks for the link; I’ll give it a look-see and try and learn something.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/September/2022 @ 6:59 am
Andy, I’ve been to Chill just that one time to do my bar review. Not my kind of place. And I have a rule that I won’t buy a “double” lady drink (usually a bottled beer) for 300 pesos. Sometimes I’ll buy two 180 peso singles, so it is more about the principle than the money.
I’m a little unclear what exactly happened that triggered the meltdown. All you can do in that situation is to never go back and warn others to stay away. It sucks to have your night out ruined that way.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 12/April/2024 @ 8:04 am
My readers’ wish is my command! I’m working on the bar crawl idea. Actually might be kind of fun, especially giving it the test ride.
I really don’t write with any particular audience in mind (ha! I guess it shows), but when I’m approached by strangers who know me through my blog, they’ve usually found it through a Google search for something Barretto-related.
As for Filipino bars, other than the KTV/videoke joints, I’m really not aware of any in Barretto. There is one across the river in Subic I’ve been curious about, but I’d probably want someone to go with me. Being the only white guy in a bar full of drunk Filipinos could be a problem if I said or did anything perceived as disrespectful.
Thanks for reading and commenting. Having a loyal few suits me just fine. If I were a “superstar,” I’d have to be careful about what I do and say. There’s freedom in anonymity!
» Posted By John McCrarey On 04/September/2022 @ 6:57 am
«« Back To Stats PageQP, HaHa! Yes, takeout is a good option for tourists. Living here affords me the opportunity to satisfy my hunger in other ways.
» Posted By John McCrarey On 03/September/2022 @ 8:56 am