FMM: Punctuated

People our age are lucky because we grew up with shows that were fun, entertaining, but more importantly, educational.

It was through "Sesame Street" that I learned a lot of Spanish words. And "Electric Company" taught me a lot about English spelling and grammar.

One of the songs that was always in my mind and came in handy during my English classes in grade school. And it's today's Friday Magic Madness song.

"Punctuations," is a very catchy way to learn about punctuation marks and their functions. It worked for me then, and I still appreciate it until now.

Period.

Too many Cooks

Rachael Leigh Cook, that is.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of her. In fact, in 2018, I was wondering where she was now. 

Luckily, my wish to see her on-screen more often was granted. She's been very visible on Netflix, both for her old films and new releases. 

Her most recent one is a travel rom-com aptly titled: "A Tourist's Guide to Love."

Yup, just like in "She's All That," she can still carry that quirky-girl personality with a rom-com touch.

Can't wait what she'll be cooking up next.

LFLTAT: Go, Cargo

Mainly because of Kurt’s brand, Ate has been into Cargo Pants of late. That’s why i’ve also been buying her cargo pants in different styles.

But recently, I spotted this cargo skirt at Surplus Shop and immediately bought it.

For the top, found this white top at The Landmark, which is a great pair with the skirt. After all, khaki and white is such a classic pairing.

Another great thing about this ensemble is the price. This pair only cost P700!

At that price point, it’s so easy to go with this outfit.

Zip, Zip, Hooray!

If we’re looking for a sign to go back and visit Tokyo again soon, this could be it:

There’s a new LCC called ZipAir. And looking at the features of the airline, it’s very, very promising.

Hope to be able to Zip to Tokyo soon.

Back with a surprise

While my haul from the last Purple Sale wasn’t as big as the previous ones -,particularly those pre-2020, this year had some interesting finds.

Just like this dress from RAF.

The print has a classic, feminine feel to it. The style has a number of interesting details. These include a cowl neck, an asymmetric hem, and a one-sided flutter sleeve.

What’s most interesting about this dress isn’t about what’s coming, but it’s what you see when it’s going.

Surprise! It’s a semi-backless dress! But to maintain its modesty, it comes with a white inner camisole.

With this piece, I welcomed the Purple Sale back.

Sweet (Tamarind) Memories

As a kid, there was a fruit snack that was always in our pantry.

It was in a white box with red print, there was a line drawing of a tamarind, and it had a small window where you can see the contents.

Inside, there were whole candied tamarinds. And when I say "whole," I do mean "whole." It had the stalks and seeds all intact. Imagine a regular tamarind fruit, then imagine it shelled, then candied.

The whole family liked eating it. From our grandparents, to our parents, to us, we'd finish boxes and boxes of this sweet and sour concoction.

As an adult, I've been looking for this red and white box of sweet tamarind, but could never seem to find it in supermarkets or even in local trade fairs.

That changed today.

It's the Lina's Sweet Tamarind of my childhood!

Found it in a pasalubong stop over on our way home from Batangas!

Haven't opened these yet, but I'm sure it'll be as good as it was during my childhood.

Out(ing) and About

After 4 years, the office was finally able to go on a proper summer outing!

The last one we had was in 2019. It was an outing that I wasn’t able to attend due to a shoot. Which means it’s been 5-years since my last outing with these guys.

It was definitely worth the wait.

FMM: Jolly Lolly

Because Sesame Street and Electric Company are shows that are part of my childhood and growing up years, it's no surprise that songs and skits from these shows randomly pop in my head.

Out of nowhere, a song played in my head. Off hand, I knew it was a song from Electric Company. Then, upon further research, I found out that it was first aired in 1973!  That's a 50-year old song. Yet, if you listen to it now, it's still as fun, young and catchy. In fact, the song belies its age.

So, for today's Friday Magic Madness song, here's the "Lick-a-Lolly Song."

Listening to this again (and again and again) makes me want to go out and buy a lolly myself.

Children of the Corn

Nope, this isn't about that classic 1980s horror film. 

But yes, I'm familiar with that film because several people told me that one of the child actors in that film looked like me. If memory serves me right, the character's name was "Malachi," and was one of the main characters.

I digress.

What this is about is a bright yellow pack that stood out from the supermarket shelves during my last supermarket run. It was so bright and eye-catching that it called to me. 

It was Mr. Chips' new flavour - sweet corn!

Out of curiosity, I got a pack and tried it. 

And it's super good! 

This reminds me of the Doritos Toasted Corn snack that Mark and I would buy in Hanamasa in Tokyo. So, this snack takes me back to awesome days in Japan.

Well done, Jack & Jill. Well done.

Printed Matter: Bananas!

The type of prints that catch my eye are prints that aren't just decorative, but tell a story. When it has a theme, each detail of the print comes to life and one understands the narrative from where it came from.

Plains & Prints is a brand that's very good at this. After all "Prints" is in their name, so they're consistent in coming out with visually interesting and theme-driven prints for their clothes. 

For their Spring/Summer 2023 collection, there was one print that caught my attention the moment they put up the poster in their store. It's this tropical print with bunch of bananas, some flowers, and a dancing woman.

The print gave me "Chiquita" vibes and reminded me of those Chiquita ads that I'd see in the U.S. But make no mistake, bananas are very Filipino and is one of our top exports. So, it's fitting that this fruit finds its way into fashion.

This banana print is used in several Plains & Prints pieces. But the one that really stood out was this asymmetric dress with a ruffled top and button details in front.

The print, colour and cut work so well together. Giving the dress a tropical, calypso vibe that's a perfect summer dress.

It won't be hard to go bananas - both about the print and the dress itself.

Haan Solo

"Cole Haan" should be an easy brand to spell, right?

Apparently not.

Yup, this is a real board-up in SM Megamall. Maybe they thought this brand is an extension of Mann Hann.

Proofreader please.

Mmm-bap

A few months back, Mark and I had a Bibimbap lunch in Seoul.

Yesterday, I had this sudden craving for Bibimbap again. Thankfully, there's a BonChon near the house.

Cravings satisfied.

Meals with Mark: Denny's Duo

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Denny's in the US. After all, who can resist a classic, all-American Diner.

Aside from their stores in the U.S, I've tried Denny's on Guam. (Which is technically still the U.S.)

When Mark and I were in Tokyo, we also ate at a Denny's diner there. But as shared with Mark, the Japanese Denny's isn't the same as the original.

Last Thursday, Mark and I were able to try another branch of Denny's, here in MNL! 

Their food, ambience and servings are closer to the original one. We ordered pancakes (very hearty) and chicken tenders (very Friday's.)

Looks like we'll have another restaurant added to our list of regulars.

LFTAT: Mimicking Missoni

It seems like there's a "Mimicking" series in the offing. First, there was this top that mimicked Issey Miyake from The SM Store, and now, there's another designer looking outfit from the same place.

Presenting my latest loot from this weekend's department store run:

This is a knitted top and skirt ensemble from GTW. 

The print on this is very Missoni. The fact that it's knitted - and we all know how Missoni loves knits - further builds my case. 

Since there was a 3-Day sale this weekend, and SMAC card holders get an extra 10% off, this outfit rang up to less than P700!

Ergo, it's like Missoni, for much, much, much less.

FMM: Rainy days

For today’s Friday Magic Madness, my admiration for Cyndi Lauper continues. 

Since it has been raining the past week, this reminded me of yet another song from the “Hat Full of Stars” album. It’s another song that was consistently on repeat, both then and now.

“Who let in the Rain” is such a soothing song with such expressive lyrics. Classic Cyndi.

For her, I wouldn’t mind letting not the rain.

Loafing around

After seeing - and buying - these loafers from my haunts, it’s safe to say that Loafers are really back!

Some of these were bought in-store, some on-line. But the fact that it’s all over the place means that there’s a demand for it.

Gosh, it feels like the 80s all over again.

Our Blues. And whites.

To paraphrase Nigel's Line in “The Devil Wears Prada:”

“Give me something blue and white with a hint of art and I’m on board.”

That’s the reason behind my obsession with Ming Vase prints on clothes, and that’s also the reason why this ensemble from Plains and Prints was seared in my mind the moment I saw it on their lookbook.

This blue and white ensemble is a classically cut - a pencil skirt and a cropped square neck blouse. What elevates it are little details like the side buttons and a contrasting belt.

And of course, the blue and white print! It’s a bit tropical, a bit Mexican, with a bit of Morocco thrown in the mix. Overall, it’s a stand out despite it’s veiled simplicity.

Of course, it was hard to get this without a pair of white sandals. And ForMe has the perfect pair.

This ensemble is so effortlessly chic, that when you wear it, Miranda Priestly immediately comes to mind. Once you rock this outfit:

“That’s All.”

Color Story: Clay Time

Upon unloading the stuff from my Straightforward haul, one thing stood out. 

There's a colour story happening, and it's all about Clay.

It wasn't a conscious effort since these items were ordered and assessed individually. But maybe, subconsciously, that rich, terra cotta colour caught my eye, that's why I gravitated towards pieces of this hue.

So, come on, let's clay!

Hyeongjewa Jamae

Since Ate Bullet and I were both "home alone" this weekend, we took it as an opportunity to change up our usual Sunday "eat in at the garage day." 

Instead of eating in, we decided and have dinner outside. It was also an opportunity for me to introduce Ate to one of my go-to Korean restaurants, Jeongwon.

Since both of us watch K-drama, there was a lot of K-onversation revolving that, and life in general. It's been a while since brother and sister went out like this, so this was very welcome.

Eomcheongnan!

Dolce Vita

Chocolate Milk.

It's one thing that I've never outgrown.

As a kid, Choco-Vim was always a part of my snacks and school baon, thanks to the fact that Dad worked in San Miguel Corporation. 

Later on, Choco-Vim became Magnolia Chocolait. Even if the name changed, the rich, choco taste didn't, that's why it was still my choco milk of choice.

During my travels abroad, one thing I'd keep my eyes open for were the "local" choco milk brands. I'd make it a point to scour the supermarkets and convenience stores in search of those.

Through this "obsession," I discovered Choco Lala in Mexico, Vita in Hong Kong, Seoul Milk in South Korea, Chocomel in The Netherlands, Cola Cao in Spain, and so on and so forth.

In the Philippines, Magnolia Chocolait is still my go-to brand. This is closely followed by Nestle Chuckie, Zesto Choc-O, Dutch Maid and Cosio.

Today, another brand was added to the mix.

During my supermarket run, I discovered Selecta Dolce:

As choco milks go, this brand is really good. It's rich and creamy, and the chocolate flavour is full and not watered down. It has that luxe Belgian Chocolate taste that's decadent yet not too overpowering.

Looks like this Dolce will now be part of my daily Vita.

On the surface

Was going through the photos on my phone when I chanced upon a series of photos that were taken when Mark and I were in Seoul a few months back.

It's a series of photos of the different surfaces on the Sungnyemun Gate near the hotel where we were staying.

Each part of the gate - whether it was a wall or ceiling - was so ornately designed that it was truly a feast for the eye. And the great thing this place is the fact that it's free and open to the public.

If I were living in Seoul, I'd probably hang out at this gate and marvel at the different surfaces as often as I can.

FMM: Seeing Stars

In terms of her discography, it's common knowledge that "She's so Unusual" is what propelled Cyndi Lauper to pop stardom. After it was launched in 1983, the album churned out hit after hit after hit.

Being a fan of Cyndi, that album is what made me love her and her music. 

But it was her 1993 album "Hat Full of Stars" that made me adore her.

Unlike her 80s sound, this album showcased more of Cyndi's depth and maturity as an artist. From the lyrics to the themes to the videos, it was great to see her grow so much as an artist.

I'm a fan of almost all the songs in that album, and the carrier single, "Hat Full of Stars" is today's Friday Magic Madness song:

It isn't hard to see why I'm star-struck over this.

Local goes Global

Saw this shirt as part of H&M’s 2023 Summer Collection.

Looking at it closely, it’s a Solihiya pattern! 

Yes, the local rattan weave that we often see in old furniture is crossing over to global fashion.

That’s how global our designs can be.

Sale Away

It's been 4 years since I've been to a Bath and Body Works Sale in person. The last time was in FLA and GA, both at outlets and mall stores.

Since then, all of my Bath and Body Works Sale loot were gathered and bought online. (Thanks Bibs and Ate Lissa!)

But that all changed yesterday.

Bath and Body Works is having their Semi-Annual Sale in their Megamall branch!

After seeing all the scents and products on sale, this is what I  have to say:

Shop, shop and away!

Black and White Summer

Yes, when the word "summer" is mentioned, the images that are usually conjured up in the mind are all bright, happy and colourful. Think tropical prints, huge flowers, neons and pastels - that kind of vibe.

No one equates "black and white" with summer. Summer = Colour. That's the rule.

Then again, rules are made to be broken.

That's why this black and white ensemble is also summer worthy.

The dress is from the latest Ines dela Fressange collab at Uniqlo. It's a flowy dress with a plaid print that is reminiscent of picnic mats. Picnic = Summer.

The sandals are from Forme. These are very strappy, easy-going, and has that seaside vibe. Seaside = Summer.

So, it's as clear as black and white. 

Black and white can be summer.

Straightforward approach

The local fashion brand - Straightforward - has been around for a while. The first store that I recall is Gateway, then they opened a big store in Glorietta, replacing The Row. Then, they opened another store in Mega Fashion Hall.

This is a brand that sells elevated basics. Majority of their items are classic items like tees, shorts, simple dresses, bags and sneakers. They come in plain, solid colors, and they have interesting little details to keep their items from being “too basic.”

I’been been to their store many times, but I’ve never gotten around to buying anything. While their stuff is nice, fashionable and pocket friendly, it didn’t really draw me in that much.

Last week, while browsing the net, their website appeared in one of my searches. After clicking on it, their online store was on sale! There were a couple of items that were interesting, so they were added to my cart. But not purchased just yet.

While in Megamall, I decided to drop by the Straightforward store to check out the items I added to cart IRL. I wanted to see the actual piece to see the material, colour and fit. And upon seeing the pieces up close, they were super nice!

Here’s the clincher. The items that were on sale on-line were full price in-store!

And with that, I finally made my first Straightforward purchase.

Albeit on-line.

This approach of this brand is interesting and novel.

And I’m here for it!

Cha Time

Nope, this isn't about the Taiwanese tea brand. I'm never that obvious.

This is about the Netflix K-drama that I've been watching, and incidentally, their last episode is today.

"Doctor Cha" was a joy to watch from the first episode to the last. The characters and characterisations, the plot and plot twists, the conflicts and resolutions - they all came together beautifully and gloriously at the last episode.

This is going on my "must re-watch list."

Something to TikTok about

Whenever people ask me about my social media accounts, my perpetual answer would be a sheepish smile and a shaking of the head. 

Because truth be told, there is none.

Except for this blog, and an FB account that my student once called "parang wala din", I've never opened any. So, I'm one of the very few people who don't have IG, TikTok, Twitter or any other account of that sort.

My niece - Toni - is popular on TikTok. She's the type who has more than a million followers and gets stopped on the street so people can take selfies with her.

Recently, we also worked with a popular TikToker for one of our commercials. She has a huge Mom following, which explains why I'm not familiar with who she is. On the last day of our shoot, she said that she'll be making TikTok content based on our shoot, and asked us to participate.

Of course, I'd normally say "no." But since the director, client and my colleagues were all game - what the heck.

So, whilst I'm not on TikTok, I can now say that I'm on TikTok.

Hey, having appeared in one video should count.

FMM: Sherry Picking

This is the usual afternoon scenario when I'm working from home.

I'd be at my desk in the living room, and Dad would be on the couch, watching Netflix or YouTube.

On YouTube, he usually listens to music, watches documentaries, or sometimes, films. I'm assuming these are films he can't find on Netflix.

In the middle of writing a script, this familiar song suddenly played. It was such a familiar song because it would also play in our house back in Morato during my early, early childhood. It's one of Dad's favourite songs back then, and judging by how he's playing it today, it must still be a favourite now.

The song is from 1962, and it was from Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Even if you listen to it now, "Sherry" has a lot of elements that make a catchy pop song. From the LSS-inducing intro, to the fun lyrics, to the falsetto way that the singers rendered it.

No wonder it's still one of Dad's top picks until now.

Seeing Purple

 It's that time of the year again!

Time to seek out those dresses and other outfits that we missed out on. Once I see them and they're on sale at 50% off, we all know what happens after that.