WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!

Thanks a bunch to The Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" for the super minor mention of my Imelda tour in the final paragraph of an article that appeared last week. My kingdom for a translator.

Imelda Marcos Danzando con la Storia su scarpe rosa shocking
RAIMONDO BULTRINI
04-07-09, pagina 39 sezione POLITICA ESTERA
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MANILA Le Rolls Royce scaricano signore ingioiellate davanti al Sofitel di Manila Bay, dopo scrupolosi controlli anti-bomba. Tra due ali di hostess filippine in abiti tradizionali, frotte di ospiti in sete fruscianti, smoking e livree fanno il loro ingresso nella grande sala addobbata di candelieri e strisce di stoffa bianche che scendono da ogni angolo del soffitto.

Read the rest of it here: LA REPUBBLICA.

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE...

I had a really great Friday night last week. Aside from Donna Miranda performing "Of Course Not, this is a Bathtub" at my Malate art space, The Living Room, I also got to hang out and have drinks with current residents Megan Wilson, Eliza Barrios, and Eliza's cousin/aunt, Anne (above) who was in Manila visiting her.

Loved her. Anne is a funny, articulate jeans clad twenty something year old who texts on her phone a lot. She loved Malate. She totally got into the contemporary dance/video piece, and had great chats with quite a few of the strange but interesting men and women who made it down to my neighborhood to watch Donna. She got along famously with Bogart of course, (above) and was thrilled to be having beers and act all "Bohemian" so to speak.

But what really made the night absolutely meaningful to me, Eliza, and Anne was that this was her last night in the Philippines. She was in transit on her way to Saudi Arabia where she works as a dental assistant. Apparently, for the next year, she will not be allowed to have any beer whatsoever, hang out or talk to any men at all, and wear a veil/abaya everytime she goes out to into a public place. Apparently, her passport is also confiscated, she is locked into her room every night for her own "safety", and allowed to only have half a day off at most per week to buy groceries. She is also sometimes "requested" to give massages to some of the Saudi folk she knows (because that's what Filipinos are supposed to do). And all this just to earn Php20,000.00 a month.

And yet, Anne manages to do all this all while keeping her great smile and wits about her. And believe it or not, she is actually grateful for the opportunities life has given. It's truly amazing how strong we Filipinos can be and what we will put up with.

But stories like Anne's only makes my blood boil. Why can't our politicians get their f*cking act together enough to provide jobs and fix our economy so that folks like Anne don't have to be separated from their children to work abroad as our new "heroes". People like Anne can greatly contribute to our society and should not be putting up with such degradation. Meeting and hanging out with people like Anne only makes me seethe when I think about the next elections.

So guys, for the next election, vote wisely. Make sure that we vote for someone who can bring Anne and all like her back home. Don't vote for some selfish power hungry freak who can't see the bigger picture, OK?

Check if you are registered to vote for the 2010 elections here:

KAKAKABBALLAH KA BA?

If it's good enough for Her Madgesty, 

it's good enough for Me!

KABBALAH!

What's It All About?

Free Intro Lecture

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22 @ 7PM

U-View Theater at Fully Booked, Bonifacio High St., 

The Fort, Taguig, Metro Manila 

To register, text 0920 902 9008 

or email philippines@kabbalah.com

TOUR DATES! TOUR RATES!

JULY - AUGUST 2009

SCHEDULE

Please note all starting times. They differ.

Scroll down for all other tours...

Email celdrantours@hotmail.com

or text 0920 9092021 to confirm reservations.

SHOULD YOU NOT FIND TOUR DATES THAT FIT YOUR SCHEDULE, PLEASE NOTIFY ME THREE (3) WEEKS IN ADVANCE, AND I CAN OPEN UP A PUBLIC TOUR ON YOUR PREFERRED DATE AT THE REGULAR TOUR RATE.

NOTE: NO TOURS ON MONDAYS.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED TOUR DESCRIPTIONS...

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK! Deluxe Tour

Scroll down for schedule of Intramuros REGULAR,

Imelda, and Quiapo tours.

Includes San Agustin Museum, Fort Santiago, Calesa Ride, Plaza San Luis

Note: Tour has slightly mature content. (3 hours)

Recommended for ages eight (8) years above

Php1000.00 - Adult

Php500.00 - Student

Dates:
Scroll down for other tours and dates.

July 19 - Sunday - 9:00am
July 26 - Sunday - 9:00am
July 29 - Wednesday - 9:00am

August 1 - Saturday - 9:00am

August 2 - Sunday - 9:00am

August 8 - Saturday - 9:00am

August 9 - Sunday - 9:00am

August 23 - Sunday - 9:00am

August 27 - Thursday - 9:00am

All tours begin at Fort Santiago and end at San Agustin Museum Parking Lot.

(Scroll down for the regular Intramuros Tour

and all other tours)

Fort Santiago

Santa Clara Street

Intramuros

(632) 5271572

Plaza San Luis

Calle Real del Palacio (Gen. Luna Street)

Intramuros

(632) 5274084

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK!

Intramuros Regular Walking Tour

Includes: Manila Cathedral, Walk on Walls, San Agustin Museum, Plaza San Luis

Note: Tour has slightly mature content (2 hours)

Recommended for ages eight (8) above

Php800.00 - Adult

Php400.00 - Student

Dates:

July 15 - Wednesday- 3:00pm

July 16 - Thursday - 9:00am
July 18 - Saturday - 9:00am

July 24 - Friday - 3:00pm
July 25 - Saturday - 9:00am
July 31 - Friday - 3:00pm
August 6 - Thursday - 2:30pm

August 21 - Friday - 3:00pm

August 22 - Saturday - 9:00am

All Tours Begin at Manila Cathedral and end at San Agustin Church.

Manila Cathedral

Plaza Roma

Intramuros, Manila

San Agustin Church and Museum

Calles Gen Luna and Real

Manila 1002 Philippines

(632) 5274060

And Have Lunch or Dinner at La Cocina De Tita Moning

after the tour.

Log on here for information!

LIVING LA VIDA IMELDA!

Walking Tour of the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Tour of the National Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, and CCP grounds.

Note: Tour has slightly adult content (3 hours)

Recommended for ages 14 above.

Php700.00 adults

Php350.00 students

Dates:
July 18 - Saturday - 2:30pm
July 25 - Saturday - 2:30pm

August 1 - Saturday - 2:30pm

August 8 - Saturday -2:30pm

August 22 - Saturday - 2:30pm

August 27 - Thursday - 2:30pm

All tours begin at the CCP Little Theatre Lobby.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines

Roxas Boulevard corner P. Ocampo (Vito Cruz)

Malate

(632) 832 1125

DOWNTOWN EXPRESS!

A Stroll through Binondo and Quiapo

Note: Recommended for all ages.

Php600.00 - Adults

Php300.00 - Students

Additional fees:

Dates:

TO BE ANNOUNCED....

All tours begin at Binondo Church and end at Quiapo Church.

Binondo Church

Quentin Paredes Street at Plaza Calderon de la Barca

Binondo

(632) 2424850

DO-IT-YOURSELF TOUR!

EVANGELISTA QUE LINDA!

Window shopping through the flea markets of one of Manila's emerging neighborhoods of cool: Bangkal, Makati

FREE

Dates:

ANYTIME EXCEPT SUNDAYS

Fat Michael's is located at 1354 Gen Lacuna St. Bangkal Makati.

(turn right at Makati Apartelle from southbound lane of South Super Hiway before the Magallanes Interchange).

Call Fat Michael's Place Tel.8442638 or 8431953 for directions to

their restaurant and for the free map. Ask for Jude Mancuyas

I highly recommend their food. Simple slow fare. Not a greasy spoon at all.

OH WOW..

Oh really? No kidding. 

Apparently, I attended Imelda Marcos' 80th birthday party. I didn't get to dress up, stuff myself on prawns, and dance till four am, but it seems that I was there - larger than life.  And thank you to a dear friend for emailing me proof.

So judging from the photo above, does this mean that "The Barefoot Beauty", Imee's "pambatok" documentary against Ramona Diaz is done? I know I allowed footage of myself to be filmed by it's director, Mark Meilly so I'm inferring that the project is finally complete.  I can't wait to see it.

And does this also mean MIRM likes my "Living La Vida Imelda" tour? The footage was obviously used. Or does this mean she hated it? Because it's no secret that I wasn't invited to the party. Either way, it doesn't matter a smidge to me. 

All that matters is that you guys attend the next Imelda tour on July 18, 2009 at 2:30PM and learn a little bit more about the Philippines in the 1970s. Tour starts at the Little Theater Lobby of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Click on the tour description and schedule links on the sidebar for details.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

INA/ANI: (RE)PRESENTING WOMEN IN THE AGE OF CRISIS

World Population Day - Art Exhibit
July 11, 2009 3:00 PM - 4th Floor, The Podium
ADB Ave. Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Featuring the collection of:
Rameer Tawasil 

Joseph Firmeza
Rishab Tibon 

Romeo Rosete

and interpreted by award winning poets and writers such as Rolando Tolentino, Sarah Raymundo, Frank Cimatu, Carlo Pangilinan, Grace Subido, Rommel Rodriguez and Butch Guerrero.

Please join them for this special event for the benefit of Zone One Tondo Organization and confirm your attendance. 

The exhibit will run from July 11-14, 2009.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS!

BIOMODD UPDATES...

BIOMODD ON MY MIND...

It's been really crazy busy around The Living Room lately. Eliza and Megan from The Galleon Trade show are back in Manila, Donna Miranda is doing a performance This FRIDAY July 3 in the bathtub of their room, and Angelo Vermeulen just returned from Belgium to continue The Biomodd Project to completion. Check out this video of Biomodd members explaining what the project is all about. The basic framework has been done as well. Can't wait to see what how it looks like once the plants grow, the gaming stations are built, and the detailing of the frame done. Check out the Biomodd site and some photos of the work in progress here.

Stay posted re: new fundraising projects for Biomodd in July.

CARLOS RECOMMENDS...

What a very very cool organization. I just received word that the parents of an old high school friend of mine, Gaby Gloor, started something called Circle of Friends Foundation. It's a charitable organization that aims to acquire and organize transportation services in specially retrofitted vans for people in wheelchairs. Apparently, their foundation has to provided this service to wheelchair bound people who can and cannot afford this service since 1998.

Having said that, they also rent some of the vans for folks and tourists who need to get around Manila or thereabouts in their wheelchair.  So hey, if any of you out there have a friend who is coming over to the Philippines and needs one these amazing vehicles to get around, give them a call. Tell them I sent you.

More power to you, Tito Reiner and Tita Margaretha. 

Log onto their site here and make a donation to this amazing charity now. 

THANKS A MILLION, FOLKS...

Remember when I joined that contest for weight loss sponsored by Gold's Gym and Rogin-E? Remember that I won? Well, if you didn't, no big deal. At least someone out there did. A hundred years later, I recieve a phone call to come over and finally collect my prize: a year's membership to Gold's Gym worth Php60,000.00 and of course, a bottle of Rogin-E.

Aw, thanks guys.

And it's totally excellent timing, I don't have a gym membership at the moment. And neither do I have any Rogin-E.