Yo soy destraido!

Hello, this is brilliant!

2012-01-31T16:20:00.001-08:00

If you've been around during the 80s, chances are, you'll know the classic song "Hello" by Lionel Richie. (Or as today's kids know him, "'Yung daddy ni Nicole Richie.")

While browsing youtube today, I came across this new rendition of "Hello," which was edited by a truly imaginative and creative man. It takes a seed of creative genius, and an eye for execution to come up with a video this brilliant. It's one of those creative moments that makes me think: "Heck, I wish I did that."

I can't wait to see what other videos he'll do in the future.

School Fixture

2012-01-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

Between the thesis defense, Obra Kulasa, arranging our Journalism class field trip and other advertising class activities, I've been in school practically everyday the past few weeks. This is such a departure from my old school schedule when I'd just be there on Saturday.

I've also adjusted my "look" whenever I go to school on weekdays. I've always been a t-shirt and jeans person, and I usually wear this to class on Saturdays. After all, no one from admin is in school on weekends, so I can get away with it. But since I often go to school on weekdays now, I have to dress up in a more "admin-friendly" way. Ergo, jeans give way to khaki slacks, my t-shirt is now hidden under a polo, and my sneakers temporarily sneak away in favor of decent looking shoes. After all, the chances of me running into the Dean, School President and other head honchos are bigger on weekdays.

And it looks like I'm not the only one who notices the change in attire and schedule.

When I dropped by the campus this morning, I ran into our college checker along the hallway. She looks at me with a perplexed expression, hesitates a bit, but eventually asks the question which must've been bugging her the last month:

"Sir, parang araw-araw ko na kayong nakikita sa school, at ang pormal niyo ngayon. Nasa Admin na ba kayo?"

Yup, when you're mistaken for someone from the School's administration team, it's a sign that you're in school just a wee bit too often. (And dressed up a wee bit too formal.)

Hale Storm

2012-01-29T22:37:00.000-08:00

Bench made a good move when it made Lucy Hale one of their endorsers. Lucy Hale made me do 2 things that I haven't done in years:

1. Go inside a Bench store
2. Buy something from Bench.

Seriously, I don't even remember the last time I stepped into a Bench store. Maybe it was around 2007. Really, it escapes me.

Although I do like their Advertising campaigns and their pro-Pinoy stance, I'm not a big fan of Bench clothes. Mainly because I find their fabrics weird and their fit even weirder. There was a time when I was a small at H&M, a medium at Zara, and when I got to Bench, I was a, (drumroll please) a 2XL! I guess Bench never got the memo on Vanity sizing.

Anyway, I stormed the Bench store in Megamall in the hopes of seeing more Lucy Hale posters inside. Alas, there was none. What I saw were two items that eventually found themselves in a bag for me to carry home.

And these two items were khaki pants.

I don't have a lot of khaki pants. Most of my pants are jeans. And since I've been showing up in school on weekdays quite often, I thought it best to buy 2 pairs of khaki pants. (Technically, we're not allowed to wear jeans to school on weekdays.)

While the fabrics of these 2 pants aren't uber nice, I found the cuts very modern. Plus, the fit wasn't as bad as I remembered Bench jeans to be. I especially like the Carrot Jeans. And of course, the best part about these jeans was the price. I can't remember buying pants this nice for less than P1,000.00.

I asked the sales lady if they had these jeans in different colors, and she said that they do have it in other stores.

And that's a good reason to storm another Bench store, too. (That, and more posters of Lucy Hale, of course.)

Doo-Ri(ght)

2012-01-28T15:03:00.001-08:00

Macy's Impulse is really working hard to establish its cred as a hub for high/low collaborations.

After its successful design partnerships with Karl Lagerfeld and Giambattista Valli, they have another designer collaboration coming out in a few weeks time, and they chose someone equally impressive.

It's Doo-Ri Chung!

Doo-ri came into the scene at the same time as Thakoon and Alexander Wang, and she's part of the Asian-American group of talented designers. Her aesthetic is very clean and linear, and she also has a penchant for prints. Those are two of the trends for Spring 2012, so Macy's is right to bring her in.

I can't wait to see her full collection.

FMM: The eyes have it

2012-01-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

In one of our faculty lunches, the conversation shifted to old songs, and one song in particular - "Can't take my eyes off you." It turns out to be a favorite among the older faculty folks, and I just found out that the song was around longer than I thought it was.

My first recollection of that song was the swing version which Ate Lissa's friend, Mitos, danced to during a Miss Caloocan pageant. (Or something of that sort.)

With my newfound curiosity, I went around youtube looking for the song. And yes, the song indeed has so many incarnations.

From the Frankie Valli vintage version:

The unique version that only Vikki Carr can sing. (According to the host)

The funky, chill version of The Fugees, featuring Lauryn Hill, of course.

And the rock, head bang version from Muse.

This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There's actually a lot, lot more. Including Frank Sinatra, Barry White, and of course, that swing version from my memory.

Looks like I'm going to have my ears full with eyes before this night is over.

Hail Hale

2012-01-26T22:32:00.000-08:00

When I passed by the Bench store in Ali Mall on my way home, I saw something on their window display that made me do a double take.

Could it be? The girl on their poster looks a lot like Lucy Hale. The girl making waves in "Pretty Little Liars," but someone I've liked way back since "Privileged."

Yes, it did look like her. And the tagline below said it all: Lucy Loves Bench.

And as final confirmation, I found this floating around in cyberspace.

It looks like more and more local fashion brands are trying to out-Kamiseta Kamiseta in drawing in Hollywood endorsers.

Tough Call

2012-01-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

They've announced the nominees for the 2012 Oscars, and I find myself in a dilemma for the Best Supporting Actress category.

As much as I adore Octavia Spencer, another actress in the running is Melissa McCarthy. And she was just HILARIOUS in "Bridesmaids." Her turn as a butch acting, gun-toting, redneck talking Bridesmaid was simply brilliant! And since she was snubbed by the Globes, maybe the Oscars are giving her that much deserved win.

Decisions, decisions.

Hei, hei!

2012-01-24T17:12:00.000-08:00

You'd think that after living in different Chinese countries for several years, I'd be more aware of their big holidays.

Then again, even when I was living in HKG, or when I was in Beijing for CNY, I didn't really see it as that big a deal. In fact, CNY was the time when I enjoyed staying in HKG because everyone's out, the entire city is quiet, and it's one of the few times when you see the usually crowded city as an empty shell.

But since everyone in Manila is in the spirit of it, I say, "Hey, let's say Kung Hei Fat Choi!"

Or Gong Xi Fai Cai in HKG.

Or Xin Nian Kuail Le in Beijing!

Happy Chinese New Year! I hear the year of the Water Dragon is an auspicious one for all of us. So, here's to a prosperous new year ahead.

Pros and Body Con

2012-01-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

When Herve Leger created his bandage dress - or more commonly known as the "body con" dress - I doubt if he realized how much of a hit it would be. It's been 26 years since he came up with this ubiquitous dress, and it still has no signs of slowing down.

Of course, this design is now owned by Max Azria who bought out Herve Leger. Now, Herve Leger is known as Herve L. Leroux, and he continues to make spectacular dresses out of this atelier in Paris.

And here in Manila, the influence of the body con dress is still all over the place. A lot of fast fashion brands, from the established to the little Mom and Pop designers in tiangges, peddle their own version of this iconic dress. Some are total knock offs and copies (like the Apartment 8 versions), and some take the creative liberty to refashion it.

One such version I saw was from Kamiseta. Yes, they had some total knock-offs which were a bit "meh," but they had some pieces which took the body con concept and re-fashioned them to look younger. Among that lot, there were 2 that really stood out.

First is this knit dress with color blocking details that resemble a body con dress.

The shapes and colors of this dress are well-placed and will definitely have a slimming effect on the lady who'll wear it. And if the lady is slim to begin with, then this will definitely add curves to her physique.

The other is this gray and white number made of a thick knit material. Aside from the nice and muted color combination, the paneling of this dress is thoughtfully made. The white curved lines create a slimming pattern on the wearer. And who doesn't want that, right?

I've mentioned before that Kamiseta has had a couple of misses the past few years, but with this body con influenced pieces, they definitely have a hit.

The Joy of teaching

2012-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

Checking midterms is easy - actually, more of a joy - when you have such talented students who come up with the most creative ideas in such a short amount of time.

These girls are going to rock the advertising world!

Sweet discovery

2012-01-21T22:33:00.000-08:00

I've always been buying fruit teas at Simple Line since it opened across the school. And just to shake things up, I decided to order a milk based tea today. In particular, I tried the Caramel Black Tea with Konjac Jelly.

And I only have 3 words for it:

FAN. TAS. TIC.

Thanks to this discovery, I'm now going to go out of my fruit tea comfort zone and start ordering milk teas next time.

FMM: See Cyndi

2012-01-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

Sometime this week, Dad mentioned to me that Cyndi Lauper was having a concert in Manila, and his next question was whether I would watch her perform live.

Yes, Dad remembers that I was such a big Cyndi Lauper fan back in my primary school years. Back then, it was Team Cyndi vs. Team Madonna. And I was part of the team that cheered the quirky girl with the colored hair and powerful pipes.

And thinking of her makes me crave for her music once again. So, on this Friday Magic Madness day, I'm driving back to 1989 and listen to Cyndi sing one of my favorite songs: "I drove all night."

Now the question is, will I watch the concert? And will she sing this song?

A sketchy story

2012-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

When Lu-Ann told me that she was going to get married, we immediately met-up and discussed the details of her big day. In one meeting, she asked me that very important question: "What am I going to wear?"

She knew her wedding theme was "Modern Filipiniana," but she had no idea how to translate that into her wedding gown. And that's when she sprang this mind-boggling challenge for me: "I-drawing mo naman ako ng wedding gown."

While my passion is in writing, I also dabble in drawing. In fact, when I was in primary school, I drew a lot. I was a member of the art club, my "paintings" were always chosen by my art teacher and posted it on our classroom wall, I wrote a full length comic book about superheroes and I remember I even had a notebook which served as my dossier of characters.

Unfortunately, the growth of my drawing skills was stunted. Harhar. The way I drew back then is pretty much the same way I draw now. And it ain't that pretty, I kid you not.

Anyway, I took that challenge from Lu-Ann as a way to further enhance my creativity. And just as any advertising practitioner will tell you, the place to start the creative process is through inspiration.

I came back to Lu-Ann with 3 options, all under the theme of "Modern Filipiniana." One was inspired by the Vinta of Mindanao, the second was inspired by the lowly "tapis", and the third one was inspired by the Spanish-era jewelry, the "tambourin."

Lu-Ann immediately fell in love with the "tambourin" concept. The gown's silhouette was the classic Filipino terno, but I made it contemporary by adding the tambourin accents along the front and back seams of the dress. Another modern touch was to make the pattern more angular and geometric, thus, I designed it as a diamond instead of the usual circle. Finally, since I'm a believer of the "change costume" concept, there were two tops that could be worn with the gown. Aside from the butterfly sleeved top, there was also a "kimona" styled top with tulip sleeves. This was intended to be worn during the reception.

After Lu-Ann approved the design, I immediately brought it to Aling Bright for her masterful execution. We did several back and forth meetings in terms of the materials and embellishments to be used. And after a few months of work, this was how it turned out. It was actually better than what I envisioned.

Everything about the gown was custom designed. Even the geometric pattern was made from scratch. Good thing Aling Bright is a master at embroidery and beadwork. She captured the essence of the tambourin splendidly.

When the make-up artist saw the dress, she immediately remarked how classic and classy that it looked. Her words were "elegant," "mamahalin," and "ang yaman-yaman." And Lu-Ann said that the make-up artist was a good gauge of how nice the dress really is.

Before, during and after the wedding, people were telling Lu-Ann how beautiful her wedding gown was. She would always reply" "Gawa ni Lester 'yan," and I would always counter "Nope. I was just the Creative Director/sketcher."

And after seeing the two articles of clothing side by side, and seeing it in action, I thought, "Not bad for something that started out as chicken scratch." Harhar.

(It's worthy to note, though, that this wasn't my first foray into "chicken scratch-ing" a dress. I did the same thing for Rona last May. And that's worth another post.)

Very Vera 2

2012-01-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever Mark and I attend weddings, he usually asks me about how I found the particulars. Like the overall organization of the event, the flowers, food and all those little bits that people often comment about.

During Bea and Turda's wedding, he asked me about the cake, and Bea's wedding dress.

With regards to Bea's wedding dress, I told him that it was very elegant, and subdued in its elegance. Except for the belt, there was no trace of beadwork on the entire gown. It relied on its soft pleats and detailed skirt for drama.

Then, I told him that the aesthetic of the gown looked very Vera Wang, and that it was probably brought in from the U.S., and likely bought at David's Bridal.

On our way out of the ballroom, one of the coordinators was carrying a David's Bridal garment bag, so, check on one observation. And a few days ago, Bea emailed me and said that it was indeed a Vera Wang. Two out of two! Woot!

You can never really go wrong with a Vera Wang. (And you can ask my sisters who have a couple of Vera Wang dresses in their closets.)

That's a (b)lot

2012-01-17T16:46:00.000-08:00

Speaking of the Golden Globes, I direct your attention to the Monique Lhuillier dress that a lot of fashion observers didn't really like. It was this strapless gown worn by Sarah Michelle Gellar.

It was one of the three Monique Lhuilliers that walked down the red carpet. Including Paula Patton's and Debra Messing's.

Personally, what I found eye catching about this gown was the print. It looked like a cross between an ink-blot and a water shot. It's the image that you get when you dip a watercolor brush into a glass of water, and swirls of color travel from the top to the bottom.

Style-wise, I do agree with some observers that it made Sarah Michelle Gellar look a bit thick in the middle, and the silhouette is quite similar to the wedding gowns that she makes. But the print alone is enough to make me overlook that. It's the highlight of the gown, and a beautiful highlight it was.

Oh, Octavia.

2012-01-16T22:13:00.000-08:00

I have much admiration for supporting stars in Hollywood. They put in as much work as the big stars, but they do it for less pay. But when you see them act in the film or TV series, you can see how much they put in into the scene, even if they're just relegated as a support or just put in the background.

Aside from Regina King, one of my favorite supporting actresses is Octavia Spencer. She's often typecast as a comic relief, and one of my favorite Octavia performances was in Ugly Betty. She played the woman obsessed with Betty's Father, Nacho.

And just as you're thinking that she'll just be another high-impact but not noticed star, Octavia Spencer just won a Golden Globes tonight!

Go Octavia! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work soon!

More sibling revelry

2012-01-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, it wasn't just the Regalado-Morales siblings that had a reunion.

For the first time in many, many, many years. The Murillo-Morales siblings (aka, my Dad and Tita and Titos) were complete.

Last New Year, the 5 siblings who are spread over Manila, Barcelona and Bicol, found themselves at home, counting down to the New Year, and enjoying their time together. And enjoy they did. After all, they haven't been complete in almost a decade.

The Murillo-Morales siblings are, in chronological order, Tito Ting, Tita Evelyn, Tito Hector, Dad, and Tito Linden. In the picture, we have Tita Evelyn and Dad sitting down, and Tito Hector, Tito Linden, and Tito Ting behind them.

It was wonderful to see the 5 siblings together because you can see how much they enjoyed each other's company after being apart for so long. Especially Tita Evelyn who left the Philippines more than 50 years ago to plant her new roots and raise her family in far, far away Barcelona.

Yup, there was definitely a lot of sibling love this Holiday season. And it was really the best way of spending the New Year. With a reunion of siblings from 2 generations.

Lace in place

2012-01-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

While Eileen and I were talking about her wardrobe last Thursday, the subject shifted to the subject of lace. She mentioned that she actually likes lace, unlike Grace who thinks lace is very Grandma-ish and quite marmy.

I beg to disagree. Yes, lace was initially very frilly, frou-frou, and would be reserved for syrupy occasions. But nowadays, lace is considered very edgy and chic. With its different textures, needlepoint techniques and backing, lace has taken its place in the fashion hierarchy as a versatile and all-occasion fabric.

And fast fashion brands are in on it, too. Just this week, I saw 3 different lace items in the mall. One was a dress from Avel Bacudio, the second was a white lace shift from Space, and the last was a lace blouse from Bysi.

The combination of black lace and white lining is very genteel. It's something that Audrey Hepburn or Jackie O. would wear. But the cut of this dress is very modern, with a tulip skirt is very structured. A nice counterbalance to the softness of the lace.

Also, a lot of people think that lace is very itchy. There are different lace blends now, and some of them are very light and airy. Just like this one from Bysi.

I should tell Grace about how lace has moved forward from Granny's closet to every fashionista's wardrobe. It just might change her mind regarding this very nice fabric.

FMM: Happy

2012-01-13T16:26:00.000-08:00

It's Friday the 13th, and a lot of people think that this day is all about bad luck and bad vibes.

So, how do you counter this superstition? Simple, just be happy!

Happy Friday!

Me & You is Mads & Lu

2012-01-12T23:48:00.000-08:00

Whenever I organize a wedding, I'm so focused on making everything run like clockwork that I sometimes don't remember parts of what happened. There are portions which are a blur, and those portions usually happen when I'm running around. Much like a blur.

But during the wedding of Lu-Ann and Mads, I remembered everything clearly. Even if I was running around a lot. As Maricar said, I was "The Invisible Man" during the wedding because she would always remark: "Nawala na naman si Lester."

As the wedding progressed, I knew that it was going smoothly, that every detail was in place, every part of the plan was executed perfectly, and there was a lot of heart and emotion in the entire proceedings.

And when Lu-Ann showed me the link to her wedding day video, my observations above were confirmed. From the preparation to the ceremony to the reception, everything unfolded beautifully. And when Lu-Ann told me about the video, she said that it felt like my wedding, too, because I was in a lot of scenes. Both physically present, and by name. (You'll hear my name being mentioned and shrieked at certain parts.)

MADS+LU-ANN:SAME DAY EDIT from Franz Arrogante on Vimeo.

This is such a beautiful video, made even more beautiful by the song that was written by the couple's friends. Entitled "Ikaw at Ako," or "Me & You," it was the perfect backdrop for the proceedings last December 30. Because after everything is finished - after the ceremony is completed and the reception is done, after people finished talking about the event and guests traded all the pics that they took, after all the preparation and execution, the wedding is really about two people.

And that's what a wedding is all about.

Lap it up

2012-01-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

Practicality was one of the recurring themes of the gifts I received this holiday season. Among the lot of them, some were already in use a day after Christmas.

One of the gifts I received was this laptop cushion from Ate Lissa.

I've actually seen the box from afar a couple of times, but never got around to checking out what the product was or what it can do. Thanks to Ate, I discovered what a wonderful contraption this laptop cushion is!

This is one of the things that you think you don't need, but when you finally start using it, you realize what an indispensable item it is. Previous to this, I'd get a magazine (usually InStyle or Marie Claire), then set it on my lap, then put the laptop on top of the magazine. Primitive, I know. But it got the job done.

But with the laptop cushion, I can work with my laptop on my lap all-day, with so much ease! (I sound like an infomercial!)

Markbook fits on the cushion perfectly, so now, I can do my lessons, grades and transcription work from the comfort of my bed. Woot!

Hurray for practical gifts!

Out of the blue

2012-01-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

En route to and from the MRT, I usually pass by New Farmer's Plaza. And really, there's really not much to see there. The only reason I stop by is for Salazar Bakery, and sometimes, Mr. Donut.

Today, I decided to go around the mall since they renovated some parts, and it actually looked decent. One area where I wandered off to was on the 2nd floor, and I saw this dress shop which was on sale. I decided to give it a whirl, and found this little blue gem of a dress among a whole bunch of blah frocks.

The photos don't show it, but the material of this dress is nice. It has this tweed texture that's very light.

While it looks deceptively simple, the dress had a couple of details that were thoughtfully added. One was a folded sleeve with a little button. The extended cap sleeve itself was also a nice touch.

Then, there's this odd, asymmetric detail on the neckline as well. And it adds visual interest to the dress.

Off hand, the dress looks like something that Roland Mouret would create. And who would've thought that something like this would appear in an out-of-the-blue place like Farmer's Plaza.

Scenes from a surprise

2012-01-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, the family gathered at Secret Garden for an equally Secret event. It was a surprise Quincinera for Kai-kai! She was set to celebrate her 15th birthday on January 14, but since she'll be back in the U.S. by then, we decided to celebrate it a week in advance.

The venue lived up to its name. It's a bit hard to find, to the point that it's really a secret. But when we got there, we found the place to be very quaint and photogenic. Much like Fernwood, but in a much smaller scale.

There was a Cinderella carriage where Javier posed for a few snaps.

And my folks also had to have their photos taken there.

Kaikai's favorite color is purple, so everyone came in that motif. Dad and Javier came in matching purple shirts, while Ate Lissa rocked the purplish-fuschiaish Giambattista Valli dress.

There was a cave room which was admittedly a bit camp, and quite spooky. But it made for a nice backdrop.

And what's a party without music? The boys practiced 3 songs, and they performed excellently for their cousin.

Overall, the party was fun and was a big success. I had to host it, though, so I didn't have photos of the actual event. I sure hope Biboy posts those photos soon.

Sales ahead. Proceed with caution.

2012-01-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

It's the first month of the year, and retailers are itching to ditch their old stocks and usher in the new. And what better way to do that than to bring out that 4 letter word that everyone just loves.

Now is definitely a good time to stay away from the malls.

Bring back the Color!

2012-01-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

Just read that Fox is planning a reboot of "In Living Color" this 2012. If this is true, I'm totally watching the show!

"In Living Color" was one of my favorite shows in the 90s. I remember it was being aired on Channel 9, and I would really wait for the show to go on. (Something I rarely do now.)

This show was famous for their hilarious sketches like "Homey the Clown" and the "Men on..." series. They also had unforgettable characters like Andrea Dice Clay and Vera de Milo.

And of course, this show will be remembered as the launching pad of the careers of Jim Carrey (then known as James Carrey), and a then-unknown Fly Girl named Jennifer Lopez.

I hope the reboot will be as colorful as the original show. And with Keenen Ivory Wayans on the helm of the 2012 edition, I think it will definitely be as funny.

FMM: Where it's at!

2012-01-06T19:09:00.000-08:00

Back in the 90s, while everyone was going gaga over the Spice Girls, I was paying attention to THE OTHER girl group from Great Britain.

While All Saints wasn't as immensely popular like the Spice Girls, they had their own cult following. The fact that it was an all-girl group was the only similarity these 2 groups had. But in terms of look and sound, they were very distinct.

All Saints was a bit more brooding and melancholic. Their music was catchy, although it wasn't the stereotypical pop. Yes, you can sing and dance along to their songs, but in a more laid back and relaxed way.

And since it's Friday, I'm reliving my All Saints mania by going back to my favorite song from the group:

Yup, All Saints is where it's at.

Sibling Revelries

2012-01-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

My siblings and I grew up in a very tight knit family. One reason why this was the case was because we didn't have cousins in Manila. When we were growing up, our cousins would either be in Bicol, in California or in Barcelona. And because of this lack of other cousins to play with, we grew up becoming both siblings, cousins and friends.

(One of our earlier photos in Morato. I blocked Kuya Marv and yes, I went out of the house wearing that.)

Yes, we had our disagreements and fights while growing up. And those fights were LEGENDARY! (Biboy and I used to chase each other with 2x2 wooden posts.) But as we grew older, we fought less, and appreciated each other more. And we appreciated everything, even the little quirks and flaws that would get on our nerves every so often.

Since Biboy moved to the U.S. in 2001, we made it a point to have our photos taken whenever he's in town. Actually, we had our photo taken without Biboy in 2006, and it just didn't feel complete.

(We were actually planning to add him via photoshop, but that plan didn't materialize.)

Thankfully, Biboy has been coming home regularly the past few years. And that's why we're able to have our usual sibling photos taken each time he's in Manila.

(Our "showband" shot.)

There's this one from 2007.

Then in 2009.

And our latest "Sibling Revelry" photo for 2011.

Whenever we take these photos, it's usually a riotous affair filled with the same banter and "kulitan" as we did when we were kids.

I guess in some aspects, my siblings and I never grew up.

Then and wow

2012-01-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

Way back in the 80s, our family was living in Manila. We spent one holiday season in Bicol, particularly at Lolo Doring's house in Malinao. They gathered all 7 of us for a family picture, and this is how it came out.

Decades later, 2011 to be exact, our family is divided between Manila and the U.S. Our parents and brother live in Atlanta, while 4 of us live here in Manila. But on this holiday season, we all found ourselves back home. All 7 of us gathered for a family picture, and here's how we all look now.

Decades may pass and looks will change, but the joy of family - especially this family of ours - is timeless.

Forever in Cebu

2012-01-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

While I was in Cebu last week, I thought of visiting the Northwing of SM City Cebu. I've been reading about it and wasn't able to check it out the last time I was there. Another notable reason why I decided to visit that area was the fact that Forever 21 was already open, and I just had to check it out.

And surprise, surprise. The Forever 21 store in Cebu wasn't just new. It was massive!

Seriously, people who remarked that the SM Megamall branch is huge should go and visit the Cebu branch. I was just in awe at the size of the store. It went from one end of the mall to the other, which just goes to show the scale of the store. Heck, it's even bigger than the Forever 21 store in Bangkok!

And if the size isn't enough, this store has 2 floors. But the first floor isn't as big as the second floor, though.

Unfortunately, I only had a few minutes to spare, so I wasn't able to really go around the entire store. But the next time I'm in Cebu, I'll definitely set aside time to really explore both floors and every nook and cranny of this fast fashion haven.

Even if it takes forever.

Once, there was a Valli

2012-01-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

It's always a thrill to find items from fast fashion collaborations like Uniqlo x 3.1 Philip Lim, H&M x Lanvin, and H&M x Versace. While these items are a bit tricky to find, the fact that there are Uniqlo and H&M stores in Asia makes the task easy to do.

So, when I find items from collaborations that aren't found in Asia, then that becomes a bigger thrill. The perfect example would be these items from the Giambattista Valli collection from Macy's that my brother Biboy scored from the U.S. The items arrived before Christmas, and they're much cooler than I imagined them to be.

First is this raspberry dress with layers of ruffles.

It looked nice in the photo, and it's even nicer in real life. the ruffles are soft and flouncy, but still gives the dress a bit of structure.

Yup, my sister is going to be a "Valli girl" in this number.

The other items is the dress I wrote about more than a month ago.

What makes this dress so eye catching is that the jacquard material is actually shiny and sparkly. Which makes it stand out amidst the strong color block provided by the black ponte and fuchsia grossgrain material.

Yes, another product of the Valli, now here in the city.

That's the second designer collaboration that I've scored this year. Up next: Marni x H&M and Jason Wu for Target!

The New Year mantra

2012-01-01T13:55:00.000-08:00

The first day of the New Year is when everyone decides how they'll meet the coming year. This is the day when you hear or read phrases like:

"I'm going to own 2012!"
"Claim 2012!"
"2012 is going to be my year!"

Personally, I have a simple mantra for the coming year. It's built on the fact that I see 2012 as the year of new adventures, breaking the mold, and embracing change head on.

This year, I'm gonna "Shake it Up!"

Happy New Year!

Let the countdown begin...

2011-12-31T22:31:00.001-08:00

In a few hours, we bid goodbye to 2011 and say hello to 2012.

And one favorite "New Year" song that the world sings is "Auld Lang Syne." So, let me usher in the new year by playing one of my favorite versions of the song - Mairi Campbell's version. It's better known as the "Sex and the City" version.

Here's to the new year!

Sa Simbahan din ang tuloy...

2011-12-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

As their invitation aptly said, December 30 found us in Cebu to attend the wedding that everyone has been waiting for. After more than 2 decades of togetherness, Lu-Ann and Mads are now officially husband and wife.

It was a day anticipated by all of their friends from different circles. That's why you could feel the excitement and joy all around the Capitol Parish in Cebu. Everyone was waiting for Lu-Ann to finally walk down the aisle, and into Mads' arms. And they weren't disappointed. Lu-Ann was simply resplendent in her terno. (More on that next time.)

While it's customary that the bride is blooming on her wedding day, in this case, the groom was equally blooming. All the San Miguel folks agree that Mads was the picture of a "glowing groom." And it can only come from the happiness of finally being married to the woman he loves.

I'm glad to be a part of the organization of this wedding. It was truly a creative collaboration between so many talented people. From the artists who drew the invitation and souvenir cards, to the poets who lent their prose to the couple on their special day. We also made sure that the little details of the wedding reflected the couple's passion - bird watching. We named each table after an endemic Filipino bird, and there were name cards which carried the same theme. Their souvenir was a wind chime with birds, and it fit in perfectly with the theme.

The wedding program was so heartfelt - family members and friends from their different circles gave heartwarming and insightful speeches about Lu-Ann and Mads. And eventhough most of the people in the room didn't know each other, by the end of the reception, we were all like one big, happy family.

One big, happy family who all had one thing in mind:

"Sa hinaba-haba man daw ng prusisyon, sa simbahan pa din ang tuloy."

(Thanks to Elsie for the photos. I was too busy to take photos of my own.)

Same friends, different city.

2011-12-29T22:10:00.000-08:00

As Kin mentioned, it's the first time that the current and ex-CAO group got together in another city.

In this instance, it was for the wedding of Lu-Ann and Mads in Cebu. We stuffed ourselves silly at Don Henrico's the night before the wedding. We had to be up by 5:30am, so we needed the energy.

BeaTurds Forever!

2011-12-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

Their love story was one that we witnessed right from the very beginning.

It was way back in 2006, and I first met Bea when I went to Japan to visit Mark. It was during the welcome party of the Senpais to the Kohais when I met her, along with the other 2 "Charlie's Angels" of IUJ - Hazel and Christine. At that time, Bea was a single girl who was just starting to adjust to her new life in Japan.

The next time I came back to visit, Bea was seeing her dorm mate at SD3. I got to meet him in one of the parties, and I found out his name was Turda, and he was from Kyrgyzstan. During my next visit, they were already a couple, and they were inseparable.

By 2008, Mark and most of my Pinoy friends left Japan to go back to Manila, but Bea and Turda stayed in Japan. I remember how we were all staying at Shinjuku Washington Hotel during those few days leading back to our departure from Japan.

And yesterday, 3 years after we last saw Bea and Turda, we saw them again. Now, they're in Antipolo, decked out in their bridal best, tying the knot and sealing their love story with the vow to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in richer and in poorer, from that day until forever.

Congratulations, BeaTurds! You're such a beautiful couple and we're looking forward to the little Beas and Turdas soon.

Just like college kids

2011-12-27T09:07:00.000-08:00

It was already past midnight and everyone had their fair share of Tanduay Ice, Bacardi Limon, "mamahaling wine", and even the non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice. Needless to say, almost everyone - especially Tintin - was buzzed and tipsy. There were a lot of senseless conversation and college-level "asaran" around the table.

And of course, there was the laughter. The laughter that was brought about by the most mundane of things. From Richard Reynoso to Boob Massages. From our Comm 199 teacher's "toothy incident", to Grace's "Paul fiascos." It was laughter that was so full, rich and hard, it brought a lot of people to tears. Myself included.

We used to do this in college. At Tia Maria's after class. At Lezyl's house. During overnight get togethers. And during random moments when we just felt like it.

And now, more than a decade after college, we're at it again.

(This is the "buzzed" group pic taken by Vince. Audrey and Becca were already sound asleep by this time. And it looks like Alfie and Lezyl had their best "tipsy faces" on. There were a lot more pre-Tanduay Ice pics, but I have to charge my camera's batteries. And Vince has to upload his share of photos, too.)

For the (Kila)win!

2011-12-26T09:20:00.000-08:00

In a few days, I'll be flying to Cebu to organize and attend Lu-Ann's wedding. And as early as now, I'm thinking of the Kilawing Talong at Neo-Neo restaurant near SM City Cebu.

Now I know what's first on the agenda when I get there on Wednesday. It'll be food!

And a Merry Christmas to all!

2011-12-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favorite Christmas songs to sing way back in high school when I was still with the choir. I like the melody, and the message that goes with it:

"Sing a song of gladness and cheer, for the time of Christmas is here.
Look around you and see, what a world of wonder this world can be."

Merry Christmas!

There's always a last minute scamper

2011-12-24T22:14:00.000-08:00

No matter how early I start my Christmas shopping duties (this year, I started last September), I always find myself scampering from mall to mall for gifts on Christmas eve. Just like last year.

Today, I ended up going to 4 malls just to complete my Christmas shopping duties. And just like in years past, I spent the last hours of Christmas eve wrapping gifts and sneaking them under the Christmas tree.

By 10pm, I've completed my list, my wrapping duties, and the gifts are under the tree with 2 hours to spare. This is getting to be a habit! Harhar.

Here's to the Christmas rush?

The Accidental Wedding Planner part 2

2011-12-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

When I arrived at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at around 9am, I was expecting that Ana's wedding would be the first wedding of the day. The reason I chose to arrive early was to set-up the flowers in advance so that everything would be ready by the time the guests arrive.

But I was wrong. It turned out that there's a 9:30am wedding.

What intrigued me was the fact that there was no set up yet. There were no flowers on the aisle. No coordinator mulling about. Not even guests nor entourage looking folk. So, I began to wonder, is there really a 9:30 am wedding?

By 9:10, people started coming in. And by the looks of it, the first wedding for the day was a haphazard, disorganized affair. The following observations cemented my hunch:

1. The bride had to commute to church. I actually saw her alight from a jeepney in her wedding gown. And she was seated in front of the jeep.
2. The couple both wore rented clothes. The bride's gown and the groom's suit were both 2 sizes bigger.
3. The entourage didn't have matching clothes. The colors, cuts and styles were different from each other.
4. No one knew what they were doing.

How did I deduce number 4? Simple. The representative from the church arrived and asked basic questions that no one could answer. Questions like: Sino ang ninong at ninang? Nasaan ang mga abay? Meron ba kayong coordinator?

At around 9:20, people were still scurrying about like headless chicken. At that point, the wedding coordinator in me kicked in. I approached the church representative and introduced myself as the coordinator of the next wedding and asked if they needed help. When she said "yes," I asked the groom-to-be if it was ok to help them out. He also said "yes."

In a matter of minutes, I was corralling everyone in the church. "Yung mga ninong at ninang, dito po sa kanan. Entourage, dito po sa kaliwa. Best man, dito ka sa harap." It took me about 5 minutes to get everyone in line. And in the process of lining them up, I learned that they had no invitation, there were no secondary sponsors, and basically, they all just showed up, not knowing what to do. And yes, I had to do it for them.

By some miracle, I was able to get them marching at 9:30am, just in time for their wedding. And there was some semblance of organization by the time I got them moving. The church representative thanked me after they all reached the altar, and she said with a laugh: "Sana hindi sila ganyan kagulo pag mag-asawa na sila."

Yes, I hope so, too.

The Accidental Wedding Planner part 1

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

It all started one afternoon at Shangri-La Mall. I was off to meet up with Lu-Ann when I ran into Mina, a former student of mine.

After the usual niceties, Mina started to talk about Josche - another former student - and how she's getting married this December. The wedding planner in me kicked in, and I told Mina to tell Josche that if she needed any help in sourcing materials or suppliers, let me know.

Then, from behind Mina, a pretty, petite girl popped up. She introduced herself and said:

"Hi, I'm Ana. Ako, ikakasal din ako sa December. Puwede din bang magpatulong sa cake?"

Of course, I said yes. I directed her to the Dexter's website and told her to choose a design that she liked. And that's where it started.

From talking about cake designs, our conversations expanded to color schemes, and eventually, we started to conceptualize a central theme for her wedding. Her parameters were simple:

1. It was a day wedding in Tagaytay
2. She wanted a red and green color scheme

At first, I thought that red + green + December = Christmas themed wedding. But that would be too obvious. So, we decided to keep the color scheme, but give it a twist. A country twist, in particular. And we decided on using country iconographies to match the colors. And we ended up with this:

Green = Granny Smith Apples
Red = Roses

And that was the springboard for the entire theme. And we first brought the theme to life on the invite.

Yesterday, the big day finally came and I was in Tagaytay bright and early to deliver the cake and supervise the florist at the church. Their wedding ceremony was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish - a parish that is special to me because I was a Lourdesian and we'd have our retreats in this place way back in high school. But according to the sacristan, the retreat house is now a reception hall, and Lourdes has a new retreat house in Batangas.

The church is currently being spruced up for Christmas, and it's a good thing that most of the painting work was already done. They need to replace some of the stained glass windows, though.

Our Lady of Lourdes is a big church, so the arrangements should also be big in scale. We chose Greek-inspired pedestals and urns, then filled them with assorted white flowers. To add height to the entire arrangement, we added calla lilies and sword leaves. This is one of my favorite arrangements - especially for big churches.

While we were setting up, I could already hear some of the guests gasping at the size of the arrangments. One guest even remarked: "Ang engrande naman ng mga bulaklak sa kasal na ito."

We kept the color scheme in white since Our Lady of Lourdes has a lot of dark wood. Plus, the simple and elegant color scheme matched Ana's simple and elegant wedding gown.

While the wedding ceremony was underway, I quickly ducked out of the church and went to Discovery Country Suites to finish assembling the cake and arranging the flowers. Again, we kept the cake white, and placed a lot of colorful floral arrangements all throughout the cake. This play of white and color made for a very interesting cake.

Since red and green is quite stark, we decided to add some complementary colors to the arrangements. For the couple's table, we added touches of pink and yellow. Stargazers always add a bold statement to a floral arrangement.

For the guest tables, we added pink carnations to the predominantly red rose and green mum arrangements. It made the arrangement elegant, but still light and breezy.

And as a final touch, we gave out Granny Smith Apples as souvenirs. This ties in the Granny Smith Apple and Red Rose theme.

Overall, I was very happy with the results of the wedding. It was one of those cozy, personal and chic celebrations. And what made me even happier was the message that I received from the bride this morning:

"Hi Lester, Good Morning. Thank you soooo much for everything. =) What would I do without you? =) I'm so glad that I met you. You're a great help to us. Once again, on behalf of my husband, Thank you so much. =)"

(This message is verbatim. All my friends know that I DO NOT do smiley faces. Hahaha.)

The funny thing was, the wasn't the only accidental wedding planning I did yesterday. But the other one deserves its own post.

Super Mom

2011-12-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

Raising kids is tough enough. So, if you've been raising 4 gregarious boys single-handedly, that's quite a feat. And if you're continuing to raise 4 boys who are God-fearing, Filipino values laden, well-mannered and academically excellent, it just goes to show how super a mother you are.

Happy Birthday, Ate Lissa. (aka Super Mom.)

Your kids are lucky to have you as a Mom and we're all blessed to have you as our Sister.

Mmmm...

2011-12-20T16:52:00.000-08:00

After the 80s invasion in the Philippines, a group from the 90s is about to invade the Philippine concert scene by March next year.

Yes, who can forget Hanson. They were the 90s equivalent of Justin Bieber and the JoBros, and I remember all the girls shrieking whenever they heard the song of this high pitched trio.

Question is, now that they're 13 to 15 years older, can they still "Mmmm... bop?" And in their signature high pitched voice?

Honestly, I want to watch this concert. If only to hear them sing this song all over again.

Of on-line journalism

2011-12-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, one of the last groups to defend was the "On-line Journalism" group. They studied the intricacies and idiosyncracies of news on the web, and what are the problems unique to it.

One of their findings was that because of the speed of on-line journalism, it's inevitable that errors will pepper the news item. Most often, these are grammatical or spelling in nature, and the writers and editors tend to overlook them because of their need for speed.

While browsing through the net, I saw that finding in action. This was an Australian News website's report on the death of Kim Jong Il.

While reading the article, I wondered what "shoed" meant. Were the people hit with a shoe to get them to cry?

I think on-line news sites should hire more proofreaders. This kind of error happens more often than it should.

Sleeping siblings

2011-12-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

On my way to the restroom, I passed by the kids' room and saw my 2 nephews sleeping. And it was such an adorable sight, I had to take a snap.

It's cute how they're so close. Even in their sleep.

Hit Parade

2011-12-16T23:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again. UP is pulling out their creative stops and celebrating Christmas with the annual UP Lantern parade!

Usually, I go there with my classmates or co-professors, but this year, I decided to go with my students.

As usual, each college showcased their best. And here's a sampler of what we saw that evening:

College of Engineering's "Up" themed lantern:

A sweet treat from College of Architecture:

And the most awaited part, College of Fine Arts' super creative entry. This horse parade was just a sampler of what was to come.

It was my students' first time to watch the lantern parade, and they were amazed at how fun and creative the event was. And I'm hoping that this inspires them to be more fun and creative in writing their articles from hereon in.

Sneaky ole St. Nicholas

2011-12-15T23:04:00.000-08:00

This year, St. Nicholas is definitely more than just jolly. He's also going around on stealth mode.

I just realized it's 10 days before Christmas, and I've got still so many things to do! Good thing I was already able to wrap the gifts from the school secretaries and my co-professors. So, at least that's one thing out of the way.

Though I'm too old to write a letter to Santa, I think I should. And it would go:

Dear Santa,

Please slow down.

Thanks.

Collective sigh of relief

2011-12-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

And with the last defense this Wednesday afternoon, my stint as a thesis adviser has wrapped up. All 5 groups passed, with several degrees of flying colors.

Left and right, I could hear students saying: "Sa wakas, makakatulog na din ako!" And to that my reply was: "Me, too!" Yes, advisers stay up late worrying about their thesis, too.

Oh wait, I still have 3 defenses left to panel.

I have to hold on to that sigh first.

Candy Land

2011-12-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of Christmas is wrapping Christmas gifts. And as a lot of people know, I put as much thought in wrapping as I do with the gift inside.

I was reviewing my Christmas themes for the past 6 years and noticed that they were all very adult in aesthetic. They were mostly fabric patterns, dark or muted colors, and very grown up in sophistication.

But as the adage goes, Christmas is for children. So this year, I decided to tap my inner child (which wasn't really that hard to do because I'm notorious for my immaturity), and thought of a theme that's fun, a bit frivolous, light and happy.

And that's what brought me to Candy Land!

First, I found this nifty candy themed wrapping paper at National Bookstore. The white background serves as the perfect canvas for the cute candy canes in happy colors.

Next, I found ribbons (all the way in Divisoria!) that echoed the colors of the candy print. I snagged ribbons in lime, orange, fuschia and cerrulean.

To complete the candy theme, I decided to make the gift a bit sweeter by adding a lollipop! It's made by Nelson's, and I learned about them because the owners are friends of my sister-in-law's family. Then, add a cute, candy tag, and we're set.

Add all those elements together, and we have this!

A sweet, child-like approach to celebrating the holidays.

Now excuse me, I have some wrapping to do.

Fab Oxfords

2011-12-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

Here's yet more proof that the Oxford trend isn't going away anytime soon.

At So Fab! in Ali Mall, they had some interesting new pairs that were so cool, they were covetable.

First is this feminine take on these black and white Oxfords I found last November.

If you give this pair of shoe a feminine touch, it'll look like this:

This has a nice height to it, and since it's a platform pair, it looks higher than it really is.

I like the black and white detailing of this pair. It's really true to the Oxford tradition.

The other pair is this simple patent Oxfords in a rich, chocolate/coffee color.

It's old school cool. It looks like something that Lolo Iking would wear during his younger years.

These 2 pairs are just some of the many new stocks that they have. Which only means one thing. I should steer clear of So Fab!

Daddy Birthday to you!

2011-12-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

Another year older, but he definitely looks a couple of years younger.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Luke, it's Calvin

2011-12-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Star Wars is one of my all-time favorite films. Calvin and Hobbes is one of my all-time favorite comic books.

So, it's such a thrill to see this!

They should make a Calvin and Hobbes meets Star Wars comic.

FMM: Kim Possible

2011-12-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

Kim Carnes is one of those 80s singers who I really enjoyed listening to. Her voice quality is phenomenal! It's got this hoarseness to it gives it depth. And when she sings, she's almost crooning, but in an uncharacteristically rough voice. So it's such a nice counterpoint.

And my favorite Kim Carnes song is still her iconic "Bette Davis Eyes."

Who won't enjoy listening to a song like that.

I be like Whoa!

2011-12-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

When it came down to the final 4, I wanted Angelea or Lisa to win. Among the lot, they're the ones who really have character and stand as a "brand." They might not be model pretty, but as Tyra said, this isn't just about modeling. This is about being a brand.

According to reports, Angelea should've won. But she violated a stipulation on their contract, so she had to be disqualified. So when it was down to Allison and Lisa, the bigger character won.

Lisa is America's Next Top Model All Stars!

Whoa!

Quote of the day

2011-12-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Whenever I go to school, I swipe my ID on the turnstile to record my attendance. Once I swipe my ID, my photo automatically appears on the big screen beside the guard.

So today, I swiped my card as I entered campus. The guard walks in front of me, blocking my way, and says in a perky way:

GUARD: Sir, ang galing naman!
ME: Ang galing ng ano?
GUARD: Kamukha niyo yung nasa ID niyo!

As much as I wanted to snap back with a snide remark, I was late for my mock defense.

Graphic Design

2011-12-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I saw this really nice jersey fabric with a very graphic, art deco print. It was so eye catching, I had to buy a couple of yards. Good thing I did, because when I went to the same store a few days later, that particular fabric was all gone.

The tricky thing about the print is that it's one continuous print all throughout the fabric. Unlike the usual printed fabrics that have small prints that are repeated all throughout the surface, this one is trickier to work with. In order to keep the print intact, the dress has to have no big cuts at all. So I thought, the dress shouldn't have side seams - which is super tricky, as any dress maker can tell you.

Thank goodness for the amazing Aling Bright. I showed her the fabric, I told her what I had in mind, and she gave me this!

With masterful cutting, she was able to keep the print intact from the front, to the side, to the back. The only seam on this dress was at the center of the back part. Thus, the graphic was kept continuous. To emphasize the waist, she kept part of the print on the top portion of the dress, creating this black line in the middle. She also put the blue band on the sleeves of the dress.

Since the print can be overwhelming, she decided to break it up by making this big hole at the back. This show of skin is a perfect foil to the heaviness of the print.

Leave it to Aling Bright to make such graphic concepts come alive.

Marry month of December

2011-12-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

For people in the wedding industry, it's common knowledge that December - not June - is the month when most weddings happen. At Dexter's, the workshop usually overflows with cakes during this month. Sometimes, they make and deliver around 16 cakes a day.

So, it's not unusual to be invited to multiple weddings in December. Heck, I remember how I organized two weddings on the same day a few years ago. Good thing it was a morning and evening wedding.

In a few weeks, 3 of my friends are getting married, and they're spaced just a few days apart.

There's Lu and Mads' "Modern Filipiniana" wedding.

A "Country Style" wedding.

And an "International" wedding.

I'm involved in the organizing of the first 2 weddings, and, thankfully, I'm just a guest on the third one.

I better get my barongs ready.

Theses it!

2011-12-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I'm reviewing five - count 'em - FIVE theses! Two of those are my advisees, while the other 3 are ones that I'm sitting on the panel of.

And if that isn't enough, I've got five more coming!

This is really is it!

Show me the MARNI!

2011-12-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

The hysteria for Versace x H&M hasn't died down yet, and now H&M springs this one on us!

This Spring/Summer 2012, Marni is collaborating with H&M for an apparel, shoe and accessory line. And judging by what I'm seeing in the video, the collection is so true to the Marni aesthetic.

This might not be as high profile as Versace, but true blue fashionistas will definitely be watching out for this.

FMM: A knife and a Carpenter

2011-12-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite CDs in the 90s was "If I were a Carpenter."

Being a fan of both The Carpenters and modern artists, this CD successfully and seamlessly blended these two favorites of mine. What they did was ask modern bands to reinterpret classics by Karen and Richard Carpenter. And the results were spectacular.

And my favorite among the lot? Shonen Knife's cover of "Top of the World."

How can you not enjoy that?

Plus, on the subject of the Carpenters, my Mom - who's a Carpenter fan - is celebrating her birthday today.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Viva Versace!

2011-12-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

And the collaborations continue!

After scoring pieces from Commes de Garcons, Matthew Williamson, and Lanvin, another piece from the newest collaboration is joining my sister's ever growing and illustrious closet.

Thanks to Mark, who bought it, and Mona, who brought it, this arrived just in time for Ate Bullet's birthday.

It's Versace for H&M!

The bag is alone is nice. But wait until you see what's inside.

It's the purple lace dress from the Bottoni Oro collection. And among the dresses in the collection, this is the one that I had my eye on.

Actually, even before the Versace for H&M collection was announced, this dress style has already walked the Versace runway and caught my eye.

More so when Evan Rachel Wood wore a black version of it.

The great thing about this dress is that it's so rich in detail. It starts with the gold button which is a Versace trademark.

Then the combination of two types of laces sandwiching a solid silk center that curves.

The lace they used is the exact same one as in last year's collection.

What's great about this dress is that it fits Ate Bullet like a glove. The moment she tried it on, she already planned where to wear it and what shoes will go with it.

That's what a great dress does. And you can't expect anything less than a great dress from Versace.

Super Odd

2011-11-30T19:36:00.000-08:00

There's this statue of Superman at Toy Kingdom in SM Makati that's a bit off kilter. Ever since I saw it a few weeks ago, I've been constantly bothered by it. There's something quite odd about this replica.

Superman is supposed to be the man of steel. He's confident, strong and heroic. But if you look at the face of this statue, it's anything but.

I'm not sure what look they're going for. Is it "Super clueless," "Super dumb," "Super sleepy," "Super puyat," or maybe even "Super constipated."

Whatever it is, it's super odd.

By any other name

2011-11-29T23:17:00.000-08:00

After meeting with my florist on a wedding I'm organizing this December, she gave me a cabbage rose that she imported from Europe.

Unlike the usual cabbage roses, this one really looks like a cabbage. As in, the vegetable! All you need to do is step back, and you'll know what I mean.

If you look at it from the side, it looks like your regular, green, leafy vegetable. It looks like it. And it smells like it, too. If you don't tell people what it is, they'll most likely put this flower in a salad bowl and not in a flower vase.

On my way home, people kept on asking me what this flower was. I even heard remarks like: "Ano yung hawak niya? Repolyo?"

Well, I can't blame them. This cabbage rose does look like the love child of a cabbage and a rose.

But hey, it's still a rose.

Chic to Chic

2011-11-28T16:30:00.000-08:00

Today marks a chic occasion which deserves a chic greeting.

Happy Birthday, Ate Bullet! Here's to another fun and fashionable year.

And speaking of chic, she's definitely rocking the chic Kamiseta Limited dress that I spotted last August.

Black and White

2011-11-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

Most of this weekend was spent running errands. Aside from personal matters that I had to attend to, I also had to meet 2 friends who are getting married and have asked for my help in organizing their big day.

Since most of the errands and meetings were at the mall, it was inevitable for me to look around in between appointments. And it was also inevitable that I found interesting pieces that were covetable. So, it was inevitable that I came up with this black and white number in that short span of time.

Color is cool and fun. But sometimes, one just wants to go back to the basics and go black and white. And this combination has a nice, retro feel to it. Looking at the entire ensemble, I can't help but get a Lucille Ball vibe.

To start, there's this white, silk shirt which is the same as the cobalt blue number I wrote about a few days ago. It's a crisp and chic shirt that will go well with practically everything.

Then, there's this black skirt which is a bit full, and with a garterized waist. With its fullness, it creates that 50s vibe that's very "I Love Lucy."

Finally, to create that "Masculine/Feminine" balance, this ensemble is capped by these black and white oxfords. Normally, the above ensemble would look best with black ballet flats, but this pair of oxfords give the look an edge.

Knowing Ate Bullet's penchant for black and white, I'm sure she'll like this ensemble.

Weekend at the street

2011-11-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm reading the book that Shashie Friend gave me last Christmas. Yet again!

Being a big fan of Sesame Street, I can't just get enough of this book. It's so nice to read the stories, songs and sketches all over again. Looking back at everything is both fun and relaxing.

And that's how weekends should be spent.

FMM: New York state of mind

2011-11-25T08:25:00.001-08:00

Before Alicia Keys sang "In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do," there was another group singing about the beauty of the big apple.

In 1984, Elbow Bones and the Racketeers sang "Night in New York," and I remember hearing this song as a boy. I found it very attractive because the beat was a good mix of Jazz and Big Band. Plus, the lyrics are very visual. So, listening to the song was like walking through a post card of New York.

I should go to New York soon.

Cobalt Cool

2011-11-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

The blue color family is a diverse lot.

There's the color family patriarch, "blue." Then, there's everyone's little darling, "baby blue." The inspirational "sky blue." Then there's the ever so popular "navy blue." There's the hybrid, "blue green," and the vast and all encompassing "deep blue sea."

Then, there's the lesser known family member, "cobalt blue." He's not as popular as his other siblings, and he's often known only by people in the art industry. Actually, cobalt blue is quite popular in fashion these days, being an important part of the "color block brigade" that has been walking the runways of late.

Cobalt blue is actually one of my favorite shades of blue. That's why I'm giving him the recognition he deserves by showing off this cobalt blue ensemble of my sister.

The main focal point of this look is this cobalt blue top. It has such a rich color and the texture of the fabric is soft yet firm.

To counter the strong color of the top, and create a "color block" feel, the skirt has a nice, deep green color. It's a nice complement to the top. Plus, the blue stripes and blue belt echo the hue on top.

And anchoring the look is this pair of cobalt blue ballet flats. It also reflects the ensemble on top, and thanks to the break created by the skirt, it doesn't look to matchy-matchy. (Nina Garcia won't like that.)

There you have it. A cool, youthful ensemble inspired by a cool, youthful shade of blue.

Captured!

2011-11-22T17:10:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the efforts of my brother Biboy, that wild, leopard print dress by Giambattista Valli has been captured! It's the one on the right side of the photo.

Come December, it's time for my sister to domesticate that wild cat of a dress.

Close to his heart

2011-11-21T16:24:00.000-08:00

My Dad wears this necklace that used to belong to Lolo Iking. It's a gold pendant with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary resting on a long chain.

When I was younger, I noticed how Lolo would wear this necklace everyday. Because of its length, the pendant dangled on the area where his heart is. And he would never take it off. And there's a reason why he would never take it off.

This necklace was a gift from Lola Dita. At the back of the necklace is an engraved note from Lola to Lolo. It's a bit small, so the camera couldn't capture it. But I distinctly remember what the note said.

"Mi querido Enrique, De Tu esposa te quiero mucho, Dita."

"My beloved Enrique. From your wife who loves you very much, Dita."

Looking at the necklace and reading the note further illustrates how much Lolo Iking and Lola Dita loved each other. And it also explains why Lolo never took off this necklace when he was still alive.

It was something that was close to his heart - figuratively and literally.

Devotion

2011-11-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

It was 7:00 am and I just alighted from the LRT Station and started walking to school.

At the corner of Taft Avenue and Pablo Ocampo Streets, just in front of Jollibee, I passed by this striking old lady. My estimate places her at around 75 years old. She was a frail looking woman, with her white hair tied back in a pony tail. She was carrying a small, transparent umbrella with a pink handle, and wearing a bright yellow house dress. On the surface, she looked very nondescript. But I found her striking because of something on her dress.

There was something attached to both sides of her dress. Neatly safety-pinned on her bright yellow house dress was a computer print out with the photo of an old man. On top of the photo were the words "MISSING," and below, there was an address and a telephone number.

Since I had 30 minutes to spare before my first class, I went back to the corner and talked to the old lady. I greeted her good morning, and proceeded to ask her a few questions. (And to think I just discussed "The Art of the Interview" last Friday. How timely.)

ME: "Lola, sino po itong nawawala."
LOLA: "Yung asawa ko."
ME: "Kailan niyo po siya huling nakita?"
LOLA: "Mag-iisang buwan na. Mag-iisang buwan na siyang nawawala."
ME: "Nagpatulong na po ba kayo sa mga pulis o sa DSWD? Baka makatulong sila sa inyo sa paghanap."
LOLA: "Ni-report na din namin sa pulis. Pero gusto ko ding hanapin siya."
ME: "Malapit po ba kayo dito nakatira?"
LOLA: "Medyo malapit din. Dito nga kami magdalas nagkikita sa kanto kaya dito ako naghihintay. Baka sakaling bumalik siya dito."

That last line sent a surge of emotions throughout my body. If I were made of weaker stuff, I might have been bawling like a baby in the middle of the street. I was touched by her devotion to her husband, and the fact that she stands there, right at the corner where she usually meets him, in the hopes that she'll find him there.

It reminded me of the story of "Hachiko" in Japan. But this story was happening right in front of me. Right at the corner near our school. Right now.

ME: "Sige po, Lola. Tignan ko po kung may maitutulong kami sa inyo."
LOLA: "Naku, salamat. Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, iho."

I went back to school and held my two classes, telling my first class the story of this devoted wife waiting for her missing husband at the corner where they usually meet. Suddenly I was thinking, "heck, this is an advertising class. Why don't we help her make posters?"

At around 1:15pm, I left school and headed towards Taft Avenue, going to the LRT station. The old lady wasn't there anymore. Maybe she had lunch. Maybe she went home. Maybe her children picked her up and advised her to just stay home and assured her that she'll find him soon.

I sincerely hope that she does. A woman with that kind of love and devotion deserves to be rewarded. And what better reward than finding the man she's been looking for for the past month.

Creative Learning

2011-11-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Since I teach creative courses, I try to put a creative spin in all aspects of the class. "Learn by example," as the adage goes.

So, when I started formulating the course outlines for this semester, I made 2 versions. First is the "official version" which the school asks for. This is basically 5 pages of plain text on a legal sized bond paper. Then, I made a second version which I distributed in class - a "creative version."

This course outline is inspired by scrapbooks. Since the course is a creative writing course which puts together milestones and memories on paper, it's pretty much like building a scrapbook, albeit using words. There were different cover versions for this one, and this is among my favorites.

The copywriting course is inspired by tea. Not only is this the trend, it's also reminiscent of how copywriters brew words to come up with something refreshing.

For the Creative Advertising class, I looked for magic slates and brought back the "clean slate" idea. As a creative, the mind must be a clean slate each time you do a project. And this captures that thought perfectly.

I hope that these outlines help the students be bring with them that creative attitude as we face another semester of learning.

FMM: Let's Go, Go!

2011-11-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Last October, Belinda Carlisle had a concert in Manila. I wanted to catch it, but thought that the concert wouldn't be that fun because she's sharing the spotlight with two other artists - Human League and Howard Jones.

So, as much as I wanted to hear her sing: "Heaven is a Place on Earth," I skipped the concert altogether.

But, if Belinda Carlisle came to Manila with the Go-go's in tow, that would be a totally different story.

Calling the Go-go's. You should have a reunion concert and go-go to Manila.

L.A.L.A. Land

2011-11-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

And now it's down to the final four. And although I'm a bit miffed that my favorites didn't get this far (Alexandra. Shannon and Kayla were my favorites), I'm pretty pleased with the last 4 all-stars standing. Each one has her own "brand" that Ms. Banks can milk dry.

Lisa, the loose cannon.

Angelea, the sassy New Yorker.

Laura, the country cutie.

And Allison, the kewpie doll oddball.

One thing I learned about this cycle is that it's anybody's ball game. The models who were eliminated were actually eliminated for the lamest of reasons. So, given this top 4, it's hard to predict who'll be facing off as top 2.

It might be the battle of the cute, blonde, first runners up, (Allison and Laura), or the battle of the big personalities, (Angelea and Lisa).

Who'll land the top spot and win it all? We have 2 more weeks before all is revealed.

Pretty Mean Queen

2011-11-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, "Snow White and the Huntsman" looks like a magnificent movie. And yes, Charlize Theron looks astoundingly wicked as the Evil Queen.

But my heart still goes out to Julia Roberts' snarky, cooky and comic portrayal of the Evil Queen in "Mirror, Mirror."

Pretty please, show "Mirror, Mirror" here next year!

Vera Modern

2011-11-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

For as long as I remember, Vera Wang was all about grace and femininity. Her designs are very classic and lady-like. Her clothes were all about luxurious fabrics like silk, chiffon and jacquard. Then she adds tasteful embellishments like beadwork, metal or paillettes. In short, something Jackie O would usually wear.

While browsing through her website, I was pleasantly surprised to see her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. From the first piece to the last, it felt like I was looking at someone else's website and not Vera's. The reason? Everything looked so modern and a bit space-agey.

Her cuts are now more experimental. The fabrics are a bit more abstract. The details are more cutting edge. And the tailoring is a bit more sharp. It's actually a nice departure from her signature look, but I'm on the fence whether I prefer this direction or her usual "classic chic."

I guess I'm just an old-fashioned kind of guy.

Let it snow!

2011-11-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

Caught the trailer of "Snow White and the Huntsman" on-line, and all I can say is:

"Magnificent!"

It looks like a dark, medieval retelling of a classic tale. And I'm really digging the darkness of it all.

Can't wait to see the trailer of Julia Roberts' version.

Father Dave's humor

2011-11-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

Today, I heard mass at the Megamall Chapel, and luckily, Fr. Dave was officiating the mass.

It's funny because when the lector said: "And the officiating priest for this Mass is Fr. Dave Concepcion..." the lady behind me let out a silent shriek and said: "Uy! Si Fr. Dave! I love it!" Further proof that Fr. Dave is a rock star. Hahaha.

One reason why I enjoy listening to his homilies is the fact that he injects humor into his stories. But his humor is really relevant to the gospel and really gets the point across.

Today, he was telling us about how, at times, we expect too much results without putting anything in.

His example was how some ladies try so hard to catch a bouquet during the wedding reception. They want to catch it because they believe that the girl who catches the bouquet next will get married next.

To this, Fr. Dave said: "Gusto ko nga sabihin sa kanya, Hija, kahit isang daang bouquet ang masalo mo, kung wala ka namang manliligaw, at kung hindi ka naman tumatanggap ng manliligaw, aba, hindi ka ikakasal! Huwag mo i-asa sa bouquet ang buhay mo."

And he interjected a funny realization:

"Naisip ko nga, bakit hindi ginagawa sa libing yan? Kunwari, pagkatapos ng libing, ihagis din ang korona ng patay. Kung sinong makasalo, siya ang susunod!"

The chapel roared in laughter. And I laughed out loud along with the congregation. And after the laughter, everyone was nodding and saying: "Oo nga, tama si Father."

And that's how effective Fr. Dave - and his humor - is in bringing the message of the Gospel across.

Clearly cool

2011-11-12T18:57:00.000-08:00

I'll make one thing clear, I'm not a big fan of clear shoes. I've always thought there was something off putting about them. I've read an article once about how clear shoes give you that "barefoot effect." And my initial thought was, "if you want a barefoot effect, why not go barefoot?" Harhar.

Almost all major shoe brands have come up with a clear, glass looking shoe. Including Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik. They say they're inspired by Cinderella's glass slipper. But reports that Cinderella's glass slipper is all that is nothing but a fairy tale.

I didn't think I'd find a clear shoe that would change my mind.

But I also didn't think that I'd see this:

Chanced upon these teal brogues at The Ramp and I thought they were so cool. Actually, it caught my attention from afar, and when I came closer, I was even more wowed by the design. Particularly, the fact that these brogues had clear sides.

It's so chic the way this shoe was designed. It combines patent leather with clear plastic, and it's done in a chic and cool way. It's classic yet modern. It's edgy yet wearable.

Again, I'm not a big fan of clear shoes. But this one is clearly an exception.

FMM: Back to school

2011-11-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of school, and it was great to see my class. It looks like Friday and Saturday are the busiest days for the Department since most of the faculty come in during these 2 days. Coolness!

One of my favorite songs as a kid was "What's it like to be in School?" It was a sketch on Sesame Street, and I distinctly remember wanting to ride a big yellow school bus after watching this. Unfortunately, we had a white Ford Laser bringing us to school. Hahaha.

It's good to hear this song again, especially on a Friday. It reminds me of how things should be done in my classroom. After all, my goal is to have a class where they can laugh, they can shout, and it's inside and it's out.

That's what's it like to be in school.

And on an unrelated note:

Today is 11-11-11!

Cool.

Friends of long standing, part 2

2011-11-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

The first time I met Prime and Kitel, I was a 15 year old freshman in UP. They eventually became my project team mates, mall companions, kumares, and a long list of things.

More than 20 years later, we're still here, meeting up and eating at malls, talking about our crazy college projects, and marveling at how fast our godchildren are growing up.

Times may change, but thankfully, friendships don't.

Chip thrills

2011-11-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

I wonder why it took so long for me to discover this.

While I was at SM Supermarket looking for Jovy's Banana Chips, I chanced upon Leslie's Thin and Crispy Banana chips on the shelf. Since they had a small pack, I thought of buying one and trying it.

Gosh! It's really, really good banana chips. The slices are very thin and cripsy (as the name implies), and it has the right amount of sweetness. I was so thrilled, I went back immediately and bought a bigger bag.

Ah yes. Cheap, chip thrills!

One big, happy family

2011-11-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Quite often, I celebrate my birthday twice in one day - one with family, and the other with friends. (Except last year when there were actually 3 celebrations, thanks to my Advertising students.) But sometimes, these two celebrations merge into one, big, happy birthday get together.

Yesterday was one of them. My family was also at B'Fast for the Big Brunch Buffet, and this was another reason why we practically hogged all the tables at the restaurant. And eventually, the crowd spilled outside, and my family had a relaxing after-lunch coffee al fresco.

The boys enjoy the brew.

And the girls ham it up with Javier.

Three generations of Morales boys. (And look-alikes at that.)

Nephews and nieces who are all-grown up all of a sudden. (Signs of getting old, methinks.)

Dad with his look-alike grandchildren.

More chilling out.

It's always great to have joint celebrations such as this, primarily because it blurs the lines between families and friends. After all, your family should always be your friend, and your friends are also your family.

Big Birthday Brunch at B'Fast

2011-11-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

One indicator that your circle of close college friends is getting bigger is when you can actually fill up a small restaurant. And that's what we ended up doing at our Birthday lunch at B'Fast in Ayala Triangle. We got 2 long tables, and there was almost no room for other diners to sit!

Another indicator is when you can't fit in one photo anymore. The solution, divide the group into two.

Maricar said that Grace and I were like a married couple jumping from table to table. Hahaha.

A big hearty brunch with a group of Frendz that's constantly getting bigger. It's part of what makes a birthday a big and special celebration.

Sweet Valli High

2011-11-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

When news of Giambattista Valli's capsule collection for Macy's came out, I didn't think there would be that much excitement since he's not that big a household name in the U.S.

But I've always liked his designs. He likes to play with color, texture and prints - all at the same time. One might think this cacophony is confusing, but he has a way of putting them together in a chic way. Like this dress that plays with black and white, print and texture:

His Macy's collection has one dress that has the same spirit as the one above. This one plays with black and red, plus two animal prints. Again, that might be confusing for some, but for Valli, it all comes together perfectly.

Maybe I should ask Biboy to hunt down this animal for me.

FMM: Going West

2011-11-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

While walking through Paseo Center, Grace, Tintin and I saw a poster that brought the 80s back all over again. It was a poster for Go West's concert on November 11 and 12.

We immediately switched to 80s mode and sang Go West's hits while walking to Grace's car. And the top of mind song was no other than:

"We Close our eyes."

By the time we got to Grace's car, we decided that we'd open our eyes next week and watch "Go West" in their free concert.

Hello 80s, here we come!

I saw the sign

2011-11-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

I was sorting photos from my HKG trip 2 weeks ago and I saw a photo that I took that made me smile. It was the shop window of Club Monaco in Harbour City. And the reason I smiled wasn't because of the nice display, but because of this sign on their window:

My blog name is their F/W2011 theme.

Woot!

Losing its value

2011-11-02T23:09:00.000-07:00

Dropped by Wendy's on my way home and noticed that they've removed the Super Value Menu off their board.

In fact, the Side Salad that used to cost P29.00 last week is now P40.00! That's an P11.00 difference in less than a week. And to make matters worse, their side salad is dwindling in terms of volume. I mean, it's ok to raise your prices, but they should also keep or increase the amount of salad in their side salad.

But now, they've it's more expensive and there's less salad. Boo!

Where's the value in that?

Hello Lolo

2011-11-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

Just like the rest of the Philippines, we spent a day during the long weekend to be with our Grandparents and Tita who have gone ahead in this journey of life.

Loyola Memorial Park is like a circus during All Saint's Day. Aside from the multitude of people setting up tents, playing music and celebrating reunions, you also have dozens upon dozens of stalls sprouting out everywhere. I spotted Yellow Cab, Shakey's, Greenwich, Lapid's Chicharon, Selecta, California Berry, Mang Inasal - it was practically a food court. But hey, at least you won't go hungry.

Since this is Marikina, there's also a tiangge where they had shoes on sale. Then, of course, you also have a lot of Angry Birds floating around.

Good thing the crowds weren't that thick when we arrived. We got to enjoy Loyola's peace and quiet.

When we were younger, we'd set up tents and stay there overnight just like the rest of the folks in Loyola. But when it started looking less like a memorial park and more like a mall, we decided to just visit when the place wasn't crazy busy.

In a few days, it'll be the 22nd Anniversary of Lolo's passing. Two decades have passed, and I still miss him.

Lola already celebrated her 22nd Anniversary. She and Lolo passed away the same year. And a few days before Lolo's anniversary, Ate Lon will mark her 17th year.

It's a good thing we were able to go before the crowds poured in. It's nice to remember and say hello to the family members who have gone ahead in an environment of solemnity and peace.

YSL for less

2011-10-31T22:45:00.000-07:00

One of the most iconic fashion pieces of this century was the Mondrian dress created by Yves Saint Laurent in the 1960s. It represented the mod spirit of that decade, but rendered it in a classic shift. The material was also very classic, made of blocks of wool jersey.

This dress has been around for 50 years, and the look is still current today as it was back in the 60s.

The original dress must be worth a fortune now. After all, it's archived at the Met Museum.

Now if you want the same essence of the dress without the super high price tag, then you should hang around Plains and Prints this November and December and watch out for this dress to drop.

Visually, I think it's a very good homage to YSL's Mondrian Dress. I'm sure the material isn't as luxurious, but if it's visual impact you're looking for, this dress is good enough.

Scary, but true.

2011-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Heard mass at 13th Avenue today, and the priest's homily made the congregation both laugh and think. He recalled that a few days ago, he ran into a group of kids doing the usual trick or treat at Ali Mall. Most of the kids were dressed up as little devils, and these little devils would snarl and scare the passers by, including the priest.

He said:

"Kapag Halloween, ang hilig-hilig natin bihisan ang mga bata bilang demonyo at diablo. Gustung-gusto natin at cute na cute tayong gawin silang maliliit na demonyo. Tapos, pag sinagot tayo, pag sinuway tayo, pag nagpapakita na ng masamang asal, iiyak-iyak tayo. Tatanungin natin, bakit ganyan ang anak ko?

Aba, huwag kang magulat kung hindi magandang asal ang pinapakita ng anak niyo. Eh kayo mismo, kayo mismo, ginagawa niyo silang maliit na demonyo."

Father hit the nail on the head. What he said was true.

Scary, but true.

Come on, Brogue...

2011-10-29T13:49:00.000-07:00

You'd think that after 2 years, the trend would've faded away. But judging by the number of new styles coming out every month, it looks like the brogue trend is showing no signs of fashion fatigue. In fact, each time a new incarnation comes out, it becomes more and more interesting.

Take for example these three pairs that I chanced upon at the strongholds of fast fashion - SM Department Store and Landmark. They're pairs that give the classic oxfords a feminine twist.

This pair pretty much adheres to the look of brogues, but renders it in bright blue patent leather. Plus, it makes the edge pointy to soften the look.

Color is always a perfect way to breathe new life to a trend. And this two-tone pair balances the masculine and feminine elements by blending blush and navy.

Florals are often seen as too saccharine. But if you render it in gray, and anchor it with gray leather, you have a girly-edgy pair that will look great with jeans, khaki, and even a nice, flowy dress.

These little details are good come ons and make brogues even more appealing. And if they come out with more interesting details such as these, I wouldn't be surprised if this trend stays around for 2 more years.

FMM: In the swing of things

2011-10-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

There was a "Hits of the 80s" CD at home, and while I was looking at the playlist, I saw this song that I liked a lot but haven't heard in a long time. It's a song that everyone wants to slow-swing to, and it's such a retrolicious song by Odyssey.

Today's homage to Friday Magic Madness is "Native New Yorker."

There's something about this song that just transports me back to the 80s. It might be the beat. Or the instrumentation. Or the synths. Or it can be the voice of the singers. Or it can be all these things combined.

Just gotta love the 80s!

Double Whammy!

2011-10-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

After the "non-elimination" episode 2 weeks ago, Ms. Banks decides to pull out another surprise and calls for a double elimination this early on in the game. (Previously, the double elimination came when there were only 4 girls left.)

And who were the two unlucky models who were booted out of the ANTM house?

Bianca and Kayla.

I'm glad that Bianca's out. She was too mean and combative. But I'm sad that they let go of Kayla. I liked her in Cycle 14, and was hoping she'll make it to top 4.

But hey, at least Kayla is now free.

Dressed for excess

2011-10-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

With less than a month before the Versace for H&M collection drops, their look book has been floating all over cyberspace. I've seen some of the pieces, and they're very Versace. And I'm talking about the "Gianni Versace era" when excess was the order of the day.

When I say excess, I do mean EXCESS! For example, their men's collection isn't for the faint of fashion heart. It'll take a lot of guts and a pinch of panache to go out wearing something like this:

Gianni Versace was known for loud prints. He was the one who brought us the medusa head, the Florida-esque palm trees and sunsets, and the baroque style motifs.And with this collection, it feels like these loud prints are amplified by a 100,000 watt speaker!

I mean, you already have a loud print to begin with. If that isn't enough, you have to cover it all up with clear sequins.

Then, they've got some print-on-print action going on. But this isn't the subtle, same family type of print pairing that Etro does. We're talking about a clash of prints that's designed to shock the eye.

Overall, I think this collection is a good foil to last year's detailed minimalism from Lanvin. They're very brave pieces that require a lot of panache to carry.

But brave or loud as it seems, it still is Versace. And I think that's enough to get people rushing to the stores and buy an excessive amount of these pieces.

When's it our turn?

2011-10-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Nope, this isn't about The Little Mermaid singing "Part of your world."

It's about this:

So, H&M opened in Singapore this year. And they've officially announced that they're opening in Bangkok and Jakarta in 2012.

What? They decided to open in Jakarta before opening in Manila? Oh the pain!

Come on, H&M, open a store in Manila. Now!

Modern Mannequin

2011-10-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Since I'm on a window display streak, let me talk about the star of the window display - the mannequin. Another thing I like about shop windows in HKG is the fact that they use a variety of mannequins. Some stores use mannequins that are very lifelike. Others look very industrial. While others look very conceptual.

One thing is for sure, though. You won't see those retro, scary mannequins with painted faces such as this.

A few years back, this was the mannequin du jour in many Philippine shops. Yes, they would even paint the lips blood red. And it freaked me out because it reminded me of "Marsha" from "Twilight Zone."

Zara has nice mannequins this season. When I dropped by their Harbour City store, the first thing that caught my eye was their window display. Aside from the interesting clothes, I found their mannequins equally interesting.

The caricature-type faces remind me of Lanvin mannequins, particularly from last year. The exaggerated lashes and thick brows seem to be a nod to their look last year. The only thing missing was the quirky expression.

This pop of color set against the stark, white physique of the mannequin gives it a very modern look. And this just further strengthens the fact that when it comes to visual styling for retail, HKG really is ahead of its neighbors.

Windows of creativity

2011-10-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

Checking out window displays is another reason why I like visiting HKG. It's one of the countries that still have a very vibrant "window display culture." Every brand - whether major or Mom and Pop - has a conceptual take on fashion and lifestyle. Each window display has a concept and story. Each little detail has meaning. And that makes the window display almost like a museum exhibit.

Harvey Nichols just opened at Pacific Place (they now occupy the space vacated by Seibu) and their window displays are just top notch. I spent almost an hour just admiring each tableau and looking at how much detail they put into each one.

Here are my favorites among the lot:

Here's the men's fashion tableau. It has this humungous pair of jeans as the central focal point.

But upon closer scrutiny, the jeans are actually measuring tapes woven to create that form.

Here's the women and children's section window which features a cute teddy bear.

And the teddy bear is made up of baby bottle nipples.

The beauty window has a gigantic make up brush that fills the entire space.

And when you look at it closely, the big make up brush is created by putting together smaller make up brushes.

What I like about it is the fact that they use everyday items and transform them into something more creative. Hats off to the concept team of Harvey Nichols for coming up with such interesting and creative window displays.

Wish we had something like this in Manila. (I think the closest we have to something like this is Rustan's Makati.)

Frendz in Hong Kong!

2011-10-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

Almost 4 years ago, when I was still living in HKG, some of D' Frendz paid made a lightning visit. Coup d' etat notwithstanding, Grace, Lezyl and Tintin found their way to Asia's shopping capital to get their retail fix. (Who can forget Tintin's "gold knitted shrug" adventure.)

Here I am with Tintin and Grace, taking a break at McDonald's after shopping.

Tonight, Tintin, Grace and I were back in HKG, also for a lightning visit. So much has happened since our December 2007 get together. We're all based in Manila, Tintin has a new job, and Grace is married and back in advertising.

Here I am with Tintin and Grace, taking a shopping break after eating at McDonald's.

It's cool that after 4 years, we still look and act the same. (Notice Tintin's ensemble. Me thinks she's wearing the same thing after 4 years! Harhar.)

And here's proof that some of the best things - like frendzhip - never change.

Pig-ture perfect

2011-10-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

One of the first things on my agenda in HKG was to look for the latest issue of InStyle. After checking out Page One and HMV, it turns out that they didn't have the latest issue yet. But when I dropped by GrEat to get my Triple O's fix, I was delighted to find the latest issue there.

Their "Best of the Web" issue is awesome and educational as always. But that's not the only thing that makes this issue a winner. The piggest - I mean, biggest - reason is a buxom blonde with a jolly green boyfrog.

Miss Piggy models for InStyle!

Going through the spread was such a delicious experience. The fashionable clothes (custom made for Mme. Pig) and her quips on the photos were so funny! Imagine, Miss Piggy in Jason Wu, Opening Ceremony, Prabal Gurung, Giles and Brother, among many others. This is definitely no "pig in the blanket."

She's "Pig in couture."