Yay, Huh, or Ngek? (updated)
If you take the pedestrian underpasses on Ayala Avenue you’ve probably noticed the posters for Things To Love About Makati. The citizens can always use some cheer, but many of the reasons cited in the posters elicit not a “Yes!” but a “Huh?” or a “Ngek”.
For instance, the statue of Ninoy Aquino on the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas. It commemorates a heroic moment, but the pose is awkward and the proportions are off: it looks like Ninoy tripped on the stairs because a bird pooped on him.
Then there’s Jaime C. Velasquez Park. This boggled us, and we live in Makati. Then we realized that they mean Salcedo Park where the weekend food market is held. Legaspi Park is counted as two parks, when the whole area is more a parklet, really. There’s a Centro Escolar University in Makati? And electric jeepneys—environment-friendly, maybe, but would you use the verb “love”?
There was only one thing left for us to do: Make our own list!
1. The updraft in Greenbelt park near the Greenbelt 5 entrance. If you stand on the grate your clothes get blown upwards for that Marilyn Monroe in the Seven-Year Itch effect. We once spent a whole hour (walang magawa) watching from a restaurant upstairs as people posed for photos on top of the grate.
2. Ugarte field, which my friends are nostalgic for. I noticed a path being built, so maybe it’ll be opened to the public. I hope it remains a park because we need trees.
3. Fernando Zobel walking in the pedestrian underpass. If it’s both brothers, sandwich.
4. The weekend bazaars on Evangelista Street. Over the years our friend Guy Smiley has amassed a complete dinner service for 60 from his expeditions to Evangelista. So if the court of the King of Albania ever comes to dinner on short notice, he’s ready.
5. Old Swiss Inn. Open forever.
6. Shampoo and scalp massage by Roger at the Jing Monis Propaganda Salon on the third floor of Greenbelt 1. Stimulates nerves on your head that you didn’t think you had.
7. This building on Makati Avenue.
I always stare at it from the Coffee Bean in A. Venue, but I don’t know what it is. Must go in and snoop.
8. This one no longer exists, but is remembered fondly: Blanco Center on Alfaro Street (now Leviste) where I had my first apartment. Long after I moved out, I discovered that two of my friends also lived in Blanco—we occupied Apartments 914, 915, and 916, but at different times. Many other friends lived on other floors until last year, when the building was renovated and renamed.
It was Chus who accidentally discovered that one key could open all the doors in that building (the locks have been changed since then). My own shocking discovery was that my rent was higher than my neighbors’. I’d written an article describing Blanco’s architecture as “Soviet insane asylum”—it was meant fondly, but the landlord was not amused. When I found out about the rent, I asked for an appointment and got a lecture. The one that goes, “Oh you young people, as you get older you will find that you can’t just say whatever you want.”
“But I like this building,” I pointed out. “I didn’t even identify it in the article.”
“Oh you young people blah blah blah.”
“And this building is so much more attractive than that ugly one nearby.”
“I own that, too.”
Not surprisingly my rent increase stayed.
9. Help us complete the list by posting your own Things To Love About Makati in Comments. If we add your suggestions to this list, we’ll give you two tickets each to the Ayala Museum.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
October 29th, 2009 at 20:25
1. The dela Rosa Pedestrian Walkway. Tad convenient compared to taking the Ayala Avenue route. Less people traffic, and less pollution.
2. The Jollyjeeps. My quick fix for an afternoon merienda of turon, or bananaque.
October 29th, 2009 at 20:36
love the list. particularly the ff:
1 (updraft) – is it a form of exhaust from GB5? if so, the people taking pictures a la marilyn must’ve been getting the opposite of a de-contamination bath.
3 (fernando zobel) – squeeee! *fan-girl mode*
strangely, i can’t think of anything exceptional to add to the list.
October 29th, 2009 at 20:42
Is this the building where Government used to stand? That building used to house the I Love You Store in its basement. It also houses a foot massage place.
October 29th, 2009 at 21:32
I’d go for the Jollyjeep. In every month long suffering from financial shortages excluding the day(s) I get my salary, this is where I run to fill my stomach with good ol’ street food Makati style.
October 29th, 2009 at 22:22
Passing by the Cafe Puro factory along Pasong Tamo (between Bagtikan and Yakal) and taking a deep breath. Just be sure to avoid sniffing while near the estero. The sweet smell of coffee mixed with the stench of sewage: not good.
October 29th, 2009 at 23:53
1 – Sosing’s near the corner of Zobel-Roxas and South Superhighway. Best bulaluhan in Makati. The only place where you can find “sosi” men and women in office garb (read: long-sleeved/necktie and smart blouse/skirt combo) lining up at a carinderia with a vulcanizing shop. Parking is difficult during lunch-time :-)
2 – I agree with mccoy and dakner…with the Jollyjeep. I remember when these stalls were real passenger jeeps, not the galvanized-iron stands we see now
October 30th, 2009 at 00:22
The small-town feel of Brgy. Poblacion, right where that odd building and A. Venue are located. It has its own centuries-old church, public market, and elaborate Holy week festivities, which includes pabasa, stations of the cross, and procession with people barefoot and covered in black. One need not go to the provinces to experience a traditional semana santa. And the 50s and 60s style houses which might soon urge a declaration for the barangay to be a heritage conservation area.
October 30th, 2009 at 01:38
The Picasso formerly known as Blanco, where a single key can open all the doors in that building.
October 30th, 2009 at 07:34
1. The HSBC building especially at night. Gotham City!
2. Swagat Indian restaurant on Rada St.
3. Jollijeeps. How I wish meron nito in Ortigas.
4. Bebop records vinyl store at the basement of Makati Cinema Square.
5. Perhaps the only city in Manila wherein you can easily walk to go to museums, cinemas, theatres, restaurants both cheap and fancy, tattoo parlors, church, to a meeting or conference, bars (both high end and girlie), etc. Try doing that in Pasig or Mandaluyong and you’d fail.
October 30th, 2009 at 09:28
1. Makati Cinema Square, no brainer.
2. Little Tokyo, for the authentic takoyaki and the Japanese grocery where everything costs P75.
3. The two parklets in Legaspi–they’re actually nice.
4. Alliance Francaise de Manille, for the free French movies and the nice library.
5. Functional sidewalks.
October 30th, 2009 at 09:33
1. Pan de sal from the neighborhood panaderya at the corner of J.P. Rizal and Constancia St. in Barangay Olympia. There’s a reason why that area becomes a virtual parking lot for taxi drivers at around 4 to 5 a.m. everyday and why customers don’t mind waiting for 10 to 20 minutes for a fresh batch when the panaderya has run out of pan de sal. The bread is simply delicious and it stays soft even after a couple of days.
2. The local government actually works. Efficient transactions at city hall, health centers and sports complexes in all barangays, daily garbage collection even in the depressed areas, and dog pound workers that you actually see at work on the streets. I’ve never been a Binay fan and I don’t see myself becoming one but I can see why people keep reelecting him.
October 30th, 2009 at 09:47
Fat Michael’s. Semi-secret dining place where you can walk the Bangkal streets streets after a meal.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:20
1) The city library. It’s where I first got acquainted with Dostoevsky nung nasa lumang building pa s’ya. Ngayon sosyal na, di-aircon, at may nice view of the city from the 8th floor. Check it out, penniless bibliophiles.
2) Yung brass band (57th Lancer?) practicing sa City Hall grounds. Dun pa rin ba sila nag-pa-practice? Check out the Hawaii-Five-O theme, hehe.
3) Sta Ana race track. It’s sad that this institution–an entire culture, really– has to go. Doesn’t Makati, nay the entire Metro, have enough malls and condominiums already, for crying out loud?
4) Yung Booksale sa Makati Square. Astig ang mga titles. Check it out, serious booklovers.
5) The Burgos cathedral (really ancient, man, and it’s just a few blocks away from the bustling downtown). And as pointed out by “every” above, yung Lenten week observance sa parish na ‘yon. From the lovingly-decorated pabasa stations (my favorite is the one where Judas hangs from a tree) to the eerie “God is Dead” procession of the dead Christ (along with other life-sized statues related to Calvary). Up to the triumphant resurrection depicted by the salubong.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:36
Som’s Restaurant in Rockwell. Serves the best Thai cuisine in metro manila.
Makati Cinema Square. For your daily pirate DVD fix. It’s where i got copies of Badly Drawn Boy and Sarah McLachlan DVDs and more.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:12
The Pacific Star Building, or whatever it’s called. It’s that white building with long vertical windows along Gil Puyat. It’s recognizable whenever you see Makati skyline from a distance. :)
October 30th, 2009 at 12:22
Saguijo! Where the best underground bands are housed! I especially love the graffiti outside..
Le Gourmet, formerly known as “Bon Appetit” in Rustan’s..classic French dishes..
Jupiter area, especially Il Palatofino..very cozy and chic! plus the food is incredible..
Murray’s Bar..nice hangout place for friends..
Myron’s Place in Greenbelt 5
Little Tokyo, especially Kagura, and that small Japanese grocery..i think its called Choto Shop
October 30th, 2009 at 12:36
Saguijo.
October 30th, 2009 at 13:31
The Greenbelt-to-Landmark Walkway. It is like a portal from Narnia. If you cross it, you’ll be in an altogether different class zone.
October 30th, 2009 at 14:11
1. Public art\statues\scupltures\installations
-amorsolo
-aquino
-gabriella silang
-arguing neighbors @ ACCRA law office
-paper clip(?) @ Ayala Museum
-bunch of people playing “the boat is sinking” @ RCBC
hope there’s more! the bigger and the more out-there!!, the better
2oggling at yummy people sweating and jogging around. keeps the adrenaline pumping for that extra curb!
October 30th, 2009 at 16:43
The Greenbelt Chapel. Serenity amidst the chaos.
October 31st, 2009 at 16:29
-Yamazaki, that japanese fastfood/grocery right across makati cinema square-fairmart entrance side. -the best ramen noodles in bowls the size of wash basins. Drown your whole head in a bottomless pit filled with gorgeous ramen noodles and thinly sliced pork for only 189 pesos (try the yamazaki special)- also have a fun time observing the clientele, a mixture of Japanese expats, legazpi village types and the x-japayuki’s missing the cultural exchange.
– 2 am Jollibee or Mcdo fix, then being stared at by the call center people because Im in slippers and shorts.
-the 5 min walk from my place to Gbelt 1
-seeing BB gandanghari walking dog
October 31st, 2009 at 18:49
Filling Station on Burgos street – a diner with all the comfort food you can imagine and the yummiest milkshakes (two per serving!) is tough to beat
The weekend markets in Salcedo and Legaspi park – for yummy home-cooked food and a smattering of international cuisine that’s reasonably priced and comes in generous servings.
La Nuova – a small Italian restaurant in that mini-complex in front of Santuario that serves the best Tartuffo
October 31st, 2009 at 18:50
*two tall glasses per serving
October 31st, 2009 at 20:21
GT tower’s triangle outline at night. Whenever i’m in mandaluyong, manila, pasay or quezon city, i just search for that triangle and i know where MY city is :)
October 31st, 2009 at 22:02
1. Cash N’ Carry where you can find virtually almost anything (also sells very cheap “sample not for sale” original perfumes)
2. Pat-Pat’s where you can find the best Kansi in the city (you make tusok tusok the bone with a bbq stick)
3. Because there is a Mercury Drugstore/ 7-11/ Mini-Stop/ ATM machine at almost every street corner in Makati CBD
4. The only place where a cop stops you at 4 in the morning for traffic violation
5. That birthday cake Binay sends all senior citizens who are residents of the city
November 1st, 2009 at 03:15
A few things:
1. The Makati Theme Song (played in Makati cinema houses). Sounds like the occupation of Poland, only perkier.
2. BPI branches in every corner, sometimes two in a building. But this isn’t a good thing for messengers. “O pakidala yan sa BPI sa Ayala.” “Eh ma’am, saan po, 75 branches po meron sa Ayala?” “Basta dun, sa may BPI logo!”
3. Malugay Street. I don’t see why most private cars insist on taking De La Rosa or Buendia to get to Ayala, where on Malugay Street, malugaya ang buhay!
4. TGIFriday’s in Glorietta. There’s a family of rodents staying in the place with a permanent lease. Show the manager that you abhor mingling with mice while eating, and you’ll get a 20% discount on your bill. Threaten to get the word out and you get free dessert too.
5. There’s always a bomb scare/protest rally cum holiday somewhere in the city.
November 1st, 2009 at 13:47
1. Makati Cinema Square — love the DVDs, love the antiques, love the Dunkin’ Donuts.
2. Salcedo Park — a cruisy place for gay men. Cute joggers on weeknights, cute market vendors on Saturday mornings.
3. The pre-explosion, pre-renovation Glorietta complex — my home after work. I miss Carl’s Jr., Shop Cafe, Spaghetti Factory. When I was new in Makati and would get lost, I go to the center of Glorietta to figure out the my exit.
4. The Landmark — we have regular foreign visitors in our office and one time, we took them to Greenbelt 5; they didn’t look amused. After a several minutes of sauntering, one of them asked, “Can you take us now to Landmark?”
5. Park Square — for electronics, the out-of-place Linea Italia, and Edgar of Jesi Mendez.
6. The long walks from my office to Ayala-EDSA bus terminal. Depending on my moods, I take different routes. I love the “Triangle” route where I’m able to traverse portions of the Ayala Triangle (Paseo de R, Ayala Ave., and Makati Ave.) in one, 15-minute walk.
7. Jessica Z sightings. I promise to have a photo-op with her the next time.
November 3rd, 2009 at 19:44
Makati Cinema Square – where I find DVDs of movies that will never be shown in local cinemas. I discovered a copy of ‘Coco Avant Chanel’ last week.
PowerBooks Live! on Greenbelt 4 – Best place to pass the time while reading books and magazines for free. Too bad, they don’t have The Java Man cafe anymore.
Evangelista St for ukay furniture and chinas
Saguijo
7-11/Mini-Stop on every corner
Coffee shop on every other corner
Dela Rosa walkway (I wish there’d be more like it around CBD)
Clean underpasses on Ayala Ave. The ads and posters make you go “duh!” but nothing beats clean underpasses with guards and escalators
Landmark – If NYC has Century 21, then Makati has Landmark.
Cash ‘n Caryy – The other Landmark
Ayala Center fireworks display around Christmas
Salcedo weekend market
Restaurant rows on Jupiter/Makati
Art galleries on LRI / Nicanor Garcia
Palanca St where you can find decent watering holes without having to deal with Friday night traffic.
Filipinas Heritage Library for a bit of history. I used to spend hours on end at their very cozy basement library.
I should add YMCA on San Antonio Village. I used to swim there before the whole place was scraped off the face of Makati.