A Different Kind of People Power - The Aurelio Super Car

Ever since we saw a sexy blue super car stride in front of us at our jogging place at Southwoods City, we have been trying to drop by Aurelio Concept Inc which is a stone's throw away from where we'd usually jog, but we normally went on weeknights and we didn't want to be seen as trespassers. But today is the People Power holiday and so we managed to jog early morning and finally grabbed the chance to visit them.

We approached with caution because we expected the shop to be highly guarded with all the highly valued things inside, but this one was wide open. So we took the liberty to step inside and check out the cars. We gaped amazement at the 2 prototype cars displayed and another 2 that were still on its very raw form.

A Filipino supercar. I'm no hardcore car enthusiast, i just recently got interested because of our Daisy, but who wouldn't be amazed at the thought of a Filipino building his own line of cars from scratch, and a super car (think Ferrari and Lamborghini) at that? 

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6 Things We Loved About the Sikat Pinoy National Art Fair 2014

It was supposed to be a simple visit to SM Megamall after attending the mass, when me and Ray suddenly came across the Sikat Pinoy National Art Fair 2014 at the Mega Trade hall. We had other plans but I got waaay too excited and we just had to check it out!

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Inspiration Over At The Ayala Museum Part 1

It was a wish come true for geeks and nerds all over the metro when Ayala Museum had a free museum day last July 19. I was particularly excited because I've been wanting to visit this museum with Ray for almost 2 years now but we never got around to because the entrance is  a little pricey (p600 per person.. update: wow just learned that the price is now p425 for non residents and p225 for residents!!! nice!!). And so when Ayala Museum announced they were having a free entrance day, we just could not let the opportunity go!

We arrived a little after lunch and we had Nica and her officemate with us. The lines were loooong, almost three thousand people flocked to the museum that day! Nevertheless the it wasn't too uncomfortable, and friendly ushers were there to guide people around.

They had a unique style of registration, where you only get to enter once you tweet or post on your Facebook the answer to this question: How do you inspire everyday? My answer was: "in hindsight, I realize too that living an impassioned life would be the best way to #InspireEveryDay " Nuuks! :p

Crossroads of Civilizations

We started at the fourth floor, and I was very excited to share the amazing Gold of the Ancestors exhibit with Ray and Nica. The legacy of our pre-hispanic ancestry just never fails to make me feel awe-struck by the grandiose of the whole culture. There's also this tragic realization that these dignified people were reduced to mere slaves when the Spaniards came and that's just sad. They erased almost all traces of this culture from the succeeding generations of a large percentage of Filipinos, and that these relics are the only proof that a time like this really existed. However, it still makes me smile thinking that at the very core of each and everyone of us, a link remains that binds us to these amazing people.

It's a pity we couldn't take photos, but I do understand this policy because these items are too precious  that it would be blasphemous to damage them by mere camera flashes. So as a sign of respect I attempted no such thing (okay I think I remember attempting once but decided against it lol!)

I just got this one from their website:

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Oh Java Jazz!

It's been quite a while since I last blogged. Been up to a lot of things the past few weeks. But I sure won't like to let this one pass without sharing with you. This is one of my newest favorite stops in Tagaytay. It's been a while since we visited this place but I never got to blog about it because a lot of *other* priorities got in the way. But hah! I won't let this one go!

It's easy to miss it, but have you been to the Java Jazz café? It's located at #442, Sungay West Calamba Road Tagaytay City. It's a small cafe that doesn't really stand out because of it's brown paint and bungalow style, save for the small signage saying that it's actually a coffee shop. Oh but it looks really pretty in the evening. The red lights and the very laidback-in-a-hipster-kind-of-way atmosphere reminds me of stores at Cubao X.

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Meet Tagaytay's Pimped Up Trikes!

 So the other day was an awesome trip to Tagaytay. We got to visit the famous Caleruega Church, and was charmed by the Java Jazz café and I'm very excited to blog about both. But while those blogposts are 'ongoing', what cannot wait is my amusement of my recent discovery - the pimped up trikes!

We're calling them 'pimped up trikes' because these are your usual tricycles built with a little more 'oomph' without getting too loud and jologs. (Have you seen those tricycles that have LED lights all over? I see some of those in Guadalupe omaygad those are just over the top I'll take photos of them when I get the chance.)

Anyway, we LOVE these pimped up trikes of Tagaytay because the interiors are made with a little extra love, just enough to make you feel very comfortable in your ride. For commuters, tricycles are the next most convenient way to get around because there aren't a lot of jeepneys and I haven't seen a taxi either. Just expect the price to be taxi-ish, because it's normally a special trip, meaning you're the only passenger and they take you exactly where you need to go, no stop overs. Thus, the term "taxi-cle". But that's not what I'm blogging about. :p

I couldn't hide the huge smile on my face as a black door swung open for us after a tricycle halted to pick us up. The 'door' was made of synthetic leather, and had a huge window. AND the driver gets to open and close it from the inside so it was reaaaally coool. At least for me heehee!

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La Virginia Resort - A Summerrific Treat

Here comes the sun dudumdudum... (that beloved Beatle's song)

And that means it's time for some water lovin'! You're probably now scouring the internet for summer outing ideas for the family or your officemates. We got to visit La Virginia at Batangas and we'll tell you why it's like the 'SM' of resorts.

The La Virginia resort is an 8 hectare - yes 8 hectares it's damn huge - sprawling complex comprised of various theme parks each having a pool of it's own, 15 themed accomodations for all budget ranges, fun activities for the whole family, and a breath taking view as it is nestled on top of a large mountain facing the Taal Lake. And it's only 2 hours from Manila!

PS: Do click the photos below for a better look :)

It's so huge I don't even know where to start. But you know you're in for a treat when you get a view like this:

And a breakfast like this:

This is the liiiife!

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Oh Phoenix!

When did you last have a dream-come-true moment?

Mine happened last January 21 at the World Trade Center, because I finally FINALLY got to watch Phoenix live!!

If their name doesn't ring a bell that's because they aren't very popular in Manila save for a couple of songs like 1901, Everything is Everything, and Lisztomania. They're an indie band hailing from Versailles, France, their music has alot of 80's vibe and techno-psychedelic-rock going on. To me they're the kind of band that you don't dig for the lyrics because they're quite hard to understand, sometimes I feel like Thomas Mars (vocalist) is just blabbering hahah. You DO understand them eventually, but that's after you have already fallen inlove with the beat and their music. They don't exactly have the most number of fans because they cater to a specific taste in sound, but the few they do have are DIEHARDS.

They were introduced to me by my friend Ron, I think 3-4 years ago (who I saw in the concert by the way) and I fell in love with them ever since. I have a copy of all their albums and I know them by heart (no not the lyrics though heheh). And I was one of the many who clamored for their visit. I did realize though that it may be a little far off since they didn't seem to have too many fans here. But the concert scene in Manila has significantly changed, with so many foreign acts coming in (though I wish the OPM scene could be even half as robust). Together with the release of their much awaited album, "Bankrupt!", we finally had our piece of amazing news, Phoenix is finally coming to the Philippines!! I swear I screamed!

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The Mind Museum - Candy for the Brain!

Do you remember the time when science was exciting? It meant digging deep into nature and trying to figure out her secrets. One of the earliest memories I had of science was of my gradeschool teacher explaining to us what a "hypothesis" meant, and how the whole life of a scientist evolves around testing a hypothesis for truth and untruth.

Science started out really fun, but sometime in highschool it transformed into a total pain, i personally had a lot of trouble with Biology. Hehe! It's a sad thing, especially if we want a pool of students to reinforce our growing pool of R & D. Good news is, the Ayala group has found a way to bring the fun back to Science. Say hello to the Mind Museum!

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A Quick Rediscovery at the Heart of Manila

The past few weeks allowed me to enjoy places in Manila that I seldom ever really set foot on, basically the route of LRT1, which travels along Recto, Carriedo, Espana, Vito Cruz, et cetera. Last year I was in Binondo and Divisoria but didn't get to explore much. The most memories I have there are only during times when we "pass by" the streets on the way to Luneta, or during the time when we went over to Vito Cruz/ La Salle area for our grad pictures and watch UAAP games in Rizal Memorial stadium. I'm a south-kid you see, and my world in the north is only composed of Diliman and Katipunan. Hahah.

Last week we were in Sta. Cruz for the pre-nuptial photoshoot of our dear friends Maybel and LLoydie. Aren't they simply adorable? :D :D Suuuper happy for you guys and I'm excited to wear the bright yellow sunny gown!

This weekend, me and Papa Ray found ourselves strolling the streets of Hidalgo, Recto, and Carriedo, looking for members to our new "family of gadgets". Heehee (lemme end it at that for now *wink*). Ray has been here for several times already, and I'm the wide eyed first timer. Trololo. 

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The Bantayan Love Affair

It started on the Ro-ro boat, then fluorished on the pier, then blossomed into a love affair when we got into the beach. Bantayan Island was a wonderful and refreshing sight the moment we laid our eyes on those shores:

Breathtaking!

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Jamming with the all new Jam Liner Buses

New Year, new beginnings. Everyone's busy travelling to and from their respective destinations for work, play, or just because. While people work on building the best start of the year, others are busying themselves in improving the kind of transpo services that we get to make sure we get there quick, safe, and convenient.

Being regular commuters, we know how important it is for people to have access to affordable, safe, and leisurely commuting experience. With the fast paced life that has taken over everyone in recent years, sometimes the only rest we get is that bus ride we take on the way home, to work, or to wherever our schedule takes us. Sometimes that 1 hour nap or muscle rest you get can make a huge difference to the rest of your day. Because of this, commuters are now taking into consideration the key facilities of the transport services that they subscribe to. Jam Liner, seems to have picked up and responded to the challenge with a grand makeover, so we came over to check it out.

The Terminal

The Buendia terminal is strategically located right below the Gil Puyat station of the LRT. I think the location in itself is a real plus because you’d want everything to just be within reach.

The Terminal (click for larger photos)

We were greeted with an airport-like lobby where passengers waited for their trip. It’s a fully air-conditioned waiting lounge, complete with clean chairs, flat screen televisions, and a restroom. There’s even a convenience store where you can stock up on pika-pika and other necessities while on the trip. Just like an actual airport, the seats are arranged in front of certain “gates” corresponding to the different routes that the Buendia Terminal caters to: Calabarzon, Luena, Cabuyao, Balibago, Batangas, and Lemery. Really cool, they're probably one of the first bus companies to adopt this type of setup.

The terminal (click for larger photo)

AND excuse me, the whole terminal is powered with WI-FI. And the wi-fi ACTUALLY WORKS. Hahah. Sosyal mehn!

              

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