sometimes all it takes to lighten up your day — or, in my case, night — is a hot snack, especially when you’re exhausted and feeling a bit down. in fact, it’s amazing just how a well-timed quick bite can change your perspective in an instant.

now this wouldn’t be a problem if you have a well-stocked larder or if you had the presence of mind to order some takeout food earlier. but if you’re a night owl like me, or have crazy working hours that leave you stalking the streets at some ungodly hour in search for food, this can be a pain in the you-know-what (and in the stomach, too). good thing there are 24-hour convenience stores, but if there are no 7-eleven outlets in your area, this becomes a major inconvenience.

so i’m rather gratified to learn that there’s a Pan de Manila store near where i live, right next to the subdivision’s gate. and the fact that it’s open all day is a major plus for me. i go there two or three times a week, and i find it rather amusing that every time i drop by, this old security guy (at least, i think he is) is almost always perched in his chair by the door and snoring away peacefully as customers walk in and out.

another thing i like about this Pan de Manila shop is its “old-world” atmosphere — it’s not super-sleek or chrome-plated like most business-like urban bake shops. it’s not well lighted, but it has a certain kind of charm that reminds me of the old days when bakeries were basically a family-run operation that thrived in small neighborhoods and knew their customers by name. and the products? i leave that for you to decide. know, however, that i have been eating a lot of bread these past few weeks.