on films, books, food, restaurants, favorite haunts in Metro Manila (and now, Philadelphia)...
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| rants and raves on films, books, food, restaurants, favorite haunts in Metro Manila (and now, Philadelphia)... |
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Tuesday, November 30, 2004 This was not a very successful weekend for downloads (well I was gone from Friday evening to Sunday evening, and I spent all of free-Monday socialising). Just managed to get Garden State OST and an Interpol album (Turn on the Bright Lights). Oh I did manage to squeeze in 2 hours to watch Doug Liman's Go yesterday afternoon between social engagements. Good stuff, I love that movie. I had to watch the sanitised version on Star Movies. I should get myself a copy of that soundtrack as well --- although it has a dated quality to it. * * * Who can recommend any fantastically excellently semi-posh resorts in Puerto Galera? Am planning a trip there sometime in 1Q05, and I'm beginning to realise that there are no real famous beach resorts in the area. If it were a dive trip, I wouldn't really care too much about posh-ness, but I'll be going with my non-diver friends who just want to go to the beach to hang out and do the whole beach bum thing. posted by wys | 7:31 AM 0 comments Sunday, November 28, 2004 I was considering taking half a day off last Thursday to cook a full Turkey meal for dinner (it was Thanksgiving after all). Easy enough task, just need a lot of time to get everything done from the perfectly roasted 15 pound bird, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, some salad, an apple pie or cheesecake (non traditional but I’m fantastic at both desserts) … I made plans with friends for that evening already so Turkey Dinner for my household shall have to be postponed for the time being. *** It’s the first Sunday of Advent! Pretty soon it’ll be Simbang Gabi. Wonder if I’ll bother to wake up early to attend this year. The main thing I’m after are large breakfast feasts post-mass. *** I got my PADI Advanced Open Water Certification this weekend. I also bought a new watch from the Fun Scuba line of Swatch. And I’m absolutely blown away by how accurate the depth gauge is for the price (PHP4500). Of course I mentioned before that this will never replace a dive computer, but it’s great for entry level diving and for simply recording your last dive in a lazy daisy way.  *** Around 2 months ago I found this Globe Handyphone flyer advertising this order process of sorts via your mobile phone. You had a chance to order the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy soundtrack, enjoy a discount off the regular store price, have the CD delivered to your mobile bill mailing address, and have the charge placed on your bill. The tracks on the CD seemed decent enough, but not probably something I'd buy if I just saw it in the store.  In any case, the ordering process is so ancient and low tech (without any straight-through-processing in place most probably and just some guy on the back end converting all the "text orders" into traditional "paper orders") that I had long forgotten I had even ordered the CD --- I didn't receive any confirmation message after all. My dad just tells me tonight that he got an unmarked package in the mail with the CD inside and he didn't know where the heck it came from. When people in his office received it, they approached with caution when they asked him if the "Queer Eye" soundtrack was indeed for him. 1. All Things (Just Keep Getting Better) - Widelife featuring Simone Denny (previously unreleased) 2. Good Luck - Basement Jaxx featuring Lisa Kekaula 3. Slow (Chemical Brothers mix) - Kylie Minogue (previously unreleased) 4. Move Your Feet - Junior Senior 5. You Promised Me (Tu Es Foutu) - In-Grid 6. Superstar - Jamelia (previously unreleased) 7. Everybody Wants You To Emerge - Fischerspooner/Billy Squier mashup (previously unreleased) 8. Sunrise (Jason Nevins remix) - Duran Duran (previously unreleased) 9. Never Coming Home (Gonna Live My Life remix) - Sting 10. An Area Big Enough To Do It In - Prophet Omega (previously unreleased) 11. You're So Damn Hot - OK GO 12. Extraordinary - Liz Phair 13. Are You Ready for Love - Elton John 14. All Things (Just Keep Getting Better) - Widelife featuring Simone Denny (bonus video) posted by wys | 10:02 PM 0 comments Wednesday, November 24, 2004 This is amazing … they’ve actually created computer programs that can write! I recall reading a Roald Dahl short story a while back about a machine that could spit out novels at a highly efficient pace. The scientists behind these new programs are trying to break down the mystical (?) process of writing and what actually goes on in writer’s minds in order to come up with programs that can simulate a human writer’s mind. My fearless forecast is that we will see computer-written novels in my lifetime.
posted by wys | 11:17 PM 0 comments Sunday, November 21, 2004 New Music Sunday - Huzzah I'm downloading a bunch of new albums for the coming week, and my download speeds are pretty good today (60+kb per second): The Shins - Oh, Inverted World The O.C. - Songs from the TV Series Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Forever to Tell Belle and Sebastian - Live in Stockholm 19.03.2002 Coldplay - The Barfly Sessions Bright Eyes - A Collection of Songs 1995-97 * * * I love Salon so much I'm actually thinking of subscribing to their online service. You don't actually need to be a subscriber to read their material because you can opt to get a Day Pass -- by viewing their sponsor's ad for the day, you get access to all their material for one day. But it's such a great site and I want to continue supporting them I think I'd be willing to shell out US$35 for a one year subscription. 
posted by wys | 3:03 PM 0 comments We got our second dog last week. Unlike the hullaballo that accompanied our first dog, we didn't go through any complicated naming process for this one. We actually gave our new beagle the runner up name for our great dane -- Rocko. Sort of like when you get your second child, you're just not as excited anymore. :) 
posted by wys | 2:45 PM 0 comments Some people are convinced that The Ethicist of the New York Times magazine is irrefutable and his word is Gospel-truth. I personally have not found any issues that we do not agree on. It's a good column, check it out. 
posted by wys | 9:30 AM 0 comments Saturday, November 20, 2004 The Garden State soundtrack looks pretty interesting: 1. Don't Panic - Coldplay 2. Caring Is Creepy - The Shins 3. In The Waiting Line - Zero 7 4. New Slang - The Shins 5. I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You - Colin Hay 6. Blue Eyes - Cary Brothers 7. Fair - Remy Zero 8. One Of These Things First - Nick Drake 9. Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation 10. The Only Living Boy In New York - Simon & Garfunkel 11. Such Great Heights - Iron and Wine 12. Let Go - Frou Frou 13. Winding Road - Bonnie Somerville I'm not sure when (or if?) they'll even show the movie here. We can only hope. 
posted by wys | 5:00 PM 0 comments Thursday, November 18, 2004 Amazon is absolutely amazing. Last year they had this wonderful Christmas promotion where they would get celebrities (TV actors, movie stars, musicians) to post lists of their favorite things (available on Amazon) online ... working under the assumption that this would get loyal fans to buy the products recommended. I have no idea what the results of the campaign were, but I thought it was an interesting one nonetheless. This year they'll be coming up with short films every week (five in all) leading up to Christmas featuring items available for purchase on their site. So far they've shown a film starring Minnie Driver, and another film directed by Tony Scott. Check them out. 
posted by wys | 11:46 PM 0 comments I downloaded the album Chutes Too Narrow of The Shins and I’m loving it so much I actually *gasp* went to Tower Records earlier and attempted to buy a legit copy for myself. Of course they didn’t have anything by The Shins on stock so I’ll stick to my downloads for now. 
posted by wys | 11:39 PM 0 comments Wednesday, November 17, 2004 I got to try out Caffe Maestro last night and it was a fairly pleasant meal, a little out of the way but thankfully my friends always indulge my non-mall dining choices. Food is semi-fancy traditional Italian food --- thin crust pizzas, al dente pasta, and a host of meat (lamb chops!) and fish dishes. The restaurant is owned by the L'Opera Group (which also own L'Opera, Trattoria Gourmet's, The 25th and Ciao Bar). Dishes go for anywhere between Php200 to Php700; worth the price in my book. I would have ordered some wine to go with the semi-swanky ambiance (after all I've taken some hoity toity wine tasting classes in my time) but I wasn't in the mood for alcohol on a school night. Caffe Maestro can be found at 1780 Nicanor Garcia St (formerly Reposo), Santiago Village, Makati City; Tel: 899-7322, 895-7814; Open Daily: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm 
posted by wys | 9:39 PM 0 comments I'm totally enjoying the new Bose iPod SoundDock I got for my iPod. I was deciding between these and a pair of battery operated Altec Lansing speakers ($120) that were much more portable but had quality no better than regular run-of-the-mill computer speakers. Of course if I were feeling a little indulgent I could have gotten both, the Altec Lansing ones would have been perfect for a random beach trips, impromptu picnics (like I really have a lot of those) or anytime I need speakers that can fold into the size of the latest Dan Brown sellout novel. The Bose SoundDock is a little unwieldy and its dimensions are comparable to that of one of the thicker Encyclopedia Brittanica volumes (volume B maybe, that was always a little on the thick side). The quality of the Bose speakers (or speaker since it's only one piece) is absolutely fantastic and it's loud enough for me to use for any house parties I decide to throw (in the kitchen, living room, dining room, lanai ... heck even the garden). For only $300 you too can be the proud owner of your own Bose iPod SoundDock. 
posted by wys | 8:26 PM 0 comments Hey eBay is in town! Wonder how that'll work out, seeing as how people are still terrified to death of transacting online. Good luck to them, and it will be interesting to see their promotional gimmicks in the months to come. 
posted by wys | 8:11 PM 0 comments Monday, November 15, 2004 I finally bought myself an iPod after thinking about it for a few years now. First there were the fears about the gadget dying out on me (see iPod’s Dirty Secret). Then there was the uncertainty of the mini-iPod vs the regular i-Pod. And of course the hefty US$300 price tag. But I figured I don’t really splurge on big ticket items for myself so I might as well go for it. And I am totally loving my new toy right now. On heavy rotation this long weekend were --- The Shins, Franz Ferdinand, Badly Drawn Boy, The Lemonheads, 10,000 Maniacs, Death Cab for Cutie, Snow Patrol, Coldplay, The Darkness. Of course my brothers argue that I don’t even know 10,000 songs so I’ll never manage to use up all the storage space (maybe I should have gone for the cuter smaller mini-version, they say). Ha, I take that as a challenge. 
posted by wys | 9:12 PM 0 comments I’ve been semi-planning my trips for next year and aside from an Alaskan cruise (that beat out a cruise along the Mexican Riviera … boo to my family) everything is pretty much in the air and up for planning. I’ve been trying to figure out how much it costs to get to Dubai and online I have not found anything less than US$2000 for a round-trip ticket. Insane I tell you, especially since a round trip plane ticket to the USA or Europe would cost around US$1000 at most during peak seasons. And my recent ticket to New York only cost US$100 (+45,000 miles on Northwest). To think I was even thinking of going to Mauritius … I’m sure that will cost even more because it’s a little bit more out of the way. I might end up going to India instead. Alongside a million and one local trips in the Philippines of course. There’s good old Iloilo for Dinagyang in January; I’d love to go to the Ati-atihan but I don’t think I’d find anyone crazy enough to fly to Kalibo for the festival without going to Boracay as well (I don’t have the luxury of time); Sagada will take a good 5 days; surfing in La Union; I’ve already been to the Masskara in Bacolod and white water rafting in Cagayan de Oro so those two places are out for 2005; a dive trip to Palau or Tubbataha would be good; Pampanga to watch people self-flagellate themselves during Holy Week; a skip, jump and hop over to Hundred Islands in Pangasinan; a quick trip to Puerto Galera if friends want to save on airfare to go on a quick holiday; a rushed 2 day trip to Baguio possibly. I’ll figure it out in due course. posted by wys | 8:48 PM 0 comments Tuesday, November 09, 2004 Ah, back in Manila by 11pm tonight, back to work first thing tomorrow morning. My short vacation was a good one. I sort of swore off shopping because I wasn't in the mood and things were a little bit out of season for me anyway. And I was surprised with the amount of time I had on my hands to do things. Most of my vacation was spent either eating out, watching a performance of some sort (2 Broadway plays, 1 Off-Broadway Performance, 2 Rock Concerts, 1 Opera -- pretty modest by my usual go-go-go vacation standards), or *egad* trying to clean up after myself (making my bed, doing the laundry/dishes, etc). Very slow paced really. And now that I'm back the reality of Christmas approaches. As does Thanksgiving though (Turkey Dinner!) and a 3-day weekend to celebrate the end of Ramadan. posted by wys | 11:53 PM 0 comments Friday, November 05, 2004 Weather here is absolutely rubbish. Wet streets, cloudy skies, inconsiderate New Yorkers = a recipe for widespread pandemonium; or at worst an unpleasant stay. And I'm deathly ill thanks to all the erratic temperature changes. Looks like I might have to spend the rest of my Holiday at home watching reruns of Saved By the Bell, Law and Order, Judging Amy, The Practice, ER and other long-forgotten TV series. * * * R.E.M. Concert tonight! I bought 2 tickets because I was expecting my sister would be watching with me, but turns out she has class on Thursday nights. Anyway I was wondering what to do with the extra ticket, none of my sister's friends were big enough fans of the band to buy my extra ticket for $60. Anyway I put the extra ticket up for sale on EBAY (for a $2 fee), despite the possibility of me ending up beside some weirdo for the duration of the concert. And I ended up finding a buyer --- this nice normal looking German girl who just really wanted to watch the concert. Amazing. I think you can find a buyer for anything on EBAY. There are a number of people that have built whole businesses around EBAY. I remember reading a book on the (short) history and (dramatic) growth of EBAY and how they managed to become the most profitable Internet company in the world. The title was "The Perfect Store" (2002) and of course today the details woud be absolutely ancient but the whole concept behind the business is so simple yet so amazingly robust. What's interesting is that the website works assuming that people are honest and not out to screw each other. EBAY just brings the buyers and sellers together, what happens after a price is agreed upon is up to the two transactive parties. posted by wys | 5:25 AM 0 comments Wednesday, November 03, 2004 Oh no! BloggerBot+Hello only work with Windows and not with MAC-based PCs. I think. I'm only going to be here another week so I'll post my photos when I get back. * * * Bush is winning the Presidential Race ... * * * I got to watch the much lauded, much hyped, much sold-out Broadway musical "Wicked" tonight. It was great, very pop-ish (and Joe Macintyre of New Kids on the Block was the handsome prince). Interesting premise: the musical tells the backstory behind the persona commonly known to us as the "Wicked Witch of the West." Turns out she wasn't so wicked after all, and she and Glenda the Good Witch were actually good buddies and roommates in boarding school. Excellent entertainment, and a lot better than "The Producers" was last week. The only remaining Broadway production I'm keen to watch is "Avenue Q" which is supposed to be some sort of Sesame Street for adults. posted by wys | 11:45 AM 0 comments Ohmigod! I saw David Duchovny today! I was doing a walking tour of the East Village (by myself) and when I got to St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery there was a crowd of people around the Episcopal church and what looked like a film crew of some sort. At first I was thinking it was some lame soap opera filming or something and I couldn't be bothered to peek into the church courtyard to see if there were any famous stars inside. But I think I was a little tired and I decided to take a peek ... and it was a shoot for a David Duchovny and Julianne Moore film. Checking IMDB, the film title is "Trust the Man" and it's scheduled for release in 2005. I wasn't able to take that many good photos because I think I got a little too excited (I have loved loved LOVED David Duchovny since way back during his Fox Mulder days on The X-Files) but I'll try and post some later today if I ever figure out how to use the photo blogging software on my sister's MAC. I kind of followed him down the street to his trailer. I could have gone back to get some shots of Julianne Moore, but I didn't really care about her. David Duchovny is every bit as good looking in person as he is onscreen (if you find him good looking to begin with), and surprisingly not all that tall. As I continued with my walking tour, I stumbled across a shoot for Law and Order, which I love watching to while away the time but which I am not really a big fan of so pooh, boring. Am off to watch Team America: World Police (assuming I get to run to the cinema in time). posted by wys | 3:38 AM 0 comments |
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