11 reasons to love 2011
MANILA, Philippines - So yes, 2011 was pretty bleak. Between natural calamities and a steady stream of political mayhem, it’s hard to get excited about the year that was sometimes. But more than ever, we turned to art, food and culture for comfort. When politics got too crazy, we tweeted in solidarity. When life got stressful, we took our cue from the movies, packing up Lucy Torres and unleashing our inner La Greta. And when a former president finally got her due, we sang: “We could have had it aaalll!!!”
After much deliberation (and swigs of spiked milk tea), we came up with 11 reasons why 2011 wasn’t all that bad.
No. 1: Because we’re finally tweeting with some substance
The most buzzed-about hash tags on Twitter, though usually somewhere in between the NBA lockout and #thatswhatshesaid, produced a different specie altogether this year. This one had balls, too. The spawn of oppressive systems and leaders, these are movements that engaged in a new tactical strategy, and, Charles Darwin be damned — they may not be the fittest, but every day they are fighting for their lives.
One of them is Wael Ghonim, one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2011. He stirred Egyptian consciousness and people power through a Facebook page he created, “We are all Khaled Saeed.” “The response was miraculous,” he says in the article. “A movement that started with thousands on Jan. 25 ended with 12 million Egyptians removing Hosni Mubarak and his regime.”
Post-modern: Social media is the new way to mobilize a grassroots movement. The pro-democracy rebellions spread across the Middle East, and Libya caught the bug. After over 40 years under the leadership of Muammar el-Qaddafi, protesters retreated to social media to communicate with the rest of the world. One of the most popular sites was libyaFeb17.com, which aggregated Twitter posts, news and other information. People posted photos and videos on the website, providing a glimpse of the violent face-offs in certain Libyan towns.
Taking a cue from the Arab Springs was Occupy Wall Street, which started with a tweet — “Dear Americans, this July 4th, dream of insurrection against corporate rule” — and a hashtag: #OccupyWallStreet. At first only 2,000 people showed up, according to an article called Welcome to the Occupation in Rolling Stone’s November issue. “The New York Times sent an entertainment reporter, who made fun of the protesters.” But look who’s laughing now. There are over 1,600 occupations worldwide, hailing the movement’s mantra: “We are the 99 percent.” The even more interesting thing was the people who started it. In an interview with Greek anarchist organizer Georgia Sagri in the same article, she said, “We looked around. I didn’t recognize faces, everybody was so young. I went with T-shirts — Zapatistas, Food Not Bombs.”
Thus, a new kind of hero emerges. No weapons, no physical training, not even one distinguished leader. What do they have? A smartphone. What else? Facebook and Twitter. Social media helped trace and form narratives in Egypt, Libya and more recently in the #OccupyWallStreet movement. It’s the new pulse of opposition — and more importantly, it’s the beat of the youth. For a while there, we were just making noise. But now we’re really talking.
Perhaps the revolution will be tweeted after all. This is the revolution version 2.0. — Karen Bolilia
No. 2: Because there’s no H8, just love
Breaking ad: United Colors of Benetton’s ad starring Obama and Hu Jintao sparked controversy across the world. There are very slim chances that you haven’t heard the words chos, anyareh, wit or keri in daily conversations. You may not be one of those people who say pagoda tragedy when they’re tired, or pak to express any sort of thrill or pleasure but whether you like it or not, you’ve been latently recruited on the becky bandwagon.
There are other cultural touchstones besides the obvious colloquial shift, of course. The LGBT community’s influence this year has been so sweeping that even Young Star had to dedicate an entire issue to them last July. There’s the rise of Queen B (as in becky) Divine Lee, whose blog has proven to be a platform for airing the advocacy of equality, with all her fierce followers standing mightily (and fabulously) behind her.
Kylie Minogue’s concert drew crowds of sequin-donning fans at Araneta. And the Cinemalaya Film Festival favorite Zombadings: Patayin sa shokot si Remington made a killing at the box-office. Addressing the prejudices against the LGBT community, Zombadings was a sometimes-subtitled delight to watch, as it made honest revelations through a heartwarming comedy.
Across the world, gay marriage was finally legalized in New York back in July. This historical event is now the benchmark for all the efforts towards gender equality; and it also sets a thick layer of hope for the rest of the world. We’re not quite there yet, but they will always have this year. Going past being your stereotypical Madonna slash Gaga worshippers, they’ve challenged perspectives and instigated dialogue.
That’s why this year, we declare it to be the year of the becky. May you keep your composure and your grace. Best of all, keep calm and keri on. — Karen Bolilia
No. 3: Because dining is the new nightlife
This is eat: With places like Borough and Chihuahua, it’s time to eat your hearts out, Manila. What places like Robot and Opus are saying about Manila nightlife is that we’re on the cusp of change, where dining and drinking need not be separate occasions to be done in separate places.
Take Borough, for example. The 24/7 hit located at the Podium didn’t stop at being a pre-game haunt, it’s also a refuge in the wee hours of the morning, for when you’re the subject of lyrics like “I’m on patron, tequila, I’m drunk on margarita.” Thursdays are especially popular amongst the younger crowd, when a DJ usually spins. But make no mistake here: people also come for the food. From the hearty grilled cheese and tomato soup to the nostalgic freshly baked milk and cookies, Borough’s menu remains the star of the show — and as it should be. The fact that people chatter over at a certain table to reference No Other Woman’s Anne Curtis and Derek Ramsey’s precursor to adultery there is just a bonus.
Head on over south of Ortigas and to the heart of Makati Avenue, and you’ll find Chihuahua, the tex-mex place that’s giving all its Mexican kin a run for their money. It’s easy to dismiss Chihuahua as just one of those post-inebriation places, as they’re right across from the bar Attica, a stone’s throw away from the club Kyss and, right beside Time. But people come and gather here, regardless if it’s a Friday or Saturday night. Their menu’s as straightforward as they get. Chicken, pork or veggie tacos and burritos served in a bowl or wrapped in a tortilla and some nachos and salad. There’s the all-you-can-eat salsa bar and their extensive sauce library (you can ask for the Charlie Sheen at the counter).
What’s happening now, is that the days to go out are no longer restricted to weekend nights; and the lines between a club and a restaurant are being blurred. Dining is the new nightlife — and there are places that willingly stand as the middle ground. — Karen Bolilia
No. 4: Because Maginhawa is the street that kept on giving
Maginhawa’s greatest hits: Bookay-Ukay, Sound Quotient, and Crazy Katsu are just some of Maginhawa Street’s must-visits. It’s high time your village street takes its cue from Maginhawa, a street where mid-priced everything isn’t necessarily of so-so quality. From an art-filled bookshop to a customizable burger joint, you just might find your next low-key comfort zone here.
Located in Teacher’s Village, a residential portion of Quezon City, Maginhawa has become a favorite of the neighboring colleges’ students, its establishments a worthy relief from school. Here are some of Maginhawa’s greatest hits:
Bookay-Ukay (55 Maginhawa St.)
As the name implies, this hip, cozy bookstore is where to get those rare, secondhand books for ukay prices. Get the classic (John Steinbeck) and the contemporary (Dan Brown) for killer prices and partake in the occasional book swap. Log on to http://www.facebook.com/bookayukay.libruhanii for more details.
Crazy Katsu (81 Maginhawa St.)
Owned by sound engineer Shinji Tanaka and Taken by Cars’ Bryan Kong, Crazy Katsu serves excellent Japanese fare, without the sometimes astronomical prices you’ll find in quality Japanese restos. Kong thought it was only right to share Tanaka’s studio dishes; hence, this reliable resto. Its menu is a confidently sparse one, offering Jap staples such as Gyoza, Chicken Katsu, and Tonkatsu.
Moonleaf Tea Shop (103 Maginhawa St.)
Imagine a friend’s house but with an even cozier front porch selling brewed tea combinations of the premium type. A glass of any of their bestsellers should do the trick: Wintermelon Milk Tea with Pearls, Caramel Milk Tea, and the Hakka Milk Tea.
The Burger Project (122 Maginhawa St.)
First-timers will probably get a load of how they can thoroughly customize their burgers here. Freedom of choice is key here, as you first choose what kind of burger you want: double or triple 100% Angus Beef, chicken or tofu. Then you get to pick the bun — sesame, potato, oatmeal. Then, select your cheese: brie, mozzarella, gruyere — whatever makes you fat and happy. Of course, premium toppings like bacon, chili con, and guacamole are also offered as add-ons. Finally, you get to name your burger and brag your creation afterwards. A perfect process, right?
Sound Quotient (154 Maginhawa St.)
A band rehearsal studio owned by drummer couple Nico Pineda and Ristalle Bautista of the bands Chubibo and Duster, respectively, Sound Quotient features full, state-of-the-art equipment for hourly rental, a guitar hospital, and drumsticks and guitar strings for sale. Its interiors are even scented and lava lamp-lit, making band practice a sweet pleasure.
Blacksoup Café and Artspace (154 Maginhawa St.)
In the same compound as the rehearsal studio, Blacksoup Café and Artspace visibly has all the offbeat vintage art you can handle plastered on its walls. Make sure to order either the Spanish sardines or adobo flakes pasta and finish it off with their mango turon or homemade guyabano ice cream. — Ralph Mendoza
No. 5: Because, for better or worse, the bloggers are here to stay
Blogspotted: Bloggers like Camille Co have gone places on the strength of their online influence. Photo by GABBY CANTERO A casual browse of any local teen or women’s magazine these days is enough proof. Love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny the clout of the fashion blogger. Their flair for personal branding hasn’t only taken them to a massive following, but also to actual places.
Laureen Uy of breakmystyle.com first came to the fore as the youngest sibling of formidable style forces Liz and Vince. But through her trademark excessorizing and clothing line, she’s evolved into a style denizen of her own. Laureen, having been included in Preview’s Best-Dressed list this year, was just recently flown by Nuffnang to Malaysia for their blog awards, and has also broken successfully into an even more competitive scene: local show business, playing Amethyst in My Binondo Girl.
“I do agree that to some extent, we’re all representing something bigger than ourselves, wherever we are in the world,” Camille Co said in an interview with Young Star earlier this year. And represent she did. Since starting her blog itscamilleco.com last April, Camille has been included in Preview magazine’s Best-Dressed List, flown to the Nuffnang Awards and recently, been the only Asian to be sent in Barcelona for Mango’s It Girl contest — which, incidentally, she’s won.
Meanwhile, Tricia Gosingtian’s Tricia Will Go Places has been bookmarked for years all over the world, and lest we forget the controversy that circled around her New York Fashion week trip early this year? It may have rattled her for a while, but Tricia goes unhinged, even going as far as disassociating herself with it. “Is not a fashion blogger,” her Twitter description says. But you may take the blogger out of the fashion, but you can’t take the fashion out of the blog. Tricia’s recent trip to Malaysia to attend their fashion week can attest to that.
The word “blogger” is starting to become an insufficient description for what a lot of them do these days. But this is the more amazing thing. The fashion blogging world seems to be less Machiavellian and more sorority with all the encouragement and support they dole out to each other. It’s because they’re telling of this generation’s zeitgeist: all-in-one and self-made. They put themselves in those magazines. They make it happen. Advocating democracy on a social level, they’ve pushed geographical boundaries as well as their own. Why just be a designer, photographer or an artista? These girls may be recognized for who they are, but they also personify just what we could be. — Karen Bolilia
No. 6: Because we all moved to Westeros: Game of Thrones is the show of the year
Half-brotherly love: Jon Snow and Bran bond through archery. Something has to be said about George R.R. Martin having the same two letters as J.R.R. Tolkien. But more than this fantasy writer fluke, it goes without stressing that Martin’s Game of Thrones — the first volume of his seven-book epic A Song of Fire and Ice to be turned into a TV series on HBO — is visibly in a league of its own.
Having garnered an overwhelmingly positive reception, Game of Thrones was picked up for a second season just two days after its premiere last April. It was a show that broke grounds (and got nominated for 13 Emmys) and avoided the fantasy book stereotype of having the usual gang of heroes band together to fight a dark lord. What Martin did was do away with the dark lord, adding political betrayal, transgressive sex, and overall cheap-shot fighting in its place.
Starring Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage (who won an Emmy for his performance as the shrewd imp Tyrion Lannister), Mark Addy, Lena Heady and newcomers Emilia Clarke and Alfie Allen, the TV saga’s pilot was filmed in Morocco, where the Kingdom of Heaven set that Ridley Scott built was.
“I have been writing these books since 1991 so I have been living in the world of Westeros for many years,” admits Martin. “I have very strong visual pictures, so there is always a double reaction. There is always the, ‘Well, that is not quite what I pictured,’ but that is usually followed by, ‘Oh, but it’s really cool what they have done.’” And as the year proved, if it’s good enough for Martin, it’s good enough for us. — Ralph Mendoza
Bench’s billboard bodies: The Philippine Volcanoes had Bench to thank for in terms of amassing fans. No. 7: With the Philippine Azkals, Volcanoes, and the Dragon Boat rowing team making waves anew, 2011 was definitely a year to be reckoned with.
Philippine Azkals
Despite only a last gasp victory against Laos in the SEA Games in Indonesia, the Azkals still brimmed with individual talent this year with the likes of Chieffy Caligdong and Jason de Jong. Other milestones include going up against David Beckham and the rest of LA Galaxy. And although the Galaxy appeared to have taken turns scoring against us, it came down to goodwill and good old entertainment. In terms of roster changes, recent call-up standouts like Stephan Schröck, Manuel Ott, and Yannick Tuason make for an even more promising lineup next year. Let’s just hope more funds are allotted to effective prep work.
Philippine Volcanoes
Hounded by fleeting intrigue via their billboards, the Philippine Rugby Volcanoes made living up to the hype look easy by shocking defending champion and No. 1 seed South Korea in the Shanghai Rugby Sevens, notching an overall seventh place finish. Interestingly enough, the Volcanoes are mostly comprised of Filipinos with foreign roots, including Britons and Australians. The team has yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup but with three previous Asia Five Nations championships under their belts, their odds at making it happen soon just might go up.
Philippine dragon boat rowing team
Paddling for glory this year was the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) rowing team, who won their second gold medal in the 10th International Dragon Boat Federation’s World Championship held in Tampa Bay, Florida last August. Besting participants from 17 other countries, the team—made up of soldiers, mostly—set the world record in the 1,000-meter men’s event with a time of four minutes and 57 seconds. Having a Fil-Am community supplying them with energy drinks, adobo, and Philippine-style spaghetti did go a long way, apparently. The future suddenly looks bemedaled. —Ralph Mendoza
No. 8: Because we could’ve had it all: Adele and Ryan Gosling break molds
Rolling in the gold: Adele and Ryan Gosling have both since reaped what they sowed—collecting multiple Grammy and Golden Globe nods, respectively. In a time when Euro trash is the beat of choice and shouted phrases pass for hooks, one voice tore through the wall of noise and inexplicably owned the year: “We could’ve had it aaaalllll!” Adele wailed on Rolling in the Deep, the bluesy breakup rager that’s been on everybody’s lips this year. Amid the stomp of her Chanels, the rollicking beat, and the gospel fervor of her soul sisters, Adele delivers a soul testimony for the ages — building up from the quiet menace of the verses to the cathartic take-over-the-world release of the hook.
If Adele burned through the artifice of her peers and became the unlikely pop star of the Twitter era, Ryan Gosling was its unlikely leading man, stealing the show from the bland Orlando Blooms of past. After a decade of brave performances in indies like My Blue Valentine and Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling finally shook what his mama gave him and traded his indie flannel for his Tom Ford best. He charmed in Crazy, Stupid Love, menaced in Drive, and made you root for him in Ides of March. And to cap the year off? The people’s choice for sexiest man alive. After People magazine announced Bradley Cooper as its “Sexiest Man Alive 2011,” protesters and online petitions expressed their sour disapproval. See, in 2011, the beefcakes and attention-hungry costumed divas were the sideshow. The main event? The rarest of things in these Kardashian-ruled times — talent. —Raymond Ang
No. 9: Because you’re worth it: ‘No Other Woman’ is the most ridiculous, most quotable, most buzzed-about movie of the year
You’re nothing but a trying hard copycat: Carmi Martin steals the show in the movie of the year. If anybody had a good year, it’s definitely Anne Curtis. Coming off the kind of perfect storm season that cements superstardom — Platinum album (AnneBisyosa), ubiquitous billboards, show-stopping Showtime performance, iconic magazine cover — it is really, to borrow from one of the year’s most-quoted phrases, her already. But what really sealed the deal was her deliciously campy performance in the blockbuster No Other Woman, the love triangle flick co-starring Derek Ramsey and Cristine Reyes that became the most successful local movie of all time this year (until Praybeyt Benjamin, that is).
But in the middle of that deliciously sinful triumvirate, it was none other than Carmi Martin who stole the movie, delivering lines with glee and go-for-broke drama. So because we’re all, to paraphrase Anne’s famous commercial, worth it, here are five of the most quoted lines of the year from the most quoted movie of the year:
“I know the market, because I am the market.”
“Bikini mo ba yan o balat mo?”
“Ang mundo ay isang malaking Quiapo. Maraming snatcher. Maagawan ka. Lumaban ka!”
“Panahon na para i-pack up ‘yang si Lucy Torres mo. Ilabas mo na diyan si Gretchen Barretto.
“Pare-parehong p*ta lang yan! Yung p*tang mayaman, original ang Hermes. Yung mahirap, binili sa Greenhills.” — Raymond Ang
No. 10: Because a teen actress can get her cake and eat it too: Lauren Young scores a teleserye hit and a breakout indie all before her 18th birthday.
Year of the Young: Expect to see a lot more of Lauren Young in 2012. There were many young actresses who hit it big this year — Julia Montes, Kathryn Bernando, Kylie Padilla, Jasmine Curtis Smith. But none who played the balancing act of showbiz savvier than Lauren Young. Balancing masa appeal and indie cred, 18-year-old Lauren has made an impression by proving that you can have your cake and eat it too, that headlining a ratings-winning teleserye like Mula Sa Puso (playing Claudine Barretto’s role, no less) is no big leap to playing the female third of a gender-bending love triangle in an indie breakout (the Cinemalaya standout and box-office hit Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington).
Unlike the pretty pink princesses littering the ABS-CBN lot, she’s a throwback to left-field ’90s pin-ups like Dawson’s Creek-era Katie Holmes, the girl-next-door hottie with a thrillingly rebellious tomboy streak (tattoos, predilection for wearing caps and boots included). It must be why she seems leaps and bounds older and more singular than her peers, why she leap-frogged the teen circuit and graduated to women’s mag covers like Preview (where she shared the cover with Julia, Kathryn, Kylie, Jasmine, and others) and Sense & Style all before turning 18.
Next up is another indie, Tahanan, in which she plays a college student on a journey to find inner peace in the company of orphaned children, out January 2012. If that’s not a terribly original premise, give her credit, at least, for stretching her limits rather than being boxed into a love team.
Time will tell what kind of leading lady she’ll eventually graduate to — if she’s the next Claudine Barretto or the next Judy Ann Santos, the next Mylene Dizon or the next Gladys Reyes. She might crash and burn, she might flourish and shine — showbiz is fickle after all. But for 12 months in 2011, when the sheen of an ABS-CBN teleserye seemed as comfortable a fit as an indie’s guerrilla production, Lauren Young had her cake, enjoyed the icing, relished the cherries, and yes, ate it, too. — Raymond Ang
No. 11: Because Philippine tourism is sexy again
We saw it trending and we felt it buzzing all around. Local tourism was certainly a brisk, active force this 2011. Its milestones (and hash tags) are as follows:
DIY DOT: Manila minds is proof that you don’t have to be employed by DOT to start contributing to local tourism. 1. When advertising executive Ramon “Mon” Jimenez Jr. was appointed the new Tourism Secretary in September, people found it easy to rally behind his cause. Having founded top ad agencies Jimenez & Partners, Jimenez D’Arcy, and Publicis JimenezBasic, Jimenez has promised to bring the DOT aesthetic to the 21st century — that and public service you can actually feel.
2. Team Manila has been at it since 2001, inspired by everything Manila, from a stick of fish balls to Jose Rizal in shades. Lately, though, besides the limited edition Mang Tomas T-shirts, they’ve zeroed in on causes, auctioning an exclusive Manny Pacquaio-autographed Team Manila shirt, the proceeds of which will go to the victims of Sendong in Cagayan De Oro & Iligan City.
3. Having partnered with DOT and Team Manila, @WhyWeLoveManila caught buzz as a positivity campaign promoting Metro Manila. 21-year-old German-Filipina student Erika Hoffmann and 23-year-old artist Feanne Mauricio aim to document all the reasons why locals and visitors alike love Metro Manila, even interviewing Carlos Celdran, among others.
4. #ManilaMinds. Imagine about 40 of Manila’s prime influencers — from Sarah Meier to Quark Henares — in one room at coLAB, discussing tourism. A lot of ideas surfaced, such as creating a website for crowd-sourced collaterals that anybody can download to promote our country, and changing our taxi driver culture, training each one for a more honest, tourist-friendly cab system in Manila.
5. #PhilippineFridays, meanwhile, was a project that intended to help Philippine tourism by making the country a trending topic once a week. Questions like “What is your favorite Philippine destination and why?” and “What Filipino Food do you miss eating?” were once suggested.
6. Just this week, BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines was appointed as Agency of Record for DOT, besting seven other agencies. Headed by Sec. Jimenez, the pitch review resulted in favor of BBDO Guerrero, who was tasked with creating a campaign that will shape all major media both locally and overseas. Hopefully, we can move on from Pilipinas, Kay Ganda and inspire foreigners to flock here. — Ralph Mendoza
