Purr-fect!

I've been an avid cat lover since I was a child. In fact, I had a couple of pet cats when I was in High School. 

That cat-geek in me came alive once more when we visited a Cat Cafe in Ebisu today!

I must say, this place is the cat's meow!

Meals with Mark: Hey Mickey D!

In any country, McDonald's is a favorite go-to restaurant. It's a fact, even in Japan. And yesterday, as we were looking for Pichon's toy in Akihabara, we decided to have a quick and filling lunch at Mickey Ds!

The new item on their menu? A strawberry pie, in time for the spring season.

I have a feeling we'll be back in McDonald's really soon.

Meals with Mark: It's a Thai!

It was our first night in Tokyo, so we were looking for a big and hearty meal to start off this vacation. Mark suggested this eat-all-you-can Thai buffet at Mango Tree Cafe, and that's where we had our first meal.

Being a huge fan of Thai food, I absolutely enjoyed dinner. They had Pad Thai, Tom Yum, Pad Grapao, and an assortment of thai tea and dessert. We left the restaurant happy, all the way to our tummies.

I wonder what other culinary adventures await us on this trip.

Hello again!

Hey Haneda! I missed you!

My shoes and I are ready for another Tokyo adventure.

Let's do this!

FMM: This is King!

Last night, during our color grading sessions, we were talking about songs from the 90s. Our producer mentioned a song that was my favorite, and I realized that I haven't heard this song in a decade!

So here it is!



Diana King's "Shy Guy"!

Now here's a groovy way to spend Friday.

Tile Style

There are a lot of nice prints in the Milly x Kohl's collection. But this one has to be my favorite.

It's this tile print in different shades of blue, and it does remind me of Capri.

Another item to look out for!

Milly's money piece

After anxiously waiting for several months, they've finally released the look book for the Milly x Kohl's collaboration!

Her collection was inspired by Capri, and it was easy to spot the influence in the silhouettes and the prints. And among the many, many offerings, this - for me - is the money piece.

This pair is easy to dress up or dress down, and will work for any season. It also has a black version, but I think this one looks fresher.

Now, on to the Kohl's website and try to snag this one!

Ora et Labora

Today is the big day!

Batch 2014-2015 of St. Scholastica's College will now go up the stage to receive their diplomas, culminating their 4-year journey in Mass Comm.

This is a special batch for me because it's the first batch I handled as Chairperson of the Department. And while I wasn't there physically, my heart is there, filled with pride, as they graduate.

Congratulations, 4MC-ADV, 4MC-BJ, 4MC-DC and 4MC-PJ! May you always carry the spirit of Ora et Labora in all your endeavors!

A man of Man-E-Faces

During my conversation with Pichon during the wedding, our topic eventually led us to our common ground - Toys!

We were both huge fans of He-Man, and rabidly collected the action figures. We asked each other if we remembered the first figure we bought from the collection, and I vividly remember who my first figure was.

It was Man-E-Faces!

I lost this toy a long time ago. Heck, I might even have given it to Patrick or Pichon. But I still remember how it looked like, how it felt, and how thrilled I was when I bought this toy in Nova Fontana.

Maybe I'll look for one of these in Japan. Just for old time's sake.

My cousin's wedding

Even before Patrick became a child star, a multi-awarded actor, and a household name, he was - for us - a cousin.

Every summer, they'd go to our house in Morato, or we'd go to their house in Del Monte. There, we'd play a gamut of games, from the classic tag to G.I. Joes. Other times, we'd go to Valle Verde Country Club and go swimming, along with his siblings Pichon and Cheka, as well as their cousins, Shasha and Bunny.

Yesterday, little Icky Boy finally tied the knot, and we were more than happy to witness the union.

What was awesome about the wedding was the fact that I got to see some of my childhood friends and cousins who I haven't seen in decades. That includes John-John, who's now taller than everyone and just goes by the name John.

(John is the tall guy beside me) 

I also had a good conversation with Shasha (or Sharmaine in showbiz circles) and had a good laugh over our childhood antics.

It was so much fun reconnecting with people from my childhood that we saw the wedding not as a showbiz wedding (though there were a lot of 90s actors present) but a family affair. An event where we saw our little cousin turn into a man, and starting his new life with his new family.

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Fab!

Coinciding with Kurt's prom last week, Dad, Raymond, Kevin and Kurt thought of having a little fun. Taking a cue from Kurt, they all wore coats and did their very own Abbey Road photo.

They were, indeed, a Fab Four!

FMM: Hardcore!

One of my favorite acts from the 70s is Tavares. And one of my favorite Tavares songs is "Hardcore Poetry."



This song is perfection! From the lyrics, to the way it was sung.

It was sung so beautifully, it became a sort of exhibition piece for singers. If they're able to sing it the way Tavares sung it, then they've made it.

I've heard a lot of showbands try to sing this song, but nothing comes close to the original.

Birthday March

It's that time of the month again. I had to whip up a theme and poster for our monthly birthday get together.

Since it's the lenten season and we're supposed to abstain from meat, I thought, what about a seafood party!

Now here's a get together I'd definitely want to catch. (Pun intended.)

Missed roads

While scanning the net, I saw this photo of how the EDSA-Ortigas crossing looked like in the 90s.

Gosh, I remember this time when the flyovers weren't there yet, and there weren't too many high rise buildings in Ortigas.

How I wish they could've maintained EDSA this way.

Morning Madness

A week ago, I told our producer that I miss the old days when we'd shoot commercials until the wee hours of the morning.

So what happens a week after? Our shoot wraps up at 4:30am the next day!

Yup, I missed this feeling. (Let's just not do it again anytime soon.)

All aboard!

I don't know who laid out the viewing seats for our shoot, but it definitely looks like a bus ride to me.

You give me fever.

In case you see me focused and busy on my phone, it's most likely because I'm playing Cooking Fever. Hahaha.

I swear, this game is addicting. (Maybe it's because I used to be a McDonald's crew and can totally relate to this game.

Suddenly Summer

Suddenly, without warning, the sun is up and is usually scorching hot during noontime. That can only mean that summer is upon us.

In the U.S., summer is an excuse to bring out a new, more relaxed, and airy outfit. So, I thought my sisters could use a more relaxed and airy outfit as well. 

And here they are:

First, a cotton dress with very summer hues of beige and poppy.

Then, a pair of khaki colored sandals that picks up from the beige color of the dress.

And voila, summer outfit # 1.

Here's another color option. This one has different shades of blue, giving it a nautical vibe.

For this dress, a black sandal is in order.

Add these two together, and you have summer outfit # 2.

And with those, Ate Lissa and Ate Bullet are both ready for summer.

FMM: Mama John

Olivia Newton-John has to be one of the 80s coolest singers. Not only is she pretty and sings excellently, she also had a lot of breakthrough songs with equally awesome videos.

And this Friday the 13th, here are two of my favorite ONJ ditties:

1. Strange Twist of Fate


2. Living in Desperate Times


These might have been songs from the 80s, but they can very well fit in with today's playlists.

Shadowlands

Initially, I just wanted to take a photo of the interesting floor details in Roxas City. But when I snapped a photo, I ended up with this even more interesting shot.

Everything's coming up Roxas

This year's first domestic destination is Roxas City in Capiz. 

I've read about its rustic quality, and rustic places always appeal to me. That's why I was so interested to see what Roxas City had to offer.

Even if I just stayed there overnight, the place didn't disappoint. There were a lot of elements that made it feel like a quiet, provincial town. Some parts actually reminded me of Bicol, which is always good in my book.

First, it had a lot of old houses that they turned into shops.

It follows the old Spanish layout where the town plaza is in the middle and is surrounded by a church, the city hall, and a commercial center.

The statues have a vintage vibe to them. Check out this statue of former President Manuel Roxas.

The city's main bridge is about a block long. But it doesn't keep it from being photogenic.

Old churches. I love them. And they have it here.

There's also a rotunda with a water fountain where all vehicles pass through going to the city.

Roxas City is definitely a place I'd like to explore some more. Too bad I only had a weekend there. 

But hey, I'll take that as my cue to come back to Roxas City soon.

Fresh

Roxas City is the Seafood Capital of Visayas. That's why it was no surprise that this was one of the first things we saw when we arrived.

We had breakfast at a "dampa-style" restaurant along Baybay, and there were women who were selling fresh fish.

They had fishes in all shapes and sizes, but I wasn't prepared to see a shark in the pile. (Yup, the long one at the bottom part is a shark)

Needless to say, we were eating fresh seafood for 2 days during that trip.

In the Works

Last Saturday, I was rushing to my gate at NAIA-3. But even if I was in a rush, I had to stop and take a photo of this. 

They're opening a Bath and Body Works store in NAIA-3!!!

One more time. THEY'RE OPENING A BATH AND BODY WORKS STORE IN NAIA-3!!!

Now the bigger question is, where will they open first in the "outside world."

That's a question that I'd really like to know the answer to.

En Garde!

It's that time of year again.

The Mass Comm faculty dressed up for the 9th Hildegarde Awards for Women in Media and Communication. This year, we awarded Ditsi Carolino for her work in Documentary and Film, as well as the late Susan Calo-Medina for her work in Travel Time.

I was particularly thrilled when Travel Time won because it was one of the shows that planted that seed of wanderlust in me. My love for travel was largely due to that show.

And it's only fitting that a day after the awards, I'm writing this blog entry as I travel to Roxas City.

He would've jived at 105!

If Lolo were still alive today, he would have been 105 years old!

Happy Birthday, Lolo. It's been 25 years, but we still miss you everyday.

FMM: Shining example

This Friday, instead of an old song, an old jingle played in my mind.

One of my favorite commercials of all time is this corporate ad for Philippine Airlines.



Aside from the stunning visuals, what drew me to this was the song. It was nicely written, and wonderfully arranged. Everytime I hear this, I feel proud to be living in the Philippines. Plus, I'm inspired to travel around some more.

Which is very apt because I'm going to Roxas City tomorrow for work.

Time to see the beauty of  Capiz come shining through.

Bye Bye Basic House

When they started selling their already-on-sale-items on a buy-one-take-one scheme, I knew it was trouble for Basic House.

True enough, their stores in Megamall, Greenhills and SM North EDSA are all closed.

I guess it didn't have as strong an appeal as Uniqlo. Or maybe the franchisers' coffers aren't that deep.

Another brand bites the dust.

Funky!

Today's last song syndrome is brought to you by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars!



I can listen to this all day!

Doppelgangers!

While I was walking down the corridor, I heard someone call me "Kuya Jun." I ignored it, of course.

Then, upon reaching the creative area, I saw Jun. And now I know why they thought I was him.

Yes, it's one of those "My-gosh!-We're-wearing-the-same-thing-day."

A shadow of it's former jean-ius self

Back in the 90s, one of the must-have brands was Girbaud. It was a French brand of apparel and accessories, and one of the first European fast fashion brands to arrive in Manila.

They were known for their revolutionary and innovative designs, particularly with jeans. While Levi's, Wrangler and other denim brands went for simple and classic, Girbaud went for wild and unconventional. Their jeans were either super slim or ultra baggy, and had interesting details like oversized belt loops or denim fringes that went down to the floor.

Another defining characteristic of Girbaud was its price. Back then, it was one of the premium jean brands with some styles running up to P4,000. (That time, a Levi's 501 would be somewhere within the P1,500-P2,000 range.) That made it more coveted, and the brand became a status symbol of sorts.

Last weekend, I dropped by the Girbaud store in SM. It was merely a shadow of its former self. The store wasn't well-stocked, with only a few pieces of apparel and a raggedy collection of wallets and bags. Most of their items were either 50% off or on a Buy 1, Get 1 promo. And the jeans... sadly, there were very few styles available, and the innovative designs I liked about this brand were all gone.

There was one design that I liked, though. I asked for my size, tried it on, and it turned out to be really nice. When I checked out the price, it was less than P1,000. A Girbaud, for less than P1,000. That's how far they are from the Girbaud of the 90s.

Then again, I got a nice pair of Girbaud jeans for a really good price. So, being a shadow of your former self isn't all that bad.

Thai-ed up

I've always been a huge fan of Thai food.

Back in HKG, we had a number of Thai haunts, including our favorite "Thai Auntie apartment" in North Point. Then, there's the former "Great Food Hall" in Pacific Place. (Which later became Lane Crawford.)

In Manila, I've tried some Thai places that I really, really liked. My favorite was the Thai canteen which used to be in U.P., but that closed several years ago. 

One place that I've always liked and is still open is Chariya's Authentic Thai canteen. I first tried this many years ago along Jupiter Street, and their Pad Thai was da bomb! It was legit and reminded me of Bangkok each time I ordered it.

The one in Jupiter is closed now, but thankfully they still have a stall in Manila. And since I was craving for Pad Thai today, that's where I ended up eating.