It’s an unsettling fact of life that when you ask your fellow grownups, batang 90s (kid of the 90s), how long ago the 1990s were, many would be shocked to know it wasn’t just ten years ago. (Try thirty!)
Still, that decade marked a huge transition for a lot of Filipinos. It was an interesting time to be in, just before the widespread availability of mobile and Internet connectivity and flat screen TV.
Here’s some of the best things that make the 90s so nostalgic.
1. Mom and Dad’s “take-home” from Jollibee
If you were a good kid who aced an exam or behaved while the parentals were clocking in overtime, few things were as rewarding as that plastic bag they brought home, loaded with steaming styrofoam-boxed goodies from Jollibee. Sweet-style spaghetti and Crispylicious™ fried chicken were the best treat. And when Jollibee introduced the Burger Steak, picky eaters everywhere rejoiced.
These days the styrofoam containers are gone, but the delicious meals remain. Reminisce those distant memories and head over at SM Seaside’s Jollibee at the Lower Ground Level, Mountain Wing.
2. Kakanin for breakfast and merienda
Two of the most important meals a Pinoy kid can have are breakfast, to power up for the day, and merienda, to reenergize after a grueling round of patintero or takyan.
Most kids today would look forward to a bowl of colorful cereal or hotdogs and hamburgers, but back then, who could resist the smell of banana leaves being warmed to wrap puto maya in the morning, or not hear the iconic honking of the kutsinta vendor’s horn late afternoons? A plethora of kakanin choices, or native delicacies, were the cheap and hearty go-tos for the Batang 90s. Buy your favorite bibingka, puto, suman, sapin-sapin, palitaw, puto cheese, biko and more at the Pinoypreneur Bazaar located at the Second Level, Mountain Wing.
3. Infamous trio: Belt, Hanger, and Slippers
Parents, choose your weapon! It’s never easy raising a kid, especially ones that are headstrong or disobedient. These days, parents are better informed at disciplining their children, with the availability of parenting tools and guides.
But back then, parenting tools were quite literally tools. Come home late and you’d be coming home to a whipping with Dad’s belt. Talk back to Mom and you’ll be acquainted with an airborne slipper. Refuse to put away your clothes and you’ll find the clothes hanger coming down on you in righteous fury. This must be why we have such tough skins! Check and buy these items at The SM Store location at the Lower Ground Level, Mountain Wing.
4. Lunch out at Orange Brutus
As they say, nothing beats home-cooked meals. But if there’s one thing that Orange Brutus is known for, it’s making fast food that tastes delightfully home-cooked. It’s affordable, wholesome, and oh so yummy. Who could forget sneaking out of school for lunch at Orange Brutus? You just had to make sure you didn’t get any of the Chocolate Monster Cake on your uniform so you wouldn’t get caught! Eat your favorite combos at SM Seaside’s Orange Brutus located at the Lower Ground Level, Seaview Wing.
Well, times have definitely changed. Nobody really owns a landline phone anymore, and music no longer comes in casette tapes. But while a lot has changed since 1991, it’s comforting to know that some things have stayed the same. So get a dose of nostalgia and reconnect with your childhood at all of these stores and items in SM Seaside City Cebu. The logos might be a little different, but they’re the same stuff that made your childhood rock.
How to get there?
Exact Location: SM Seaside City Cebu in South Road Properties (SRP), Cebu City.
BY MYBUS: You can take a FREE MyBus ride from/to BDO Fuente Osmena from 8:20am to 10:00pm. You can also ride any MyBus from SM City Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue City, Parkmall and any Cibus to get to and from SM Seaside city Cebu Drop-off point is at the City Wing Entrance.
BY CAR/GRAB/TAXI: Navigate with Waze or Google Maps and set your destination to “SM Seaside City Cebu”. Parking space is free.
For more details follow SM Seaside City Cebu’s official pages on Facebook and Instagram.