My first plurkfiesta; Orange Bistro in Gensan

About two weeks ago, I had the rare chance of meeting up with the fabulous bloggers of Gensan. I say rare because it counts as my first eyeball with the group after the successful 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit in October of last year during which I saw for the first-time a co-blogger in the flesh.

The Gensan bloggers have been holding meet-ups called "plurkfiestas" in different (mostly food) venues in General Santos City. (A Plurkfiesta is so called because most of the attendees are themselves plurkers or have signed-up to the social networking site plurk.com). Gensan's Bariles, Kuya Avel Manansala has always made it a point to invite me to every plurkfiesta and I have always tried to find the perfect timing. It has not been easy finding the chance; I may be a true blue General but I now reside an hour away in Koronadal. There should be two or more agenda for a visit to Gensan to proceed; that's a carbon footprint-lessening policy I now try (take note, try) to impose on myself and my household... [canned applause!]

I finally was able to catch-up with the plurkers during their sortie at the Orange Bistro in Lagao, General Santos City, the afternoon of March 28. There were Ikang, Gheltac, Jes, Tanchi, Sheng and Kyawster, Rammyboi, Cindy, Sir Gilbert, Sir Hecky, Iceah, my MSU-High classmate Jinky, and the invaluable kuya of bloggers from this part of the world Avel Manansala. It was not hard to make out the faces (and match them with their screennames at least) as these plurkers own blogs that I happen to visit every now and then; though it somehow felt kind of funny introducing myself to people who I already call friends in the blogosphere. Later came Tammy, Rosilie and Arnel and reigning Miss Gensan Ivy Cunanan who is vying for the Reyna ng Aliwan title in the upcoming Aliwan Fiesta 2009 Battle of Philippine festivals. I apologize now if I have missed out on anyone.

It was my first plurkfiesta; and when Orange Bistro began dishing out the food that afternoon, not only did I realize what I've been missing. I also realized I made a very big mistake of eating late lunch before coming over to the venue. It was literally a fiesta! And I could only nibble on the nachos and chicharong bulaklak!

(photos courtesy of Tanchi)

Orange Bistro is one perfect venue to hold a plurkfiesta, or anyone's dining date for that matter. It has good food of a wide variety; provides choices of ambience (e.g. indoor, outdoor, and closed venues) to suit a diner's preference; offers services that cater to a range of dining needs - from the simple and intimate to the more elaborate group events; has among the most polite and hospitable service crew in town; and most of all, a very important thing for bloggers/plurkers, it has Wi-Fi!

For those Generals who have been away for some time now, this Orange Bistro is the very same Teng family-owned cafe which used to occupy a smaller place along Pioneer Avenue. It has since moved to its current and substantially larger location along J. Catolico Sr. Ave (Lagao Road) at the corner of Geronimo Street in Lagao. The restaurant can be reached through +63 (083) 3010992 or +63 (083) 3015555 for inquiries and special arrangements.

The plurkfiesta at Orange Bistro was made extra special by the presence of Davao-based IT consultant and blogger Blogie Robillo. Blogie is among the primemovers of the group Mindanao Bloggers, and is a leading advocate of responsible blogging for/of Mindanao.

The meetup was a relatively short one for me, as I had to proceed to the second item on my agenda in visiting Gensan; but it was nonetheless a discovery experience that is going to make me strive more to be able to join more plurkfiestas in the future.

The next time, I will starve myself half a day prior.