Gemismyname.com

07/11/2024

14/06/2023

Music, takoyaki, and art on paper lanterns. I encountered all three when I went to the Ichiban Japanese diner in Cubao Expo, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on June 4, 2023.

Check out Mon Koutaro Ooyama/ 'S cool mural on 01:43. This is his Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/mondotooo/

Thanks to the friendly .okisima for making me feel welcome. https://www.instagram.com/ryota.okisima/

00:00 overview of the front yard of the Ichiban Takoyaki Bar, Cubao X
00:14 poster of the festival
00:19 entering the Ichiban Japanese eatery
00:22 lanterns in the 1st floor of the shop
00:58 lanterns outside the shop by the tent

01:34 2nd floor of Ichiban Takoyaki Bar
01:43 Japanese artist MONDOTOO painting a mural
This is his Instagram page. https://www.instagram.com/mondotooo/
02:03 lanterns, 2nd floor
02:39 back to the 1st floor
02:46 more lanterns in the 1st floor
03:05 more lanterns outside, by the end

03:25 vibes by the tent area
03:38 music from vintage Japanese vinyl
03:59 takoyaki
04:34 outro and more still photographs
04:45 more music from vintage Japanese vinyl

sources:
a. https://www.thekyotoproject.org/english/chochin-traditional-japanese-paper-lanterns/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_lighting_equipment_of_Japan
c. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takoyaki

07/06/2023

Do the Twist- Various Original Artists

Click to see more of my '90s to '00s cassette tape collection: https://youtu.be/6SJnoTcJGfk (14 minutes)

I photographed these and made the video linked above during the April 2020 pandemic lockdown.

07/06/2023

Bacolod Inasal Country is in a small food park on the intersection of Barangka Drive and Talayan Street in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. I had dinner there on May 23, 2023 and thought to share some footage I took of the food and the place with you guys, since this is a unique FIlipino food item.

00:00 Barangka Drive
00:22 hole in the wall ramen
00:58 other stores outside
01:21 Bacolod Inasal Country sign at the entrance
01:29 interiors of the food park (on Google Maps, use "Yvan Navy Burgers" as the map pin)
01:47 ordering
02:03 mango shake being made
02:10 lechon kawali being chopped
02:25 drinking my mango shake
02:31 food being served
02:36 overview of the meal- 1/2 piece chicken inasal and lechon kawali
02:42 rice
02:47 enjoying the chicken inasal
03:09 condiments (sawsawan) - calamansi + Filipino soy sauce + chili pepper
03:35 other items on the menu
03:43 stray cats
03:50 outro

31/05/2023

I dropped by this halo halo stand on Quezon Avenue, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on 05/25/2023 for a quick summer pick me up.

Halo halo is Filipino shaved ice dessert.

00:00 on the way to the lot where the stall is
00:15 the stand
00:22 menu
01:10 milk pre-mixed into the shaved ice
01:30 traditional Filipino halo halo with crushed ice
02:14 eating
04:10 more shots of the property
04:46 on pricing
04:51 footage of transfering ube ice cream from one order to the other + outro

30/04/2023

I traveled to Panglao, Bohol, Philippines, on April 14-16, 2023. It was an approximately 1 hour 30 minute flight from Metro Manila. This is the first ever commercial flight I’ve taken since the pandemic began!

Click here to see photographs from my trip:
- Just the highlights: https://flickr.com/photos/treetop_apple_juice/albums/72177720307655309

- All 400 something photographs sorted into folders: https://www.flickr.com/photos/treetop_apple_juice/collections/72157721670566261/

00:00 Intro
00:04 NAIA Airport Terminal 2
00:17 New Bohol Airport
00:56 checking into Henann hotel
01:08 domestic Philippine Airlines flight "modified food service" situation
01:24 lunch at Giuseppe Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast
02:05 walking around the hotel pool
02:21 stray beach dog encounters
02:23 sunset over Alona beach
02:56 cover band singing

Day 1 photographs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/treetop_apple_juice/sets/72177720307636303/

03:30 Day 2 breakfast
03:42 hotel footage
03:48 on the road to St Augustine Parish via tricycle
04:33 St Augustine Parish Church, Panglao Island
http://www.panglaotourism.com/heritage-sites/st-augustine-church/- info about it from the Panglao Tourism Site
05:05 famed confessional
05:10 ceiling murals
05:19 pre-baptism/ marriage lecturer/ speaker
05:48 watchtower
06:15 beach area behind St Augustine
06:47 random bird encounter
07:55 St Augustine Parish church front yard
08:08 on the road, from the church back to the hotel via tricycle
08:46 arriving back at Henann Resort & lunch

09:17 off to Baclayon Church
09:51 Baclayon Church
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baclayon_Church- info from Wikipedia
10:55 entrance
11:24 small room with collection of religious figurines and curios
12:48 leaving Baclayon Church
13:00 bridge over Loboc River
13:10 man made mahogany forest
13:19 Tarsier Conservation Area
13:46 tarsier photos

13:58 Chocolate Hills
15:09 sunset over Chocolate Hills
15:17 night drive
15:23 fresh seafood dinner on Alona beach
16:08 night walk

Day 2 photographs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/treetop_apple_juice/sets/72177720307634189/

16:29 Day 3 morning on the beach
16:44 hotel room snaps
16:55 beach dog playing catch and swimming
17:27 walking along Panglao Circumferential Road and Alona Beach Road
17:47 lunch at Hola! Mexican diner

18:01 more photographs of the walk back to Alona Beach
18:21 dessert The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm
18:41 view of the sea from the cafe
19:00 New Bohol Airport
19:23 postscript on tricycles

Day 3 photographs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/treetop_apple_juice/sets/72177720307621787/



Music from YouTube Audio Library:
Riding Into The Sun - Telecasted
Classic Mariachi - Jimena Contreras
The Charmer's Call - Hanu Dixit
Lotus Pond - Aakash Gandhi

08/11/2022

I had some lugaw, arroz caldo & goto (different variations of rice porridge) at Lugawan sa Tejeros's Kalentong branch in Sta. Ana, Manila, Philippines some days ago.

It's a Filipino street food staple.

00:00 diner exteriors
00:15 menu
00:20 eatery interiors
00:28 food prep
00:45 wall mounted tables
00:51 my orders
01:40 prepping palabok
01:50 street scenes across the diner



Music:
Catch The Fear
https://streambeats.com

16/09/2022

I've driven past this cool Katipunan (K*K) themed street art on a side street of Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard in Manila for years, but I only had time to actually stop and photograph it the other day, September 15, 2022.

I thought to shoot a small behind the scenes vlog also since people often ask me where I find these neat spots in the city to photograph.

Also on that same street is a Street Side Grotto, which was very fortuitous for me, since I've been photographing these little vernacular street altars for over a decade now, and I often driven past one but was unprepared to photograph. Luckily that day I had my stuff with me and had the extra time to do so.

00:00 K*K/ Katipunan street art, Valencia St., side street of Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard

00:43 Street Side Virgin Mary grotto, same street
My Street Side Grotto gallery on my website- https://gemismyname.com/gallery/street-side-grottos/
My Street Side Grotto NFT collection on Solsea (Solana)- https://solsea.io/c/618be01853be7378d147be06 #!

01:17 bonus graffiti photographs, Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. Service Road

Music:
Look Both Ways- Nathan Moore
YouTube Audio Library

22/06/2022

I went to Tropical Hut in Escolta, Manila, Philippines for an afternoon snack some days ago.

This is a home-grown Philippine fast food chain, similar to Jollibee.

This used to be a super popular fast food chain back when I was a kid in the 80s and 90s.

Music:
Splash
https://www.streambeats.com/