MANILA, Philippines - Where to go: Sinulog Festival, Cebu
The Sinulog Festival is on and Cebu is the place to be this weekend. This year marks the festival’s 20th anniversary, so expect a grand parade with huge celebrations. The highlight of Sinulog is the street dancing, a wild rumpus that infects just about everyone and gets the crowd dancing the trademark Sinulog dance. The festival is the opportunity to try Cebuano delicacies, the crowning glory being the succulent Cebu lechon. While in the city, do some serious R&R (between dancing), bond with friends, and learn about Philippine history and tradition. Pack your energy bars and dancing shoes, it’s going to be a fun ride.
What to buy: National Book Store warehouse sale
Consider it serendipity if you find a book you’ve been meaning to buy for a fraction of its cost. It’s either that, or it’s National Book Store’s warehouse sale, a jaw-dropping deluge of books, supplies, and gift items. The discount is so ridiculous that you can buy a book for less than P20. And we’re not talking about old, dilapidated books gathering dust, we’re talking about nice copies and editions. The sale will take place at its warehouse, so expect access to the famed bookstore’s complete collection, from novels to coffee table books and school books. A warehouse sale brings out the shopaholic in everyone so if you’re on a budget, it’s best to write down the books you’re looking for to avoid unnecessary purchases. But books are always necessary so you might as well indulge. The sale ends tomorrow and the warehouse is located at Quezon Avenue. Sale is from 10 a.m. to 7 p. m.
While Filipino-Chinese sweethearts Kim Chiu and Xian Lim are in theaters with their movie Bride for Rent, it might be interesting to check out the 8th Spring Film Festival, a compelling mix of films that depicts modern and ancient life in China. The films are a mix of romance, drama, comedies, and even a parkour action movie, so there’s one offering for every discriminating taste. Of the seven movies, we highly recommend Aftershock, 1911 Revolution, and City Monkey. Aftershock is based on the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, where a pair of twins is buried under the rubble. A mother is forced to choose which child to save, since freeing one would cause the death of the other. The abandoned child overhears her mother’s dilemma, is eventually saved, and grows up to be emotionally withdrawn. 1911 Revolution is based on the revolution of the same name, about a man (played by Jackie Chan) who comes back from Japan to lead a rebellion against an ineffective dynasty led by a seven-year-old and his empress dowager mother. City Monkey is about rebellion and a clash of generations between a young man who wants to pursue parkour and his mother who wants him to go to university. The films will screen at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall from January 24 to February 2. Admission is free.
Who to follow: Phoenix
January is shaping up to be a good start to the year, with indie favorite Phoenix performing live in Manila on Tuesday. The French alt rock band will be promoting their new album “Bankrupt!,†an eargasmic collection of songs that the group has called “more experimental†than Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. In “Bankrupt!,†Phoenix sings about their experience post-fame, which is a medley of loneliness and boredom from high society parties and living in the limelight. The band doesn’t lose its catchy beats, so it’s still the same Phoenix we all fell in love with. The album has received great reviews from critics and even greater love from fans, earning new ones in the process. Their one-night-only gig in Manila is definitely a must-go if you’re a fan. A rumored setlist is floating online and if that’s any indication, it’s going to be great entertainment. The concert will be held at the World Trade Center in Pasay.
* * *
Tweet the author @kojibberish.