Closings and openings

In this industry, change is a permanent thing.  Once you’re in, you gotta evolve, or you’ll be left out.  Sometimes the world feels like it’s running too fast, but hey, while you’re at it, might as well enjoy the race.

This season is all about closings and openings.  There will be some shocking farewells and some new welcome developments.  I am not at liberty to reveal these things yet (because I promised, boy scout’s honor), but in due time, you’ll all know — you’ll read it here first, in Supreme.  New chapters are always exciting, so let us all look forward to the new and ox-hilarating moments that will unfold — and there are plenty.

Every day feels like New Year.  And pretty soon (if not now), we’ll be seeing hearts on everybody’s sleeves.  Up next, fun in the sun, graduation, back-to-school, graduation, the wedding month, the rainy day parade, Halloween, and then we’re back to the holiday season, which marks the dates for another New Year.  Okay, blame the year’s planning season for my getting ahead of myself, but time flies really fast when you’re having fun.

Okay, let’s not rush into the future or obsess about the past.  Let’s relish the present — it’s a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.

Recently, The Bar took over Embassy Super Club, as the Chinese calendar turned to the ox for new inspiration.  Now to the uninitiated, The Bar is a new ready-to-drink vodka orange mix and gin-lime concoction that is sweeping the nation (and convenience stores), one bottle at a time.  I call it, “a party in a bottle” because it is so easy to drink, and the best part, no hangovers!  I told this to some of my party-ready friends, who served as guinea pals and they can attest that none of them got any hangover whatsoever!

I’ve gone around from Baguio to Manila (and soon, around the Visayas and Mindanao) armed with a bottle of The Bar, and I swear by this drink’s party-inducing spirit.

Now, you may wonder why every Chinese New Year event is fluttering with dragon dances.  Well, the dragon, my favorite in the eastern zodiac, is a mythical creature that roars blessings around everything it touches.

For this special day, I wore dragons all over — from my jacket to my shoes, it was all emblazoned with the fire-breathing beast.  The drumbeats that the dragon dances to is said to scare away evil spirits.  But of course, we all know that the best way to attract blessings in life is to have faith in God, do good deeds and work hard.  And the best way to scare evil spirits way is to simply not to surround yourself with negativity.

The Scene’s Celebrants

So, surround myself I did with the most positive and inspiring people on this planet, as that night also served as my post-birthday bash — a night which I chose to share with fellow Capricorns like Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Kate Moss, Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley and more.

In Manila speak, I am referring to Pastor Julius Fabregas of the Victory Church, host with the most Raymond Gutierrez, scene spectacular Divine Lee, design demigod Miguel Rosales, TV personalities Joaquin Valdes, Keempee de Leon, Rey Talosig, Jommy Teotico and Gail Nicolas.  Other special January celebrants include Aquarians, like JP Enriquez, Issa Yeung, Xeng Zulueta, and Tessa Dragon — each one decked out in their flashy best, proof that even during these recession-soaked times, fun is no liability.

A few nights before wearing our Chinoiserie, we were all decked out in our pajamas for an all-nighter slumber party to welcome The Manor at Eastwood.  Raise your glasses to the new Bar (the drink), and raise it once again to a new bar (a place), as Eastwood City opened its arms for the eastern city’s newest and hottest nightspot.

The Manor is a multi-level mecca of partying, home-style, with a basement and a penthouse.  Guests were treated to anti-flu shots served in giant syringes, given by naughty nurses and dorky doctors. Once you go up, you go higher, with Nyco Maca’s coursing vocal calisthenics.  

Spotted at the not-so-slumber party were Sam Milby, Miriam Quiambao, Alex Escat and Steph Zubiri, all sizzling in their sexy sleepwear.  Now, that’s something new NOT to yawn about.

In the Makati front, another bar is making some good noise.  There’s good buzz on the hipster front about Attica, that new bar on Makati Avenue in front of Government.  It’s nicely intimate and the décor is lushly exquisite.  At the Fort, there’s a new Hierarchy, with its own dance floor and private room as well.  

So, you see folks, nightlife in Manila is expanding, and more things are coming up.  The Establishment at The Fort will be up and running by the end of this month and that is something to surely watch for.

This season, instead of gloom and doom, there should always be room for boom!