A toast to summer

By Neil Ray Ramos

We used to hate summer. We thought it such a bitch that it jived with school break.

Indeed, back then, most often than not, we would find ourselves cursing our lot deeming the arrangement totally idiotic. Why, we ask, can?t we have our vacation during the rainy months instead?when typhoons, floods and such hassles completely justify not going to school at all?

Ah, but growing up?and our discovery of its wide, varied pleasurable facets?changed all that.

As our priorities changed (out went our toy cars, in went girls and parties), summer became a welcome respite that we look forward to year in and year out.

Indeed, where we use to get darn ornery because of the oppressive heat it brings, we eventually learned to hail its virtues.

For one, it made girls want to wear less and less clothing. More than that, we also love it that it brings about numerous beach/pool parties, which, proved quite a boon to our, ahem, keen study of the female anatomy. Of course, best of all, it allowed for all-night beer sessions specifically as we need not worry about having to wake up early.

Ah, yes, the beer.

Forget about your vodkas, your wine, your rum, and yes, even those fancy cocktails that your friendly neighborhood bartender serve you; any summer shebang is made complete already with a classic ice-cold beer.

Want to capture a slice of heaven on Earth? Well, picture this: A beachfront party (actually even a best friends? house would do), cool music, a bevy of hot babes and most important of all?a seemingly endless tap of ice-cold beer. It couldn?t get any better than that.

Sharing our notion is, local beer great, San Miguel Pale Pilsen?acknowledged by many to be the benchmark of how a beer should be?as it recently unveiled its ?double-chilled concept? vis-a-vis its famous ?Sarap Mag Babad? summer parties for 2009, themed, ?Freeze the Summer.?

?We want to up the level of entertainment in the Philippine party scene. We?ve prepared the coolest parties, the coolest performers, and we are now also introducing the coolest way to enjoy beer: our Double Chill San Miguel Pale Pilsen?a perfect way to toast summer,? said Charmaine Bautista, San Miguel Brewery Inc. group brand manager.

With double-chilled, San Miguel Pale Pilsen employed a new technological process: cooling beer below zero degrees Celsius.

The process adds a lot to the drinking experience, said Bautista, as it ?will be a delight to the taste buds.?

No doubt. We had a taste of the new concept beer and, well, it took a lot to convince us to stop after our third bottle (we were working after all). It?s that good.

But why trust my tongue, right? Try it for yourself and find out.

San Miguel Pale Pilsen?s Sarap Magbabad ?Freeze the Summer? party series will kick off simultaneously on March 6 in Bay View Park in Roxas Boulevard; SM City Baguio; Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay City; Torres Compound in Davao City; and Leyte Park Hotel in Tacloban City.

Headlining are the country?s biggest, most popular bands, including Rivermaya, Sugarfree, Parokya ni Edgar, and Brownman Revival, among others.

Sarap Magbabad souvenirs will also be available to all and sundry at the event venues. Guests can exchange San Miguel Pale Pilsen beer tokens for limited edition SMB baller IDs, key chains, sunglasses, and other summer premium items.

Those attending the events in Bay View Park, Roxas Boulevard and Taal Vista in Tagaytay will also have the chance to win free tickets to the Eraserheads Reunion Concert slated on March 7. Around 2,500 tickets will be given away.

San Miguel Pale Pilsen will also freeze the summer in other parts of the country including beach parties in Iba, Zambales and Puerto Galera, Mindoro on April 11; San Fabian, Pangasinan; San Juan, Batangas; and Bantayan Island, Cebu on May 2 and General Luna, Siargao on May 13.

Ice glaciers invade Philippines

On another note, four ice glaciers were spotted around Metro Manila, causing the summer heat to decrease significantly in those areas.

Experts are at a loss to explain the sudden appearance of these giant ice formations.

Asked if the presence of these four ice glaciers in Metro Manila is an effect of global climate change, experts can only speculate. But clearly, this outstanding phenomenon can be anything but normal.

Residents, however, seem to welcome?and enjoy?these blocks of giant ice.

Residents frequent the ice glaciers? vicinity as a respite from the summer?s scorching heat. So much so, that these areas have become usual hang-out spots and even party venues.

?Actually, ang sarap mag-inuman dito. Presko, tsaka matagal uminit ang beer. Kaya sulit ang ice-cold [It?s actually fun to drink here. It?s refreshing, and the beer stays ice-cold longer],? says Crissy Marquez, a Marikina resident.

So far, these ice glaciers have been spotted in Marikina riverside and San Miguel By the Bay.

Both the scientific community and the public at large remain on the lookout for these ice glaciers, the previous for meteorologic purposes and the latter, well, for partying.