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I would certainly like to make you think that this lady greets you at the entrance to my stable but alas, it is not to be. Instead, she is the greeter at the Lewis Grand Hotel and the first contact you will have with one of the many professional, friendly, and attractive staff on board. Later on in this column I will provide a couple more pictures of this very fine Hotel. So goes the beginning of this month of July that will be starting off with a bang as a few celebrations for the fourth of July take place. The entertainment area will be full of action all along Fields Ave, Perimeter Road and stretching all the way to Friendship Bridge. I know it is a bit far out for many visitors but do try to check out the "Cold Drop" a bit before the Friendship bridge especially on Sundays when they offer a great feed for a very reasonable price. Their waitresses add quite a bit of charm to the place, especially head waitress, Theresa and is the best back scratcher in town. Let me explain that now. She used to work at my stable many years ago and she has these great nails and I love having my back scratched. It was quite nice of her to provide me with that service and whenever I visit the Cold Drop I ask for one more scratch. There are far better reasons to visit the Cold Drop but I will let you discover that for yourself. June was a rather peaceful month, no robberies and no shootings involving Expats or tourists but I can't say the same for the Philippine local community. I was so pleased not to have had to put in my "TAPS" section this month and I hope that trend will continue for a while.

I do have to say hello to Ryan P. Rantz, Ken Leiby from Camp Taji, Iraq, Larry Smith, Al Eason, Tim Higgins from Baghdad and Geoff Flint. Please folks, when writing to me let me know where you are from in the text. It is always a special pleasure for me to hear from the readers of this column and I do try to answer each one, especially those with questions.

By the way, I am putting off my knee replacement surgery until early next year and I am determined to lose ten pounds by then. My next VA appointment is in Oct and that is too close to Christmas for me to have a major operation.

Hear this, some local politician put a restraining order on Gerard's construction project at the Checkpoint because he did not like the vibration caused by the machine used to make the holes for the many support posts needed for the building. He owns a building next to the construction site and I can report that Gerard is not a happy camper over that action and I can understand his feelings.

Oh, Oh, I made a mistake about "TAPS", and I am sorry that this one slipped my mind. I regret to report that Greg McDougal, the gentleman that developed Hidden Vale Resort, now known as the Angeles City Sports and Country Club passed away after a very long fight with cancer. He will be missed by many and a memorial ceremony was held at the Sports Club on Sunday, 30 Jun 08. It was a very moving ceremony attended by many of his friends and especially the Lawn Bowlers who represent one of Greg's biggest dreams born while he was in Hong Kong. He wanted to bring Lawn Bowls to the Philippines and to develop a team that was recognized internationally and could develop Philippine champions. In this he succeeded and one of his greatest moments was when, a few years ago, a Filipino bowler, during a final singles match, on his very last ball rolled to a gold medal victory in an International match right here at the home court in front of hundreds of Filipino fans. With that victory Greg saw his legacy to the Philippines fulfilled and that legacy will live on at the Sports Club for many more years.

LETTERS FROM READERS

Grand Lewis Hotel

I would like to welcome the Lewis Grand Hotel in my family of advertisers. After being open for only a few months this Hotel is a fast riser on the list of hot hotels to stay in while visiting Angeles City. They feature a convenient location, fantastic swimming pool, comfortable rooms along with all the other goodies you expect in a good hotel. The rooms come in seven different categories ranging in price from P2,600 for deluxe king to P12,200 for the presidential suite. The rates are inclusive of government taxes (VAT), service charge and breakfast for two. The promotional rates run through 15 July, 2008 so make your reservations this month. I do not know what the rates will be after the 15th but maybe the promotional period will be extended. You can get further details by checking out their website www.lewisgrand.com. I am particularly impressed with the staff and the fact that the owner is a young Filipino American from Los Angeles who is very personable and approachable. His name is Lewis Yakich and he will take the time to stop and chat with any visitor that seeks him out and welcomes any suggestions offered as well as paying attention to any complaints which I can guarantee you are very few and far between. He is simply, a nice guy and I would really enjoy sharing a sit down over a few drinks with Lewis, Phillip from Yats Wine Club and Tony Briggs from Fontana, my goodness, that would be a treat.

TIDBITS

Recently, I was asked a legal question about how long it takes for an individual being held in jail to be arraigned. The reason for this question is that one Expat has been incarcerated in the City jail for over 6 months now without any arraignment. I recommended that this person contact Attorney Duro for assistance and consider retaining his services. Not knowing what happened I asked Attorney Duro to answer this question. His response follows:

"As of this time, Mr. Jones (Not his real name) has yet to engage my services, hence, I still have no legal personality to deal on all his four (4) cases in court. I was informed by Mr. Jones that a certain "MARIE" (Not her real name) (his former neighbor for 8 years) misappropriated the money that Mr Jones entrusted to her for the payment of my fees. According to this Marie, when she was on her way to my office with the money she felt dizzy and was rushed to the hospital and spent all the money on her medical bills. Amazingly, she cannot produce a single receipt from the hospital. It seems Mr Jones has accepted the explanation of Marie as I have been informed that she is still the person being entrusted by Mr. Jones to coordinate on his cases and on other personal matters.

The law on speedy trial is very clear. There is a time limit of 30 days between filing of the complaint in court and arraignment of the accused and also the same time limit between the arraignment and trial. He must be arraigned within the said 30 days and after being arraigned he must be brought to trial within 30 days. If the accused is not brought to arraignment and/or trial within the time limit, the case shall be dismissed upon motion of the accused with the assistance of his lawyer. The dismissal may be with prejudice or without prejudice at the discretion of the court.

(In a nutshell, Mr. Jones is being foolish. He needs a lawyer and Duro is a good one but then he turns around and trusts his neighbor with the money for the lawyer. That is, if one wants to believe his story. The key here is that Jones will rot in jail if he does not retain a competent lawyer and have someone he can trust, explicitly, to be the go-between with his money. The answer about time in jail and arraignment has been answered and that is very important information to be aware of. Folks, do not wait until it is too late to choose a lawyer that you can depend on).

Body painters out of work?

Body painting shows have become popular in town but now, prudish law enforcement personnel, looking for financial gain, have decided that this also is a no-no. Recently the innovative lads running the Doll House decided to put on a body painting show and they were busted for lewdness. The ladies were rounded up, sans clothes and carted off to jail so a bunch of horney cops could get their rocks off. According to one lawyer it is indeed considered a lewd show if the ladies do not have any material on their bodies. In this case it is rumored that the show cost management P300,000, not including the paint remover. My offer to transport the ladies to and from jail was not accepted as well as my offer to wash the paint off. Damn, horses never have any fun!

New scam?

I keep wondering what new methods will be used to set up foreigners by some cops for financial gain. A reader of this column sent me this bit of information:

"Hi Harry Horse – I need to inform you of the revival of an old scam. I knew this scam would rear it's ugly head again now that everybody is becoming more aware of the underage thing through your efforts and others. I was talking to Mike (Manager of Eruptions) tonight and he relayed the following to me. This is an old scam but with a new twist I had not heard before. I have not verified this because he got it second hand from a guy that was a friend of the victim.

Seems this guy was walking home to his room and felt somebody trying to pick his pocket. He checked everything and apparently the pickpocket had not been able to get anything off him. Now he gets back to his room counting himself lucky that the thief did not get him. Within a few minutes here comes a knock on the door and it is the police wanting to search his room for drugs. This guy was completely taken aback and said sure go ahead. The police found a small quantity of some illegal substance in his pocket. The pickpocket was not withdrawing; he was making a deposit for his cohorts to find later.

Not sure of any other details but this used to be a common practice during the days of the base and there was a celebrated case of John B. Martin that was all over the Web in 2002.

This is why I think we should have the guard politely ask to inspect bags coming into the hotel especially when they arrive on foot from someplace. This is another way we can help protect our guests and further enhance the reputation of our hotel." (This is the first time this type of scam has shown up recently. The John Martin incident the writer refers to happened on 14 Jun 01 when a bunch of policemen , at 0730 hrs, came crashing into his house armed with a search warrant. They found in the kitchen a herbal tea can that allegedly contained packets of Shabu. The rest is a long story with John ending up in jail, then the hospital and finally being acquitted. By that time Elvie, his wife, had left him, he was broke and he ended up in Cebu with nothing. He died there nearly penniless. So the incident related above is quite a bit different but still, illustrates how vulnerable a foreigner can be in this country or, for that matter, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, South America, etc., any country dominated by corruption. Scary isn't it? You better believe it and believe me, even this Horse is not immune to the "fear factor".)

Tourist friendly?

Recently added to Fields Ave are the "Fields Marshalls" assigned by City Hall and the "Barangay Police" placed by Balibago Barangay Captain Tony Mamac, who look like criminals and walk around in packs with long sticks. I call them "Tony's Gang" for they look like gang members and when there is an incident they gather around the suspect like a wolf pack. Recently, an American who was drunk and obviously said something that offended them was beaten with a stick, punched and forced to the ground. This was a horrible reaction by these "police" and according to witnesses it was terrible to watch, especially since these people are placed on the street, supposedly, to be tourist friendly and helpful. The incident was caught on video and I am told will be forwarded to various media outlets. It is advisable for all Expats and tourists to stay as far away from these Barangay Police as possible. Do not go to them for assistance or information, especially if you have had a few drinks. These so called "police" look like gang members imported from Los Angeles. Tourist friendly? Hardly! Update - Captain Mamac attended last month's ACTA Trustee meeting and explained the situation with the Barangay Police. He has instituted some positive changes in appearance and procedures and his approach to the entertainment area is quite positive. As in many situations that might crop up in dealing with political figures in the Philippines two groups might not always agree on everything but quite often dialogue between individuals can resolve misunderstandings and develop into a positive working relationship. At the conclusion of the meeting with the Barangay Captain everyone in attendance felt that the objectives of both parties coincide and that most problems have been resolved. Over the next few months we will see how this "peace accord" plays out. Right now, an air of optimism exists.

Now we have Barangay officials going around to the Clubs on Perimeter Road checking to see if the workers have purchased a new controversial working permit from Tony Mamac's office. It seems that this Barangay Captain is forcing on all employees in Balibago a P50 a year fee to obtain a working permit from his office. Somehow though, it appears that he is only concentrating on the Clubs on fields Ave. Now, representatives from the Barangay are going around bar to bar checking to see if the ladies have this permit. Recently they went to Voodoo and King of Diamonds and harassed the employees there and forced the ladies out of the Clubs. Supposedly this fee is to establish a trust for a scholarship fund for 100 poor students or something like that. A vague City resolution has been passed supporting this action but the Clubs do not want to pay this fee as they feel it is between the workers and the Barangay. It is not up to the Clubs to collect this fee for the Barangay! I have been told that the Mamasans are collecting the fees from the employees to obtain the clearances without bothering the Club managers or owners. What is feared is that this year the fee is P50 and then what, P500 next year? And only the Clubs are forced to pay? Something ain't fair here? UPDATE: Since I wrote this item I have found out that Tony intends to impose this "working permit" on ALL businesses in Balibago and I have had Hotel owners and CDC Stall owners informing me that they have been directed to obtain this permit for their employees as well. A representative of ACTA visited Tony Mamac and he said that he intends to impose this fee "border to border". I do not know if his "collectors" will be as aggressive with all owners as they were with the Clubs they visited. I am waiting to see the employees of banks, grocery stores, etc., being forced out of the premises and told to go home, they cannot work. The Club employees are paying now because it is easier to pay and then continue to question the legality of it all then to be subjected to continuous harassment that disrupts the working environment. Hopefully, this Barangay Captain, who is also in the entertainment business, will be able to show complete records of collections and disbursements of monies collected. There is no doubt that the business community will be asking for this report at the end of the year.

The price of entertainment is going up!

Folks, bear with me on this as I know I mentioned it last month but believe me, all Club owners are trying to hold the line on price increases and this is within the entire entertainment zone from Fields Ave to Friendship but with weekly price increases for gas, food and other items it is hard to do. At my stable I still offer a/c rooms for P800 and local drinks at the bar for P40 but I wonder how long I can continue to do so. I even have a reverse happy hour where local drinks are only P30 from 0800 to 1100 hrs and fortunately there are not many folks that indulge that early but it is nice to greet some folks for breakfast and drinks in the morning hours. We have experienced a bit of a respite in that the dollar has improved against the peso but I am looking at investing in an electric motor scooter. A friend of mine has the franchise to sell these scooters and will be doing so soon here in Angeles City. I like the idea of those cars being sold in India that run on compressed air. Maybe I should buy a horse but then if I started that trend the streets of Angeles City would be full of shit and we have enough of that on Fields Ave already with those new "law enforcement" characters. (I hate to tell you this, but Priscilla the Horse just raised our hotel fees by P50 and that was before she read this item).

The owners of "The Club" on Fields Ave. have bought out their neighbor Insomnia.

The two British lads, Brian and Keith, took over on June 1st. A week later they had an "Under New Management" party that packed the place. (Not least because they brought over all the girls from The Club for the one night.) I had a chat with Keith and he told me they were keeping the basic set-up of Insomnia, but sprucing it up and adding more lights, speakers and some welcome new air conditioning. These guys are smart enough to avoid the "new bar owners" insanity of taking a good, working bar, tearing the guts out of it, sinking millions of pesos (tens of thousands of dollars) into renovations and then ending up with a place that is worse than it was at the beginning. Perry, who was at The Cambodia Club for over four years, is on board as their manager.

The Divine Shepard Hospital (Previously PIH) continues to be a business drenched in uncertainty regarding its future.

Under its old name of the Philippine International Hospital (PIH) the management and owners were caught in major TriCare scams that nearly destroyed the ability of the US Veterans living here to avail of inexpensive medical care with one key owner ending up in jail in the States. The hospital was taken over by a new team of managers with a board of directors made up of doctors who changed the name and began to operate with high expectations. Needless to say they did not opt to be under the TriCare system and operated as a very professional hospital that was geared to meet the medical needs of the surrounding community, to include those Expats with the money to pay up front. All went well for a year but then financial difficulties started to creep in. As time went on Doctors were not being paid, electric bills were not being paid, the security company payments were delayed, the janitorial staff was not being paid and some key administrative folks were going without pay. Meetings after meetings were held by the board of directors, consultants called in and investment money was solicited. There were some very good proposals coming from some investors that would have infused necessary funds into the operation but no one could agree on the share distribution. At this time the situation is very grave and some wiser heads have to get together and do something dramatic or one of these days in the near future the hospital, once again, may have to close. The local community would hate to see this happen because they have come to depend on the services of this hospital and the situation is very stressful for those still employed at the facility. The man to lead this hospital out of its present situation is Rey Pineda and during a recent conversation with him he appeared positive in his resolve to bring about programs that would avoid any closure. He recently returned from the United States and now has more time to work with the hospital board to implement necessary changes. Let us hope for a successful turn-a-round that will allow this fine hospital to remain open .

As a side note, the following is an update on Thomas Lutz, the swindler who nearly ruined the medical care for retirees in the Philippines:

What is the deal on this Charles Lace Surry, is he really an "absconder" from the law in Florida?

I am in receipt of a wanted poster from the local office of the dept. of immigration referring to Charles Lace Surry AKA Charles Lace Lawrence. It reads "Subject is wanted in the State of Florida for Grand Theft, Auto Theft and Violation of Probation. The subject is in the Philippines on a false passport and is an illegal Alien. the subject frequents bars in the Angeles City Area. If seen contact Immigration. The reason this guy is of interest to many of us here in Angeles City is because he is connected with the Crazy Horse Saloon and is the one that was supposed to have bought the property next to the new Lewis Grand Hotel. He had stated that he was going to build a multi-story hotel on the property and that the hotel would feature 12 bars on the ground floor. Additionally it was said that he enquired about buying different properties around Fields/Real St. as well. Naturally I would love to find this guy and ask him if it is true but then, for some strange reason, he is suddenly unreachable. But, there is now a sign at the entrance of the Crazy Horse Saloon stating that it will reopen, under a slightly new name, with a new owner. So, that part of the name, referring to "Crazy" is quite appropriate.

This is interesting

Someone forwarded me the results of an AC2 Board poll on which clubs on Fields Ave had the loudest music volume. The Blue Nile came in number one and I agree 100% with that. Just go in there and try to have a conversation with someone sitting right next to you - good luck! The Blue Nile Executive, and Doll House rounded out the top three. I tried to get the name of the person who came up with this poll but he was unable to hear his phone ringing.

There has been a major change in the holdings of the Blue Nile Group as the partners have worked out a division of ownership.

This process took a lot of negotiation and I think that each investor is satisfied with the end results. The big three are Peter, Larry and Richard, last names not necessary. The Blue Nile Club, Blue Nile Executive Club, Nero's Forum and the arcade in the Blue Nile Club come under the control of Peter and Larry, 50% each. The new Golden Nile 5 storey building, Cambodia Club, Blue Nile Executive Hotel and Misty's belong to Richard, 100% control. Richard Agnew hopes to open the Golden Nile in 5 to 6 weeks. There are some negotiations taking place now for the Blue Nile Executive Hotel to include Molly Malone's and Misty's but until the final papers are signed and monies paid I cannot reveal any details. This equitable division of the assets was a major accomplishment that allowed all involved to be satisfied and remain friends and thankfully, allow the operations of all facilities to continue without any interruptions. Possibly, in the future more changes might be made but for now, alls well that ends well.

I always had positive words for the VA Clinic in Manila but after my visit last month I had a few negative feelings creep into my body.

First off, is all that extra security to get into the facility all that necessary? OK, I guess it is but I was upset when I had to check my cell phone because it had a camera feature. When the guard asked me if it had a camera I could have lied and said no because he did not look at it but then, when I return for my next appointment in four months I worry that they may institute body searches. OK, a minor inconvenience for the good of security! Now, I am introduced to the new procedure of not being able to get the travel allowance in cash prior to leaving the Clinic. For years there was no problem and even though the travel money did not come close to covering the cost of gas used for the trip it did help. The new procedure is to submit a claim form, mail it in and eventually, months later, five or six dollars will be deposited to your bank account in the States. Gee, that really is convenient! So, the VA will save money as many folks, I am sure, will just say "thanks, but no thanks". After visiting the nurse's station we could sit in a nice sized room with TV as we waited to see our doctor but now that room is a quarter of the size so one prays that the reduced seating does not fill up to where one has to stand to wait. Most of the room was taken to fit in more equipment for the Vampire folks that take your blood. I would never say anything negative about the "blood suckers" because I don't mess with anyone authorized to stick needles in my arms and they really do a good job despite complaining about my small veins. I just hope they do not run out of more room because I visualize the nurses hanging us up on hooks along the walls as we wait for the doctor. There is one last thing that I really dislike. They now require patients with appointments to call the VA Clinic three days prior to their appointment to confirm attendance. For all the years that I have been using the Clinic I followed their instructions to call them if I could not make the appointment. I only had to do this once! Regretfully, a bunch of lazy, non-responsible characters don't bother to follow instructions and miss appointments without making that phone call. Now, because of them I have to pay for a long distance call to confirm my appointment. That, I consider as an irritant! Now, those are small things that just irritate me because, I guess, I am getting old and no doubt I may be the only one that it bothers. To finish off my visit I found that I could not even make my appointment for Oct because they are in the process of changing the scheduling procedures and that scares the hell out of me. Oh yes, to get my appointment this time, I am required to make that long distance call to get the date. OK already, I am venting but believe me, I remain grateful that the Clinic is there to take care of the American and Filipino veterans. The staff and doctors are great especially Dr. Abella and Rose. By the way, it made my day when I was able to make Rose laugh, especially after she patiently listened to my gripes. Remember, "Nurse Super Slim" take mega doses of vitamin C for that cold!

The Holiday Inn has had a change in management.

I sadly bid manager Michael Wilson farewell last month as I enjoyed interacting with him over the past three years. The good news is that he is headed for a new position that brings him a promotion and a very exciting challenge. A new fantastic hotel is presently under construction at China Beach, Vietnam that features 500 rooms and suites, 130 Villas, 6 restaurants/bars and a casino. There are multiple swimming pools and it all faces a beautiful white beach. The picture that Mike gave me depicts one fantastic hotel to be named the Crowne Plaza Resort Danang and believe me, if I can afford it, I want to experience a trip to this place (Due to open in Dec 08). Michael was happily smiling as he told me he was leaving the next day after my conversation with him and I don't blame him. His replacement is Antonio Hernandez, a very experienced hotel manager who I instantly liked as he is very personable and I believe he will bring some exciting changes to this very fine hotel. He was born and raised in Spain and will have no difficulty in adding his own original ideas to the growth of the Clark Holiday Inn. Right now the Hotel in experiencing extensive renovations of all its rooms, dining areas, meeting rooms and the upstairs ball room. The Mequeni restaurant has been closed for a few months and is due to reopen this month with food offerings that will have Mrs Horse and I on line as one of its first customers. I have been told that there will be seven food positions offering food selections from different Asian countries, i.e., Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, etc. Antonio has the task of completing this extensive make-over of the hotel and the excitement of doing so was very evident in his big smile and body language. In a future column I will be posting a few pictures but first I will report on the new restaurant and provide a few pictures, hopefully, in August, so stand-by for news.

The comments below were sent to me by a reader of this column who read it on one of the message boards and wondered what my reaction would be.

I can only say that I am glad that most of the folks on the message boards use nicknames for I would hate to think that I know the person that would write such rubbish. I did take the effort to correct the many errors in spelling this writer made as it would only detract the reader too much. No doubt this guy should buy a plane ticket and get the hell out of the Philippines before he kills someone or breaks the law in some other way. I picture this person sitting in the City Jail wondering what the hell he did wrong and trying to figure out how to get the funds to hire a lawyer. I wonder how many Gulf War Vets are ready to form a vigilante group led by this character. I would be comfortable with a neighborhood watch group where Expats could help each other and be alert to criminal activities and look after each other but not to the degree described below. It sounds like this disgruntled individual has experienced some hard times during his stay in the Philippines and maybe has some in-laws he is unhappy with. I would be the first to admit that life here is not all peaches and cream but generally speaking it ain't all that bad. I think the writer of the comments below should get himself a white horse and one of those half-half guys, put on masks and ride around Angeles yelling "Hi-Yo Silver, Away" and scare the shit out of all those culprits picking on foreigners.

Rob's Steak and Subs outlet are back

It made me sad to announce last month that Rob's Steak and Subs outlet at the SM Clark Mall's Hypermarket had to close down but now I am very pleased to announce that those great subs are back for one and all to enjoy plus a full menu of delicious food choices. How could this be? Well, the smart folks at Shanno's Irish Pub have leased out their food operation to Rob and he has added his selections to the existing menu. It is a win-win situation for Shanno's, Rob and the many customers that visit Shanno's. The new menu will be kicking off sometime this month. At press time I did not have a specific date but my mouth is watering in anticipation. By the way, his sandwiches will be bigger and better with side dishes offered because he no longer has to deal with all the restrictions imposed by SM management.

Update on Shanno's

Speaking of Shanno's I have to give you an update on the Bourbon Street Estate apartments that are situated above the pub. Since their ad appeared here the units have been moving like hotcakes. As of last month there remained only 15 units left and only one of those is on the 2nd floor. Recently I had occasion to visit the office situated on the second floor and I was surprised to join three owners in the elevator and they were very happy campers with their investment. I always thought of one owner, one apartment but I found out that some folks are purchasing multiple units for investment purposes and to tell the truth I did not think of this. When out of town, owners turn over their units to the Wild Orchid for management which sounds like a good idea to me. Anyway, for those of you shopping around for a place to buy or invest in, drop by the Wild Orchid and give a shout to Tom who will fill you in on all the details.

La Pasha

The manager from La Pasha, James, just sent me a text asking me to inform one and all who like to look at good looking ladies to check out their new website. They feature pictures from past parties and the ladies posing for the La Pasha calendar. Check out www.pashagroup.ph, I did and found that I only wanted to look at the pictures because once you get off the main page everything is written in German and that surprised me. I still like to drool over the picture of Cristy (June) as she looks good in any language.

Update on Ray Kelly Shooting

On the afternoon of Saturday, 28 Jul, I spoke to Station four Commander Maj Aspe about the status of the investigation into the Kelly shooting incident. At this time no arrests have been made and I was informed that within a week the Fiscal will be issuing a warrant of arrest for the suspects. At least, I have been assured that the investigation is still very active but the wheels of justice move a bit slowly in the Philippines. As promised I will continue to seek updates until the case is resolved or until they tire of my questions.

WOW Wednesdays

I admit I am a bit late in this announcement because I did not know anything about it. First off, I did not know that the Dog House meetings were moved to Saturdays from 5 to 7 PM. Then it came as a complete surprise to hear about "WOW Wednesdays" from the organizer "Hollywood Mark". It is an event that Mark has said has become very popular. Entrance is free and right now the participating clubs are Rhapsody, Lollipop, Neros and Cambodia. Local drinks are P50, imported P100, ladies drinks P100 from 6 to 8 PM, after that normal prices are in effect. You get 1 free raffle ticket for every drink you buy and 2 for every LD purchased. Finger foods are served and the raffle runs to 10pm. It has become the # 1 party of the week, the first one at Crazy Horse (soon to reopen under new management) had 110 guys in attendance and 80 attended for the second one at the Rhapsody Club. Put this on your list of things to check out when traveling to Angeles City if you are looking for a few hours of inexpensive entertainment that will make you forget the price of those airline tickets that got you here. I will certainly trot down to the next one to get a few pictures and see if I can find my next "I would if I could" lady.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN JULY

• 4 Jul 08 - Fil-Am Friendship Party Day - As a bit of history, the Philippines was an American colony from 1898 until 1948. There was serious consideration of making the Philippines the 49th State (before Alaska and Hawaii) but distance and economics (and a bit of good sense) prevailed and on July 4th, 1948, the United States granted independence to the Philippines ending 50 years of colonial rule. For the past 8 years, Kokomo’s has sponsored a Fil-Am Friendship Pool Party. This year, Mo and Lewis (of the Lewis Grand Hotel) have teamed up to put together a spectacular Fil-Am Friendship Day series of events. The festivities will begin at 12 noon at the Lewis Grand’s spectacular pool area. There will be an American buffet, all you can drink, live band and, as of this writing, girls from Voodoo, Treasure Island, Lollipop, Paradise, King of Diamonds, Roadhouse, Stargate, Alaska, Roadies, Typhoon, La Pasha and Carousel. Entrance is P1,000 which includes all you can drink and all you can eat.
  At 6 PM the party will continue at Roadhouse (RH) with the newly instituted RH TGIF party. From 6 to 9, all drinks are 2 for 1, there’s a free snack buffet and the girls wear the newly designed Roadhouse TGIF red French maid outfits. From Roadhouse, the festivities are moving to Kokomo’s where Mo and Lewis will sponsor a spectacular fireworks display. Mo will make the short trip to Bocaue to buy a van full of some of the best fireworks available in the Philippines. After the fireworks, there will be a barhop to the participating pool party bars. They will ‘invade’ the bars for about 30 minutes and each bar will put on something special. The last bar will be Voodoo where very late night snacks will be served.
  Tickets are available at Kokomo’s, Voodoo, Treasure Island, Lollipop, Paradise, Roadies and Stargate. I think this will be one of the most exciting 4th of July celebrations I have seen since the AF military moved out of Clark and I am betting that this event will be well attended. It has something for everyone!
  
  
• DOG HOUSE SCHEDULE FOR JUL
  • 5 Jul - Blue Nile Executive
  • 12 Jul - Stampede
  • 19 Jul - Blue Nile
  • 26 Jul - LaBamba
    
    
• WOW WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE FOR JUL
  • 2 Jul - Cambodia
  • 9 Jul - Rhapsody
  • 16 Jul - Bunny Ranch
  • 23 Jul - Neros
  • 30 Jul - Bird Cage
    
    
• ANGEL WITCH CLUB
  • Fri July 4th Body Painting
  • Sat July 5th Bra & Panty Night
  • Sun July 6th Cut The Joker – 69 free prizes + chance to win 10,000 Pesos
  • Fri July 18th TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday)
  • Sun July 20th Cut The Joker – 69 free prizes + chance to win 10,000 Pesos
  • Fri July 25th Staff Monthly Birthday Party ( free food )
    Sun July 27th Cut The Joker – 69 free prizes + chance to win 10,000 Pesos

I WOULD IF I COULD

I better write this up right away because I took the picture so early in the month. I popped into Eruptions to buy the members of my pool team a drink and stayed long enough to see them go down in defeat again. Just as I was leaving I spied this lady just outside of the main bar at the window of the kitchen. Man, one glance and I had to stop dead in my tracks and try to talk her into a picture. She was shy, said she only worked four months but I kept on telling her that she was gorgeous and I had to have her picture. Finally she relented and her name is Lani, 19 years old, hailing from Palawan. She has a male child, already 2 years old and serves as a waitress at Eruptions. I wanted to talk some more with her but I had to get out to my car and she had to get back to work. Sometimes I find my best choices when I am not actually looking for a lady to feature here and this young lass raised my girl-o-meter up to a very commendable 8 but the more I look at the picture and remember how nice she was to talk to and how nice she looked in her costume my imagination keeps kicking the scale way pass 8. But, I have to stick with my original impression and that was a double WOW!

THE CHARM OF PERIMETER ROAD

Starting at the left are ladies representing the Hang-Out (Roxana), Honey Ko's and the ABC Spa. All establishments are on Perimeter Road and I think that they look as good as many of the gals working on Fields Ave. Roxana brings a bit of charm and personality to the Hang-out as she works hard serving drinks to the customers of this outside drinking establishment despite the heat of the day. Honey-Ko's is right next door and they offer air-conditioning and many, many great looking dancers with local drinks only P55. On the right is "Yumi", who came to my stable quite innocent and left to work at the ABC Spa with a better idea on how to work in the service industry. Look her up and I am sure she will give you a great massage. While you are at it, book a room at the ABC and enjoy the comfort of a first class hotel and tell Yumi the Horse said hello.

WEE GEORGE'S BAR

Over the years I have mentioned that I have a soft spot in my heart and wallet for the Clubs along Perimeter Road (Don Juico Ave) and I have happily watched as more and more Clubs open up in this area. As you know, my stable is situated midway between Friendship and the Checkpoint and the increase in entertainment along Perimeter Road has made it a lot easier to pop out for a bit of socializing. Over the years I have met many people that I respect and admire connected with the Club scene and one of my favorites has been "Wee George" previously holding court as the night manager of the Blue Nile Club. George is an old timer in the Club business coming to us from Manila and he has a large following of friends, of which I am proud to say, I am one. So, when greeting with the news that George was going to open his own Club along Perimeter Road I was ecstatic and when talking to him I suggested that he had to name the place "Wee George's" and yes, I know I am not the only one that told him that. I guess the suggestions came from enough folks that George acquiesced and hence the name. I did not attend the opening but visited the next day and was impressed with the size, decor, and music volume. The line-up of ladies presented a pleasant view, enough so that one would want to make return visits to seek out a few favorites. There is no pool table just ample seating that allows for comfortable seating along the back wall with a clear sight of the stage, more seating midway to the stage and of course, seats around the stage as well. So, it is a pleasant, comfortable bar but without spectacular gimmicks. It is a place that yells out for one to come on in and socialize, drink and be able to talk to your partner and friends without having to yell. So, what is different about this Club that will draw in customers? Simply, the presence of Wee George! The opportunity to meet a great guy who will take the time to talk to you, laugh with you and make sure that you are well taken care of in his bar. OK, enough about George, there is one other drawing card here and that is the location. I was wondering how to describe the fact that there were now three adjoining Clubs and when talking to Neal Meaker of Roadies he gave me the word and that is "Mini-Complex". Where further down you have Honey-Ko's, Hang-out and Thi-Hi next to each other you now have Wee George's, Roadies and Lost-in-Asia side by side. That is a great, easy to do bar-hop and all three Clubs are a bit different and popular in their own right. In addition to the trio just a few meters before Wee George's you have the Tartz Club which is reopening this month, still led by "Harro the Great" and not too much further from the mini-complex heading towards Friendship you have the Mirror's Club located at the Clarkton Hotel.

TOURIST OF THE MONTH

Rod Lanehart comes to us from Ojai, California and the day he arrived in the Philippines he was able to find my stable (not easily) and came bearing gifts for Mrs. Horse and I. He also brought a supply of panties from a Victoria Secrets store to toss the ladies on stage. He advised one and all to forget the coins and ping pong balls, throwing brand new sexy panties gets a hell of a bigger response. He was more conservative with Mrs. Horse, presenting her with lipstick and nail polish. He also donated P1,000 to our Christmas charity project and that was much appreciated. He stayed at the Swiss Chalet during his stat and he works as a contractor with the U.S. Navy. I was please to hear that he was communicating with one of my "I Would If I Could" ladies, Chris, from Thi-Hi and he was looking forward to seeing her in person. Needless to say, I stopped by Thi-Hi to tell her that Rod had arrived and would be stopping by soon. She was all excited and told me that she is wearing the outfit that he saw in this column. I hope Rod get there real soon as she might keep wearing it until he shows up. Oh year, Rod, thanks for the bag of California Pistachio nuts, the are great! Our son Jason and Priscilla likes them too.

THE THREE CHERRY PICKERS

Once again I was behind in my schedule for writing this column. It was a Friday afternoon, my pool team was downstairs for a home game so I knew I did not have to go out and could stay in and work. I gave instructions not to disturb me. Suddenly, just as I was at my creative best the intercom went off. Sir, you have visitors downstairs, my concentration was shot, my big idea flew out of my head never to return. Aw hell, OK, I could spare 10 or 15 minutes. Down the stairs I went, knowing that my bum knee and back would hate the return climb but on I went. I entered a crowded bar and met Gus, Jim and Nick from Melbourne, Australia who greeted me loudly and handed me a plastic container containing a few kilos of Australian red cherries. Two hours later I finally made it back upstairs! Those two hours were spent having one hell of a good time with these three lads and as we talked, joked and lifted up a few San Miguels I could not stop eating those damn cherries. I refused to share them but finally broke down and gave each of my staff ONE each only. By the time I put them away in the fridge only 25 cherries were left and I ate a few more before going to bed which left 14 for the next morning. In the AM I let Priscilla eat one, and one for my son but he did not like it and I finished off the rest. They were delicious, juicy and not a bad one in the lot. By coincidence there were three other lads sitting at a table nearby who I did not realize were waiting to talk to me. When I finally got to them it turned out that they were from Melbourne as well and even more coincidental, one of them was living in the same subdivision that Jim once lived at. How many folks remember the "Temple of Rock" on Real Street? It has been a long time since I last saw past owners Peter and Gaye who move on to La Union and eventually back to Australia. My three new friends know them well and told me that Gaye will be visiting La Union again in the near future and I am hoping she will stop by my stable to say hello. Talking about her brought back some old memories. We even revised memories of when Keith Gray, Cheyenne, Owen Dolan and others were still around. I even remember the old Rhum Runner and somehow, thinking back I think the town had more character back then and more personable characters running the Clubs. Don't get me wrong, it is still a great town, despite some of the bullshit we have to put up with, but it just ain't the same. The "characters" are missing and the new lads just don't fill the bill as well. Some, like Wee George, Damien, Mo, Neal do but they are far and few between. In the old days three fun loving, hard drinking Aussies like my three "cherry" pickers would own a joint and they would provide a night of fun, jokes, hard drinking and companionship for every customer that walked in the bar and sometimes, a customer would nearly forget that he came in the bar to seek out a "sheila" for the evening. Anyway, Gus, Jim and Nick, thanks for a great two hours that nearly made me forget about working on this column (by the way, their hotel on this trip was the Marquis).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONGRESSMAN LAZATIN

I was under pressure to put this column to bed on Saturday, 29 Jun, because, as usual, I was late. But, I could not turn down the opportunity to make it over to the Stotsenberg Hotel to attend the 74th birthday celebration of Congressman (previously Mayor of Angeles City) Lazatin. Not only did I want to show my respects to this fine gentleman who I had the privilege of knowing during his term as Mayor but I was determined to get a couple of pictures as well. This was not easy to accomplish because the dinner was held inside the Casablanca Casino and no cameras were allowed except those authorized by the Congressman. Fortunately for me the Casino management was able to reach I.C Calaguas, special assistant to the Congressman and she in turn was able to speak with the Director of Casino Marketing, Cynthia A. Garcia who allowed me to take the camera inside. Thanks to those two fine ladies I was able to get the pictures I wanted and I also was able to get to know Cynthia who has a very high stress job that she handles with great professionalism. Anyway, it was a fine event, the food was good and I was able to meet up with some folks who I knew and get to chat with some I did not know. Below are the pictures that will be transferred to my photo album but I do believe I should have had the Congressman stand up or have Cynthia Garcia sit down when I took the picture of the two of them. But hell, that is why I am not only an amateur writer but also a very amateurish photographer.

THE 1230 PIZZA REOPENS

The popular 1230 Pizza had its soft opening on Saturday afternoon, 29 Jun at its new location on Fields Ave, near MacArthur Ave, just across the street from where the Walk-a-bout Hotel is under construction. They will be available for full service later this month and their product is as good as ever. Wait, I am not trying to start the great pizza debate again nor get into prices. I am just pleased to let you know that the company is operational again and that there is another location where you can satisfy your pizza cravings. Drop in and chat with the as you munch on a pizza or while waiting for your take-out (call 892-7654). I talked the boss out of two pizzas and shared them with my staff at my stable - no complaints!

LETS HAVE A BEACH PARTY

Those are the words spoken by Stargate's Neal Meaker when he got the idea to put a load of sand on the floor of his Club, dress the ladies in beach attire, apply no rules to the girls, just relax, have fun and play games on "the beach". He provided free food and ice-cream and a very unique atmosphere. He plans to have a different theme at various times, i.e., Hawaiian in August and even a New Zealand Hungi event that I really have to attend. His special events start at 2 PM and this one produced a full house shortly after the starting time. Neal also has Roadie's Club and he has come up with "crazy happy hour" where the local drinks are free from 5 to 6 PM every Mon-Wed and Friday and that is something you have to check out. He insists that by providing free drinks during this time period he still makes a profit and I believe him. Neal also gets involved with charitable fund raisers and on Sunday, 3 Aug, he will be involved with organizing a motor bike show that was quite successful last year. It takes place in front of Roadies and is another event you do not want to miss. I will provide more details next month.

LETS PLAY DARTS

So say the Blue Boar Inn (BBI)(Hotel La Casa) dart team as they greet Karl Hartman during his visit to the Philippines. Karl is an avid dart player and is the part owner of the English Time Academy in Gong-Gu South Korea. This was his first visit to the Philippines in 12 years and stayed at the Orchid Inn. After seeing the dart set up at the Blue Boar Inn he declared that it was far superior to what he expected and looks forward to coming back. Visiting dart players are more than welcome to throw a few arrows at the boards while drinking a beer or two. A small 7 team dart league has just started their fourth season that will be running through 25 Sep 08 and the BBI holds a tournament every last Saturday of the month at 7 PM if enough folks show up. It is open to one and all and we use a blind draw doubles format. The entry fee is P300 and small trophies as well as cash is given out to the top two teams and the third if enough folks have signed on. Palito's, located on MacArthur Ave (League member) has a tournament every Monday evening at 7 PM. Pictured with Karl is the old horse himself, John and Tony shown getting ready to play a few doubles games. You can usually find John and Tony nearly every night having a bit of practice from 9 to 10 PM so any dart enthusiast is more than welcome to join us. Other Clubs participating in the Thursday night league are the Orange Lion, Shano's, Driving Force, Mariners and See How You Are. It sure would be nice to get a few more teams on board but pool is the game of choice in town now and it is difficult for a club to make room for darts.

THE LEWIS GRAND HOTEL

As promised here are three more photos of the Lewis Grand Hotel. Featured is the swimming pool, lobby and front desk.

STATUE OF LIBERTY

This is really impressive. It was titled "Standing Tall" and the picture was taken in 1918 at Camp Dodge in Iowa by 18,000 men training for war. What a great picture and it had to be a monumental task to lay this out and to get so many men into position. Lets see, that is 90 years ago so I am pretty sure no one in that picture is still alive but I wonder if there are still children of those soldiers who are still alive and are aware of this picture and the role their Dad played so many years ago. Hell, I get sentimental over stuff like this. Anyway, I am closing this month's column with this picture instead of my usual horse picture. I think it is more interesting. Last month we had Typhoon Frank enter the Philippines and like nearly every year here a Ferry heads out to sea and is sunk by high waves with a large loss of life. This time the Ferry turned upside down and hundreds of passengers were trapped within the ship. Five days later divers are still trying to recover the bloated bodies but are having a hard time in that they cannot easily drag them out from the bottom. In other countries they would simply use welding equipment to create large holes and then float them out. Why ships and ferries are allowed to leave port during a typhoon here is a mystery to me. Anyway, there will be more typhoons, more serious storms and more tragic accidents that could have been prevented. We are heavy into the rainy season now and will be until the end of October so bring your raincoats and umbrellas with you and pay attention to Hotel rainy season specials so you can save a few bucks. So, this wet and soggy horse will bid you farewell, but remember, be kind to horses!