Convenience stores are sprouting like mushrooms in Laoag. We went food-hunting at our favorite Shop & Go on Halloween night. I like it there because my money stretches far. Ericke drinks their coffee usually while Brandon alternates between dumplings and frozen yogurt. I got rigatoni pasta, Japanese siomai and kimchi. I know, so very strange! It’s united flavors, yum!
This is actually the weirdest product I’ve encountered. Cashing in on the Filipinos’ fondness for whitening stuff, papaya-and-glutathione is not only limited to soaps and creams now. I died!
Just when we were about to leave, a plateful of atang makes a dramatic entrance at the store. I ended up taking photos of the owners and the treats (thanks, guys!). It’s an Ilocano thing — a traditional offering for the reposed — there’s busi (popped rice with tagapulot, like caramel popcorn) and an assortment of sticky rice cakes (baduya, patupat and linapet). Atang commonly includes pinais, mama (bua, gawed and apog) and tabaco.
Have a happy long weekend, everyone! Don’t forget to say a prayer for your dear departed.
Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2011
BlauEarth 
wow, seems like korea already invades ilocos.. nice to have new stores in ilocos. and the patupat and busi, i miss that. ill try to convince my mom to make one for me here in San Diego. lolz. tc
ow wow! kimchi! now i know what to eat tom 😉 thanks for blogging about this, Ms Tina! 🙂
i like their kimchi coz the veggies are crunchy, there’s texture. i don’t like it when they are too limp, like overfermented.