Nestle Toll House Cafe - Halo Halo Fundraiser for AB Samahan

Dessert was calling us at the Nestle Toll House Cafe...

We headed to middle of the mall, excuse me Town Centre where the food court was...

AB Samahan was hosting a Halo Halo fundraiser to help raise funds for the upcoming Samahan 40 Year Anniversary. The event was hosted by the Nestle Toll House Cafe, which is owned by the Mirador family (they are Filipino American)...

Even though I was never a Samahan member when I was in college, I took part in their high school conferences during and after grad school, offering career and history workshops (Filipino American History). AB Samahan is one of the oldest Filipino American student organizations in San Diego. They really play a big part in helping the Filipino American community as well as nurturing and guiding Filipino American college students, especially in the formation of their ethnic identity.



Ten bones got you a halo halo at the cafe, which they do offer. I've noticed it in the past but never had one. Sadly, I did not have one today either but more on that later. As an added bonus, there was entertainment from a band several of our friends are in, the Mater Dei Island Crew(MDIC).  Here are the cookie selections...

And even more sweets...

I used the two for one coupon (not part of the fundraiser) and got a caramel coffee for Bert and a rainbow sherbet ice cream for TC. Here's the view from one of the stools along the side wall. As I was waiting, I heard the the music for the Tinikling, the national dance of the Philippines.

Apparently a whole crowd had gathered to watch the performers. TC went to watch and held back as she observed them. She said it was a different style. That's because the people doing it were former Samahan dancers (Samahan Dance company which is separate from SDSU's AB Samahan student organization). Their style is different from PASACAT which is the company TC is in. Of course, she was "too shy" to dance but if she was put on the spot, she probably could have done it. Me, on the other hand? No way. My foot would totally get caught in those clacking bamboo poles! Ouch!

TC's rainbow sherbet which didn't look "rainbow" to me. Looks like it was just one flavor.

Bert's caramel coffee...

The MDIC played Island style music...you know, "Drop Baby Drop", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", "You Don't Write", etc...

Lots  of diversity in the band, from youth to older folks, black, white, Filipino, Samoan, etc...

I bought a t-shirt for the fundraiser - $20 included the t-shirt (which I gave to TC) which also got you one of the following items FREE as well - 1) boba OR 2) Halo Halo OR 3) coffee and a cookie.

Sorry to disappoint you all but I didn't get a halo halo. I was kind of full from lunch and TC already had an ice cream. I hate boba too. My MIL can't really eat sweets and even though Bert already had a coffee, I used the fundraisher voucher to get another coffee and a chocolate chip cookie with walnuts. The coffee was just plain which Bert doctored up with cream and sugar. He was mega coffee'd out that day. Like really wired, heh. The cookie was not "crisp" but "soft" which I didn't expect. I didn't like how "limp" it felt (that's what she said). After I refrigerated it at home, it tasted much better. The cookie was a bit too sweet for me.

As the afternoon wore on, more people came to check out the fundraiser including several other folks I hadn't seen in a while including my friend the SWC Prof. People seemed to enjoy the music and it provided a relaxing background as people chit chatted with one another...

After the band wrapped up, we took off and headed home. Bert's mom was with us and I thought it might be good to pick up some Filipino food for dinner later on...