The food is listed in no particular order, but all items must be crossed off by the end of each visit.

1. Ripe mango shake: Made with Philippine. Mangoes. Only. Heaven in every drop.
2. Green mango shake
3. Jollibee Chicken Joy: Preferably delivered in the red plastic bucket and eaten at home so that Jollibee’s mug smiles back at you each time you open the fridge

Ripe mango shake

Jollibee Chicken Joy Takeaway Bucket

4. Longsilog: Longganisa (Philippine-style sausage) + sinangag (fried rice) + pritong itlog (fried eggs)
5. Anything with garlic fried rice

Longsilog at Antonio's

Garlic. Fried. Rice.

I’ll admit that I’m not the best guide to my own city, but I think it gets a bad rap, so it is with both nervousness and antici…pation that I’m figuring out how my friends can spend a weekend in Metro Manila without spending most of it in a mall or sitting in traffic.

Luckily, I have clued-in friends and spend way too much time reading travel blogs, so this is not an embarrassing map as far as an introduction to my hometown is concerned. In fact, it seems like there may be some parts left over for a longer visit.

The clump of pins you see on the western side of the city, along Manila Bay, is the Old Walled City of Intramuros. They represent Ivan Man Dy’s Old Manila Walks, for which I’ve signed us up. Next weekend we may have time to join Carlos Celdran’s Imelda Tour.

The Manila Cathedral dominates the skyline above Intramuros

As I’ve dragged my trusting friends out of bed way too early on a Saturday, they’ll be cranky and hungry, which will give me the best excuse to pop into Casa Armas (the original branch near Remedios Circle in Malate) for some gambas and San Miguel. For lunch, yes.

At this point, the tour guide (moi) will be most ready for a siesta, but there is no rest for the wicked. Southwest of Manila is Makati City, the business district, where I’ve tagged the Ayala Museum and M Cafe in Greenbelt and a couple of places on the fringe: Saguijo Cafe and Bar, and one of my favorite art galleries, Silverlens Gallery. This combo should give my friends a good impression of the nice and shiny business district, then before they start to think, “I could be anywhere,” I’ll whisk them away to a more edgy venue.

For good measure, I’ve tagged Abe’s in Serendra, Greenhills Shopping Center and places to eat closer to my neighborhood. Cubao X is also on the map. The Salcedo Weekend Market should really be on there too. I’m guessing we won’t have time for all of this, because a flight to Panglao awaits, but they’ll be there for the next visit.

Vintage Pop at Cubao X

In preparation for an upcoming trip to Manila, I’ve been dusting off notes and photos from previous homecomings. There’s a bit of pressure on this trip (all self-inflicted) because I’ve convinced three well-travelled friends to visit the Philippines, with I as their guide.

This came about from a resolution to see more of my own country. I’ve been to a significant bit of Luzon, but can count my Visayas experiences on one hand (Boracay, Cebu, Guimaras, Iloilo, Ormoc) and have none to speak of in Mindanao. My mediocre Lakbayan grade (lakbayan means to travel in Tagalog) attests to this.

Really, as I have a month off in July, I could go anywhere, but I’ve turned down opportunities to go to Tuscany (I know, I know), Tokyo on dirt-cheap airfares, and Eastern Malaysia. I’m not sure what’s come over me, but I just have this need to stay close to home.

This urge may very well pass, so I might as well take advantage of it now.

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Seared Yellowfin Tuna, Union Square Cafe

The day of my flight out of New York, I realized I hadn’t really gone bookshopping yet. And I’d promised my host he’d get better tequila at home. And there was time for one more lunch. So all things considered, Union Square Cafe made sense, as it was next door to Barnes and Noble and a liquor store.

Walking in near the end of lunch service, sitting near the end of the bar, I got to watch the staff at work. Just from eavesdropping on their end-of-shift conversation, one can tell there’s a reason Union Square Cafe is the #1 Most Popular restaurant on Zagat.

The young women who had just finished the lunch shift were planning a trip to a yoghurt kiosk a few blocks uptown, and were impressively rattling off the custom flavors they were planning to order. The barmen who were still on duty, on the other hand, were checking that the pecan pie had the proper amount of filling, and helping me choose the right liqueur to go with my (comped!) dessert.

Getting a free banana cream pie is certainly a great way to leave New York. It’s made extra special when the barman is trying to convince you to make space for dinner . Unfortunately the car was waiting and my bags were packed, so ’twas not to be.

Two hours later, I was in a car to the airport with – of all things – a Malaysian driver who lived in Singapore. As we crossed the Midtown Bridge, he pontificated away in that familiar sing-song accent about how different life was back home lah, and I knew I was on my way. I just didn’t realize I’d leave New York behind quite so quickly.

Acrobats Overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge

Absinthe is an acrobatic show set up at the Spiegeltent, all the way downtown at South Street Seaport. It’s not easy to describe except as Cirque du Soleil for adults. Kids under 12 are not allowed. It’s a very intimate theater (300 seats only), and there’s a bar in the theatre, which means you’re watching Rollerskating Elvis while sipping a vodka tonic (and leaning back if you’re in the front row – not joking).

This video will give you a better idea. 

And when you’re done with Absinthe, there’s time for sitting in hammocks (with more vodka tonics) on the boardwalk. And a dance floor. And bleachers for those who prefer to watch. More acrobats, of course. All against a backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge. 

One View of the Brooklyn Bridge (Photo Credit: Stephane Parcheminal)

Eggs Benedict at Sarabeth's

Friends adviced that I must “do Sunday brunch – it’s a New York thing.” And so I did, and decided it would be an injustice to limit the activity to Sundays.

What’s not to like about brunch? When the Eggs Ben are perfectly poached (like at Sarabeth’s), the buttermilk pancakes fluffy, and the local grape soda (as at Bubby’s) is just the drink to wake one up, the day can’t have a better starting point.

Not pictured: The buttermilk pancakes at Sarabeth’s, because everyone blew past two orders before I could take photos.

Other memorable brunch places: Cafe Orlin in the East Village, and Brasserie Les Halles downtown, which while disappointingly empty midmorning and played (of all things) Elton John tunes, the fangirl in me appreciated the attentive service and generous pots of French-pressed coffee.

Local Grape Soda, Bubby's

The stroller set brunches at Bubby's

The Cocktail Experiment had us bouncing around various neighborhoods downtown. Check out the iconized map above prepared by Google Maps user stevo832 – thanks!

Thank you to the New Yorkers and visitors who sacrificed sleep and gastrointestinal health to deliver this much-needed study. After a week of completely subjective and on-the-spot amateur reviews, not to mention running the bouncer gauntlet and getting carded, the results of the 2008 Cocktail Experiment (Autumn Edition) are in!

Before we get to the verdict, I recommend you pay as much attention to the cocktail menus, which must have been written by a Madison Avenue copywriter who needed to convince a monk he too deserved the finer things in life. (Or at least a cocktail every Friday.)

At Employees Only, one gets not just liqueur and mashed fruit in their aperitifs, but gently stirred vermouth and wild strawberries. At Death & Co, the rough coffin-heavy wood doors belie quirky cocktails like the Electric Kool Aid Acid Test (no prizes for guessing ingredients) and Mothers Ruin Punch, whose ingredients includes black market tea infused sweet vermouth. What’s that? Oh, and did I mention it’s served in an antique milk glass punch bowl?

Without further ado, the verdict:

Most Promising Exterior: Little Branch

Cutest Bartender: Pegu Club

Most Lethal Pour: Mojitos, Cafe Noir and the sangrias at Mercadito Cantina

Bravest Order: Hot Buttered Rum, Little Branch

Worst Drink Reaction: Hot Buttered Rum, Little Branch

Didn’t Believe in Electricity: Little Branch

Used Too Much Electricity: Bar 89

Most Attitude: Little Branch hands down, with its House Rules that include “No name-dropping, no star fucking” (definition) and “If a man you don’t know speaks to you, please lift your chin slightly and ignore him.”

Tastiest Bar Food: Pegu Club, with Employees Only a close second

Best Cocktail: It’s a tie! Earl Grey MarTEAni and Jamaican Firefly, both from Pegu Club

Do you agree with the verdict? Were any cocktails or bars left out? Let me know by posting a comment and I’ll update!