Think you've seen everything and been everywhere? This list just might make you think again.
50. Eat shrimp so fresh, it's alive
Have an authentic Japanese sushi experience and say "Konnichiwa!" to Sushi Kappo Kobikicho, where the waiters are dressed in tuxedos and the sushi is so fresh, it just might jump when you try to pick it up with your chopsticks. Call ahead to make reservations, and expect to shell out at least P1,000 per person.
Visit the Kobikicho website or call 752-1280 for details. Sushi Kappo Kobikicho is at G-03 JAKA II Bldg., 150 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.
49. Brush up on style
Indulge your inner Anna Wintour at the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA). Learn more about fashion, styling, sewing, and makeup with week-long sessions ranging from the P8,000-personal styling module to the P12,500-fashion overview. Find more details on the workshops at StyleBible.ph.
SoFA is at 55 Paseo de Roxas Ave. Makati City. To find out more about the school, visit their official website, call 892-8807, or email info@sofamanila.com.
48. Get comic-crazy
Meet local comic book artists, diehard fans, and indie publishers or get your fill of cool collectibles at Komikon Summer Fiesta 2009 on May 16. Then on Saturday, May 23, head on over to Fully Booked for Free Comic Book Day. Just show up at the store starting at 10am and get an instant freebie—“hey, if you're not a comic book fan, it would at least make you "The Cool Uncle/Aunt" to your teenage nephew.
The Komikon Summer Fiesta 2009 is on May 16 at Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman. For more information, visit their website. Fully Booked has stores in Power Plant Mall, Bonifacio High Street, Gateway, Mall of Asia, and Shangri-La Plaza. Call 858-7000 or check out Fully Booked Online.
47. Be able to say, "Ox brain? Yeah, I've tried it." (Note: Will not make you smarter)
No, this isn't Fear Factor. Ox brain is really on their menu and people actually order it. Shawarma Center in Malate is one of the most frequented post-drinking food binge spots in Manila. Aside from their succulent shawarma and shisha's, the restaurant is also famous for their ox brains. The dish has a similar texture to that of an omelet, only a bit heavier. It's not so bad once you get to taste it. Just imagine you're putting scrambled eggs into your mouth.
Shawarma Center is located along Salas Street, Malate, Manila.
46. Score (relatively) inexpensive jewelry
Grooms-to-be and guys with lavish girlfriends can expect to be wowed by the vast golden wares of the jewelry shops that are in Binondo. The congested nature of the merchants in Ongpin will guarantee you the best price you won't likely find in any jewelry store located in high-end malls. Score genuine Chinese gold and make your significant other happy without having to starve yourself for weeks. It's a win-win situation.
The gold shops can be located at the entrance of Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila.
45. Strip off those calories
Take the only class where people have the right to tell you to take it off. A striptease class is a great way to lose those pounds without losing your interest in exercise. You don't have to strip all the way but nobody's going to stop you if you do.
Strip at Peak Performance, 2/F McGwen Building, 16 Don A. Roces Avenue, Quezon City. Call them at 413-3466 or visit their site www.peakperformance.asiapad.com/index.html. Jill Ngo-Crisologo teaches strip tease classes every Thursday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Walk-ins accepted. P380 per session, P1350 for four sessions, P2700 for eight sessions and P4000 for 15 sessions.
44. Watch a good film at Mogwai in Cubao Expo
From Hollywood classics to underground cinema, get your fill of the reel world at Mogwai in Cubao X. Run by practicing filmmakers and film scholars as consultants, Mogwai has no censorship restrictions. So expect to see those little films with powerful pictures alongside mainstream releases and more. Screenings this month include an Animation Week at Mogwai with films from France (Kirikou and the Sorceress) and Japan (Kiki's Delivery Service) until May 16.
Mogwai is located at Unit 62 & 63 Cubao Expo, Gen. Romulo Ave., Cubao, Quezon City.
Open from 6pm-2am, check out mogwaifilm.multiply.com for screening updates.
43. Learn to make films.
at the School of Intermedia, Film and technology (SHIFT). A new department under the One School, get schooled by internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Quark Henares and learn how to write, direct, shoot and edit your own short films. Short programs will run until May 28 while the full curriculum starts in June.
The full curriculum will be open by June for the certificate program, the one-year diploma program, and the two-year associate degree. For more information on SHIFT, go to www.theoneschool.org, call 401-1389, 817-4391, 817-4396, or visit the campuses at 55 Paseo de Roxas St. or 3904 Quingua St., Makati City.
42. Go crazy with the P85-and-below finds at Saizen
A new store, Saizen, recently opened shop at Robinsons Galleria and offers items from Japan's Daiso Sangyo Inc. Plastic goods, stationery, cosmetics, garden and kitchen utensils line the shop's shelves, most of which go for only P85. Closet hoarders will find that most anything they need (and may need) is at Saizen.
Saizen is located at the 3rd Level East Wing, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City.
41. Take your passion to the streets
Let the masters show you how it's done right on the streets—“Bonifacio High Street, that is. On May 30, the UP Madrigal Singers will give a choral workshop, Tanghalang Pilipino will teach street dance and Ballet Philippines will teach modern dance. How's that for indulging your artsy appetite?
The BGC Arts Festival will be held on May 30, 8 p.m. at the Activity Area, B2, (near Krispy Kreme), Bonifacio High Street, Taguig. Visit their website www.bonifacioglobalcity.com.ph.
To read 50 Things to Do in Manila: Part 2, please click here.
To read 50 Things to Do in Manila: Part 3, please click here.
To read 50 Things to Do in Manila: Part 4, please click here.
To read 50 Things to Do in Manila: Part 5, please click here.
Images from www.kobikicho.com, theoneschool.com, mogwaifilm.multiply.com, sofamanila.multiply.com, and bcda.gov.ph.
