karting

i only have a few words to say about karting -
it is pretty addicting.

and the two places in manila are:

Speedzone in Fort Bonifacio or
City karts along the Sucat service road in Paranaque

since i do not know much about karting, cars, driving lines, throttle control, getting the apex and stuff like that, let me "quote" conversations i've heard comparing the two...

1. THE TRACK
In Speedzone, the track is made of asphalt, thus you're in for a smoother ride, has a lot of straights and less corners = easier to overtake. it's an outdoor track, so come rain or shine, you're at the mercy of the elements.

In City karts, the track is a combination of concrete = real road conditions (har har) plus slick painted surfaces = drifting. the track is half indoor and half outdoor! and it is more "technical" - whatever this means - which from what i understand, challenges driver skills vs. barumbado driving. some parts of the track are elevated! as in you go up a ramp, which after much convincing from friends who are "in the know" reassure me that there is no chance that one can possibly fly over the ramp barricades and fall down the track below. so sue me! i have many unfounded fears haha and dying in a kart is one of them.

2. THE WAITING AREA:
In Speedzone, the cafe is okay, food is okay, i mean if you get hungry you can always just drive to the nearby restos in the area like Zong, Bamboo bar, Jollibee, UCC, Mcdonalds etc. etc.

In City karts, the food is not so great, i mean for heaven's sake the ketchup isn't even Del Monte! plus if you do get hungry you have no choice but to eat there since there are'nt any restos near the area - unless you want to drive all the way to Sucat road.

but basically, having fun is also relative to the company that you keep. so regardless of the un-spectacular food and differences in the track layout, you're sure to have fun if you want to relive your MAD MAX fantasies.

So try it if you haven't yet. Believe me it really is fun!

places to eat in manila after 12 mn

went out to watch the practice for this karting event on friday. and of course ended up hungry after and decide on eating at this place called Central in bf.

its okay. sidewalk type, food for under 60 bucks, ihaw-ihaw. besides, the menu really cracked me up...

before deciding on Central, we had our heart set on SEx , which is the nickname for Sinangag Express. As in gusto nyo mag-sex? bwahaha.

SO. places to eat in manila after 12 mn.

Isshin!! my favorite - the best tempura and gyudon
SEx - Sinangag Express
Burger Machine - sansrival anyone?
Northpark - special fried rice & fried tofu skin w/ oyster sauce & shiitake mushrooms
Mini Stop - pizza bar, jimny pizza, beefsteak meal, super spicy korean noodles
Seven Eleven - hotdogs, siopao, donuts
SSC center - shawarma! 3 for 100 bucks
Mcdonalds, Jollibee, KFC - courtesy of call centers everywhere
Petron or Shell Gas stations are great too.

my music

hung out with the band friends last weekend in cafe sa guijo, a hole in the wall place that showcases indie local bands. i haven't been there in ages but it improved a lot since the last time. at least now it has more character =)

it was fun talking to the old gang - joey, jason, katrice, vin - plus i heard THE news that it was going to be their last couple of gigs too, so you can call it a reunion of sorts. at least they all realized it was time to move on.

catching up was great, plus all the nonsense we used to laugh about all the time made it more entertaining. joey and i got into our mode of wishful thinking as we talked about cds that we wanted. SO. here are some local bands and artists which made it to the LIST:

Up Dharma Down
Sugarfree (the new album)
Cambio
Pedicab - of course friend J. Sonic! how can i forget
Mishka Adams
Sandwich
Daydream Cycle

welcome to my world of lists

we all make lists in our head to remember... things to do, what to buy, who to remember... its endless. once in a while something comes up and i just NEED to make one. it makes things brief and straight to the point. try it. it can be very therapeutic.