June 07 Angeles News

ANGELES CITY NEWS

June 2007

The elections are over and Angeles City will have a new mayor this month, Blue Boy Nepomuceno. He is not new to politics in Pampanga and the people that know him do not predict any big changes for the entertainment district. There has been a rumor circulating that "door girls" may no longer be allowed. For now, that is just a rumor.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT & PERIMETER ROAD NEWS

Another newsletter and yet another recent NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) raid to report. Early on Wednesday morning 23 May 2007 (after midnight on Tuesday night), the NBI raided Bedrock, Blue Nile, Blue Nile Executive, and Nero's Forum. This raid, like several recent raids, did not comply with many of the legal requirements that should be followed by the NBI when conducting a inspection or a raid in any city. In addition to not notifying the local government so city police could accompany the NBI on the raid, this time they took it a few steps further by detaining customers, pointing firearms at customers, threatening customers, and even attempting to arrest customers wives and girlfriends. Fortunately, no one was injured and all the customers were released after 2-3 scary hours. Five buses were brought in and 334 employees were taken to Manila. The majority were released within 24 hours without formal charges being filed. As of the date of this newsletter 2 foreign managers and 5 local floor managers were still being detained.

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COYOTE UGLY: Formerly the Kitten Club. This club looked like a cross between the Viper Room and Roadies. The layout reminded me a lot of the Viper Room and the decor is a lot like Roadies. Part of the Kelly Group, it is open from 6 pm until 3 am.

THE HONEY POT: Next to the Bunny Ranch. I stopped in recently to check it out, but they had an electrical fire and had to close for the night. Had a good chat with Tango before they moved all the girls to Coyote Ugly and locked the doors for the night.

Klub Class is like a small disco for foreigners. It is located above the Bunny Ranch. Operating hours are 8 pm until 5 am with a happy hour from 8-9 pm.

Another new look for Insomnia

The exterior of INSOMNIA has been remodeled numerous times in the last few years. It is now sporting a completely new look. Not much change on the inside because none was needed. Still one of the most comfortable clubs in town and the 2 for 1 happy hour is hard to beat. This is one of the few clubs in Angeles where I never get a flat drink. Great drinks in large glasses. IMO one of the best places on Fields Ave from 6 to 8 pm (and not bad after that).

TENDER TOUCH is located down a narrow hallway next to Treasure Island on central Fields Ave. A small club with a decent lineup. They have a free internet WIFI hotspot, but I can't imagine bar hopping with a laptop.

TYPHOON: Still one of the most underrated clubs on Fields Ave. Comfortable seating, good to great lineup and decent drinks. If you haven't visited this club, I highly recommend you add it to your next night out on Fields Ave.

I have heard a lot about the small ZONE near the east end of Fields Ave so I headed down a few nights ago to take a look. They advertise a happy hour from 1 to 8 pm, but they were still closed at 5:30 pm!

The GOLDEN NILE building stands out above all other buildings on lower Fields Ave. Construction is 99% complete with finishing touches being done to the interior. Word on the local bulleting boards said that PAGCOR had finally signed the papers approving the license for slot machines only a few days before the big raid on the Blue Nile Group clubs. Only time will tell if this project opens any time soon.

GECKO's is now open at 2 pm and is one of the best early bars on the strip. Lots of new faces but no major changes since it changed hands a few months back. Despite some rumors, Mommy Fe still works here from 6 pm until closing.

LA BAMBA: Still one of my favorite afternoon bars (opens at 4 pm). The interior of this club hasn't changed in years, but it is still comfortable and the music is never too loud. And best of all, never any techno/rap music. They have a large, happy staff. Mommy Cel is IMO one of the best Filipina managers in Angeles. Happy hour is 4 pm until 7 pm with local drinks at P55.

The massage parlor between Limited Edition and Happy Rock (Former T-Times) is under renovation by the new Aussie owner of Happy Rock. Initial word was that it will be a restaurant with internet cafe and pool tables.

The cement windows of Limited Edition were knocked out the last week of May 2007 and renovations are under way on the interior. Word is they will make this into a restaurant with the menu from the old Powder Keg.

GOBBLES BAR on Santos street is scheduled to open soon. I haven't heard a thing about this club which will be located in a new three story building next to the Swiss Inn.

COPY CATS

It amazes me how little originality is displayed by some of the club owners in Angeles now days. Shortly after a club in town tries something new (usually copied from Thailand or elsewhere) many other clubs jump in with identical gimmicks. Below are just a few of the biggest fads:

One of the most annoying trends in town is the ping pong ball "game." This first appeared in Thailand a few years ago and has recently been appearing in many clubs in Angeles. Far from a game, it is a degrading money maker for the clubs. Stupid customers buy a bunch of ping pong balls and then toss them on the stage or the floor of the club and watch the staff scramble around on their hands and knees trying to retrieve them in order to receive a small payment from the cashier for each ball collected.

Officer Naughty & Tequila Girls Officer Naughty was first spotted in the Blue Nile Group. Now the same uniform is used in numerous clubs around town. The Tequila Girls were first seen in Ray Kelly's clubs like Kitten Club. They were shortly copied and instituted in all the Blue Nile Group clubs. Although a few "Officer Naughty's" have been seen on Perimeter Road, the Tequila Girls remain a Fields Ave phenomena.
	Now, she looks "naughty"	Bedrock	Even special adds for "Tequila Girls"	Misty's

INTERNET CAFES: Only a few years ago there were less than six internet cafes in Angeles City. Now there are probable over 100. Additionally, many hotels now have WIFI or LAN connections in their rooms. And as stated above Tender Touch even has a WIFI hot spot. Speed and prices vary widely. I still recommend Rick's Cafe (now in the rear of Margarita Station). Rick's server is pretty good when it is working right (everything is iffy in the rainy season). They have cameras for chatting, including two private booths. And you can order food and beverages from Margarita Station delivered to the internet center.

WET SPOT

In May a friend suggested that we visit Wet Spot. I'd read mixed reviews on several Angeles internet boards. I was pleasantly surprised when I got inside, so I went back the following week with my camera. IMO it is worth the one block walk from the main entertainment district. Wet Spot is located near the rear entrance to Orchid Inn, near the "Blues Brothers Church" just past Roy's Pub (end of the street). Member of the Golden Circle Group.

Great sign on Brown Sugar!

OTHER NEWS

Sweet looking girl. Could she really be old enough to be a mom?

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The US Dollar has continued to weaken. With the drop in the dollar, many hotels have switched their rates from US dollars back to Pesos.

CONDO FEVER

12 Condos are under construction on New York Street in Villa Sol. Priced at $95,000 for a 120 square meter unit seemed high for me for this location, but then I saw the prices for other Angeles condo projects. It appears this may be a project of R. Warner as I've seen the Brass Knob trike at the construction site numerous times. If that is the case, the project will likely be a success as he has done well with businesses in Angeles for almost three decades.

Still another condo project soon to rise, the Grand View Tower will be built on Don Juico (Perimeter) Road between Honey Ko's and the Clarkton (near the VFW).

The Wild Orchid BOURBON STREET STYLE Apartments are nearing completion. When this was first announced in November 2005 (original story with prices) I thought the prices were a bit high for Angeles. When compared with some of the projects below, I think this would be my one of my first choices due to location, size of the units, and the access to the Wild Orchid facilities.

		Originally planned to be multiple small clubs, the first floor of the apartment complex is being set up to be one large bar (and restaurant?)

The LEXUS Hotel/Condos are nearing the construction phase. The property on Santos street is being cleared and they have set up a model unit, about 1 block from the construction site, on the Rosario Street behind the Orchid Inn & Central Park Hotel. Details are on their website at http://www.thelexushotel.com/ The condos range from a 43.5 square meter studio for $71,775.00 to an 80.07 square meter one bedroom unit for $136,119.00. Full pricing details are on line at: http://www.thelexushotel.com/pricing.php

The ANGELES SPORTS AND COUNTRY CLUB Condos was one of the first projects in Angeles and is still the biggest one on the books with 144 units. no prices are available, but for more information, see http://www.angelessportsandcountryclub.com/

In contrast to the above projects, Gerard has moved into subdivision developments. Hottest on his list is a subdivision located on the hillside above Subic City. About 30% sold out in the first few months, most purchasers are using Gerard's construction firm to build their homes. Average cost for a 120 sq. meter home (including the lot) is only about $55,000. More details on this project in a future newsletter.

Checkpoint wet market

Speaking of Gerard ... construction is expected to begin on some condos where the current checkpoint wet market is located. This was the home of Sweet Charity's in the early 90's. More on this project in future news letters. I said above I would go with the Wild Orchid condo project (if I was into condo living) but, all things being equal, I would hold out to see the prices and floor plan for this project. Gerard's construction company is second to none in Luzon.

The Pacific Breeze annex is nearing completion and some rooms are already in service. In the next few weeks I hope to put out a special newsletter featuring the rooms and facilities of the Pacific Breeze and to finally get them fully listed on our hotel pages. Until then our staff will be happy to make reservations even though the details are not listed on our site.

Jacuzzi with waterproof DVD player

ABC Hotel The ABC Hotel recently finished their suites and also announced a price roll back on the Deluxe Rooms. The suites are spectacular for Angeles City. The Junior Suites have been about 99% booked since they were finished. All the suites have large flat panel TV's, a office area with internet connection, a jacuzzi and a combination shower, steam bath, and sauna.

http://www.margarita-station.com/hotels/abc.html

custom made mattresses - larger than king size

Deluxe & Presidential suites have large private balconies

Large living room in Presidential Penthouse

All the suites have large bathrooms

shower-steam bath- sauna

Balcony of the deluxe suite

Jacuzzi on the main floor next to swimming pool

ANOTHER NEW HOTEL Yeah, another hotel project is rising. Several years ago an American said he would build the largest hotel in the area on this site (not counting the big hotels on Clark). Nothing happened here for almost two years until recently when construction began in earnest. This new hotel is located just before the church and Petron station on Don Juico (Perimeter Road). There are several more small to medium size hotels under construction within 1 mile of Fields Ave.

Another new boutique hotel is under construction next to the Carousel Club on central Fields Ave. Rumor is that this will be yet another project of the Dollhouse guys.

YGBSM! I spotted this on Real Street. Only in Angeles ... a 30 minute DETOX! I wonder if Lindsay Lohan knows she can get cleaned up in a half hour!

The approach to the overpass just east of the Friendship Gate.

Construction continues on the roads from Clark to Subic and from Clark to Tarlac. This is reportedly being supervised by a Japanese construction firm which is a bit hard to believe. They have built an overpass for this road to go over the road from the main gate to the central part of the CSEZ. They have used ash as the base for the road. We are now well into the rainy season and every day the hard rains wash away large portions of this roadway and they keep repairing it with more ash. If the base for the entire roadway is similar to this stretch, then this new road will be under constant repair.

This shot of MacArthur highway was taken the last week of May 2007.

The rainy season is here in the Philippines. We have been getting frequent afternoon tropical rains and visitors should expect downpours any time from now until mid-Sept. [Note: This is the tropics and we have had typhoons and heavy rains in any month of the year, but they are much more frequent from mid-may thru mid- Sept]

NEW MASSAGE CENTER: Just off of Fields Ave (next to Jollibee) is a new 2 story building that says it will be a massage center. Based upon the rate of construction, I'd look for this to open sometime in July.

SAN MIGUEL LIGHT BEER - Now available in draft. Always a bunch of happy street watchers at the Sub Delicious street side bar.

RICK'S CHECK CASHING SERVICES: Check cashing of personal U.S. Dollar checks for expat residents of the Angeles City area (military retirees, residents of the community). See Rick in the courtyard of Margarita Station from 8am to 1130am Monday thru Saturday. A 5% charge on checks $100 to $500. (Write a check for $105 and you get $100 bill, $210 and get $200 in US currency etc). If you have any questions you can call 892-0119 or stop by and visit us in our internet office

Bohemia Restaurant will celebrate their first anniversary on 13 June 2007. I recently made my first visit and it won't be my last one. I found the food to range from good to excellent. The group I was with were not into spicy dishes so we sampled stuff I though would be safe. The Chicken Parmesan was everyone's favorite dish. I'm looking forward to sampling some of the spicier dishes on my next visit. I've heard many people complain about the location, but IMO, it is pretty convenient. It is just a 1-2 minute walk from the Blue Nile area on Fields Ave and there is ample parking. CLOSED ON Sunday

http://www.bohemia-ac.com/

For years I have recommended flights in Jimmy Boyd's 1949 Navion-A aircraft to my customers. This is a beautiful aircraft that is meticulously maintained personally by Jimmy. He loves to fly, so his fees are based only on recovering his costs for fuel and landing fees with no big pad for his time or profits. He now has his own website at www.navionair.com

(NOTE: Website was temporarily down on 5 June, be patient)

Google video compliments of Rick's Cafe

WANT TO GET RICH? Then check out THE BLUEBOOK. The on-line edition can be found at: http://www.blue-bookph.com/ It is just full of "get rich quick" schemes this month. It never fails to amaze me how many guys show up here with a pocket full of money and decide to buy a bar or invest their money with some smooth talking guy. And it isn't just newbies that fall for these deals. The owner of the Roadhouse is pretty savvy, but ask him sometime over a drink if he'd like to invest in a chicken farm.

*Some of the great investment deals this month:*
Great chance to invest in an unspecified business with an American that has been in the PI 20 years, $10,000 minimum.	SEPTIC TRUCK for sale, Only P650,000
"Management Rights" in a Well Known Reputable Bar in the bar district. No price listed. Does this mean you manage it and the owner keeps the profits? I've heard of it the other way around where an owner sells a guy the bar, but keeps the management rights. New owner doesn't have to do anything except buy the bar. The old owner puts in a manager and does all the bookkeeping. Every few months the owner finds out how much he lost and gets a bill for salaries, electric, etc. Eventually the sucker (I mean owner) has lost too much and sells it back to the original owner at a loss.
8.4 hectare mango orchard located 100 meters off the expressway. Vehicle exhaust has always been known to be great for mango flavor.	Beach Resort in Subic. 15 rooms, 4 apartments. Includes website and stocks on hand. $500,000.00
JOB OPPORTUNITY for an operations manager. Good salary, free accommodations, etc. "Must be able to invest some money..."	PARTNERS WANTED: Huge return on investment, Big equity share, Incoming partner can manage, transparent accounting (that sounds interesting).
1230 Pizza. Priced for a quick sale.	Brand New restaurant & grill. Very good income. One month old.
4 WEEKS FREE ACCOMMODATION EACH YEAR. Simply invest $20,000.00
NOTE: Another great place to look for quality investments is on the wall above the urinals in AC Cocktail lounges

LET THE BUYER BEWARE

CONSUMER NOTICE in Blue Books says:

"We do not screen our advertisers, therefore please use Wise judgment prior to purchasing goods or services."

Other great deals in this months Blue Book:
A place on Santos Street that can treat incurable diseases	A place in Dau that does hair replacement, sells wigs and also does chemotherapy!
Lots of places where you can go through DETOX in an hour or less. One near the back of the book has a 30 minute DETOX "now only 600 Pesos." Then a few lines down it is "1000 Pesos Or With Massage 1500 Pesos."	KOREAN Health Care Center that also treats "incurable disease", Sexual capacity (Power), has a "growth clinic", and best of all gives "free consultation for mind-body foot energy analyzer."
Butt enhancement, skin tightening, enhanced skin thickness, and Over-all improvement in Quality of Life.

NOTE: Some of the above are probably good deals! TRUST ME!

COMING SOON ....... THE BARS OF PERIMETER ROAD