So I've been busy lately with Biking, New Site, Lego & Alt Bricks

Okay, Okay, So I've been a bit busy and lazy lately. With work and all and some other things. Anyways, let me share with you something personal. Yeap, I guess this will be where I'll be sharing (again) what I have been up to lately.

Here's what kept me busy the past weeks.
BIKING I don't know but I wanted to go biking. Maybe an excuse to ride on anything that is moving or my frustration in owning a car again. Anyways... I tried sourcing to some of my friends. Pestered them and asked a bunch of questions about which bike to use. At first I wanted to go for a city bike or some bmx type so that I could go on trails and bike my ass off. But I don't know what happened when I ended up liking a foldable bike. Maybe because I had this picture in my head that I'd go use the LRT and go somewhere like Marikina maybe. Anyways, my budget at that time for a bike was around 10-15k. But when I decided that I wanted to go biking and use a foldable bike, no one could stop me. I wanted the good bike brands like Dahon and Brompton. (They are damn expensive I tell you) But they really looked nice.

I decided that I want to try biking first and see how often will I be able to use it and if shelling out my 15k would be worth it. So I decided to find a surplus foldable bike first and see If I'd be able to use it. Other friends tipped me that Pier is the way to go and that they have some good Japanese surplus stuff there. So one weekend, with a bit of peer pressure from me, I asked Thom to tag along. He kind of wanted a bike also so its perfect. Anyways, we went there, sourced out some bikes and haggled.

The surplus bikes in pier ranged from 2000 (with out shift gears) to P 5,000 and even P 8,000. I was trying to work on the 3k budget per bike. I haggled and got Thom a really nice and sleek black foldable bike while it took me really long to choose which one, I ended up buying this one.

The one on the left is obviously folded and the one on the right is... well you get the idea.

The OCOC that I am, I noticed some imperfections on the bike that I bought. What's good about buying in pier is that you can haggle and at the same time request for stuff. Like for me, that wasn't the original seat that came with it. I also asked the pedals to be replaced. Coz the one I have was also foldable.  I also notice that when you fold it, you'd have to set it up properly otherwise it will fall. I guess something about the handle bars of that way it is designed that it sometimes fall over when it is set up. I removed some stickers and dad helping me clean it up, I'm all good!

The next weekend, Thom and I decided take out bike for a spin. Our goal? Was Mall of Asia. We woke up late so I guess there's that.

Here's us in Manila Bay (Roxas Blvd) Pissing sweat from our pores.

Here's a guy... Pissing

Here another one of me.

See that sun? Oh the sun... I missed it touch my skin! Oh and yeah, We didn't wear any helmets coz we're badass. (Kids, don't do this)

Anyways, we headed on to Mall of Asia and reached the reclaimed bay area.

Here's us reaching our goal for the day.

From Manila (D. Jose) to Mall of Asia check! I don't know what happened but we ended up biking all the way to Quezon City! It was life threatening and seriously it was dangerous. We should come up with a better gear and routes. But just to share, from MOA, Passed by CCP-Vito Cruz-Taft-Quirino-Nagtahan-Sta Mesa-Araneta-E. Rod. - Tomas Morato - Rallos Quezone City.

Stopped at Quezon City for a food review on Burger Project and Mrs. Grahams place then headed home. Quezon Ave. & Espana Rd.

If you're from Manila, you'd understand how crazy that was. All of that happened from 10am-4pm. When the sun is up so high. Oh my.. Look at my skin that night.

See kids, that's what you get from doing everything wrong... What do you get? A good story and an awesome experience. :)

During that week also, I was working on this new Movie and Stage performances site. I am not so sure what was my motivation on this but I just went on and bought this one. The name care of the wife. Check out the site right here http://www.eksenamanila.com/

Latest Movies and anything that is playing on stage and news. I guess that's what I want this site to be.

A week after my biking experience, I got into LEGO. Not in a quick way like, I think I want to collect lego" Then BOOM! I'm addicted to lego. I guess it was gradual. I've been wanting to start up this collection for months now and I'm not so sure where I wanted to start. I guess it sparked me when I was walking around eastwood and saw this big yellow head and the Lego Miniature display case. This display case made we want to collect miniatures! 

Next thing I knew is I was sourcing the webs about lego, surplus lego etc. Timing that the LEGO Movie is coming up so I ended up buying this. Series 1 Naboo fighter. I'm guessing this is old old old. I saw some being sold in the malls are series 4 already at around  P 1k plus. I scored this at HMR Cubao for P200. They were on sale.

HMR is a nice place to buy. It's an American Surplus shop. Lower than usual, but not that low. I guess what's nice about this place is that some items here, you can't find somewhere else.

Here's a shot of the place and the toy section.

Saw some legos and some other toys there. The prices are lower that the ones in the malls, but HMR sells them on a As Is Where Is. Meaning, if there are some parts missing, Good luck to you. Because most of the items are being stolen, especially the miniatures.  (I think I'll comeback to this place and buy one of those when I have the money)

Then I started going through Japanese Surplus in Quezon City, Taft, Cubao, Aurora and other places you don't want to know in three days! I also started messaging some friends who might have legos. Man was I persistent. Well if you notice, I always end up looking at surplus shops, let me tell you why.

1. It is cheaper
2. There's a chance that what you find might be rare.
3. The thrill of getting an awesome item for a bitchin low price.
4. Thrill. Did I say thrill already?

Anyways, looking for legos in surplus shops are hard to come by. They are rare. You have to be persistent. Which going around, I purchased these Lego Movie minatures at Rustans. Yes I buy regular priced items too! :)

There's Ambraham Lincoln, President. Business, Emmet, Wyldstyle and Taco Tuesdays

Well after going around looking for some lego, I also joined a group in Facebook. Collectors and fans of lego and also joined a group of Bricksters which is a group that accepts collector of any brick out there. I started reading some threads which led me to looking around for these bricks.

I've learned that there are some brick makers out there that copies some Lego releases but I couldn't blame them. These brick makers have some decent products. Brands like Star Diamon, Decool and Enlighten are some of my favorite alternate bricks. That's why I bought some of them :)

You'll see the finished product later.

Oh and I also got this haul when I visited a place in Divisoria. :) Too much?

Here's a close up shot of the boxes.

I was really excited with the miniatures. They looked really nice. DC and Marvel miniature!

Here's some of my bricks!

Proud of what I have right now. It's like second childhood but its not. :) Well there! that's whats  keeping me busy and I'll start to regularly post some stuff here on this blog. I hope I can do this religiously. :)

Oh and sharing my haul from yesterday. Iron Man miniatures! :)

Lego would be awesome but they're quite expensive, and these Alt brick are available and doesn't hurt the pockets much. And I'm just going for the miniatures right now. No big sets yet. (I Hope) :)

Until then!