Nothing vanilla about Manila

The Philippine capital mixes the best of Asian and Latino cultures for offbeat fun, creative cuisine and inspired design, writes Belinda Jackson.

SHOP + PLAY
To market
The dirt-cheap Baclaran street market in Paranaque is rough, ready and Haggle Central, with outdoor stalls selling clothes, bags and sunglasses. Wednesdays are maniacal, owing to a nearby popular church. The streets around Quiapo church are packed with mad apothecary stalls selling amulets and bizarre oils, so it’s worth a look for the high weird factor. Under the Bridge in Quiapo has awesome rattan baskets and cool light fittings, as well as beautiful, seriously cheap souvenirs such as shell lamps. The more upmarket Salcedo Community Market in Salcedo Street, Makati, is a lush foodie place ideal for adventurous snackers, from 7am-2pm on Saturdays.
Go shop
Mall of Asia has skating rinks and a huge SM (the Philippines’s own success story, the Shoe Mart department store), while upmarket malls include Glorietta, SM EDSA and Shangri-La Plaza. For luxury brands, see also department stores Landmark and Rustans. The chic Greenbelt shopping complex has five sections, with Greenbelt 5 given over to local designers such as Arnel Papa jewellery and Guapo shoes. At Greenhills, join the brand-hunting locals for gorgeously cheap, locally harvested pearls for just a few dollars (Ortigas Avenue, San Juan). Bargain-basement 168 and Divisoria malls are where designers go to haggle for wholesale textiles and costume jewellery; the fakes are dicey (Santa Elena Street, Binondo).
Live music
Karaoke fiends beware: word is four in five Filipinos can sing. Put them to the test on stage at Manila institution The Library, which mixes campy live music and karaoke (1739 Maria Orosa Street, Malate, thelibrary.com.ph). saGuijo encourages indie and rock musicians (7612 Guijo Street, San Antonio Village, Makati, saguijo.com). Blokes should make for Heckle & Jeckle for bands on Wednesday and Friday nights (Villa Building, Jupiter Street, Makati, heckleandjeckle.org), or Handlebar, home of the Mad Dog Motorcycle Club, rock’n’roll and Aussie barbecues if you’re feeling homesick (Barangay Bel-Air, Makati, handlebar.com.ph).
Nightclubs
Encore superclub is said to be Manila’s top spot and heats up from midnight; it’s jammed with celeb and expat clubbers, so dress up. Its less pretentious neighbour Establishment is a sleek, gay-friendly bar with fabulous service, generous cocktails and patrons who love to dance. Both are in the Fort Bonifacio complex. Encore’s owners are also responsible for smokin’ Republiq in Resorts World Manila, while the new kid on the block is glam-central LAX the Nightclub in Mall of Asia (both in Pasay City). For the indie scene, try Capone’s Bar at Fraser Place Hotel, Makati.
SEE + DO
Icons
The revered life-sized Black Nazarene is a 400-year-old carving of Jesus carrying the cross, housed at Quiapo Church and paraded through jammed streets on its feast day, January 9, and Good Friday. Eighty per cent of the Coconut Palace is made of coconut wood, built in 1978 by then-president Ferdinand Marcos in an exercise of ostentatious Philippinisation. It’s built in the traditional salakot style (100 pesos an adult, closed Mondays). The 400-year-old Fort Santiago is the gem of the Intramuros district, a picturesque reminder of Manila’s occasionally grim heritage (75 pesos an adult, open daily).
Culture
The Ayala Museum is a must-visit for its display of pre-colonial (16th-century) gold, from funereal masks to diadems, reflecting the Philippines’s relationship with the rest of south-east Asia and its ongoing love of beauty (Greenbelt complex, Makati Avenue, Makati City, 350 pesos an adult, closed on Mondays). The UNESCO-listed, baroque San Agustin Church (pictured) in Intramuros was built in 1587 and is called the “miracle church” because it was the last building standing in Intramuros when US troops liberated the Philippines from the Japanese in 1945. The Museum of the Filipino People is the city’s largest museum, set in Rizal Park, Manila’s heritage centre — a drawcard for those into ethnography, the arts and natural sciences (free).
On foot
Breathe in the scent of the Philippines’s beautiful sampaguitas, pretty white flowers in the jasmine family, which grow around Intramuros, the original site of early Manila before the Spanish invasion in 1571. (It was subsequently attacked by Dutch, English, Chinese and Japanese soldiers and pirates.) Pick up a free map of the walled city from the information centre at the entrance of Fort Santiago, after fending off the karitela (horse-drawn cart) touts. Otherwise, stretch your legs on the two-kilometre Manila Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard; make time to pause for snacking and drinks, especially come sunset.

Hot tip
Manila’s traffic is horrific, truly horrific. Unless you really like taxi drivers, avoid jumping in a cab from 8-9.30am and 4-6pm on weekdays. Sunday mornings, however, are a breeze.
Getting around
Taxis are cheap and most drivers speak good English. Locals travel on groovy painted jeepneys (think stretch jeeps) for a song
– Sydney Morning Herald

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/international/4591049/Nothing-vanilla-about-Manila

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com