One of the very first things I learned about when I first arrived in Naga last year was the existence of a semi-private mountain resort nestled in the foot of Mt. Isarog, Stonehouse Gardens Resort. I have vowed, and repeatedly tried in the course of many months, to get there, only to be stopped by typhoons, floods, time constraints and my general need to move about the country all the time. One December weekend though, we finally made it. And this was the result. A few hours of shoot time on a cloudy day while playing peek-a-boo with the setting sun.
Ian Tayao
Francis Magat
Robert Dela Cruz
Louis Isok
MOONSTAR88
Maychelle Baay – vocals/guitars
Paolo Bernaldo – bass
Bon Sundiang – drums
Herbert Hernandez – guitars
Located at the very end of Rizal Street, on the right corner, across from Casa San Buenavista, and facing the beach directly, is Aplaya Bar and Restaurant. It was one of the “new” places I came across coming back in El Nido after a year’s absence. What once was a pretty garden with gumamelas and bougainvillea, stood a bar and restaurant. I had liked going to the beach after work, to have a glass of Shirley Temple, and this was one of the few bars that a Shirley Temple was available (the others being Sea Slugs and El Nido Corner Restaurant). They had a Buy1-Take 1 promo during Happy Hours, and Lia loved playing on the beach in front, so we were here a few times.
La Salangane has rooms and a bar and restaurant in the heart of town, as well as an apartment/villa in Caalan. I have not been to La Salangane II in Caalan and the photos here are mostly of the bar and resto.
I have been in El Nido two months when I first walked into this restaurant. It was a bright and sunny afternoon and I was completing a photo walk around town. It was one of the last accommodations located on Serena St. that I was supposedly documenting, and it was nearly four in the afternoon. I walked in there, and met two very amiable men, a French and a Spaniard, and forgot to leave.
Amidst bottles of San Miguel Pale Pilsen and my cocktails, we talked about music, movies, cuisine, and travel all over the world.
This is it! After waiting so long, just-about-my-favorite-people in the world are launching their EP this coming Friday at Big Sky Mind. And I am totally excited because also performing on this night are other bands that I adore. I love you guys from Goodleaf (and you know it!).
See you at Big Sky Mind on Dec. 21, 2012 for The Discoball‘s EPic launch. It’s going to be helluva fun! Awesome artwork by Bheng Densing by the way!
The Discoball
Artisans of Discopsychedelica
Genre
Hypno-dance-rock
Members
Bheng Densing – vocals and guitars
Sidney Luzentales – guitars
Dan Ramon P. Geromo – Bass
Jeff Azarcon – Drums
A friend’s office Christmas party was held at Le Souffle by Chef Jessie at Top of the Citi on the 34th floor of the Citibank Tower in Makati last Friday and I went there to shoot it. They asked me to also take shots of the food, so I did, without really thinking that I was going to blog about it. But I kept coming back to these photos and making myself hungry that I thought, okay, I’m going to have to share this with other people, so they can get hungry with me. I love sweets. And these are just yummmmmy!