DAVIDOFF 2000

This cigar has an admittedly lighter draw than I am accustomed to, making the first few minutes of the smoke a bit strained. It’s amusing because I make the same comment each and every time I light one up! Once you get a feel for the cigar, it’s a pleasant afternoon smoke, mild and light—with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The wrapper burns evenly and you can spend minutes lining up your cigar ash so it resembles a full cigar (amusing). The Petite Corona is a small cigar, which lasts about 30-40 minutes depending on the smoker. It is your classic non-grand cru series Davidoff: predictable, pleasant, slightly too expensive, nice for a quiet afternoon with a book and good shot of espresso.

NEWLY BULLDOZED MOTORBIKING TRAIL

Took a new trail through San Mateo last weekend. We started off at batohan all the way to kavergel area. At the junction of halo halo we took a left and went towards the landfill in pintong bukawe. We headed towards electronics, passed close to susong dalaga and into pinahan ni Roxas—popping out in crasher conrock (sitio patiis). We ended by heading towards paraiso the funeral garden and out in Banaba San Mateo. Overall it was a fun trail—not exactly technical, though there were a few run-ins with mud patches and cliffs. It was a gorgeous day, with Philippines weather at its very best. The falls was a good breather and would have made a nice place to sit and have lunch.



I am not sure how long this trail will exist—it was newly bulldozed when we passed, so give it a few weeks and the bumps and grooves are sure to settle. I suggest hitting this trail as soon as you can!

BLUE RAY

The official stats of the 2009 ZR1 (Nicknamed Blue Ray) are out and to say they are staggering is an understatement. An all new small block LS9 engine at 6.2 liters cranks out 620 HP and 595 pounds per feet of torque. It has an intercooled supercharger from Eaton matched to a close-ratio six speed manual with dual- disc clutch. What does this mean in layman’s terms: Faster short time speed early in the track (small block) with a gargantuan engine that is also supercharged (no explanation necessary), maximized by a gearbox that keeps at the power-band by using a different combination of gears (close ratio six speed manual) and a clutch that is designed to be abused (dual –disc clutch). All of this result in a car that has a better power-to-weight ratio than the Murcielago, and can reach the 200 mph mark which few cars are designed to do (think: Bentley Continental GT Speed and Bugatti Veyron).

It’s designed to look and act like a street bully at a price ($100,000) that is still quite affordable when compared to the exotic cars it will eat for breakfast. Sadly, since this is a Chevy you can count on a low rent interior and handling that leans more towards American muscle than Italian exotic. However, this is what makes it a corvette; the meanest and fastest corvette ever produced! The Blue Ray will probably be built in low numbers, so get your name on the list as early as possible.

798 BETWEEN 11 AND 4

Art is a tricky subject. All of us have different views that I’m certain we will defend to the end. 798 is not about the art you enjoy (though you might just find that one great piece) or those “cocktail party whisper” pieces that you just have to see; it’s a place where the young artists of northern china can display their work, discuss their thoughts, and relax in the company of other artists. Note that while this may be commonplace in Europe or the United States, we are talking about China and the city from which “beats the heart of the Chinese people.” Up until the mid eighties, the Chinese were very much still in the Cultural Revolution. The society of artists and art aficionados really only started to develop in the nineties.

For visitors to 798, the “rough around the edges” feeling is prevalent, despite the well furnished/funded galleries, coffee houses, and forced graffiti. This was an old factory of some kind, which explains the wide buildings, perfectly angled streets, pipes, stacks, and valves that give this area its charm. There are rusted generators painted in bright colors that compliment the graffiti strewn across long, red brick walls. Randomly themed sculptures can be found at every corner and the galleries, are first rate—designed to the standards of New York and Milan. The development of this area is still in progress—there are no good restaurants, and a lot of space between galleries. The signs and maps are improving, but as a whole I suggest just mowing up and down the area, like you would a grocery store, to get the best experience. Smaller side streets often have small workshops. The people are quite friendly, so do not be shy when poking your nose into little courtyards or shacks. It can be cold in the winter, so I suggest that people traveling during this period dress warmly (Excessively would be best) and the artists do not usually get up till around 1030am, so plan for a mid day visit- which gets you out before the rush hour traffic at 5pm.

798 is a place any art lover NEEDS to visit. Fortunately it will only improve as time passes, so regular visits are recommended. If you absolutely need to buy a piece, I suggest you do your research first. There are a lot of overpriced artists and imitators in this area. Look first then go home and get on the internet. All prices are heavily negotiable.

TATA MOTORS IS BIDDING FOR JAGUAR AND LANDROVER

Tata Motors is a strong contender for Jaguar and Landrover. There is a rich irony in this that I am sure is rippling through the British car manufacturing community-- then again, after selling out to the Americans (Jaguar and Landrover) and Germans (Rolls Royce, Bentley), the initial shock has probably long since passed.

I have met with the Tata Group and I have to say that I found them to be highly driven professionals. The cars that they produce, while not impressive on an international standard, fit and serve the Indian market well. They recently announced that they would be producing a $2500 car (a car which is basically glued together!! Literally!) which would make the modern Model T. While as a group they certainly have the funding to purchase the ailing Jaguar and Landrover from Ford- I wonder if they have the technical expertise to manage such different lines of production?

The car aficionado that I am cries sacrilege at the thought of the "poetic justice" will be served to the Indians if they purchase these symbols of British Civilization (aptly worded by Todd Lassa). However, as a champion for the underdog- I hope they buy it and run it better than the original owners. Anyway, Ford has more than enough problems on its plate, a bit of infused cash would not hurt.