FMM: Where is it?

Today, I looked for 3 different people, and was given the same answer all 3 times.

"Somewhere."

That inspired me to look for the song of the same title. It's Friday anyway, and Friday Magic Madness is all about old songs. And this one goes all the way back to 1961, and it's from the musical "West Side Story."

Although the Barbra Streisand version from 1985 is more popular, I like the original one more. It has more grit and emotion, which is what the song just needed.

So, excuse me. I'll be somewhere listening to this song.

Well, hello there!

Thanks to Josef, I have a pack of Vita Lemon Tea today.

Gosh! Sipping this made me realize how much I've missed it. After it's been 5 months since my last visit to HKG.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Vita Lemon Tea rocks!

Parfois Perfection

There are 5 words that never fail to grab my attention.

"Buy One, Get One Free."

When these words are emblazoned outside my favorite stores, it becomes a drop-everything-moment and I find myself browsing endlessly inside.

Parfois - that French fast-fashion and accessory brand - is one of those stores. True enough, they had those words posted outside the Megamall branch. And that led me to these:

Four pairs of shoes! For the price of two! Two extremely affordable shoes!

It was a good mix of sneakers, loafers and sandals - all on the cheap!

Thing is, the sale will be running until mid-September.

You know where to find me.

Two wrong!

In a span of a few days, I've seen the same error done twice.

And the victim of the infraction? Miriam College.

Get a spellchecker people!

Another commercial break!

We're really doing a lot of commercials this year.

It's making 2018 busy good.

Last week's on-line was easy-breezy. And why not? The commercial is really, really, really wild!

Can't wait until it comes out.

Julia is back!

Julia has a new film coming in December!



The trailer is intriguing.

I can't wait until this comes up on the big screen!

Shrowback Saturday

Because it's late for a #ThrowbackThursday and a #FlashbackFriday, I'm going to declare today #ShrowbackSaturday.

Kuya Ers posted this old photo of our DYR-Alcantara days in the early 2000s!

Gosh! I miss that office.

FMM: Bend the Neil

We were remarking at how fast the days are. Imagine, it's the last week of August! Soon enough, it's September! And we all know what that means. (Hello, Jose Mari Chan!)

The fast turning of the calendar inspired my Friday Magic Madness song for today. It's a really, really oldie, but really, really goody!



You can never go wrong with Neil Sedaka on a relaxed Friday night.

Frankly Avalon

Watsons is really a treasure trove of personal care surprises.

About a month ago, I discovered a brand called Avalon Organics in one of their stores. Since I was looking for shower gels that time, their Rosemary variant called to me. So I ended up buying it, along with the Rosemary lotion that was positioned beside it.

It was an awesome decision. The scent is phenomenal, the body feel is great, and the feeling stays with you for a long time.

This brand is definitely part of the repertoire now.

Jen-uinely stylish!

The cover girl for the September issue of InStyle is always something I look forward to.

Without fail, they get a megawatt celebrity with an effervescent personality. And of course, an unquestionable sense of style.

And they hit the nail on the head once again this year!

Jennifer Aniston is undoubtedly one of the most lovable and fashionable stars in Hollywood. She's graced the cover of InStyle multiple times, but I think this is her first September cover. I haven't bought InStyle locally the past year, but this will definitely change that.

*runs to the magazine store*

Cracks me up!

As a huge fan of "The Nutcracker," I've always waited for a live-action and contemporary retelling of the story.

Of course, I've seen its cartoon incarnations like "The Nutcracker Prince," and "The Nutcracker and the Mouse Prince." But when I found out that Disney is making a new version, I was psyched!



I'm going nuts about it already!

Thank you berry matcha!

When Mark came back from Japan a few weeks ago, he brought home something new and yummers!

He knows I'm a fan of KitKat, particularly the special flavored ones. Matcha has been around so much in Manila that it isn't unique anymore. That is unless there's a twist to the flavor.

And there is!

He brought home a Matcha-Berry KitKat!

Mark knows I'm a big fan of berries. I'm also a big fan of Matcha KitKat. Ergo, this is a one-two punch!

Arigato Gozaimasu, Mark!

Cutest. Selfie. Ever!

Today's cuteness is brought to you, again, by my grandson, Noah!

Melts!

In Poetic Fashion

In Greek Mythology, Calliope is the muse of eloquence and poetry. She always created beautiful things, that's why she's often seen with a tablet or paper on her hand.

With that context, the fast fashion brand Calliope fits its namesake.

It's an underrated brand that isn't as big as H&M, Zara, Cotton On and the other more famous fast fashion houses in Manila. But despite the size, they're really big on style. Whenever I pass by their store, I find something covet-worthy.

On this weekend's trip to Calliope, I found - and had to buy - this skirt.

It has a beautiful, African print which is so vibrant and eye-catching. It also has a classic flare silhouette, and a gross grain ribbon to accentuate the waist.

Then, I paired it with a plain, black tee from the same brand.

Like the poetic creations of Calliope (the muse), this ensemble from Calliope (the brand) is also a poetic thing of beauty.

FMM: Nothing but Respect

Another great singer has joined the major concert up in the sky with The Lord.

The announcement of Aretha Franklin's death yesterday left millions saddened. Her voice was a powerful testament to women and their rights. And she did it through her beautiful songs that were as singable and danceable as they were relevant.

And for that, Aretha Franklin deserves respect.



Such a fitting way to celebrate today's Friday Magic Madness.

Nos vemos

It's always a joy to spend time with them, and always melancholic when it's time for them to go back to BCN.

As always, it was great spending time with you guys. See you again soon!

Stripe two!

If you're looking for something matchy-matchy for you and your S.O., Uniqlo is always a good place to go.

Their special collections, particularly the Uniqlo U and J.W. Anderson collections are filled with matching options for his and her.

Just like this striped duo that I recently found.

The "her" item is a striped shirt dress, and the "his" is a short sleeved shirt.

A couple will definitely look good with this.

WATN: Bye, bye, American Pie

It's been almost 20 years since the film "American Pie" hit the theaters and made people ROTFL with their antics. It was that generation's coming-of-age-film, coupled with a lot of naughty bits.

That film actually launched a lot of careers in the early 2000s. From the likes of Mena Suvari who made a mark in "American Beauty," and Jason Biggs who became the Bill Pullman of that decade.

Now though, almost all of the stars of that film have faded. I haven't heard of anything from anyone in this poster.

Makes me wonder what happened to all of them.

Shazam-azing!

This one I didn't see coming.

There's an upcoming movie on Shazam!



As one of my favorite childhood heroes, I'm definitely keeping my eye on this.

Cute-ah!

This moment of cuteness is brought to you by my grandson in Utah!

Baby Noah is so adorbz! I just want to reach into the screen and pinch his cheeks!

Can't wait to see you again.

Let Sleeping Cats of the South Lie

In this edition of "Let sleeping cats lie," a cute, sleeping feline in Cebu!

No matter where in the country they are, they're still unbearably cute!

FMM: Loving Lindo

With the rest of the BCN crew arriving in Manila today, it was time to practice our little Spanish once again.

While my cousin, Ester, practiced her English on us, we practiced our Spanish on her. She was surprised that I still memorize the "Padre Nuestro," and that I still remember some of the songs in that language.

On that note, today's Friday Magic Madness song is an homage to the Spanish language. It's a song we used to hear a lot of as kids, and still has the same impact now.



"Cielito Lindo" by Trio Los Panchos has a sentimental sound to it. And it's a feeling that stays until now.

Get a Clue!

Twenty-three years ago, the film "Clueless" debuted on the big screen. Who can forget the iconic yellow plaid ensemble that Cher wore? That's a classic!

So classic that 4 years ago, Iggy Azalea reprised the look in her "Fancy" music video.



And the trend keeps on giving. Passed through Stradivarius tonight, and here's what they have displayed on their window.

That should everyone a clue that the look is really a classic.

Boodle Boodle Gang

For our monthly creative breakfast, we wanted to go back to our roots and do something very Pinoy.

And what can be more Pinoy than a Boodle Fight!

I never realized that setting up a boodle table could be so fun and fulfilling. Which means I'll be doing this again soon.

Let the Children's laughter...

Among the things that Alejandra wanted to accomplish while she was in Cebu was to visit and orphanage and spend time with kids.

Thanks to the speedy efforts of Kevin, he was able to coordinate with The Little Sisters of Christ The King - an orphanage and shelter being run by Franciscan Nuns in Talamban.

Both Ale and Kevin pooled their resources to buy lunch for the kids, as well as supplies that was much needed by orphanage. Since they're not funded by the government, they need all the help they can get for their daily living. Sister was saying that the rice, sugar, canned goods and other goodies will go a long way in helping them help the 24 kids under their care.

All the 24 kids introduced themselves and shared their dreams for the future. In the room, there were aspiring doctors, teachers, lawyers, flight attendants, accountants, chefs and journalists. Amazingly, their dreams were aligned with who we were, and this was a source of thrill for the kids.

Then, they had a dance number which was all about love and sharing love. It was so apt for the company and the prevalent feeling in the room that morning.

This was followed by lunch, and almost an hour of just talking to and interacting with the kids. It was so gratifying to hear the children laugh and enjoy the time they spent with us.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and it was time for us to go back to the city. Our flight was in a few hours and we still had to fix our stuff. 

It was bittersweet because we all wanted to spend more time with the kids of The Little Sisters. But as I promised one of the girls I spoke to, we'll be back soon.

Southern Comfort

There's always a warm, comfy feeling when you get together with relatives in a different place.

Then, when those relatives are awesome folks who you're meeting for the first time in your life, there's an added feeling of wonder and delight.

That's the feeling we got last Saturday when we met our Cebu-based relatives. Dad has been long trying to arrange this meeting, and with Alejandra in town, we thought it was the best time to do it. Not only will we meet them, they'll also get to meet their granddaughter from BCN.

Needless to say, the evening was filled with great, home cooked food, and even wonderful conversation. It was such a thrill to meet Titos, cousins and nieces for the first time! I didn't know we had uber cool relatives in Cebu!

There's always a warm, comfy feeling when you get together with relatives for the first time in a different place. And I'm sure this won't be the last.

At the heart of it all

My visit to Cebu is never complete without hearing mass at Sacred Heart Parish. The same parish where LuAnn and Mads got married almost 7 years ago.

Some places really feel like home.

From BCN to MNL to CEB

This weekend is going to be epic!

My niece from Barcelona is in Cebu as a medical volunteer, and my nephew who's currently based in Cebu met up with her. Then, my sister and I flew in from Manila to join the fun.

Family really doesn't know any boundaries.

FMM: Boom!

Since we're heading to Cebu this weekend, my Friday Magic Madness is the song that inspired the old "Cebu - Ceboom" tourism ditty.

Today, we're going back - way back to 1956 - with this classic from "The Crew Cuts." Presenting, Sh-boom!



See you in a bit, Cebu!

Marshall Law

The first time we met Adela Marshall was during the shoot of our Smiley's commercial 2 years ago. From the story of her Mom, she just came to the Philippines to visit, someone scouted her, and she started doing commercials.

Even back then, I found her very charismatic, the camera loves her, and she has a very nice disposition. You can say that it was "Model attitude."

When she appeared in Philippines' Next Top Model, she made it to top 2. It was well deserved.

And now, she's on the 6th cycle of Asia's Next Top Model!



Just like in the local version, I'm sure she'll go very, very far.

Tulle legit

While some people find tulle to be a cheesy bridal fabric, I happen to find it very chic and elegant.

When used properly, tulle can make the wearer look ethereal and seem like she's walking on air. That's why during my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, tulle was my fabric of choice for the gowns of my sisters.

Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2019 collection has a lot of tulle as well. And true to Monique's style and aesthetic, the pieces exude quiet elegance and unmistakable style. Just like this beautiful, blush pink confection.

This is inspiring me to work with tulle again sometime soon.