2011 ptaa travel & tour expo

next year, i'm going to make sure i secure plenty of travel deals for myself. :)

the 18th travel and tour expo for 2011 will be on 18-20 february, at the SMX convention center at mall of asia, with the theme "around the world in 3 days."

it's going to be the first time in two years that i'll be here for this, so i'm going to get myself a lot of deals!

this means, though, that i have to start saving up for the trips already! 2011, here i come!

philippine travel mart is tomorrow

what: philippine travel mart (travel deals for philippine destinations, or SALE NG BAYAN!)
when: september 3-5, 2010
where: SM megatrade halls, sm megamall

i probably won't be going, since i've a big trip scheduled in a month. but i can't not tell you about it--you might be looking for a quick getaway, and this is the best place to find a great deal! :)

planetzips and brigada finale at b-side

despite the rain, brigada's 5th anniversary celebration at b-side was a success! :)

here's one of my favorite performances of the night,
featuring one of my good friends, des uy, dancing to brigada's beats:

tonight at b-side: brigada's 5th anniversary celebration!

catching the world cup finals at 121 grille and restaurant

i've become a regular at 121 grille and restaurant in allegro center, pasong tamo extension since we joined the old farts for quiz nights on tuesdays. i used to go to quiz nights at murphy's, but found the questions to damned difficult, so my team (mannschaft united) stopped going.

quiz nights at 121 are fun and hilarious (if you're on our team, that is), not to mention actually informative. it doesn't hurt that they serve pretty good salpicao and beer below zero at cheap prices. the alcohol definitely adds to the fun. :p

while enjoying quiz nights, i found myself getting hooked on the world cup matches as well, as 121 is among the bars in manila that show the games even at ungodly hours. and since i've gotten myself terribly inebriated while supporting la furia roja, i thought i might as well cheer them on all the way to the finals.

so early this morning, i found myself waking up at 130am, and made my way to 121 for the most exciting game of the season (naks, feeling). i was biting my fingers (not my nails, take note) the entire time, the game was so darned exciting. watching these games have sent me into incredible emotional swings--this morning, i've slammed my palm down the table, causing the water droplets on the tabletop to jump, i've screamed for missed goals, cheered ecstatically for iker's incredible saves, and reprimanded the team for being "lax." i was trembling by the time iniesta kicked that ball in.

the crowd at 121 definitely made the experience more sensational; we all sang ole, ole, ole when the match finally ended. it's the kind of shared experience you don't get to have everyday. i love it when strangers come together for a common interest. i think i'm going to be watching more futbol matches at 121 in the future. here's to more sleepless nights!

restaurant information
121 grille and restaurant
2nd level allegro center, pasong tamo extension, makati
quiz nights on tuesdays, drinkeoke nights on thursdays

ayala museum events this july

pardon my sporadic updates. i owe this blog so many stories already. i am hanging my head in shame as i type (yes, i don't need to look at the keyboard to type, so i CAN hang my head in shame as i type).

in the meantime, mark your calendars for some culture and history, brought to you by the ayala museum:

16 july, friday, 6pm
sunset dreamscape
music and entertainment, in cooperation with 106.7 dream fm, featuring a performance by louie cristi (erm, sorry, i don't know who that is).

16 july - 12 september
olivia d'aboville - chasm of fantasies
d'aboville recreates the wonders of the ocean using materials that we would normally throw away.

21 july, wednesday, 430pm
designtalks with ed calma
come and hear how this famed architect's works came to life.

24 july, saturday, 3pm
history comes alive! (the philippine american-war) with ambeth ocampo
the second of his lecture series on philippine history. will probably attend this one.

ongoing exhibit:
until 1 august
a vision of philippine art
the purita kalaw-ledesma collection

so much to keep us occupied this rainy month (and it's great, too, since going out of town is kind of discouraging in this climate). go and check 'em out! let's get some kalchuh!

Museum Information
The Ayala Museum
Greenbelt 5, Makati Avenue, Makati City
museum_inquiry@ayalamuseum.org
Museum hours: 9am-6pm from Tuesday to Friday, 10am-7pm on weekends, closed on Mondays.

see: the legacy of teodulo protomartir

you don't get to see photos of old manila everyday, that's why i really want to make sure that i make it to this exhibit of photos taken by teodulo protomartir.

this exhibit at the silverlens gallery opened last june 9 and will close on july 3. i got this brief description of the exhibit from the website:

Considered as the Father of Philippine photography, Protomartir captured the city in ruins from the Second World War, its battle wounds and its restoration--scenes we thought only survived in memory. He captures post-war Manila's architecture and landscape, with Filipinos going about their daily business in familiar places such Intramuros, Luneta, Ermita and Quiapo as well as in buildings and bridges that are no longer, including the old Sto. Domingo Church, which is one of the six Churches that once stood in Spanish Intramuros...

Beyond historical evidence, the significance of Protomartir's images is meaningful. Protomartir hands to the Filipino people cultural treasures that should remain part of Filipino consciousness and memory. Sixty-four years later, we celebrate Protomartir because through him we were there too.

the photos were unearthed by direk uro dela cruz, whom i know as that guy who directs bubble gang. i just found out that he's a big photography nut, and through his explorations in camera shops, he discovered a box of negatives taken by protomartir. he digitized the images, and now, they're here for us to see. to know more about how protomartir's photos were discovered, read jessica zafra's photographs from the dead.

on july 1, carlos celdran will be there to hold a talk to put the photos in perspective. direk uro dela cruz will also be there to give an introduction of protomartir.

if you're as interested about this exhibit as i am, check out the event details posted below. :) to rsvp to the talk on july 1, use the phone number or email address provided.

event details
exhibit: being there 1946: the legacy of teodulo protomartir
where: silverlens gallery
address: warehouse 2, yupangco building, 2320 pasong tamo extension, makati
gallery hours: mondays to fridays, 10am to 7pm, saturdays, 1-6pm
phone number: (02) 816-0044
mobile number: +63905-2650873; +63917-5874011
email: manage@silverlensphoto.com

photo taken from the silverlens gallery website.

hobbes & landes trivia night: brains vs. brawns

sounds fun, no?

april events at instituto cervantes

more european films, a jeepney poetry tour, and a day of books and roses fill up the days of april, thanks to instituto cervantes! the best part is, all events are free!

cine chileno. before the regular screenings at 6pm every saturday, chilean films will be shown at 4pm as well as a gesture of solidarity with chile after the quake.

10 april, 4pm
la fiebre del loco (loco fever)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: andrés wood
duration: 94 minutes
cast: Tamara Acosta, Emilio Bardi, Loreto Moya, María Izquierdo, Luis Dubo, Julio Marcone, Luis Margani

One winter, the Chilean officials allowed for a short period the harvesting of the valuable and aphrodisiac shellfish "el loco" in the seaside village of Puerto Gala , where fishermen and prostitutes live and wanting to earn money. Greed and lust take hold. Greed is embodied by Carlos Maldonato, "El Canuto," who, after convincing his friend Jorge, the priest Luis and the whole community, bought all of the shellfish for a Japanese company. El Canuto also wrangles to get into good stead with an old flame, Sonia, who is now the proprietor of " La Pincoya ," a local restaurant. But "el loco" proves to be more effective and more damaging than anyone could have guessed because after the selling part, people disclose a secret with tragic consequences.


17 april, 4pm
taxi para tres (a cab for three)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: orlando lübbert
duration: 90 minutes
cast: Alejandro Trejo, Fernando Gómez-Rovira, Daniel Muñoz, Elsa Poblete

A poor taxi driver with a big family to support is given a difficult choice from 2 small time crooks: drive them around while they rob, or get locked up in the trunk.


24 april, 4pm
una casa de locos (the spanish apartment)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: cédric klapisch
duration: 120 minutes
cast: Romain Duris, Cécile de France, Judith Godrèche, Audrey Tautou, Kelly Reilly, Cristina Brondo, Federico D''Anna, Barnaby Metschurat, Christian Pagh, Xavier de Guillebon, Kevin Bishop, Olivier Raynal

Xavier is a 27-year-old Parisian who decides to go to Barcelona for the last year of his university studies in economic sciences. When he arrives in Barcelona he looks for a place to live and finally finds a flat in the centre which he shares with 6 people each from a different European country. All of them are in the same situation; all of them are studying in Barcelona through the European university exchange scheme (ERASMUS).


regular film line up. screened at the salon de actos, every saturday at 6pm:

10 april, 6pm
amor idiota (idiot love)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: ventura pons
duration: 105 minutes
cast: Santi Millán, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo, Marc Cartes, Mercè Pons, Jordi Dauder, Héctor Mas

Idiot Love begins as Pere-Lluc drowns his sorrow with alcohol after learning of the death of a close friend in Buenos Aires . Wandering home after his bender, he slams into a ladder being used by a young woman hanging banners on the street. When he attempts to wake up from his stupor, all he can see is the woman. Mesmerized, he claims he’s in love with her and sets out to win her affection— even though she’s married.


17 april, 6pm
lo que sé de lola (what i know of lola)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: javier rebollo
duration: 100 minutes
cast: Michaël Abiteboul, Lola Dueñas, Carmen Machi, Lucienne Deschamps

Leon, a lonesome man who watches the world as if it were a show, suddenly becomes fascinated by an ordinary woman, Lola, deciding from then on to devote himself exclusively to her... She never even knows he exists.


other events. instituto cervantes has cooked up a host of other events for us to enjoy.

17 april, 12nn-10pm
berso sa metro: poetry jeepney tour
filipino and spanish poets read along the streets of manila

An interesting way of spreading literature, this poetry reading tour comprises of three venues with Filipino and Spanish poets reciting some of the most relevant poems in each stop. With participants onboard an electrical jeepney, this tour is truly a unique way of reminding people of the beauty of words as they speed to their destinations. This is an extension of the promotional reading campaign through MRT and LRT, which received an Anvil Award of Merit for Educational Public Relations Program during the 45th Anvil Awards Competition.

24 april, 10am-6pm
rosas y libros, día del libro (books and roses, international day of the book)
book fair

As celebrated yearly, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with various bookstores and other institutions, will offer a Book Market during the Open House and Book Party on the 24th of April. From 10 am to 6pm, bibliophiles can get their hands on a wide selection of books: children and young adult titles, dictionaries, novels, and non-fiction titles, at the Día del Libro book fair. Available at even madder prices, brand new books go for as low as Php20.00. And to make the deal even sweeter, Instituto Cervantes gives a red rose with every purchase. Also, get a chance to mingle with your favourite authors as they grace this event, signing copies of their latest works. And to cap the day, a Book Party with a live band will entertain you until midnight.

get more info from the dia del libro facebook page.

24 april, 10am-6pm
pintas historias (color your world)
coloring activity for children

Instituto Cervantes, in collaboration with Faber-Castell, organizes anew a fun-filled activity for children ages 3 to 12 years old during the celebration of the International Book Day. Color Your World will start at 10AM until 4PM to make a whole day of painting and reading fun for the young artists.

24 april, 4pm
bersong europinoy
poetry reading

Instituto Cervantes in Manila will once again hold the "Bersong EuroPinoy" during the celebration of International Book Day. It will be a poetry chain of European and Filipino poems, a celebration highlighting the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.

24 april, 6pm
canciones de la revolucion filipina (songs of the philippine revolution)
a lecture-concert by Raúl Súnico, Musical arranger-pianist-composer
performers: coro tomasino

Among the many testaments to the close cultural ties between Spain and the Philippines is a little-known genre of songs of the revolution with Spanish and Filipino lyrics that emerged in different parts of the country.

Find out about Instituto Cervantes's Cultural Events and Programs at Cultura En Manila.

european films at instituto cervantes this march

every saturday, instituto cervantes has free film showings that are open to the public. here is this month's film line-up:

6 march, 6pm
la conjura de el escorial (the el escorial conspiracy)
in english with spanish subtitles
director: antonio del real
cast: Juanjo Puigcorbé, Jason Isaacs, Julia Ormond, Jürgen Prochnow, Joaquim de Almeida, Jordi Mollà, Blanca Jara, Pilar Bastardés

A fast-paced historical thriller with political and detective intrigues in the context of the struggles between the House of Alba and its followers on one hand and the House of Mendoza with Antonio Pérez and the Princess of Eboli on the other. On the night of Easter Monday 1578 some hired killers ambushed Juan de Escobedo, killing him…. A historical film based on an actual event in which power and death conspire at the court of Philip II.

13 march, 6pm
arritmia (guantanamero)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: vicente peñarrocha
cast: Nicolás Belmonte, Mohamed Chafik, Rupert Evans, Ismael de Diego, Derek Jacobi, Ako Chávarri, Said El Mouden, Carolina Chico Hernández

Ali is an Arab prisoner in Guantanamo that manages to escape of its sentence in a dream that takes to discover a completely new city for him. In his trip, Ali will know Manuela, a Cuban dancer; she will help him to know that strange but frightening beautiful city. After a serious event, Ali will leave his dream and will discover that nothing is what it seems.


20 march, 6pm
transsiberian
in spanish with english subtitles
director: brad anderson
cast: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Eduardo Noriega, Thomas Kretschmann, Ben Kingsley, Colin Stinton, Mac McDonald, Etienne Chicot

Transsiberian an uncommonly absorbing experience. One of those legendary train trips that people used to dream about taking, the Transsiberian Express has probably seen better days. An american couple, Roy and Jessie, decide to return home the long way from their recent sojourn in Pekin and meet another couple from the West, Carlos and Abby, with whom they quickly form that tenous bond that often unites fellow travellers away from home. When Roy gets separated from the train at a stopover, Jessie begins to realize that their compatriots arenŽt exactly who or what they seem to be. But the real dangers of their unforgettable trip have only begun to surface; Russian cops, mobsters, and locals are still to come.


27 march, 6pm
la caja (the wooden box)
in spanish with english subtitles
director: juan carlos falcón
cast: Ángela Molina, Elvira Mínguez, Vladimir Cruz, María Galiana, Antonia San Juan, María Galiana, Joan Dalmau, Manuel Manquiña

In a fishing village in the Canary Islands, the hated Don Lucio suddenly dies and his wife doesn’t have room in her house to keep a vigil over the body so her neighbour Isabel takes responsibility for the body, and while the widow forgets her sorrows, all the neighbours visit the body laid at rest to settle old scores with the deceased. Rest in peace Don Lucio …… if you can.

venue information:
instituto cervantes de manila
address:855 t.m. kalaw street, ermita, manila
transportation: take the LRT and get off at United Nations
phone number: 526-1482
email address: cenmni@cervantes.es

ptaa travel and tour expo this weekend!

okay, it kinda sucks that i'm not going to be here this weekend for the ptaa travel and tour expo, but i'm not selfish enough to keep the information all to myself.

from february 19 to 21, travel and tourism trade practitioners will be at the SMX convention center halls 2, 3, and 4 to offer us wanderlusting folk pretty good deals on our desired destinations.

make sure that you bring enough moolah, because the deals, packages, and promo rates will only be available at the venue. at the same time, though, it's also a good place to scout around for possible places to visit next, and to look for a trusted travel agent (it comes in handy, too, despite the wealth of budget options the internet offers).

general admission tickets to the travel and tour expo are at Php 50/day, while senior citizens only pay Php 20.

for those who want to take advantage of the deals, do your research on your destination ahead of time. :)

be there this weekend, and tell me about it!

event details
17th ptaa travel and tour expo
what: travel deals galore
when: february 19 (10am-9pm), 20 (10am-9pm), and 21 (10am-7pm)
where: SMX convention center halls 2, 3, and 4, seashell drive, mall of asia complex, pasay city
how much: Php 50 (general admission), Php 20 (senior citizen)

also check out the philippine travel agencies association website.

chocolatissimo at the peninsula manila

i'm not a big fan of chocolates, but i'm sure a lot of you are. :) if you've got some moolah to spare (like, if you haven't spent all of it on your valentine's date), chocolatissimo! at the peninsula manila is one of the most indulgent chocolate experiences you can have.


it's a chocolate-themed, six-course dinner by executive chef adam mathis and pastry chef anil rohira. quite steep at Php 3,000 + service charge and taxes, but hey, it's chocolate. :) dinner will also be paired with wine depot's special wines.

chocolate+wine is a combination i've always wanted to try. too bad i'm going to be in hong kong while this is going on.

event details
chocolatissimo! -- the ultimate chocolate experience
where: old manila, the peninsula manila
when: 19 february, friday, 7pm
how much: Php 3,000 + 10% service charge and government taxes

soleil bazaar at rockwell

suit up for summer at soleil bazaar at rockwell on february 27-28!

the bazaar will have more than 80 stores, which means more choices for us! i'm pretty excited about this, and can't wait to find the perfect summer outfit for my beach trips.

see you at soleil bazaar at rockwell!

carna manila 2010 at the rockwell tent

want a different kind of valentine's? take your special someone to carna manila 2010 on february 13 at the rockwell tent for an electrifying date.

the event features performances by nyko maca + playground (who will also be releasing their USB album dubbed digital niyog), brigada, eileen sison e guarana, and ebc philippines.

of course, no party is complete without some food and drinks. chef carla abaya has prepared brazilian treats for everyone, and havaianas beach bar will be giving out free drinks. carna manila 2010 is promising to be one hell of a party!

ebc philippines will also be holding free workshops on february 10 and 11, at 8pm, as part of carna manila 2010, so for those who want to try capoeira out, now's the best time to do it!

hope to see you dancing and bouncing at the rockwell tent on february 13!

event information

carna manila 2010

when: february 13, saturday, 7pm

where: rockwell tent, power plant mall, makati

sponsored by: power plant mall, the embassy of brazil in the philippines, havaianas, in cooperation with SOFA and brasilipinas.

wine depot presents "a tuscan toast"

wine depot presents "a tuscan toast: banfi wines at chelsea," yet another event for us this week!

on february 6, wednesday, at 7pm, head over to chelsea in serendra and join wine depot in celebrating castello banfi's 11th consecutive year as italy's premier vineyard estate (VinItaly). to tempt you further, take a look at the menu they've prepared:

ticket price for this event is P950 per person, inclusive of dinner and wine, which is quite a steal, since you'll be paying for about P2,200 worth of food and drinks. to get your tickets, you may email toastclub@winedepot.com.ph, or purchase them at any wine depot store. you can also get tickets at chelsea, located at the serendra piazza, fort bonifacio.

event information

a tuscan toast: banfi wines at chelsea

when: 6 february, wednesday, 7pm

where: chelsea, ground floor, serendra piazza, fort bonifacio, taguig

how much: P950 per person, available at any wine depot store or at chelsea.

wine depot celebrates australia day!

wine depot is having a whole day fair filled with awesome events on friday, january 29, at wine depot reposo, from 10am to 10pm.

dubbed "true blue aussie sale," this exciting australia day celebration features a three-course lunch for P650, two free workshops, free wine and cheese tasting, and an outback barbecue dinner for P1,300.

for a detailed description of wine depot's australia day events, just click on the photo on the right.

before having fun at the aussie sale, please register at wine depot through joy at toastclub@winedepot.com.ph, or call +632 8894889.

establishment information
wine depot
makati-reposo: 217 nicanor garcia street, bel-air village
tel: 8973220
business hours: mondays to sundays, 10am to 10pm
email address: winedirect@pacific.net.ph

wine depot presents vinos de arzuaga

wine aficionados, mark feb. 5 on your calendars! wine depot will be featuring vinos de arzuaga at a wine dinner at red, makati shangri-la at 7pm.

featured are wines from the bodegas arzuaga collection, to go with your five-course meal. the event is priced at P2,500 for toast club members, and P3,000 for non-members.

for tickets to this wine event, email toastclub@winedepot.com.ph, or drop by any wine depot store.

you can also join the toast club, or explore the wine depot website.

store information
wine depot
alabang: westgate corporate center, commerce cor. filinvest avenue
tel: +632 7719463
makati-yakal: 147 yakal street, san antonio village
tel: +632 8449133
makati-reposo: 217 nicanor garcia street, bel-air village
tel: 8973220
greenhills: 6 missouri street, north east greenhills, san juan
tel: +632 7274274; 7225952
business hours: mondays to sundays, 10am to 10pm
email address: winedirect@pacific.net.ph

"deleted scenes" at the lopez museum

Deleted Scenes modestly explores omissions both in pictorial and literary accounts of national history as well as in purported narratives hinged on representation that a museum such as the Lopez hesitatingly but unavoidingly lays out.

quite an interesting premise--sort of like a behind-the-scenes look at history, a different take on making us think about what really happened.

check out the exhibit at the lopez museum before the exhibit closes on january 9. deleted scenes features works by lyle buencamino, dada docot, sari dalena, and al manrique.

museum information
lopez museum
g/f benpres building
exchange road corner meralco avenue,
ortigas center, pasig city
phone number: +632 6312417
email address: pezseum@skyinet.net
blog: lopez museum and library

world pyro olympics 2009

i haven't gone to any of the past pyro olympics at MOA, even though i'm one of those people who turn back into a little child whenever i'm faced with fantastic fireworks. i was put off by the stories i heard from the traffic that jammed the exits when the show was over. but maybe this year, since they're moving the venue to bonifacio global city in taguig, i just might find myself trooping over and being one of the open-mouthed marvelers at the event.

what's also pretty exciting is that this year's pyro olympics will feature the first pyromusical competition, which will probably be more amazing to watch.

VIP tickets are pretty steep--P1,500/per person, but it already includes dinner, which is the only thing that separates you from the special ticket holders, who will only need to pay P500. general admission goes for P200. the site says there will be enough booths that sell food and drinks, so nobody will go hungry during the pyro olympics.

for those who plan to watch all five days, there's a special season pass for special and VIP areas. the special season pass sells for P2,000, while the VIP season pass is at P6,000. that's 5 shows for the price of 4! no pyro addict will be able to resist, methinks.

event details:
world pyro olympics 2009
where: the fort open grounds, bonifacio global city, taguig
when: nov 21, nov 28, dec 5, dec 12, dec 19
gates open at 3pm, fireworks start at 630pm
drum&bugle competition is from 3pm to 630pm
tickets: general: P200, special: P500, VIP: P1,500 (includes dinner)
season pass (5 shows for the price of 4): special: P2,000, VIP: P6,000

special and VIP tickets can be reserved as early as now!
contact world wide womb at (02) 568-6908 or (02) 384-0239

CCP holiday events for 2009

there's something in the air this year. i can feel that christmas is going to be merry. reading about these performances at the CCP is making me more excited about the holidays!

"the nutcracker"
ballet philippines
when: december 3, 6, 12, and 13 at 10am and 3pm; december 4 and 5 at 3pm and 8pm
where: tanghalang nicanor abelardo (CCP main theater)
tickets: P300, P350, P450, P500, and P600. P1,100 for gala shows
check ticketworld for tickets to ballet philippines's "the nutcracker."

PPO season concert IV
philippine philharmonic orchestra
conductor: ruggero barbieri
featuring traditional christmas carols.
when: december 10, 8pm
where: tanghalang nicanor abelardo (CCP main theater)
tickets: P206, P360.50, P515, P686.67, P824, P858.34, and P1,030.
check ticketworld for tickets to PPO season concert IV.

"thankful"
the philippine madrigal singers
the philippine madrigal singers' thanksgiving concert for a fruitful year. christmas songs, carols, and other inspirational songs are in store.
when: december 15 and 16, 8pm
where: tanghalang nicanor abelardo (CCP main theater)
call these numbers to inquire about tickets: (02) 832- 1125 to 39, (02) 832-3667

let's soak up some culture at the ccp this holiday season!