Thursday, August 28, 2008
HISTORIC WASTELAND
The photograph above of the parking lot on Avenida Rizal was taken a couple of days ago. This is the site where the historic Avenue Theater & Hotel building once stood, designed by one of the country's great architects, Juan Nakpil. Built more than 70 years ago, it was completely demolished two years ago.
The photo at the bottom of Avenida Rizal was taken immediately after the war. The tall building in the middle was one of the few buildings that remained standing and unscathed after the intense carpet bombing during the Battle for Manila. It was the Avenue Theater & Hotel building. (Photo courtesy of UW Digital Collections)
The photo at the bottom of Avenida Rizal was taken immediately after the war. The tall building in the middle was one of the few buildings that remained standing and unscathed after the intense carpet bombing during the Battle for Manila. It was the Avenue Theater & Hotel building. (Photo courtesy of UW Digital Collections)
RELATED LINKS:
Avenue Theater: End of an Era
Capitol Theater on Escolta
Sigh-Sigh-Sigh - Walk This Way
Avenue Theater: End of an Era
Capitol Theater on Escolta
Sigh-Sigh-Sigh - Walk This Way
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Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
Labels: Avenue Theater, Manila history, Manila movie theater, Rizal Avenue
posted by Señor Enrique at 7:27 AM
| 8 comments
Sunday, March 04, 2007
A PLACE TO CHILL
This puddle from a broken water pipe appears to be a popular "cold spot" for the street kids of Rizal Avenue; some can be seen bathing in it during muggy afternoons. Interestingly, the structure that was recently demolished right in front of this puddle was once a major cold spot for the people of Manila -- The Avenue Theater. With its air-conditioning system blasting nonstop, many folks were enticed to shell out a couple of pesos to enjoy a cushioned seat, a Hollywood flick, and most of all, a comfortable place to cool off.
Nowadays, people don't have to pay anything to spend an hour or two in an air-conditioned place; any mall in Metro Manila offers such amenity. However, it doesn't come with any comfortable seating area; unless, of course, one opts to spend a few pesos to get something to eat. The food court, or in one of the eateries that abound, are the only places (besides the cinemas) where one may get a comfortable seat to rest his weary feet.
As for those with their laptops who prefer to surf the Net while they sip their lattes or frappucinos, there is Starbucks with WI-FI access, but for a fee, though. Which makes me wonder if Starbucks and other eateries that offer WI-FI will one day take a cue from the movie theaters of the past -- offer such online access service free of charge.
You see, in New York, WI-FI service has become the air-conditioning of the Internet age, enticing customers into restaurants and other public spaces in the same way that cold air blasted out the open doors of air-conditioned theaters in the early 20th century to help sell tickets.
Just a thought, though.
Labels: Avenue Theater, Rizal Avenue, street kids, WI-FI
posted by Señor Enrique at 10:26 PM
| 37 comments
