Things Partyphiles Love about Davao
In the past few years, Davao has managed to transform into one of the hottest hubs for night owls in Mindanao. Watering holes, bars, and clubs, have been sprouting (and disappearing), and the local nightscape is changing drastically. But no matter where we are, and no matter what it is we choose to do with our night lives, it seems to be that we always manage to find something extra to make our gimmick nights extra special. And these little partyphile gems are, in this humble partyphile’s opinion, what makes the Davao nightscape special. Admittedly, we do not have the most exciting night life in the country; but the quirks that come with our party landscape is what makes the Davao partylandia one of the most interesting. Here are the stuff we love about Davao:
10. The cheap/affordable beer at Torres: Alright, no matter how much we deny it, sometimes, all we really need is a tall glass of iced cold beer to ward of our blues, to celebrate a little achievement, or to simply kill the time. And when ice cold beer that is easy on the pocket is what a Davaoeno partyphile is craving for, only Torres comes to mind. And there are a lot of places to get your beer fill there, so instead of telling you which ones to enjoy, you have to visit the street yourself and look for a place that fits your fancy.
9. Free popcorn at Some Place Else by Ten PM: This has been one of the best kept secrets in partylandia. Yes, hey actually give away free popcorn at exactly ten pm. However, you have to ask for it, and it is based on availability. It isn’t anything special, as it tastes like any other popcorn brand in town; but they give it away for free, and that is always a good thing.
8. Free drinks at the Metro Lounge every Fridays and Saturdays: This happen between 9pm until 11 pm. Yup, they do not make you pay an entrance fee, plus they give away free Rum-Colas and Vodka-7s before the clock strikes eleven. And although the Lounge isn’t packed at those hours; for one who simply wishes to booze out for free, this just might be the perfect spot. Of course, you would have to order some drinks after eleven, or else say goodbye to your partyphile status.
7. 24 Hour Fast-food chains to ward off after-gimmick hunger: Let’s face it, once we feel tired from all the dancing, socializing, and boozing, we head straight to this 24-hour fast food near Victoria Plaza. Actually, every time there is an event in the city, this fast food chain is packed come 3 am (right when the party dries down); and it is always good to know that after a tiring night of partying, the comforts of a burger and some fries is always accessible to us partyphiles.
6. Hot party music dished out by DJ Torch, wherever he may be playing: As I always say, Davao’s new DJ du jour is DJ Torch. He seems to hit it every single time, with mixes that do not drop down until the party has; this turntable maestro seems to have a knack for keeping everybody dancing. And partyphiles could not show more support for the DJ of the moment; as all of his gigs are packed to the brim.
5. Sheesha fries at Some Place Else: Sometimes, when we are enjoying a tall glass of iced cold beer something calorie-laden is what we ask for. Most of the time, when we are at Some Place else, partyphiles choose to eat Sheesha Fries. And it is not difficult to understand why. Sheesha fries is a huge serving of fries topped with a tangy tomato-based meat sauce, and then drizzled with grated cheese. This is then served in a sizzling plate to keep the dish warm, and the cheese melted. The taste is familiar but still quite exciting. One never seems to get tired of this calorie-packed pulutan.
4. All the imported beer at 147 Beer Avenue: Sometimes, partyphiles get tired of local beer and need a fresh take on the usual weekday beer session. The perfect solution is 147 Beer Avenue, located at the Legaspi Suites compound. They serve a dozen and one imported brands of beer with different interesting flavors and tastes. Trying out these different brands is sort of like traveling the world, one, bubbly-golden ale at a time!
3. Hot events organized by Fishtank Productions: There is no need to explain why Davaoeno partyphiles love Fishtank. Once you attend their events, you will understand why they are the most revered events organizing crew in the city. They somehow have the power to unite local partyphiles, and make everybody forget about their status, their worries, and their pride; as everybody is reduced into party-hungry fishes in this group’s party tank. It’s their party world; everybody just happens to swim in it.
2. The liquor ban at 2 am. No matter what anybody says; I still maintain that this liquor ban is good for us. It just seems like a wise decision. Plus, we get to go home early and it gives us a reason to drink more, and drink faster.
- Taxi drivers that never take advantage of you even though you are super drunk: This is why we love Davao. It is safe, people never take advantage of us; and taxi drivers who drive us home when we are all drunk and puking never ever turn us away, refuse a ride, or take advantage of us. This makes partying safe for everybody, even when we come home drunk and smelling like a bottle of Jack.
For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile, log on to http://party.i.ph or add us up on Facebook. Search for “Confessions of a Partyphile”
Tune in to Confessions of a Partyphile, the radio show, on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesday evenings, from 6 to 9 PM.
