Luxe. Super. Rich. (with apologies to my favorite client)

Though i'm not the type who submits to trends, I found myself submitting to one tonight. 

The trend - Luxe fabric. 

If you go to Zara, Mango, Gap, and all other big brands, you'll find fabrics such as lace, velvet, wool and fur in their collections. It can be something as simple as a collar, lining, or a cropped chinchilla jacket, or something as lavish as a velvet trench coat. 

While at Uniqlo today, I chanced upon this nice washed velvet blazer in a blue so dark, it's almost black. Whilst it's visually luxurious, it doesn't feel heavy and doesn't come across as too opulent. 

This is understandable since that's how Uniqlo does things: classic with a bit of attitude. Normally, this type of blazer wouldn't appeal to me. This is more up Arnie's alley, she being the more fashion forward and fabric conscious. But I was told that i'm going to attend an advertising function tomorrow, my first one here in HK. 

So I thought, heck, "Now that's an excuse to go Luxe."

My life as a beauty contest judge...

More than a year ago, one of my friends - who incidentally was also a client - asked me to be a preliminary judge for their image model search. It was one of the most surreal moments in my life as an adult. The feeling was a bit awkward, you sit there while all these girls preen and project in front of you. No matter how much the contestants say that a pageant isn't a meat market, hell, it sure does feel like one from where I was sitting. Heebie-jeebies aside, it was encouraging to see that some of the girls with pretty faces do have good heads on their toned shoulders. The prettiest ones were journalism students (always intelligent, i must say. hahaha), talented theater actresses, and involved in socio-civic activities. They could answer questions with candor and wit, and with a lot of sense. And then, there were these girls: GIRL 1: Judge: What's a typical day for you? Girl: Saturday *silence* Judge: Ok, what is it about Saturday that made you say that. Girl: Because Saturday is very typical... GIRL 2: Judge: What was the last good movie you saw? Girl: Passion of the Christ, po. Judge: Why do you think it's a good movie? Girl: Kasi po, I'm Catholic. And after ko po panoorin yon, mas maintindihan at naramdaman ko yung lahat ng suffering, lahat ng sacrifice, lahat po ng pinagdaanan ni Mama Mary. GIRL 3: Judge: What's your greatest achievement? Girl: Wala po. Judge: You don't have any achievements? Girl: Kung achievements po, meron naman. Like winning contests in school, being a part of our school's winning athletic team, being in the dean's list... pero achievements lang po yon. Yung "greatest achievement" wala pa po kasi mataas po ang pangarap ko. Judge: That's good. So ano yung pinapangarap mong maabot? What is it that will make you say: "Ito na ang greatest achievement ko." Girl: Ah, yung maging finalist po sa search na 'to. This was just a fraction of things we had to endure during the 4 hour plus judging. Imagine the headache we had after that. Good thing we were given neat goody bags for all the effort. Being a beauty contest judge was a surreal experience. But i wouldn't mind doing it all over again.

And if I my name was picked as judge...

I'd ask the girl this question that Erwin and I just love:

"If given the chance, what chance would that be and why?"

And Erwin's favorite question:

"Kung mamamatay ka bukas, bakit hindi pa ngayon?"

Guilty Pleasure

"I'm sexy, i'm cute, i'm popular to boot!... I'm awesome, the best, guys wanna touch my chest! Don't hate me cause i'm beautiful, i don't like you either! We're cheerleaders!"

And with those opening lines, this movie became one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It's one of the better juvenile, mindless but uplifting comedies i've seen. Though Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion is the best, this comes a very, very close second. The "downtrodden suddenly bouncing back to victory" story is one plot that I've always loved. Maybe part of it is because I've been through that stage once or twice in my life.

My movie buff colleague George gave me a DVD copy of the movie this afternoon, and that's the reason why I rushed home today so I can sit back, bring out a bag of Munchies, a cold bottle of water, take off my shoes, indian sit on the sofa and put the disc in the player.

"Bring it on!"

Strange Fruits

Caught a couple of Spanish films this weekend and was particularly intrigued by a Portugese Film entitled "Odete." It's a film about the strange relationship between a fruit and a fruit lover, or in regular parlance, a fag and a fag hag.

The movie starts with a pair of lovers, Pedro and Rui. They just celebrated their first year together, and had silver rings as an anniversary gift. On his way home, Pedro meets an accident and dies, much to the dismay of Rui because he feels responsible for Pedro's death. Rui called Pedro on his mobile phone while driving, and that's how he met the accident.

*insert commercial against using the phone while driving here*

Odete is a rollergirl in a supermarket, has a boyfriend and is yearning for a baby. When she floats the idea of having one, her boyfriend goes ballistic and Odete throws him out. She realizes her mistake a day after, and begs her boyfriend to come back. Alas, he's sick of her neuroses, and decides to leave her once and for all.

Rui and Odete's lives cross because of Pedro. Rui is his lover and Odete is his neighbor (and apparently, they don't know each other.) Because of the break-up with her boyfriend, Odete snaps and suddenly claims she's pregnant with Pedro's child. Pedro's mom, who slaps her in disbelief, know her son is incapable of doing that. But Odete hangs around Pedro's tomb, and the mom, upon seeing this, feels guilt and drives her to "adopt" Odete.

This is where things get really creepy...

Odete digs up information about Rui and Pedro's love affair. She's so smitten by the story that she later tries to make herself a surrogate Pedro to Rui - wearing his clothes, copying his hairstyle, calling Rui from Pedro's home number, and even stealing their "anniversary ring." At this point, you could feel a "Boys don't cry" vibe as the once beautiful Odete transforms into an androgynous "Pedro."

The ending of the film is too disturbing for words. It should really be seen to be appreciated.

After watching the film, I became instantly interested in the actress who played Odete. Her name is Ana Christina de Oliveira. She's this lithe stunner who looks like Kylie Minogue, but with much more height. She can easily pass off as a supermodel with her chiseled features and impressive body structure.

Apparently, she appeared as one in the Queen Latifah/Jimmy Fallon comedy "Taxi." She was one of tall, leggy robbers in cahoots with Gisele Bundchen in the film. She never struck me in that film because all eyes were on the Queen and Jimmy. But in "Odete," she really lived up to her role as the lead actress.

Throughout the film, I was hating her. (Even though I just love, love, love the way she looks.) She was irritatingly neurotic that you wanted to go inside the screen and slap her silly! And by the time she transformed to the faux Pedro, she shed all her bombshell-ness and really became a boy in the eyes of the viewers. How's that for a chameleon-like performance.

Immediately after watching the film, I searched the net for her other films, or her future ones. I want to catch more of Ana in action. Apparently, she'll be appearing in the big screen version of Miami Vice. I hope she'll avoid the Jessica Simpson/Carmen Electra curse and just be a token girl in the film. Given her excellent acting chops, she definitely deserves much more.

Seeking Sophie

If the US has Britney and Australia has Kylie, the UK has Sophie Ellis Bextor. She's that country's erstwhile Pop/Dance princess who, like the first two names mentioned, grew up in the industry. From her sound to her sexiness, Sophie practically bloomed in public.

My first taste of Sophie Ellis Bextor was during my first visit to Europe. Bored in the middle of Rotterdam, I decided to wander inside a music store and just listen to CDs. Among those counted as the top releases was our very own pop wonderkid, Billy Crawford, and this very attractive woman named Sophie Elllis Bextor. Intrigued by the CD cover, i quickly picked up the headset and started listening to her tracks.

And, if I may quote Kylie, "it was love at first sight." (Or sound, if we'll get specific.)

The first song of hers that I loved was this dance track entitled "Murder on the Dance Floor." Aside from having that rhythmic thumpa-thump beat that will send your right feet stompin', your right hand tapping, and your head bobbing, the lyrics were also quite nice in a nonsensical kind of way. I wanted to buy the CD right there and then, but music costs so much in Euros! The same amount can get me a couple of decent shirts at Zara, so I decided to postpone buying it and just listened to the song over and over until I could memorize it.

Upon returning to the hotel, I quickly plopped on the bed and switched the channel to MTV. And there it was, the "Murder on the Dance Floor" MTV starring Sophie. If the song was fun to listen to, the video was just a joy to watch. It was this campy dance contest where she was sabotaging her opponents moves and taking them out of the competition one by one. By the end of the song, she was clutching the dance contest trophy and relishing in her victory. After that, I knew I had to buy her CD. And I eventually did.

Then I lost it. I don't remember where or when, but somewhere between Barcelona and Belgium, I lost her CD.

When I returned to Manila, I quickly checked Music One to see if they had her CD on stock. Alas, they didn't. I guess Sophie wasn't too big a star in Asia to merit a release here. A few years after, on a trip to Mexico, I saw her CD being sold in a C&A shop in Monterrey. Though I should have bought it, I didn't - and up to now, I don't remember why. Maybe it's because I was saving my money for Pull & Bear shirts, or mexican souvenirs.

Up to now, I still find myself checking out record stores - from the big chains like Tower and HMV, to smaller shops like HongKong Records or Odyssey - in the hopes of scoring a Sophie Ellis Bextor CD. Her videos are being shown in MTV Asia, from "Murder on the Dance floor" to her newer "I won't change you." Because of this, i'm hoping that she's finally penetrated the region and her music will be made available to Asian Sophie-liacs such as myself.

Well, it isn't there up until now. Good thing my colleague from Bangkok has a couple of her songs in his iTunes. Whenever I feel the need for Sophie speed, all I need to do is plug in and listen. But hopefully, HMV will start carrying her albums soon, so I can finally have my own copy.

If not, i'll make sure that during my trip to Europe next year, i'll bring home another copy of her CD. And this time, i'll be super careful not to lose it.

Today's song

I've played this song the nth thousand time today. I don't know why, but i'm attracted to songs about love lost. Break-up songs have more character than love songs (unless the love song is by The Carpenters). My favorite songs are "Sometimes a love goes wrong" and "Paalam na."

The reason why I love "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendes is the fact that it's about a break-up and a reconciliation. It brings to life that idea of "if you love someone, set it free. if it comes back, it's really yours, if it doesn't, it never was." In this song's case, it did come back. And the fact that there was a sad story before the happy ending really does it for me.

Never Gonna Let You Go
Sergio Mendes

I was as wrong as I could be
To let you get away from me
I'll regret that move
For as long as I'm livin'

But now that I've come to see the light
All I wanna do is make things right
So just say the word
And tell me that I'm forgiven

You and me
We're gonna be better than we were before
I loved you then but now I intend
To open up and love you even more
This time you can be sure


Chorus:
I'm never gonna let you go
I'm gonna hold you in my arms forever
Gonna try and make up for all the times
I hurt you so

Gonna hold your body close to mine
From this day on we're gonna be together
Oh I swear this time
I'm never gonna let you go

Looking back now
It seems so clear
I had it all when you were here
Oh you gave it all
And I took it for granted

But if there's some feeling left in you
Some flickers of love
That still shines through
Let's talk it out
Let's talk about second chances

Wait and see
It's gonna be sweeter than it was before
I gave some then but now I intend
To dedicate myself to giving more
This time you can be sure

(Chorus)


oh..So if you'll just say
You want me too...

Waisted!

Going through my closet this morning to find a pair of jeans to wear today further highlighted my love affair with low waist jeans. After going through each one, I realized that are no regular waist jeans in my repertoire. And I doubt if there ever will be.

My love affair with low rise jeans began in 2002 in Barcelona. Tita Evelyn and I were shopping at Zara in La Illa mall, and she asked me to choose 2 pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts. Being a guy attracted to details, the jeans I chose were: 1. A medium washed pair with holes and distressed details, and 2. A dark washed pair with tucks around the knee area. While fitting these 2 jeans, my eyes were so fixated on the details that I didn't notice that the waist was a bit lower than usual. It was only after using it twice or thrice that thrice that it dawned on me that they were low rise jeans. Just goes to show that I don't read the labels, because it was practically shouting: LOW RISE!

When I wore them while judging the Miss Robinson's search, (Oh, I must write about this in the future), a famous fashion director complemented my jeans and said: "Low waist jeans suit you, you know." Then that's when I first became aware of the concept of, and the nice fit this jean type. If a fashion director said it, then it must be true. Hahaha!

Since then, I'd passionately search for low waist jeans. And I must say, this is a bit difficult in Manila where the regular waist ones still rule the shops and stores. But there were a few gems that I came across. My favorites were the low waist Lee Jeans, the Levi's 513s given to me by my friends during my birthday, a light pair from Topman with a lot of distressed details, and a DSquare-style pair from RRJ. (Yup, Rough Rider Jeans!)

Thank goodness for my occasional trips to Hong Kong and Singapore! These places offer a wider selection of jeans thanks to Zara, FCUK and Topman. Without fail, i'd buy and bring home at least 3 jeans everytime I go home from these trips. My favorite pairs from abroad are: 1. A green washed pair with a folded hem from Topman (not available in the Manila shop.), 2. A light washed pair with unusually low pockets from Zara and 3. A dark washed pair with zippered back pockets, also from Zara.

Moving to HK, I found myself spoilt for choice. Tough, K2, Indu homme, Mastermind Productions, Energie, Diesel and Replay all have smashing low waist jeans. And that explains why i now have 35 pairs of jeans in less than 5 months.

Today i've decided to wear this pair of Replay jeans that are my lowest pair yet. They're so low, they're practically hanging on to dear life on my two hip bones (which, thankfully, are big enough to support the denim and keep them from falling.) I like them because they make me feel tall and thin. While I was riding the MTR this morning, I was standing in front of two women who I knew were Filipinas. Since I had one arm raised and holding the rail, it was natural for my hoodie to go up and reveal the low-ness of my low waist jeans.

One of the Pinay's commented: "Yan! Yan ang walang puson!" Of course, she didn't know that I was Pinoy and I could understand her. But upon hearing that comment, I knew that this jean type will be the one i'll be wearing for a long time.

Haw come?

Although i'm not as alarmed as I should be yet, there's a noticeable shortage of Haw flakes in Hong Kong.

I've loved Aji Ichiban's Haw Flakes since they first landed on my lips way back in 1996. Ever since that moment, i'd go to Hong Kong specifically for that. And when I found out that they were sold in Cebu, I bugged all my friends living in or flying from the Queen City to PUH-LEEZE bring me home Aji Ichiban Haw Flakes.

When they finally set up shop in Manila, I was thrilled! You could imagine me doing cartwheels and Miposian Dances of Joy upon reading the news. My favorite fruit by-product (Haw, or Hawthorn, is actually a berry) was going to be easily accessible. Yes, the small Haw Flakes that sold for .50cents in sari-sari stores were always there, but after tasting Aji Ichiban, there was no turning back.

It was second nature, and so expected, for me to buy the P65.00 pack of Haw Flakes containing 8 big rolls. Whether I was in Megamall, Glorietta, Robinson's Place Ermita, Galleria, SM North or Gateway, my feet would lead me to the nearest Aji Ichiban outlet and i'd automatically walk away with one or two packs. It became too much of a routine that when the sales girl from the Galleria branch saw me, she'd automatically have a pack on her hand and she'd give it to me the moment I stepped in. That's how predictable I became.

When I moved to HK, that was the first thing I looked for. And yes, it was a bit more cheaper here. It was $15 for 2 8 packs, and $20 for 2 16 packs. Yup, I was in Haw Flakes heaven.

But recently, I noticed a shortage of the goodies in stores. Most of the ones near the office wouldn't have it. The branches in Kowloon didn't carry it as well. I was so tempted to ask the sales ladies why there was an apparent shortage. Too bad they couldn't understand English that well.

Not one to wait for a shortage to arrive, I did what anyone addicted to any substance would do. I hoarded packs and packs and packs of Haw Flakes. There are a few packs in my office drawer, and a lot of packs in my cupboard at home. I may not have the answer to the problem, but at least i've stocked up on the solution.

Cool!

Day by day, i'm beginning to see signs that winter is on the verge of making a big entrance.

The most glaring would be how people are dressed. Women are starting to bring out their fur lined coats (faux or otherwise) and knee high boots are becoming more visible than usual. Cable knit sweaters are adorning mannequins in most shops, and Zara has a fresh batch of scarves on sale.

Days are becoming shorter as well. Recently, it's beginning to get dark as early as 5:30 pm. By that time, the crisp, cool air is beginning to blow and one can't help but wish that he's back home, hiding under thick comforters and let the day pass by in a state of total sedentariness. I'm beginning to understand why Beijing-ers don't usually take baths during wintertime. It's really a pain to just get out of bed and make your way to the bathroom. Add the fact that you'll have to take your clothes off - albeit it's in a sealed bathroom - and have to be exposed to the cool wind, that's enough of a deterrent. But I swore that i'll take a bath no matter how cold it gets.

The weather at this moment is still perfect. Not too warm, not too cold. It reminds me of Barcelona at the onset of spring - the sun is up but the air is cool. It's the perfect time meander outdoors and take long, leisurely walks. It's also the perfect time to dress up! After all, winter does offer a lot of fashion possibilities - layering, wearing riding boots, wrapping your neck in a colorful scarf, and your head in a knitted beanie, wearing nice, leather gloves -- just thinking about it makes me want to stay outdoors most of the time.

This kind of weather can be hell on the skin. Double dryness is what comes to mind - because aside from the cold weather drying your skin, bathing in hot water also has the same effect. Ergo, when you bathe in hot water to escape the cold air, you get double dryness. (Cripes! That sounds like body copy to me.) Good thing I brought my lotion, and i should buy body butter as early as now.

On the upside, cold weather gives your cheeks that nice, rosy glow. I don't know why, but it has that effect on my skin. I guess the cold, and the heat, bring out the tisoy in me. Too bad i have to hide it under a scarf most of the time.

It's going to be my first "winter" living in Hong Kong, and it looks like it's going to be really cool.

West meets East

Something pleasantly surprising popped in McDonald's stores today. Shaker fries, my favorite fry-variant - hands down, has made its way to Hong Kong.

I can still remember way back in Manila when Shaker fries were launched. Erwin, Arnie and I would order one each, take a different flavor packet each, and shake, shake, shake away. Of course, whoever got the barbecue flavor sprinkle would be the loser, since everyone would attack that stash more often. Ergo, his or her stash would disappear first.

This concept of shake-flavored fries started with Potato Corner. What started as a small stall positioned in schools ballooned into a big enterprise and a few months after, there was a cart everywhere you looked. Just like Gonuts Donuts, Zagu and Nene's Barbecue, you'd find long queues for Potato Corner fries, but no one really cared. What's important was to get their hands on the hot and crispy fries dusted with sour cream, barbecue or cheese flavor.

I should know, I was one of them.

The concept of self-shook fries at McDonald's - in my opinion - wasn't too well accepted. After the limited run of Shaker Fries, it never came back. As opposed to Twister Fries, a product that made a comeback so many times, Shaker Fries up and disappeared. I guess no one cared too much for it, or at least not as much as I did.

Needless to say, my heart skip a beat when I saw that Shaker Fries was making a comeback - at least in Hong Kong. This lunchtime, I rushed to McDonald's to get my fill of my favorite. Walking to the counter, I was already trying to decide whether to get the Cheese, Barbecue or Sour Cream flavor powder. Sour Cream would be the best choice, but i haven't had barbecue since I turned vegetarian -- ergo, barbecue flavored fries would be a nice in-between.

Upon reaching the order area, I was treated to a wake-up call that screamed: YOU'RE IN HONG KONG! Instead of Cheese, Barbecue or Sour Cream, the flavor choices were things only chinese-asians would love. It was Seaweed, Kimchi or Garlic.

Kimchi Fries? Seaweed Fries? WTF?!?I couldn't get myself to try the first 2 flavors, so I settled for Garlic. It wasn't that bad, although it was a bit disappointing. Nothing comes close to sour cream fries in my book. I swear, this can only happen in Hong Kong or China, or maybe even Korea considering that's where Kimchi comes from.

Ah, the perils of west meeting east.

Back in Macau

Went back to Macau this weekend. I love how this place is just laid back. Some parts really remind me of old European towns, this is largely because of the Portugese who left a small indelible mark in this now-chinese country. Here's a little snippet of what I saw this time:

From Lagos de Senado, you walk the alleys until you reach Macau's most famous landmark, the Ruins of St. Paul. This reminds me of the Trevi fountain in Italy. It looks larger than life in pics, but it's really small in real life.

This woman and her dog is probably the most photographed folks in Macau. They silently stand guard near the foot of the ruins, and it looks to me like she's chatting with someone on her mobile.

When you reach the base of the Ruins of St. Paul, you feel a sense of awe at how the entire facade just withstood the damage. It looks like a 2D cut out, albeit more magnificent.

Honestly, the view from the side is just as spectactular from the bottom.

At the back of the facade, there's a stairway leading up. Here, you can see the remains of the cathedral - some corner stones and a few relics. This is the view from the back of the ruins.

And when you peep out the window, you'll see the sea of humanity that frequents this tourist trap.

After the facade, you go down, turn left, and go up the escalator and you'll see the Macau Museum. This is where you'll hear the story of the country and how the mezcla de China y Portugese created such a fascinating little country. Too bad it's now being transformed into Asia's Las Vegas. I'm afraid it'll lose its old world charm.

After the Macau Museum, go back to the Ruins of St. Paul and pass by one of the stalls that sell Macau's most famous snack - the Portugese Egg Tart. I think Lord Stow's still makes the best one in Macau.

Then, having filled up your tummy and senses, it's time to walk back down where you came from. The alley will again lead you to Lagos de Senado where you can enjoy a bit more of people watching and surplus shopping.

I'm more than meets the eye...

Transformers! You scored 60 Aggression and 40 Silliness!

You are Transformers! You are....more than meets the eye! You are strong, willful, and no-nonsense. You're assertive and confident. I bet you're the tough one in your group of friends. Transformers was always one of my favorites when I was little, which makes it hard to write this result without bias...Suffice to say, you totally rule.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 75% on Aggression You scored higher than 13% on Silliness

Link: The 80s Cartoon Personality Test written by TheLadyEve on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Bliss!

Last Saturday, I went home to Manila to attend the wedding of one of my best friends in college. Maricar's wedding is a major event for D' Frendz because it's the first time a member of our group is getting married. After more than a decade of being together, someone finally got married! And believe me, that's a reason to break open the Dom Perignion and let loose a few confetti cannons.



Maricar looked like a beaming bride the whole day. I know how much stress a bride feels a few hours before her wedding, after all, i've been organizing weddings for the past 5 years. But in true Maricar fashion, she managed to smile through the entire thing. From the hurried preparations in her room, all the way up to her walk down the aisle, her trademark cheerfulness was present and unfading.



Hearing Maricar and Gary say their vows, you could sense the happiness and conviction in both their voices. There was so much confidence and love resonating through the cathedral. Plus, as one of my friends commented, you can see both of them smile while exchanging their "I dos".



Needless to say, everyone felt the love the whole night. The reception was unlike those staid and stuffy de rigeur dinners that I usually see. The whole shindig felt like a small gathering of close friends and everybody knew each other very well. Of course, half of the room didn't know the other half, but the atmosphere definitely felt different. It was intimate, friendly, and above all, FUN! It's one of those laid back celebrations where everyone feels like family. And that's the best kind of celebration, I must say!



The first wedding of D' Frendz was really worth waiting for. It had all the ingredients of a great event: friends, laughter, fun, great food, a cozy atmosphere, and of course, a lot of love. I think this picture of Maricar best sums up how the whole wedding rated. It's definitely a MAJOR THUMBS UP!

Grace the occasion

Freshman year, 1989: As usual, I was running late for my 8:30am Kasaysayan 2 class. Each time this happens, my fervent wish would be: 1.) someone will come later than me, or 2.) someone will come as late as me. That way, the professor’s wrath will be divided among the numerous latecomers.

Upon reaching the door, a welcome sight greeted me. Another classmate of mine was hanging around the door and was, like me, late. We decided to enter the class together, with the exact same intention of trying to divide the anger by two.

We entered the room, and our professor - Prof. Vic Paz - just looked at both of us and said: “uyyy.” And the whole class echoed this, “uuyyyy-ing” in unison.

Under these embarrassing circumstances, I first met Grace Paat.

Grace, during college, was a quintessential “A-list girl” – much like Rachel McAdams was in “Mean Girls” or Alicia Silverstone in “Clueless.” Consider her credentials:

- She was a member of the “Geeks” which was Block I-1s “in” crowd. They were our “block royalty” because all the cool people belonged to that group. Their closest relative would be the “Assumptionistas”, or the group consisting of the graduates of the uber-exclusive girl’s school of Makati.
- She definitely looked the part. Grace was always well put together, and her long, brown hair and her perfectly powdered face would punctuate her outfit. (Of course, we would later discover that her face powder is her trademark.)
- She was the epitome of cheerfulness and being lady-like. This was the formative years of her “frou-frou-ness” – a trait she would carry until now.
- She had a boyfriend from Ateneo. And that always scores big points in the “A-list” scorecard. Everybody knew Paul, and how Grace would call his name with a certain drawl. (something like: Paawwwwlllllllll)

The longer we knew each other, Grace and I found out that we had more similarities and links.

- We were born on the same day, November 6, albeit a year apart.
- She and my sisters rode on the same school service when they were in St. Joseph’s College. Grace recounted with much chagrin that my sisters took so long getting ready, and she had to wait outside our house gate for a long time.
- We both lived in Tomas Morato, and our houses were just a few blocks away from each other.

While wrestling with our 4-years in college, we didn’t move in the same circles. We both had our own subjects, our own groups, and our own lives. Once in a while, our lives would intersect, like during Ovvian’s 18th birthday party which we both attended. Plus, the CMC Building was a small place, and the Journalism majors were a small group.


It was during our 4th year in college that Grace and I became friends. This was largely due to the UP Journalism Club, the club I joined during my last year, and the group where “D’ Frendz” began planting its roots.

We graduated in March 1993, and she followed a few months after. I still remember how we stormed her graduation ceremony en masse, and among her October batch mates was another good friend of mine, Louis. If I remember right, Grace was sporting the “I dream of Jeannie” hairstyle during the event.

After college the advertising world called, and a few of us CMC graduates answered. Tintin, Grace, Bonique and I were among those – them in AMA-DDB-Needham *hello* (this was how their receptionist would answer the phone), and me in Adformatix.

Years passed, Grace and I became the sole survivors in the advertising industry. We both hopped from one agency to the next, but strangely, we never worked with each other. She always tells me that it’s better that way because my flaring temper worries her. But I’d always be quick to react that Shash and I did work together, and became better friends after our stint.

Credit it to the fact that we were in the same school, same neighborhood and same industry, we formed common experiences throughout all these years we’ve know each other. But personally, I think it’s the differences that added character to our continuing journey of friendship.

Throughout the 12 odd years that we’ve been friends, I’ve discovered a lot of similarities between Grace and me:

- We both like organizing parties. Which is why we’re D’ Frendz de facto party planners. It has come to the point that we even have to plan our own birthday parties – just like we did last year, and this year.
- We’re travel freaks! It gives us a high when we go to an entirely new place and just revel in the experiences surrounding us. (But unlike her, I don’t have a – uhrm – “travel partner” though..)
- Shopping is something we both never get tired of doing. I can still remember the numerous “Robinsons Midnight Madness” sales we’ve gone to, and we’d be there until midnight – and even after. (She’d often raid Ba-yo for their floral and checkered stuff.)
- We’re D.I.Y. people. She has a knack for painting and doing all these handicraft-y things. If I’m not mistaken, she even painted the interiors of their house in Roces. (Better known as “THE party place.) I, on the other hand, am more into assembly and carpentry. (Thank heavens for Ikea.)
- We thrive in the crazy and cut throat world of advertising. Yes, she whines about it all the time, how she wants to leave advertising and do something else. But she’s been in the biz for more than a decade, and whether she admits it or not, I think she likes what she’s doing.

But the pinnacle of our similarity and parallel living happened this year. During the first quarter of 2005, Grace and I were offered foreign postings in our respective advertising agencies. We both accepted these offers – after much thought – she with the JWT affiliate in Laos, and I joined our Hong Kong office.

I don’t know if it’s in the stars (after all, we do share the same birthday), or is it just by plain coincidence. But we find ourselves in the same boat once again. We’d sometimes catch each other on YM and rant about so many things. Like how much we miss our lives in Manila, how we miss our friends, how we crave for the familiarity of home – things we sum up as “OFW Concerns.”


As we celebrated our birthday last night – and I’ve lost count how many times we’ve held double celebrations – I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of how two random people who happened to be late for Kasaysayan 2 class at the same time could have ended up living a life full of coincidences and similarities.

And given our track record, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find a couple more similar surprises as we continue with our lives and friendship.

Hit me!

Here are the top 100 hit songs during the year I graduated. A hundred songs is a lot to digest, but I though I'd check it out and see how many of these songs I know, and love! Reading through them brought back so many memories, and I couldn't help but hum or sing along: (To get it, go to musicoutfitters.com and type in your graduation year on the space that says "search")

1. Look Away, Chicago - The number one song -- is a song I don't know. Go figure...
2. My Prerogative, Bobby Brown - I love the Britney version more than Bobby's.
3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison - Huh?
4. Straight Up, Paula Abdul - Love this dance ditty from the original dance diva: Straight up now tell me do you really wanna love me forever -- uh-uh-oh -- or am I caught in hit and run.
5. Miss You Much, Janet Jackson - I miss you much, oh, I, miss you much, I really miss you much...
6. Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul - Another lovely dance track -- she's a cold hearted snake, look into her eyes, uh-oh, she's been telling lies. (What's with Paula and uh-ohs?)
7. Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler - From the movie Beaches. I heard this song during my grandfather's wake, and I cried the entire time it was playing.
8. Girl You Know Its True, Milli Vanilli - ooh, ooh, ooh, I love you... Girl you know it's true! Too bad their voices weren't.
9. Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird, Will To Power - Nope, don't know this one, too.
10. Giving You The Best That I Got, Anita Baker - I'll bet everything, on my wedding ring, I'm giving you the best that I got, baby...
11. Right Here Waiting, Richard Marx - Kinda cheesy, well, it IS from Richard Marx. -- Wherever you go, whatever you do, i will be right here waiting for you.
12. Waiting For A Star To Fall, Boy Meets Girl - Sounds familiar, but I can't remember it.
13. Lost In Your Eyes, Debbie Gibson - I love, love, love Debbie Gibson. Too bad it wasn't Electric Youth that was number 1 during my graduation year.
14. Don't Wanna Lose You, Gloria Estefan - I heard the Spanish and English versions of this song, and I prefer the Spanish one. It's much more romantic.
15. Heavan, Warrant - Don't know.
16. Girl I'm Gonna Miss You, Milli Vanilli - It's a tragedy to see the dream is over, and i never will forget, the day we've met, girl I'm gonna miss you.
17. The Look, Roxette - And they go, lalalala - she's got the look! Forever immortalized because of Eat Bulaga's TV contest.
18. She Drives Me Crazy, Fine Young Cannibals - Another cool yet danceable ditty. -- She drives me crazy, and I can't help myself.
19. On Our Own, Bobby Brown - Don't know this one, too.
20. Two Hearts, Phil Collins - This song has a nice, bouncy vibe to it. -- Two hearts, living in just one mind, together forever, til the end of time...
21. Blame It On The Rain, Milli Vanilli - When "you've got to blame it on something..."
22. Listen To Your Heart, Roxette - "When it's calling for you, listen to your heart, there's nothing else you can do..."
23. I'll Be There For You, Bon Jovi - "These 5 words I say to you, if you breathe, I want to be the air for you, I'll be there for you!
24. If You Don't Know Me By Now, Simply Red - "You will never, never, never know me.. no you won't..."
25. Like A Prayer, Madonna - Yes, Madonna makes it to the list. The almost-blasphemous MTV is what makes this song so memorable for me. Burning crosses, making love to saints, and low cut dresses -- just like a prayer, your voice will take me there.
26. I'll Be Loving You (Forever), New Kids On The Block - NKOTB during their high pitched era.
27. How Can I Fall?, Breathe - I did hear this song a lot way back in LSQC. It was very romantic.
28. Baby Don't Forget My Number, Milli Vanilli - This was the songn with the rap in between, which I think was really cool. "Baby, don't forget my number. Baby, love is stronger than thunder." May I add, Baby, don't forget my lipsync artist.
29. Toy Solider, Martika - I love the beat of this song, it's within the "marching" concept of the ditty and you hear Martika go: step by step, heart to heart, bit by bit and the battle wages on, for toy soldiers. This is supposedly about drug addiction and the fight to keep the youth away from drugs.
30. Forever Your Girl, Paula Abdul - Yes, everybody loves Paula! "Hey baby, i'm forever your girl." I love the instrumentation of this song.
31. The Living Years, Mike and the Mechanics - Familiar band, unfamiliar song.
32. Eternal Flame, The Bangles - A lovely ballad coupled with powerful voices. I can still hear the lead singer belting: but is this burning, an Eternal Flaaaaammmmmeeeeee....
33. Wild Thing, Tone Loc - One of those sexy songs complete with heavy breathing: Wild thing, yo make my heart sing.
34. When I See You Smile, Bad English - "When I see you smile, I can face the world..." Isn't that sweet.
35. If I Could Turn Back Time, Cher - Apart from the song, people remember Cher singing it while wearing the highest cut tanga bikini in recorded history. And she sang this while she was on an aircraft carrier. A lot of happy soliders there, I reckon.
36. Buffalo Stance, Neneh Cherry - Female rap at its best. "Looking good today, looking good in every way. No lock and key... Boy, don't you mess with me!"
37. When I'm With You, Sheriff - I don't know this one.
38. Don't Rush Me, Taylor Dayne - and this one.
39. Born To Be My Baby, Bon Jovi - and this one.
40. Good Thing, Fine Young Cannibals - and this one.
41. The Lover In Me, Sheena Easton - and this one. Although I love Sheena Easton.
42. Bust A Move, Young M.C. - Looks like this is the part that I really, really don't know.
43. Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Great White - next
44. Batdance, Prince - next
45. Rock On, Michael Damian - next
46. Real Lov, Jody Watley - Wow! Jodie Watley! I love this song: "Real love, i know I gotta get some, real love... gotta have real love!"
47. Love Shack, B-52's - Hands down, my favorite band. And I love, love, love the song. -- If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says: 15 miles to the LOOOOOVEEE SHACK! Love shack, yeah!
48. Every Little Step, Bobby Brown - "You will be there, every little step I take, we'll be together..."
49. Hangin' Tough, New Kids On The Block - "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh... Hanging tough!"
50. My Heart Can't Tell You No, Rod Stewart - Nope, don't know this one.
51. So Alive, Love and Rockets - and this one.
52. You Got It (The Right Stuff), New Kids On The Block - Vaugely familiar.
53. Armageddon It, Def Leppard - next
54. Satisfied, Richard Marx - next
55. Express Yourself, Madonna - LOVE IT! "come on girls, do you believe in love, because i've got something to say about it, and it goes a little something like this!" Madonna dances the Roger Rabbit in her Gaultier bustier! Classic!
56. I Like It, Dino - I don't like it because I don't know it.
57. Soldier Of Love, Donny Osmond - Huh? Donny Osmond?
58. Sowing The Seeds Of Love, Tears For Fears - Great MTV. With the crawling graphics. Lovely song, too.
59. Cherish, Madonna - Who can forget the mermaids in this MTV. And I like the chorus singing: "Give me faith, give me joy, my boy, I will always cherish you..."
60. When The Children Cry, White Lion - Huh?
61. 18 And Life, Skid Row - Huh?
62. I Don't Want Your Love, Duran Duran - I can't believe I don't know this Duran Duran Song.
63. Second Chances, .38 Special - Don't know this one.
64. The Way You Love Me, Karyn White - I might know this one.
65. Funky Cold Medina, Tone Loc - I definitely know this one. It spawned Andrew Ford Medina. And I love the part of the song where he goes out with a girl named Sheena, and he found out: "SHEENA WAS A MAN!" His parting words of wisdom: "Don't go out with a girl with an Oscar Meyer Weinier" How profound!
66. In Your Room, Bangles - Vaguely Familiar.
67. Miss You Like Crazy, Natalie Cole - This song has a great intro: "Even though it's been so long, my love for you keeps going strong..." Who wouldn't fall in love with that.
68. Love Song, Cure - I know the cure. I don't know this song.
69. Secret Rendesvous, Karyn White - I think Karyn White sang Superwoman. But this song, I don't know.
70. Angel Eyes, Jeff Healey Band - Nope.
71. Patience, Guns N' Roses - Nope.
72. Walk On Water, Eddie Money - Nope.
73. Cover Girl, New Kids On The Block - Nope.
74. Welcom To The Jungle, Guns N' Roses - And another nope.
75. Shower Me With Your Love, Surface - Yup. "Shower me with your love, shower me with the love that I long for..."
76. Stand, R.E.M. - Know the band, not the song.
77. Close My Eyes Forever, Lita Ford - Don't know the singer, don't know the song.
78. All This Time, Tiffany - Debbie's arch rival. I like this song as well, it suits Tiffany's hoarse voice.
79. After All, Cher and Peter Cetera - Super duper romantic song. It helped that it was part of that great Cybill Sheperd/Robert Downey Movie "Chances are"
80. Roni, Bobby Brown - Who's Roni?
81. Love In An Elevator, Aerosmith - Why an elevator?
82. Lay Your Hands On Me, Bon Jovi - Vaguely familiar!
83. This Promise, When In Rome - This song was a huge hit in High School. I still remember Romarose Riguer dancing this one. "If you need a friend, don't look to a stranger. You know in the end, i'll always be there..."
84. What I Am, Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians - Groovy song. Loved Edie Brickell since her "Good times" days.
85. I Remember Holding You, Boys Club - Unknown
86. Paradise City, Guns N' Roses - Unknown
87. Iwanna Have Some Fun, Samantha Fox - Unknown
88. She Wants To Dance With Me, Rick Astley - Who doesn't know Rick Astley? He was a dance icon and sounded like Roderic Paulate. "She wants to dance with me. I wanna hold her so tight next to me..."
89. Dreamin', Vanessa Williams - I prefer Vanessa's "Saved the best for last"
90. It's No Crime, Babyface - i don't know this one.
91. Poison, Alice Cooper - and this one.
92. This Time I Know It's For Real, Donna Summer - Donna does not disappoint. This was one of her better dance tunes. And it had a really nice story behind it. I think i know this one by heart. -- i'm going crazy just to let you know, you'll be amazed how much i love you so, oh baby. I've been around here long enough to know, this time I know it's for real!
93. Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson - The dance move was much better than the song. I wanted to learn that "lean forward without tumbling over" routine so badly.
94. Heavan Help Me, Deon Estus - duh?
95. Rock Wit'cha, Bobby Brown - I wanna rock witcha baby, all night long. I wanna roll with you baby... Of course, he's talking about the horizontal rock here.
96. Thinking Of You, Sa-fire - This title I haven't read in ages. But I do remember it clearly: "I'm thinking of you. Wish that I could hold you tight... wish you could stay, but you're so far away... so far away...."
97. What You Don't Know, Expose - Me don't know, too...
98. Surrender To Me, Ann Wilson and Robin Zander - Oh no!
99. The End Of The Innocence, Don Henley - I don't know!
100. Keep On Movin', Soul II Soul - The last 3 songs!


Whew! That was a lot of work. But that was a lot of fun as well! Makes me want to sing "Love Shack" for the next few hours...

Is this a sign? Or is this a sign?

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Umay gosh!

After spending most of my life and a half in front of the computer, i'm beginning to feel the pinch. Yes, i'm experiencing "computer umay" all of a sudden. It's that feeling when I shudder at the sight of another computer, and the thought of surfing the internet sends shivers up my spine.

So what am I doing sitting in front of a computer, typing on my blog?

Sounds familiar...

There are only 18 songs in my ITunes at the moment, which might make it the most lame and most boring ITune in the whole universe, and maybe even the next. Because of this, I've made it a habit to connect to the network and mooch off my other colleagues ITunes. That's the great thing about having an office network, you can benefit from other people's resources.

Golf must have the most number of songs in the office. He has around 30 days worth, if I'm not mistaken. He has a very varied selection, which is awesome. Best of all, he has Sophie Ellis Bextor, which means he definitely has taste. I'm a big fan of Sophie since 2002, but unfortunately, her albums aren't available in Manila or Hong Kong. I should have gotten one of her CDs when I was in Europe last year. He also has Carpenters, Isaac Hayes, Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone, so you can tell this kid has got an old soul. Alas, he has no Britney Spears, though.

Today, I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and listen to my other officemates' iTunes. The first one I saw was Keith's, so after a quick double click, I was in his song network. I expected Keith's selection to be predominantly Chinese. Since he's a Hong Kong Chinese, I could imagine him listening to KellyJackie, Rain, and the Twins all day long. When I began poring through is music selection, my deduction proved to be a correct one. Most of the songs are written in Chinese, so they're of no use to me.

Still, my persistence led me to scroll down and down and down. And while doing that, I saw this very familiar title:

"You made me stronger."

I thought... could it be? Could it be the song of Asia's Songbird, Ms. Regine Velazquez? Could it be the song she wrote after breaking up with Ariel Rivera? Curious, I double clicked on the song, and waited with baited breath.

"Is it hard to believe i'm ok? After all, it's been a while since you've walked away. I'm way past crying over you finding someone new..."

Yes! It was Regine! It was so great hearing one of her songs after a long time. Not because i'm a fan, but Regine really has one of the best voices on the planet. She's got the voice of an angel, and listening to her is so soothing - even if she's shrieking 40% of the time when she sings. So that song played for a few times before deciding to move on further down the list.

Then I saw it...

"Bulag, Pipi at Bingi."

Whoa! How could that classic Filipino song be in my Chinese officemate's iTunes! I double clicked on the tune just to make sure, and it was indeed the ditty that every Pinoy must know.

Wondering why he had Pinoy songs in his list, I checked the album title to see the source of these 2 songs. The Album title is "Classic Asian Love Songs", and was produced in HK. By the way, that's also where "You made me stronger" came from. This little factoid made me break into a big smile. That's because: 1. Two Pinoy songs are considered Classic Asian Love Songs in Hong Kong, and 2. My Chinese officemate likes listening to it. (I checked the playlist, and he plays these 2 songs often.)

I should chat with Keith one of these days so we can talk about Regine. He might want to know more about the voice behind the song.

And yes, it looks like i'll hang out Keith's iTunes more often these days.

Internet Junkie

Since my move to HK, i've noticed that almost 80% of my day is spent on the internet. I'm either doing research, (yeah, right), answering emails, downloading articles, or writing on my blog. In fact, my wrists are now complaining that they spend more time on the keyboard than anywhere else. Could carpal tunnel syndrome be far behind? I hope not.

One of my colleagues once commented that someone should bring me out of my room because everytime he passes by, i'm hunched in front of the Mac. And that worries him. Hahaha. But he does have a point. Often, I force myself to go out and interact just so i can pull away from the computer and the net.

Weekends are supposed to be "internet free" days. But often, I find myself sneaking into internet cafes to check mail or write. This is the reason why I love going back home to Manila. It's the only time when i'm 100% detached from all things techie and internet. It's when my social interaction instincts and skills kick in and i'm more in tune with the world through my eyes, and not through the eyes of some person who has "www" in his name.

The Homeboy is now a Handyman

It's been almost a month since I bought my curtain rods, but the search for a good carpenter to install them has been a vain one. There was one very good prospect, a Pinoy handyman, but when he gave me his quote for the project, it simply reeked "i'm cheating you because you look like you've got money to spare."

Last Thursday, I attempted to install the simple vertical fabric blinds from Ikea. Surprisingly, it was quite easy to put up. It took only 2 hooks and 15 minutes before they were up, and my heart was swelling with pride when I looked at the very nice results of my efforts.

It's time to take it to the next level. After debating with myself the past few days, a decision has been made. "Better install the blinds yourself, Lester," was the message from my mind.

And I did.

After making a quick stop at Ikea this lunchtime to buy 2 curtain rods and 3 pairs of curtains, I've decided to install them myself. Definitely, it would be more complex than fabric blinds since i'll be dealing with long steel rods that are heavy and require a lot of screwing. But it was a lazy Sunday, making me stand up to the challenge.

With Kylie Minogue, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani and Ray Charles in the background, my handyman instincts kicked in and my work began.

Suprisingly, it took only 1 hour to install the curtain rods in my room and in the dining area. My room now has a new curtain rod and new curtains (colored red and yellow, in honor of Mother Spain, hehehe) and the dining area now sports a navy blue with white box curtain. Both have added more sense of "homeness" into my home.

Looks like there's another alternative career waiting for me. I might just have the chops to become a Carpenter. And I don't mean the one that sings "We've only just begun." Though that would be quite nice, too.

New Edition. New Addition.

Two of Abercrombie and Fitch's new edition denim styles have found their way into my closet. One was by a simple twist of fate, and the other, thanks to a friend who came from NY.


The first one is a Saranac Signature Boot in Extreme Light wash. It has destroyed details all around, plus the classic moose embroidered at the right leg. Aside from the embroidery, there's also a silk screened print that adds to the design character of the jeans. The fit is nice, and the fade is just enough to keep it from entering the dreaded "Get Used - early 90s" era. This would look awesome with a plain white shirt.


The second is a Kilburn Low Rise Boot in Dark Dirty Wash. This one doesn't look to spectacular when you hold it up, but once you wear it - it becomes a totally different animal. The fit is great, the waist is very low yet not too tight, so it just skims the hip rather than strangling it. The leg, though relaxed, still follows the shape of the thigh closely. Ergo, it looks slim, but it gives the leg room to move around. The wash is found between "Dark" and "Dirty" which enables it to move from rugged to smart casual just by a change of tops.

Now i've got 2 more pairs that will join the group of "newly acquired but haven't been used" jeans in my closet. I have to get out of the house more...

That figures.

Our MD approached me to say I've been doing a great job: Excellent ideas and stellar copy, he says. It's funny because I feel more appreciated here in my 4 month stay compared to my 2 year stint in my Manila agency's new management.

At least now I know that the problem was more with them than me.

Almost there...

My jean closet is feeling a bit miffed that I'm paying attention to other parts of the house more than her.

I've been spending the past few days in Ikea, finding things to stuff in my apartment. It seems like i've been spending more time in Ikea than in Granville shopping for clothes. And that, I must say, is NOT NORMAL!!!

But there's a feeling of accomplishment when I see that my flat is beginning to feel like home. Plus, there's a sense of pride each time I'm able to single-handedly put something up. Be it as mundane as blinds, coat hangers, or a mirror.

I better finish this home project of mine soon.

Shoeuthanasia...

Almost 4 years ago, during my trip to Spain, Tita Evelyn bought me to one of the sports shop in La Illa Mall to get me a pair of shoes. Initially, she suggested a pair of leather shoes - Spanish leather shoes are top quality, after all - but it wasn't my style. I told her that i'm more of a sneaker/athletic shoe kind of guy, and that how we ended up in that store.

Among rows and rows and rows and rows and rows and row (yup, there were that many rows) of shoes, one pair caught my eye. It was a pair of adidas running shoes, in different shades of gray, with reflectorized stripes. The moment I slipped them on, they felt so light and comfortable, making it ideal for walking and running. Needless to say, this was the pair for me.

Now, almost 4 years of excellent service to me, these shoes are just about ready to give up. The signs of wear and tear started appearing this year, beginning with the edges of the sole coming off, to little tears in the fabric appearing. But the past few months, the damage began growing bigger, and bigger, like 1/8 of the sole coming off the base.

Normally, this is a clear sign that it's time for this pair to retire and move on to that big Foot Locker outlet in the sky. But I love this pair so much that my decision was to put up a fight to keep it alive a few years more. So i've had a passionate love affair with SupaGlue the past few weeks - patiently glueing every bit of the sole back to the base. It usually works, but when I start walking, another part of the sole manages to unhinge itself. So I stick it on again.

The situation is actually quite bad that i'm contemplating carrying a small tube of SupaGlue each time I use them. In case of emergency, as they say. But this extreme measure is also giving me the impression that I should simply give up and let it go.

After all, they've been with me through a lot of things. Trips all around Europe, Asia, Mexico and the U.S. (Making it my most travelled piece of property, along with the Delsey bag given to me by Marite in 2002.) I've waded through floods with it, and it's my shoe of choice whenever the rains pour like crazy. Ergo, it lived a full life.

But like many things that have emotional significance to us, it's hard to give up on, much less - let go - of things that we love so much. That no matter how we convince ourselves that it's ok, and sometimes try to find a replacement to what we need to give up, it's still hard. This I know for a fact because I already bought 3 shoes to "replace" it, but I end up using the old one more often than the new ones.

I guess some things are just irreplaceable.

Retro in the Metro

Riding the escalator on my way up from the MTR, I saw something that was equivalent to a time machine that would instantly zap me back to the early 80s.

Lois and Sergio Valente Jeans!

The two girls ahead of me were wearing these two iconic 80s brands. Behind their nicely shaped bottoms lay the tags, so i'm not sure whether it was the tag that caught my eye, or their nicely shaped bottoms. Or then again, it might simply have been because they were standing ahead of me on a steep escalator, with their bums strategically positioned in front of my face.

When I hear the brand "Lois", memories of childhood in front of the television set come to mind. They had these campy ads pretty much like the: "Kerr Jeans fits you right, right from the start... Kerrrrr Jeans!" jingle. Though the Lois ad escapes me right now, it was close to that genre. The brand identity was very distinct, with its bull and almost handwritten font. The brand, I think, was more popular with the female set since the males only wore Levi's back then. My sisters would have a couple of pairs, and they wear it with their Esprit hanging tees. (The one that says "ESP" up front, and "RIT" at the back.)

Sergio Valente Jeans was one brand with a very distinct jingle. It went: "Sergio Valente, Sergio Valente Jeans! Uh-oh, Sergio... Oooh... Sergio... you caught my eye... *fade away".

Aside from its distinct logo, Sergio Valente made really linear jeans. It was straight from hip to hem which worked well on shorter people. It was the type of jeans that made you tall and thin. Though back in the 80s, that wasn't too big a concern since Kate Moss and her supermodel posse weren't in vogue then. But despite that, Sergio had a big cult following - including my Mom. She had a couple of SVs along with her Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans.

It's so nice when you see these retro brands re-emerging. It lends truth to the adage: everything old becomes new again. Tomorrow, I hope to run into someone wearing Texwood: The Apple Jeans. That would really make my week.

Over sharing

There's a glass with 3 different toothbrushes in our office restroom. According to urban legend, those teeth scrubbing babies are "for public consumption" and anyone can go ahead and use it to expel meat, poultry, vegetables or preserved plum that may be lodged in between your teeth. The concept of sharing toothbrushes was so gross, I quickly dispelled the story as mere hearsay.

Reality check...

Today, two different people used the same toothbrush in 2 different occasions. When I went in around 2pm, there was one guy brushing his teeth using the purple toothbrush found in the glass. Two hours later, there was a different guy using the same toothbrush! Then it hit me, it wasn't an urban legend. IT'S TRUE!

There exists a public toothbrush that people within the office share. I've heard of shared company resources, but this is totally, totally ridiculous.

Well, at least I know that the employees in this office are really close...

Today's best buy

After not seeing anything good at my favorite sample outlet store for quite sometime, today's purchase has definitely made up for it. Today I got a denim jacket that's just so cool, it'll make Antartica look like the Sahara Desert.

Everything about this baby screams character. The dark denim makes it suitable to wear with any kind of bottom, whether jeans, chinos or twill cargos. The body has distressed details, and it's so distressed, it should see a shrink really soon. In between the distressed bits, you'll find this fatigue colored jersey cloth, and a fatigue piping up front. The collar is made of blue twill, and thre are a lot of buckles in the wrist and waist area.

Add all the details together, and you've got a fashion piece that can be dressed up and dressed down according to my mood. It's part Diesel and part D&G, a bit of Gap coupled with a bit of Galliano.

And if it's any gauge of how cool it is, I've been wearing it for only 3 minutes, and 2 people already complemented me on how nice my jacket is.

I sing the body symmetric...

One of my officemates once remarked that I have very symmetrical hands. When I put my 2 hands beside each other, palms up, my palm lines actually look like mirror images. They're both "M" shaped, and they'll probably fit right in then I clasp my hands together.

She also said that upon looking at my palm, she read that I'll have a lot of money, which is always cool. The problem is, Joannah's friend from Singapore also told me that since my fingers have gaps on the base, I tend to spend a lot of money, ergo it slips through the gaps. So looking at that, it seems logical. I get a lot of money, then spend a lot of it.

Hmmm... Sounds like a plan....

But I digress. Aside from my hands, this morning saw me finding another symmetric aspect of my body. After waking up and sitting up on my bed, two moles caught my eye. There was one mole on the lower part of my leg, about 8 inches above my ankle. And on my right leg, on exactly the same spot, there's another more. So when I put my two legs together, the moles are like mirror images. Exactly the same size, color and spot.

Looks to me like i'm a well-balanced person.

And we're on air!

I've just been told that our "Venus" TVC will be airing tomorrow. Cool beans!

This is the first commercial I conceptualized for the Hong Kong office, so i'm quite excited about it. Aside from the fact that the TVC was very well made and is visually stunning, it's one of the TVCs whose concept is close to my heart. So i'm both glad and proud to see it on air.

I love my job!

Domestic Disturbance

Every time I take a gander at my flat’s kitchen, I’m reminded of the “ugly relative that you don’t want anyone to see, so you either hide him or ignore him.”

Compared to the rest of the flat, which looks all clean and decent, the kitchen is really an eyesore. The floor is made of patchy linoleum, one of the cabinet doors has been dislodged, the countertops are dirty, and the walls have this tacky wallpaper designed as bricks.

Since I moved in almost 3 weeks ago, I’ve been constantly ignoring the kitchen. I’m hoping that if I ignore it long enough, it’ll go away. Or maybe, by some power of magic, the kitchen will suddenly become spic, span and gorgeous. Ergo, while I’ve buying a lot of stuff for the living, dining and sleeping areas, I haven’t bought a thing for the kitchen yet.

Today, I’ve decided to face my fears head on. At around 9 in the morning, I stood in front of the kitchen, *winced*, then assessed the damage, *winced*, then imagined how much work would go into cleaning it, *winced*, and decided that I should do something about it. And yes, I winced again.

Heading down to Park and Shop, I found myself in the home area for the first time. In a few minutes, household-cleaning implements occupied my cart; cleansers, dishwashing liquid, sponge, cleaning towels, garbage bags, and paper towels.

By 10 am, my daunting task began. Channeling my inner Tim Allen, Martha Stewart and Nigella Lawson, I proceeded to clean and arrange the kitchen as best as I could. My actions became some sort of a mantra which I chanted in order to stay sane: scrub, wipe, sweep, mop, scrub, wipe, sweep, mop, scrub, wipe, sweep, mop.

It escapes me how a small amount of space can rack up so much dirt. The range hood was filled with some sticky gunk that wasn’t grease, the sink had white splotches and the shelves were covered in dust.

Thanks to my new best friend, Cif, (the cleanser formerly known as Jif, according to the pack); I survived the cleaning frenzy in one piece. While the kitchen isn’t as spanking new or picture pretty, it was decent, at the very least. The counter tops were clean, the sink was rid of its spots, and the floor has been swept (which revealed more of the ugly linoleum – but that would be another story.)

After an hour of cleaning, I look at the results and bash my head in frustration!

Just kidding…

I’m actually happy with the results. At the very least, the place is now clean. And now, I can start buying stuff for it. I do need plates and glasses, after all.

It might not be the best looking kitchen in the lot, but it’s a start.

Villains I love to Hate

Once upon a time, I read this article about Princess Punzalan who, at that time, was enjoying a second wind thanks to her performance as the villain Selena in “Mula sa Puso.”

She recounted that someone at the mall tried to pull her hair because of all the treachery and evil she’s been doing to Claudine Barreto’s character in the soap. That’s when she realized that her acting was so effective, she was no longer an actress but a real life villain.

This is my personal gauge of how effective a villain is: when I find myself wanting to stand up and charge to the screen to inflict bodily harm on the movie’s baddie – then I know the actor did really, really well.

In the hundreds of films I’ve seen, a few actors have made me want to do just that. In honor of them, let me write down the top 5 villains that I love to hate.


1. Gary Sinise in “Ransom.” – Pure, scheming, cruelty. That was the embodiment of his character in that film. It didn’t help that he was the FBI agent assigned to the case, then turned out to be the mastermind of the entire kidnapping. Sick as it may sound, it gave me so much joy seeing him hurt in that film. When his crime partner/girlfriend Lily Taylor died in the shootout scene, I let out a chuckle because I knew that killed a part of him, too. And when he was shot in the end, my mind was screaming: “DIE, BASTARD, DIE!”


2. Kirsten Dunst/Samantha Mathis in “Little Women.” – Okay, so technically, they weren’t villains in the film. But their character – Amy – tormented Jo so much that I thought they should be classified as one. They were scheming and manipulative, only wanting what’s good for them. When Kirsten threw Winona’s manuscript into the fire, I wanted to jump into the screen and whack the living daylights out of her. When Samantha showed up in the March household with Teddy as her fiancé, it took me an amount of self-control to keep myself from shouting: “BITCH! YOU STOLE TEDDY FROM JO! BITCH!”


3. Cameron Diaz in “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” – She ended up with Julia Roberts’ guy. She made Julia Roberts unhappy. Anyone in his or her right mind would definitely say that THAT is the ultimate villainy of them all. No one should ever make Julia Roberts sad. NO ONE! And even if Cameron is as cute as a button and hot as hell, she’s a villain because of what she did.


4. The Shopkeeper in “Pretty Woman.” – Related to reason number 3. When she told Julia Roberts off and said: “I’m sorry, but we don’t sell clothes for your kind here,” and gave her the raised eyebrow-sneer-shrug combo, she automatically became an evil witch in my eyes. I kept on telling myself, “I wish I owned that Rodeo Drive shop so I could have fired her snooty ass right then and there.” That’s why when Julia came back and delivered her line: “You earn on commission, right? Big mistake – HUGE!” I could almost hear a chorus of angels singing “Hallelujah” in the background.


5. Edward Norton in “Primal Fear.” – The whole time you thought he was the victim. The whole time you thought that there was injustice done to him. Then right before the movie ends, he turns out to be the cold-blooded killer that Laura Linney saw him to be. When the credits started to roll, I sat there in disbelief, and I wanted the projectionist to rewind the movie so I could jump in the screen and beat Edward Norton silly.

Recalling all these villainous moments is turning out to be more fun than I expected. I should do this more often.

I hate Peter Sarsgaard!

Despite all the lukewarm reviews, I decided to catch “Flight Plan” today. Jodie Foster has always been a big favorite of mine, (I thought “Nell” was overlooked for an Oscar) so I try to catch as many of her films I can.

“Flight Plan,” in my opinion, didn’t disappoint. It had a steady pace, an interesting plot, a lot of “edge-of-your-seat-hold-on-to-the-armrest” moments, and a not-so-bad conclusion. The narrative tries to throw you off with the odd twist and surprise characters, something that’s always good in a film. But personally, the nice thing about “Flight Plan” is how you leave the theater still connecting together pieces of the story and silently nodding your head thinking: “So that’s what it was.”

One of the best parts of this film was the fact that you don’t know who the bad guy is until the last quarter of the film. Normally, that would be irritating, but in this case, it added so much to the suspense – and eventual resolution.

Jodie Foster was her usual brilliant self. She owned most of the film, and only a few actresses can get away with having every little bit of the story revolve around her. Her strength, vulnerability, anguish and intelligence all melded together to create a realistically flawed character. But in crucial parts of the film, her interaction with the movie’s main villain is what spiced up the story.

Which brings me to Peter Sarsgaard. He’s fast becoming one of cinema’s most effective bad guys.



According to my former film teacher, Ms. Santiago, the villain is always an integral part of every story. In this person’s hand often lies the conflict, and in any narrative, the conflict is the propulsion that determines how far the story can go.

What makes Peter Sarsgaard so stellar as a villain is the fact that he looks nothing like one. He has these droopy puppy eyes, boy-next-door hair and vulnerable charm that would best typify him as the trampled-down-upon little brother.

And he does! Most of the time, you follow him around the story thinking he’s one of the good guys. He's the compassionate seatmate who offers a helping hand, gaining everyone’s trust and good graces. Then, just as you least expect it, KA-BLAM! He shows his true colors and you realize he was the big, bad wolf the entire time.

“Flight Plan” is the second film I’ve seen in a month that had Peter Sarsgaard in it. The other one was “Skeleton Key” with Kate Hudson. His character in that film was essentially the same; a nice, country lawyer who hires and helps out Kate. But come the end of the movie, we see him for who he really is – a reincarnation of an evil voodoo master. Again, I didn’t see that coming.

Only a few actors can get away with this “nice-guy-turned-baddie” shtick. At the top of the list – and a far, far, FAAAARRRR number one would be Kevin Spacey’s brilliant performance in “Seven.” But give Peter Saarsgard a few more films, and I think he’ll turn out to be a person who you’ll just love to hate.

I’ve been iced!

Tried the new Sprite Ice today, and I must say it’s another winner from the Coca-Cola company.

Like the original Sprite, this one’s refreshing, light and goes down easy. But after a few seconds, you can feel the cold rush down your throat. It feels as if there’s an ice cube slowly making its way down, or for the more imaginative, it’s as if there’s a person skiing past your tonsils.

I’m going to get hooked on this stuff.

SHORT BREAK

Suddenly remembered Melanie Marquez’s winning quote: “Don’t judge my brother. He is not a book!” That should be engraved somewhere.

Attention! Attention please…

In my world, everything needs to be explained in 30 seconds, and if you don’t get your point across in 5, then you’re most likely to be ignored.

Imagine the damage this kind of philosophy does to a person’s attention span, in particular – my attention span.

Kids have an attention span of about 3 to 5 minutes. Adults, according to a motivational speaker I once met, can focus for about 15 to 20 minutes before their minds go a-wanderin’. If these 2 factoids were true, then I’d have the attention span of a 12-week old fetus.

Whenever I read a magazine, the first paragraph – or the lead paragraph as I taught my students – is the most crucial part of the article. If it’s not enough to pique my interest, then consider the whole article trashed.

Choosing a CD follows the same philosophy. When scanning an album, the first few beats of the song is my cue whether to listen to the entire song or simply press “FF.” When the first 10 seconds of the track is arresting enough, I know that the rest of the song would be great.

My Charlotte Church purchase was largely influenced by this “first few beats” philosophy. Eighty percent of the album’s tracks had an excellent opening vibe, and that’s a very high percentage.

Often, I find myself asking whether this is a trait worth cultivating or changing. Should I really be that critical to the first few seconds and judge the entirety based on that? Or to paraphrase the question in a cliché, should I “judge a book by its cover” or must “first impressions last?”

All grown up. All funked out.

Bought Charlotte Church’s new album “Tissues and Issues” today, and it’s so exciting to see her all grown up. I’ve been a follower of hers since she exploded into the scene with her angelic voice and ethereal renditions of popular church hymns. That means I’ve been listening to her since her “The Prayer” days.

It seems to me those days are behind her. From the CD cover, to the magazine covers she’s been gracing recently, it seems that she’s shifting from virgin to vamp.

Décolletage revealing dresses, wind swept hair, dark make up, and a come-hither expression is what I’ve been seeing her do these past few months. Maybe Charlotte is trying to fill in a niche since Britney is now a mommy, Christina’s getting a bit old, Lindsay and Hillary are bordering on bubblegum and Jessica is better seen than heard. She must have noticed a vacancy in the “pop siren” division, and is trying to fill in the void.

But unlike most of the girls mentioned above, Charlotte can really sing! Her pristine voice, doing ditties laced with angst, gives her songs an extra oomph. Listening to her is almost like listening to an irony. A good irony, at that.

My favorite tracks are “Crazy Chick” and “Let’s be alone.” I instantly fell in love with “Let’s be alone,” that I decided to use it in my latest commercial. It helps that the product we’re selling is pretty much like the new Charlotte Church: young, feminine but with a sexy vibe that guys find irresistible.

I know I do.

Full Friday

Everytime I fly in to Manila, I put every minute of the day into good use. Jumping from one place to the next with precision timing so as not to waste any time. Today was no exception, in a span of 14 hours, I've seen so many good friends, been to my favorite spots, did myself a couple of personal favors, and yes, I squeezed in a bit of shopping for good measure.

From the airport, I proceeded to our house where I dropped my stuff. Missing the rowdy jeepney, I took one going to Morato where I had my haircut. Marcos, my barber, said he missed me - we haven't seen each other in about 4 months. Though I didn't tell him, he knew I came from out of the country. He said that I have this certain aura, and that my skin is fairer and more pinkish. (Sounds like a whitening soap ad, eh?)

Next stop, Robinson's Galleria. This is my favorite place of all time, that's why I was in 7th heaven when we won the account, and was really disapppointed when we decided to let it go. Met up with Tess and Eunice, talked about expat life and how I miss the Philippines, and showed them my moustache, which they thought was cool. In between that and meeting Bonique, I was able to roam around some more, and bought this fabi studded belt at Topman. I wonder why they don't have this brand in Hong Kong.

Met up with Bonique who was shell shocked with my moustache, only to tell me half an hour later that it already grew on her and that I look nice with it.

Took the MRT to Makati, and finally went to Tito Pacqui's office where Ate Lissa works. Then I met up with Lyli to show her my cool Energie pants. Bought some local magazines. Met up with Jong at Jollibee. Then had dinner at Chili's with a few friends.

After I checked my watch, it was already past 11. I was so tempted to go to Eastwood and catch a late movie, but I remembered I have to be at St. Scholastica's early to have breakfast with Prichy. So I decided to turn in.

I love these Manila visits!

Ding-dong! I'm Happy!

At the ground floor of my flat is this little grocery which carries a lot of Asian goodies - and a chunk of which are from the Philippines. From the outside, I spotted a few bottles of Rufina Patis, Datu Puti suka, Clover Chips, Nagaraya Cracker Nuts, Sunflower crackers, Rebisco Cream Sandwich, and yes, Skyflakes - ang pambansang biskwit.

I decided to check it out this morning to see how Pinoy they really are. Lo and behold, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat and gave me goosebumps all over:

Ding Dong and Happy.

Ding Dong has been one of my cheapest thrills since college. Back then, a small pack cost about 50 cents, and you'd already get your fill of pop beans, cornic, and green peas. It came in little plastic packs that were simply so hard to open. It was so cheap back then, that it was almost a social stigma to carry it around. I remember my friend who, upon seeing me gnoshing a pack of Ding dongs, proceeded to say: "Wala ka na bang pera at yan ang kinakain mo?'

Despite its being cheap, I loved how it tasted. I guess a lot of it was because of the high MSG content, and people commonly know, MSG makes everything taste fabulous! By the new millennium, my favorite snack also decided to turn a new leaf. It became Ding-dong 5+1 and came in neat, silver foil packs. The addition of cracker nuts into the mix really upped the likeability aspect. And I was even more hooked!

Happy Peanuts were an accidental discovery. We usually have Growers or Tobi at home, but one time, both brands were out of stock. The brand within arm's reach was Happy, so we thought of trying it out. And we're so glad we did! Happy was excellent. It wasn't greasy, AT ALL! It had a nice texture, thanks to the little bits of roasted garlic in each pack. And it came in different flavors - so you eschew the flavor fatigue syndrome easily.

It became such a hit that we forgot about Growers and Tobi altogether. My parents like Happy so much, that they even bring a stash to the US whenever they fly there - to the delight of my brother and his family. The thing about Happy, though, it it's garlicky breath residue. But that's the price of sheer enjoyment!

Needless to say, I bought a load of Ding dong and Happy from that store. If I can only get hold of diet Sarsi in this joint, then my flat will really start to feel like home!

Electric Youth

Kids today have such a passionate love affair with Electronic devices. At this day and age, everyone should have at least 1 computer, 1 TV, 1 DVD player and 1 video game machine at home. My family isn't spared from this want and need. We actually have 3 computers, 3 TV sets, 1 Xbox, 1 PS2, and a host of other diversionary devices that need to be plugged in.

I, on the other hand, am living in a flat with no TV, no DVD player, no computer, no microwave oven, and no refrigerator! (The last 2 i'm planning to buy this weekend, though.) This makes me one of the most electronically challenged people in this country.

Seriously, i'm not planning to buy a TV set for the flat. I was never big on TV, even in Manila. I'd only watch it to catch the latest commercials coming out, or watch a film that I missed, or play DVDs of concerts I like (notably Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears and The Beatles.) But out of a hundred percent, my TV viewing experience would only account for about 8-10% of my time.

Maybe because I was born and raised in an era where kids loved to stay outdoors: rough it up, play, climb a tree, swim in a lake, go to the neighbor's house to play patintero, taguan or habulan upo. My generation was a more social one, preferring to play with other kids rather than kids nowadays who prefer to play with imaginary playmates generated by this black box with 2 joysticks. My generation would create worlds and live in it, rather than download a prefabricated world from a disc and kill as many people as they can.

I'm beginning to fear that the next generation might not have too much imagination, because the ones they fill their minds with now are created by people from my generation, and trapping them in electronic gadgets. I see it in school where I teach: kids would rather watch the movie than read the book. They would rather exercise their fingers rather than their arms and legs.

When I look at the cool toys and gadgets available in the market today, i often think: "these kids are lucky. We didn't have these when we were kids." But now, i'm beginning to think that we're luckier that way.

I look at Britney... and I see me...

Woke up today, and yes, i'm in my own flat. I slept shorter than usual, which is why i'll probably be sleepy at some point this afternoon.

For the first time in 3 months, I went out of bed and walked up and around the flat. In the serviced apartment I used to stay in, it was so small that i couldn't even roam around. So what I'd usually do is go back to sleep in case I woke up earlier. I collected garbage, fixed the food stuff I had lying around, and read a few magazines.

I was planning to shave, then I realized something shocking... I didn't have a mirror in my flat.

That would have been fine if I was just going to dress up since I can imagine how an outfit will come together even without looking at it in the mirror. But then again, I was going to shave! I needed to see myself.

The solution? I took my Britney Spears CD, and the opposite side was shiny enough to double as a mirror. So there I was, CD on my left hand, razor on my right. And it turned out to be a really good mirror, resulting in quite a clean shave.

Now, Britney not only does a lot for my mood, she does a lot for my face as well. But I should go out and buy a mirror tonight, or else I might be doing the same thing in a few days. And I definitely wouldn't want to say:

"Oops, I did it again..."

Lovely sight

I arranged my jeans in the closet, and now they're neatly hung in random order. (Random, but my favorite jeans is at the leftmost part of the closet for easy access.)

It's so nice to look at, I might consider not using them at all. Just staring at them would be gratifying enough.

...NOT!

It's official

The furniture has been delivered.

The lay-out has been fixed.

The bed has been made.

Tonight, i'm going home and sleeping in my flat for the first time.

After more than 3 months, i've finally found home.

Everybody is welcome.

Lester, is that you?

Went to Zara and saw 2 smashing shirts. One said "Rock Royalty" while the other had "Golden Paradise" spelled in matte gold balls. They had my size so I was off to the cashier to purchase them.

Midway, I stopped and thought: "if I don't buy these shirts, I can actually buy *insert name of Ikea furniture item here*. That's a more intelligent choice compared to a shirt i'll probably use only twice."

After struggling with my inner self, i neatly put back the 2 shirts and went to Ikea to buy curtain rods, blinds, quilts and quilt covers. All these babies cost the same as the 2 shirts I planned to buy. Needless to say, it's the better way to spend money, right?

...

...

Besides, I can always buy the shirts next week. I'm sure they'll still be there.

Lest we forget

Dropped by Statue Square, and there was a free concert for Filipina Helpers. There was a Filipino cover band playing, and a Filipina who's supposedly a teeny weeny minor star here in Hong Kong. (Probably with the Pinoy community.)

It felt was one of those "baraylihan"* we went to as kids in Malinao, Albay. It was done on the streets, and everyone was dancing and singing along the band. They were playing pop standards like: La Vida Loca, Lambada, Can't get you out of my head, Get the party started and Sex Bomb.

All the DHs who where there were gleefully partying, which was very refreshing to see. Even the way they dressed, it was unlike their usual persona. On weekdays, you'd see them in shorts and t-shirts, bringing their alagas to school. You'd see them at their most frumpy and unattractive. But that weekend, they were all dressed to "party." Wearing hipster jeans, tank tops and heels. When you look at them, it would be easy to suspend reality and simply see them as "girls who just want to have fun."

But that's the thing. That's who they really are. They're women who - in the Philippines - love to go out and party, whether in the town plaza or in some rinky-dink disco in Bambang. Although in Hong Kong, they're simply seen as domestic helpers who clean the house, cook, bring the kids to school, and do their amos every command. Two completely different women, in one same package.

I'm just happy that these women never forget who they are despite the job and label the Hong Kong society has given them.

And i'm hoping that we, too, don't forget.

I can fly! I can fly!

You scored as Peter Pan. Your alter ego is Peter Pan. You are a child at heart. Anything you believe is possible, and you never want to grow up. Goofy 88% Peter Pan 88% Donald Duck 75% The Beast 69% Sleeping Beauty 69% Cinderella 56% Cruella De Ville 56% Ariel 50% Pinocchio 44% Snow White 19% Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego? created with QuizFarm.com