It’s been weeks since the monsoon rains have stopped Marcus from getting his regular Friday physical therapy. Opportunities to get him out of the house and away from his video games every weekend have been much harder. Yesterday weather permits but instead of going to the malls we frequent, we decided to go to SM Mall of Asia (MOA) instead with Marcus and I having our own secret goal: visit Ikea.
It was a two-hour drive slowed further by weekend traffic at the SLEX and Skyway expressways plus intermittent heavy rains. The sky cleared when we reached MOA via Entertainment City exit and it appeared then we could move around SM by the bay when the mall gets stuffy for Marcus.
Still clueless of what we’re about to discover, we pushed through finding Ikea. While having dinner at Pound by Todd English I checked online and read that Ikea is between MOA Arena and SMX. Next plan was getting there as soon as we have our tickets for Mission Impossible: Fallout and when drizzling has stopped.
I began to feel suspicious and stupid when I realized I must have skipped some details on the news about Ikea opening in the Philippines. Three security guards later, the last we asked said, “Yan malamang sir (That must be it.)” He was pointing to a still empty fenced block right outside of the mall. Sucks. It was a matter of will open versus is open. With only one short crane sticking out of that place, I don’t believe we’ll see an Ikea store this year.
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The latest Mission Impossible sequel was a disappointment. It’s overrated and hyped. It’s like one of those films with trailers that are a whole lot better than the movies. My wife and I were dozing on and off but Marcus said he enjoyed it although I know it would’ve been a better experience for him if we watched it in a cinema with stable reclining seats.
We should have just watched the free Okada fountain show.
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Wheelchair access Bows and Boos
Bows:
- Jollibee staffs at MOA Entertainment Hall who made sure Marcus and his wheelchair get a space.
- Pound by Todd English staffs who accommodated us despite the tight setup of their restaurant. Burgers were surprisingly affordable and great too.
- Restroom staffs who kept the PWD area clean.
- Okada tour bus attendant who entertained our questions and promised to get Marcus prioritized.
Boo:
- SM Mall of Asia south parking building elevators were already unavailable when we got out of the cinema past 12 midnight. Someone parked in the same area had to find security guards to get it back running. Not cool.
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Mood: 3/10 Honks! (Weekend weight.)
Marcus Can Blog 