Cao Ocampo, owner of Z Hostel and The Apartment, is hosting a street party on Oct. 28 on Don Pedro Street in Poblacion, Makati.

 

Dubbed “GOT Halloween Party @ Z Street,” the occasion is inspired by the fantasy drama TV series “Game of Thrones,” which means revelers are encouraged to come in “GOT” costumes, the best of which will win prizes.

 

Participating bars and restaurants include Z Hostel, The Ruins, The Apartment, Smokeyard, Wild Poppy, Alamat, Bucky’s, Pura Vida, Polilya and Time.

 

Performing artists: DJ Josh Lee and Mojofly at The Ruins; DJ Bad Boy Jeff, Z Hostel Roofdeck; Rastaro, Pura Vida; and a string quartet on Z Street (Don Pedro).

 

For more details, contact 09178387399.

 

Biergarten

 

The last two weeks saw me reeling from heady Oktoberfest nights in three places—Sofitel Philippine Plaza, City of Dreams Manila, and Solaire Resort & Casino.

Oct. 7, the Harbour Garden Tent at Sofitel resembled a huge, indoor “biergarten”—hundreds of guests huddled at long tables, drinking unlimited San Miguel Pale Pilsen from dispensers and partaking of sausages as well as assorted meats while watching German bands perform traditional and contemporary music.

 

I was totally surprised when the Bavarian Sound Express started playing Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” and Urban Bandits’ “Manila Girl.”

 

5 beer stations

 

Oct. 12, the Grand Ballroom of City of Dreams Manila showcased five draft beer stations: San Miguel, Sapporo, Heineken, Pedro and Weihenstephan.

 

Weihenstephan—a German brand from the oldest brewery in the world which continues a tradition under the Bavarian purity law of 1516—had a fascinating, flavorful taste but also delivered a strong kick in the head. Two 500 ml mugs of it, plus one 300 ml mug each of Sapporo and Heineken gave me a night to remember.

 

Feast

 

Oct. 14, Solaire put up its own tent, served free-flowing Weihenstephaner beer, and hired German band Tomays Spezlwirtschaft to perform traditional music and Oktoberfest favorites.

 

I was looking forward to sampling German executive chef Michael Dinges’ menu that included oven-fresh Laugen Pretzel, German potato salad, Munich-style sausage salad, Weisswurst and other German sausages, pork knuckles, spaetzle and classic apple and walnut strudel—but unfortunately the kitchen had closed by the time I arrived before midnight.

 

However, just as I was content guzzling Weihenstephaner, Solaire VP for brand and marketing Lorenzo Manalang sent for food from the hotel’s new Latin American restaurant, Waterside. What a feast it was—tapas stuffed baby squid, Serrano and Parma ham, chorizo, chicken fajita, buffalo wings, seafood and other stuff.

 

To top it all, the band suddenly switched from German folk tunes to Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

 

Erykah Badu

Hours before, I had a nice time dancing to Erykah Badu’s infectious groove at her concert in Sofitel. Combining electronic beats and a live band, her music was an irresistible blend of R&B, jazz, hip hop and soul that lifted the audience’s collective spirit, even as she sneaked in some incendiary lines that captured a disturbing snapshot of life in these parts: “The police play dirty!”