The bar with a view

BUYING sneakers is now one of my hard habits to break. I see a pair that I like, and I’m buying it the next minute. Uh.

For buying books and not reading them, the word is Tsundoku. Is there a word for buying shoes and not wearing them? Oh. It must be the Imelda Marcos Syndrome. The former First Lady had 3,000 pairs of shoes. My so-called collection is way much less than that: two digits, less than a dozen. And only a few of them are new. Some are about six years old. Are sneakers like cars that should be replaced after five years?

While mulling over this new hard habit to break of mine, I’m writing this column while listening to the DJ’s music at the hotel’s roof deck bar. The band has already left since its Saturday gig is up to 12 midnight only. The bar will close at 2 am yet, so there’s a DJ to provide some music that the remaining guests can dance to. But only the young Japanese guests are dancing, and I’m writing.

The plan was to go swimming on Sunday morning but it’s already 12:22 am of that Sunday morning, and I’m still here at the bar, writing this. Dedicated columnist yarn?

Electronic dance music (EDM) used to be my preferred Muzak while writing. And here’s EDM at its best, with a DJ at a hotel’s roof deck bar. So, I’m staying till 2 am? But the senior moment will not allow that. Once the DJ plays music that I don’t like, I’m going back to the hotel room. These bars should close at 1 am so I won’t have to sleep so late. Haha.

Yes, the DJ is playing better music than the live band. If only he could give tips to the band, then the bar’s Saturday nightlife will be the coolest in this side of Pinas.

The roof deck bar has a nice overlooking view—twinkling city lights. Same for the pool bar which has an added view: the sunset, since it’s open the whole day. I’m now convinced I’m staying here next time puhon.

Despite the busy Saturday, the wait staff already began moving vacant tables and chairs to the storage area after midnight. So, whether slow or busy, those furniture are like Cinderella. Because the wait staff have to go home, too.

But then the DJ plays “I Will Survive” and that convinces me it’s time to sleep already. I will survive late nights but I’ll never survive listening to “I Will Survive.” And then he plays “Dancing Queen” after that, so, I decide to stay.

Music is always a good accompaniment for anything—writing, dancing, exercising, lifting weights, cycling, traveling. Even shopping—you must have noticed by now that you tend to buy more items when you love the store’s Muzak.

At the gym, I sing along when the Muzak is that of Coldplay and Rivermaya.

By the way, sneakers are the preferred shoes at the gym. But the ones I’m buying are not for the gym. Hmmm.