This story has legs

Yesterday, I had a meeting with a client. Because of that, I had to wear my usual "client wear" which consists of khaki pants, polo and my trusty Clark's.

After the meeting, I went to the printer to check on the color proof of the project that I asked them to do. This was my second time to visit them, and during my first visit, I talked to an AE named Alice.

When I entered their office, there was this girl standing near the reception desk. We looked at each other like we were strangers, and I asked the girl if Alice was there. And here's how the conversation went.

ME: Hi, is Alice here?
ALICE: Ako po si Alice.
ME: Oh, Alice. I'm Lester. Ako yung pumunta dito before para doon sa leaflet project.
ALICE: Ay, opo, Sir Lester. Naalala ko na po.
ME: Sorry hindi kita nakilala agad. Nakasuot ka ng glasses the last time I went here, right?
ALICE: Opo, Sir. Hindi ko din po kayo nakilala, Sir Lester. Kasi nakasuot kayo ng shorts noong huling punta niyo dito.

Yes, I ended the conversation there.

Say what?

Last week, when they crowned another WGWG as the new American Idol, this news article came out on the internet a few minutes after.

After reading it, all I had to remark: "Say what?" It says that Phillip is the "fikst" WGWG.

I know they were trying to say "fifth", or were they trying to say "first?" In any case, the writer must've been groggy, and the proofreader must've been lazy. Because once again, an error has appeared on an internet news item.

Proofreaders, please do your job right. You're giving Journalism graduates a bad name.

(And since it's been a week since the finale, and the brouhaha has died down, let me say that I actually wanted Phillip Philips to win.) *duck*

Fair and Square

Fact: I'm a big fan of wafers, even as a kid. There's something comforting about biting into a soft and crunchy cookie, layer after layer, and treated to sweet, creamy filling with each layer. (Dang! I think I just heard my tummy grumble.)

Growing up, I've had a number of favorite wafer brands. Locally, there's Nissin Wafer, which used to be sold in big tin cans with scenes from an English Countryside. Then, there was M.Y. San Wafers which had the right amount of sweetness and crunch. Finally, there's the Metro Biscuit Wafer, and they had the best strawberry variant, bar none.

Internationally, my favorites are Loacker and Marks and Spencer. The Hazelnut Wafers of Loacker is simply divine, and it goes well with ice cream. While Marks and Spencer's chocolate covered wafers are way, way worth the price. (And the gajillions of calories.)

A few months ago, I tried a local wafer that tastes very much like an imported one. Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Quadros Wafers.

Made by Goya, I think it got it's name from its square-ish shape. The wafers are very dense, and the filling is thick and creamy. I think they used Loacker as a peg since that's how their wafers feel and taste. 

But unlike Loacker, this wafer is cheap. This 60 gram pack is less than P30.00, and it's worth more when you start enjoying it.

They have other variants, but the Cream White Filling is my favorite at the moment.

Okay, now that I've taken a photo and talked about it, it's time to eat!

LFTAT: Try Tribal

One of the bigger trends last spring was the tribal look. It's actually one of those trends that keep on coming back season after season, and they just have slight permutations in each incarnation.

Two years ago, Ikat was the print du jour. Then, it became a more Aztec-type of print, seen mostly on Proenza Schouler's collection.

This year, the tribal look is more eclectic. It's a mix of patterns that find their influences from the Mexicans to the Native American Indians. The look plays heavily on the print-on-print style which is great. As I've written before, I'm a big fan of print-on-print.

Thanks to the wonder twin powers of The Landmark and Greenhills, one can try this tribal look without breaking the bank. (Heck, I don't think it'll even make a dent on the bank given how these pieces are priced.) And since we're on the tail end of summer, I thought it best to give this tribal look a summery-vibe. 

Just like this first look:

It's a shirt and denim short ensemble, and the moment I paired these things together, my thoughts immediately went to Arizona. Gosh, it's been more than 5 years since I last went to that State!

The top has a very playful pattern and a loose and comfy silhouette. The armholes of the shirt are exaggerated, and the armholes are bigger than the usual. And that's perfect for this weather. The denim shorts are in a deep blue color, which anchors the pastel hue of the top. Finally, as an accent, there's a burnt sienna belt with flowers hanging from it. How's that for flower power.

Check out the print of the shirt. It reminds me of those border tiles found in Mexico. I remember that the house of my foster parent in Mexico had something similar in their living room and their veranda.

This first look - shirt + denim shorts + belt all added up to... (drumroll please)... P500.00!

The second look also plays on the same tribal look, but does it in reverse. Now, the top is the heavier side of the look, while the bottom offsets it by taking on the lighter hue.

Once again, here's a very Mexican-inspired printed shirt. The colors are very saturated and clash beautifully. There's a mix of neon blue with fuschia, gren and black, and the colors mix in a complementary - rather than a clashing - fashion.

Since the top is color heavy, the bottom should be lighter. So, the denim shorts are in a light blue gray color. The distressed details make it look a bit worn, and this gives it a relaxed vibe. Very summer! The final touch is a knotted belt in red - which mirrors some of the colors on the top.

Surprisingly, the belt of this ensemble is a few bucks cheaper that the one on top. So, this tribal look is just P490.00.

Finds such as these make shopping in Manila - as well as trying trends - so much easier and fun. The buyers at The Landmark, and the entrepreneurs in Greenhills, really do have a good fashion pulse and know what trends are in. 

I hope their tribe increases.

Double Chex

Yes! I am a happy snacker! 

Karina told me that her hubby would be in town from Guam, and she sent me a couple of packs of Chex Mix! (Can I hear a whoop! whoop!) She knows that Chex Mix is one of my ultimate favorite snackers, and it's very rare that I find Chex Mix in Manila. (And if they do have it, it's usually the plain variant.)

Was able to pick up her pasalubong yesterday, and here they are! 

It's double the snacking pleasure because she sent me my 2 favorite variants - Trail Mix and Dark Chocolate. Joy, oh joy indeed.

I'm almost halfway through one bag, and I know I should be saving it because I don't know when I'll get my hands again on these goodies.

Must. Pace. Myself.

School will Rock

Two more weeks and we'll all be heading back to school.

This semester is particularly exciting for me because I'll be teaching a new subject. It's a subject that I've been practicing for the past decade or so, and I'm excited to pass on what I've learned to a new generation of broadcast producers. So, I'm psyched to get back in there and teach.

Just as psyched as Jack Black's character when he taught a group of elementary school kids to rock.



Here's to another rockin' school year ahead!

Freaky Friday

We once again interrupt this week's edition of Friday Magic Madness for a story that's so freaky, it has to be told.

FREAKY BAD

I went to Dentsu to pick-up my check for the work I've been doing from them. After the Manong Guard handed over my check, I neatly folded the piece of paper he gave me, then inserted the check inside it. I also removed the paper clip and gave it back to Manong so he can reuse it.

After pushing the "down" button, I proceeded to wait for the elevator to arrive. It did, and the door opened. As I was going inside the elevator, the girl going outside bumped into me, and she hit my hand - the hand that was holding the piece of paper with the check.

And, in a split second, the check slipped out of the piece of paper and fell through the small crack in between the elevator doors. It felt like that scene was happening in slow motion, and the only thing that was running in my mind was - "This can't be happening to me! This only happens in bad, B-movies!"

But the truth is, it did happen. I was frozen for a few seconds as it hit me that my check was now lost in the elevator black hole. Never to be seen again.

Thank goodness Mona was at the office. She helped me file an affidavit of loss (Thanks, Mona! You're a lifesaver!) and I was able to give it Dentsu and the bank so they can issue a replacement check.

Despite that, all I can think of right now is: "Gosh! Did that just happen to me? Things as freaky as those don't happen in real life and to real people."

Yes, it happened to me. And yes, I still can't believe it!

FREAKY GOOD

With that incident fresh in my mind, I went to Trinoma to meet up with a co-professor and get some school papers.

And who did I see in Trinoma? Well, Joe Jonas was there, but I really don't care about him.

So, who did I see in Trinoma?

Allison Harvard and Dominique Reighard from America's Next Top Model! In the flesh!

They passed in front of me! Like, a few feet away! And yes, I'm using too many exclamation points! But hey! This is ANTM in front of me!

And that ends my Freaky Friday.

From Fabric to just plain Fab

And Aling Bright continues to create her magic.

More than a month ago, I wrote about these bolts of fabric that I found while looking for fabric for Mom's dress. They were 3 very different fabrics, but had some similar elements such as color and texture.

After looking at it for a few minutes and "letting the fabric talk to me," (this must be the most overused phrase in the U.S. Edition of Project Runway,) they eventually decided to open a conversation with me. These fabrics asked: "Can you use us all at once?"

My reply was: "Why not?" They all have black and gold undertones, and a certain amount of shine. So, it would be easy to unify them and make them look cohesive.

As an Art Director, I always make sure to focus on one main element, and just use the remaining pieces as complements around the layout. The same principles guided me in laying-out these fabrics. Since the jacquard fabric has the most interesting pattern, that became the centerpiece of the dress. The silk, naturally, became the lining. (Sorry, silk.) Finally, the lace became the finishing touch and additional point of interest.

With these principles as guide, this is what I sketched:

When Aling Bright saw the sketch and the fabric, she was very excited. My indicators for her excitement include the way she nods her head, smiles and says: "Tama, alam ko na."

And I can attest to the fact that she really got the concept and the way I wanted to execute it. Because a few weeks after, she came back with this beauty.

It was the sketch brought to life. Alive in a most vivid, precise and well-made way. Aling Bright captured all the nuances and the details of my sketch, right from the front, all the way to the back. Heck, she even captured the lace tail the way I imagined it.

Because of the rich textures of the fabric, there needed to be a breaker in between so as to not make the dress look too heavy. So, I thought of showing a bit of skin to add a neutral color in between. So, there's a keyhole-of-sorts on the top half of the dress. There's an arch of lace on top of the sweetheart neckline.

The same idea is captured at the back, but the cut is a bit lower since there's more skin to show in that area.

Overall, the execution captured the concept flawlessly. From fabulous - albeit disparate - fabrics, it all came together as a fabulous piece of clothing. What's more,  it fits my equally fabulous sister - and one of my muses - Ate Bullet.

Here she is working the dress. Harhar. Some dresses look better on the body than on the hanger. And since this fits her like a glove, it makes the dress come alive in all its fabulousness.

One more look at the back. Yup, this dress definitely looks great both coming and going.

This piece of creativity - from fabric to paper to finished product - just inspired me to dig into the fabric pile once more. Who knows what other fabulously creative projects I can create from there.

What's the Baz

I'm a fan of Baz Luhrmann's films. He has a great sense of storytelling and visual panache. All his movies have a distinct look, and each frame is art directed beautifully.

Among my favorite films are two of his more popular works, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rogue. These films both helped defined my generation: with its hip retelling of a Shakespeare classic, and the brilliant and modern reinvention of 80s and 90s songs.

I wasn't able to watch "Australia," and I haven't gotten around to getting a DVD. But the good news is that Baz Luhrmann has a new film to look forward to. A film based on another literary gem, "The Great Gatsby."


(trailer courtesy of youtube)

The trailer alone is a visual delight. From the art deco influences in the title cards to the period costume and architecture. It has all the makings of a visually delicious film! And it's a big plus that it's set in the 20s  - which is my favorite decades when it comes to visual signature.

If the trailer is any indication of the entire film, this is going to be good. Really good.

Pro(me)theus

Walking around SM Megamall, I saw a lot of posters, banners and standees promoting the upcoming film "Prometheus."

It's Ridley Scott's latest outing, and it's supposed to be a prequel to his iconic 1979 film "Alien." The title is based on the spaceship that takes the crew to another universe to discover the origins of man.

But that wasn't the first thing that struck me when I saw the title. The first thing that came to my mind was that "Prometheus" was the first role I played in high school. No, I did not play a spaceship. My role was that of the real Prometheus.

It was for our English class, and we were supposed to do a play about Greek Mythology. The tale assigned to us was "Pandora's Box," and Prometheus had a role in this story. Although I don't remember how the roles were chosen or assigned, but what I do remember is that I ended up tied to a rock in that play.

As a huge fan of Greek Mythology, I was actually hoping that the film "Prometheus" would really be about the Titan son of Iapetus and Clymene. It would be fun to see the role I played done on the big screen.

Gibb up

More and more, it looks like there's going to be a big concert up in the sky.

Just a few days after Donna Summer bade us farewell, I read that Robin Gibb just passed away.

And like Donna, Robin leaves us with so many unforgettable and iconic songs. Such as this ditty that only he can sing with such beautiful longing.



With all the tributes pouring out for Robin Gibb, he was somebody who was definitely loved.

Chic Kashieca

This explains why there was such a rush to finish all the Randy Ortiz for Kashieca items. (They marked it down further during the last month, and it looked like it still wasn't moving as fast.)

There's a new collaboration in-store, and it's no other than Presidential designer JC Buendia. 

Given his style and aesthetic, I'm imagining chic, tailored pieces that are versatile and can go from day to night. I tried looking for the collection on-line, and here's one of the pieces that I saw.

Classic chic indeed.

I should check out the store this week to see if this collection is a must buy.

Plains or Prints

In the advertising world - the world that I've been a part of since I was a wee little boy - we thrive on the concept of "options."

One is never a good number. Whenever you do something - be it a headline, concept, logo or visual device - you should come in with 5 or more options. It is very rare that you get the right one on the first try, that's why coming up with a list of possibilities has become common place in the industry.

And it's a concept that can be brought out of the advertising world and into the real world. 

For example, in fashion. Once concept can always have options. So, let's say that the pink cuffed trousers are the concept, you can execute it in different ways. In this particular case, the options are:

Plain...

... or Print.

Plain means taking 2 complementing plain colors and combining them into one outfit. Since the trousers  are already in a bright pink color, the top should be a bit more muted and should provide a counterpoint. Thus, this slate colored top with lace trimmings and a faux-dolman sleeve.

To add another point of visual interest, the belt is in another strong and contrasting color - dark green. It's nice how it plays off the pink background.

For the printed option, what's important is the print should borrow a shade from the dominant concept. Since the trousers are pink, the floral patterns have a hint of pink on them. This ties in the two elements together.

And so as not to make it "matchy-matchy" (Nina Garcia will not approve,) the palette of the printed shirt is in a very neutral beige. This works two ways: first, the neutral colors don't clash with the pink hue, and second, the prints pop out more because of the base color.

The thing with options is that usually, the client is just supposed to choose one option. But luckily, for this "concept," there are two "clients." Ergo, they get one option each. And since they're pretty much the same size, they can switch options as well. 

FMM: Sounds of Summer

Needless to say, today's Friday Magic Madness is a tribute to Donna Summer.

Her discography is so rich with beautiful and iconic songs, and I'm sure that everyone who knows her will have a list of favorites. Even though I wasn't alive yet during her career heyday, I'm familiar with a lot of her songs. This is largely because of Dad's cassette tape collection. He had a lot of cassettes of Donna Summer, and I remember listening to them as a young boy.

My appreciation of her songs as a boy and as a young man was different. As I grew older and started listening and understanding the lyrics, I realized that there was more to her songs than a catchy beat. There's a narrative - something a lot of today's songs don't have.

And among her songs with narratives, here are my 3 top favorites:

1. McArthur's Park


I can almost imagine the scenes playing out as I listen to this song. Cake left out in the rain, icing flowing down, the sadness of not being able to make the same cake again... it's such a melancholic tale. Set against disco music to boot.

2. Love to Love you baby


Compared to her other songs, this one seems so serene and otherworldly. Actually, it feels like a song on LSD. Harhar. And while I liked this song before, I loved it more after Beyonce referenced it in "Naughty Girl."

3. This time I know it's for real


This is one of her more "modern" songs as it was released in the 90s. While it's not the usual all-out-dancing kind of ditty, it still has that happy energy and feel good vibe. I remember having a CD of this song and listening it over and over again whenever I reviewed for an exam. (Don't ask me why, I just did.)

Of course, there are a lot more songs that could've made it to the list: "Enough is enough," (insert Aldeguer Sisters here), Hot Stuff, She Works Hard for the Money, and so forth.

Donna Summer might have left this world, but she sure left a lot of songs that will keep her alive in our memories.

One last dance

Everybody knows her as the "Queen of Disco." Everybody acknowledges the fact that she's "THE Queen of Disco."

Her music was danced to by an entire generation - 2 generations actually. Her heyday in the 70s spilled over to the 80s, and I can still remember her songs being played on the radio, in parties and in the disco during my youth in the 80s.

When you listen to her songs right now, it feels as new and relevant as it did 4 decades ago. Her voice is stellar, and her penchant for performing was top notch. It's no wonder that Donna Summer was, is and forever will be the queen.

And now, she'll have to continue her reign in that big disco up in the sky. Maybe she'll meet up with Whitney and Michael - and between the 3 of them, that would be some party. (I can hear a mash up of "Last Dance," "I wanna dance with somebody," and "Dancing Machine.")

And before that happens, here's last once last dance for the queen, Donna Summer.



You will always be remembered.

Everybody Loves Chris

These days, when you pass by the theater area of any mall, it feels like you're looking at a Chris Hemsworth film festival.

There's Chris Hemsworth as "Thor."

There's Chris Hemsworth in a horror flick where he's likely playing the hero who might also be the killer.

And there's Chris Hemsworth as "The Huntsman."

I hope Hollywood gives some other guy a break soon. Gosh. There's only so much of Chris that a person can take.

Life Saks

In between researching and submitting creative work on-line, I find myself gravitating towards a website that inadvertently takes so much of my time.

Lo and behold, the Saks Fifth Avenue website!

There's so much eye candy and beautiful things on this site. I just click and scroll and click and scroll, and before I know it, more than an hour has passed.

Good thing they don't have a physical store here in Manila. Heck, if I can spend hours on the site, what more in the store.

I'm Easy

When I went downstairs to get a drink of water, I saw Miggy watching "Easy A" on HBO. I figured it was still in the front half of the film, and the first few minutes were so engaging, I ended up sitting down and finishing the entire film.

It's such a funny flick! It reminds me of those 80s rom-coms that starred Molly Ringwald, Patrick Dempsey, and all those Brat Packers. The humor, the situations, the characters - they were all very 80s. Also, it helped that there were a lot of references to 80s and 90s rom-coms, such as "Can't buy me love," and "Say Anything."

I'm definitely going to wait for them to show it again on HBO. This movie is so easy to enjoy.

Mom's the word

Today, the world celebrates the woman who gives selflessly and loves unconditionally. The woman who - as the Priest said in his homily today - is so generous that she gave us the most important thing - our lives. 

The woman who we call Mom, Mama, Nanay, Inay, and of course, Mother.

Lunch time found us celebrating with the three Morales mommies: Mom, Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet. 

Our appetites brought us to Napa Restaurant and Bar - an Italian-American restaurant in Scout Borromeo. My friend - a part-owner of the restaurant - has been suggesting that we try out their new menu, and today was the best time to do that.

 They have a nice selection of comfort food - pasta, sandwiches, pizza, appetizers - the works! We ordered their Buffalo Wings as starter, and Mom liked it so much, we ended up ordering 4 plates of it. (And it was so good, no one bothered to take photos of it. Harhar.)

The interiors of the place embody shabby-chic. They had mismatched chairs, light colored walls accented by warm red bricks, and an eclectic mix of artwork on the walls. Overall, the place had a very homey and comfortable feel to it.

In fact, it looks like someone was very, very, very comfortable at the restaurant.

We ordered quite a lot - and I only got a photo of the dish I ordered. Their puttanesca was excellent. The noodles were al dente, the tomatoes were fresh, and the olives and capers added texture to the overall flavor of the dish. Plus, there was a hint of sweetness amidst the sour taste of the sauce.

Since it was Mother's Day, they gave us free dessert! They gave us Choco Lava cake and Vanilla ice cream with ladyfingers. Too bad I wasn't able to take a "before" shot. Here's how our plate looked like "after."

Overall, the food we had was superb. Rich in flavor and full of goodness. Javier - who's a notorious picky eater - liked their Panizza a lot. I think he ate 6 slices, that's from Ate Lissa's count.

The only downside was the service today was a bit slow. It took almost an hour before all our orders arrived, and they even missed one of our orders. But it was no biggie since the food we were served were all worth the wait.

Plus, it gave us time to take more shots around the restaurant.

Like a shot of Miggy and Kurt playing with the iPad.

Kevin with Mom.

And a modern day "Mother and Child" portrait with Ate Lissa and Javier.

By the time lunch ended, we were all stuffed and happy - stuffed with great food, great pictures, and great stories in between dishes.

And with that combination, it's really a perfect way to spend Mother's Day. 

Happy Mother's Day Mom, Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet!

(Postscript: Someone just took the bird-print dress out for a spin.)

Gone to the birds

Fast fashion seems to be taking flight these days.

While walking around the different malls, I noticed an abundance of bird motifs in a lot of the boutiques and department stores.

Take for instance this dress from Robinson's Department Store. I like the contrast between the neutral brown shade and the colorful plumage of our feathered friends.

I'm liking the details of this dress. Aside from its V-back and tie waist, the bird prints are very detailed and adorable.

And from nearby Greenhills, we have this nice and easy shirt. It's perfect for this summer heat we're having.

Look closely and you'll see another bird motif. This looks like a sparrow surrounded by branches and leaves.

These bird motifs are both quirky and feminine, and it's a breath of fresh air from all the florals and animal prints that are flooding the stores.

I wouldn't be surprised if they fly off the shelves in record time.

FMM: Elevator Music

When the words "elevator music" are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind are those classical orchestra tunes. The ones with just melodies and no words, and sound like canned music.

Apparently, the building administrator of one of the buildings in Ortigas didn't get the memo. Because their elevator music was anything but classical, melodic nor canned. Their elevator music was...

... drumroll please...

Tiffany's "I think we're alone now."


(video courtesy of youtube)

It's actually very apt, today being Friday Magic Madness day and all.

The bad part is, now I've got this song stuck in my head. Heck, while I was walking down Ortigas, I was actually singing:

"I think we're alone now. There doesn't seem to be anyone around..."

Learning from the past

Scene: It was a fairly regular afternoon at SM Megamall. I went there to check out the travel agency that Grace told me about. After that, I dropped by Plains and Prints to check out their new stocks. (They usually re-stock every Thursday.) While I was there, a nice, perky sales clerk approached me:

SALES CLERK: Good afternoon sir! New arrivals po namin yan!
ME: Okay, thank you.
SALES CLERK: Pang-gift niyo ba sir? May pagbibigyan po ba kayo?
ME: Uh-uh. 
SALES CLERK: Kanino niyo po ibibigay, Sir?
ME: Sa sister ko.
SALES CLERK: Babae po ba siya?

Thank goodness I learned my lesson from the Jeepney Fiasco. (Must. Not. Answer.)

I just looked at her and moved on.

LFLTAT: Nautical and Nice

Aside from the scorching sun and humid weather, another constant during the summer season is the nautical look.

Maybe it's because summer conjures up images of the marina, or of yachts sailing in the wide open sea, but whenever summer comes rolling in, you can be sure that boat neck shirts, blue and white stripes and ropes are bound to appear.

A few weeks ago, during SM Department Store's Labor Day sale, there were items on sale that fell into the nautical category, but in a more subtle way. Nope, I'm not talking about sailor pants since that would be too obvious. It's a look that's nautical, but not cliche. And more importantly, it's a look for less than a thousand.

Here's the first one. It takes the usual nautical stripes, but adds a bit of quirk into the mix.

First, a boat neck shirt in the softest cotton. What's unique about it is that it's two-tone. The front part of the shirt has navy blue stripes, while the back has brown ones. This piece is really an awesome find, and I found it at the Paseo Center bazaar.

The skirt is the fabulous find from the SM Department Store sale. It's a linen-cotton blend skirt with buttons up front and a rope belt. 

When placed together, it captures the cool and carefree nautical spirit, using colors that are both neutral and typical.

Now, anyone from Advertising will tell you that it's always good to have options. Ergo, here's an option of the same outfit, but in a more vibrant color.

The shirt is red and beige, which is still within the nautical spectrum. (Nautical themes are usually blue, red, white and yellow.)

The skirt is this red-chambray-ish hue. Again, very cool on the eyes and captures the spirit of the sea.

And how much does this fashion journey to the open sea cost? Believe it or not, these 4 pieces only added up to P760.00! Yup, that's P380.00 a set! Whowouldathunk?

Now it's time for my sisters to set sail with this look soon.