The Grind

It's hard to find a capital city in the world that isn't well connected to the internet. Manila is definitely not behind at all in connectivity. Millions of text messages pass through service providers each day. However, free WiFi service is still lacking, being limited to certain malls.

But if you're portable electronic device is capable, then Grindr is it! It's Planet Romeo on your iPhone. It's about hookups, cruising, and SEB but taken to the millennial level.

Enjoy!

Spada Wellness Center

In a busy section of Taft Avenue, near the corner of Buendia and the Gil Puyat LRT Station is male massage center called Spada. It has a huge sign which is quite well-lit at night. You cannot miss it. It's on the south bound section of Taft Avenue but on your left if you go north bound coming from the LRT Gil Puyat Station.

I assume this is not a legitimate place but huge sign outside is hardly discreet. Spada, or sword in English, is sometimes used to refer to gay sex. I live it up to your imagination how a sword fight alludes to gay sex.

They offer two services: FHM (For Him Massage) and Lingam Massage, as stated on their huge outdoor sign. What they mean exactly by the two services is for you to find out, though there is no shortage of information on Lingam on the internet. Call Spada +632 524 1323 or+632 487 6416.

Enjoy!

Macho Dancer Row

If Kamuning/Kamias Street is the male massage row, then Timog Avenue is the macho dancer row of Manila. Less than a kilometer apart are four male strip joints.

1. Adonis

2. Mankind

3. Maginoo

4. Makisig

Adonis is the oldest of the lot, having been around since the Nineties.

Enjoy!

BED Reopens

The website says it will be alive again on December 17. Manila's gay nightlife has come back to life.

Manila is Billboard City

It's Christmas time and the purveyor of gay imagery in the city hasn't failed to deliver. They're all over the city. Enjoy.

HIV Test

As World Aids Day approaches, a significant event has occurred. The Pope has declared that condoms are acceptable. It's all over the internet. What used to be an absolute is now a gray area. Many are disappointed. Many are thankful. Discussions won't stop.

What shouldn't stop you is getting tested. You can even get it for free.

The Play Room

Their website is working, but you won't find much on it.

The Play Room

A new bath house has opened. The Play Room address is #35 West Avenue, Quezon City. Directions are:

Coming from West Avenue, it's after Mister Kebab and before Del Monte Avenue. It's the building with the restaurants, "In and Out" and "Don Esteban" in its front. From the directions, The Play Room must be near Spartacus Reflexology, a gay massage place.

Their website doesn't work but you can try this number where I got the address from: +63 916 576 8164.

The place is run by the same owner as Queeriosity and Hilom Spa. Don't know if that should matter. Enjoy.

RAID!

Queeriosity Bath House was raided last week. So have some cinemas known as gay cruising places. Customers were brought to police stations. Just be prepared. Police can hold you but cannot detain you for more than a certain number of hours without charging you with a crime, and they need a judge for that. But, if you want to end your inconvenience and embarrassment, you can always pay your way out of detention. This is not encouraged but what would you do?

No More Bed

Bed Bar in Malate burned. The only remaining gay club has closed due to a fire. Manila has no gay scene at the moment.

Home Male Massage

I'm not sure how "legitimate" this is, but with the proliferation of home massage services, this had to eventually come along.

Green Spa Home and Hotel Male Massage Service

Manila's Male Massage Parlor Row

Update of the massage parlors along Kamuning-Kamias Streets.

1. Boys of Bora
2. Eaglenest Health Spa
3. Hunk's Touch Tel 433-2396
4. Lightness Spa
5. Earth Spa Tel 410-2182
6. Equanimity Spa

7. Nature's Green Spa

The links above are updated. I'm not sure if the websites are working or updated.

A new legitimate spa with masseurs also opened, Rustic Spa. Since it just opened, expect it to be clean and nice smelling.

Gay Indie

Part of Manila gay life is watching a movie from the genre called, "Gay Indie." Robinsons Galleria Cinema 8 is the designated independent cinema of Manila and is referred to as IndieSine, a play on word Independent Cinema and the tagalog for "not a movie." Given that many personalities in cinema in general are gay and that the programmer for the IndieSine happens to be gay, many gay films are screened here, albeit with censors required cuts. Robinsons Galleria also happens to be one of the cruisiest malls and cinemas in Manila.

If you can't catch the latest screening at Robinsons or other theaters, you can run to your nearest video store to purchase not just the movies that you missed but also the numerous direct to video gay soft porn. In a recent trip to the video store/record bar, there were as many as seven titles of gay films.