This is not some grammatical anomaly there. I am referring here to the grand old dame of Philippine theaters: the one we affectionately call “The Met” or The Manila Metropolitan Theater. Located near the foot of Quezon Bridge in the corner of old Arroceros, (now known as A. Villegas St.) this iconic landmark was built in an area that was once part of Manila’s first botanical garden in the late 1920’s and was opened on December 10, 1931. It is one of the few remaining structures in the metropolis that follows the architectural style known as Art Deco, one of the most popular architectural designs of the period. It was…
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reminiscing the Insular Ice Plant
At this time when we in the metropolis are suffering from the effects of El Niño and temperatures reaching as to as high as almost 37 degrees Celsius, this urban roamer cannot help but look back at a time when there was such a thing as a literally cool spot in Manila where perhaps we can take refuge from all the heat. I’m referring to none other than the Insular Ice Plant. Back in the days when refrigerators either were non-existent or not widely used yet, the Insular Ice Plant was one of the first buildings built by the Americans to keep the steak and beer fresh and cold. Designed…