LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

LOOK, BOSS, IT'S DA TREN. IT'S THE TREN...

I thought this day would never come. After decades of living with squatters and a decaying rail system as a permanent scar slicing across my city, I believe things have finally taken a turn for the better. While driving down the northbound side of the South Super Hiway near Magallanes, I was gobsmacked to see the brand new orange and silver rail cars of the newly renovated Philippine National Railways system to my right. And all I can say is "Wow". So cool. Can't wait to take a ride on it from Tutuban Station to FTI in Taguig. Living in a warehouse in Sucat can now feel like a loft in Brooklyn. Then again, maybe not.

See you all onboard.

Some more shots I took on the hi-way. The Makati skyline is behind.

The way the trains looked like a couple of years ago or so.

A close-up shot of the new trains. Apparently, they are made in Korea. I like that they kept the original classic logo of PNR on the front. Well done. Well done. Thanks mithrilcloud.

Now if we can only imagine a train that can take us all the way south to Mayon Volcano and north to Ilocos and Baguio, perhaps we can realize it. And looking at the new trains above, I know that it's not entirely impossible.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

I have always been enamored by Pan Am. And although it's been a dead airline for almost 20 years now, it still conjures up images of glamour and new world luxury (below) of an age where long distance travel was only accessible to a rarefied and romantic few.

Back when Manila was still the Pearl of The Orient before World War II, Pan Am's China Clipper and Philippine Clipper Martin M-130s would make regular stops to Manila (below, in front of Manila Hotel) after flying from Hongkong, Wake, and Honolulu. One could only imagine how chic it must have been to be a tourist disembarking from one of those flying boats, swanning into a limousine that would cruise you to the Manila Hotel. All right before taking a quick stroll through the seven churches of Intramuros, and a little shopping on the Escolta.


Which is why I was pretty stoked to find an interesting hotel in the back streets of Makati called The Clipper Hotel. Done in streamline Art Deco, it's a real throwback to pre-war Manila. But even though it may seem all retro, all the amenities seem to be very up to date. All beds are fitted with 100% cotton duvets and sheets, all the air-conditioners are Panasonic, and all showers are heated with an environmentally friendly solar-electric system from Australia. And for those who like being close to the Central Business District, The Clipper Hotel is conveniently located walking distance to the nightlife of Kalayaan and Burgos Streets, the restaurants of Jupiter and Polaris, and Rockwell. Old world charm in the heart of contemporary Manila. Go check it out.

Check out photos of the hotel and rates on their site here: The Clipper Hotel.

THE CLIPPER HOTEL
5766 Ebro Street, P. Burgos Poblacion Makati City
(632) 890-8577 / 756-0939

PASS THE RH BILL NOW!

Here is that Reproductive Health Bill television and viral spot that we worked on last month. Check out folks like future Senator Tado, Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata, Dame Lea Salonga, yours truly, and even BISHOP Rodrigo Tano voice out support for the RH Bill.

We're almost near the finish line, guys. Congress simply must vote on this before the year is up and we have to pressure them to do so. Please pass this video around and keep the fire burning. We should not drop the ball.

PASS THE RH BILL NOW!!

HMMM...

I'm trying out a new look. Kinda look like an inner city Latino drug dealer from "Weeds" but I needed to keep the sideburns for the Imelda and Intramuros tours.

I'm still not sure about it. Yes? No?

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

VEGGIES ON THE EDGE

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT! Go out to the Legazpi market on Sundays and buy my sister's tofu. Her shop's name is "The Edgy Veggy". She also sells our family's arugula harvest and fresh pesto.

Read all about it on SPOT.PH

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

Very very cool. Check out this super exclusive bespoke travel agency called "Global Nomad". They just launched last month. It's the classiest way to go when visiting the Philippines. So if you or somebody you know is into the idea of sleeping on Egyptian cotton, drinking champagne while looking at the craggy cliffs of Batanes while waiting for a private chef to grill your Taningue.

THEN CLICK HERE TO READ MORE...

They also offer bespoke travel arrangements to Ilocos, Palawan, and Marinduque.

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

A thousand pairs of shoes and thank yous to Ryan for the lovely mention in his Philippine travel blog, "Tourism-Philippines.com" I was mentioned in an article called, "24 Hours in Manila." It's a really great site actually. Lots of information and tips on how to get around everywhere in The Philippines. Log onto the article here:

DESIGN OF THE TIMES...

MANILA DESIGN WEEK STARTS IN TWO HOURS...

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

The city has become just a little bit more awesome with the coming of Manila Design Week. Starting this Saturday August 8, the good folks over at Team Manila will be hosting a conference that will not only highlight the achievements of Manila's design culture but hopefully spur the city into its rightful place as one of the design and thought capitals of the region. I am honored to be part of the Design Dialogue which will be held next week. I, along with a few others hope to find a road map for the city's future. We will try to create a Manila-festo, so to speak. Hope to see you guys there. Don't call me for tickets though. Contact folks at the website. Only seventy slots available.

MDW+Design Dialogue
Wednesday August 12, 2009
4 p.m. - 7 p.m., MyCinema, Greenbelt 3, Makati

Presented by: adobo magazine

MODERATOR:
ROBERT ALEJANDRO
Founder/Owner
RAA Design

SPEAKERS/PANELIST:

"AKO MISMO"
TEENY GONZALES
Executive Creative Director
DDB Philippines

"I AM NINOY"
NANDY VILLAR
Managing Director
McCann Worldgroup Philippines

"DESIGN IN ADVERTISING"
MELVIN MANGADA
Executive Creative Director/Partner
TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno

"BRANDING A COUNTRY"
DAVID GUERRERO
Chairman & Chief Creative Officer
BBDO Guerrero

"MANILA'S VISUAL CULTURE"
JOWEE ALVIAR
Team Manila

"MY POCKET MANILA"
CARLOS CELDRAN (panelist)
Artist/Blog Owner
WalkThisWay

NEAL OSHIMA (images of the Philippines)
Photographer

MDW and the Design Dialogue in a nutshell:
Design Dialogue: an intimate discussion between communicators on the subject of national identity, visual and otherwise. Design Dialogue is part of the week-long roster events ----exhibits, conferences, competitions and concerts--- for the first annual edition of Manila Design Week: the biggest graphic design festival the Philippines has ever seen.

In brief and in their own words: “We may be just designers, but we are the kind that come with a message. MDW uses graphic design as a vehicle to convey solid messages, and make them even more powerful. National identity, social responsibility, political activism… these concepts ring stronger when they are formulated in a compelling manner. MDW is not just about galvanizing the local design industry. It’s about moving people to action using the language we know best: good design.”

In keeping with this mission, Design Dialogue shall invite 70 of the country’s biggest movers, responsible for the best and most effective work in the media today.All of them necessary to achieve our objectives for Design Dialogue, and put them into practice in real, patent ways.

To showcase the best creative initiatives for social responsibility.

Made in the Philippines.

To figure out how we should brand and market ourselves internationally.

With relevance.

To create a manifesto aimed at forging our new “communication image.”

For the future.

Manila Design Week happens from 8 to 15, 2009, www.maniladesignweek.com.

Thanks houseblend.inksurge.com for the photo

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

I am totally tickled yellow to be quoted in The Huffington Post. Maraming Salamat Virginia. Maraming Salamat Tita Cory. Log on here for the whole article. I hope I made sense.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

I have been looking for that quintessential Manila sunset bar. One that's a little bit chic with an unobstructed, open-air view of the South China Sea, one that totally takes in the majesty of Manila Bay. And voila! I found it. Who knew it would be on the top floor of the Manila Ocean Center, right outside of food hawker central, Makansutra (which incidentally, I really like because it's good - AND REALLY cheap. Perfect grub for tourists in Malate on a budget and students). But I digress. Back to the bar overlooking Manila Bay. It's called whitemoon and they are still on trial run. Their menu, drinks list, and logo are still in development, but even then, it's a bar totally worth supporting and totally worth the trek if only for the breeze, the sun, the moon, and well, the majesty of Manila Bay.

And they are open till past midnight too. Very cool.

whitemoon bar
2nd floor
Manila Ocean Center
Rizal Park, Manila
Behind Quirino Grandstand

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

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