The river is drying up.

When I found out last April that River Island was opening in Manila, I was stoked!

Now, it's been 6 months and they haven't opened any of their stores yet. The one in SM Aura was supposed to open in June, but their signage now says that they'll open in November.

Gosh. It's taking them such a long time to open that I feel my interest in the store slowly drying up.

Hey Aidan!

Spent Sunday hanging out with the newest member of D' Frendz - Baby Aidan!

Yup, it's a Sunday well spent.

Let it B

There are certain words in the Filipino vocabulary that you don't get to hear everyday. We at D' Frendz call it "makalumang salita."

Today in school, I encountered one such word from Ate Fanny. While I was getting something from the top shelf, she stood beside me to help. Then, she put her arm beside mine and said:

"Suwerte niyo sir. Biniyayaan kayo ng maputi at makinis na balat."

Of course, the only thing that registered was:

"Biniyayaan!"

Yes, that's a "makalumang salita" I haven't heard in a long, long time.

Slick Rick

When I was younger and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, one of the answers that I gave was:

"When I grow up, I want to be like Rick Springfield." Harhar!



Rick was the quintessentially cool rock star. And his songs were totally infectious. That's why his songs were always on my playlist. Especially his song "Love Somebody" which I sang non-stop as a young boy.

Yup, I suddenly feel like a young boy again.

You can tell it's Isabel

Finally, the photos of the full collection of Isabel Marant for H&M has been released. (Cue in screams from fast fashion fanatics and the sound of plans being made to visit their nearest H&M store.)

As in their past collaborations, Isabel's collection looks like a "best of" selection with a lot of her signature pieces and looks incorporated in the capsule line. Among the lot, there were a few looks that caught my eye:

The loose blouse, patterned jeans and boots are very Isabel. And the way they're put together echo her Parisian-bohemian sensibilities.

Milla Jovovich modeling one of the dresses from the collection. You know it's serious when it's Milla wearing the clothes and boots.

This patterned and beaded jacket is very reminiscent of her S/S2013 collection where she played with black, white and red elements. It's similar to the collection that trickled down to Mango.

Yup, it's Isabel Marant alright. And I'm sure her devoted fans can't wait to get their hands on these items.

Let the anticipation begin!

Raise your brows in the air!

This ad is genius! Seriously funny in its simplicity. And I'm sure it raised a lot of eyebrows since it was aired.



It's one of those ads that I wish I thought of myself.

This definitely works!

Britney has a new single! And she's working it!



Can't wait until the music video comes out.

Auto Pilotto

The hype surrounding 3.1 Phillip Lim x Target hasn't died down yet, and now they've announced their next collaboration for February 2014!

It's Peter Pilotto!



He's such a master when it comes to prints - much like Suno and Mary Katrantzou! I can't wait to see what he'll make for Target.

Hahn solo

One of the more underrated Hollywood actresses is Kathryn Hahn. She's a brilliant comedienne with impeccable timing and the zaniest facial expressions.

My first recollection of her was in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days." Eventually, she went on to be part of film like "Wanderlust" and "The Holiday." (Which is one of the top rom-com movies. Ever!) On TV, I've seen her on "Girls" and "Parks and Recreation," and she never fails to crack me up.

I've been trying to look for another film which stars Kathryn, and I found out that she's starring in "We're the Millers." In a supporting role, of course.

But with a talent like hers, she should really get her solo movie very soon.

G Whiz!

Saturdays are always fun days for me. This is the day that I get to teach. And despite having to wake up at 5:30am to get to my 7:30am class, I find myself having so much energy to face my 2 classes, and enough energy to consult with my students right after.

Then there are days when classes are extra fun, like today.

Our lesson was about proper interview techniques for Investigative Journalism, and we played "20 questions" as warm-up. Among the 8 pairs that played the game, one pair clearly stood out. Their interaction went something like this:

STUDENT 1: Lalaki ba ito?
STUDENT 2: Oo!
STUDENT 1: May asawa ba ito?
STUDENT 2: Hmmm... Puwede.
STUDENT 1: Bakit puwede? Hindi lang ba mag-isa yung lalaki? Group ba sila?
STUDENT 2: Oo! Oo!
STUDENT 1: Anong first letter ng pangalan ng group? A? C? G?
STUDENT 2: Oo! Oo!
STUDENT 1: G! So, group 'to na ang pangalan nag-sta-start sa letter G! Sikat 'ba itong group na 'to?
STUDENT 2: Oo! Oo!
STUDENT 1: Taga-Pilipinas ba sila?
STUDENT 2: Oo!
STUDENT 1: So, sikat na group ng lalaki na taga-Pilipinas, tapos ang name nila starts with the letter G? Ah! Alam ko na ang answer! Alam ko na!
STUDENT 2: Ano? Dali!
STUDENT 1: GOMBURZA!!!

The word we were trying to make her guess was: Gilas Pilipinas!

FMM: All for Janet

Because of this Janet Jackson surprise video that I wrote about a few weeks ago, the song "All for you," has been playing in my head almost everyday. Yes, it has become a full blown LSS.

Since today's a Friday, I'm going to go all out at declare it today's Friday Magic Madness song!



It's all for you, Janet. It's all for you.

Give me a piece of this!

Here's a good reason to go back to Las Vegas soon!

Britney Spears will have a year-long concert in Planet Hollywood! This might be the chance I've been waiting for to watch Ms. Spears, Live!

Rockin' Robyn

Back in the 90s, one of the most popular songs that they played in the disco (yes, that's what they were called back then,) was a song entitled "Do you really want me." Once this ditty was played, you can expect a flood of people on the dance floor.



The song was sung by a breakthrough artist from Sweden named Robyn. Believe it or not, she was just 16 years old when she released this single. Needless to say, it propelled her to pop star status in her home country, and all around the world.

At 18, she sang "Show me love," which fast became another favorite chill-dance hit. It would be safe to say that everyone from my generation knows this song.



As she grew older, so did her sound. While she stayed true to her electronica roots, her voice has matured, and so has the themes and lyrics of her songs. One of her hit songs from her 2010 album was "Dancing on my own." It's a song that showed a grittier side of Robyn, which I enjoyed.



After 15 years of making music, Robyn has definitely changed in terms of sound and songs. But one thing hasn't changed. She still rocks!

Mark your calendar!

From our first celebration in Urasa until tonight's lunch and dinner combo at The Podium, celebrating your birthday is always a fun and memorable occasion.

Omedetou Tanjoobi Gozaimasu, Mark! Here's to much, much more celebrations ahead!

Fashion Accent 2

I've always been a fan of Catherine Malandrino's design work. And after viewing this video, I've become a much bigger fan because of another thing:



Her accent!

Listening to her speak is such a joy to the ears. She really sounds so cool!

Romoff if you want to...

Admittedly, local fast fashion and designer collaborations don't appeal to me that much. The last collaboration that really interested me was the Kashieca & Randy Ortiz collection back in 2010. After that, everything just seemed so blah.

But as I strolled along the mall today, this poster caught my eye.

I've seen some editorials featuring Vania Romoff's work, and her aesthetic has that feminine yet edgy vibe.

I'm interested to see her entire collection for Ensembles.

A Lela Rose by any other name

It was sometime last year when I first caught sight of these mustard pumps from the Lela Rose for Payless collection. 

This pair has so much going for it. The color is bold yet classic. The design is funky yet versatile. And the details - like the heel - add much needed oomph to the design.

When I dropped by Payless Ali Mall on my way home, I saw this pair again, and now it's on sale! It's around 70% off!

To buy or not to buy, that is the question.

FMM: Yeah Ye

I'm not sure when this song was popularized. All I remember is that we listened to this song a lot while working overtime in the late 90s to the early 2000s. It brings me back to the time when DY&R was still  in Wynsum Building, and we'd be working on Myra 300-E.



The 60s vibe of this song is so cool. It's enough to make you say Ye-ye!

The Dork Side

After filling out my time sheet at work, this photo popped up after closing the program:

Apparently, our time sheet homepage posts random photos of office events, and it just so happened that one of them is this snap taken last April during our company outing.

I vaguely remember this photo being taken. But one thing is clear: I look like a dork in this photo.

It's a McCloudy day!

It's been a while since I was moved by a performance by a singer on a talent show. The last one was Susan Boyle's audition on "Britain's Got Talent."

Then today, I saw this:



Somebody please just cut the competition and make Lillie McCloud win already. Her voice is perfection! It has the right blend of power, soul and restraint. And would you believe she's 54 years old and a grandma? How awesome is that?

My forecast for X-Factor is clear. It's going to be McClouds all the way.

Gatcha!

When I was a kid, I was a huge fan of the animated series "G Force." So, imagine my thrill when I read that they came out with a live-action film in Japan.

It's Gatchaman!

Hopefully, they'll show this here in Manila. I really gatcha watch this!

Material world

Lelis has now gotten used to my sisters' physiques, judging by the perfect fit of the last few dresses she made. With this development, it was time to revisit the fabric archive and having them made into clothes.

While digging through the pile, I found these 3 particular printed pieces that I felt would make great materials for dresses.

First is a silk jersey fabric with cenefa. The print was repeated on two halves of the fabric in a crosswise orientation. When I looked at it again, I thought that it would look so much better if it's sewn with the print in a horizontal orientation. This gives it a digital mirror print effect that would look smashing as a maxi-dress.

Second, I found this silky fabric with a vibrant tropical leaf print that's rendered in royal blue. It somehow reminds me of Dolce & Gabbana's chili prints, mixed with Stella McCartney's fruit motifs. This fabric will look great as a vintage-style dress.

Finally, another silk jersey dress with a sunny color and print. This will look great as a blouse, or a knee length dress.

Now that the fabrics are all here, it's time to send these to the dressmaker and make her use her magic to turn these materials into something magnificent.

Baby and Mama

Welcome Baby Aidan! He looks so much like her Ate Audrey when she was a baby.

And Happy Birthday, Mama Mary!

Beach bumming around

Being our first (and only) full day in Boracay, Mark, Pat, Madel and I wasted no time and did all these:

- Early morning walk to the Grotto
- Breakfast at Jonah's
- First Jonah's shake
- Morning swim
- Walked from Station 1 to Station 2
- Shopping for supplies at D' Mall
- Lunch at Paradise Grill
- Walked around D' Mall
- Afternoon chill out at Starbucks
- Afternoon swim
- Dinner at Maya
- Second Jonah's shake
- Pasalubong shopping at D' Mall

Packed, yes. But packed with fun, worthwhile things that were so relaxed, it felt like we were doing nothing.

Basically, it was a "busy doing nothing" day.

FMM: Island life

Since I'll be spending my weekend on an island, it's but fitting that today's Friday Magic Madness song has an island vibe to it. Time to bring out "The Caribbean Disco Show."



Like most of the songs that I bring back during Fridays, this one has a special sentiment attached to it. My Dad had a cassette tape of this song and we'd listen to it when we were kids. Heck, we'd even dance and sing to it. My favorite part was always "Coconut woman."

And with that thought, let the Island vacation begin!

(Play)suit up!

One of my fashion friends had this funny quote about playsuits:

"Wearing a playsuit is nice. Then you realize, you need to go to the bathroom."

Imagine, you need to remove everything - from the top-down - each time you need to go pee. Tedious indeed. 

Now, Ate Bullet loves playsuits. In fact, I've seen her rocking the black Plains and Prints playsuit I bought her a few years back. But like most women, I'm sure she dreads the thought of going to the bathroom.

Unless you come up with a fashionable solution. Like this:

This is what I call the "non-playsuit playsuit." It's a pretty and dainty floral concoction that brings together all the nice qualities of the playsuit. It has a continuous print, short and easy to move around in, and has a non-chalant vibe to it.

The reason why it's a "non-playsuit" is this:

They're actually separates! It's a combination I found at SM Department Store, and they weren't sold as a set. In fact, the top was in one part of the store, while the shorts were in another. But when I saw both, I knew this was going to be a winning combination.

When I gave this to Ate Bullet, she was thrilled! So thrilled that she fit the ensemble and walked around the house wearing it while telling me the occasions when she plans to use it.

Yes, I think she'll have a grand time playing with this look.

Loud and Claire's

One international accessories brand that slipped quietly into the Philippines is Claire's. Heck, I didn't even know about it until I saw in on the web today.

Claire's is one of my go-to places when I buy pasalubong abroad. I was first introduced to Claire's in the US. They also have it in Japan, having first seen it in Osaka, then later in Tokyo.

It's the type of place of my teenage nieces would go all agog over. They have a vast selection of accessories - from hair accessories to jewelry to bags. Their designs are also very eclectic - from the classics to loud pieces. There's definitely something for everyone at Claire's.

While I'm glad to see this brand in the country, I'm concerned about its longevity. Some of the recently opened accessory stores in the Philippines - including Accessorize and Love Diva - haven't been very successful in marketing an "accessories only" store. In fact, some of their stores have already shut down.

I just hope Claire's doesn't suffer the same fate.

Stop for a moment

For no apparent reason, the Spice Girls popped in my head, and I had the urge to listen to "Stop."



Yes, it's a Spice Girl moment.

This old rag-lan

At the basement of SM Megamall, near Fabric Warehouse, there's a quaint fabric store that sells a lot of pretty silks in interesting prints. Among them was this pink fabric with charcoal flowers that gave it a graphic vibe and kept it from being too saccharine.

The moment I saw it, I knew it would look great as a dress. So, I bought a few yards, and off to the dressmaker I went.

For this particular fabric, the thought of raglan sleeves came to mind. For me, it's one of the more universally flattering styles. Plus, it has this relaxed vibe that reminds me of American baseball games on the 4th of July. I thought, if that relaxed vibe can be combined with a chic and elegant fabric, that would be a great combination.

So, I went over to Carolina's and bought a yard of lace fabric. From these two contrasting fabrics, the raglan dress was created.

The black lace echoed the black print of the dress, and it held the look together. Given that the sleeve style was already decided on, it was just a matter of deciding what to do with the entire dress.

For Ate Bullet, we went of a simple shift dress. She's partial to silhouettes that are sleek and classic, and the print lent itself well to this style.

For Ate Lissa, we went with something a little bit more swingy and flirty - a 50s-style dress with a full skirt.

To highlight her waist, we added a pink faux-belt which added that feeling of vintage to the dress.

Aside from the fabric and the raglan sleeve, another detail that both dresses have is the see through back. Since lace is a fabric that is known to be on the sexy side, we though of pushing the sexy envelope a bit more and altogether skipped the lining at the back.

Seeing how nice these 2 dresses came out, I think we'll have the dressmaker make a couple more raglan style dresses in the near future.

Still more words of wisdom from Fr. Dave

It's been a while since I attended a mass at EDSA Shrine with Fr. Dave as the officiant. For the past few months, I'd always catch Fr. Benjo.

But today, I caught Fr. Dave! True to form, he gave a very spirited and humorous homily, but one that's rooted on a very important lesson - humility.

Today's words of wisdom:

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."

True words, Fr. Dave. True words indeed.