The bookends

Kuya Marv and I are the oldest and youngest in the Regalado-Morales clan. So, we were the family's bookends. We were farthest from one another, and were usually on the other end of each one.

Obviously, just like our birth order, we were polar opposites most of our growing up years.

As being opposites go, my Kuya and I fought quite often when we were kids. We'd fight about mundane things like remote controlled cars, who would get the new electric fan, and who would get the bigger room. We also liked very different things. He'd like all those army toys and I'd prefer robots and aliens. He dreamt of becoming a PMA cadet, and I'd dream of becoming an astronaut.

But despite being opposites, we also had similarities. The most glaring being our physical appearance. A lot of people have told me that Kuya and I look alike, the latest being my colleague who remarked that we can't deny that we're siblings.

Since he lives in Makati, Kuya doesn't get to hang out around the house a lot. At least as much as he did when he was just living 5 blocks away. So it was great seeing him - in Bataan, of all places.

And looking at this photo that Princess snapped of us while we were at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, I can say that despite being bookends and opposites, we're not that different after all.

Feel the (sun)burn

After the 4-ish hour road trip, we're finally back from the company outing!

What made it fun is the fact that after a long, long time, I was able to do the following again:

- Attend a summer outing (last time done: about a decade ago)
- Swim on the beach (last time done: about 4 years ago)
- Make a sand castle (last time done: more than a decade ago)
- Sleep in an old house (last time done: more than a decade ago)
- Get sunburned (last time done: about 3 years ago)

Okay, I think the last one doesn't qualify as fun. Harhar.

In and Outing

Frankly, I can't remember the last time I joined a company outing. Most of the time, I'd be out of the country when the outing would happen, and I'd skip it altogether.

I think it's been about a decade since I last joined one.

That is, until today.

After a decade, I'm in the list of people going to our company outing in Bagac, Bataan.

(Also, this is the first time I'm up at 5am just so I can be at the office for the 5:30am call time. Zzzzz...)

FMM: Right on!

This all started when I caught Michelle Visage on youtube.

Seeing her reminded me of her former girl group, Seduction. And this led me to remember their 90s hit which was one of the dance anthems of that decade.



Not only does it take two to make a thing go right, it also takes two to make a happy memory.

Now, it's really bye-bye Multiply

Another one bites the dust!

A few months back, Multiply announced that they were removing the social networking aspect of their business. And tonight, I found out that they're closing down altogether.

And with that, I bid goodbye to Multiply. It was a good run, but no matter how hard we try, some good things never last.

Ironed out

There's no doubt how powerful Iron Man 3 is.

All 12 cinemas in Megamall are showing it. All 10 cinemas in Galleria are showing it. And all 5 cinemas in Shangri-La are headlining Iron Man 3 as well.

Looks like there won't be any "What movie are we going to watch?" questions this week.

Roaring

There's this often asked question: "If you could have been born in another decade, what decade would that be?"

My answer to that question would be: "The 1920s. Definitely."

Art Deco. Jazz. Cloche hats. Charlie Chaplin. Buster Keaton. Laurel and Hardy. Mary Pickford. Louise Brooks. Jean Patou. Jeanne Lanvin. Flapper dresses. There's definitely of highlights during this decade.

It's also this interest in the 20s that fuels my excitement about the modern retelling of "The Great Gatsby."



I'm expecting to be transported back into the 1920s for a few hours. And with Baz Lurhmann leading this journey, it'll definitely be a visually spectacular one.

Sibling reverly: The Regal edition

In previous entries, I've talked a lot about my siblings. Last year, when Tita Evelyn spent her holidays in Manila, I talked about Dad and his siblings.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I really haven't talked about Mom and her siblings. One reason is probably the fact that they're big and scattered in different places.

Mom is the 7th among 10 siblings. Yes, the Regalados - fondly called the "Regal babies" - are a big clan. And an "equal" one, too, because among the 10, there were 5 boys and 5 girls. 

As adults, Mom and her siblings were scattered in 3 different places. Mom was the only one who settled in Manila. Five of her siblings lived in the U.S with my Lolo and Lola, while the other 4 settled in Bicol which was my grandparents' hometown.

Growing up, we weren't too familiar with our Regalado aunts and uncles. We'd see our Bicol-based relatives maybe once every 2 years. For the U.S.-based Regalados, maybe once in 5 years. 

But that didn't stop us from being close. Whenever we'd get together, it would always be a lot of fun. I have fond memories of our Regalado clan reunions at the "palitada" in Malinao. Whenever my Aunts and Uncles from the California would visit, we'd stay up until the wee hours just talking and having fun. We'd correspond by letters and cards. They'd send packages of toys and goodies. And we'd always look forward to seeing each other.

Last weekend, Mom and 4 of her siblings got together in Hayward for my cousin's wedding. Uncle Rol posted this photo, and I thought it was such an adorable shot. Even if they're all in one country, Mom lives down South while the other 4 live at the West Coast. Ergo, a shot like this doesn't happen that often.

I love their smiles in this photo. It's so telling of how they love and miss each other, and how they're cherishing this moment that all 5 of them are together. It's just too bad that Auntie Cel and Uncle Coye were both in Bicol when this was taken.

But as my cousin Danny said, next year is the Golden wedding anniversary of Uncle Coye and Auntie Mila, and he's hoping that the 7 Regal-siblings will be together for that event.

That's definitely something to look forward to.

Mom as a Muse

One thing that Mom likes to do is dress up. That's why it's no wonder that she does it so well.

Back in high school, the girls in my class would tell me how pretty and fashionable my Mom was. They would see her when we'd do school project at home, or if Mom would go to school during awarding ceremonies. She'd always be put together: no hair out of place, always dressed to the nines. 

Mom was so much into fashion that she had a regular seamstress named Tita who would make her clothes. I remember how she would sketch the designs, buy fabric in Kamuning, and bring it to Tita. For bigger occasions, she had a go-to designer - Bumbee. He would make all these grand fashion confections to Mom's delight.

It's a passion for fashion that she had even up to the present day. A perfect example would be this photo of her during my cousin's wedding in California. Mom looks  so chic in her wine colored lace dress and nude pumps. 

Just to illustrate my Mom's love for fashion, this dress she wore to Raymond's wedding was one of 6 dresses that she brought and chose from. Yes, I'm sure of that number because I bought all of them before she left for the U.S. Among the options were lace dresses in black and purple, a black ponte dress with lace panels, and a bodycon styled frock. The one she wore is my favorite of the lot, so it's nice to see her in it.

Knowing Mom, the other 5 options will probably be seeing light in the next months or so. The nice thing about Mom is that she likes to get all dressed-up and play with fashion. Whenever she has new dresses, she makes it a point to wear them, whether it's for a party, or just a casual Sunday brunch. That way, she looks like a new fashion plate each time.

It's the same attitude that Ate Bullet has towards fashion. In fact, Ate Bullet has a reputation as being "the woman who never wears the same clothes twice." Besides, why should she? She has two rooms of clothes and she can really afford to wear something new everyday.

It's sad when you've got closets upon closets upon closets of clothes, but you never wear them. Instead, you just wear the same things over and over again, unmindful that there are actually hundreds of clothes just stuck in bags and closets. It's such a waste of good fashion.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ate Bullet sees Mom as her fashion muse. After all, they've got the same fabulous attitude towards fashion.

And with a Mom this fabulous, I think she'll be a worthy muse for anyone.

Debutante diaries: My Fair-y Lady

With all the excitement leading to the big day, I forgot to post the conclusion of the "Debutante diaries" series that I wrote. It was basically a chronicle of the dresses that Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet wore for the 18th birthday party of our cousin.

First, it was about the 3 materials that I found in the stash. Then, it was about the chicken scratch that I made and gave the dressmaker.

A few weeks of work and 1 fitting after, here's the fairy-inspired gown of Ate Lissa.

Too bad I can't find a photo of the back of the gown since it was very nicely done. The back was really deep, but tasteful because of the tulle. I'll go back and post it in case I find one.

Like any creative person, there's a feeling of fulfillment when you see an idea go from just a seedling in your head, to a sketch, to an actual finished product. And seeing how Ate Lissa radiated in the gown adds to the feeling.

So, the fairy themed gown is a wrap! Up next, the queen of Bollywood!

FMM: Panfilo

One time, my colleagues and I were talking about 90s groups and songs. We all had our favorites, from Green Day to Nirvana to C&C Music Factory.

Suddenly, one of them said: "Basta ako, ang favorite 90s song ko, yung Panfilo."

To which I replied: "Panfilo? May 90s song ba na Panfilo?"

His reply was: "Meron. Yung 'Panfilo, this band is gonna play my tune, Panfilo, I wanna, I wanna tell you so.'"

Then, I thought: "Oh, this Panfilo."



Not only do we have old music on Fridays, we have old jokes as well!

And now a message from your blogger...

This year, I was invited to be the editorial moderator of Pax, our college yearbook. The editor-in-chief, Maica, was one of my best advertising students. With her passion, talent and work ethic, I couldn't say no.

Truth is, this isn't the first time that I'll be involved in a yearbook. I was a writer for our high school yearbook, and the business manager of our college yearbook. Ergo, this shouldn't be too difficult for me.

But when Maica asked me to write a message to the graduates, I thought that it would be a challenge.

After all, it's been a while since I last wrote something that's supposed to inspire an entire batch. And even though I've written copy that was able to rally people to buy Myra 400-E, Incremin, Colgate and Palmolive, I wasn't sure if I could write copy that would rally an entire batch of college students.

Then again, I was never one to shirk at a challenge. So, I mustered all my inspiring energy, and managed to eke out these word of inspiration and advice to SSC Batch 2013:

Dearest graduates of Batch 2013,

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”

These words were spoken by Bill Cosby – a famous American comedian who I’d love to watch when I was your age. They were also words that my parents wrote on the card they gave me on my own graduation.

As you take your first step into the proverbial “real world,” I’m certain that there’s an amount of fear in your hearts.  Niggling questions begin to pop in your head. Questions like: “Will I get a job immediately?” “Will I get my dream job?” “Am I going to succeed life?”

The answer to those questions is a resounding “Yes!” But you need to keep alive that desire in your heart to succeed. The same desire that allowed you to do excellently in your schoolwork. That allowed you pass your comprehensive exams with flying colors. That allowed you to successfully defend your theses. That allowed you to receive that diploma that you so longingly desired.

Along with that desire, you also need to put into practice the knowledge and values that the school has instilled in you. For the past 4 or 5 years, we’ve always emphasized the Benedictine Values of “Ora et Labora.” And you should bring this with you wherever your first step takes you.

With that, I congratulate all of you for a job spectacularly done. I, along with the entire editorial board of Pax, wish that this yearbook will remind you of the wonderful memories and desire that you had in college. More importantly, we look forward to all your future successes.

That in all things, God may be glorified.

After reading and re-reading it, I thought, "Heck, it ain't that bad."

And my editor-in-chief's reaction was: "Sir, it's too long."

The one that got away

It was around this time last year when I got wind that Mary Katrantzou would be coming up with a capsule collection for Topshop. I'm a huge, huge fan of her work - from her silhouettes to her prints.

After seeing the clothes she designed for Topshop, this particular dress was the most covetable of the lot:

Everything about it screams couture! From the mismatch of prints, the china-pattern bottom half, and the bell shaped skirt. It's perfection! And I'm sure my sister would rock this dress!

Unfortunately, this collection was never carried in Manila. And when I checked on ebay, the prices were ridiculous! Someone was selling this dress for P35,000!

Oh well. I guess this beautiful piece will just be filed under "the one that got away."

Fanning the flames

With the Harry Potter saga wrapped up and the Twilight Saga closed, it looks like there isn't a franchise worth looking forward to.

Of course there's "The Hobbit," "Percy Jackson" and "The Hunger Games." And among the three, I think "Catching Fire" is the one that's going to blaze among the viewers.



This trailer doesn't excite me just yet. Hopefully, the next ones will.

Fathers and Sons

In the continuing saga of Alecx's 18th birthday party...

Here are 2 sets of fathers and sons. We were all in a row, seated at table 7. After the photographer took our shot and gave us the print out, all I could think of was: "Gosh, we're carbon copies of our respective Dads!"

Carlo, Mario, Edgar and Lester Edgard. You can't have a better Father and Son match that that.

Masterpiece in sugar!

There was never a doubt that my brother-in-law is a master cake designer and creator. He, along with his team at Dexter's bakeshop, has been creating sugar masterpieces for over 30 years!

But after seeing the cake he did for Alecx's 18th birthday, I was much more impressed by his mastery and attention to detail. The Disney castle he created was simply astounding!

So outstanding that my Dad and his friend Mario couldn't help but have their photos taken with it. (Dad rarely does this, so this is really special!)

This cake was a creative challenge for Raymond. Actually, he started work on it as early as January! But the result was well worth all the effort.

Congratulations, Raymond!

Sibling reverly: The formal edition

Tonight, my siblings and I had to get all dressed up for our cousin Alecx's 18th birthday celebration.

And I must say, we clean up nice.

FMM: Memory mash-up

On today's Friday Magic Madness, the question is, what do you get when you cross Ace of Base... (which is on its second appearance on FMM for the same song)



The Bangles...



And Gloria Estefan?



You get this awesome mash-up from "Pitch Perfect."



Yes, this film really brings back fond memories.

Rebel with a cause

She was hilarious in "Bridesmaids." She was great in "Bachelorette." She brought the house down in "What to expect when you're expecting." And she can sing and make you laugh at the same time, as exemplified in "Pitch Perfect."

I must say, Rebel Wilson rocks!

Pitch Perfection

One of the favorite topics of my Journalism class last semester was a film entitled "Pitch Perfect."

Every week, they'd talk about it, sing about it, and even re-enact scenes from it. It was one of those "sleeper hits" that really made a strong impact on the audience - young and not-so-young alike. Heck, even some of D' Frendz talked and raved about this film at one point in time.

After seeing the film, I see why it resonated with the audience so strongly. It was a classic David and Goliath story, with the Barden Bellas as David and the Treblemakers as Goliath. And as we all know, by the time the Barden Bellas sang their finale, David triumphed again.



This last performance is perfect. The song was great, the choreography was fun, and best of all, the feel-good factor is high. Heck, I was misty-eyed after watching this scene because I felt ecstatic at how good the group was and how they triumphed against the front runners.

That does it. "Pitch Perfect" makes it to my list of the best feel-good movies ever.

Intoxicating

Aside from the staple Green Tea Kitkat and Meiji dark and white chocolates, another variant that I bought at Ueno was this interesting chocolate variant.

Honestly, what attracted me to this product was the color of the packaging. I had no idea how it tasted like, but the box looked appetizing. Thus, I ended up buying one whole box.

And boy, it's a good thing I did. This chocolate tastes great! The rum flavor is very pronounced, and adds body to the dark chocolate base. There's this hint of berry flavor, which I attribute to the wine. It was my niece who told me that it tasted great, and after trying it out, I couldn't help but agree with her.

I'm glad that I bought this interestingly new Dark Rum chocolate from Meiji.

It really is intoxicating.

Birtwell, well, well

When I was in Tokyo last week, one of the things that caught my eye was the Celia Birtwell x Uniqlo collection.

I've always been a huge fan of Celia Birtwell's prints - even before Etro, Suno and Liberty of London. And it's great to see that everyone can have a piece of her fabulous prints.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to buy anything from that collection. Mainly because of the lack of time. (Not to mention luggage space.)

Fortunately, according to my Japanese colleague who handles Uniqlo, it's also available in Manila!

Well and good!

Jump for joy!

He's turning 7 today. But for all of us, Javier will always be our jumping and bouncing baby boy!

Happy Birthday, Javier! Here's to more hop-py, happy birthdays!

(He loves jumping on the trampoline, thus the cake design.)

That's Sit!

Today, I did something that I haven't done in years.

Nay, it's something I haven't done in AGES!

I was a babysitter for 2 kids - a dynamo of a toddler aged 2, and a self-sufficient little girl who's 5 months old.

Gosh, I had to bring out my arsenal of tricks: juggling, long range shooting, tickling, running up and down the stairs, peek-a-boo - you name it, I did it.

And it was a lot of fun!

Exhausting, but surely a lot of fun.

FMM: I've got an Adia

Back in the 90s, one of the popular things to collect were those compilation CDs of popular 90s songs.

Admittedly, I was one of those collectors.

And among my many compilation CDs, there were a few songs that made multiple appearances. One of which was this beautiful and haunting song from Sarah McLachlan entitled "Adia."



This is a song that's so comfortable, it's like a lullaby that will lull you to sleep.

And that's why I'm playing it right now.

Post card pretty

Once, while I was talking post card-type photos, Mom told me: "If you're just going to take pictures that look like post cards, then just buy a post card." I guess Mom isn't a huge fan of still life. Harhar.

After that, I've tried avoiding taking those types of shots. That was until last week when I saw this wonderful vista created by the bright blue sky and cherry blossoms in bloom.

Spring in Japan really is pretty.

Don't encourage him

Yesterday, I read an article about the retirement of PacMan. What struck me most about the article was the author's suggestion of what he should do now that he's hanging up his boxing gloves.

Really? President?

Say it isn't so.

The Closers

About a decade ago, we were celebrating the birthday of one of D' Frendz and decided to go to the small videoke joint within the defunct SM Megmall Bowling Alley. We got one of the rooms in the far ends of the place and started singing.

After a few hours of singing, we wanted to order drinks so I went out to look for the wait staff. To my surprise, we were the only people in the place, and all the wait staff were in their sandos and slippers and was in the middle of cleaning up.

It turned out that the place was already closed, and no one noticed we were still there. (Yes, our room was in the far, far end of the joint.) When they realized that there were still customers, they hurriedly changed back to their uniforms, then rang up our bill, then kicked us out.

Needless to say, we looked for another singing place and ended up videoke-ing until 5am.

Tonight, we celebrated Lezyl's "life begins" party at Yakimix at the Podium. As usual, the group was noisy and the table was filled with chatter. Everyone was engrossed with the conversations at hand, including Bonique's pregnancy, Lucas' shenanigans, Rick's weight loss, Tintin's operation, Lezyl's tea store and my recent Tokyo trip.

A few moments later, we looked around and realized that the tables around us were all empty, and all the seats were stacked up. The wait staff were already cleaning the tables and mopping the floors, and we realized that they were almost closed! In fact, we were the only table in our area!

Good thing there was still two tables occupied, which meant we weren't repeating the "videoke in the bowling alley" fiasco. And what did we do when we realized that there were still other people in Yakimix? We got dessert again and resumed the storytelling.

That was until we were told that their store was indeed closed.

Such is the life of closers such as D' Frendz.

Twenty degrees of separation

When I arrived in Tokyo last Wednesday, the temperature was around 9 degrees.

Tonight, I arrived in Manila with the mercury rising to 29 degrees.

Yup, I'm definitely back in the Philippines.