I’ve been raising dogs since 1996, and like a good human I’ve scouted Metro Manila for the best pet supply stores, grooming centers, and dog hotels (which was an alien concept in the Philippines back in the day). I go to Spot A for affordable dog food and supplies, Spot B for grooming, and Spot C for dog boarding.

During a trip to LA in 2001, I came across a dog hotel where you could do everything you need in one stop—dog grooming, health checkup, shopping, and boarding. I told myself that I’d put up a similar business when I got older, but I pursued journalism and performance arts instead.

Little did I know that two of my closest friends, James Loverio and Eric Villanueva, had the same idea, which came to fruition in 2010. They put up The Dog Spa in Ortigas, Pasig, which gained over 16,000 Facebook fans in less than a year. They established two more locations in Cainta and Quezon City in 2011, and they are all marketed as the one-stop shop for all your dog needs—shopping, grooming, dogsitting, and boarding. They also cater to cats.

Doggie treats for sale

On Saturday I was invited to the opening of their fourth and newest location in Parañaque. It was a fun-filled day of interacting with fellow dog lovers, most of who brought in their scruffy pals for a much-needed grooming. I also shopped for supplies for my pack of seven, but I really didn’t need to buy a lot because The Dog Spa handed out swag bags to their customers that day.

Contents of my swag bag

I brought home products from their generous sponsors—Smart Heart, Vitality, Animal Planet Nature’s Plan, Daily Green Enterprises, Papi Soap, Powerbone, and Royal Canin. Needless to say, my dogs and cat were quite happy with the loot I brought home.

Before you check out my gallery of their new Parañaque spot, read my top 5 reasons why I love The Dog Spa and Hotel.

1. They support animal rights. They hold fund-raising projects for animals rights groups. They teach people about proper dog care and pet etiquette through their Facebook page. They don’t discriminate against aspins or mixed breeds; in fact, they promote the adoption of rescue dogs and abhor puppy mills.

2. It’s not as expensive as you think. Their name may sound luxurious, but their price tags are more affordable than most of the popular dog supply shops around Metro Manila.

3. They interact with their customers 24/7. With over 26,000 “likes” on Facebook, they make sure they answer every single query posted on their wall.

4. They give out a lot of freebies. The have monthly Facebook contests with gift packs and dog spa services as prizes. They hold free events such as dog training and socialization classes. They give away product samplers every now and then.

5. They know dog psychology. They light lemongrass oils in their stores because it’s a scent that calms dogs down. They hire groomers with at least five years worth of experience to ensure that they can handle every dog size, breed, and temperament.

Visit The Dog Spa and Hotel in the following locations in the Philippines:
1. G/F Prince Arcade Building, Baranggay Rosario, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Pasig City
+632-655-0158, +63929-531-5479, +632-477-6896
2. G/F 187 Village Center, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (Acropolis) Libis, Bagumbayan, Quezon City
+63917-887-2429
3. G/F Promenade Level Q, Plaza Commercial Complex, Marcos Highway corner Imelda Avenue, Cainta
+632-477-6896
4. A. Aguirre Avenue corner J. Elizalde St., BF Homes Parañaque City
+63906-464-8139

Freebies alert!

The Dog Spa and Hotel Parañaque is giving out free dog food, treats, and grooming supplies to their loyal patrons and new clients. Just shop or get grooming services anytime this month to get the freebies. Offer good while supplies last.

Does your dog need a Cesar Milan-type of intervention? Join the free dog training and socialization class on June 17, Sunday, 10 a.m. at Mercato Centrale, Taguig.

Luxurious treatments aside, posh salons will only get on my good side if they pass the ultimate test: Can they handle wild, curly hair?

I’ve been in the magazine industry for 9 years now, and I cannot stand how, despite the emergence of edgier looks in glossies, the Philippine market is still obsessed with long, straight hair. Hair rebonding is still one of the top selling services in beauty parlors, and I can attest to only a few salons and hairstylists in this country who know how to style curly hair without daring to ask, “Wanna straighten it?”

When my friends invited me to try out Salon Beauvoir, the newest salon in Makati, I had only one question in my mind: Will they know what to do with the Amazon jungle that is my hair, or will they give me that oh-no-what-the-heck-are-we-going-to-do-with-Goldilocks look that I get whenever I step into parlors in this country?

Euro chic interiors

After an afternoon of pampering at Salon Beauvoir on Tuesday, I’m happy to declare that yes, they handled my mane well. In fact, I even learned a new trick.

Diffuser Alternative

After filling up a consultation form, I met senior hairstylist Sam Santos who suggested that I get a hair spa treatment to moisturize my sundried and colored hair. The treatment lasted for only about 30 minutes, shampooing and orgasmic neck and back massage included. The surprise was in the end, when Sam used a hair-drying technique that I had never heard of before.

New style trick for the curly-haired

Instead of the usual blow-dry diffuser method used on curly-haired customers, they wrapped my freshly washed hair in a towel, twirled it into a cone and slipped the end of the hairdryer into the small opening of the towel cone to let the warm air in. See the photo above to get a better idea of how it was done. After about 10 minutes, they unwrapped my hair to reveal my desired end product—lightly damp hair with the curls clumped in small swirly sections. We didn’t even have to put any mousse or hair product.

Solution to Nail Biting

I also tried one of their summer specials, the mani-pedi-footspa package. As a nail biter and self-proclaimed no-fuss girl, I rarely get my nails done. But I just couldn’t resist being treated like a queen for a change. Hey, if that 7-year-old girl on the other seat could get a mani-pedi and massage, then so can this grown woman.

Mani-pedi-footspa

After soaking them in warm soapy water, my feet were scrubbed and buffed before getting a basic pedicure. My nail polish of choice was a tangerine Orly bottle. The final touch: a slathering of minty foot moisturizer that left my toes feeling breezy all night.

As for my hands, let’s just say I found a temporary solution to my nail biting habit.

Bonus Points

To live up to their posh French name, Salon Beauvoir’s interior has that modern chic European vibe down to their music playlist. Complimentary coffee or raspberry iced tea awaits each customer. Wifi, too.

They are having a summer promo until the end of May, so enlarge the photo below to see the list of discounted services they offer.

The summer deals are available until May 31, 2012 only

Salon Beauvoir has definitely made it to my shortlist of “Salons That Get Goldilocks.”

View Larger Map

We saw the “Soon To Open” sign at Mall of Asia a few months ago. My foodie beau Anton was delighted that one of his favorite Singaporean restaurants is finally coming to Manila. With over a dozen locations in Singapore and one in Vietnam, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café is famous for its menu of Chinese and Singaporean street favorites.

My first taste of Xin Wang was during my first trip to Singapore in October. I had the dry chili noodle with filled fishballs for SG$6.90 and a mug of iced Hong Kong yingyong for SG$3.20.

View from the mall entrance

View from the back and parking lot area

When we visited Xin Wang’s first Philippine location in Mall of Asia last week, I decided to order the exact same thing to make a decent comparison.

The dry chili noodle was plated differently. Instead of being mixed evenly with the noodles, the brownish-reddish chili sauce was topped over the noodles, making it look a bit unappealing. But the savory taste was the real deal—it brought me back to the days of my Singapore food trip, where fresh chili sauce was part of many Singaporean dishes I tried.

Dry chili noodle with filled fishballs, P185

My noodles’ oily chili sauce made puddles around the plate, which went well with my stuffed fishballs and basic steamed Chinese cabbage, as I slurped the noodles down to the last spicy strand.

Iced Hong Kong yingyong, P75 a mug

My steel mug of iced yingyong made the scorching Manila heat more bearable. For the uninformed, yingyong (also called yuanyang or yinyong) is a popular beverage in Hong Kong where brewed coffee is mixed with sweet milk tea, giving it a distinct caffeinated flavor that doesn’t overpower the way regular coffee or espresso does. Whether taken iced or hot, yingyong makes a good beverage any time of the day.

Restaurant interiors

Don’t let the unappetizing photo of my chili noodle turn you off. Xin Wang’s colorful and glossy menu features over 200 other mouthwatering dishes. Regular customers love the meaty Hong Kong-style rice plates, cheese-baked dishes, and unique selection of fusion desserts such as snow ice and French toast.

Next time I’m ordering the butter pineapple bo lo bun, P95, and cheese-baked rice with chicken chop, P225.

View Larger Map

At some point, I had to stop getting jealous of all those Coachella galleries online. I had to stop fantasizing that the Philippines would come up with its own version of Woodstock. I opened my eyes and realized that we do have spectacular music festivals.

From small-scale events such as the upcoming Luna Musikalawaig Full Moon Festival in Talakag, Bukidnon, to heavily marketed festivals such as the recent Malasimbo in Puerto Gallera, the festival culture in the Philippines is alive and growing.

On Tuesday I attended the first Manila Music Festival that was held at the Alphaland Bay City Grounds, a reclaimed area off the coast of Manila Bay, where hundreds gathered from 2 p.m. to the wee hours of the morning to celebrate art and good music.

For some kids it was a chance to unleash their inner hippies; for others it was an extension of the Malasimbo fever. Since I skipped Cebu’s Sinulog among other major festivals early this year, the Manila Music Festival was it—my summer festival getaway. Here, my top five highlights of the MMF:

(to see my photo gallery, scroll to the bottom of this post)

1. Ali Shaheed Muhammad

ATCQ's 1990 album, "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm"

He may label himself as a DJ/producer, but fans of ’90s hip-hop will forever know him as one-third of the legendary A Tribe Called Quest. He flew 18 hours from Brooklyn to Manila and was slated to spin for only about an hour that night, but the gracious Ali Shaheed treated his Manila fans to more than two hours of classic tracks from the good old days when hip-hop was more about lyrical poetry and less about shots and hoes. It’s too bad he didn’t play as many ATCQ tracks as I had hoped.

2. Afrika Bambaataa

Afrika's 1982 album, "Planet Rock"

It still hasn’t sunk in that I was just a few feet away from music royalty, the man they call the godfather of hip-hop, Afrika Bambaataa. With the help of his group, Zulu Nation, Afrika turned the Manila Music Festival into one big block party. He threw in a few of his ’90s and ’80s singles into his DJ mix of pure, pop-free hip-hop, as the crowd danced on the dirt like there was no tomorrow.

3. June Marieezy

June's single, "Summertime"

I have been following her music for months now, and I was ecstatic to finally see this talented Texan perform live with her Manila-based posse, Deeper Manila. As if sprinkled with a little bit of Erykah Badu, June’s soulful jazzy voice is a standout from the hordes of cover-obsessed and pretentious musicians that pollute the local music industry. She was about to end her set when fans such as myself screamed for more, and I was thrilled when she sang my favorite June Marieezy track, “Sometimes.”

4. Sarah Meier

Sarah Meier with Afrika Bambaataa. Photo from Sarah's Instagram.

There’s a reason why she’s revered as one of the best TV presenters in the country. As a former MTV VJ, this girl knows her stuff. You can tell how good an event host is when she’s faced with dead air and the need to stretch the chatter while waiting for bands to set up or when the technical stuff is taking longer than expected. Without a dummy board or cliché catch phrases from a cue card, Sarah Meier-Albano engaged the audience with her knowledge of music history. I was impressed with how she introduced Afrika Bambaataa and Al Shaheed by taking us back to the era when hip-hop was a developing genre. Good job, Sarah. We badly need more VJs like you.

5. Parking Lot Party

When faced with overpriced drinks (P100 for a small plastic cup of beer and P200 for a can of Red Bull? No thanks!), you can count on frugal Pinoys to get buzzed in their own terms. Many of us would go back and forth to the parking area to finish stashes of liquor we bought from the convenience store. The result: an impromptu pick-up truck party!

Scroll down to see my photo gallery that hopefully captured enough of the festival’s uninhibited and fun vibe. This event deserves an annual repeat.

Please bring Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and India.Arie next year!

See more galleries here:
Redbull
Joseph Villaroman
James Bringas
Status Magazine
Juice.ph
Bratpack
Will Wilkins

If you have photo galleries to share, just put the link in the comments section below.

Vinyl album photos from Al Shaheed and Afrika Bambaataa’s official websites. Sarah Meier’s photo from sarahmeier.tumblr.com. Gallery photos by Kate Alvarez.

May 14 update: One of the photos originally labeled as DJ Skratchmark has been edited. Turns out we were misinformed by the people at the event who told us that he was the guy on the mic during that hour. My apologies to DJ Skratchmark.

I’ve been attending the Earth Day Jam in the Philippines for the past five years, and the event is comprised of three main parts: 1.) a list of local acts—mostly rock bands—perform a free concert for the masses in hopes of bringing awareness about going green, 2.) a number of environmentalists go onstage to spread word about their causes, and 3.) celebrity hosts give away tree seedlings to audience volunteers who are willing to make an eco pledge to Mother Nature.

This year the venue was at 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, one of the greenest commercial locations in Metro Manila. Dimitri Productions, the organizers of the event, added a few new gimmicks—interactive eco booths, a street art section, and electric-powered vehicles that went around the venue to give people free rides.

I’d like to be optimistic about the good cause of this annual event, but I see the same mosh pit groupies who come every year and discard their garbage on the streets as soon as the concert is over.

Did they just come for the free concert again? My gut screams yes, but the eco geek in me is holding on to the small grain of hope that the saplings will be cared for and that one or two conscientious people will live a greener lifestyle after hearing what the environmentalists had to say that night.

Kudos to the Filipino rockstars who, in between songs, emphasized the need to take baby steps—from using eco-friendly shopping bags to disposing garbage properly—to make the world a greener place to live in.

I wonder how many of their screaming fans actually took these words to heart.

In the Philippines, dampa-style eating boils down to three main steps: 1.) strolling down the wet market to haggle and purchase fresh produce such as seafood, 2.) selecting a nearby restaurant or eatery where, for a service fee, they will cook your market finds any way you like, and 3.) enjoying your freshly cooked dishes in a modest outdoor setting, usually the kamayan way (eating with your hands without any utensils).

Wet market: point and purchase

The problem with many seafood dampa spots I’ve tried in Manila is the hefty price tag. I remember going to Seaside Dampa in Macapagal Road, Manila, with six friends early this year. We purchased a few kilos of shrimp, crab, squid, and oyster from the wet market, and had five kinds of dishes cooked at the Claire Dela Fuente Seafood Place. Add in our orders of rice and drinks and we had to shell out P750 each to pay for the total cost of about P5,000 plus tip. For the same amount of money we could’ve gone to a cleaner air-conditioned buffet.

Old Pala-Pala, Bacolod

But I did find a budget-friendly dampa spot all the way in Bacolod. Hyksos Tulahan in Old Pala-Pala is a town favorite, beating even the New Pala-Pala in terms of customer quantity. If you’re too lazy to bargain for fresh catch at the wet market next door, you may ask one of the waitresses to do it for you while you wait at your restaurant of choice. Or if you don’t mind spending a little more, just order a la carte straight from the menu.

Shrimp and scallops for P350 a kilo or P175 for half a kilo

Bacolod's wet markets remind me of the days when Mama would take me to the Cavite City market to purchase fresh seafood and meats.

We didn’t want to miss out on the whole experience, so we braved the smelly wet market and purchased ½ kilo of shrimps for P175 and ½ kilo of scallops for also P175. The Hyksos kitchen buttered and roasted our scallops for a cooking charge of P80, and turned our fresh shrimps into a sumptuous dish of chili shrimps for P90.

Hyksos is pronounced by the locals as “exhaust.”

The cook did not skimp on the butter and fresh seasoning, making each dish a flavorful dining experience. The fun was also in eating with your bare hands, as we peeled each tasty shrimp and pulled out each scallop from the seashell while scooping helpings of white rice into our mouths. Not to worry; forks and spoons are available for those who aren’t willing to get their hands dirty.

Chili shrimps

Buttered scallops

The entire meal was good enough for three people, and our entire dinner cost only P585—drinks and rice included. Now that’s a good deal!

A warning to the picky eater and upscale diner: if you can’t stand tropical outdoor heat and non-luxurious eating spots but would still like to indulge in fresh Bacolod seafood, head to the more upscale New Pala-Pala at 18th Street instead. As for cowgirls like me, the Old Pala-Pala is the place to see food (pun intended).

As promised, I visited Kuppa’s Fort Bonifacio branch this week to see how it stacks up to its original Bacolod location.

I’m happy to report that it lives up to the hype! To reminisce our Bacolod trip, my boyfriend Anton ordered the popular Wimpy’s Burger, which tasted just like the Bacolod version, but bigger in size and price. Slightly similar to the American sloppy joe, this burger is slathered in sweet gravy and cheese sauce.

Kuppa's Fort branch opened early this year

I ordered the iced mocha, which is one of the few drinks on the menu that has a double shot of espresso. It washed down my grilled vegetable sandwich, which is a tasty afternoon treat considering the bland reputation that many vegetarian dishes are known for. It’s a delicious veggie sandwich, I promise.

Wimpy's Burger, P190

Before mixing: iced mocha, P120

Grilled vegetable sandwich with fries and a side salad, P180

The price range in Kuppa Fort is slightly higher than Kuppa Bacolod, which is completely understandable given the high standard of living in our dear Metro Manila. While the Bacolod branch has that family-friendly vibe, the Fort branch has a more artsy-meets-corporate feel. In fact, that afternoon I ran into my friend Jayvee Fernandez, whose group NUDI Philippines (Network of Underwater Digital Imagers) was holding an event at Kuppa.

Other than Kuppa tea and coffee favorites, there’s a separate wine menu for those looking to get tipsy. But you know what I say: ordering liquor in a coffee shop is like ordering a beef burger in KFC.

I’ll stick with the caffeine, sandwiches, cakes, and breakfast food. I believe this café geek has found a new joint to plug her Macbook while sipping mocha all afternoon.

“Bam-what?” you ask. It’s simple. A bambowtie is a bamboo bowtie.

My Brooklyn-based cousin Nicole Mercado and Yoram Savion of YAK Films were in Manila a few weeks ago. We were hanging out at The Collective where they introduced me fellow artist Dee Jae Pa’este and environmentalist Bryan McClelland who were busy laying out a pile of bambowties on our table. They strung out bambowties on the spot for Nicole, Yoram, and of course, one for me.

L-R: Dee Jae Pa'este, Nicole Mercado, and yours truly rockin' our bambowties

Two ways to wear a bambowtie: looped tightly around your neck like a formal bow, or hung loose like a necklace (pictured)

There wasn’t much sales talk needed; the cool design was enough to win me over. But the deal was made sweeter when Bryan explained the science behind the bambowtie.

One of the three bambowtie designs

Each bambowtie is handmade by Tarlac-based community members of Gawad Kalinga, a community development organization in the Philippines. Proceeds of the sales go directly to Gawad Kalinga, which helps fund sustainable projects such as building self-sufficient communities for the poor.

On Instagram: Yoram and his bambowtie, and not to mention, a vintage Mamiya C220 camera

The team behind bambowtie sells them for P500 each at various events and bazaars around Manila. To know where they’ll be popping by next, visit their Facebook page for updates. You may also purchase a bambowtie online for US$25 each.

And while you’re at it, check out Bryan’s bambike, another impressive eco-friendly undertaking. I won’t get into the details of the bambike just yet; it deserves a separate article.

Bamboo bike, a.k.a bambike

If you’ve been rocking your own bambowtie, send me a link to your photo or blog! Also hit up the bambowtie team by posting your photos on their Facebook page.

I did a TV commercial for Buddy Crackers in May last year. The venue was Makati Park and Gardens, and although I consider myself a Makati dweller, I needed to check Google maps because I had never heard of the place before.

Like most parks in Makati, the place is discreetly located along one of the city’s busy streets. I realized I may have passed this park a number of times before but just didn’t notice it.

It’s right across the University of Makati, which explains why a lot of students hang out there with lunch bag in tow. There’s an outdoor amphitheater, a gazebo in the middle of a man-made lake, and plenty of lush greenery to make up for the smog and pollution that the metro is known for.

Across the enclosing fence you’ll see the Pasig River and a favela-like residential area. While it’s not pretty a pretty sight, it’s an improvement compared to the dump it used to be years ago.

My impression of Makati Park is that it’s a compact and more nautical version of Luneta Park, the most popular tourist destination in Manila. Since the traffic and tourism in the Roxas Boulevard area can get crazy, Makati Park makes a tamer alternative.

Neighboring Makati residents may also rent their function hall for parties and other events. Though I’m not a fan of cheesy pre-nup photo shoots, the place makes a picturesque backdrop for weddings, films, and fashion shoots.

If, like me, your typical notion of Makati is all about Greenbelt and the commercial establishments, then Makati Park makes a pleasant change in scenery. With no entrance fee, you may drop by anytime between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

View Larger Map

Not to be confused with Kuppa Tea & Coffee Traders Co. in Thailand, Kuppa Coffee & Tea is one of the best coffee shops in Bacolod, Philippines. There’s a small Kuppa branch in SM City Bacolod, but I highly suggest you head to the main branch in Tindalo Avenue for a bigger and better experience.

If you dine at the veranda, you’ll see a view of St. John’s Institute, a school for the Chinese community in Bacolod

The two-floor location serves more than just an extensive menu of tea and coffee concoctions. You’ll also find a good selection of Italian sodas, pasta, sandwiches, and desserts. They even have a salad bar and a gelato corner, which is a hit among kids and families.

Kuppa was our last stop before flying back to Manila, so we spent the whole afternoon there indulging in all things sugary, frothy, and savory. Like most food establishments in Bacolod, the bill came out more affordable than our usual Manila exploits.

As we headed out, I noticed a sign announcing that Kuppa will open a branch in Fort Bonifacio soon. But my friend Jayvee of abuggedlife.com told me that it already opened in Bonifacio Global City early this year. I’m heading there soon, and I sure hope it measures up to its Bacolod version.

Kuppa Coffee & Tea’s main’s branch is located at:
Capitol Shopping Center, #1 Tindalo Ave. corner Hilado Ave.,
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Tel. no. +6334-433-6562

Also visit the other branch at:
Ground floor, SM City Bacolod, Rizal St., Reclamation Area, Bacolod City

Just opened in early 2012:
Kuppa at Commercenter Building
31st Avenue corner 4th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

Gifts & Graces is a fair trade foundation in the Philippines that sells products made by NGOs, non-profit livelihood programs, and marginalized communities such as rescued street children, urban poor, and indigenous folks all over the country.

I first learned about Gifts & Graces when one of my good friends, Raffy Vicente, gave me a G&G eco-friendly coffee sleeve for Christmas. As an ego geek, I absolutely loved it! I soon visited their website and found out that my coffee sleeve was made by Kaibhan, Inc., a livelihood group that benefits the poor women of Mapulang Lupa, Valenzuela City.

Coffee sleeve, P100 each

I found other great gift items on their site, such as wooden toys from Tahanang Walang Hagdan, an organization for persons with disabilities, and crafty journals from Hardin ng Kalikasan, an environmentalist women’s cooperative.

Journal, P399.75

Wooden toy, P250

There are plenty more items in their online shop under a variety of categories such as Fashionista Chic, Creative Pursuits, and my favorite, Going Green. If you’re interested in purchasing G&G items, visit their store at Mile Long, Makati, “like” their Facebook page to see which upcoming bazaars they’ll be part of, or just visit their online shop.

G&G’s store in Mile Long, Makati

If you start noticing people holding Starbucks cups that have colorful coffee sleeves, now you know where it’s from and what it benefits. Join the club!

View Larger Map

Photos from giftsandgraces.com

The charm of ancestral homes is that each has frozen a moment in time, back when the residents of the house once filled every room with their memories, emotions, and energies.

Negros Occidental is filled with such heritage homes, from popular tourist spots such as The Ruins to private rustic residences around Silay City that one may only get a glimpse of from the outside, unless you personally know the owner and get invited to come in.

I visited four ancestral homes in the Bacolod area a few weeks ago. Other than The Lacson Ruins, where a friend’s wedding reception was held, the ancestral home that won me over was Balay Negrense.

The house was built in 1897 by Victor Fernandez Gaston, one of the sons of French sugar baron Yves Leopold Germain Gaston and his Batanguena wife Prudencia Fernandez. Victor Gaston, his Filipina wife, and their 12 children called this place home from 1901 until Gaston’s death in 1927. His family continued to live there until the ’60s, and the house was reportedly abandoned in the ’70s.

Book creases will let you know if the owners actually read the book

The house deteriorated until the Negros Cultural Foundation acquired the place and began to restore what was left of the house. With the support of the Department of Tourism, the foundation finished the reconstruction of the house and inaugurated it as a museum on October 6, 1990. Tourists have been flocking to Balay Negrense ever since.

My gallery below shows the nooks and crannies I explored, including the Gaston family’s vintage furniture, gadgets, and tools that were influenced by the American occupation in the Philippines.

With no tour guide to give me the historical information of each room, I set my imagination on fire as I tried to figure out how the 1900s toys and utensils would have been used, how the people of that era dressed, and how they spent their afternoons in this house without the existence of digital modern technologies that my generation is born with.

Since majority of the items in the house are well preserved compared to other ancestral homes I visited that day, the vibe in Balay Negrense felt more sincere.

Balay Negrense is located at Cinco de Noviembre Street, Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines

View Larger Map

“Wow, I can’t believe it, but I finally met someone who talks more than you,” my boyfriend Anton said when I introduced him to Oli Pettigrew last year. I won the Sony Lifestyle Co-host Search and the crew flew in from Singapore to shoot the Manila episodes in October.

I confidently held the throne for being the biggest and fastest talker in my family and circle of friends, but I was quickly put in my place when I met the funny and witty Oli, who hosts a number of Asian cable TV shows. Now I know why his name comes on top of producers’ minds when looking for an adventurous, multi-tasking, and eloquent TV presenter for cable TV shows such as Cash Cab Asia, the reality game show on wheels that has been taking Asia by storm.

Oli was on his nth trip to Manila a few weeks ago when he accommodated an interview with yours truly for Spot.ph’s “On the Spot” section.

photo from W Talent Management

Click here to read my article, which includes a gallery of personal photos from Oli and a video of him greeting the readers of Spot.ph.

I also managed to squeeze in a few questions from Oli’s Twitter followers. The night before the interview, we asked the Twitterverse if they had any questions they’ve been dying to ask Oli, and a number of fans tweeted back. Here are Oli’s answers:

From @VinVinJacla: What’s your take/reaction on having becky/gay fans/admirers across Asia?
Oli: I’m in Manila because of my gay fans. They’re the ones that contact me the most. I love all my gay fans! They are so nice. They just can’t wait to meet you. I’ve never had a problem with that. I always tell people I’ve got the pink vote in Philippines.

From @yoursassygirl06: Do you think you have what it takes to survive a zombie apocalypse?
Oli: Funny enough, when my son was born, one of my good friends, my director from Technomax days, got me this book, which is The Zombie Survival Guide. The guy there wrote World War Z. I have that at home and I’ve read that from cover to cover. And in the event of a zombie apocalypse, I will try and find my mother-in-law. Because she grew up in the jungles, she can start a fire out of nothing. She can track food, kill it, and she’s great with the machete. So yeah, in the event of the end of the world, my mother-in-law—that’s where I’m gonna go stay.

From @wanderingdakini: Who is your celebrity crush (male/female) in the Philippines?
Oli: Ding Dong Dantes because he looks just like me. LOL. Haha! Joke! Wink, wink. I don’t know. All the hot famous Filipinas I know are actually my friends. I can’t really have crushes on them. It’s very hard for me to say, “Oh they’re beautiful but, uh, they’re my friends.”

From @wanderingdakini: What’s your favorite bar in Manila, and why?
Oli: I don’t know your bars well enough yet. I quite like Draft at The Fort, and the Skye Lounge as well. That was nice. I’m too busy working, and I don’t really have that much time for drinking.

From @jkmmaleza: What’s your favorite Filipino dish?
Oli: I can always go back to chicken adobo.

From @reellygood: Have you considered doing a movie?
Oli: I’ve had people approach me and I’ve been in cast in a few movies. In the Philippines, I’m completely open to something like that just because it keeps life interesting.

Props goes to @yoursassygirl06 for sending the craziest question. To everyone else, thanks for tweeting your questions! Oli’s fans will be happy to know that he’ll be back in Manila this April. Watch this space!

There’s a colorful Mexican restaurant/café in Bacolod that serves Mexican favorites and fusion Bacolod specialties at an affordable price—Mooon Café. Yes, it’s spelled with a triple “o,” which I take as an emphatic tribute to the Mexican Moon—either that or the owners are fans of alternative band Concrete Blonde.

Mooon is located at the ground floor of Robinsons Place Bacolod

The ceiling fans are for aesthetic purposes only

Our orders: fish tacos for P120—two pieces of soft tacos stuffed with fried breaded fish fillet, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream; chicken mozzarella melt for P175—a bowl of fried breaded chicken fillet heftily sprinkled with mozzarella cheese, sautéed chopped tomatoes and a siding of white rice; and fresh fruit shakes for P65 each.

chicken mozzarella melt, P175

fish tacos, P120

mango shake, P65

Although it took longer than usual for our food to arrive, it was worth the wait. Biting into the warm, cheesy goodness of Mooon’s Mexican comfort food was a good way to end Day 1 of our Bacolod trip. Coming from Manila, we’re used to getting a bill of P700 to 1,000 for a good meal for two at a mall restaurant, but this time our total bill was only P425.

If you’re visiting the resto, other dishes you may want to try are the chimichanga, P95, burrito pescado, P110, and chicken flautas, P130. Notice the budget-friendly price tags. I also got a good laugh when I read this witty copy of their P168 Bacolod offering:

“Bulaklak na Chicharon. Cholesterol free! Sa Bisaya pa, libre ang cholesterol!”

Translation for my readers who don’t speak Tagalog: “Floral-shaped chicharon. Cholesterol free! For Visayans, cholesterol is free!”

You gotta love Bacolod.

View Larger Map

For travelers who have been to Silay, Negros Occidental, two things come to mind—ancestral homes and sugar. You’ll find archaic heritage houses around the province, from open-house tourist spots such as The Ruins to private residences that may only be photographed discreetly from the outside.

As for being the land of sugar plantations, you’ll notice that native pastries such as caramel tarts are sold everywhere in Negros, while dessert shops and cafes are found in almost every street. During my first visit to Bacolod two weeks ago, my sweet tooth went wild. We visited as many cafes as we could on our list, including the popular Calea, Café Bon, Pendy’s, and Kuppa.

But there was one coffee shop that, in my book, stood out from them all—Kapehan sang Silay. Thanks to my Google-obsessed boyfriend, Anton, who spends most of his online time researching about the newest restaurants and underground spots, we rode a tricycle to Kapehan, located along Rizal Street in Silay.

Kapehan’s corner location has that ancestral vibe that Negros is known for.

This place is also called New City Café, but people here know it more as Kapehan sang Silay.

Definitely not categorized under the Starbucks kind, Kapehan is a humble coffee shop and eatery for the common folk of Silay. Kapehan’s menu, handwritten and posted on the wall, is simple and affordable:

San Miguel Light, P28
Pilsen/Stallion, P25
Eagle, P20
Sprite/Coke Sakto, P10
Pepsi/7-Up, P10
Tropicana, P12
Mountain Dew/ Royal, P12
Coke/Sprite 12 oz, P13
Coke Litro to serve, P13
Coke Litro for takeout, P26
Noodles, P15
Noodles with egg, P20
Pancit Canton, P18
Native Coffee with milk, P13
Nescafe with milk, P13
Nescafe without milk, P10
Nescafe 3-in-1, P12
Milo with milk, P14
Lipton tea, P12
Oatmeal, P20
Oatmeal with Milo, P23
Iced tea, P13
Iced milk, P17
Kalamansi juice, P13
Fried/soft/boiled egg, P12
Meat/cheese sandwich, P12

Brewed native coffee, P13

Iced tea, P13

Butter toast, P13 a pack, which is good for 2 people

Anton ordered a mug of native coffee, while I had a glass of iced tea and buttered toast. Our total bill was P39, but that wasn’t the best part of our experience. It was being in the midst of the modest Silay crowd on a Friday afternoon and watching them take a break from their workaday world. Most of them had their eyes glued to the boxing game on the wall-mounted TV set, while others were reading newspapers while slurping their bowl of noodles.

Kapehan’s bulletin board, with announcements for events such as cock derbies and fiestas

What a refreshing change from my usual WiFi-filled afternoons in air-conditioned designer cafes!

View Larger Map