You're the 1, Goldilocks!

I had been familiar with Goldilocks ever since I was a kid but I did not grew up eating their cakes and treats unlike others in my generation. I am part of a clan who were once loyal patrons of a cake center (and/or bakeshop) in Malabon City, obviously all occasion cakes, deserts, pastries and other treats were bought from there, we (the kids, used to be anyway) were uninitiated in any other forms or names of cakes and the likes but it didn't matter back then, any other cakes or cookies would taste as sweet to a child's palate. See, I know of Goldilocks but I didn't truly knew it...

Until I went to college, I studied in a catholic school in the university belt area (in C.M. Recto, Manila, for those who doesn't know) and a few establishments away from my school was a Goldilocks Bakeshop/Foodshop, as it was accessible we, of course, tried it out. If Jerry Maguire had Dorothy Boyd at hello, Goldilocks had us at our very first visit. The place was not cramped unlike other establishments in the area (as in the occupants of the other table won't hear what we were talking about if they don't lean towards us, just to give you an idea *grins*), their air-conditioner was in turbo cool which was one of our prerequisites in any place we hang out during those times (we were kolehiyalas, we're not allowed to get sweaty *grins*), the staff were all smiles and courteous and they gave in to our every whim, the food was great, there were a lot of choices and you can even order in half if you're tight in the budget (for students like us, it was pretty cool) and the prices were super affordable, I was able to buy an order of rice, two different viands, a mango shake and a slice of mocha rolls (yes, I can still remember it, it's part of my college heydays, how can I forget?), all of those and I was still on on my budget. The only downside was - it was mostly full of customers but even that added to its charm (more people means more boys to see *grins*). We frequented the place until it closed down a year before we graduate, we were distraught to see it go but we just had to.

Now you're thinking that must be it, Goldilocks must have been the one because it was part of the happiest days of my carefree life, uhm... not really... Yes, I started to love Goldilocks at that time, I begun to appreciate its products and the delight that it had brought me and my friends, the good times that we've shared while enjoying a bite or a sip but you see, I was initiated, I learned to admire but I never said that I became a Goldilocks enthusiast.

And so life goes on... I graduated, I worked, I got married, I had a baby and Goldilocks had been a part of it all.

Then it came, the moment when I was turned.

My son was born on December 24, a blessing in its truest form and a gift directly from God. He was born on a merry month, when everyone are festive and in a good mood, it was a joy to think of it as such until his first birthday came. For one, everything is more expensive on December compared to those of regular months, dining establishments, caterers, party acts like magicians, clowns, mascots, place for rents are either fully booked or won't accept any gigs and events on the day before Christmas, which is my son's birth date. Even cakes are hard to come by - at that time (my son's 1st), the cake center that I've mentioned above was my first choice because it is near and not that popular, so being rejected will not be an issue due to high volume of orders or due to the incoming holidays and the ratio of me having to fight off another patron for a cake was slim to none, or so I thought. I wasn't declined and they do accept made to order cakes but the choices were limited, I looked in their portfolio but I found none, I enumerated my choices but all I get were stares, twitches and some head movements from their ever-reliable (pun intended) store crew. With my first choice and only plan down the drain, we did the only plausible action, we drove around looking for a decent bakeshop that might accommodate us one way or another. And so the search begun, I went to a bakeshop whose name is scarce already and had the same problem, their portfolio of cakes barely had any photos left to look at and I wasn't even choosy at that time anymore. I went to two more bakeshops and both doesn't accept all occasion cakes starting mid-December due to their in-store focus hullabaloo which I don't care about. And then, as we (hubby and I) were loosing hope and ready to give up, we found this branch of Goldilocks in Sangandaan, Caloocan City, we asked the lady manning the store and she instantly agreed to create a birthday cake for my baby, this branch of Goldilocks have their own bakery inside the store that's why they don't need to call or depend on deliveries from the bigger branches or the Goldilocks factory per se, as what the lady told us. She, then, gave me two folder-full of cake photos to choose from but I didn't have to look for long, when I saw Nemo, I knew he's the one.

a recopy of the original printed photo (didn't have a digicam back then *sigh*)

After that, I was not just an admirer anymore, I am an enthusiast, an aficionado, a true blue fan!

You're the 1 Goldilocks because we, the customers, the clients and patrons are number 1 for you, we are you're priority and I think, it's time we shout to the world that you really are the one.