Slim pickings

Oh, I miss the days when there were rows upon rows upon rows of beautiful gift wrappers at National Bookstore.

As the distributor of Hallmark products, they had the best and most varied selections of gift wrappers. They had a wrapper for every vibe, every occasion, every aesthetic. But now, they have this:

It's kinda sad to see how much they've downscaled their gift wrapping area. Even sadder is the fact that the designs are becoming bland and repetitive. Even their gift tags are blah.

Is it time to find another source of wrapping papers?

I took a picture, I took a picture

Because we're turning Japanese!

The Creative Team was the host for this month's birthday cocktails. We had several themes in mind, but knowing that this month is the Sakura season in Japan, we thought of bringing a bit of Japan to Ortigas.

Thanks to the team, we were able to transform the CAI Cafe into our little piece of Ueno park.

Sugoi ne!

Black, white and red...

...but make it a cat edition.

That was the first thing that came to mind after seeing this:

Yup, it's another cute cat Monday post. 

We know we'll never get tired of that.

Back in the box

Or, "midterms, but make it yummy."

That pretty much sums up my midterm exam for my copywriting class.

Instead of just a piece of paper, they got this:

And to inspire them to write, they got this:

Yup, they actually get to touch and taste the products they're making advertising copy for.

Who says exams should be daunting or boring?

The Difference of a D

Yet another example of how 1 letter can make a world of difference.

Instead of being a sign that tells you the establishment is closed, it now looks like an apology to a person who doesn't want you to be close to them.

Proofreader, please!

FMM: That's crazy

It's kinda wild whenever people refer to 90s songs as "old."

Saw this reel on FB when people were asked to listen to "old songs from the 90s." In my mind, I'm like, "Really? That's already considered old?"

One good thing about watching that video, though, is that it brought back songs and memories from 2 decades back. And this song rom 1999 is what made me excited the most.

"Butterfly" by Crazy Town was such as ubiquitous song back then. It was played all over - radios, parties, discos - wherever you went, you could hear it.

But what makes this song memorable for me is the fact that one of my nephews loved to sing it. I'm not sure if it was Carl or Miguel, but whenever this song came on and they'd play the chorus, he'd sing the part that went "Sugar... baby..."

It's crazy how one song can bring so much awesome memories.

Having a ball(pen)

Back then, you could only start using a ballpen when you were able to write in cursive and you were in grade 4. 

Gosh, I looked forward to that day so much.

And when that time came, my only request was that my ballpen be Kilometrico.

It was one of the most famous pens back then, thanks to their commercials that had a jingle and the tagline: "Writes thousand and thousands of words."

My Kilometrico collection was composed of all 3 colours, and in multiples. Couldn't risk not having one of these precious pens in my pencil box or bag.

Why am I recalling all these today? It's because of this:

Yes, Kilometrico is still very much around.

Excuse me while I go to National Bookstore to buy one.

Meals with Mark: Two in a row

When Mark and I saw the poster for Chili's burger day a week ago, we said that our experience last year was enough and we don't need to repeat the experience this year.

Or so we thought.

We passed by Chili's in Galleria and saw a long line of people waiting for their turn to avail of the promo. We though, "what the heck!" So, we lined up, we got a table immediately, and enjoyed our 50% off burgers.

That's 2 years in a row. 

Maybe this will be a tradition.

Pop goes Zagu

One of the secrets to Zagu's longevity is the fact that they always introduce something new and interesting.

While their pearl shakes are more than 20 years old now, they keep themselves from being stagnant by having seasonal flavours that will pique people's interest.

Heck, my interest was piqued after seeing this:

Popcorn in a pearl shake? Interesting.

And yes, it's good!

You go, curl!

It might be the universe telling me that there hasn't been a Monday cat post for a while.

This greeted me on my way to 7-11 this morning.

It's safe to say that everyone just wants to curl up like this on a Monday.

2 good 2 pass up

The more trailers they drop, the more appealing this film is.

It looks like "The Devil Wears Prada 2" will be a line-fest aside from being a fashion fest. That line by Emily Blunt has all the makings of a classic line:

"May the bridges I burn light my way."

If this is a preview of what's to come, you know it's going to be SO good!

The cat who can't be moved

Yes, this post is inspired by that hit song from "The Script."

But instead of a man who can't be moved, this post is about this.

Yes, the cat was on top of the stairs, and no once could get him to move. So, everyone had to walk around him.

The cat must've had the chorus "I'm not moving..." playing in his head the entire time.

FMM: Madness!

Yes, today's Friday Magic Madness song is about madness. How's that for a coincidence.

"Beauty and Madness" by Fra Lippo Lippi suddenly came to mind because of this youtube reel that keeps popping up on my feed. It's about a music teacher who asks people to guess a song based on a few notes that he plays on his keyboards.

One of the song he plays most often is this Fra Lippo Lippi hit song from 1987. And surprisingly, no one gets it right! Gosh. How can they not know this iconic song.

Madness!

Half hazard

Last year, Mark and I went to Chili's One Ayala and caught their half-price burger promo. 

It was such a busy time! Getting a table was a challenge. People were lined up outside constantly. Servers were rushing back and forth with trays of burgers. But everyone was served efficiently and on-time, including us.

Can't believe that was almost a year ago. Because they're going at it again.

After seeing this sign, we asked ourselves if we'd do the whole half-price burger craziness again. And we thought, "maybe not."

Rabbit in!

Looks like Target is going into overdrive with their collaborations.

Aside from Rifle Paper Co., their simultaneously launching a collaboration with Roller Rabbit.

Of course, Roller Rabbit is known for their fun and whimsical prints. The brand has this joie de vivre that's perfect for summer.

Looks like people are going to start hopping to Target because of this.

Hello Milo!

Just when you thought you couldn't have any more Milo options in your life.

Now, 7-11 has Milo in their range of Gulp drinks!

Right now, this is the cheapest among all the Milo options I've tried. It's P59 for a large cup like this. And while it's not as rich and creamy tasting as the others in my rotation, (places like PickUp and Cocopan put milk and syrup in their Milo drinks) this one still hits the spot.

Looks like I'll be in 7-11 more often these days.

Ohayo Ootoya!

Ootoya will always have a special place in my heart. 

This Japanese restaurant chain was one of the first places where Mark and I ate in Tokyo. And it also became one of our regulars.

During our last 2 or 3 trips to Japan, though, we weren't able to go there.

But now, we don't even have to go to Japan!

Ootoya is now open in BGC!

Sugoi ne!

Ultimate cuteness!

Can't get over how cute this photo of Sab is!

Asked if she was praying when this photo was shot. Apparently not:

"She was pooping."

Gosh. That makes it even cuter!

An officer and a gentleman

Today is Lolo Iking's birthday. It's his 116th birth anniversary, and his 37th birthday in heaven. 

The family continues to miss Lolo dearly, and this post made by Kuya Marv really sums up who our Lolo was, and how we feel about him.

He truly was an officer and a gentleman, and while today isn't a Friday Magic Madness day, it's just fitting that we bring back this 1982 hit song. 

"Up where we belong," was a hit from Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, and was used in the film "An Officer and a Gentleman." And that makes this song even more apt and meaningful.

Happy heavenly birthday, Lolo Iking!

FMM: That's cold

I'm not sure why, but it seems like Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted" is making a resurgence on-line. I've been seeing it popping up on my feed in different iterations. Some posts are about the actual video, some are about the iconic lip-sync at RuPaul's Drag Race, and some feature Paula herself.

That's a sign. This song deserves to be on today's Friday Magic Madness.

The MTV is so slick and cool. It feels like an homage to the audition scene in "Flashdance." The song itself is iconic! From the catchy beat to the shift the the orchestra. And of course, Paula's fast rap was the chef's kiss of the song. Overall, it still feels fresh and current, despite the fact that it's a 37 year old song.

Because of all these reasons, it's with a full heart that I'm playing this song over and over again today.

Rife for Rifle

As a gift wrapper junkie, one of my most visited sites is Rifle Paper Co.

It's actually one of my black holes. Once I'm in the site and start browsing their excellent selection of gift wrapper prints, time will pass by in a flash, and I'll be in the site or an hour without noticing.

Imagine my thrill upon learning that they're going to have a collaboration with Target!

Upon closer scrutiny, though, they won't carry the gift wrapping and stationary line at Target. What they'll do is take their iconic prints and translate them into home ware and a few apparel pieces.

Not as expected, but I'm sure this is still worthy of being checked out.

Diana would be proud

Look Ms. Ross, I've found "The Boss."

And that's today's cat cuteness post.

Elephant in the room. The mall, rather.

Apparently, South Korea's other fave eyewear brand is also in the Philippines.

Passed through Glorietta on my way to the 4As meeting and spotted this Blue Elephant kiosk in Glorietta 2. 

Aside from Gentle Monster, this is the other brand that Pinoys hoard whenever they go to Seoul.

There's some controversy surrounding these 2 brands, though. There was a time when Gentle Monster was suing Blue Elephant for copying their designs and selling it cheaper. Not sure what happened to that, but the fact that Blue Elephant is still around might be an indicator.

Guess they acknowledged the elephant in the room.

Peace in a cup

The world is really starting to become a scary place.

Countries attacking each other. Governments taking up arms and striking at one another. Talks that these little wars might escalate to a big one.

Gosh! It's safe to say that the only thing that the people of the world want right now is peace.

And while it's hard to imagine that in the current state of global affairs, this store in Ali Mall was able to capture the sentiment in a cup.

If it were only this easy.

False Alarm?

After the huge hullabaloo caused by the news of Marks & Spencers' exit in the Philippines, this piece of news comes out.

So, should we stop hoarding lotions and digestives?

We shall see.

Well-suited

I've been seeing a lot of suit sets in fast fashion stores of late. It's such an easy and elegant way to look put together. Plus, it gives major boss energy.

That's how this look got put together.

This is a nice suit set because the top is a vest rather than a blazer. It has a modern shape, thanks to the extended shoulders. The pants also provide a contrast to the structure of the top, thanks to the flowy shape. Also, the beige colour makes it versatile for any occasion. And the belt gives it a fashionable punctuation mark.

Whether it's a day at the office, or a casual weekend out with friends, this ensemble is suited for both occasions.

P.S. The suit is an on-line find, the shirt is from Regatta, and the shoes are from ForMe.

FMM: Seeing Colors

When we were planning our parents' 60th wedding anniversary, we knew that music was an important part of the celebration.

Dad got his favourite band - Beats and Pieces. They were his fave because the members were more or less his age, and the songs they play are right up his alley.

But of course, we wanted a band that also played more modern songs for the younger attendees. Ate Bullet asked me if the band played "Opalite." Which they answered to the negative. But they did say that they played modern songs. 

When asked for specifics, like what type of "modern songs," they play, the reply of the lead singer was "Never mind."

Yes, their idea of a modern song is a 1985 classic from "Colors," an Italian band who had this song as their global hit.

Not quite modern, but hey, they'll make for a great Friday Magic Madness song today.

Disappearing Mark(s & Spencers)

And the unthinkable is about to happen.

After 40 years in the Philippines, Marks & Spencers will shut its doors. This is the 2nd SSI British brand that's shuttering, the 1st being Debenhams.

Gosh! What will Christmas be like without their cookies?

Model class

On this edition of "random things that pop out of your feed."

Can't believe this photo is already 13 years old! This was taken during my stint as adviser of the batch yearbook in school. Maica, our EIC, is the one standing in this photo.

This was a proud moment because we were able to release the yearbook even before the graduation. It was very rare that this happened, but we pulled it off.

Maybe it's time for the editorial team to have a reunion and recreate this photo. That's going to be fun!

Glad we MET

The venue for the Side A concert was a bit different. Unlike the usual concerts which is usually held in MOA Arena, Araneta Coliseum and even Samsung Theater, their concert was held in a place steeped in history and culture.

The Metropolitan Theater.

Was telling Mark that the last time I watched something here was way back in high school. We watched the play "Noli Me Tangere" at the MET, and it was such a memorable experience. When we were in grade school, we also watched "Peter Pan" here, and I was simply amazed that Peter Pan could really fly! (With harnesses, of course.)

So many memories. And I'm glad to have relived them.

Meals with Mark: Hold my Bir(yani)

A new place to visit necessitated a new place to eat.

Before our Side A concert, we decided to have early dinner at SM Manila. Since there are a number of restaurants there that aren't in other SM Malls, that was the jump off point for our dinner venue.

Mark said that he saw an interesting biryani place. Since we're both fans of biryani, it was the natural choice.

And that's what led us to Biryani Boys.

They serve Middle Eastern food, from our favourite hummus and pita, to tikka, to kebabs and their biryani. With so many appetising choices, we ordered a little bit of everything.

We had the nachos - made with pita, the chicken tikka with biryani rice, the falafel platter, and they gave us free chicken soup!

Everything was so good! The soup was hearty and generous with the ingredients. The falafel had the right crunch. The nachos were interesting because of the crispy pita. The chicken tikka and biryani had bold flavours that complemented well.

This was a great choice, and thanks to Mark for spotting and suggesting it.

Hope these boys have a branch closer to us.

The right Side

Today was a day of firsts.

While Mark and I have watched a lot of movies and some musicals, we haven't really watched a full-on concert. And thanks to his friend - Gelo - we were able to.

We spent Sunday night together, enjoying the music that defined our generation. From that moment they sang "Tell Me," it was clear that the night was going to be rife with memories and nostalgia.

And it was!

From their iconic hits like "Eva Marie," and "Forevermore," to their upbeat encore of "'Di pa huli," Mark and I just sang and swayed the night away.

I'm so happy we were able to tap into this side of us tonight.

Prep work

Uniqlo called it. 

The preppy-era is back, yet again.

Time to bring out those polos, cardigans and sweaters.

But here's a reimagined way of looking at preppy.

Put together this ensemble using pieces that are normally preppy, but with little twists here and there. The top is a knit polo, but with a slightly exaggerated shoulder and a drawstring at the bottom. Got this at Landmark. 

The SHEIN skirt has an asymmetric waist detail and an off-centre hem.

Finally, the shoes are a cross between sneakers and ballet flats, with very preppy primary colours. This is also from SHEIN.

See? Looking preppy AND modern doesn't take a lot of work.

FMM: Not often enough

Saw some of my high school classmates today. 

In the case of my 2 classmates, Juliet and Marose, the last time we saw each other was during our HS graduation. And that was more than 3 decades ago!

Needless to say, there was a lot of catching up. Stories about our teachers, our high school retreats, our after school shenanigans - these all suddenly came flooding back. 

Then, we eventually talked about our HS choir - our performances and out-of-school concerts, and that's when this song suddenly popped in my head.

"Sometimes" was a song that none of us knew that time. But Mr. Ortega taught the song to us, and we preformed it several times. The more we performed it, the more we fell in love with this Carpenters song. Until now, this song is always on my playlist.

Sometimes, it just takes a mini-reunion to bring back memories like this. 

This Singer is a Driver

Chanced upon this photo on the internet that instantly resonated with me.

We had this exact Singer sewing machine at home, and I'd often pretend to drive using the sewing machine wheel. So, I'm basically the kid in the photo.

This made me miss the good old days of my childhood.

Yeoh a Star!

And she keeps on breaking barriers!

Now, Michelle Yeoh has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

She's the first Malaysian actress to receive this honour.

Yeoh go, girl!

Marry old time

Had dinner with Mark and his friends last night, and the conversation was about KDrama recommendations.

Peter and I shared our faves - some of them they've watched, some of them were new. Some of the recommendations were old, some were new.

On my way home, I remembered one of my faves that I wasn't able to recommend.

"Marry my husband" was a KDrama that aired on Prime Video in 2024. It's about marriage and revenge, and a bit of fantasy thrown in.

It's actually quite campy, which adds to its charm. I've re-watched this twice, and still like it.

Time to re-watch it again.

Sleeping Sphinx

For a change, this Monday's sleeping cat isn't lazily sprawled down a surface.

If last week's cat was a "masa" cat, today's cat is an example of the other Pinoy saying: "Puwedeng matulog kahit saang puwesto." 

This cat might not be a sphinx, but he sure sleeps like one.

Speak of the Devil

Here it is!

The full and official trailer of "The Devil Wears Prada 2."

So many questions. So much curiosity piqued. 

Can't wait to see this on screen in a few months.

Sweet students

Today's class fell on a Valentine's Day. So, it started with a quote from my UP Professor: "Valentine's Day is just a social & consumerist construct."

But of course, that didn't stop us from exchanging some Valentine's Day treats.

Two of my students handed me these heart-shaped and sweet treats.

Yes, it might be a social & consumerist construct," but it shouldn't stop us from being sweet.

FMM: Rankin the hits

Kenny Rankin has so many hits, I'm surprised that I've only featured one in the history of my Friday Magic Madness posts.

So, here's another one.

"Hiding inside myself" was released in 1988, and back then, people loved to sing this song. Whether it was a party, a variety show, or just a random get together of friends with a guitar, this song would always be part of the repertoire.

Not surprised, though. 

A song this nice shouldn't be kept hidden.

Chews childhood

This chewing gum brand bring so many childhood memories.

Hubba Bubba was one of the American chewing gum brands that was all the rage in the 80s. This, along with Bubble Yum, was part of every cool ikds' lunch box. And because our grandparents lived in the US, we'd get this a lot.

There were also PX stores that sold this. Like Hyacinth, Orobelle and Casman drug. So, if our US stash would run out, we'd rush to these stores to get some.

I'm so glad these are readily available now. It's like going back to my childhood, one chew at a time.

Printed Matters: Florality

We have an art director at the office - Logie - who's a master at sketching. 

While he does a lot of different subjects, one of his works that really caught my eye was his floral sketches. And no, it's not spring yet, so this should be groundbreaking. Harhar.

One time, he sketched this pretty rose bouquet, and I told him that it would look great as a print on a piece of garment.

So that's what we did:

Noel, our creative director, has a printing business. So, when asked if he could print Logie's flower sketch on a denim skirt, he said yes. And that's how this piece came about.

Since we're in the mood for florals, the skirt was paired with this top. It's a vegan leather top with floral embroidery.

Together, this pair of florals make this outfit bloom.

(Okay, enough with the floral references.)

Closing the Gap (and Old Navy)

So, this is what has become of the big Gap and Old Navy store in Shangrila Plaza mall.

Used to enjoy visiting here since it was massive! Two floors of all things Gap and Old Navy!

But the past year, their stocks and selections were meh, so this store closing shouldn't be a surprise.

Hope Gap and Old Navy gets to pivot and be relevant again soon.

Masa Mondays

Well, I did say that a series was in the offing.

Today's Monday mood photo is the embodiment of the Pinoy saying: "Masandal lang, tulog na."

Gosh. This cat must've been exhausted!

And to think it's just a Monday.

Coco(pan)-tastic

Aside from their breads, this is the other reason for my regular runs to Cocopan.

Their Milo Overload is worth the trip back. It has the right amount of sweetness that complements the malty goodness of Milo. 

Price-wise, this is also the most value-for-money compared to other stores that sell Milo drinks.

Because of that, my Cocopan trips can now be filed under: "Come for the breads, stay for the Milo."

How sweet it is

Nope, this isn't a James Taylor post.

It's about Toni's latest creation.

I'm amazed at the creativity and work ethic of my niece. Since she introduced her Sweet Tones brand, she's been working non-stop, taking orders, making cakes and chocolates, all while continuing her content creation.

Her latest product - her chewy cookies - are a hit. Heard that it sells out quite fast, so I'm lucky to have gotten a few pieces for the house and to give to a student.

After trying it, I'm not surprised why it's popular. It's really, really good!

Here's to more sweet, successful products like this!

FMM: What's in a name?

Listening to music for decades, one of the things that would always amuse me are songs whose titles aren't "obvious."

Most songs would have titles that reflect their chorus. Or an opening line. Or a repetitive stanza. 

But some are totally left field, which makes the ditty more interesting.

Case in point is today's Friday Magic Madness song.

Because the words "Hey, you're such a pretty boy" is repeated over and over, you'd think that would be the title. 

But no.

This ditty is "What's your name?" which is another iconic hit from Depeche Mode.

Pretty cool, eh.

Meals with Mark: Meals with Mak

Having eaten at Mak's noodles in HKG several times when I was still living there, I wanted to try their first branch here. With Mark, of course.

Knowing how the original tastes like, was curious to see if they could accurately replicate it here in MNL. 

In summary, they did.

The broth was rich. The noodles, firm and bouncy. The wonton, packed with both filling and flavour.

What was different, though, was the price. Compared to HKG, Mak's here was on the pricey side.

While this won't be a regular for us, it's probably going to be a place we'd go to once or twice a year.

(Terence) Stamp of Approval

I was today years old when I found out that Terence Stamp was in the 1st Superman film.

Yup, he's General Zod. And if not for this video that crossed my feed, I wouldn't have known.

Imagine, he went from General Zod to Bernadette Bassenger in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert."

Now that's super!

Curious combination

I'm fond of lemonade.

I'm fond of caramel.

But would I be fond of them together?

I'm interested - yet reluctant - to try this.

Maybe next time.