Lapu-Lapu City: Trip to Alegre Guitars Factory

Back when I was still in elementary, I tried joining a music group in our school to learn how to play music with a guitar. However, after a couple of sessions, I decided to quit. Man, it was hard! I felt like I lacked coordination and some nutrients on my brain to pull it off altogether. Since then, it has just been a wishful thinking to be able to perform solo with mic and guitar. But even so, I still fancy guitars. 

Late last year, my friends and I went to Cebu for a vacation. Being music enthusiasts, we took time to stop by Alegre Guitars when the driver told us that it's one of the renowned guitar factories in the Queen City of the South.

It was very interesting to see how the beautiful guitars come alive. It takes a couple of hardworking Cebuanos to construct the guitars according to the specifications and design inspiration a customer wants. Apparently the guitar body's cover has different texture and sizes. Pictured above are just some of the ones we can choose from.

In this picture, we see that the men are starting to shape the guitar covers prior to passing them over to the next set of people who will eventually assemble them.

Now we see that these guys have assembled the body and the neck of the guitar, and are now ready to put the guitar's bridge, strings, frets, nuts, tuning keys, etc. altogether. Once done, someone does the coloring and varnishing  before it gets completed.

For those who love guitars, there are tons to choose from at Alegre Guitars. According to the salesmen I've asked there, toy guitars are priced at Php130, small adult guitars at Php700, and good professional guitars range from as little as Php1,700 to as expensive as Php65,000.

They also have such small guitars that can actually be played. With its looks and color, it will surely attract kids and kids at heart.

Going to Alegre Guitars was definitely not be a waste of time. Apart from seeing how the guitars are being constructed, we also saw several small items just for fun - they have various key chains, phone accessories, etc with the words "Cebu", "Mactan" and "Philippines", which are all great for pasalubong.

Cebu is the home of quality guitars and its craftsmen. Whether you want a guitar that's custom made or ready for purchasing, Alegre Guitars is definitely a place to visit. Adding it up on your half-day itinerary will surely be worth the experience.

Alegre Guitars Factory
Pajac Abuno, 6015, Lapu-Lapu City‎, Cebu, Philippines
63-32-5050706
Open Monday to Sunday, 8AM to 6PM

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SKYcable HD Top Deals Promo

High Definition television sets are the in thing these days. After working hard to buy an HD-capable TV, what better way to maximize it by having a cable that brings TV viewing to a whole new level? Introducing... SKYcable HD, a service by SKYcable that provides delight in panoramic widescreen viewing.

SKYcable HD offers 17 channels to date, namely ESPN HD, NBA Premium TV, HBO Hits HD, HBO HD, FOX Movies Premium HD, Discovery HD World, CN HD, Fox HD, Fox Family Movies, FoxCrime HD, National Geographic HD, HISTORY HD, Fashion TV HD, ASN HD, Star World HD, Outdoor Channel HD, Sky Cable HD.

So maybe those channels have aroused your interest in availing of their service, huh? Why not take advantage of SKYcable's ongoing promo called the SKYcable HD Top Deals?

With the SKYcable HD Top Deals promo, you can get discounts when you upgrade to a SKYcable HD Box within the promo period, and at the same time a free trial of the all the available HD channels. This will give you ample time to decide which specific channels you would like to avail going forward.

Here's more information about the SKYcable HD Top Deals:

• Open to all new Gold and Silver SKYcable subscribers.
• Open to all existing Gold, Silver, SKY499, SKY280 subscribers.
• Subscriber must reside in Metro Manila (Las Pinas, Makati, Manila, Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, Pasig, Paranaque, and San Juan) and in a SKYcable HD-serviceable area/location.
• Upgrade to the SKYcable HD Top Deals Promo from April 16 – July 16, 2012 and avail of the following discounts and freebie:
• Discounts on one-time-charge installment fee
• GOLD ------------- ₱399 (85% OFF)
• SILVER ---------- ₱399 (75% OFF)
• 499 ---------------- ₱1,499 (50% OFF)
• 280 ---------------- ₱1,499 (50% OFF)
• FREE 15-day Trial of the All-in-Pack (worth P600)
• A SKYcable subscriber can only avail of the SKYcable HD Top Deals offer once.
• Additional SKYcable HD box outlets are subject to the regular and prevailing SKYcable HD box installment fee.
• Deferred payment schemes are not applicable to special discounted SKYcable HD Box one-time charge fee.
• The SKYcable HD Top Deals Promo cannot be availed of in conjunction with other SKYcable HD Box Promos (i.e., SKYcable HD Revolution Pack Promo, etc.)
• Promo period is from April 16 – July 16, 2012.

For more details, visit SKYcable HD Offerings Website or sign up at for the SKYcable HD Top Deals Promo today!

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Binalot is Now on Multiply for Easier Ordering and Delivery

Enough of hamburgers, fries, pizza's and spaghetti's... let's go for Filipino food with Binalot Fiesta Foods! 

Started in 1996, Binalot's ultimate vision is to become the number one, truly Filipino fast food restaurant. The resto's name "Binalot" was coined from the English word "wrapped" - having the concept of packaging the well-loved Filipino dishes in the all-Filipino banana leaves instead of the usual styro.

Rommel Juan, owner of Binalot and Mang Bina, Binalot's official mascot

Just recently, Multiply has partnered with Binalot to be the first in the food category to utilize its website and payment gateway. Aiming to bring convenience to foodies, Binalot's Multiply site offers Pinoy-food favorites great for big groups, meetings, and parties.

Binalot's Multiply site is at http://binalot.multiply.com. With a minimum order requirement of Php1,000, anyone - both Multiply registered user and guest - can just visit the site and order in bulk. After selecting the food items from the menu, you'd be immediately directed to the payment page to pay using either credit card, GCASH, Paypal or via bank deposit.

We were at the first Binalot branch in Jupiter, Makati together with a couple of bloggers. It was great to once again eat the Filipino dishes that Binalot has mastered over the years - with matching itlog na maalat, kamatis, and rice, super sarap!

The Bistek Walastik brings the traditional taste of bistek tagalog. Its meat and sauce are so full of taste, where the usual saying "sauce pa lang ulam na" is best applicable.

Even with just a small piece of the Boneless Bangus, one can already eat two cups of rice with it. Mixed with tomatoes and salted egg, it's really a Filipino dish close to our hearts.

If I could name one of my favorites from Binalot, it would be the Tapa. In fact, it was one of the first to go last night. Truly Filipino in taste, Binalot's tapa can be considered as one of the best-sellers of the restaurant.

Binalot's Vivo Tocino was also good, but a bit too oily. However, as the saying goes, "masarap ang bawal", so even if oily food is not too good for the health, it's still something I'd gladly eat again and again. 

Over the years, Binalot has not only given satisfaction to people looking for great-tasting Filipino dishes. They have also been part of propagating wealth to Filipinos with their advocacy of developing young small-to-medium entre-Pinoys through the Binalot franchise packages. In addition, they have a DAHON program where farmers get to earn more from banana leaves, as Binalot is heavily dependent on these leaves used as wrapper of their food items.

Now that Binalot is on Multiply, we can easily choose from among their food items, order 1-3 days in advance, and leave all the hassle of preparation and delivering to them. Once again, the Multiple site is at http://binalot.multiply.com.

Do follow them on Twitter @Binalot and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/binalotfiesta.

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Samsung Launches Smart Station Monitor, Series 5 and 9 Notebooks

Among the top technology brands we have today, I really look up to Samsung as a leader in innovation. Not only do they have awesome smartphones for users like me, but also a variety of models of tablets and notebooks, plus television, windows, and refrigerators that are so hi-tech.

The Samsung Convergence event took place at the Manila Penninsula last week, where they launched a couple of computers that have surely aroused my curiosity and interest.

Samsung Smart Station Monitor

The Samsung Smart Station Monitor is considered as the hub for connecting multiple devices. With the use of a single USB connection, we can already view the Notebook PC on this 24" full HD monitor, and use its keyboard, mouse, external hard disk, or printer.

The monitor is also Mobile Hi-Definition Link (MHL) enabled, so smartphones can be controlled using the keyboard and mouse (i.e., composing messages using the regular keyboard). Once connected, it will also allow us to display the mobile phone screen on the monitor, enabling us to enjoy mobile content, gaming and apps on a bigger screen.

Key Features of the Samsung Smart Station Monitor:

• 24” (1920x1080) Full HD Monitor with Wide Viewing angle LED Display
• USB 3.0 x 2 and USB 2.0 x 1 ports
• HDMI, MHL connectivity

The Samsung Smart Station Monitor is available at leading IT Shops in Metro Manila at a price of Php16,990.

Samsung Series 5 Slim Notebook

Slim and light, the Samsung Series 5 Slim notebook is one of the highlights that Samsung Electronics brought to the Philippines. It isn't an ultrabook though, but can well be an alternative to those looking into buying a new laptop that's inexpensive and sexy.

Specifications of the Samsung Series 5 Slim:

• 13.3-inches in size
• 2.1GHz AMD Trinity A6 4455M dual-core processor
• 4GB standard system capacity
• 500GB hard drive capacity
• AMD Radeon HD 7500G Graphics
• 300 units HD+ SuperBright Plus screen technology
• 1.3MP HD built-in front webcam

Available in Pop Pink and Mocha Brown, Series 5 Slim is selling at a suggested retail price of Php29,900. It's definitely one of the inexpensive notebooks available in the market today. But then again, it doesn't run on Intel processor, so buy at your own risk and usage.

Oh, Samsung also has Series 5 Ultra variant, which is packed with the latest 3rd Generation Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs for better computing and graphics performance. It is available at the following suggested retail price: i3 at Php38,900, i5 at Php42,900 and i7 at Php54,900.

Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook

Finally, here's the cream of the crop - the Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook. It is considered as the world's thinnest 15-inch notebook at 14.9 mm thick and 1.58 kg weight. With a fast processor, the ultrabook is expected to boot up in just 9.1 seconds. However, the demo took only about 6 seconds to do so.

Specifications and Key Features of the Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook:

• Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor
• 8GB standard system memory
• 256GB SSD hard drive capacity
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• 400 units HD+ SuperBright Plus screen technology
• 1.3MP HD built-in front webcam

The Samsung Series 9 Ultrabook indeed has improvements from its previous version not just on its specifications, but also in its suggested retail price. It is available at IT stores for Php76,900 - a price not exactly affordable to many, but can be pretty good considering its specs.

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The HP Great Computer Sale 2012

Are you looking into buying HP computers anytime soon? Hold on to it for a couple of days. I invite you to the biggest HP Great Computer Sale happening on June 28 to July 1, 2012 at the World Trade Center, where you can get the best computer deals ever. Free admission for everyone!

HP offers up to 75% off on selected items and a chance to get freebies like BEATs SOLO headphones, HP printers, cameras, camcorders, thumb drives, shirts and jackets for every purchase of HP computer. Guests may also participate in the auction of latest HP laptop or desktops for as low as Php5,000.

The event is open from 11AM to 9PM on June 28-29, and from 10AM to 10PM on June 30-July 1, For more information, check out the poster above.

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Boracay: Island Nook Boutique Hotel

The beach is one of the destinations where I can completely forget about the hustle and bustle of Manila, as I stare blankly onto the shore. Recently, I went to the island of Boracay for a 4D/3N stay to do just that.

Asking for recommendations of a comfortable and inexpensive accommodation via Twitter, Angela and Adrian both suggested Island Nook Hotel. I looked it up on the Internet and decided to give it a try. Besides, I'd rather stay in a place where two people recommended rather than just go for any random place.

Since May is still considered as a peak season, the Single Standard Room of Island Nook Hotel was priced at Php2,200 (max of 2 persons) with breakfast. However, the usual rate for low and high seasons are around Php1,400 and Php1,900 respectively.

Upon arrival at the Cagban Jetty Port, I told the driver to bring me to the Budget Mart, since I was afraid that he doesn't know where Island Nook Hotel is. Besides, my friends told me it's just a few walks away from the said convenience store.

Photo from Island Nook Hotel's Facebook Page

Island Nook Hotel isn't hard to find at all. When I alighted from the Budget Mart located at the back of D'Mall, I walked towards BPI till I saw the Island Nook Hotel logo. With twenty rooms, the boutique hotel is conveniently located along Boracay Highway Central between stations 1 and 2.

Checking in was a breeze as I only needed to present my Agoda confirmation certificate and then fill up a form.

When I entered the room, I was happy with what I saw. It was plain, clean, a bit small, but very much movable. The mattress and pillows were very comfortable and pleasant-smelling, for which it confirmed that it has been newly changed. There's a small bedside table for personal things and a socket great for charging cellphones and iPads.

The room was brightly lit, too. The picture above was taken with the lights off and the window curtains a bit open. As you can see, the room also has another table for the bags - I think it wouldn't fit huge bags though. There's a television capable of watching cable channels as well.

The corner of the room has a plastic shelf that has two towels for personal use. Since I didn't bring a lot of things, I wasn't able to utilize the other compartments. Nevertheless, it's nice that they provided it for convenience.

Do you see the sink? I love it! It looks cute and quite unique to see it outside the bathroom. I just had to be a bit careful not to spill any water on the floor, but it's cool!

Here's how the bathroom looks like. Again, it's pretty straight forward with the toilet bowl and the shower. What I didn't like though is that it doesn't have a curtain. As such, the bathroom can get a bit messy when the water goes over the line. BUT, the bathroom has a bidet - sosyal!

Photo from Island Nook Hotel's Facebook Page

The next morning, I went to their in-house restaurant called Island Kebab to claim the inclusive breakfast. The resto is located just behind the check-in counter and a floor down from the rooms, so not much effort to eat. I had the Trondzilog, a mix of of tapa, longganisa, hotdog, garlic rice, egg and, a cup of coffee. In fairness, it wasn't so bad.

Apart from breakfast meals, they also serve Filipino rice meals, Persian dishes, sandwiches, and pasta.

Overall, I had a pleasant stay at one of Boracay's budget-friendly places - Island Nook Hotel. Not only does it provide comfort and homey feel, but it's basic amenities and location are of great convenience to tourists like me.

Highlights

• Clean room with television and enough space to move around
• Comfortable mattress and pillows, freshly changed
• Inclusion of cabled television, tables, towels and toilet paper rolls
• Provision of free breakfast
• Multiple sockets for charging several gadgets
• Brightly lit room
• Toilet has bidet
• No issues with water supply
• Budget-friendly
• Nice location as compared to other budget hotels, very near bank / convenience store / clinic / drugstore

Lowlights

• Doesn't look too posh for those who want very nice looking rooms
• A bit small for those who want a big space
• Not located in the beach-front
• No double look for room security

If you wanna check out the room pictures and reserve for an upcoming trip, do visit the Island Nook Hotel website.

Island Nook Boracay Boutique Hotel

Station 2, along Boracay Highway Central
Contact Numbers: +63922-8806665, +63918-9912234, +63917-8906665

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Is Sing Something as popular as Draw Something?

If you are fond of drawing, play ‘Draw Something’ and doodle away. But if you’re into singing, or at least just wanting to belt out even if you don’t have the right tunes, download the newest game in town called ‘Sing Something’ – yes, playing mobile games has gotten melodic, loud, and vocal.

While the title and the type of application are almost similar, ‘Draw Something’ is by OMGPOP while ‘Sing Something’ is developed by Cuteko. If you’re still a bit clueless, ‘Sing Something’ is very similar to ‘Draw Something’ in several ways. The difference lies on the activity, which is, instead of drawing, you need to sing a phrase of a song and get your friend to guess the song title and its artist.

To use the app, simply sign in using your email or Facebook account, pick a competitor from among your contacts, choose a song, record a clip, and then hit send. Playing the ‘Sing Something’ game may be challenging if you are not that familiar with multiple music genres. It doesn’t give the lyrics of the song as you sing your way through it, but it does provide a Youtube link for possible reference.

Once a friend sends you a song, you need to guess what hit your friend likely belted out by selecting letters from a virtual keyboard of the entire alphabet in order to solve the puzzle. Using the hangman style, you need to fill in the blanks of both the song and the artist.

Having similarity with ‘Draw Something’ again, you and your friend earn coins upon the correct guess of the title and artist. In addition, you can also use up the bombs as your “help line” to get a different song or eliminate some of the available letters to make the guessing easier.

At present, there are over 1000 songs in the library of the ‘Sing Something’ app, which mostly came from the programmers’ favorites as well as Youtube hits. Vlado Hrincar, one of the developers of the app said, “Currently we have four categories (80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010-2012), covering the overall history of the modern music. We are planning to add at least 10 more categories, focusing on specific genres or artists — Madonna, Jackson, and yes, Justin Bieber too and Rebecca Black if we’re really evil.”

The recent finale of “American Idol” and the rise of other singing competitions like “X Factor” and “The Voice” will surely have an influence in attracting gamers to use the app. Unlike ‘Draw Something’ that can be played in silence, this app is both a good and bad one. Good, because great singers might get discovered (who knows?); and bad, since other commuters might get angry when hearing you or your friend’s out-of-tune melodies.

The app can be downloaded from Apple’s iTunes for free, but requires iOS 5 to function. Will ‘Sing Something’ receive the same fire as that of ‘Draw Something’? Let me know what you think via @GlennOng on Twitter.

This article is my 64^th contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on June 18, 2012 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here (lower left portion).

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SoundFreaq Sound Kick Portable Speaker Review

Decades ago, music players and speakers were the huge, standalone ones that needed to be plugged onto the wall socket. As technology advanced, we see smaller and more portable speakers that can do more than just playing music. Today, there are tons of speakers in different shapes and sizes, some with cords and some battery-operated. 

Presenting... the SoundFreaq Sound Kick! It has the capability to play music via Bluetooth connection or a 3.5mm jack, and doubles as a charging dock for different brands of smartphones. It also gives the freedom of wires, because it has a built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that lasts for about six hours of streaming music from my Blackberry and iPad (without charging any gadget included).

The Sound Kick speaker comes out of a box thicker than a usual keyboard container. Unboxing it reveals the actual bluetooth portable speaker, a charger, a 3.5mm cable, warranty card and instruction sheets.

The front panel is just plain and simple with lines similar to a griller, and with SoundFreaq's logo at the center. A white horizontal light is seen at the bottom part as soon as the speaker is switched on. This light stays steady when the speaker is just playing music, but blinks every time the volume is being increased or decreased. 

Here's how the back looks like. Unlike the front with fine lines, this one has thicker grill lines. On the left side is the port for a standard sized USB cable, below it is for the adapter, and over at the right side is for the 3.5mm cable.

Before being able to turn on the Sound Kick, I needed to pull the middle portion called XKICK chamber as instructed in the guide. This expands the speaker enabling better sound circulation and producing full sound. It also acts as the stand to allow the speaker to lean back a bit.

Looking at the top part of the Sound Kick, I saw the usual buttons similar to that of the SoundFreaq Sound Platform I reviewed before. The play, pause, back/forward and Bluetooth pairing buttons are at the left side, while the  UQ3, volume and power buttons are at the right side. Except for the power button that needs to be pressed down to take effect, all the other keys work on a touch basis.

Like the previous SoundFreaq speaker I've reviewed, the Sound Kick also has the UQ3 feature that adds "spatial enhancement" to the audio. When I tried playing several songs, I noticed that when it is on, it pumps up the reverb and widens the stereo. To be honest, I didn’t like it this time (unlike for the Sound Platform), because the music sounds more delicate and distant.

With the bass so strong, the Sound Kick stays stable onto the surface. It's not like other speakers that shakes or moves as it vibrates. Thanks to its firm rubber grips on its base.

Overall, the sound quality of the SoundFreaq Sound Kick is totally amazing! The sound is full and crisp, with the highs and lows very clear. I played Cascada's Evacuate the Dancefloor inside the room and the bass kept me dancing. I brought it outside to our living room and played David Guetta's Love is Gone at full volume. The result? Still clear without any distortions. And when the volume is maxed out, it's really loud enough for our neighbors to hear.

As you can see in the picture, I've attached my BlackBerry smartphone for charging even with the Sound Kick is operating on battery. Note that basing on the volume of the speaker, the speaker's indicator light (located below the USB port) turns green to signal that a phone or an iPod will charge. When the light goes off due to high volume, that means the USB port for charging won't give power to the phone or iPod anymore.

When the battery of the Sound Kick has been exhausted, the only way to charge it is via wall socket. Unfortunately, it does now allow USB charging. But that's certainly not a big issue.

HIGHLIGHTS. Good sound quality; strong grip on the base; can charge smartphones and iPods; long-lasting battery; easily pairs with Bluetooth and maintains the connection without any problems; provides audio-in for non-Bluetooth devices; size is great for traveling.

LOWLIGHTS. Not pocket-friendly; volume is limited down when charging; lacks design security to withstand fall; no USB charging; special feature UQ3 doesn't provide special quality.

After all the things I've written, it's needless to say that I am completely sold with the SoundFreaq Sound Kick. Since this is the second time I'm reviewing a SoundFreaq speaker, I can really say that this particular brand of the music player has good quality, great built, and top-notch sound output.

Suggested Retails Price: Php4,950

Available at the following stores:

• Beyond The Box
• Digital Hub
• Digital Walker
• Gadgets In Style
• Gui - Davao
• Heima
• iCenter - Davao
• iStudio
• Mobile 1
• Power Hub – Davao
• Power Mac Center
• Switch
• Technoholics
• Xsite Mobile

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Sony Mobile Announces Xperia Miro and Xperia Tipo

Sony Mobile Communications (“Sony Mobile”) recently unveiled two new Xperia smartphones, and they call it the Xperia Miro and Xperia Tipo. These smartphones are for consumers who are for both entertainment and functionality. To contrast the two, Xperia Miro is more targeted to those who want an integrated social media and a great music experience, while the Xperia Tipo is for those who would like to realize the benefits of a smartphone for the first time as they migrate from a feature phone.

The Xperia Miro is a slim, stylish smartphone with a front-facing camera and Facebook integration to contacts. Sony's xLOUD audio technology is also built-into this smartphone, which provides crisp and loud sound for the music enthusiasts. It's available in black, black/pink, white and white/gold colors.

Key Features of the Xperia Miro:

• 3.5” display for great browsing and entertainment experiences
• Launching on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 5MP camera and brilliant quality video recording at 30fps
• Sony’s xLOUD audio technology gives crisp and loud sound
• Deep Facebook integration with contacts, gallery and the music player for sharing and discovery
• Customisable illuminations for incoming messages and social updates
• Front-facing camera for video chat between smartphones, tablets and PCs
• Contactless DLNA connectivity to easily view content like photos and videos on a TV, tablet and PC
• Powerful battery with >24hrs usage time

Technical Specifications of the Xperia Miro:

• 113 x 59.4 x 9.9 mm
• 320 x 480 pixels screen display
• 4 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB microSD
• 512 MB RAM
• Has GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
• 800 MHz Cortex-A9 Qualcomm MSM7225A

The Xperia Tipo offers a simple and easy to use smartphone. It has a dedicated set-up guide, a built-in application enabling users to monitor their data usage, excellent battery life and the latest Android platform – Ice Cream Sandwich. Colors available for this model are red, white, blue and black.

Xperia Tipo will also be available in a dual SIM version – Xperia Tipodual.

Key Features for Xperia Tipo:

• 3.2” scratch-resistant mineral glass display
• Launching on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 3.2MP camera
• Dedicated set-up guide
• Data management solution to identify data usage
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi™ for easy content sharing and web access
• Powerful battery, 1500 maH, with >24hrs usage time

Technical Specifications of the Xperia Tipo:

• 103 x 57 x 13 mm
• 320 x 480 pixels screen display
• 2.9 GB internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB microSD
• 512 MB RAM
• Has GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• 2048 x 1536 pixels, VGA video recording
• 800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227A

As of this writing, pricing and carrier details are not yet available, but Sony indicates that the two smartphones will be offered globally in the third quarter.

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Watch 'Rock of Ages' Musical this June 29 and July 1

Atlantis Production -- the producer of hit theater musicals Legally Blonde, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Next to Normal, Spelling Bee, etc. -- is coming up with an interesting upbeat theater play for rock music enthusiasts called Rock of Ages. 

Headlining the musical Rock of Ages is Philippine rock icon Jett Pangan (of the Dawn), as well as international sensation Mig Ayesa in the role of Stacee Jaxx, the same role he portrayed recently in Broadway and in the First US National Tour.

Combined with some of the most talented performers of today, the musical will also showcase the talents of a powerhouse cast including Jamie Wilson, Jinky Llamanzares, Nyoy Volante, Aiza Segurra, Vina Morales, and a new comer Bibo Reyes (seen with an incredible performance in Blue Rep’s take on Bare: The Musical).

About Rock of Ages (source: Wikipedia):

Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from
the 1980s, especially from the famousglam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Europe, among other well- known rock bands.

It is directed by Kristin Hanggi and choreographed by Kelly Devine with music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Ethan Popp and David Gibbs.

The show is noted for being more lighthearted and comedic than other shows on Broadway. During performance, the performers frequently break the "fourth wall", directly addressing the audience and seemingly forgetting (or perhaps reminding the audience) that they are actors in a musical.

Rock of Ages will be staged at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati on all Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June 15 to July 8.

Please do support the shows of my friends on Friday, June 29 (8PM) and Sunday, July 1 (8PM). Rock of Ages ticket prices are as follows:

• Balcony: Php700 (BA, BB, BC)
• Loge Side: Php900 (M, MD)
• Loge Center: Php1,500 (MA, MB, MC)
• Orchestra Side: Php1,750 (AA to L left and right)
• Orchestra Center: Php2,000 (AA to L center)

Details of the June 29 (Friday), 8PM show:

• For Tickets: Ria Buenafe at +63917-5349437 / Marc Ong at +63917-7956272
• Seat Plan Link: Click here
• Facebook: Rock of Ages Musical

Details of the July 1 (Sunday), 8PM show:

• For Tickets: Allan Chew at +63917-5979977 / Jocen Villongco at +63917-9278364 / Odick Ong at +63917-5979043
• Seat Plan Link: Click here
• Facebook: Red Curtain Manila

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Singapore: Oasia Hotel in Novena

Back in May, I was sent by my company to Singapore for a two-week business trip. Wanting to cut down on transportation costs, we booked at Oasia Hotel in Novena, which is just across our client's office building.

Apart from being so near to the where we worked at during those two weeks, the location of Oasia Hotel is also very convenient. A few walks away are malls such Novena Square and Velocity, where numerous shops and restaurants are available. Also across the hotel is the Novena Medical Center, and another hospital called Tan Tock Seng Hospital a few blocks away.

Checking into the hotel was a breeze. The staffs were friendly and accommodating. They simply asked us to show our passport, fill up a form, swipe our credit card for incidentals (not yet charging to the card), then immediately gave us the room key.

As usual, check in time is at 2pm, but we were already able to check in two hours earlier; guess we're in luck! The key card is important because we needed to tap it in the elevator before being able to press the floor number.

The room is beautiful. It looks very neat and simple, but there's still that elegance in it. There were twin beds (since two of us were sharing the room), and another long couch where we used to put our bags and things on. Across the bed is a table with bright light, which we used when working or reading.

The room actually has everything we needed. We used the flat screen Samsung TV to check the weather forecast and running bill, watch television shows and series connected via hard drive. There's also a cabinet with lots of hangers, a couple of hotel slippers and laundry bags, a safety box, and an iron board with iron. We also had a hair dryer and an iPod docking entertainment system on the side.

Our room's comfort room is also nice in all white colors. We had an option to use the normal shower or a rain shower while either sitting down or not. The towels, basic toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, cotton buds, cotton pads, etc.) and the water bottles were being changed everyday.

Oasia Hotel has a nice pool area. It's actually huge! There are several beach chairs around the side, a lap pool on the center, a kiddie pool on the left side and a jacuzzi on the right. Viewed from the floors above, the whole thing looks like a beach resort. Open till 10pm, some of my colleagues were still able to use it to relax after a long day's work.

Located on the same floor as the pool area is the gym facility. Its size is just okay - neither too big nor too small. There are three treadmills, two transports, and two bike machines that actually had games to keep our minds occupied while we exercise away.

There are towelettes at the back as well as small water bottles, which conveniently allows whoever the guest is to work out and not get dehydrated. Very wise! We can actually work out anytime, since it's open 24 hours everyday.

They also have several dumbbells on the side and two machines that can work out several body parts. At the back is the shower room, some lockers, and a steam room. We needed to bring our key card before being able to get into the gym. 

The rate we paid for back then was 270 SGD/night, which does not include breakfast and internet connection. Since we were on business trip and trying to keep expenses at the minimum, we just paid extra for internet connection (1 payment per gadget) if only necessary.

My two week stay at Oasia Hotel was definitely worthwhile. The hotel has all basic facilities we needed and they have provided us with a comfortable stay overall. Again, the location is great as it is near the office building, malls, hospitals, and the MRT.

Check out Oasia Hotel's website to get more information about their other room types, rates and reservations.

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