WATN: Claire vision

Because scenes from ‘Meet Joe Black” popped up on my YouTube feed, I began to wonder: “Where’s Claire Forlani now?”

In the 90s and 2000s, she was a Hollywood mainstay, appearing in film after film. And whenever and wherever she appeared, she was always a vision of beauty and a powerhouse talent.

We need to see more of Claire again!

Chef Pilot

Aside from being an awesome pilot, my nephew Kevin, is turning out to be an awesome cook!

The past weeks, he's been busy in the kitchen, experimenting on different dishes. Last week, he made Spam Musubi which looked great. (Unfortunately, though, I wasn't able to try it.)

Then, yesterday, he created this!

Bagnet Kare-Kare!

Just like in true Morales tradition, he did this the old school way. He used crushed peanuts instead of a pre-mix or peanut butter. He lovingly hand-cut the veggies, especially the knotted string bean. And he plated everything to perfection.

And yes, it tastes as great as it looks!

Not only is Kevin flying high as a pilot, now, he's flying high as a chef as well!

Continue flying high, Kev!

LFLTAT: Fashionable Friends

Okay, so everyone’s talking about the Friends reunion. For our generation, this is huge! The series is a major part of our young adulthood, so watching Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Chandler, Joey and Ross share the screen again is like re-living our youth.

And to celebrate this reunion, I bring you this Friends-inspired Look For Less Than A Thousand!

This outfit is from 2 shops from the Golden ABC group. The belted and buttoned skirt is from Penshoppe. While the Friends-print top is from For Me.

Both items were bought online, and on sale! I think it’ rang up to less than P600!

It’s a full, fun outfit for a very Friendly price!

FMM: You do you!

When you look back at the 90s, it felt it was a very recent time. But when you start doing the math, you realize otherwise.

Case in point, this Friday Magic Madness song which was the main title track of one of my favorite films from 1996:

“That Thing You Do,” both the film and the song feels so fresh and new. But the fact is, it’s already 25 years old!

Despite that, while listening to it, the feeling is that it was just yesterday when my friends and I watched this film at Greenbelt 1 Cinema, and we’d bop our heads to this song and every other fun ditty that the song served.

I wish we could do that thing you do all over again.

The Lotus Eaters

Nope, this isn’t about that hugely popular new wave band in the 80s.

It’s about this:

Yup, another gem of a find from Echague Bakery - Lotus Pork Floss Hopia.

Let me just say, this is as delicious as it sounds!

Get a Clue! Part 2!

It was almost 3 years ago when I wrote about this outfit that they had on display on Stradivarius. An outfit that was almost a copy of the iconic outfit of Alicia Silverstone in her iconic film "Clueless."

Early this week, while browsing the G.U. HKG website (just because I miss G.U.), they had these 2 items on their sale page.

Do we even need a clue to know where this outfit came from?

We all know the answer to that, right? 

I mean, we're not that clueless.

Capuchin Celebration

Being from a Capuchin school, I've always looked up to Capuchin Saints. I've always admired their lives, their faith and the change they've created in the lives of the Faithful.

Of course, St. Francis of Assisi is one of the earliest and most known Capuchin saints. His life story is something I know well, having performed in the "Transitus" in LSQC for 4 years.  Then, there's the Prayer of St. Francis, something that's also very close to my heart and mind.

Today, we celebrate another Capuchin Saint. In particular, we celebrate the day of his birth.

Yup, it's the birthday of St. Padre Pio de Pietrelcina!

Happy Birthday St. Pio! We are so blessed to have you in our lives.

Fast Food Feels

Fruit tea and dim sum.

This is one of my go-to afternoon snacks when we were still reporting to the office.

I'd often skippity-hop to the places where I could get this combo.

Closest place would be Lawson at the ground floor.

Another option would be at Robinsons Galleria or SM Megamall food court.

Or, if I had enough time, it would either be at Shangrila Mall or The 30th.

But these days, since we're working from home, those places seem so far away. That doesn't mean, though, that the experience of eating dim sum and drinking fruit tea has to be far away.

Hooray for our dim sum steamer and Yi Fang fruit tea delivery!

And for a fraction of an hour, it feels like we're in a fast food all over again.

Burning Flame

Nope, this isn't about that ultra-popular song from "The Bangles."

This is about the fact that today is Pentecost Sunday.

Even as a kid, I was fascinated about this Holy day of Obligation. I'd enjoy hearing and reading, and re-hearing and re-reading about the story of The Pentecost. In particular, the story about how the tongues of fire or flame descended from heaven and were on top of the heads of the disciples.

Also as a kid, I'd secretly hope that whenever we'd hear the Pentecost Sunday Mass that these flames would actually descend on our heads, too. I'd close my eyes in prayer, then slowly peek to see if it did happen. 

Spoiler alert, it didn't. Physically, at least.

But spiritually, I know it was happening. 

Because that's how the flames of our Faith burn in our hearts.

You're a Geno's!

If there's one item that's an additional mainstay in our freezers since June last year, it has to be this!

Yup, Geno's Ice Cream!

People who've been to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar know this brand as the ice cream that they serve in the resort. They're famous for their taro or gabi ice cream, which is the resort's best seller. I still remember a few visits to Las Casas where they ran out of taro ice cream due to the high demand.

No surprise there since that flavour really is da bomb!

Last year, we found out that there's a reseller near our area! And the rest is frozen in history! (Frozen. Ice Cream. Get it? Nudge-nudge-wink-wink!)

We can't get enough of it that's why whenever we're about to finish a gallon, we order a new one. It's a case of FOMOOG.

The great thing about having this often is that we got to try their other flavours as well. While the taro is really yummers, their mango, strawberry, chocolate and peanuts, and avocado are equally delicious!

Our Geno's obsession made me feel bad for our other go-to ice cream brands who were kicked out of the freezer. That line-up includes Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia, Big Scoop's Bubble Gum Mallows and Mint Chocolate Chip, and Tilamook Vanilla!

While they're all so yummy, Geno's looks like it's going to have a secure spot in our freezer for a while.

But if - by any chance - Bohol Bee Farm's Ice Cream finds its way to Manila, well, that situation might change.

FMM: Shall we?

It started with Bail Ling.

Then, it led to the film "Anna and the King."

Then, it led to the original film, "The King and I."

And this led to today's Friday Magic Madness song from the OG film with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. This seems to be the farthest we gone for FMM since this film was shown back in 1956.

From that film, of course, is this classic song:

"Shall We Dance" is a great song because there's a mix of innocence, tension and love, all in one song. And it's a tough feat, but this does it beautifully.

Shall we watch it again?

What the flick?

Proof that in art direction and layouts, all the little details count.

I know it's supposed to say "flick," but if you look at it this way, well, you'll get what I mean.

What the?

Japa-nice

It’s a discussion that Mark and I usually have. How much we miss our trips to Japan.

Whether it’s the time he was finishing his PhD and i’d visit him. Or during his short work trips and I’d tag along, every trip to Tokyo was fun, memorable and filled with nice memories.

And it’s been years since our last Japan trip, we always dream of that day when we can come back.

Until that day comes, we’re hoping to get the experience somewhere nearby. Like the Mos Burger outlet in BGC.

Even if it’s the mobile store, I hope we can get together and eat our go-to Mos Burger.

That would be nice.

Carven Copy

After seeing it on Brie and seeing it on the RAF website, curiosity got the best of me.

Net takeaway, I had to see the dress again for myself.

Et voila!

Yup, my memory serves me right. So did my observation. This RAF dress is definitely a Carven dress for less. Much less.

And yes, it’s a very good copy. It got it right, from the cut, colour, even the cut out!

Yup, imitation is the best form of flattery.

Looks and tastes like summer!

From my childhood until now that I'm an oldie, I still get thrilled whenever Dunkin Donuts comes out with new flavors.

So, imagine my excitement after seeing this:

Summer-themed Dunkin Donuts Bavarian flavors!

The fact that I'm a huge fan of Halo-Halo and Maja Blanca makes this an even bigger thrill!

Oh, Dunkin Donuts! Take my money, please!

WATN: Bai the way

Back in the 90s, one of my favorites Asian-American actresses was Bai Ling.

What I like about her is the fact that she was very unconventional. From her looks, to her roles, she was really a stand-out and she shone in every role she played.

I first took notice of her in “Nixon.” Then, she had a stellar turn with Richard Gere in “Red Corner.” Later on, she did a very mainstream Hollywood comedy - “Wild, Wild West” with Will Smith. That was quickly followed by her poignant portrayal as Tuptim in “Anna and the King.”

In 2004, while on a work-trip in HKG, I caught “Dumpling,” a horror film where she appeared as Aunt Mei. Her portrayal was riveting, and it turns out she won several awards for that role.

There was news that she’s appear in “Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith,” and I waited for her role there. Alas, she was edited out. Boo!

After that, her big screen roles were few and far between. She was in “Crank 2” - a B-movie where she shone, as per usual. But after that, I didn’t really see much of her anymore.

Which begs the quest: Where in Bai Ling now? With that kind of depth and talent, I think she should be appearing in more Hollywood films.

Heck, I’d love to see her in the next installment of “Crazy Rich Asians.”

I’d definitely Bai that!

A Grand time!

There’s a new baby girl in our family!

My nephew Carl is a new Dad! Which means I am - for the 3rd time - a Granduncle!

And here’s our newest addition to the growing clan:

Welcome Adriana! Yup, like the Supermodel!

Actually, her full name is Adriana Solenn. So, they’re 2 fashion model names, actually.

Congratulations Carl and Jamie! 

Lolo can’t wait to see you, Baby Adriana!

FMM: Looking for Lewis

There are quite a number of songs from the 90s that take me back to my start in the advertising industry.

Songs that remind me of long nights, brainstorming for ideas at the office, listening to upbeat, pop music to get the energy up and the ideas flowing.

Then, occasionally, one of the creative folks will take a break from work to do a random dance on top of the chair or table. This would be the impetus for other creatives to stop working and just groove.

One of the songs we'd love to dance to was a song from a British singer/rapper named C. J. Lewis. He wasn't a mainstream artist, but he had an awesome album. 

And one of his songs that we'd love to groove to was "R to the A."

This song suddenly popped in my head last week, so I thought it would be a great Friday Magic Madness song for today.

Pardon me while I stop working and bop by head to the beat.

One to Teen

While looking at these photos taken from Becca's Fiesta-themed 1st birthday party, it's hard to believe that this fun, Filipino event happened 12 years ago!

Today, Becca turns 13! Our D' Baby is now officially a teenager!

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: Gosh, I feel old!

Berry, Berry Nice

As a major fan of Strawberries, this new product from Dexter's thrilled me to bits.

Strawberry bits, that is.

Yup, they now have Strawberry Pianono!

Not biased or anything, but this is the best pianono. 

I'm berry sure of it!

Dole-licious

Back when I was still younger, Dole had this very catchy jingle that I'd find myself singing randomly. It went:

"Dole, Dole, Dole, Dole-icious Pineapple Juice Drink, 

Pineapple Orange, Pineapple Lychee,

Dole, Dole, Dole, Dole-licious Pineapple Juice Drink,

From the No. 1 producer of Pineapples, it's Dole, it's Dole-icious!"

That time, Dole and Del Monte were the heavyweights in Pineapple products - from juice, to chunks, to tidbits to slices. Del Monte was the bigger and more prominent brand, being the Pineapple behemoth back in that day.

Our family was torn between these 2 brands. For Pineapples used for baking and cooking, we preferred Del Monte. But for juices, Dole was our preferred brand. We found the taste of Dole more balanced, whereas Del Monte was too tart and sour.

Then, as an adult, my taste slowly shifted from Dole to Del Monte - juice-wise. Maybe it was because of my age, but my liking for super-sweet-stuff became less and less. That's when my appreciation for Del Monte's more authentic and tart juices became more pronounced.

But there was another plot twist. For canned pineapples, as well as canned fruit, my taste shifted to Dole. Especially after tasting Dole canned fruits and Dole jellies in the US, my taste buds became accustomed to it, and started to look for it since then.

A few days ago, an ad for the Dole flagship store on Lazada popped up. Having missed Dole and not having it for a year, my fingers clicked on the banner ad. One thing led to another, to several add to carts, and eventually, this:

Yup, this is my Dole stash! A lot of fruit jellies (a healthier way to snack every afternoon), pineapple tidbits (for Mom's sweet and sour fish and sweet and sour meatballs), and a chockfull of Seasons Juice Drinks! 

Strangely, when I was unboxing and disinfecting these goodies, there was a smile from ear-to-ear, knowing that I'd be enjoying my favourite Dole products again after a while. It's so, SO Tito to be doing that. Harhar!

Well, what can I say but it's going to be a Dole-icious few weeks ahead!

Start the week with Glee

Since I've been reconnecting with my High School Glee Club group online lately, I've also been reconnecting with old episodes of "Glee."

A few years back, "Glee" was the series on everyone's lips. Aside from the great music, the story arcs, the cast of promising newcomers and a powerhouse list of guest stars, it was really a joy to watch. 

And the music. Oh, the music. Watching every episode made me relive our Glee Club days with Sir Jun Ortega. How we'd be asked to perform in school programs, and eventually invited to perform outside school.

Some of my favorite LSQC Glee Club performances were "Overture from the Tales of the Manuvu," which we performed in LSM, among other places. There's "Age of Aquarius" which we performed in Greenbelt. And "Sometimes," which we performed for our Father Rector.

These were performances that were all heartfelt and hard to forget. That's why today, let me start the week with something that encompasses these things in one video. An excerpt from Glee which talks about forgetting.

This episode with Gwyneth Paltrow as substitute teacher Holly Holiday is still one of my all-time faves. Something that's worth watching over and over again.

Oh, Glee Club and Glee. I really can't forget you.

Fast Fashion Farewell

One thing this pandemic showed us is that, globally, no business is safe from its effects. While new companies and recent start ups bore the brunt of the situation, even older companies were equally affected.

Last week, I read this article online with a combination of shock and disbelief.

Debenhams - a fast fashion giant - has been in the UK for around 200 years. That's 2 centuries! Imagine that it's been through so much - from 2 World Wars, The Great Depression, the earlier pandemics, even the most recent Brexit. 

And it was able to weather all those crucial events in all those decades.  So, you'd think that they could also weather this crisis as they did the previous ones.

But these are strange times we live in. Especially for businesses. Even a heavyweight like Debenhams.

Makes me wonder if their closure in the UK will affect their Philippine operations? Will their stores around the globe close down, too?

If they will, I'll definitely miss my lunch time trips to Debenhams at Shangrila Mall. I'll miss Principles by Ben De Lisi, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson, Rocha by John Rocha, Star by Julien Macdonald, Red Herring, and even the earlier Editions collaborations with Roksanda Ilincic.

I'll also miss my Debenhams runs in JKT and HKG. I still remember all the great buys from sales in those branches a few years back.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that after this situation ends, they'll find a way to reopen and still be a fabulous fast fashion source, both in the UK and the world.

Let’s make it a Point

North Point Mall in Alpharetta is one of our go-to places in GA. Mainly because it’s quite near the house of Biboy.

It’s been 2 years since we were last there, and while I was searching for one of the mall tenants, this popped on my feed.

They’re going to have (or already having) a redevelopment. And it looks like they’ll be more outdoorsy, similar to Avalon, also in GA.

I can’t wait to visit GA and North Point Mall soon. And hopefully when we go there, it’ll look like this already.

FMM: To a (Mr.) T!

Since it's Mother's Day this Sunday, today's Friday Magic Madness song is an homage to the most important woman in our lives. 

That's our Mom, of course!

And while it would be easy to play some sentimental classic Mom-themed songs like "Mama" by Connie Francis, or "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan" by Levi Celerio, or even something old-ish like "Mama" by Spice Girls, I thought of being more upbeat and happy and frivolous.

Which leads me to this:

Yes! It's Mr. T! (Kids, look him up.)

Fun fact: aside from being the resident strongman in "The A Team," he also had a turn as a singer. "Treat your Mother Right" is one of his iconic songs from the 80s. And the juxtaposition of a big, burly guy with a mohawk singing a love song for Moms is just awesome.

Just like my Mom!

So, for Mother's Day, it's Mr. T for my Mom!

A you're...

Adorable! Cream Cones!

Yup, this is my latest snacker discovery at the online haunt which I've been frequenting the past months.

Honestly, I've been seeing this product for months already, but never got around to trying it. Something that changed last week, when, out of both curiosity and boredom, I thought of ordering a few packs.

Gosh! Why didn't I do this earlier! 

The sugar cone reminds me of the classic dirty ice cream cones that you get from the street. Then, the filling is rich and creamy, and the flavoured topping gives it just the right amount of added oomph.

This sort of reminds me of the old "Kean's Marshmallow Cones" that we used to buy as kids. But that one had mallows and chocolate coating, while this has cream and assorted toppings.

Regardless of that, this is definitely a good buy which will definitely find itself in our home again. Very soon.

On the whole, Adorable definitely gets an "A" for me!

Ultimate Cheese

Nope, this post isn't about a pizza. Nor is it about a burger. Nor is it about a new snack discovery.

This post is about this film that I caught on Netflix:

Being a fan of superhero flicks, comedy and kids, "We Can Be Heroes" has been on my radar for a few weeks now. Then, with a few hours to spare last weekend, it was the perfect opportunity to finally give it a go.

This film is the latest superhero flick by Robert Rodriguez. Yup, the same guy who gave us fun, fantastical fantasy flicks like "Spy Kids," and "Shark Boy and Lava Girl." So, I expected it to have that same wholesome, family feels.

And yes, it did! It was so wholesome, fun and family-friendly that it was cheesy! But cheesy in a good way. It was cheesy in a way that the whole family - including very young kids - can watch it, cheer, clap and ROFL at the same time.

Even the plot twist - something I kinda saw coming - was super wholesome. If this film was a person, it would be someone with "no mean bone in his body." Which is great for something to watch on a weekend.

It's a far cry from the earlier Robert Rodriguez films I've seen - the comic-style, violent ones - like "El Mariachi," "From Dusk til Dawn," "Sin City," the "Machete" series, and so on and so forth. And watching the adorable kids and Abuelita Anita Moreno, it's also hard to imagine that it's the same guy who cast Danny Trejo in his films.

Anyhoo, despite the cheese overload, I enjoyed this film a lot. Which leads me to the next question:

"When will they make a part 2 of this cheese fest?"

Return of the Je-Day

Today is May 4.

You know the drill.

As a Star Wars geek and nut, today thrills me no end!

Happy May the 4th!

Color Story; Khaki Cool

For most people, the colour khaki is reminiscent of grade school. 

After all, if you studied in a boy's school - like me - you wore khaki shorts from Grades 1 to 3, then khaki pants from Grades 4 to 6. But if you studied in Ateneo High School - like my nephews Kevin and Kurt - they wore khaki in High School.

That said, it's easy to look at khaki as very plain, bland, and school-ish.

I don't look at khaki that way, though. For me, this hue is very chic, fashionable, and ultra-classic! It's easy to wear, season-less, can be formal and casual, and very clean-looking! And when rendered in uber-fashionable designs, it's simply awesome.

Here's proof. Two, actually. 

One, this dress that looks like two separate pieces. 

It looks like a blazer and pleated skirt ensemble. But it's actually a full dress. Looking at it, the dress is very Paris, and looks like something that Carine Roitfeld would wear.

Two, this shirt dress with an exaggerated, pleated bodice.

Somehow, this dress looks like a cross between Giambattista Valli and Lanvin. But wearable for everyday. Surprisingly, these 2 dresses were found on Shopee, and each one cost less than P1000!

And to up the fashion ante for these 2 khaki dresses, I paired it with this:

Woven mules, in brown. The pointed shape and pattern is very Bottega Venetta. But of course, this is just a Korean brand from Lazada.

See? Khaki can be so fashionably cool!

Now you see Mee

While Mona and I were talking about how much we miss SG and the Hawker Stall food, I showed her the stash that’s tying me over:

Instant Prawn Mee that reminds me of the divine Prawn Mee we’d often have at the Golden Mile Hawker Center. And Mee Poh Dry which brings back memories of Mee Goreng at the old train station.

Hopefully soon, we can taste the legit ones in SG. But in the meantime, let me relive those Hawker adventures with these 2.

A long, short story

 When I saw this post that was written 14 years ago - back when I was living in HKG and had a case of a bum knee - one thing stood out.

That "thing" was the photo that is encircled here.

That was an American Eagle boxer short which was purchased at Maple (if memory serves me right, at least.) 

What's great about that particular short is, it's still around today. It still fits and I'm still using it.

How's that for a short that lasts long?