ART! ART! ART!

ART IMITATING LIFE - KINDA...
A Coke vending machine with stools.
It's shameless advertising for a cavity inducing product with zero nutritional value. but nevertheless, I like it.
Very very Claes Oldenburg and way more enlightened than the crap we see foisted up on Manila's streets lately...

Photo: Taken on Roxas Boulevard fronting the Aristocrat Restaurant.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

All points bulletin out for all you shoppers out there. This is next weekend. Forget the bazaars and screw the joy of giving this holiday season. Run out and buy yourself some pre-owned Guccis instead.

* Amina Aranaz * Analog Soul * Anna Pashmina * ARTifacts * Alta Redor * Aurora Esqueta * Babo * Bean Fashion by Michelle Go * Bespoke * Bottoms Up by Nikki Poblador * Benjie Angeles * Camadiv * Casa Amarilla * Ciara Marasigan * Cielo Frontreras * Classic Charmz * Coco Tres Manila * Cole Vintage * Emma Navarette * Daphne Oseña * Get Dressed by Maia Laurel * Gifts of Maharani * Great Options * Gail Ong-Angeles * Ilaya * I Love You * Irene's Closet * Kate Torralba * Kathang Kamay * Kat Sta. Cruz * Keri Lyn Zamora * Leaf Fashion House * Lots Botique * Limited * L'air by Ria Tiglao * Margaret Guzman * Main Event Bags * Mimi Cosmetics * Mia Villanueva * Moroccan Lamps by Udsie Villafranca * Nanette de Guzman * New Yorker * Nicole Wisenhunt * Pazzy Marquez * Preview * Red Jasper * Raka by Kathee Garcia * Rainstorm * Reian Mata * Ruth & Esther * Sapato Manila * Sio Eng Yu * Shirin Indian Accessories * The Bead Shop * Viman Bags * Vintage Polka by Patty Eustaquio * Villareal Bags * Vintage Pop * Vicky Tensuan

RETAIL ARCHEAOLOGY
November 12, Saturday, 10am-10pm

November 13, Sunday 10am-9pm
Php100.00

The Rockwell Tent (next to the freestanding Starbucks)
Rockwell Center, Makati

HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY!

HAPPY EID AL-FITR!

Above: Photo of Metal spires of the Zamboanga Mosque.

KVETCH! KVETCH! KVETCH!

BUGGING OUT!
Oh yoo hoo! Vilma Santos! Oh yoo hoo! Ralph Recto! Mayor Dimacuha! Governor Manandas! Whoever! May I please have a quick word with you?

I have walked trough some depressed areas in downtown Manila. Deep, dark, unknown areas that one might think would be a hotbed of disease and grime. But believe me. Nothing, I tell you, nothing found on Manila's streets could ever compare to the trash that I have seen lining the roads of your province. Now, not that I want to start a fight here (considering that one of your provinces main exports is knives) but what is it about you guys? Am I just taking crazy pills or are you a really filthy bunch? On the road that leads from Santa Rosa to Tagaytay to Nasugbu, the sides of the roads were strewn - nay - abound with trash in all forms. Plastic or organic; burnt or wet; loosely spread or tightly packed in plastic bags emblazoned with every possible fast-food logo one could think of. It was absolutely incredible. I cant' believe government officials nor residents haven't noticed how bad it's become yet. And don't any of you start blaming the tourists nor try to say that this is a new problem. The litterbugging also occurs on weekdays (low tourist days). It also happens on the roads leading to the City of Lipa and Batangas Port (essentially non-tourist destinations) and I've seen it get progressively filthier these past months. Even the sidestreets that lead up to the lovely Pontefino Hotel are hideously littered. It's so obvious that the local government - and it's constituents - have no sustainable plan when it comes to waste management and don't care whether or not they do either. And I know that being a litterbug is not an inherently Filipino thing. Puerto Princesa City is spotless, and Visayan roadsides are way better managed than yours. Even dirty smelly ol' Manila still bothers to sweep it's streets once a day. So get with the program soon, guys, or run the risk of losing your highly lucrative tourism industry.

And before any Cavitenos and people from Laguna start getting smug. Your roads are a dump too.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

LOVE FOR SALE

Manila's nocturnal scene has only become lovelier with the opening of the new "I Love You Store" on Makati Avenue. Managed by wundergirls Corrine Ching, Sharon Atillo and Mimi Sanson, I Love You now finds it's fashionable self in the basement of Pilar Place Building on Makati Avenue, far - but not too far - from their original digs at Cafe Saguijo in San Antonio Village. The ambience is fresh, the furniture is funky, and the conversations are artful. And aside from the post-modern designs of their in-house label Amazingrace, the I Love you Girls also carry vintage accessories, indie label music CDs, and currently have artscene badboy Kiko Escora on exhibition. Open from 2pm till 12 midnight, make sure to pass by and a have a chat with the girls after work, apres dinner, or right before clubbing at the gay playground that is Government next door.

7840 Pilar Place, Makati Avenue, Makati City, next to Aberdeen Court, Parking available along sidestreets.
Cell: 0915 9089797

OH THE LIFE ON THESE 7,107 ISLANDS...

I have seen the seventh sign of the apocalypse and it's located at the corner of Quirino Avenue and South Super Highway Extension. Ok. Maybe I'm exaggerating but the semiotic buffet of billboards you see above are definitely an omen augering the demise of something. On the bottom right hand side, we find Miss Kris Aquino - daughter of the late Marcos rival/senator/national martyr Benigno Aquino and GMA uber-critic/moralist/hypocrite/crappy president Corazon Aquino - hawking Bench underwear by wrapping herself in the oiled embrace of a Greek model. Meanwhile, one Pancake House advertisement to the left, we find the sexually ambiguous porcelain skinned Borgie Manotoc - love child of senator Imee Marcos and grandson of the late dictator/kleptocrat/killer Ferdinand Marcos and culture vulture/singer/shoe afficionado/former first lady Imelda Marcos - pushing his pants down to sell BLUE SODA jeans. Now, what does it say about a society when their political dynasties resort to doing overtly sexual ads for commercial products in order to maintain themselves in the public eye? Something pretty scary I'm sure. Really. What's next? Luli Arroyo pushing pantyliners?

Photo: Billboards on Quirino Avenue, October 2005

DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE?

A few weeks ago,as I was browsing through the thrift shops of Bangkal, I was rather surprised to bump into the structure you see in the photo above. It was a four foot, two-tiered, blue and white house with a green roof, jalousied windows, and a small staircase leading to a back door. It was located on the patio area of a shophouse jumbled up among old vanity tables and faded wicker furniture. Barely noticable if not for the fact that it was built in concrete and for the oddity of it's size and scale; far too big to be made for dolls but yet too small to be to be a child's playhouse. When I asked the neighbors about the structure, they pointed out to me that the house was actually not for sale. It seems that the owner of the house (who has since moved away) had a major case of the dwendes: tiny Filipino earth spirits that can either bring blessings or wreak absolute havoc to one's home with their mischievous ways. Apparently, this one was of the latter variety because the owner built them their own place so that they could stay out his. Unfortunately, not only did I forget to say "tabi-tabi po" (or "excuse me") as I was examining the house but I also let out a rather audible chuckle when I heard the neighbor's answer. And because of my insolence, the dwendes gave me strep throat and 39 degree fever for the next four days. Sheesh!

Photo above: The dwende house.
Note: I am totally third eye challenged. Does anyone out there have the "gift" to see if there are dwendes in the photo above?

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

LET'S TWIST AGAIN!

Before all this blogging business began, there was Jessica Zafra. Through her award-winning, Time Magazine featured newspaper column, "Twisted", she ranted, she raved, and she defined what it really meant to "bitch" - both as a noun and as a verb. Her column was really the Philippines' first blog - except done on paper. And after a year long break from her last reincarnations as an editor-slash-radio-slash-tv show host-slash-rock and roll manager, Miz Zafra is back and twisting away just like she did last summer. Log on to her now.

WRITE ON!

They came, they saw, they wrote. The first Writing Salon creative writing workshop was held in Manila, last Oct. 7 to 9 at the groovy art-deco inspired Miramar Hotel in Ermita and hosted by yours truly. All was good and grand despite the crap weather. Read more about it from Anton Diaz, a blogger who attended the workshops. Check out his writing samples, testimonies, and photos as well. The Writing Salon is scheduled to return to Manila in late 2006.
Above: Bowl of fruit at the workshop.

DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!

PLAY IT AGAIN, RYAN

Playing for only one weekend, Ballet Philippines is bringing back "Playing Maestro Ryan" at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Main Theater) today, Friday, October 14 till Sunday, October 16. Accompanied by the San Miguel Orchestra, the show is a collaboration between reknowned Filipino Composer Ryan Cayabyab and choreographers Tony Fabella, Alden Lugnasin, Bam Damian, Irish Abejero, Novy Bereber, and Christine Crame. I actually watched the show during it's first run last March and I have to say I was rather pleased to see the contemporary direction our national ballet company is taking. And as a man without any patience for dragging theatrical events - especially in dance - I have to admit that there was not a single boring moment in the entire production. The choreography was creative, the concepts were fresh, and there were many soaring philharmonic moments throughout. It's a definite must see if only to renew your faith in the Philippine dance scene.