When we were discussing where we would hold my book launch way back in November 2022 my publisher, Atty. Andrea, suggested to have it in this coffeeshop which I refer to in the book as The Shrine Motherfucker Cafe. Obviously that’s not the real name, but I told her that it is now closed. The Shrine Motherfucker is the Gloria Jeans branch in the lobby of Pan Pacific Hotel along Adriatico, specifically this tiny corner i the cafe where there’s a wall socket and smoking is allowed.

“Sayang,” Andrea said. “I have been waiting for so long to scream: Welcome to the Shrine Motherfucker Cafe!”

The Pan Pacific has been transformed into Sheraton I think 2 or 3 years ago, and I never had the opportunity to enter it until very recently when I decided to recapture its ambiance in an attempt to write more. I have written the most blog entries in that cafe circa 2008-2012, and these entries became the source material for what would become Even Ducks Get Liver Cancer and Other Medical Misadventures.

So this is what the Shrine Motherfucker looks like now, and is now called “& More” by Sheraton. I love the name!

I ordered a hot latte, and some tiny chocolate cake. Quite expensive, as expected, since it was the in-house coffee shop of the hotel. I really like my spot, it is so conducive to writing! Will come back! I remember that back in my rurok of kahirapan era, I would bring an old empty Gloria Jeans disposable cup and not order anything! Of course my mother discovered this overused, crumpled cup in my bag and figured out the crime I had been doing, and gave me P150 pesos to save me from this embarrassment!

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