Desta French

London

Whenever I’m in the mood for Ecuadorian food, this is the spot. You have to try the ceviche there.

Latin village is like stepping into an actual indoor market in Colombia. I love it. It's filled with small local Latin businesses currently In litigations with the council who are trying to close it down so they build flats there. What’s new. 

Where I go to get my eyebrows slit when I’m in the mood. It's run by a pillar in the Latin community here, Ian (CHAMP) Hoyos.

Where I go for hair/nails. Really good empanadas and gossip. Run by my friend, STEPHANIE SANTIAGO, who is also a very talented Colombian, London-based Soul Artist.

Nice cocktails, food and a place to pick up a @LATINOLIFE magazine with all the latest news on Latin culture in the city.

Every Latino In London knows La Caleñita. It's a famous bakery where you can find all kinds of cheesy breads and yumminess.

There are a bunch of places to eat here and really feel the culture living alongside other ethnic communities which is so nice to see. You have to have a cholada from Brixton Village. It's tropical fruity icey buffness, you have to try it to understand.

La Vida Loca is another mini Latin Mall consisting of hairdressers, barber shop, nail parlour and masseuse on one floor and a Colombian bakery/restaurant along with other multi services for the community.

London's Latino Spots with Desta French

Rema

Benin City

Best place to watch movies and they got an arcade, really fun

The best place to play football in Ekehuan road

My church, where I get inspired by God’s word and a platform for me to share my sound and inspire the youths backed by the gospel of God

They have the best ice cream in Benin City

Benin City with Rema

August Wahh

Manila

Curator is a speciality coffee shop with a hidden bar at the back. I'm a coffee addict and won't function properly without it. They have their blend of beans called Dark Matter and Purple Haze. I personally love Purple Haze because of its kush-like notes. Best to have it as espresso.

I'm not vegetarian anymore but when I was it was difficult to find places to eat at. Wabi-Sabi was and is still a go to spot for me. It's a vegetarian/ vegan pho and ramen spot. I love dense broths so tantanmen is my go to order. The pot-stickers are pretty nice as well and everything goes well with the Thai Milk Tea.

This place is a trip. Here you will find thrift shops, second hand books and electronics for cheap. They've also got a couple of crystal shops, music shops, art shops, a shooting and archery range, a bowling alley and a bunch of other weird finds.

Poblacion is the red light district of Makati. However, it's turned into a creative haven for restaurants and bars to flourish making it the highlight of Makati's night life. If you're up for a pub crawl or just to find spots to eat and see art, these are the spots to go to: Casa Bambu for refreshing drinks and Costarican for Asian food. 

A roof top bar with a skate ramp and bamboo interiors all over, Limbo is a gallery / bar that curates electronic music very well, The Workshop Annex House is an old Filipino House turned into a bar with tropical cocktails, Spirit Library is a two story bar with shelves and shelves of varied curated spirits, Boogie is a bar that curates hip hop to funk music. 

You can also play video games in the first level. Run Rabbit Run for amazing cocktails, Yalla Yalla for Lebanese food, Cosmic for Vegan and Vegetarian Filipino cuisine, Khao Khai Thai Chicken House which is known for the Thai chicken, and Pineapple lab which is a creative space where local artists put up shows and events to showcase Filipino art makers and collaborators

Pinto Art Museum is in Antipolo which is an hour to two hour drive from Manila. It's a very scenic art gallery located on the hills of Antipolo. A beautiful place to go to when Manila gets too hectic. I love coming here to decompress and stroll or simply just have coffee or brunch. If you go on a Sunday, sometimes you'll catch artists doing live performance art

Intramuros is just a lovely place full of Historical architecture. It's the capital’s oldest district and home to some of its most impressive historic monuments. It's called the walled city as Intramuros was where Manila’s most influential and wealthy citizens of the Spanish colonial period had lived. I love going here and chill on the gardens to watch the sunset with my friends. We sneak in a couple of wine bottles and just hang out and have picnics. You can also rent a bamboo bicycle to stroll around the city

A restaurant located along Pasong Tamo Extension by Chef Jordy Navarra. A restaurant that pays homage to Filipino flavours and eatery traditions. Tip, reserve a slot a week before eating.

Cubao Expo are near each other. Cubao expo is this spot in Quezon City where you can find antiques and dig for vinyls. A bunch of vintage shops and restaurants in a compound where parties were always thrown back during the day. They still have these parties from time to time and they still pack the street.

August Wahh's Top Spots in Manila

Bianca Oblivion

Los Angeles 

This is a family-owned business that has been around since the 70s, one of the first (if not the first?) Indian grocery stores in Los Angeles. It began as a small storefront between a casket and hardware store, and eventually took over both to become a full restaurant and grocery. When I was in high school, one of the aunties would sell samosas at the register and I’d always buy one while I waited for the bus. Aside from having delicious vegetarian Indian food, they have every Indian spice you could think of and all kinds of imported items.

This market has gone by many names, and through many renovations. It’s our neighborhood market, just a few blocks from my house. It’s got all your Mexican/Latin groceries & meats plus some middle eastern specialty goods. It once had a joyeria where you could buy customized gold chains and rings, but that was replaced by a bakery and tortilleria. While I’m sad to see the gold go, their pan dulce and tortillas are pretty bomb.

Tucked away in a strip mall next to a laundromat is the most colorful ice cream shop you’ve seen thus far. They have a huge selection of tropical flavored sorbets, ice creams, and paletas (Mexican popsicles), as well as juices and smoothies. They even have a tamarind and “smoked milk” flavor.

Before Google, Belkin, and all the other “Silicon Beach” companies landed, along with luxury condos, there was a wide expanse of wetlands in West LA, just a few miles from LAX and Playa Del Rey beaches. While much of it has been paved with condos, there are still a few small trails alongside shallow ponds with cranes, ducks, and frogs. You can take a walk through and feel like you’ve escaped the sprawling metropolis and returned to an era of pre-developed LA.

This is a huge park that straddles Culver City and Baldwin Hills that has peaceful trails, ponds, and playground/grass areas for family gatherings. There is a Japanese Garden hidden away there and scenic overlook with a perfect view of the city. I’ve gone on many hikes and attended kid birthdays with my family here.

This is a Persian/Danish pizza and gyro spot offering a “pizza sandwich” that combines two...and it’s delicious. With its original location in Copenhagen, they somehow found their way to a small corner in Culver City to open up their second location. It also happens to be down the block from the palatial King Fahad Mosque, and you’ll often see crowds of people come in after prayer.

The swap meet of all swap meets with the iconic green paint and orange/red lettering (not West LA but not that far off). All the gold, kicks, knock offs, and airbrushed shirts you could ask for. One jewelry stand in particular sells gold nameplate rings--I’ve gotten “Bianca” and “Oblivion,” one for each hand.

Black-owned and operated health food store and Caribbean/soul restaurant in the View Park-Windsor Hills area (this neighborhood also has some of the most beautiful classic LA Spanish/Mediterranean style homes). They have delicious Jamaican patties, smoothies, fried chicken and cornbread, and on Sundays they have a live jazz band play on the patio for weekend brunch.

One of my favorite breakfast spots with the tastiest honey-infused pancakes, as its name would suggest. Alongside your standard egg, potato, and meat selections, they have a full selection of Salvadoran dishes, including pupusas, pastelitos, sopas, chorizo and more. It’s another family owned business, and I once got into a conversation about music with one of the brothers, who played us some reggaeton tracks he had rapped on.

West LA with Bianca Oblivion

Carl Jan Cruz

It's a great 'one stop shop' experience that's composed by amazing galleries, stores, and restaurants: Toyo, Panaderya, Sidechick, Aphro, ArtinFormal, and Bellas Artes Projects to name a few

World's oldest China town. Amazing food and supply finds

For those chill times you only want 'one drink' 

Filipino multi brand Tropa Store and Hoodwink are here along with other contemporary int'l brands and outlets like Archives

Amazing block parties and an emerging community of creatives. Celine Mallari and Jao San Pedro's works are to be seen here too

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