Well-suited

I've been seeing a lot of suit sets in fast fashion stores of late. It's such an easy and elegant way to look put together. Plus, it gives major boss energy.

That's how this look got put together.

This is a nice suit set because the top is a vest rather than a blazer. It has a modern shape, thanks to the extended shoulders. The pants also provide a contrast to the structure of the top, thanks to the flowy shape. Also, the beige colour makes it versatile for any occasion. And the belt gives it a fashionable punctuation mark.

Whether it's a day at the office, or a casual weekend out with friends, this ensemble is suited for both occasions.

P.S. The suit is an on-line find, the shirt is from Regatta, and the shoes are from ForMe.

FMM: Seeing Colors

When we were planning our parents' 60th wedding anniversary, we knew that music was an important part of the celebration.

Dad got his favourite band - Beats and Pieces. They were his fave because the members were more or less his age, and the songs they play are right up his alley.

But of course, we wanted a band that also played more modern songs for the younger attendees. Ate Bullet asked me if the band played "Opalite." Which they answered to the negative. But they did say that they played modern songs. 

When asked for specifics, like what type of "modern songs," they play, the reply of the lead singer was "Never mind."

Yes, their idea of a modern song is a 1985 classic from "Colors," an Italian band who had this song as their global hit.

Not quite modern, but hey, they'll make for a great Friday Magic Madness song today.

Disappearing Mark(s & Spencers)

And the unthinkable is about to happen.

After 40 years in the Philippines, Marks & Spencers will shut its doors. This is the 2nd SSI British brand that's shuttering, the 1st being Debenhams.

Gosh! What will Christmas be like without their cookies?

Model class

On this edition of "random things that pop out of your feed."

Can't believe this photo is already 13 years old! This was taken during my stint as adviser of the batch yearbook in school. Maica, our EIC, is the one standing in this photo.

This was a proud moment because we were able to release the yearbook even before the graduation. It was very rare that this happened, but we pulled it off.

Maybe it's time for the editorial team to have a reunion and recreate this photo. That's going to be fun!

Glad we MET

The venue for the Side A concert was a bit different. Unlike the usual concerts which is usually held in MOA Arena, Araneta Coliseum and even Samsung Theater, their concert was held in a place steeped in history and culture.

The Metropolitan Theater.

Was telling Mark that the last time I watched something here was way back in high school. We watched the play "Noli Me Tangere" at the MET, and it was such a memorable experience. When we were in grade school, we also watched "Peter Pan" here, and I was simply amazed that Peter Pan could really fly! (With harnesses, of course.)

So many memories. And I'm glad to have relived them.

Meals with Mark: Hold my Bir(yani)

A new place to visit necessitated a new place to eat.

Before our Side A concert, we decided to have early dinner at SM Manila. Since there are a number of restaurants there that aren't in other SM Malls, that was the jump off point for our dinner venue.

Mark said that he saw an interesting biryani place. Since we're both fans of biryani, it was the natural choice.

And that's what led us to Biryani Boys.

They serve Middle Eastern food, from our favourite hummus and pita, to tikka, to kebabs and their biryani. With so many appetising choices, we ordered a little bit of everything.

We had the nachos - made with pita, the chicken tikka with biryani rice, the falafel platter, and they gave us free chicken soup!

Everything was so good! The soup was hearty and generous with the ingredients. The falafel had the right crunch. The nachos were interesting because of the crispy pita. The chicken tikka and biryani had bold flavours that complemented well.

This was a great choice, and thanks to Mark for spotting and suggesting it.

Hope these boys have a branch closer to us.

The right Side

Today was a day of firsts.

While Mark and I have watched a lot of movies and some musicals, we haven't really watched a full-on concert. And thanks to his friend - Gelo - we were able to.

We spent Sunday night together, enjoying the music that defined our generation. From that moment they sang "Tell Me," it was clear that the night was going to be rife with memories and nostalgia.

And it was!

From their iconic hits like "Eva Marie," and "Forevermore," to their upbeat encore of "'Di pa huli," Mark and I just sang and swayed the night away.

I'm so happy we were able to tap into this side of us tonight.

Prep work

Uniqlo called it. 

The preppy-era is back, yet again.

Time to bring out those polos, cardigans and sweaters.

But here's a reimagined way of looking at preppy.

Put together this ensemble using pieces that are normally preppy, but with little twists here and there. The top is a knit polo, but with a slightly exaggerated shoulder and a drawstring at the bottom. Got this at Landmark. 

The SHEIN skirt has an asymmetric waist detail and an off-centre hem.

Finally, the shoes are a cross between sneakers and ballet flats, with very preppy primary colours. This is also from SHEIN.

See? Looking preppy AND modern doesn't take a lot of work.

FMM: Not often enough

Saw some of my high school classmates today. 

In the case of my 2 classmates, Juliet and Marose, the last time we saw each other was during our HS graduation. And that was more than 3 decades ago!

Needless to say, there was a lot of catching up. Stories about our teachers, our high school retreats, our after school shenanigans - these all suddenly came flooding back. 

Then, we eventually talked about our HS choir - our performances and out-of-school concerts, and that's when this song suddenly popped in my head.

"Sometimes" was a song that none of us knew that time. But Mr. Ortega taught the song to us, and we preformed it several times. The more we performed it, the more we fell in love with this Carpenters song. Until now, this song is always on my playlist.

Sometimes, it just takes a mini-reunion to bring back memories like this. 

This Singer is a Driver

Chanced upon this photo on the internet that instantly resonated with me.

We had this exact Singer sewing machine at home, and I'd often pretend to drive using the sewing machine wheel. So, I'm basically the kid in the photo.

This made me miss the good old days of my childhood.

Yeoh a Star!

And she keeps on breaking barriers!

Now, Michelle Yeoh has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

She's the first Malaysian actress to receive this honour.

Yeoh go, girl!

Marry old time

Had dinner with Mark and his friends last night, and the conversation was about KDrama recommendations.

Peter and I shared our faves - some of them they've watched, some of them were new. Some of the recommendations were old, some were new.

On my way home, I remembered one of my faves that I wasn't able to recommend.

"Marry my husband" was a KDrama that aired on Prime Video in 2024. It's about marriage and revenge, and a bit of fantasy thrown in.

It's actually quite campy, which adds to its charm. I've re-watched this twice, and still like it.

Time to re-watch it again.

Sleeping Sphinx

For a change, this Monday's sleeping cat isn't lazily sprawled down a surface.

If last week's cat was a "masa" cat, today's cat is an example of the other Pinoy saying: "Puwedeng matulog kahit saang puwesto." 

This cat might not be a sphinx, but he sure sleeps like one.

Speak of the Devil

Here it is!

The full and official trailer of "The Devil Wears Prada 2."

So many questions. So much curiosity piqued. 

Can't wait to see this on screen in a few months.

Sweet students

Today's class fell on a Valentine's Day. So, it started with a quote from my UP Professor: "Valentine's Day is just a social & consumerist construct."

But of course, that didn't stop us from exchanging some Valentine's Day treats.

Two of my students handed me these heart-shaped and sweet treats.

Yes, it might be a social & consumerist construct," but it shouldn't stop us from being sweet.

FMM: Rankin the hits

Kenny Rankin has so many hits, I'm surprised that I've only featured one in the history of my Friday Magic Madness posts.

So, here's another one.

"Hiding inside myself" was released in 1988, and back then, people loved to sing this song. Whether it was a party, a variety show, or just a random get together of friends with a guitar, this song would always be part of the repertoire.

Not surprised, though. 

A song this nice shouldn't be kept hidden.

Chews childhood

This chewing gum brand bring so many childhood memories.

Hubba Bubba was one of the American chewing gum brands that was all the rage in the 80s. This, along with Bubble Yum, was part of every cool ikds' lunch box. And because our grandparents lived in the US, we'd get this a lot.

There were also PX stores that sold this. Like Hyacinth, Orobelle and Casman drug. So, if our US stash would run out, we'd rush to these stores to get some.

I'm so glad these are readily available now. It's like going back to my childhood, one chew at a time.

Printed Matters: Florality

We have an art director at the office - Logie - who's a master at sketching. 

While he does a lot of different subjects, one of his works that really caught my eye was his floral sketches. And no, it's not spring yet, so this should be groundbreaking. Harhar.

One time, he sketched this pretty rose bouquet, and I told him that it would look great as a print on a piece of garment.

So that's what we did:

Noel, our creative director, has a printing business. So, when asked if he could print Logie's flower sketch on a denim skirt, he said yes. And that's how this piece came about.

Since we're in the mood for florals, the skirt was paired with this top. It's a vegan leather top with floral embroidery.

Together, this pair of florals make this outfit bloom.

(Okay, enough with the floral references.)

Closing the Gap (and Old Navy)

So, this is what has become of the big Gap and Old Navy store in Shangrila Plaza mall.

Used to enjoy visiting here since it was massive! Two floors of all things Gap and Old Navy!

But the past year, their stocks and selections were meh, so this store closing shouldn't be a surprise.

Hope Gap and Old Navy gets to pivot and be relevant again soon.

Masa Mondays

Well, I did say that a series was in the offing.

Today's Monday mood photo is the embodiment of the Pinoy saying: "Masandal lang, tulog na."

Gosh. This cat must've been exhausted!

And to think it's just a Monday.

Coco(pan)-tastic

Aside from their breads, this is the other reason for my regular runs to Cocopan.

Their Milo Overload is worth the trip back. It has the right amount of sweetness that complements the malty goodness of Milo. 

Price-wise, this is also the most value-for-money compared to other stores that sell Milo drinks.

Because of that, my Cocopan trips can now be filed under: "Come for the breads, stay for the Milo."

How sweet it is

Nope, this isn't a James Taylor post.

It's about Toni's latest creation.

I'm amazed at the creativity and work ethic of my niece. Since she introduced her Sweet Tones brand, she's been working non-stop, taking orders, making cakes and chocolates, all while continuing her content creation.

Her latest product - her chewy cookies - are a hit. Heard that it sells out quite fast, so I'm lucky to have gotten a few pieces for the house and to give to a student.

After trying it, I'm not surprised why it's popular. It's really, really good!

Here's to more sweet, successful products like this!

FMM: What's in a name?

Listening to music for decades, one of the things that would always amuse me are songs whose titles aren't "obvious."

Most songs would have titles that reflect their chorus. Or an opening line. Or a repetitive stanza. 

But some are totally left field, which makes the ditty more interesting.

Case in point is today's Friday Magic Madness song.

Because the words "Hey, you're such a pretty boy" is repeated over and over, you'd think that would be the title. 

But no.

This ditty is "What's your name?" which is another iconic hit from Depeche Mode.

Pretty cool, eh.

Meals with Mark: Meals with Mak

Having eaten at Mak's noodles in HKG several times when I was still living there, I wanted to try their first branch here. With Mark, of course.

Knowing how the original tastes like, was curious to see if they could accurately replicate it here in MNL. 

In summary, they did.

The broth was rich. The noodles, firm and bouncy. The wonton, packed with both filling and flavour.

What was different, though, was the price. Compared to HKG, Mak's here was on the pricey side.

While this won't be a regular for us, it's probably going to be a place we'd go to once or twice a year.

(Terence) Stamp of Approval

I was today years old when I found out that Terence Stamp was in the 1st Superman film.

Yup, he's General Zod. And if not for this video that crossed my feed, I wouldn't have known.

Imagine, he went from General Zod to Bernadette Bassenger in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert."

Now that's super!

Curious combination

I'm fond of lemonade.

I'm fond of caramel.

But would I be fond of them together?

I'm interested - yet reluctant - to try this.

Maybe next time.

Sidewalk sleeper

Another Monday, another shot of this adorbz office cat.

Seriously, this cat can sleep pretty much anywhere. 

Today, he found himself nestled comfortably on the sidewalk in front of our office steps.

Can't we all be just cats?

Friends of Long Standing

I've read somewhere that you meet some of your best and most lasting friends in High School. 

Gary was one of those friends for me.

We met in freshman year. I was new to LSQC, having just transferred from Claret the year before. Was also part of the cream section, and most of the students in that section already knew each other since grade school. Initially, it felt like I'd be the odd man out.

But thanks to Gary, that feeling never happened. He welcomed me and we instantly became friends. 

We'd hang out in school, and we'd hang out after school. His house was near LSQC, and we would sometimes hang-out at their house. Eventually, Dimpy joined us and the 3 of us would be constants. Dimpy's house was the other place we'd hang out after class.

Aside from their homes, our adventures would take us far. Well, far considering that we were in high school and in our early teens. Among my fond memories with Gary and Dimpy was the time we went to Makati and geeked out at the big National Bookstore there. Gary and I would also go to Quiapo to have photos developed and to buy magazines.

When college came, we both ended up in UP, albeit in different colleges. Despite that, we'd find ways to see each other on campus. During our CMT, we we're both in the Sunday battalion, which meant hanging out more often.

Then, we graduated. While we didn't see each other as often, we'd find time to meet up.

Eventually, Gary moved to the US. Despite the difference in time and distance, we always kept in touch. (Thank you, technology!) Whenever he was in Manila, we had to meet up. When we did, he'd usually have a stash of pasalubong, or he would bring the stuff that I'd ask him to buy from the US.

In 2019, Gary asked me to organise his parents' Golden Wedding Anniversary. Since he and his 2 sisters were al in the U.S., and the celebration was here in MNL, he trusted me enough to put everything together. And that meant a lot.

Last time we saw each other was before Christmas. He was home for a visit, and we had our usual Christmas get together. He brought a stash of Trader Joe's mini totes. We talked the possibility of meeting up in the U.S., and maybe even get together with another H.S. friend, Arvin.

Unfortunately, those plans won't push through. 

Last Friday, Jing Jing messaged me asking if she could call. I already felt that what she'd be calling about wasn't good news. When she eventually called, she asked if I was sitting down. Yet another indicator.

That's when she broke the news. Gary was gone.

It was a shock. It still is a shock. There was no inkling that our December lunch would be the last. Part of me is sad that those get togethers won't happen again. But part of me is glad that we were able to see each other last year.

Thanks for being a friend, Gary. For being one of my first friends in LSQC HS, and in the decades after. You'll be missed.

Vaya con Dios.