the right amount of sentimentality, creative innovation using technology and humor. always wins.

When Kylie's website announced a Manila show-date last April 20, i almost had a heart attack.

I was already planning to buy tickets to the Bangkok show, but waited and waited until the Manila date was confirmed. And so it was, confirmed on July 5.

The website announced that tickets would go on sale on May 6. And on May 6, at exactly 9am, we reserved our tickets. Row K (for Kylie), seats 20 and 21 (aisle)!



i made july 5 a personal holiday.

we had props:



we were at the venue early:



and we enjoyed the show.








i really didn't take much photos. i was too busy singing and dancing.

besides, this is the one picture that i'll ever need:



it was an awesome show. thank you, kylie, for coming to manila!



____________________

incidentally, we also saw the show in hong kong last friday (july 1):

vamos a comer!

i will say it again. i envy singapore. they have everything. a first world country that's three hours away.

for me singapore = food. and on this trip, apart from The Lion King (which we saw at the Marina Bay Sands Theatre) and The Bad Plus (who we saw at the Esplanade), it was really all about the food.

i'm not even going to describe what we ate.

the pictures will do the talking:

the rosu katsu set at tonkichi (again):


our feast at no signboard (yet again):




our lau pa sat spread:


dammit, even hotdogs at orange julius (dammit, i miss orange julius):



ahhh taste paradise, one of the best dimsum places in the city (at a mall no less):





and ippudo of course:





i regret not being able to try the shawarma at shiraz. the shiraz kiosks look great. they're on the sidewalk and they serve beer! they have happy hour.



even though mario batali's Mazzo and Daniel Boulud's burger joint was right across the sands theatre, i purposely didn't eat at either restaurant. i wanted to save something exciting for my next trip.

everything i ate was shiok!

i envy singapore.

the city is clean. there are great pop up restos on the sidewalk. the food is mighty awesome. and they have music festivals where bands i like play.

i booked this last trip to see The Bad Plus. They've been around for maybe 10 years and I've been a follower of theirs for the quite some time. when i heard that they were playing in singapore at the mosaic music fest and for only SGD43, the deal was done.

the bad plus is a mean jazz band. vicious. i like their covers. but i like their originals more.

listen to their rework of "everybody wants to rule the world."



and their original "never stop..."


They played at the Esplanade's recital hall. Portia and I were 5 feet away from Dave King (the drummer).



they signed my cd!



*unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos and videos when they were playing. boo.

i never eat at bonifacio high street because i don't think there are any good restaurants there. ok, maybe cav.
last night as i was walking towards cav, i decided to try out the restaurant of my good friend luis.

and i think his restaurant may very well be the best in high street.

first up, the steak. this is actually half a portion. jesus. not only was it not too expensive, it was yummy and rich. with a side of fries and mac and cheese.



then, nakampucha, the buffalo bacon chicharon. di ko na sya ide-describe.



panget ng pictures ko. pero masarap ang food.

*2nds is at Bonifacio High Street, where the old magnet used to be.

the janet concert was a winner.

and going to PICC is always awesome for me. even if the place smells like a carpet from the 70s, the place looks pretty damn fantastic.