Hitch by Angela Ayson

october 2014

PLACES

• FOOD

• ARTS hsu

ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 1

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LISTS

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O C T O B E R

2 0 1 4

Editor In Chief

Angela Luz Ayson

Executive Editors

Charmaine Joy Calixtro Jeseree Patalud

Associate Editors

Beatrice Victoria Faicol Winnie Mea Marquez

Managing Editors

Emmanuel Domingo Niña Pauline Tapawan Jeziel Marie Alulod Coleen Manalaysay

Copy Editors

A R T Creative Director

Dan Lawrence Elairon

Assistant Creative Director

Janelle Ruth Bie

Art Director

Anastashha Nikita Alayon Arianne Mae Soniega

Photo Editor

Peter Anthony Garcia

On The Cover What’s on the Cover Illustration by Kristine Benitez and Alyson Belle Dinglasan The illustration embodies the HITCH traveller – bold, elegant and classy yet always on the go; ready to go to places and transcend boundaries. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial staff of the magazine, and/or De La Salle University – Dasmariñas.”

M A R K E T I N G Marketing Director

Kathleen Gumayan

Assistant Marketing Director

Celene Ann Villon

/magazine.hitch

@hitchmagazine

Transit Publication

TRAVELOGUE PANORAMA 7

ASK IT AWAY

VIRGINIA BABY

14 QUESTIONAIRES FOR A TRAVEL ENTHUSIASTS

AE ST HE TI C

OF SALTED THOUGHT AND BLUED VISIONS

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E TH G ON ILA AL AN T M AS IA FE IN NA FE ILA AS U CA E N A G S A FE OF LA V’ M OF TE N SE C I S N I A TA O A UR 30 A DH OKY IN YO D H T C VE 34 BU LE OF HA T T 6 E 3 LI TO ST TA ES C 37 A A PL 39 5 41 43

N O T T U L G

LI ST S

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE

Growing up as a child, flying was something that I’ve always wanted to do. Whenever adults asked me about my dream, I, being five years old then, used to answer, “to ride an airplane”. In retrospect, it is almost amusing to think that something so ideal and simple used to be everything my five year old-self wanted in life; all I wanted was to touch the sky, to swim and to play around in the sea of clouds the same way my favourite cartoon characters did. Fifteen years later, I finally achieved that dream. I was turning 20 when I finally rode the airplane for a first time. It was on a trip to Singapore and Malaysia that I sort of decided on a whim. I saw the opportunity and merely decided to go for it. The said trip wasn’t lifechanging per se, but I could definitely say that

Angela Luz A. Ayson Editor-in-chief

my experience from traveling abroad for the first time taught me a few things. The most important of which – how significant it is to travel. In this issue of HITCH, we aim to give you the same experience – to let you discover the joy of traveling. By the time you finish reading our magazine, we hope that you’d start viewing your surroundings from a different and much wider perspective. There are so many places that are yet to be explored, and it is up to you to discover them yourself. We challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone and live your life to the fullest by going places. As Hans Christian Andersen words were, “to travel is to live.”

A S K I T IF YOU’RE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO GO BACK TO A PLACE YOU’VE A W A Y ONCE TRAVELLED, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

john kenneth iya

jeianne eusebio johnro angelo cawaling

He’s a fashion and travel enthusiast who spreads positive vibes wherever he goes.

He is all natural, with no preservatives added. “Pointe Du Bois. It’s a small town in Northern Canada. The thing about this place is that it’s not just the place that makes me want to come back, it’s also the memories. When my best friend first brought me there for the weekend, we were looking forward to do some activities on the lake but it rained for three days. Instead of just sitting around like everyone did, him and I managed to make the most of the weekend. We danced in the rain, climbed some hills, went into the forest to go look for deer and possibly bears, and jumped into the lake even though it was freezing cold. Good memories are what make me want to come back to places, and one of those is Pointe du Bois.”

“It will be Niagara Falls, because that place is so magical and you will find yourself genuinely smiling. It is a place that will remind you to appreciate God’s creation, even more. Niagara Falls will totally give you the peace of mind and it’s absolutely perfect for couples families and friends.”

elriz buenaventura

charlene villanueva

arnold alulod

She’s a dreamer and explorer who loves crazy adventures, taking photographs, and travelling. He is a chemist, but a traveler at heart “I would like to go back to Alaminos, Pangasinan because of its tourist-friendly environment. Aside from its beautiful treasure — The Hundred Islands — the kindness of its residents is incomparable.”

She’s a Communication Arts student and a part-time traveler. “Oman! It may be a bit weird but compared to the places I’ve visited, it was in Oman that I have experienced a culture way different than ours -- the food, practices, and the people. I want to go back because I want to experience more of that and I want to explore places in Oman that I haven’t visited yet.”

“If I could go back to one place, that would be Malacca, Malaysia. As a history buff and art lover, Malacca, Malaysia was a rewarding place to go to because it is full of historical temples, art museums and eye-catching sights which I was not able to explore back then. Plus the food was really good and the expenses are really cheap!”

He savers every yard of the travel; by the time he gets to his destination, it’s either he has been satisfied or yet to be overwhelmed. “If given the chance, I would like to visit Scotland again. It was a totally different place as compared to where I grew up. I’d like to experience the colder season. It was summer during my visit but it was already too cold for my ‘tropical body’. Scotland is a very old country and the still standing castles and abbeys are among the interesting things I’d like to behold. The city centre itself has marvelous architectures worth seeing again like the Marischal College. I’d like to taste some of the local cuisines aside from chips and sandwiches. (During my entire stay in Aberdeen, I didn’t eat any rice and didn’t know I could!) And lastly, it would probably require a longer stay, but to see and photograph more of the rural landscapes of Scotland would be a perfect treat.”

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OCTOBER 2014

VIRGINIA, “BABY words by kathleen gumayan

being mandated to do something doesn’t have to sound that strict and boring. We can always do the things we are bound to do while we flatter ourselves with what life can still offer.

“

An 18-year old young lady, a Tourism and Hotel Management major, a 4th year student at De La Salle University-Dasmariñas. Who would ever tell that she is just another ordinary graduating student? Charissa Lapinig, HRM student, VPAPU (Visual & Performing Arts Production Unit-- Institutional Organization at DLSU-D) member, weird, witty, thoughtful friend and loving daughter. Words aren’t enough to justify her oddity. But these characteristics simplify that a lot of things has already gone her way. Being a student leader is not easy. You get to have a lot of opportunities but you should have time for each of it. She had to function for the entire university but can never forget that she is a student of her own, too. As a 4th year, everyone has to go on an On the Job Training, and as a graduating student of her course, she has the opportunity to go to different countries to accomplish their 2nd OJT. JOB-HOPPING. Charissa had her first job which eventually became her permanent job. But since she is a productive person, she looxked for another job, another job, and another job. Bicycle renting was her permanent job. “’Di ko gusto yun, eh.. boring.” But she was unsatisfied with her job so she looked for something that will fit her as a 4th year HRM student. Something that has to do with hotel and restaurant management and not bicycle management. Finding her second job as an all-around employee made her stay working for almost 2 months. She also tried dishwashing for

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OCTOBER 2014

Passenger’s Name: Charissa S. Lapinig From: Mnl, Phils. To: Detroit, USA Entire Destination: Virginia Beach, USA. Purpose: Work & Travel

Four months is a very short period of time. But for Cha, 4 months is enough to gain experiences, knowledge, memories and to learn something new. Living away from home is not easy. There are a lot of adjustments. From the time she came to Virginia, she needed to cope up with the weather and environment. She found the citizens of such place very friendly individuals because she felt that she was welcomed. On their first night, “Pagdating na pagdating namin dun, homeless talaga kami. As in..” they were homeless. Knocking on heaven’s door, they found angels to accompany them. Charissa needed to live on her own so she started her adventurous journey. some time while she’s having her permanent job. Three jobs were never enough for her, “Parang raket mo nalang kung paano ka kikita..” so she looked for another sideline. Being a VPAPU member, an artistic person indeed, she sold her paintings [which she usually do whenever she’s ennui] and she gains some more dollars with it. Once a person travels to States, it is expected for them to have fairer skin because of the climate. But for Cha, instead of having such whiter skin, she became darker. This goes to show that her hard work was really out-of-sight.

UNFORGETTABLE FIRSTS. During her first month, she had a lot of firsts: First time to experience snow, first time to encounter “foreign ghosts”, first time to cook Sinigang na Meatballs, first time to talk to ducks due to her boredom and a whole lot of first experiences. She added,

P A N O R A M A

time ko mag-CR (comfort “ First room) sa bus! Tumigil na siya, tas pagka upo ko, *laughs* nastress ako.. umandar! ” Just like any other on-the-job trainees, she also had her job shenanigans. “Parang ‘di mo naaapply natututunan mo,” she said. But these things served as her motivation to still go on, because other than these stressful stuffs, she also had a battle with her home sickness. WHY GIVE UP IF THERE’S A LOT IN STORE?

“ Gusto ko nang mag-quit,”

the line that she had to tell herself when she felt like she cannot find the triumph that she had hoped for. Fortunately, through her experiences, she learned how to handle better communication and situation. She enjoyed life while working, she set aside her longingness to come back to the Philippines and entertained herself by hanging out with friends who are looking for “boys of their lives”. On her adventuresome nights with girlfriends, she met not just one, two, not even three or four but five guys who tried to captivate her. One of them was weird, 3 of them were naughty but the fifth guy was fortunately the one who was able to make her fall for love. Craig Cassell was another example of Charissa’s firsts. “Hi, beautiful.” was his attempt to catch Cha’s attention. But then Charissa’s defense mechanism was like, “T*ng ‘na ‘tong abnoy na ‘to.” And then she asked herself about what was this guy’s gimmick. Craig was serious about winning Cha’s heart so he showed his sincerity and exerted much effort. This eventually led to a better chapter of Charissa’s Virginia experience. TRAVEL PROPER. Charissa was able to explore USA and enjoyed the rest of her stay because of Craig and her selfdetermination. Travelling to 6 destinations: North Carolina, Maryland, Washington D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Japan and of course, Virginia. She was able to visit her friends and relatives, was able to go to the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Universal Studios, Washington Monument, Madame Tussauds, and she met some Hollywood stars like Captain America’s Chris Evans. In New York City, she visited her friend. “Lagi siyang napuntang Virginia, alone siya dun so binisita ko..” During her stay at Maryland, she stayed with her classmate’s aunt, “Nagpunta kami dun para mag-celebrate ng Independence Day [ng Unites States], July 4. Nag-picnic, punta ng groto, tapos..nanood ng fireworks.” In Washington, she also had an adventuresome days. “Nagpunta kami ng Capitol. [US Capitol] na para siyang Luneta Park..para siyang Ocean Park kasi magkabilang dulo siya, eh.” On a scorching hot day, “Naglakad kami,” she madly stated. They walked from Washington Monument up to the place where Night at the Museum is. She uttered, “Wala yung t-rex!” *laughs so hard* “Nasa Canada daw, so

naglakad siya? *laughs* Nakakastress. Tapos ang nakita namin dun, yung elepante! Tas nakita namin dun yung mga naglalakad [sa movie], ‘di naman totoo.” Cha and her friends also looked for Lincoln’s statue. “Akala nila, ang US Capitol, White House. Tas sabi ko, ‘hindi ‘yan White House’.. “Pinakita ko pa sa mapa,” the map which has always been useful.. “dun na sila naniwala.” Cha and some of her other friends waited also for some. Their other friends said that they will be leaving and will surely be back after 10 minutes, but after one hour, two hours.. No friends were back. “Natulog, nag-CR, bumili ng souvenirs, nagpunta na kami ng subway.. Inantay pa din namin sila, wala pa din. Iniwan na namin sila.” They also thought of an alibi, something that they can tell their auntie, “Mag-set tayo ng iisang explanation para yun na yung sasabihin natin..” 12 midnight came, but still, they are not yet back so Charissa decided to eat, “Kumain na kami sa Korean restaurant..” and finished but they never came.. “Naistress ako so natulog nalang talaga ako.” In New York, they familiarized their selves. She said, “Nandito na kami sa Makati, under renovation pa siya. Magmukha talaga siyang Baclaran, Divisoria..kasi ang daming tao!” During

her travel at the Times Square, they saw the character Jack Sparrow. “Nagpicture-picture.. [Tapos] nagsalita! Filipino! *laughs* Ay! Filipino pala si Jack Sparrow *laughs more* Nag-usap kami..” Then Elmo and Mickey Mouse came, they were also entertained. But not to one thing, “Tip, tip! ‘Te! ***** tip pala *laughs* wwmay bayad pala ‘to! *laughs again* Eh, ‘di binigyan namin ng tig-$1.” She added, “Ay naku, ‘wag na tayo magpapicture!” According to her, “Lahat ng service sa New York, may tip.” In Los Angeles, they also went to a lot of places. But being with her grandmother was the best part of it. They went to Hollywood, as she saw Chris Evans, “Nagulat ako, gumalaw! Siya nga talaga! Na-shock kami. Ang gwapo niya kahit malayo,” she concluded. For 4 months, she found satisfaction, a satisfaction that made her realize something. Of all the places she has gone to, she chose Virginia. It is because Virginia is the only place where she learned a lot of experiences, taught her how to handle life even better, gave her a new set of inspiration, made her life extraordinary and definitely made her realize that it is where she visualized her outrageous future. 9

P A N O R A M A

hitch asks a true girl-on-the-go about her travel experiences that will surely leave something for young travel enthusiasts like her...

14 QUESTIONS FOR A TRAVEL ENTHUSIAST words by la romea Rona Bayas-Cortez is a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a travel enthusiast. She works as the Head of Training and Organizational Development in De La Salle Health Sciences Institute. Now at the age of 32, Rona has been traveling since childhood . One of her early memories as a kid is getting a really tanned skin after going to the beach, and of course, visiting Disneyland. Yay! Here, Rona shares with us some of her thoughts about traveling.

1. WHY DO YOU TRAVEL? I travel to relax and see God’s amazing creations.

6. IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO A PLACE AND DO ONE DAY OF THE TRIP AGAIN, WHERE WOULD IT BE? I would definitely go back to El Nido, Palawan.

2. BY SEA OR BY AIR? By air. 3. WHAT ARE THE PLACES THAT YOU’VE BEEN TO ALREADY?

7. WHAT PLACE IS ON THE TOP OF YOUR BUCKETLIST? Europe! (And Japan and Korea!)

I’ve been to Cebu, Bohol, El Nido and Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Baguio, Bataan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Vigan, Pagudpod, Boracay, Jaro, Iloilo, Subic, Zambales, Laguna, Tagaytay, Batangas, Tagkawayan, Quezon, and Naga City. I’ve also been to HongKong, Beijing, China, Macau, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

8. WHAT ARE THE PLACES THAT YOU’RE EXCITED TO GO TO AND WHY?

4. ASIDE FROM TRAVELING HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES, YOU HAVE ALSO ALREADY GONE ABROAD. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE SO FAR?

9. WHAT’S THE BEST FOOD THAT YOU’VE TASTED IN ALL THE PLACES YOU’VE TRAVELLED?

For me, it’s still the Philippines. Nothing beats home. 5. IF GIVEN A CHANCE, WOULD YOU MOVE TO ANY OF THE PLACES YOU’VE BEEN TO? Move? Before I got married, I wanted to live in another country, but now, I guess it’s something that must be thought of carefully.

I want to visit a lot of countries, especially Europe and US, but I am more excited to go on a pilgrimage organized by catholic institutions like La Salle ‘cause I get to visit religious places like the Vatican City.

That would be… the Hotpot in Beijing, China. 10. WOULD YOU PREFER TRAVELING AROUND THE PHILIPPINES OR INTERNATIONALLY? WHY? I prefer to travel to other countries because I get to experience different cultures. But I guess you should try to go around the Philippines first and see what our country has to offer before exploring other places or countries.

11. WHAT DO YOU LOVE AND HATE MOST ABOUT TRAVELING? I love to see and experience different cultures and sometimes I try to compare them with ours. I hate it when I end up with excess baggage. Ugh. 12. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TRAVELING? Advantage is that I get to see a lot of places and meet people, disadvantage is it’s really expensive. 13. WHAT ARE YOUR BASES IN SELECTING A PLACE TO TRAVEL TO? I read reviews online or blogs and check what the tourist spots are in a certain country or place. 14. WHAT PIECES OF ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO YOUR FELLOW TRAVEL ENTHUSIASTS? You must bring a lot of pocket money and practice packing your stuff. Also, don’t waste time sleeping in your hotel room. Go out and explore. Traveling really costs an arm and a leg, but it’s the experience that counts, right? So you better start saving up to be able to check off the places in your ‘To-Go Bucketlist’

should try to go “...you around the Philippines first and see what our country has to offer before exploring other places or countries. ”

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words by winnie marquez & celene villion photos by danica hamtig & celene villion

No need to go to museums to satisfy your craving for art. You can find it in the simplest of things; it is everywhere. It does not have to be fancy, it just have to be revelatory…

raffiti, Street Arts, Visual Arts and Public Arts – as we hitch a ride around the metro we are often surrounded by these creativity offered by passionate people in order for the public to see color in dull streets often plagued by traffic and pollution. Some may consider these as vandals, but for this group of spirited individuals, creating a colorful mark by painting every nook of public space and make their goals be known by the public are their romantic rendezvous. Among these amazing people are the members of Cvty Collective. WHAT IS CVTY COLLECTIVE CVTY Collective is a word play on “Cavite”, a group of artists who share a common muse — expressing themselves through painting on public spaces. Most of its founding members are residing in Cavite and thought of naming the group after the place where they live. The group was officially formed on November 2010 with the goal of promoting graffiti and street arts. Allan Adia a.k.a Blic whose screen name came from the word public (for he’s a part of the public and paints in public spaces for the public), founded the group upon his discovery and wonder for street art. Luckily, his thoughts were answered when a friend of his (who is now departed) Triskaideka Masuerte had connections with street artists. Not long after, he became acquainted with this group of street artists known as Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP) and became a part of it. The PSP was his inspiration to form the Cavity Collective. Due to his relations with live artists at gigs, the group has stood tall until now. WHO IS CVTY COLLECTIVE The Collective is composed of two different, but somehow similar groups. These are the core group that represents CVTY and serves as team leaders (23 members) and the CVTY Community which is basically a community that is comprised of artists that they have worked with in their painting sessions (100+ members). Most of them are from Cavite and other nearby places. It may sound shallow for a group with a huge advocacy to be named after where the artists live,

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but most of them are from Cavite and most of their works are seen along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. nearby places. It may sound shallow for a group with a huge advocacy to be named after where the artists live, but most of them are from Cavite and most of their works are seen along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. They have also been accommodating artists from neighboring locales like Las Piñas, Manila, Laguna and so on, so we asked the founder himself, Blic about the deeper reason of naming the group CVTY. “Pinaglaruan lang namin yung word na ‘Cavite’. Tanggalin mo lang yung ‘e’ palitan ng ‘y’, Cavity na s’ya. Para mas kakaiba, tanggalin mo yung ‘i’,” Blic explains. He said that cavity depicts them as street artists. People would see street art as something dirty, ugly — an eyesore, just like cavities. “Dinidikit namin yung cavity by painting on walls. Kami (street artists) yung bulok tapos yung mga pader naman yung ngipin. Kami ang cavity. From there, tinawag na namin ang mga sarili naming parte ng CVTY. Ang ironic diba? Nilalagyan namin ng art ang isang bagay pero sa ibang tao, dumi kami.“ From the idea of cavity emerged their very own “Ipin Festival”, an annual event that serves as their founding celebration wherein the group multiplies their street art thus producing more cavities on teeth (walls). In CVTY Collective, every member is a boss (“Ang project mo, ikaw mag-handle”). The main goal of CVTY is to push the street art movement: giving the public free access to arts, expose and share the art with others. As the group continues to educate the public about their street art, the group also learns alongside the public. They have been traveling to pursue this goal. CVTY have been to Ilo-ilo and Davao with the help of their friends. Blic and others travel to promote street art and to learn. The Philippines is a large place to bring art in its every corner. Traveling to places can also lead to more knowledge and creativity enhancement. It isn’t just a recreational activity. It isn’t just something you do to relax. According to Rai Cruz, we travel to know other cultures, ano yung eksena do’n. In their case, to know how they practice street art relative to what CVTY does and true enough, there are differences. “Pag marami kang na-explore, may plus factor yun sa art mo.” Blic said.

CVTY COLLECTIVE AS DEVELOPING artists CVTY artists like Blic, Rai Cruz and Lamok and many other CVTY visual artists started drawing and making art like any other kid. Lamok on the other hand became an artist because of the influence of his mural artist father. “Halos lahat naman nagdaan sa pagdo-drawing”, Blic said. According to Rai Cruz, the only thing that separates them from other normal kids is that they continue to draw. Most of the artists from CVTY Collective started from doing doodles. Also, according to Blic, he even tried copying cartoon characters and random stuff that he thought would make sense. “Kinain ako ng art at nagpakain naman ako sa art.”, Blic said. He doesn’t follow any ritual when painting and just paints depending on his mood. He just goes with the flow. He follows the urge and the craving of his hands, eyes, and his creative soul to beautify public spaces by painting on it, just like Rai Cruz who considers meeting street art as love at first sight.

A E S T H E T I C

PIECE OF ADVICE TO OTHER ARTISTS For an artist, repetition is the key. Like what Rai Cruz said, “Gawa lang ng gawa. tuloy mo, tapos gawa ka pa ulit tapos mapapansin mo dahan-dahan kang nagi-improve, dumadami kakilala mo, mas nae-enjoy mo yung buhay in general, kasi buo ‘yung experience mo.” “Kapag gusto mo gawin ang isang bagay, gawin mo lang siya ng paulit-ulit. Huwag magmamadali, wag mong isipin na ang tagal mong gumaling. Basta gawa ka lang ng gawa. Hindi mo namamalayan na nagugustuhan mo na yung dating sinasabihan mo ng pangit,” Blic said. THE STOP BUTTON

Being infatuated with street art has established a relationship with Rai that he cannot easily let go of. “Ang normal na nagpapahinto sa kahit na anong bagay na love mo lang is may mga responsibilities, mga mabibigat na responsibilities. So far naman ngayon kahit STREET ART AND ART AS A WHOLE na may mga mabibigat akong responsibilities, nagagawan ko naman ng paraan e. Babalik ako dun sa kung A professor told us once that in order for us to under- papano at kung gaano mo kamahal ang isang bagay. stand something, we must first define the variables. In Dahil mahal ko, kaya kong mag-sakripisyo,” Rai said. that case, we asked Blic to define street art. Street art ac- Street art, according to Blic, first started as a hobby that cording to him is ephemeral. It does not last long, just turned into a skill until it has become a lifestyle, “Hindi na like the four seconds of the public’s attention to their art. kami makakatakas dito e. Hangga’t kaya pa ng kamay at “Papansin lang kami sa tao kaya pag napansin, masaya na hangga’t nakakakita pa kami, hindi kami titigil,” Blic said. kami. Laitin man nila ng isang oras okay lang basta napansin yung gawa namin. Ibig sabihin effective yung art.” Blic said. Aside from the fact that it doesn’t last that long, street art is always like any other art form, subject to criticism. “The moment you put your artwork out there, the context may depend on the viewer,” Rai Cruz said. It may or may not also be considered as good art, mainly because we have different stands on aesthetic. Because of this Kinain ako ng art at nag thought, we asked Blic to define art. Yes, we asked an artist to pakain naman ako sa art. define a vague, indescribable, unfathomable word- ART. We got what we wanted, but not the way we expected it to be. “Art is you.” A very simple definition, sleek and elegant. We didn’t ask him to elaborate anymore, because it says a lot. Art comes from within ourselves and somehow it reflects who we are. The statement is very short, simple and yet, able to tell us more than what a dictionary could.

“

Cvty Collective is one of the active and well-known street artists in the country. Despite the depictions of decay that some parts of the public have brought into them, Cvty stands tall to what they have established: painting the walls with sweet decays it’ll give one cavities.

GALLERIA TAAL WORDS BY ANGELA AYSON ILLUSTRATED BY JHEM MORALIDAD A picturesque blast from the past – this is the view that first greeted me as I set foot on Galleria Taal, a vintage camera museum and ancestral home in Taal, Batangas. Located in Heritage Town where ancestral homes and historical landmarks abound, the museum is a humble and hidden gem that houses a grand collection of vintage cameras dating back as early as 1890’s - the first of its kind in the Philippines.

vintage cameras and photos alike. This led to the Galleria Taal that we know as of today. The museum houses several camera brands – from Nikon, to Olympus, to Canon, to Hasselblad and to Kodak. Tourists visiting the place will get the chance to see the evolution of cameras through the years as the exhibit had the cameras arranged chronologically. Photophiles would surely have fun as they tread from one connected room to another; adjacent to the display of banquet cameras are the displays of Rolleiflex and vintage SLRs. Least to say, photography enthusiasts or not, one would have to be extremely indifferent to not be amazed by the evolution that of camera technology that are rightfully displayed in front of him or her.

The museum, like its neighboring houses, boasts of the Spanish era architecture – well-polished wooden planks were used for the flooring while capiz windows serve as the gates for the view outside. As it is also an ancestral home, several family photos line up the walls of the museum, while pinned alongside some of them were historical photos such as the famous group photo of Jose Rizal, Marcelo Del Pilar, and Passion and homage combined in one, Mariano Ponce. Galleria Taal is a must-visit as it takes you to the past and lets you appreciate the beauty of the The museum used to be the ancestral very device that captures the history that we are home of Domingo Ilagan and Maria Martinez all a part of. Ilagan in the 1800’s. The house was neglected after 1975 and was only restored again some Galleria Taal is located at Agoncillo 29 years later by one of their descendants, St., Heritage Town, Taal, Batangas. Call Emmanuel “Manny” Ilagan. It was on March +639189124051 or +639067632449. Entrance 2010 when was on March 2010 when Manny fees are P30 for students and P70 for adults. opened the public, exhibiting his collection of

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The road is long and quiet, the moon is shining brightly and the stars are bold tonight, as if the night was up to something peculiar. It was 2 a.m. in the morning and the young man was drunk. Eight bottles of Lights. “I hope this road can last longer,” the young man said. “What a mess,” he sighs and drives silently for quite a while. After a few kilometers of slow driving, the man spot a figure under a lamppost needing a hitch. The man wondered why would a person stay on such a place, especially at 2 a.m. Very peculiar, it seems; he thought it might be a hooker, or a hold-upper but the young man figured he got nothing to lose anyway. He decided to take the person. “This would be a good way to waste time. Let’s just see what will happen,” he said. After a few kilometers of slow driving, the man spot a figure under a lamppost needing a hitch. The man wondered why would a person stay on such a place, especially at 2 a.m. Very peculiar, it seems; he thought it might be a hooker, or a hold-upper but the young man figured he got nothing to lose anyway. He decided to take the person. “This would be a good way to waste time. Let’s just see what will happen,” he said.

HITCH WORDS BY FRANCESCO FALCIS ILLUSTRATION BY BEATRICE FAIcOL

As the car was getting close enough to see person, the young man realized it was a woman — a young fine lady. She had short black hair, round eyes, a heart shaped face, and fair skin. She was wearing a brown jacket, jeans with a gray skirt over it, and boots, yes, she’s wearing boots (though the man wasn’t fond of boots). If it was really a hooker, the man wished he had money with him. He stopped a few meters away before proceeding to the lamppost, just looking at the girl. The girl was wearing a poker face, staring back at the car. The young man then proceeded and stopped over by the girl. The man rolled down the window and was about to ask the lady, but the girl went inside the car before he could have finished. “Let’s go!” The girl said with a cheery smile. The man was caught off guard, confused with what was happening. “Excuse me?” “Hit the gas,” said the girl with enthusiasm. The young man did so anyway. As they were driving along, the man was getting annoyed with the young lady. She was being quirky while he was being depressed. He thought the young lady would make him feel better and get him out of his misery but she only made him feel more miserable. “So what’s your problem, my friend?” the young lady suddenly asked after talking about why she was there on that lamppost even if the guy didn’t even asked. She talked about how the mosquitos bothered her. “What do you mean what’s my problem? And I told you, I’m not your friend,” the young man named Vinci, said. “Come on, let’s do this again, and this time don’t ignore me or I’ll use my pepper spray on you.” Vinci thought Gina isn’t kidding knowing this girl is quite unpredictable. “My name is Gina, and yours?” She offered her hand to the young man, it took him a while before he gave his name but he didn’t even look at her.

Vinci breathed heavily. He walked towards Gina and stood for a moment, facing her while she’s lying down. Gina raised both of her eyebrows. Vinci slowly lay on Gina, but as Vinci was making a move Gina suddenly poke Vinci’s forehead to make him stop.

A E S T H E T I C

“Uhm… what are you doing?” said Gina, her index finger still on Vinci’s forehead. “Lying with you, I guess,” Vinci answered awkwardly. He knew he made a mistake. After a few kilometers of slow driving, the man spot a figure under a lamppost needing a hitch. The man wondered why would a person stay on such a place, especially at 2 a.m. Very peculiar, it seems; he thought it might be a hooker, or a hold-upper but the young man figured he got nothing to lose anyway. He decided to take the person. “This would be a good way to waste time. Let’s just see what will happen,” he said. As the car was getting close enough to see person, the young man realized it was a woman — a young fine lady. She had short black hair, round eyes, a heart shaped face, and fair skin. She was wearing a brown jacket, jeans with a gray skirt over it, and boots, yes, she’s wearing boots (though the man wasn’t fond of boots). If it was really a hooker, the man wished he had money with him. He stopped a few meters away before proceeding to the lamppost, just looking at the girl. The girl was wearing a poker face, staring back at the car. The young man then proceeded and stopped over by the girl. The man rolled down the window and was about to ask the lady, but the girl went inside the car before he could have finished. “Let’s go!” The girl said with a cheery smile. The man was caught off guard, confused with what was happening. “Excuse me?”

“It’s Vinci.” Finally. “Hit the gas,” said the girl with enthusiasm. The young man did so anyway. “There you go. That wasn’t so bad, was it? But you ignored my handshake so I think I’ll still use…” “I’m driving!” Vinci gave Gina a threatening look. “Alright, alright. I was just joking, sheesh! We have a badass over here. So what’s the problem? I’m sure eight bottles of beer means something. You don’t seem to be an alcoholic” Vinci made considerations before he gave an answer. “I’m pretty messed up right now. What would my parents tell me if tell them that I lost my 3rd job in a row? I can already imagine my dad’s saliva spurting out of his mouth like tiny rain drops on my face, ready to hit me with anything his hands can hold on to. My mom would try to stop dad, but while she’s doing so, she’ll be sobbing out of disappointment. They have the rights though, I lost my 3rd job already within a year and a half after college. On top of that, I spent six years in college, mind you, which should have been four years only. They have every right to get disappointed with me” Gina only replied with an “Aw” knowing that Vinci will blurt out some more. Vinci’s tone and pace was starting to raise “Yes. Major aw right? But what about me? I never wanted to be a business man, I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to paint. But my parents just won’t support me.” Vinci was about to open up more, but he stopped and said, “My life sucks.”

As they were driving along, the man was getting annoyed with the young lady. She was being quirky while he was being depressed. He thought the young lady would make him feel better and get him out of his misery but she only made him feel more miserable. “So what’s your problem, my friend?” the young lady suddenly asked after talking about why she was there on that lamppost even if the guy didn’t even asked. She talked about how the mosquitos bothered her. “What do you mean what’s my problem? And I told you, I’m not your friend,” the young man named Vinci, said. “Come on, let’s do this again, and this time don’t ignore me or I’ll use my pepper spray on you.” Vinci thought Gina isn’t kidding knowing this girl is quite unpredictable. “My name is Gina, and yours?” She offered her hand to the young man, it took him a while before he gave his name but he didn’t even look at her. “It’s Vinci.” Finally. “There you go. That wasn’t so bad, was it? But you ignored my handshake so I think I’ll still use…”

“I’m driving!” Vinci gave Gina a threatening look. “Alright, alright. I was just joking, sheesh! We have a badass over here. So what’s the problem? I’m sure eight bottles of beer means something. You don’t seem to be an alcoholic”

“Let’s stop there,” said Gina all of a sudden as they were getting near a certain lonely lamppost along the highway. Behind it seems to be small mounds of plain grass.

Vinci’s tone and pace was starting to raise “Yes. Major aw right? But what about me? I never wanted to be a business man, I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to paint.

“Where?”

But my parents just won’t support me.” Vinci was about to open up more, but he stopped and said, “My life sucks.”

“Just over there right beside that lamppost. I’ll make you happy,” She said, using cheery tone again. Vinci had a funny feeling with the ‘I’ll make you happy part’. They stopped over. Vinci started to sweat with the idea of Gina making him happy in this dark open area. Gina went ahead to the spot where there was a tree nearby. She lay down a few meters away from it. They were harder to get seen now.

Gina gave Vinci a few seconds for a breather before she started talking again. “So you see, that wasn’t so bad, opening up to a stranger and friend for the moment of course,” Gina said and emphasized on the word friend. “Let’s stop there,” said Gina all of a sudden as they were getting near a certain lonely lamppost along the highway. Behind it seems to be small mounds of plain grass.

“Come now, lie down with me” said Gina. “Where?” HITCH MAGAZINE

17 OCTOBER 2014

Just over there right beside that lamppost. I’ll make you happy,” She said, using cheery tone again. Vinci had a funny feeling with the ‘I’ll make you happy part’. They stopped over. Vinci started to sweat with the idea of Gina making him happy in this dark open area. Gina went ahead to the spot where there was a tree nearby. She lay down a few meters away from it. They were harder to get seen now. “Come now, lie down with me” said Gina. Vinci breathed heavily. He walked towards Gina and stood for a moment, facing her while she’s lying down. Gina raised both of her eyebrows. Vinci slowly lay on Gina, but as Vinci was making a move Gina suddenly poke Vinci’s forehead to make him stop. “Uhm… what are you doing?” said Gina, her index finger still on Vinci’s forehead

“Lying with you, I guess,” Vinci answered awkwardly. He knew he made a mistake.

“I didn’t tell you to you lie on me, I said just lie beside me.” “Oh…” Vinci did not meet her gaze. “Now get off. Or I’ll use my Swiss knife this time,” Vinci slowly stood up. Gina helped him by pushing Vinci away. Vinci got off Gina, and sat beside her. “You should be more careful with your words, you were making it sound like we’re going to do something else.” Gina, who was still lying on the ground, suddenly broke into laughter. “Actually, I was teasing you. I just wanted to see how you would react” Vinci smirked and said, “I actually thought you were a hooker at first when I met you.”

A pianist. Well, as you know it’s hard to find a job for people like me. We’re only on the go if there’s a gig or a racket for us. Sometimes at malls, usually at bars, very seldom at some classical plays.” “And Anne Curtis gets to have her concerts at the SMART coliseum,” Vinci replied while laughing. Gina suddenly sat up out of excitement and said to Vinci, “Exactly! And here we are musicians, starving!” “Well, the world isn’t fair. I guess.” Vinci calmly replied, this time their eyes met again. Gina slowly lay down again. She embraced their gaze, focused only at Vinci and his brown eyes. What they were feeling felt so real, but Vinci denied the idea. He looked at the stars again and continued the conversation. “Musicians don’t get their opportunities, and some wann be painters like me didn’t get the chance.” For a while they just lay there, looking at the seemingly forever night sky, waiting for something to happen in that moment. Waiting for one of them to make a move. Suddenly Gina sat up and said “Say what. Why won’t you come with me? Are you going to take the risk?” The sentence was so heavy and tempting that it broke Vinci’s concentration at the stars. He looked at Gina. He sat up and it took a moment for to look back at the stars. Gina waited in silence, Vinci in deep thought. “I can’t. I have to decline, you’re my friend right?” Disappointment was clear on Gina’s face. “Oh well. I believe that a real friend wouldn’t mind taking a relationship into a higher level”. She was not looking at the stars anymore nor at Vinci’s eyes, she just looked down at her knees. Vinci felt bad but it was the right decision for him. Just as how distant were stars, so was the distance of their possibility. “Sorry, I guess I have to decline. I do believe that too but you said you’re going to be my friend only for this night. So that means I would only be your lover for this night, too.” Gina managed a smile. “Ha. Smart ass. I guess you’re right. Let’s just pretend that this didn’t happen.”

Gina hit Vinci’s arm. “Aw” “You’re an asshole.” Vinci laughed. “And you’re not? You went inside my car, acted like it was yours, had me tell you what was my problem and now you lead me to this place just to tease me. You’re making fun of me, who’s the asshole now?” Vinci didn’t realize his tone changed. Gina slowly smiled at him .“I’m trying to be nice to you actually, now lie beside me okay? Lie down!” Vinci did as he was told. “Whatever you say.” He looked up at the sky and was surprised to see the number of stars and the bright moon. “Wow.” “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Vinci looked at Gina while she was speaking. “Whenever I have problems, I go here and just gaze at the stars.” “So you do have problems,” Vinci said, still admiring the stars. Gina looked at Vinci, their eyes met. They looked at each other as they have looked at the stars “Of course. I’m human too, you know?” Vinci felt like his eyes were being absorbed by Gina’s, so he broke their gaze. He avoided her eyes and concentrates on the stars instead. “Like what? You seem to be so carefree with things. What can a girl like you mind of ?” Gina too, stared at the stars again. “Well, work for one, and then of course there’s rent.”

Vinci laughed. “We can’t. Because it did. We can’t pretend that everything that happened tonight isn’t real. Just as how the stars are always there. Right?” “But you won’t take the risk just like when you were in college, it messed up your life.” Vinci looked down in deep thought. it took him a few long seconds before he looked at Gina again.“I’m sorry but it has to be a calculated risk. True, it was all nice, but I barely know you.” Gina just sat there and looked down at her knees . She bit her lower lip. “Right”. Vinci stood up and took a few steps forward. “Hey, I think we need to go. I still need to talk to my parents.” He waited for Gina’s reply. Gina stood up but she wasn’t her old , cheery self anymore. They walked towards Vinci’s car. Gina walked sulkily, looking at the dark plain grass under the moonlight and stars as she walked. When they were getting near Vinci’s car, Gina spoke up. “You go ahead. I guess I’ll stay here for a while.” Vinci who was a little ahead, stopped and looked back. “I won’t let you, it’s too dangerous, you know?” Gina forced a smile “I got my pepper spray, remember? Besides, the truth is after all that, I can’t really ride with you anymore.” Vinci thought deeply. Making considerations, feeling ashamed. He hurt the woman but he already made up his mind. “Goodbye, then.”

“Really? So you do have work.” Vinci said, amused. “Yes and you don’t. I’m not a hobo,” Gina turned to Vinci’s again, trying to meet his gaze once more but Vinci continued to avoid her eyes. “What do you do for a living?” asked Vinci, still concentrating at the stars, refusing the urge to look at Gina. Gina gave up, she decided to concentrate at the stars too .“I’m a musician. 17 HITCH MAGAZINE HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014 18 OCTOBER 2014

Vinci went inside his car and started the engine, but took him a while before he hit the gas. Vinci kept on looking at the rear window while he was driving away. He saw a small light of a car far behind him; Gina was still there on that spot waiting for another car to hitch. Vinci saw the car stop at Gina’s spot. The driver talked to Gina but before Vinci could know if Gina went inside, he already reached the stop light. It was on green, and so he drove forward. He looked back but he can’t see them anymore.

A E S T H E T I C

Poem Pill words by jeziel alulod photos by winnie mea marquez

“We need our Arts to teach us how to breathe” - rey bury, zen in the art of writing

e all have our own little bubble, for sure. You might have it in cooking, singing or writing. We all have that artistic side and we sometimes need that “me” time where we express ourselves through art. Everything is art. The way your hands write down that love letter you once wrote for the love of your life,or that origami you did for funis all part of knowing yourself—;your artistic alter-ego. Despite our busy schedules, we should know how important it is to take a break. Have you ever heard of Slam Poetry? Slam Poetry is far different from Page Poetry, if you might ask. The latter do strictly follow the rules of writing the traditional poem, but Slam Poetry is the free verse kind and is intended to be performed. It doesn’t have to rhyme at all, but could be done if you want to. The difference of Slam Poetry is that it is about the writer. More than entertainment, it could be about his feelings, his fears or his plans for the future. The words and the metaphors that don’t sound good to the ear but are also brilliantly structured, are all part of expression. For the reason that we all share the same feeling one way or another, it does pinpoint the exact feeling of the audience that’s why relating to the listeners will not be a problem at all.

The pieces they perform are a part of them and that is how it should always be. Poem, especially Slam, is something you don’t just write out of nowhere. It may just be a blank paper but it is where writers unleash their art. A break from work and from reality, Slam Poetry is therapeutic. Slac, a pseudonym by one of the pioneers of Words Anonymous and Speak Philippines, appreciate poems and treats Slam Poetry as her little bubble. “There are people who would tell you that poetry is not a therapy. That poetry is supposed to be for the audience. I don’t believe that. Because basically, if I’m the one writing that story or poem, that’s a part of me. So, it is therapeutic for me”, she ecstatically said during the interview. It surely wouldn’t matter what form of art it is, but what matters is the capacity of it to mold us to who we really are. When asked for an advice for those who wants to break out of their shells and pursue poetry or any form of art, she leaves us with this, “Just do it.”

“

There are people who would tell you that poetry is not a therapy. That poetry is supposed to be for the audience. I don’t believe that.

”

You might even want to try visiting Sev’s Cafe to breathe in new fresh air and listen to Slam Poetry. You won’t know until you try, right? You might find yourself appreciating it and have a daily dose of it. Poem pill all the way!

Do you sometimes have that strong desire to wander and just drift away from your hometown? From the people you know? From life in general? Does it seem that the place where you are right now is a place where you feel stationary? Are you longing for those lengthy rides, good soundtracks and the wind blowing to your hair? Well, let me take you on a little bit of detour from your everyday mundane and allow me to inspire you with these set of films I strongly recommend to encourage your soul to be bold and adventurous. Hop into that car and letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a ride, discover ourselves, meet new people, earn their respect and savor the goodness of life in every mile. Here are my top picks!

TRANSMERICA (2005) Journey to who you really are

ABOUT TIME (2013) No time machine needed A well-written sweet tale about a young time traveler— Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) who used his gift to make Mary (Rachel McAdams), the girl of his dreams, his destiny. The idea of travel behind this film is that it does not only take place in the spatial aspect but it also correlates to our temporal journey on this planet. The scarcity of time is our greatest opponent. But in Tim’s luck, his family secret allowed him to change his fate for the better. Time-travelling is presented in such a way that it will engage you to fully grasp the choices made by Tim. We witness his pitfalls and his triumphs. It is a subtle retelling of why choices should be made wisely. If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks’ works, you would definitely love this film as Rachel McAdams delivers a stellar performance together with Domhnall Gleeson. The most striking part of the film for me was when Tim started narrating the two part plan of his dad’s formula for happiness. “…get on by ordinary life, living day by day like anyone else.” “... live every day again almost exactly the same. The first time with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be, but the second time noticing it.” You have to see the film for yourself to experience the feeling of truth in those sentences. We are too enslaved by our daily tasks and struggle to move forward, but we are forgetting the “now”. We tend to focus on the future that we fail to enjoy the present.

This quirky 2005 comedy-drama film directed by Duncan Tucker will give you a hefty glimpse of the life of being a transgender woman. Bree Osbourne (Felicity Huffman) is in the stage of a metamorphosis. She was about to undergo vaginoplasty surgery in the coming week when she suddenly received a phone call from the New York reporting that her (his) son Toby (Kevin Zegers) from her former life as Stanley Shupak got jailed. The story unfolds by following Bree’s effort to connect to her son while maintaining her disguise as a Church missionary helping Stanley’s son. Toby aspired to breakout in the sunny state of California as a porn star. He accompanied Bree in a long road trip from east to west. Along the way meeting of her loony family and having romantic moments with men, they meet. The American landscape sparks a faint nostalgia of winding roads and laid back folks. It is a heartfelt movie where you can witness the compassion of a parent for their child through the stern distance of a stranger. It teaches us that despite a person’s difference, there lies the most human core of existence – compassion. Transamerica is one hell of a ride; it displays the sense of self-discovery as Bree learns how to love his unexpected 17-year old son Toby, which eventually completed her identity. Naive as teenagers can be — Toby is stubborn — but in reality he is just a damaged soul seeking refuge from the hardships he experienced at his tender age. He possess aspirations that gave him a direction in life.

A E S T H E T I C

HIGHWAY (2002) Road trip with adrenaline rush Probably one of the most salacious lines in this film is “Jack and Jilly went up the hilly.” I personally rate Highway as Strong Parental Guidance, because its profusely laced with heavy themes of sex, violence and drugs. The film stars 30 Seconds To Mars’ vocalist, Jared Leto as Jack Hayes and and Jake Gyllenhaal as Pilot Kelson. The plot centers on their escape from Las Vegas because Jack was caught having sex with Burt Miranda’s wife – an organized crime leader. The two best friends set their adventure heading to Seattle where Pilot will look for his old fling. Along the way they met Cassie and saved her from an assault. Jack and Pilot’s road trip definitely paved way to meet eccentric people like Desmond the Alligator Boy. There was an emotional battle on Cassie’s part when she learned that the Alligator Boy, who have been living in an aquarium, has the same age as hers. Staring in compassion and reflecting what it could’ve been if it was her. A scene you should definitely look out for is the crazy Jack who took Cassie’s advice, and went too far by chopping off the roof of their car to turn it into a convertible. Highway will teach you the meaning of friendship, acceptance of broken people and karma. Along the journey, we will meet people who will be pain in the ass but we’ll also meet people who will change us for the better.

I hope these film recommendations will inspire you take the greatest adventure of your life. Be brave and break boundaries. Along the way, you’ll be merry, you’ll be broke, but like the characters in these film, everyone will deserve a happy ending. And DON’T forget to bring someone with you, because it will be one amazing journey!

A E S T H E T I C

The Art of Traveling WORDS BY COLEEN MANALAYSAY

raveling does not really have to involve ships, planes, cars, or trains. For some, traveling can happen by the second they close their eyes, by the moment they lay sight on someone, when they remember a memory they thought was long gone, when they break their own hearts, or when they find someone to share the latter with. We are all traveling every day. Yes, we travel to work or school, and all that. But with each passing second, we are headed somewhere. May it be the day to our success, the day we meet someone special, the day of our death, or a point we never imagined to reach. In so many different ways, our lives are trips, and we are all travellers. This may go on a bit personal, but what is written ahead conmtains the latest trip I’ve been to, and probably one of the ones I’ll never be able to forget. He was 16, and I was 15 when we first met. It was not love at first sight, but the moment I realized I was falling, I knew that it was going to last. He went to a different school, and my parents didn’t want me to be in love yet that’s why we weren’t able to spend much time with each other. But every time we were able to, we made sure we had fun. He was my best friend, and he treated me with all the respect and care that I did not know someone could give. For a short period of time, I knew I was at the right place - beside him. But they say too much of a good thing cannot last. And it I proved that to be true when they had to move to London. As much as I wanted him to stay, there was nothing I could do. I was young, and there was nothing yet that I could prove except that I would wait for him to come back. He cried like a baby in front of me the day before their flight. And I too, cried. We promised to make our lives better while we were away, study well, get a good job, like what good sons and daughters would do. Even though we were already together before, that was the first day I said I loved him. And I could have said it over and over again because that was simply how I felt. I loved him with. With all honesty and sincerity. I proved again that distance will not matter between two people who are in love. And despite the time difference, we managed to communicate and keep track of each other. It was not easy. Every moment we talked to each other was precious. Months, days, two years had passed and that was our set up. But the time and distance seemed to have made us stronger. We were good for each other. The thought of him simply being there and living gave me strength and hope for the day he would come back. I was able to get a scholarship for college, and he was able to get into one of the top universities in London. It’s quite ironic how someone who’s not really there is actually the one who’s there for you. We were traveling to our futures together. And I knew we were headed somewhere beautiful. But his usual calls started to become quite rare. And every time we would talk, his voice seemed ill. It was on a Sunday morning that he broke the news to me that he is suffering from a kidney disease. He said he is going through medication and it wass a good thing that he was diagnosed at an early stage. But things were turning out different from how he told me things were. Bless his family for treating me like their own. They would thoughtfully update me of what was going on, until they said that he needed a kidney transplant. Now, this was something I had no power over. This was the time I desperately turned to God. Every time I would hear his voice over the line was a blessing. Every day that his heart was beating was a relief. I suffered in silence with what was happening. I thought of his promise to come back for me. He had to fulfill his promise. He simply had to. We talked the night before his operation, and I tried to be as positive as possible. It was good to hear his laugh, though frail. Every second of that phone call broke my heart. I could lose him and not be able to give a fight over it. He uttered “I know you’ll be the first thing on my mind when I wake up. I love you so much.” before we ended the call. Sometimes, the greatest gift you could give someone is simply giving them the desire to live. I prayed hard ‘til a phone call woke me up at three in the morning. I didn’t know I fell asleep. And then Hell came over me. I felt like I was hit by a bulldozer, thrown into flames, stabbed in the chest. He was gone. He didn’t make it. His mother was crying over the line, and I was there standing in the middle of my room, in schock. I felt tlike everything has fallen apart for me. I didn’t realize tears were falling from my eyes until my mother rushed into my room from hearing mey cry. I wasn’t able to say goodbye, or see him, or hold him for the very last time. He left, and I felt I died along with him. I knew these things happened in real life. I just didn’t know they would happen to me. To us. It’s been a year since he was gone. Thanks to my family and my friends, I’m slowly getting back on my feet. For three years, I had been in a joyride with him. I had not been to Boracay, California, Thailand nor London. But I have been in love, I have been with him, I have been with insanity, and now... I don’t know where I’m headed. I’ll just keep on walking and walking until I reach a place I know I’m destined to reach. Just like when I met him. In spite all of all the places I’ll be able to go to during the years left in my life, I know I’ll be headed to the same place where he is now. I don’t want to travel to the past and bring back all the pain, but I want him to be in my memory. He’ll be with me anywhere I go and he’ll always have a place in my heart whoever I meet. Going back to all those things that happened, I realized that going on no matter what, whatever you lose and whatever you gain is the true art of traveling.

22 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

{

1/2 ART + 1/2 TRAVEL

A E S T H E T I C

}

words by jeziel alulod. illustration by jessu erica bravante

“ All my bags are packed. I’m ready to go…“

am certain that we all know this famous line of the song Leaving on a Jet Plane, originally sung by Peter, Paul and Mary. Because nothing beats the sensation of filling up your bags with all the stuff you need for a long road trip or an out of town vacation you will have with your friends or family, traveling will always be a part of you. It wouldn’t matter how far you go, just as long as you got the love for adventure on your sleeves, then you are definitely ready to go, as the song says.

They say that life is a travel and that all we’ve been to will always be a part of our travel diary. But have you ever thought why do most of us love traveling? Knowing that it would cost so much time and money, why would anyone make a strenuous effort crossing the ocean just so he could see a mountain or eat in a fancy restaurant? The answer is easy, but often times forgotten as the real reason for traveling: SELF. Because traveling is not just finding an itinerary and a cosy place to stay, but is an adventure to find yourself on the way. Not because you lose yourself in the moment, but because you know that in one way or another, you will have a soul-searching experience when you travel.

If you are on the internet often, then you’ve probably come across a blog or an article about how traveling alone, even once in your life, will make you a better person. Not that you should snappishly say, “Hey. I don’t want to go out with you, guys. I got to travel alone”, but because you should know that traveling is a way you could express yourself. We have our different ways of expressing ourselves. We may do it through a painting, a song, a dance, or through nothing. But that would be depressing, so you might want to travel instead. One thing that travel bloggers and writers say is that traveling is good for the heart. Though definitely not like the Omega 3 of a tasty tuna, traveling will make you feel blessed and appreciate the little things you have never noticed before. Don’t get me wrong. Traveling with your family or friends is fun and exciting, but traveling alone is rejuvenating. Wherever you go and the things that interest you in the place are a great reflection of your personality. Letting yourself meet new individuals and tasting a new exotic dish will widen your knowledge and love for what you can do. You will have the freedom to walk a thousand mile just so you could see kids playing down the street. Breathing new fresh air while sitting alone, staring at the sunset will make you realize how travel and art can mix into one and form the essence of being you. God made us intelligent enough to make our own decisions, but responsible enough that we should know our limits. Expressing yourself is art and traveling is one way to be expressive. Therefore, life is a mixture of travel and art. Love yourself and what God has given you to enjoy.

25 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

WORDS BY BEA FAICOL PHOTO BY BENEDICT ODINA

OF SALTED THOUGHTS AND BLUED VISIONS

THE OCEAN’S PRELUDE With the past projects that I’ve done as a student, these projects gave me numerous opportunities to travel around Cavite and Manila. I’ve been able to set foot in Manila’s coffee shops and shopping districts and have tasted the different delicacies of Cavite – and of course, the beaches of Tagaytay and Batangas. Needless to say, I have my fair share of exposure to the different sights of the places, but nothing ever prepared me for Cavite’s own version of Boracay – not even the research I’ve done beforehand. First and foremost, I really planned this trip alone, but upon my friends hearing that I’ll travel alone and having experienced going to the beach themselves, they decided to accompany me on the trip. So, from originally having a solo trip, it turned out that I was going together with 8 more friends. (Hooray for great company! – and what eventually turned out to be the best company I could ever have wished for to be with!) The beach is famously known for being called Boracay De Cavite, and it is a cove located inside Gregorio Lim Marine Barracks in Ternate, Cavite. We rode in one of our friend’s car to go there and since we had with us people who have already went there, it wasn’t difficult to navigate our way through.

Given if no one has an idea which way to go, it is still advisable to ask around trustworthy people like guards or tricycle drivers. During the drive, we stopped over a couple of times to buy certain necessities like food and water so we wouldn’t have to struggle buying at the venue itself. We traveled for about 2 hours – no traffic, but we arrived at the marine base at around 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM. We passed by a bunch of monkeys on the road, which sort of scared me out because I know how monkeys can be aggressive, but it turned out that they were quite harmless. We were then asked to get out of the car and were politely asked to pass by where the CCTV cameras are – probably for security reasons. The drive down to the beach itself was quite long, but the surrounding and endless sight of greeneries were truly something beautiful – and that made the long ride going down more enjoyable. It’s important to note that there’s a policy that there should be no picture-taking allowed inside since it’s a marine base, but the restrictions are off once you arrive at the beach.

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shouldn’t be so anxious of what’s to A STRONG RUSH TO THE SENSES Finally setting foot on the parking lot, in front of the beach - I couldn’t believe what was in front of me… of what I was waiting to dissect further. Seeing it from a few steps back, I could see the blueness of the ocean. Of course, it wasn’t the kind of blue something the beaches of Miami or Palawan offers, but nonetheless it was blue and still very pleasing to the eyes. Also, I could smell the ocean - I find it funny how I never thought that oceans have a distinct smell, not until then. The smell wasn’t strong nor was it foul – its presence was there, just enough for me to notice it. In fact it was quite pleasant together with hearing the waves crashing about. Upon arriving at the beach itself, the vision of it all, wouldn’t let my mouth keep shut with words of amusement and awe. The shore was wide enough to accommodate a lot of people – but given that this trip wasn’t scheduled anywhere near the sunny months of March, April, or May and that the trip was on a weekday - there weren’t a lot of people. Maybe there were at least 2 or 3 more groups that were there that I quickly noticed were about to leave the place which meant that the beach was mostly free for my friends and I. The place where we stayed at was a little kubo or cottage which was just the right size for placing our stuff and for us to hang out and eat at. The place, and the entrance fee, were given to us as a treat by my friend. Also, we were welcomed by two of the owners who were very friendly and accommodating. The people in the place are not at all suspicious-looking, in fact, they are one of the friendliest people I’ve ever came across with throughout my traveling experiences. I hurriedly dropped off my bags, and ran towards the shoreline to check the temperature of the water. Given that the weather was a bit gloomy that day, it wasn’t cold at all that it would prevent the group to swim. As I went knee-deep in to the ocean, I quickly looked around to see if the water was clear. The water was not clear enough for you to see your feet while walking through it - I highly doubt that the non-stop crashing of waves was a big factor - but nonetheless, I actually found the water to be very clean since there were barely any bottles or wrappers floating about. When I remember going to beaches wherein the shoreline quite looked like a dump – surely, Boracay De Cavite’s shoreline and water was a lot cleaner. As I waddled my way back to the 28 HITCH MAGAZINE

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shore – clothes wet and all, I actually forgot to take notice of the sand since the beach was famously known to be Cavite’s version of Boracay, and that Boracay is known for its white sand. In comparison, Cavite’s version of the sand was darker, but given that, the sand was as clean as the rest of the beach. Also, stepping through the sand barefoot didn’t hurt at all, as the grains of sand were fine – so that definitely beats the expectation of having white sand, I mean… I don’t want my feet being itchy with all the contact I’ll be having with the sand, right? As we settled down and the others started to swim and play, my friend and I walked to the sari-sari stores to go and buy ice. There were about three sari-sari stores – and all of them didn’t have ice at hand, so that left us drinking iceless drinks. Feeling quite defeated as we went back, an interesting part that cheered me up was that there were numerous displays in that specific area. There were pieces of wood hung around, and painted on it were inspiring and humorous quotes –some of them were even tagos sa puso. When we arrived back to the cottage, I noticed that there was a huge stone wall at one end of the shore. It’s quite huge so it’s impossible to miss – and the beauty of the formation is also astounding. It’s a perfect background for taking pictures. We planned to go up there but unfortunately, due to the weather, it wasn’t exactly safe. But I did decide to walk through the smaller stones at the bottom of the stone wall – it was a bit slippery so it’s best to wear rubber footwear. It was a breathtaking moment to see the waves crashing on the rocks. It reminded me of the iconic Little Mermaid picture wherein Ariel is by the rocks and water splashes behind her. Besides that, not too far off is the El Fraile Island –the historical “concrete battleship”. I actually asked one of the people accommodating us if there was any possible way to get there that day – the people offered but then we realized it wasn’t also safe as it was momentarily raining and the waves were a bit strong. ADRENALINE X ADRENALINE Since we were able to buy food outside and also bring our own food – we didn’t have to cook or look for food at the venue. We prepared and ate our food the Filipino way: using our hands. The food was absolutely delicious – especially the Checo’s sisig, which we bought along the road trip, in Tanza. It’s really a musttry!

road trip, in Tanza. It’s really a musttry! And although we didn’t have ice, the drinks were surprisingly okay to drink since it was still a bit cold. Nonetheless, it’s better to buy ice before getting there, especially during the summer. After cleaning up, there had to be a pictorial. Any beach trip is incomplete without pictures – especially with a sight like Cavite’s own Boracay. It was fun taking group pictures, taking videos and just laughing the moments away. Especially with the rock formation as the background. But sooner or later, it began to rain and the waves were getting bigger, but that didn’t stop us from having fun (Trust me, I’m not really a person who enjoys swimming while it rains – but I do love rain, just not when I’m swimming in a pool or beach). My friends and I went a bit deeper in to the ocean that the water was reaching our necks already. Whenever a big wave came along, we jumped with it as it passed through us, which resulted to us floating with the wave. When the wave passed us by completely, we safely landed back on to our feet as the wave crashed to the shore (A friendly reminder that it’s not safe to do this near the shoreline, since the waves crash on that area). We did this for about 2 hours, but of course we all enjoyed it as we anticipated the big waves, but there were also times where the waves got bigger than the usual that it made it impossible for some of us to get through it, which resulted to a lot of us being washed up by the shore. It was dangerous, but since it was high tide, we were pretty much close to the shore even though the water was up to our necks already. THE FIGURE OF THE OCEAN “It’s a metaphor, see? You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don’t give it the power to do its killing” – one of the most popular quotes about metaphors, coming from John Green’s novel: The Fault In Our Stars. We’re no Hazels nor Augustus, but I really find it funny how the group, which we called Team Alat (Salty), found big and little metaphors in the moments we’ve spent in our trip to Boracay De Cavite – almost like a silver lining shining through the dim skies that day. or bigger waves at hand. Given those circumstances, we must never be afraid of what’s to come. The intervals of the waves – the inbetween moments of those struggles, serves as the resting point where you

come, but it’s really more of living in that now. It’s as if saying “Go... Enjoy and rest because you deserve it. But never look too far off from where your feet are planted”, because you see, that’s the thing with waves… the thing with the ups and downs of life– it’s always going to be there for as long as we swim the oceans. So we might as well enjoy those moments, to not be so wary of what will happen (Oh, the deep thoughts one fosters from braving the deep ocean…). NAMASTE Since it was getting late, and we certainly had enough of the waves, the sand, and all the saltiness - we started to pack up. There is an available comfort room. Unfortunately, the comfort room didn’t have any doors, and females and males didn’t have separate cubicles- so it’s best to be with someone else for lookout. If the line gets too long, there are public showers outside the comfort room to wash off the sand or take a quick shower. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any trashcan anywhere near the comfort room and that was a bit of an inconvenience on my part, since I really needed to throw something out. During the drive back, it rained quite hard and we received the news of classes getting cancelled the next day due to the typhoon. That news was some sort of a relief to me because all the swimming left us bone-tired and badly needing to rest. Given that there was a typhoon, it became quite difficult to drive up while it was pouring, but we still managed to do so (Thanks to our awesome driver, Ate Aya!).There were no shortage of fun moments of singing along, freestyle rapping, and the sharing of stories as we drove to Puregold Tanza’s Countryside to have dinner – and part ways after. During this amazing trip, I’ve also come to realize and notice how it has always been quite irritating to be surrounded by buildings and pollution everyday - never would I have imagined there is something beautiful, barely touched, and at the same time, quite near and accessible to where I usually stay. It came as a huge slap to my face for always having to overlook these kinds of places just because they aren’t as famous as Pico De Loro, Tali, and the like. So, why should one travel to Boracay De Cavite? It’s not only for the picturesque 50 Shades of Green and Blue, or for the The Metaphors In Our Ocean, but it’s truly worth going to for all the reasons there are to be – most especially for those who lusts to wander the untapped. Definitely, this trip to the beach is one for the books. No doubt that I’ll travel again to Boracay De Cavite anytime soon.

A FEAST ALONG THE RAIL words by angela luz ayson photos by peter anthony garcia and bernard peĂąaranda

millions of commuters take the mrt route everyday, but not everyone is familiar with the delicious treats that diners along the rail have to offer.

Tightly-packed crowds. Uncalled for standing ovation. An inevitable test on how well you can balance yourself on a moving platform. And of course, awkward face-toface with strangers and the combination of everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfume and musk. These are the usual things that a regular commuter of the Metro Rail Transit (more popularly known as the MRT) could probably attest to.

As unappetizing as the journey on riding one might sound, fear not because the route that MRT takes is actually laden with delightful finds of arts and restaurants alike that would surely reward your ride.

G L U T T O N

H SIP AND GOGH (NORTH AVENUE)

he first of its kind in the Philippines, Sip and Gogh is the first sip and paint studio to grace the country. Located in Capitol Hills, Quezon City, the studio is distanced from the usual hustle-bustle of Manila and boasts of a stunning view overlooking the city – a location truly conducive for relaxation. Inspired by a similar studio in the US, the idea was brought up on one rainy evening while a group of friends were enjoying their bottle of wine. Christopher Cruz, the studio’s operations manager and co-owner, recalls how it all started: “It was just like this; it was also raining when we came up with the idea for this business. We were having a drink with a friend and he told us that he experienced something similar in the US. We wanted to explore the same business here in the Philippines.” Sip and Gogh aims to offer wine and art appreciation to its customers simultaneously. Guests who enroll in the studio’s sessions will have the experience to paint and replicate an artwork of their choice while enjoying complimentary snacks and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) on the side. The studio’s namesake is also a tribute to one of the greatest painters of all time – Vincent Van Gogh. This is particularly evident with the display of the painter’s quotes in the walls of the studio alongside his renowned painting, “Starry Night”. This aside, the “Gogh” in their name is also a playful homophone on the studio’s novel activity – letting their guests paint “on the go” as they are allowed to finish their artwork in a short period of time and take it home afterwards. Sip and Gogh, however, is more intent on instilling a deeper appreciation for the art to Filipinos.

want to promote art “asWea form of relaxation”, Sip and Gogh welcomes all kinds of guests – from kids to families to adults and to couples. They have their own calendar uploaded on their official website which states the schedule of their sessions. Each session features a painting in which the guests enrolled therein are instructed to replicate. Among their notable sessions though is Date2Create, a session especially catered for couples where guests can bring their special someone with them to paint together. Couples may choose to create an artwork that forms one bigger painting but is created on two separate canvasses or to paint their date. They also have “Bring Your Own Bottle” sessions where guests can bring their own wine bottle and the studio only provides the art materials (this, of course, is only limited to guests aged 18 and above), and “Open” sessions for people who already have a background in painting. Sip and Gogh’s concept may only be new to the big world of the country’s themed food business, but this definitely does not prevent them from capturing the interest of Filipinos. In fact, their novelty is doing just the opposite. As the sample t-shirt design displayed in their counter says, “Wanna Gogh?”

Cruz says. “We want them to develop a liking for the art and find it as an alternative hobby, to have it as something new they could venture to.

”

Cruz emphasizes that Sip and Gogh is not limited to artists – people who have little to no background in painting at all are most encouraged to come. They have in-house artists who provide easy, step-by-step instructions to help people new to painting. “Most Filipinos say that their background in painting are limited to what they have only experienced in school. After that, it stops.” Cruz also adds that they want to break the stigma that Filipinos have in regards to art. “We’ve come to realize that Filipinos shy away from art in general because they think paintings are too expensive. This is what Sip and Gogh is here for. We cater to the Filipino population who can’t afford to buy paintings by giving them the chance to create paintings of their own.”

SIP AND GOGH IS LOCATED AT 1 CAPITOL HILLS DRIVE, QUEZON CITY. CALL (+632) 961 - 1248 OR (+63999) 887 – 6190)

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JIPAN CAFÉ & BAKESHOP (AYALA)

f you’re looking for an affordable yet relaxing dining place, Jipan Café and Bakeshop might be the right place for you. Located on the 2nd floor of Glorietta 4 in Makati, the restaurant is only an eight minute walk away from the Ayala Station, making it easy for hungry diners to reach the place. Jipan, as the name suggests itself, is a hybrid of a restaurant and a bakeshop in one – a rare combination on a first glance, but something that works out perfectly fine nonetheless. The said restaurant offers a range of both artisanal breads and the typical Japanese dishes such as ramen and sushi in their menu. Their sukiyaki, priced at P299, can simply be defined as feast in a bowl. Served in a hot pot on the table, this dish contains vermicelli, tofu, thinly sliced beef, poached egg, and thinly sliced cabbage. The broth of the noodles offers a rich and slightly sweet taste. The cuts of the beef are also done nicely which makes the meat absorb the flavour well. The serving of the said hot noodles is also good for sharing and can serve up to two (2) people.

JIPAN CAFÉ & BAKESHOP IS LOCATED AT 2NTD FLOOR, GLORIETTA 4, AYALA CENTER, MAKATI CITY. CALL (02) 728-9442

GENJI M (BUENDIA)

ho says buffet and affordable can’t be used in the same sentence? One restaurant in Makati totally breaks this stereotype. Located alongside Kalayaan Avenue, Genji M is a Japanese and Korean restaurant that has been recently gaining popularity for one of their offers: an eat-all-you-can sushi promo for only P200 from Mondays-Thursdays. The restaurant may look flashy and slightly intimidating from the outside, but Genji M’s interior boasts of a homely interior on the inside, a dining place that is conducive for relaxation especially after work. The red motif, the shobi-like patterns on the doors, and the sakura tree décor makes the aesthetic of the restaurant truly reminiscent of the cuisines it offers. Once inside, it would be easy to spot their popular sushi buffet located on the far-end left in the dining area of the restaurant. The said buffet is composed of several variants of sushi and maki, chapchae, mixed vegetables, salad, and miso soup. One is free to eat to his heart’s content until he thinks he already had his fill – just make sure to leave no room for leftovers. If you’re looking for a place to pig out at for an affordable price, Genji M is definitely the place to be at.

GENJI M IS LOCATED AT KALAYAAN AVE. COR MAKATI AVE., MAKATI. CALL (02) 804-2883

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MCLAREN’S PUB (SAN JUAN)

words by janelle bie photos by bernard peñaranda

how i met your mother have captured the hearts of many filipinos and being able to be in a place that looks and feels so much like mclaren’s pub would give so much eerie feeling for them. but wait, there’s more! mclaren’s pub isn’t just for himym fans, but also for foodies and explorers out there craving for something new.

I f you’re a big fan of the hit American series How I Met Your Mother, you probably know the place where Ted, Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily usually hang out - the McLaren’s Pub. A little introduction for those who haven’t watched the series yet: How I Met Your Mother (popularly known as HIMYM), is a story about Ted Mosby telling his children about how he met their mother along with the twists and turn of events that he and his friends, Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily, have been through. The series lasted for 9 seasons. One essential part of the whole series is the place where the gang hangs out. Many scenes of the series were set in McLaren’s, a small bar below the apartment of some of the main characters. Because of the huge rave of HIMYM in the Philippines, the owners of the bar, who prefer to be called Barney Stinson Inc., decided to put up a pub inspired by the series. Yes HIMYM fans, there is a McLaren’s pub in the Philippines!

McLaren’s Pub offers a wide variety of pub favorites including their signature rib eye steak for the main dish, their mouthwatering chicken poppers (which also comes in different flavors) for their appetizer, and a lot of other various dishes to go along with your favorite drinks and alcoholic beverages. Their menu, however, is not limited to those dishes that were mentioned and is in fact still expanding. For over a year since the pub has been established, all they have heard are good feedback from their customers saying that they offer good food and good service. From the unique design of the place up to their menu, one can truly feel the HIMYM vibe while dining. So better grab your gang, take your own booth, dine, and experience what it is like to be Ted, Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily and have a legen-wait for it-dary time only at McLaren’s Pub.

MCLAREN’S PUB IS LOCATED AT 2F 220-B WILSON ST. GREENHILLS, SAN JUAN CITY. THEY ARE OPEN FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY STARTING FROM 6PM-1AM.

G L U T T O N

Sev’s Cafe:

Good For the Heart and the Soul words by beatrice victoria faicol photos by winnie mea marquez

Stop stressing over your diet that costs you more than your electricity bill. Stop stressing over the ways in which you cannot freely and creatively express yourself. It doesn’t always have to be that way. I’ve been to Sev’s Café for two times already, which is fortunate for me, since both experiences were equally remarkable and very inspiring. During the first time I went there, the place was easy to locate because of the big sign it has by the entrance gate. As I went further down the ramp, and opened the door, I instantly felt the love with seeing Sev’s Café for the first time. The place is quite big from the inside, the ambience – welcoming and warm, and the place has a very creative interiors. Sev’s Café is owned by the power couple: Atty. lawyer, IpatLuna Severino and investigative journalist, Howie Severino. As seen in their logo, it says: Sev’s Café – Food and Ideas, explained to be as a café for locavores and for those who have a thing for art. This is the perfect place to express one’s creativity, since they hold a lot of events for people to perform – some of these are: Open Mic Nights, Slam Poetry, Songwriter’s Nights, Comedy Open Mic Nights, and Craft Nights. The stage is quite big and there are also instruments available for people who want to use them. During the two times I’ve went there – two of them were mostly about Slam Poetry. Performances by people from Words Anonymous were needless to say - inspiring, and anyone who wanted to perform (sing, dance, read, - anything), were free to do so. I was pushed to perform by some of my friends two times. A heads-up for the first timers – you will be called a virgin, but don’t worry since it’s just for fun. There are were also paintings and photographs hung around the place which were are submitted by artists to Sev’s. I believe that some of the recent artworks are submitted during the Crafts Night. As an art geek and a frustrated photographer myself, I couldn’t help but be amazed by everything. The food served there was nothing short of being delicious and satisfying - down to the last cent I spent. To be honest, I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did, since my taste with food is different. But what’s great about Sev’s is that it has affordable prices for healthy and mindful eating, as compared to other restaurants.

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The menu consists of Asian Fusion meals, Breakfast meals, Filipino meals, pizza, sandwiches, and seafood. They also serve coffee, drinks (beer, etc.), and dessert! My friends and I had a hard time picking what to eat. I think we took at least an hour with deciding, but at the end, we tried out their Sizzling Lengua, Sizzling Tofu, Pili Pesto, and Coffee Crumble Carabao’s Milk Ice Cream – and needless to say, we weren’t at all disappointed by it. My favorite was the sizzling lengua and their coffee crumble ice cream. Other must-tries are: putanesca pizza, bistek pizza, and Sev’s own version of a clubhouse sandwich! But personally, the bipstek pizza tops my list. I can’t explain the feeling of trying out the bBipstek pizza when I first went there (with a drizzle of sSriracha sauce on it) – it really did make me crave for it for at least 2 weeks or more. Another heads-up, Sir Howie Severino comes to the café from time to time and watches the performances of people during events. Actually, I was lucky enough to have met him twice – both instances that I went to Sev’s. Given that, I didn’t let the opportunity pass by, so I took pictures and had a short but friendly conversation with him. Sev’s Café is really the best place for those who are mindful of what they eat and their money – and those who are mindful of their expression through art. Truly, there’s no reason why anyone should not give this place a try. Sev’s Café is located at Basement, Legaspi Towers 300, Roxas Boulevard Cor. P. Ocampo, 1004 Malate, Manila. Service Hours are: Monday-Friday 7:00AM-9:00PM and Saturday 12:00PM-12:00AM. Contact numbers them at 63(2)2392327 and 09228124510, or email them at sevscafe@gmail.com

A TASTE OF ASIA Indulge in an oriental gastronomic experience as we present to you places that serve authentic cuisine - right here in the melting pot of Asia.

G L U T T O N

Buddha in Laguna WORDS AND PHOTOS BY JEZIEL MARIE ALULOD

soft music. soothing ambiance. candle lit dinner. these are the usual ways of spending your hours at a fancy restaurant with friends or loved ones. but let us go southbound, forget the usual and visit some place witty. just two hours from the heart of manila is a floating restaurant in calauan, laguna.

yourself experience a different kind of zen in “ Let this Thai-inspired restaurant and theme park, the probably closest thing to nirvana in Laguna. “

ISDAAN FLOATING RESTO - FUN PARK Is owned by the Ongpaucos who also manage Barrio Fiesta which we know for their Filipino food. Just few meters after passing through Bay, Laguna, you might want to peek at the right side of your window. You will surely not miss their place because of their huge mermaid statue in front. Entering their vicinity, greeting you with big smiles are statues of some of our former presidents: Joseph Estrada and Corazon “Cory” Aquino. You will also feel safe with their security guards, even if they are just made of stones, around the restaurant. The feel of the floating diner will surely entertain not just teenagers and adults but also customers from the younger generation. The delight of walking down their bamboo stick-made alleyway with fishes underneath is one of the attractions this restaurant has and is basically the reason why they are called Isdaan. The Isdaan Floating Resto - Fun Park is a branch from the original one in Gerona, Tarlac. Though a branch, he feel of the floating restaurant would make you feel as if you have just been transported to Thailand. The little Buddha, the mermaids of different sizes, and even the arrangement of the nipa huts will surely catch your interest.

FOOD After breathing in the fullness of the place, you will find yourself picking a nipa hut for your colleagues, relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Now, as you are all settled down, let us get down to the real thing, the food. Isdaan, like Barrio Fiesta, would let you enjoy authentic Filipino cuisine that everyone will surely appreciate because of their big servings. Their best sellers are crispy pata, kare-kare, and their seafood. Their menu price starts at P300 for their food and at P150-300 for their drinks. If you will come with your family or friends, I would greatly recommend their Mama Chit’s Bilao. It would cost you around P698, but for a big serving, why not? It has prawns, crabs, fish, lumpia, liempo, chicken, and sauces. They also have a different way to serve the rice —it is in a cute little rice pot that can be shared with four people.

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feel of the floating restaurant would “The make you feel as if you have just been

transported to Thailand. The little Buddha, the mermaids of different sizes, and even the arrangement of the nipa huts will surely catch your interest.

“

AMENITIES Not bad so far? Well, there are also performances that will entertain the customers at around six in the evening. Uplifting the Filipino dances through various performances will definitely turn your heads and make you watch the performers for a while. There are also small performances in individual nipa huts especially made for the customers who ordered certain meals on the menu. Filling your tummy with good meals and good laughs will be the best thing you can experience in a restaurant. After eating and filling up your tummy, you might want to roam around and enjoy the vicinity. Another thing that will attract you to this place is the Tacsiyapo Wall. This is an area where you can throw things from the smallest like teacups to the largest like TV for a fee. You could throw that to a wall and shout, “Tacsiyapo!”. Tacsiyapo is a Kapampangan curse word or term used when you are frustrated or irritated. You could also catch fresh fish from their pond and take pictures with different cartoon characters and animals. It will surely bring you a great pleasure to visit a nice place like Isdaan Floating Resto - Fun Park. At the end of the day, it is not how much money you spent or the tip you left for the waiter, but the experience you get from going out of the usual and trying something new. One thing that I could advise, as I also travel with my family often, is that when you are traveling, you should never expect to see the best or the first-class. I guess that is why traveling is exciting, because you will always be up for the memories it would bring you.

“WHEREVER YOU GO BECOMES A PART OF YOU SOMEHOW.” -ANITA DESAI, INDIAN NOVELIST

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LITTLE

TOKYO WORDS BY ANGELA LUZ AYSON PHOTOS BY CELENE VILLON

feast your eyes with the scenery as if you were in the real land of the morning sun. better yet, immerse yourself in the japanese gourmet all-over the place. you don’t need an airplane ride for this, it’s just in the heart of makati, our very own place. If you’re someone whose craving for Japanese food seems perpetual, fear not because you can already have your fill right in the heart of Makati. The place to be at is Little Tokyo, a small compound located in Pasong Tamo, Makati that houses several authentic Japanese restaurants. It is hard to miss this place when it is guarded by the distinctive tori, marking the transition from the profane to the sacred world of oriental cuisine. Once you enter past the gate, it is easy to get lost for a moment and forget that you are still in Makati, the only reminders would be the constant humming of the vehicles nearby and the skyscrapers visible near the sky

The compound, reminiscent of Edo architecture, would make you feel like you have just been transported to Kyoto – Japanese lanterns light up the path, pagoda roofs cover the structures, and bonsai trees decorate the pathway. With Little Tokyo’s wide range of quaint authentic Japanese restaurants, you would find yourself lost in the sea of flavors as you quench your gastronomic needs, making it the perfect time for you to say, “Itadakimasu!

G L U T T O N

Kagura,

Your food adventure would not be com-

which translates to “place of the gods”, live true to their name as they prove to be Little Tokyo’s god of okonomiyaki. It is hard to miss this place when a poster of a savory-looking okonomiyaki is pasted right on their window, fully acknowledging their established reputation. Kagura offers several variants okonomiyaki, among which is the modern tama or okonomiyaki layered with noodles. The said okonomiyaki are also served hot and fresh off the pan situated no more than a meter away from the counter, so customers can be guaranteed of the freshness of their dish. Drizzled with mayonnaise, okonomi, and aonori or green seaweed powder, the okonomiyaki provide an amazing feast for one’s taste buds as its flavors burst upon the first bite. The tangy sweetness of the okonomi sauce complements the saltiness of the aonori very well. The mayonnaise, even though it was also quite tangy while slightly sweet and sour at the same time, highlights the other flavors present in the dish. The pancake itself is firm yet soft, and the inclusion of the chicken bits and noodles add well to this texture. The serving is also good for sharing; for only P260, the dish could already serve up to three (3) people. Kagura’s interior would provide delight for Japanese baseball fans as the owner himself seems to be a dedicated Hanshin Tigers enthusiast. Merchandise of the said Japanese baseball team adorn the entire place; from the counter to the windows of the restaurant, the Hanshin Tigers mascot can be found. Kagura also has a traditional, Japanese-style dining table in which you can sit around on tatami mats. If you only plan on eating okonomiyaki though, they would most likely give you the seat by the counter where you can also watch your okonomiyaki being cooked. > > > > > > >

plete if you don’t try Hana. Located beside Kagura, this restaurant is easy to spot with its flower-shaped Christmas lights décor lighting up the place. Kagura is known for their takoyaki, as pronounced by the takoyaki grill situated outside their place which is incessantly kept busy as they strictly serve their orders fresh off the grill. Hana has a considerably larger dining space compared to Kagura, but still pales in comparison to that of the usual restaurant. At the far end corner of the room is a Japanese-style dining space which could also serve as a private dining room, with the presence of the shoji or the Japanese room divider and a TV set in the said space. Hana’s version of the famous shoyu ramen is moderate and pleasant in taste, and the serving is also relatively average. Their takoyaki though is exceptional and explains very well why it is their specialty. Topped with mayonnaise, takoyaki sauce, and tenkasu or tempura scraps, Hana’s takoyaki offers a nice texture that melts the flavors in one’s mouth. The minced octopus meat or tako is prominent, despite having mixed with the different flavors of its toppings. The takoyaki sauce, in a similar light with the okonomi sauce, also provides a tangy sweet flavor that complements the tako itself. For only P120, we had six pieces of takoyaki. This can already be considered as a cheat price for each takoyaki ball is quite big and could easily fill up one’s stomach. Eating Hana’s takoyaki will make you appreciate the true pleasure of having authentic Japanese cuisine; no doubt about this. > > > > > >

Situated right in the heart of Little Tokyo is Oishinbo, which literally translates to “gourmet”. It is hard to miss this place when the size of their menu is proportionate to the variety of dishes their restaurant offers. It was no more than 10 seconds when my eyes zeroed in on my personal favorite from their menu: coffee jelly.

Dining at Little Tokyo was truly an experience I would forever consider as an achievement in my short, gastronomic adventure. It is only a proof that one needs not to spend a fortune buying a plane ticket to Japan if you’re considering having a taste of authentic Japanese food. The restaurants, despite having a cramped interior, perfectly captures the feeling of authentic Japanese night dining. With TV sets and manga-filled bookshelves present in most of the restaurants, Little Tokyo also provides a glimpse on the lifestyle of the Japanese, which can also be reflected on the way they dine. Indeed, one can heartily utter the words “Gochisousama deshita! (Thank you for the food!)” after finishing their meal at this place.

40 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

{ { After a long day of wandering around the city, your travel will never be complete without indulging into luscious flavors the city has to offer. Ever tried food crawl? Food Crawl is an investigation or sample tasting o fa dish, specialties a restaurant has to offer or a specific meal on the menu from a walking distance. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nowhere else better to start on your food crawl adventure than on Manila Chinatown. Manila Chinatown was established in 1954 and is the oldest Chinatown in the world. During the Spanish era, Chinatown was where the mixed-race and Chinese descendants reside and up to present, Chinatown has been home for the Chinese community, occupying establishments and businesses. Their culture and traditions were preserved and are prevalent until now, most especially their food which has been passed on from generation to generation; making Manila Chinatown famous for its authentic yet affordable Chinese cuisine.

A L I AN

A TASTE OF CH

INA

So, before you finally start your own food crawl adventure, Hitch gives you the list of the top food crawl destinations in Manila Chinatown.

WORDS BY CHARM CALIXTRO & AYA PORNEL PHOTO BY AYA PORNEL

1ST FOOD CRAWL DESTINATION: LAN ZHOU LA MIEN The first stop is Lan Zhou La Mien, a family business which has been existing for 10 years and counting. The restaurant serves authentic cuisine which originates from the province of Shanghai. Lan Zhou La Mien’s name is a Chinese word combined together; “Lan Zhou”, which means city, and “La Mien”, which means “noodles”. The restaurant is simple, colorful,and air-conditioned. The crew are accommodating and they provide excellent service to their customers. The food are cooked immediately after the order has been made so the freshness is guaranteed.

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Lan Zhou La Mien served us squash hopia, chicken salami and steamed dumplings. squash hopia is an innovation of the typical hopia served only at Lan Zhou La Mien. It is sweet, tasty and crispy; you will not even know it’s made of squash. The steamed dumplings are moist and soft, stuffed with steamed sweet and tangy vegetables that will satisfy your craving for dumplings. Squash hopia and Steamed dumplings are two healthy food choices for the figure-conscious foodies. The chicken salami, on the other hand, comes in a huge-serving, combined with crisp and fresh vegetables, tender chicken strips and equal-sized firm noodles. Lan Zhou La Mien will surely satisfy your cravings for Chinese Food. Budget per person starts at 150. Lan Zhou La Mien is located at 818 Benavidez St. Binondo, Manila. Contact 244-5365 2ND FOOD CRAWL DESTINATION:MEISUM TEA HOUSE One of the must-try restaurants in Manila is the Meisum Tea house. Meisum started way back in 1987 with the name Maxim’s Teahouse. For 35 years, this restaurant has been tried and tested when it comes to its authentic Chinese and seafood cuisine. The place is air-conditioned, comfortable and the lighting is dim, just enough for your comfortable food expedition. Meisum TeaHouse’s specialty is the hacao and chicken feet. Hacao is a shrimp dumpling. The shrimp is sweet and crisp so you know it’s fresh; the dumpling sheet is perfectly steamed because it’s fluffy and moist. The chicken feet are very flavorful. With the enticing smell of the chicken feet served fresh, you already know how delicious it is even before you take a bite. It is not too sweet; it just has enough saltiness and it is also very savory. You can treat yourself with these authentic dishes and more for an affordable price. Budget per person starts at 150. Meisum Tea House is located at Ongpin St. Sta. Cruz,Manila. Contact 02-7336495 3RD FOOD CRAWL DESTINATION: RA-MIEN PLACE Your travel will never be complete without tasting Chinatown’s mouthwatering noodles. So for the best noodles in town, stop by and take a sip of hot and appetizing noodles at Ra-Mien Place. Established on April 3, 2014, Ra-Mien has been continuously attracting foodies in the metro with their special Japanese and Chinese cuisine, the inspiration for its name Ramen and La-Mien which means noodles.

One of Ra-Mien’s delicious specialties is the braised beef dry, a hand-pulled noodle freshly made right before your eyes. It has a luscious smell; combined with huge tender beef chunks and crisp green Chinese lettuce, its soup is so flavorful that you won’t get enough of it. If you’re looking for the best noodles, check out Ra-Mien’s Place. Budget per person starts at 150. Ra-Mien Place is located at 821 Ongpin St. Sta. Cruz, Manila. Contact 622-4935 4TH FOOD CRAWL DESTINATION: TASTY WOK TEA HOUSE AND CATERING Tasty Wok’s name came from the wok or the Chinese metal pan they use for cooking. Tasty Wok Tea House and Catering offers various Chinese dishes like SzeChuan, Cantonese and Fookien. The restaurant ambiance is peaceful; it is fully air-conditioned and the interiors are colorful and elegant, which makes it a very cozy place to dine at. We recommend the spicy crispy chicken for those who are trying to excite their taste buds; this dish is ultimately palatable. The chicken meat is tender and juicy on the inside, covered in crunchy, sweet and spicy breading. This chicken needs no sauce at all because of its pungent sweetness and spice. Every bite will make you want to ask for more. They have a variety of Chinese food and just looking at their menu will already tickle your taste buds. You can choose from over 50 and more dishes. You’ll find yourself totally indulging in this Chinese gastronomic experience. Budget per person is 200. Tasty Wok is located at 863 Benavidez St. Binondo, Manila. Contact 241- 4046 ALONG THE STREETS YOU’LL SEE: If you are on a budget and you want delicious but affordable Chinese dishes, exploring the streets of Chinatown will give you varieties of Chinese food at its lowest prices. Like the tasty Shanghai fried siopao. It has an appetizing smell and very flavorful filling covered in a moist and soft bun. Chinatown’s streets are also decorated with fruits. Although a little pricey in comparison to other street food, the fruits are fresh and huge which assures you the value for your money. Another best destination for snacks and pasalubong treats is Eng Bee Tin which offers mooncakes, fruitckes, hopia and a wide variety of snacks to choose from. Tips : 1. Do not show off and keep your valuables. 2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for convenience. 3. Bring extra money and clothes. 4. Bring your own bottled water. It will help you save money to buy more food. 5. Walk instead of riding a pedicab. It gives you a wider discovery.

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G L U T T O N

5 PLACES TO HAVE YOUR COFFEE IN THE CITY HITCH gives coffee lovers a hunch on where they can have their best cup’a coffee experience in the Metro.

words by jeseree patalud photos by pierre garcia It’s a fact that there are a lot of great brands of coffee taking over different cities. Sometimes with two, three or four branches of the same coffee shop located along the same street offering the same old hot latte or espresso which makes you feel awry about it. The thing is, as time passed by, youngsters of our age learned to love that bittersweet taste in a cup (which we used to hate) but we now have the reality that it gives us genuine comfort like no other drink can offer. In a country where 3-in-1 budget friendly coffee sachets abound, it was unexpected that most of this generation is one of the purveyors of specialty coffee. The relaxing ambience to chill out, to read a good book, to have a nice chat with a friend or to do your school work while you’re in a long break could really entice you to try coffee shops for yourself.

THING IS, AS TIME PASSED BY, YOUNGSTERS OF OUR “THE AGE LEARNED TO LOVE THAT BITTERSWEET TASTE IN A

CUP (WHICH WE USED TO HATE) BUT WE NOW HAVE THE REALITY THAT IT GIVES US GENUINE COMFORT LIKE. NO OTHER DRINK CAN OFFER.

”

HOLLY’S COFFEE One Archer’s Place, Vito Cruz, Manila Open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (weekdays); 11 a.m. 10 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays) Holly’s Coffee is a Korean coffee shop that will make you remember about the Koreanovela Coffee Prince or Rooftop Prince, The Micky Yoo Chun effect. It was said that Holly’s Coffee in the Philippines hit jackpot when they set up camp beside De La Salle University in One Archer’s Place, Taft Avenue. They boast of a modern romantic space, with cozy cushioned chairs and tables. They offer the usual coffee options such as caffe americano, cappuccino, and many others, whether iced or served hot. They also offer a few Korean-inspired drinks, such as the yuza tea and the sweet potato hollyccino. Holly’s Coffee is one of the places where you can bring your Korean friends or your friends who would like to experience a Korean-American vibe. Come here for: Yuza Tea (P130) Korean inspired coffee (P135-180) Coin Purse Alert level: Medium

Caffeine junkies like me are the frustrated ones in looking for a nice coffee shop. We do not only to consider the taste of their pastry, the free espresso shots or the friendly barista, but we also consider the ambience that lets you bask in a relaxing, work-friendly vibe and the homey interior that awards you the luxury of productivity and being able to order that 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee with your laptop while working in peace. HITCH magazine lists the top 5 best coffee places to meet with your girls in the city. NORITER 2nd Floor Reyes Bldg., Estrada St. cor. Taft Ave., Malate, Manila Open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (weekdays); 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturdays), closed on Sundays A trip to Noriter before lunch might help you snag the coveted low tables where you can stretch your legs and lounge while sipping on your latte. Noriter Café’s casual interior hark back to cool Korean coffee shops with its kitschy-quaint appeal: plush toys, customers’ photos and doodled paper cups are displayed around the café. Colorful chairs are mixed with low tables where you can enjoy your cup of joe while sitting comfortably on the wooden floor. Come here for: Artsy Korean vibe, Café Latte (P90) Coin Purse Alert level: Medium

43 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

G L U T T O N

SEATTLE'S BEST Dela Rosa St. cor. Gil & Palanca Sts., Legaspi Village, Makati City Open from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. (weekdays); 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays) To me, Seattle’s Best Dela Rosa branch is one of the best places to awaken your spirits as they have a youthful and colorful vibe as if you are in one of the best coffee places in Seattle. Inspired by the secondhand peanut roaster, SBC started roasting Arabica coffee at the Wet Whisker on Seattle’s Pier 70. The crisp of the coffee — bold and fullflavored but also smooth and mellow — the reason why you’ll come back and get crazy on how they make their iced blended frappes. Come here for: American Cafe (P130) and Signature Javakula (P115-180) Coin Purse Alert level: Medium-High

COMMUNE CAFE Liberty Plaza, 102 H.V. Dela Costa Street Salcedo Village, Makati City Open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (weekdays); 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays) Commune Cafe is the perfect place to chill on a rainy day—the space is really classy as if you are on a movie. Girls will feel the Sex in the City chit-chats as if you are Carrie Bradshaw. It is also definitely the coffee shop where you would want to take your girlfriend to right after dinner, to chill and talk about the weather or about your different views beside the window. Commune Café has signature surprise brews, making your latte extra special, which makes them popular and unique. With classy wooden tables, low lights and books you can thumb through, it is indeed a very long walk in the city where you can catch and see nice bright lights. Coin Purse Alert level: Medium

YARDSTICK 106 Esteban Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City Open from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. (weekdays); 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays) The New Yorker University student will really appreciate the artsy and minimalist vibe of the Yardstick coffee hidden at a quiet street in Legaspi Village, Makati. Yardstick is visited by high-profile coffee lovers from handcrafted to customized or personalized drinks of your choice. Tasting sessions and coffee classes are their thing and they are too great to be ignored by various media personalities. Bloggers also grab this opportunity to take nice shots to post in their blogs. Setting aside the coffee being minimalist as well, this coffee place will suit the New Yorker student in you. Come here for: The Daily Blend: Cold Brew Coffee (P170/ glass) Eggs Benedict inspired pastry (P250) Coin Purse Alert level: High

44 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

46 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

R H A P S O D Y

I have always been into music. Maybe because my parents are frustrated singers and they always do this karaoke thing whenever they can. Music has always been a common interest in our family, even when my father had to leave the Philippines to work abroad; he still managed to send us cassette tapes with him singing together with a minus one. My mother bought a piano organ for me to play and my father sent us a media player, so I could practice singing. I grew up in a family that values music more than prayers and books. Basically, that is why they pushed me to be a singer and compete when I was a kid. Unfortunately, music doesn’t love me the way I do, but I still sing more than I pray; I still sing more than I read, eat and maybe blink. I sing all the time and I still bang my head whenever I feel frisson. I still explore new songs and bands that make me browse Youtube for new stuff or ask my block mates if I can copy their playlists. I’m not really picky when it comes to music and the songs I usually listen to ranges from this-song’s-great-everybody-canrelate-to-it to this-one’s-weird-please-don’t-judge-me. I pretty much listen to all sorts of music; may it be oldies, new, techno, scream or just plain weird. But in spite of being a music lover, I would say that I’m one of those who forget to appreciate what my fellow Filipinos have – talent. I have always thought that we’re not competent enough in terms of music, but I was given the chance to redeem my faith in the Filipino music scene when I went to Intramuros Rising last August 2, 2014 at the Baluarte Plan Luneta de Sta. Isabel, Intramuros. It was an event that featured the Walled City’s finest home-grown artists; an event organized by Ilvstrados, a group of Intramurosbased artists/musicians which consists mostly of alumni and members of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila’s pioneer music organization, Circulo Musikero and is headed by Ilvstrados’ Supremo, Jeremy Lopez. Intramuros Rising, according to Lopez, was an idea that emerged from an inuman and was supposed to be a bar gig, but they thought of putting the indie feels in a mainstream venue. It came to life with the help of the Intramuros Administration, Carlos Celdran and VivaManila, Lyric, MMDA, ndfy.me, WhenInManila and National Commission for Cuture and the Arts. The line-up of performances was kicked off by a soloist, RJ Ilano followed by Cedula that blew everyone with their music influenced by society, government, heroes and the Philippines itself. Ang Bandang PAT owned the stage with their instrumental rock performance that would make you feel like one of the characters in an action film. The crowd can’t get enough and constantly asked for more but unfortunately, their set has to end. Soil and Green came up on stage and rocked everyone’s butt out with their Incubus-like music. They have been dubbed as Incubus Manila by many because of the resemblance of their music to the said foreign band. Who would forget Head Playback and their head banging and buwis buhay set? Audio Drive Thru performed the next set and gave out stickers of their band as remembrance. Gnarlydork and Women’s Business Hip hop made the audience dance their feet to the beat. Mellow Submarine, a soul reggae hip-hop fusion band came all the way from Puerto Galera to promote reggae music and of course, Original Pilipino Music or OPM. Another reggae band went up on stage to make a connection with the audience, Engkanto. Their performance was really interactive which made the audience sing along to their simple yet enigmatic songs. The event also featured the 2014 Yahoo Emerging Artist Nominee, Brisom. The next set was performed by Leo and the Tolstoys, an experimental band from Manila followed by Saving the Dying Hope, a melodic hardcore band that created a mosh pit through their songs. For the finale, Intramuros Rising featured 2013 Jack Daniel’s Chosen 1 band Mr. Bones and the Boneyard Circus that made the event more unforgettable by letting the audience come on stage. The event of course wouldn’t be complete without the performances of spoken word poets Michelle Manese, Zuela Herrera, Abby Orbeta, Louise Meets, Cheryl Salvador and Slac Cayamanda of Words Anonymous.The event surely was a blast! The audience certainly enjoyed the event even if it’s raining cats and dogs. A lot of music enthusiasts stayed until 3 o’clock in the morning just to finish the whole experience. I believe that the event was effective in showing our fellow Filipinos that OPM isn’t dead and it’s rising. Intramuros Rising is just an avenue for Filipinos to realize that the local music scene never died, it just got better, bolder, smarter, and more diverse; and Ilvstrados exist to prove that. I’m more than lucky to witness that myself. Being a music enthusiast who listens to all sorts of music, it’s a pleasure for me to discover more of what Filipino musicians can offer. It would also be a pleasure for me to promote the second wave of Intramuros Rising. Ilvstrados are now accepting applications for #IntramurosRising2. Together, let us support OPM!

WORDS BY COLEEN MANALAYSAY

R H A P S O D Y

IN A PERFECT WORLD - KODALINE Formerly known as 21 Demands, Kodaline is an Irish band playing indie rock, alternative rock, and folk-rock. Their music seems to put you on a trance which is perfect if you like to relax your mind while on the road. Similarly, they also have tracks accompanied by tambourines, rhythmic guitars, and harmonicas that will make you feel uplifted and on the go. Their latest album In a Perfect World is a flawless mix of their songs that engages your mind (and your heart) to the harmony. Set their music as your alarm tone and have less of those bad mornings.

IN A PERFECT WORLD - KODALINE Want something fresh? Try Haim. Their music is a mix of RnB, 70’s soft rock, folk-rock, nu-folk, Destiny’s Child and awesomeness. Haim’s members are sisters Alana, Este, and Danielle from California. The sister’s laidback style and effortless get ups makes it seem like coolness is simply in their genes. The album says it all. Haim’s unique splice of music and style makes them all the more intriguing and appealing. Their single “The Wire” is a must-have in your travel playlist. Ride your car, listen to Haim, and step out feeling cool.

IN THE LONELY HOUR - SAM SMITH Sam Smith’s soulful yet husky voice will surely soothe your mood while traveling. His soft and slow beats fit rainy evenings on your way home. The songs in his album will surely take you on a feel trip as he describes them as “all about unrequited love”. If you opt to relax from a long day, better turn on your players and put on Sam Smith. His single “Money on My Mind”, peppered with mellow beats, will surely get you singing – if you can hit his notes, that is.

HIMIG NATIN - JUAN DE LA CRUZ Laki sa layaw, laki sa layaw, Jeproks! Sounds familiar? There’s nothing like a good ol’ rock song to listen to on hot trips...and on rainy trips too. The 1970’s Pinoy rock band Juan de la Cruz surely whipped up melodies (from heavy metal to blues rock) that fit every generation. Drive on an open road on a hot summer day and blast you speakers with guitar licks and hypnotizing rock rhythms. Taking the jeep? That’s even better! Pop on your earphones and let Juan de la Cruz complete your travel – Filipino style!

UNANG KAGAT - HOTDOG Yes, you can snack on hotdogs while in the car or bus on the way to Manila, but you can listen to them too! Annie Batungbakal, Beh Buti Nga, Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay ko, and of course Manila, the anthem of the capital of the Philippines were all made famous by the 1970’s disco band The Hotdogs. Manila sound, made distinct by trumpets and piano as accompaniments were introduced here to the Philippines by The Hotdogs. Try to take a break from all the mainstream music today. Travel to Manila while listening to the Unang Kagat album of the Hotdogs, and be able to see and feel the city in retrospect.

Their song “All I Want” is also a track of the recent film The Fault in Our Stars. Kodaline’s songs is a must-listen to while you’re on the road. Better yet, even when you’re not.

True enough, once you get used to having music while traveling, it’s hard to be comfortable without it. And while you’re enjoying your jam, there’s no harm in trying to listen to new tracks; even the ones you don’t really want to try. Who knows, you might discover new music that would really make your traveling experience and your mood better. 49

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MUSIC FACTS YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW A LIST BY NIKITA ALAYON

1. That unexplainable chills you experience while listening to your favorite song is called Musical Frisson. 2. Music can help reduce stress, anxiety and can lower blood pressure.

3. Ancient music of the Egyptians was based on a minor pentatonic scale of five full tones without halftones and this can be inferred from the positions of the holes on flutes. 4. Studying while listening to Pop music can negatively affect your memorizing and learning skills.

4. studying while listening to pop music can negatively affect your memorizing and learning skills. 5. 66% of accepted medical students are music majors. 6. Chimpanzees prefer their own music to listen to.

7. The song Happy Birthday as owned by Warner Communications still receives two million dollars a year. 8. Elvis Presley karate expertise gave him black belt.

9. Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis’s was once babysitted by Cher and Sonny Bono. 10. Inventor of the Stratocaster and Telecaster, Leo Fender does not know how to play the guitar. 11. Ricky Brown, the world’s official fastest rapper holds a Guinness World Record by rapping 723 syllables in 41.27 seconds on his track No Clue, in January 2005, in front of a licensed speech therapist. 12. As Billboard reported, singer, songwriter, Katy Perry has been the only artist since Michael Jackson to have five number one hits from the same album. 13. The iconic Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber is the longest running Broadway show of all time and has surpassed an incredible 10,000 performances. 14. Ke$ha’s song “Tik-Tok” sold more than any Beatles song ever released. 15. These are genres you perhaps haven’t heard of: Spacesynth, Epic Doom-Metal, Lowercase, Bitpop and Nintendocore. 16. Bob Marley used to be a professional level soccer player.

sources: amtshows.com music.tutspulse.com patheos.com pinterest.com musicradar.com

R H A P S O D Y

L A

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Y SA AY NDA L NA RA MA EÑA N P LEE D CO NAR Y B ER DS BY B R WO TOS O PH

n the evening of August 2, Kaboodz Sport and Restobar held Makinarya – a mini concert featuring some independent heavy metal bands in Cavite. As early as seven in the evening, people started to fill the bar while the bands prepared up for their performance. Coincidence or not, almost all the people were wearing black and their attires screamed heavy metal. Unique hair do’s, artsy tattoos, and striking accessories seemed to be the fashion statement. It was past nine o’clock when the show started, and the first band to hit the scene was Animalidad. They were followed by Murder Collision, Skarimperial, and then The Sun Flower Project which seemed to be the audience’s favorite. Guitar licks and overdrives filled the chilly evening air inside the restobar. As the night grew deeper, more people started coming in and joining the moshpit. Not for long, Ria Bautista, the former vocalist of Paramita, stepped on stage. The audience grew more excited as she perfomed Paramita’s hit single, “Hiling”. Her performance was a fresh and mesmerizing break from all the hardcore rock that started the evening. Soon enough, the people were on their feet once again joining the moshpit. Among all the bands that performed that night were Anak Dalita, Fherrond, Zero46, Carnophage, Behold My Creed, and Black Propaganda. It was around three in the morning when the concert ended. The heavy metal fans stepped out from the bar feeling satisfied from the allout performances of their favorite indie bands. It was a successful event and worth all the shock from those lean mean heavy metal machines. 52 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

TRAVEL

MIXTAPES WORDS BY ANGELA AYSON

Music has always felt like an extension of my being, a reflection of what I am, depending on my mood at the moment. It is safe to safe that I cannot do without music, especially when I’m out of my comfort zone. As a result, I’ve formed the habit of ensuring I have my music with me wherever I am – may it be on the 10-minute drive to the nearest mall or on the three-hour plane ride, traversing through the sea of clouds. I am quite the choosy person though when it comes to the kind of music I listen to, depending on my location. You won’t usually catch me listening to M83’s post-rock music when I’m stuck in heavy traffic on a hot, humid afternoon. For an optimal maximum experience, I believe it is best to listen to playlists that are appropriate to your location and/or travel destination. Let me share with you some of the playlists that I created, hoping that these would help you build that mood and make you feel like as if you were starring in a music video of your own.

“Sea Waltz” Songs for reminiscing near the beach 1.Sloom – Of Monsters and Men 2.I Sing, I Swim – Seabear 3.Horchata – Vampire Weekend 4.Echo – The Hush Sound 5.Slow and steady – Of Monsters and Men 6.Sailors Blue – Seabear 7.Stars in Still Water - Jonsi 8.Svefn-g-englar – Sigur Ros The sight of the sea is already calming in itself – the blueness of the water, the silent crashing of waves near the shore – and there’s no better way to truly enjoy your trip to the beach than to have a quiet time and listen to music that is entirely reflective of what your eyes can see. In this regard, here is a compilation of songs that would make you feel like the ocean. The stars of this playlist are two Icelandic indie bands called Seabewar and Of Monsters and Men respectively - artists whose soft vocals, ocean-themed lyrics, and relaxing melody can surely soothe your nerves.

“On Top of the World” For flying/airplane rides 1.Northern Lights – Cider Sky 2.Cosmic Love – Florence + the machine 3.Crystalised – The XX 4.On top of the world – Imagine Dragons 5.Pompeii – Bastille 6.The City – Patrick Wolf 7.Stay Coloured – I Know the Chief In this playlist, Cider Sky’s “Northern Lights” as a start-off song is supposed to make you feel like you are that close to reaching the stars, with Florence + the Machine’s “Cosmic Love” supporting this idea. With Imagine Dragons, Bastille, and Patrick Wolf arranged sequentially in this playlist, you would surely feel like you are ready to conquer anything as you get to be literally above everyone else, never mind that it is only temporary. As the saying goes, the sky is the limit.

“Sun-kissed” For trekking/road trips on a sunny day 1.Here comes the sun (The Beatles cover) – Damia Timoner 2.Woodland – The Paper Kites 3.Your Soul – Coasts 4.Chasing a Feeling – The Narrative 5.Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs 6.Sun Hands – Local Natives 7.Halcyon – The Paper Kites 8.Summer – Joe Hisaishi This playlist is best to listen to when you’re out on the woods or on a trip that requires you to be close to nature, or simply out on a road trip on a sunny day. Damia Timoner’s guitar cover of “Here comes the sun” is pleasant and easy to listen to – a song that would definitely light up your day. The Paper Kites’ “Woodland”, on the other hand, has an upbeat tune and soft vocals that could keep your spirits up and simultaneously lull you on your adventure. Ending this playlist is a Joe Hisaishi classic composition called “Summer” – a masterpiece that will surely make you want to play out under the sun and remind you of your summer days.

Having a themed playlist on the go can truly help you maximize the experience while you are on your trip. I hope you will find these playlists appropriate and helpful in empowering the ambiance of your trip or destination. Let the scenery amaze you and let the music speak of your feelings of awe. Who says your life cannot have a background music?

WHAT TO WEAR: ON THE GO by niña paoline tapawan photos by laurence ann romea

Aside from preparing the things to bring for your travel, you should also allot more time in preparing what you will wear along your way. You might be confused on what type and style of clothes are appropriate for the place that you will be going to. At some point, the way you dress depends on the climate and weather of your travel destination. It is more advisable to wear comfortable ones, than those that are just in the trends. Good news, you can wear comfortable clothes while still being fashionable. Here are some styles of clothes that you can wear for your travel: Nonetheless, you can wear comfortable clothes while being fashionable. Here are some styles of clothes that you can wear for your travel:

Feeling light and comfy makes your travel more enjoyable.

» When you are going to engage into extreme activities on your travel destination, T-shirts and rubber shoes are the best ones to wear. You can also wear shirts which are made of cotton for comfort and ease in movement. » If you will go on a more formal place like a classy restaurant or a high end park or museum, you can wear a dress, a blouse or a polo shirt. T-shirts are also good, but collared shirts are more formal and smart-looking. » Going to cold places is an opportunity to go in style as you take out the clothes that you seldom wear from your closet. Long-sleeves are good as well as jackets to wear on this kind of places. » For hot places, sleeveless, t-shirts and shorts are good to go. Light-colored and cotton-made clothes are also advisable on going to these places as they have low absorption of heat in comparison to dark-colored clothes. Slippers and sandals are also usually worn in such places. » In places such as some nearby malls, stores or fast food restaurants, a plain casual or laid back do is appropriate and these are T-shirts or blouses and jeans. Not overdressed and not under-dressed, just simple and right enough to go. The way you dress is somehow a representation of your personality. However, in traveling, the atmosphere on your travel destination is the first in line to consider. When you feel that a sudden change of weather will ensue, bring extra clothes that can adapt to changes. This will help you feel comfortable, and therefore help you enjoy your travel. Don’t be afraid to experiment by matching your clothes. This will help you maximize your wardrobe. Preparing on the day before your travel is better than taking most of your time searching for what clothes to wear. 55 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

L I S T S

TRAVEL BAG

L I S T S

ESSENTIALS words by arianne mae soniega photo by bernard peñaranda

When we are packing for out of town trips we often get excited to fill our travel bags with apparels clothes and tend to overlook the things that we should actually; giving us a realization of the should-have brought items along our trip. In order to avoid this, you, , as a traveler should make sure to equip your travel bag with the following essentials and items (which you do not actually think would be so helpful at first!) the next time you prepare for your getaways! Bon Voyage and have a hassle-free trip! • Toiletry Bag – this should always be included in one’s travel bag in case it is not available from the stopovers and in your destination. • Smartphone – smartphones are simply the best during trips. Aside from its practical use, it can be an aid for entertainment, routes and itineraries too. Make sure to download some travel applications before leaving to have a pocket sized and instant travel entertainment along the way! • Travel Entertainment – As mentioned,smartphones and tablets like iPad are yet the ultimate travel entertainment. One can store in songs, movies and good reads to help the hour pass while traveling. • Camera –able to capture and preserve your wonderful travel memoirs! (You would love to pack in your monopod and lenses too to enhance your photos.) • Power bank – a real must-have during trips or just when stepping out of the house! This is a good investment particularly to people who are always moving. But definitely, one could never go wrong with the traditional chargers during travels. • Health/Emergency Kit – make sure to tag along the basics like pain relievers and first-aid remedies to your prescribed medicines. Minor sickness and wounds are inevitable during trips so make sure to act like a boy/girl scout! • Wet Wipes – these goodies are surely not for babies only! One can also use it when going to public rest rooms, to clean up things and of course to freshen up when you feel sticky and dirty but shower isn’t an option yet. – Super great! • One Flexi Outfit – aside from those favorite tees and great wears in mind, equip your travel bag with an outfit that may look vaguely elegant. You cannot tell what kind of unexpected invitation you might get Bandanna – this item is surely worth the space in your travel bag! This is so versatile; one can use it as a mini towel, scarf, headband, hair tie and a lot more. However the great thing about this is that it can also turn this into an emergency device! Use it as a sling for a sprained arm or a bandage for a heavy bleeding wound or other sprains about this is you can also turn this into an emergency device! Use it as a sling for a sprained arm or a bandage for a heavy bleeding wound or other sprains. 56 HITCH MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2014

1088 ORTIGAS AVENUE EXTENSION, BAYANIHAN VILLAGE, CAINTA, RIZAL E-MAIL: RDS_ROOFINGCORP@YAHOO.COM

Proprietor: Robert L. Reodica Telephone Number: 541-3944 Cellphone Number: 09179637080 Address: No.2 South Meridian Homes, Salitran 4, Dasmari単as City, Cavite

HITCH MAGAZINE

october 2014 issue