Category: Menagerie

Rant and Rave: Metro Manila Film Festival [Part 1 of 2]

Saving Sally Reviewed by Casey Eridio Months before its initial release, Saving Sally popped up in almost everyone’s Facebook news feed. The trailer, which featured the film’s quirky animations and fairytale-esque narration, caught the attention of those who proudly wear the geek badge, as well as those who were simply looking for something different. But […]

Hero on duty

The eve of Christmas is often a calm and happy one. Most people blissfully go to sleep, having spent the day with their family and having the most awaited day of the year to look forward to the next day. The holidays represent rest and relaxation, a chance to lay back and to enjoy the […]

Strutting in heels: A burlesque drag’s journey

The drag scene in Manila is far from dragging. Identity theft is a crime common around the world, but not when it’s done in bars. Behind the comforts of great company and comedic ambiance, impersonation has become a staple among the midnight stages of the metro. Places like Obar and Wicked have become breeding grounds […]

Mistletoe and whine: Outgrowing the Christmas magic

It’s that time of the year again when Jose Mari Chan dominates the airwaves, and gatherings with friends and families are organized left and right. Since it is the birth of Jesus, this holiday is mostly centered on children, who receive gifts and aguinaldos from parents, grandparents, ninongs, and ninangs. Memories of your Christmas gifts […]

Beyond the lights: Unwrapping the Filipino Christmas spirit

You step out of the church and it all hits you. The bright lights—red, green, and yellow—twinkle around the windows of every house. Some are slowly fading in and out, some seem like they are dancing to the tambourines and the choir singing Joy to the World, echoing from inside. The midnight air embraces you, […]

What’s your favorite thing about Christmas?

“I know it might sound shallow, but the little things get me excited the most—like holiday edition drinks from Starbucks, and Christmas jazz music. Of course, on the more intimate side, it’s the one time a year that I get to unite with my relatives; even just having my mom and cousin with me is […]

The naughty and nice of Christmas gifts

Christmas songs are starting to fill the air again. Beautiful decorations are slowly and steadily adorning the streets and houses you see on your commute while the scent of hot chocolate and warm coffee beckons you to enter shops and take a peek at the freshly baked Christmas-themed goods.   Christmas is a great time […]

A very secular Christmas

It begins, as most celebrations do, with the act of informing everyone at arm’s length that it is almost here. We then count the days that lead to it—excitedly and religiously—and there is almost a sense of collective relief as we get to cross off another day on our calendars. Then there are the images […]

Divisoria 101: A look into a bargain hunter’s haven

Upon opening the television, news channels are once again sending reporters to check out what’s happening in the busy complex of Divisoria. There’s a certain charm that Divisoria unravels during the holidays; shoppers are seen multiplying faster the sooner Christmas day comes as there is a compelling need that people get especially at this time […]

Lazy Bastard: Ridiculously comfortable

With an ambience reminiscent of a simple hole-in-the-wall restaurant in New York, Lazy Bastard is dedicated to serving customers their ridiculous comfort food, as one of its partners, Mr. Justin Qua, puts it. And at Lazy Bastard, ridiculous is a good thing: Hotdogs topped generously with ingredients such as meaty chili con carne, or honey […]