Reese's Redux

I've always loved Reese's Pieces! While all the kids were carrying around their Nestle Crunch bars, their Snickers and Butterfingers, their Three Musketeers and Milky Ways, I was sitting in one corner savoring my little peanut butter cup. Making small bites and letting the chocolate melt in my mouth and give way to the peanut butter center. That was my definition of bliss.

Growing up, I've dabbled into other chocolates as well, especially after my Tita from Barcelona introduced us to the concept of European chocolates. Suddenly, the entire chocolate world opened and we realized that there's more to chocolates than M&M/Mars and Hershey's. Now, we had brands like Andes, Lindt, Perugina, Valrhona and Cote 'd Or. I suddenly became a chocolate polygamist and jumped from one brand to the next. There was even a time when I was addicted to Andes Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Orange thins!

But while these European brands dislodged all those American chocolates off our repertoire, Reese's still remained in my book. Once in a while, I'd find myself leaving Lindt in the fridge in favour of another Reese's Peanut Butter cup. This trend continues even up to now. While I enjoy indulging in Royce, Leonida's and Godiva, it still doesn't compare to the goodness of Reese's. I think it's more than the flavour that makes Reese's such an important chocolate for me, it's all those memories from childhood to adulthood that make it super special.

Memories like sneaking out of my room in the middle of the night to eat Reese's in the kitchen. Or how Xtine and I went grocery shopping in Long Beach and my eyes lit up at the sight of a big shelf of Reese's. Or how Biboy and I went back to Walmart because I wanted to check if they still had the special edition Reese's available. (They had white chocolate and dark chocolate Reese's.) Or how Mark visited me at Unitel with a pack of Reese's on hand. Or how, despite all these years, my parents, siblings and other relatives remember that i'm a big Reese's fan and send me some from the US whenever they have the chance. (The last bag they sent me was the Reese's with Caramel - and I still saved a piece at home.)

This weekend, while we were roaming around Wynn Macau, I saw a very unique pack of Reese's at the hotel's gift shop. Excitedly and without missing a beat, I rushed to the shop and bought two packs. This is how it looked like:



It turned out to be a special edition Reese's that features these yummy peanut butter cups in their original packaging. And instead of two cups per pack, it had three.

Needless to say, I bought it. (Ignoring the fact that it's 400% more expensive than the regular Reese's.) Why shouldn't I? The pack looks classic, it got me excited, and it has more of what I enjoy in every pack.

Yup, that's exactly what Reese's means to me.

Liking Lim

This weekend, I had a bad case of "accompanying-Kawei-to-shop-but-ending-up-buying-more-than-him-syndrome." It was totally odd since my job simply was to show him the good shopping places in Hong Kong so he can indulge in a little bit of retail therapy. Then i'd end up carrying bigger bags than him on our way home.

Let's see... It happened at H&M, at Cheong Hing Bakery, and at Uniqlo. But it was the Uniqlo trip that was definitely, de-fi-nite-ly worth it.

Since they don't have Uniqlo in Singapore just yet, we went to the one at Miramar Complex. While he was trying on a pair of pants and a blazer, I decided to just veg in the graphic T section. More than 15 minutes passed and he still wasn't back so I went around the store to look for him. It turns out he was at the Designer's Invitation Project section looking for a gift for his colleague, and that's when I spotted this.


It turned out that they launched the 3.1 Phillip Lim capsule collection for Uniqlo that day! We went there sometime mid afternoon, and most of the dresses were already sold. There were less than 10 pieces on the rack, and it looked like they'd all be gone in the next 10 minutes. Following my fashion instincts, I grabbed two of the dresses for my two sisters: one in black, the other in white.

Phillip Lim is known for his choice of fabrics and detail in construction. There's always a little detail in his clothes that give it a fashionable twist while still keeping it wearable. His clothes look good on the sidewalk as it does on the catwalk. Plus, since Uniqlo is a mass brand, it was very affordable. An original 3.1 Phillip Lim in New York will cost thousands of dollars, and I got two of these for just little over a hundred. Just looking at this pleated detail on the bodice and feeling the soft linen of the dress, I'm convinced this purchase is a steal.


Excellent fabric, unique construction and a retail friendly price. What's not to like about Phillip Lim?

Mind over Marriage Matters

Before this year ends, and as the next one starts, two friends of mine will be getting married. Contrary to the "June Bride" concept, the most popular months to get married in the Philippines are actually December, January and February. The main reason behind this is the weather - June is either scorching hot or rainy, while the abovementioned 3 months are cool, windy and comfy over-all.

It's been a while since I last helped put together a wedding. The last one was in February 2006 when Joannah got married in Manila. That was loads of fun because we were coordinating the wedding from 3 countries: Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila. Just as planned, the wedding was a low-key, elegant and fun affair. But the planning was just as fun as the event itself.

Now that I've got 2 weddings to "organize", i'm doubly excited and my mind is working double time. Ever since Claire and I became "accidental wedding coordinators" some 5 years back, I realized that conceptualizing weddings is a creatively fulfilling and challenging affair. And this type of fulfillment and challenge is a welcome break from thinking about commercials all the time.

Both weddings have actually been marinating in my mind the past months. And as the date draws closer, I think about them more often and much intensely.

How intense? I was thinking about Bonique's wedding too much this morning, I missed my train stop!

Black Eyed Betty

In the "Oshi" episode of Ugly Betty, they featured the song "Bebot" in all its tagalog-lyric glory.

Oshi - who I surmise is patterned after Yohji Yamamoto - travels with an entourage and his own background music. And yes, that background music happens to be the ditty that Apl de ap wrote in honour of his home country. I wonder if the producers are aware of this. Or maybe, one of the production people was actually Filipino and that's the reason why the song made its way in the series.

It was surreal to hear the song all of a sudden. Or as that often repeated quote (even by me) from Notting Hill goes: "Surreal but Nice."

Things are really getting ugly...

The "Ugly Betty" fever in the Morales flat is hitting record highs. I've been watching the series the past few nights, and i've finished all the episodes in the boxed set I bought.

But the problem when you put together an impatient advertising person and a whole season in a box is that you can expect a bit of cheating to happen.

I watched the first 5 episodes, and the plot was so interestingly twisted, I had the urge to find out how everything would unravel. So what did I do? After the 5th episode, I decided to watch the last episode and work my way up to where I left off. Some people might find this viewing habit uber weird, but it the more fun way of enjoying the series.

Aside from the plot, one thing I love about the series are the characters. It was nice to see Judith Light on TV again. After Alyssa Milano, she was my favorite actress in "Who's the Boss." Now, she's playing Daniel Meade's recovering alcoholic mother - Claire. Despite being out of the scene for a while, her comic timing is still impeccable.

Another favorite character is Constance. The immigration case officer who has the hots for Betty's dad. She lights up the screen everytime she appears, but this segment is definitely one of my favorite scenes with her.



Gosh! I can't wait for Season 2 to start. (And for the boxed set to be available.)

Joke for the (end of the) day

This conversation ended my work day with a big laugh.

ME: Hey Jeff, have you seen the movie "Deja Vu?"

JEFF: Hmmmm... why do I feel that i've seen that before...

Short, crisp and with great comic timing. This is how jokes should be written.

Sweet as Hanae

Sometimes, the most ordinary routines bring the most extraordinary of surprises.

Yesterday, I paid my electric bill at the CLP branch near Yau Ma Tei, and since Mongkok was just nearby, I thought of making a quick stop to see if there's anything new and interesting. There were only two stops planned: the kids clothes store and the vintage shop.

The trip to kiddie land wasn't very exciting. Nothing new or worth writing about. Just when I thought that the vintage shop would be similarly uneventful, imagine my surprise when this caught my eye.



An authentic, vintage Hanae Mori original! And in perfect condition at that! Hanae Mori was one of Tokyo's women pioneers in design - just like Coco Chanel. She was one of the first Japanese designers who carved a niche for herself in New York, and paved the way for other Japanese designers to make it internationally.

Since my sister is into vintage clothes these days, this Hanae Mori went straight from the rack to my bag. The dress has that Jackie O vibe to it, and that suits my sister's personality very well.

Finding a Hanae in the most unexpected places. Now that's sweet!

Panda-monium

Gosh! This is the third pack of Hello Panda that i've eaten today. I've had this snack before - and actually enjoy all three flavours. Strawberry is on the top of my list, followed by chocolate and milk is on the 3rd rung. But the past few days, I've been noshing on it more and more.

From 2 packs a week, then going to 1 pack a day, to the current record of 3 packs a day! I might find myself checking into Hello Pandaholics Anonymous sometime soon. Another strange thing is that i'm suddenly drawn to the the chocolate variant more and more. Each panda is just bursting with chocolatey goodness - which makes it ideal for a snack whether it's mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Heck, it's even good as an after lunch dessert!

(Still, it's no match for my favourite dessert from Mark.)

If I wake up one day looking big and furry with dark circles around my eyes, that just means i've been Hello Panda-fied.

(Wait a minute, I already have dark circles around my eyes. That shouldn't count.)

Vous allez la fille!

Succes!

Segolene Royale made it to the Presidential run-off in France. For a minute there, I thought Bayrou would pull some aces from his sleeves and make it to number 2. Looks like his strategy of courting undecided voters wasn't as successful. Now it's up to Segolene and Nicholas to try and gather as much votes from Bayrou and win the Presidential elections.

I do hope Segolene wins. It seems like all over the world, women are taking the highest seats of power. Within the EU, Segolene will follow Angela Merkel and it would be interesting to see how "woman power" will help direct the Union. And if the reports I read in the papers are true, it looks like Hilary Clinton might be the next Commander-in-Chief of the US. (If that happens, then Geena Davis' series becomes art imitating life.)

Bon de chance Mademoiselle Royale. J'espère que vous gagnez.

Back to Banks

Yes! America's Next Top Model Cycle 8 is back on TVB Pearl. Was able to watch the pilot episode last night and I really like Sarah and Jaslene. Too bad Sarah has been eliminated already, and i'm looking forward to seeing Jaslene on the final 2. As she said in her interview: "I want to be the first Latina winner of America's Next Top Model!"

Yo quiero voy alli.

Mexxed out weekend

This weekend was like a trip back to 2003 when I was in Mexico. For some strange reason, I indulged my hunger for all things "Mexican" these past 2 days, and i'm feeling kinda mexxed out.

Mexican Food!

Melvin and I have long planned a lunch at Taco Bell Grande, and we finally went there yesterday. Of course, they don't have that restaurant here in Hong Kong, so I had to go all the way to Shenzhen, China to do that.

(Now that's something that you don't do everyday. Go to China for lunch! It's like: "Hmmmm... I think I'll go to China and have lunch today." Strange, but true.)

Unlike Taco Bell in Manila, the Taco Bell Restaurant is a sit-down, proper dining kind of place. The interiors remind me of those Mexican restaurants in Tampico and San Luis Potosi - yellow ochre walls, tiled patterns and Frida-esque paintings, dark wood tables with more tile details, and brightly coloured plates in orange and lime green.

(It also reminds me of Tequila Joe's! I miss that restaurant.)


Melvin and I had a big meal of chicken fajitas, tortillas, tostadas, chicken wings, tortilla soup, and a salmon salad with blue cheese dressing. The fajitas were great, but my favorite was the salad. Although that's not an authentic Mexican dish. So maybe it doesn't count.

Mexican TV

Another Mexican-inspired thing I did yesterday was to buy the boxed set of that hit American TV show - Ugly Betty. In this series, the protagonist is an immigrant from Mexico named "Betty", and she lives in a New York suburb with her very Mexican family, "Ignacio" (el Padre) and "Hilda" (la Hermana.)

The original wasn't set in Mexico or didn't feature a Mexican lead character, though. The original show was called "Betty La Fea," and it was shown on channel 7 some years back. If I remember correctly, it was even Chin-chin Gutierrez who voiced one of the characters. That series was made and set in Colombia, but had the same ugly duckling character who worked for a fashion company called Eco Moda.

The American version is funny because they've fused the original plot with shades of "Devil Wears Prada." The scene for the series is Mode Magazine - a Vogue-esque type of publication complete with a former editor-in-chief who wears an Anna Wintour bob, and special appearances of "the book." whenever I watch each episode on TV, it never fails to make me chuckle. Now, I don't have to wait for the series to finish on TV, I can finish the entire box this week. I hope.


It's too bad that they don't have Gorditas, Pinguinos, Choco-Lala and Molotov here or in China. If they did, then my Mexican weekend would really, really, REALL be complete.

Call of Nature

One thing that I was fortunate enough to do during my Holy Week in Manila was to heed the call on nature again. (No, i'm not talking about the type that sends you to those shocking pink stalls along EDSA.) Mona was generous enough to host Easter Monday lunch at their garden in Marikina, and it was such a relaxing experience to eat amidst old trees, clean air (compared to the air here in HK, the air there was pristine), and fresh, home-cooked meals. We feasted on the pinaupong manok, grilled tilapia, and sotanghon that Mona's mom prepared for us, and of course, there was Mangoes and Bagoong.

During the course of our mango eating, Lezyl noticed the Indian Mango tree nearby and how it was teeming with fruits. All Mona needed to do was point out where the pang-sungkit was, and the quest for mangoes began.


Being the designated "sungkit person" reminded me of my childhood back in our house in Tomas Morato. Our neighbour's santol tree had branches extending to our roof, and they'd let us pick santol - as long as it was just the fruits on our side. Our boy - Badong (Badong... that name is so boy. Hahaha.) would make the pang-sungkit and i'd be the one who'd do the actual picking. It looks like I haven't lost the touch because Grace was telling me that I'm an expert at it.


How many mangoes did I get? I'm not exactly sure, but it was enough for Lezyl and Grace to bring home, and there were still some left over for us to eat back at the gazebo. Here's Grace collecting her fresh, crunchy Indian Mangoes:

True to our "nature trip" theme that day, Mona and I decided to peel some of the produce and serve it on the spot. After my futile attempts at peeling, Mona decided to finish off the job. And she did it much, much faster than I did. (Well, I'm more of a sungkit person than a peel person.)

But one thing I can do easily is to slice and dice, so that job went to me. The mangoes were a joy to slice because they're very crunchy and the knife just glides through them. The mangoes tasted just right - not too sour, and not sweet either. It was perfect for the bagoong.

The quest for mangoes was followed by the hunt for Easter Eggs. What's Easter Monday without an egg hunt, right? For the next 15 to 20 minutes, the gang became little tykes searching every bush and every tree for one. It took them a while to find each of the 36 or so eggs that Grace and I hid, but their efforts were rewarded.

Lezyl took home the Lion's share - or maybe I should say "rabbit's share" of the eggs and got the prize she wanted. It was a toy cat that said "I love you" each time you pressed its tummy. She's been eyeing that prize since the 1st minute because she wanted to bring it home to Ming Tsai - her adorable cattater!

Vince has two eggs! (We can all see that now.)

We also found out that this was Bonique's first time to go Easter Egg hunting which added to the thrill. Her initial salvo was rewarded as she walked away with the "grand prize" - an Indian-inspired Esprit sling bag.

The other gang members went home with sweets that could compete with a trick or treat bag. Wena went home with a couple of boxes of chocolates and a few mallow pops. (And a pair of hooks that Grace brought, too.)

This garden party (which Lezyl called an excursion because it was in Marikina) definitely made my Holy Week homecoming a memorable one. And because of all the fun we had at Mona's, I'm going to suggest that we make Mona's Garden the D' official Garden Party Place* of D' Frendz.

*Grace's place remains D' Official Party Place of D' Frendz.

Here's something you don't hear everyday

Last night, I had dinner at Triple Os and it was the Veggie Burger on the menu. Ever since I was a kid, I'd often eat the lettuce and tomatoes first before digging into the actual sandwich, and true to that habit, that's what I did.

After finishing the vegetables and while eating the actual burger, I heard this voice from my right side saying:

"Would you like my tomato?"

Not entirely sure if I was the person being spoken to, I looked to my right and saw my seatmate was indeed looking at and talking to me. She asked again:

"Would you like my tomato?"

My mind must've been on dial-up that moment, or maybe I'm just not used to being offered fresh produce by complete strangers, but it took me a bit of time to react. And all the reaction she got out of me was a smile and a silent: "why?"

Then she explained:

"I just noticed that you like tomatoes a lot, and I don't eat tomatoes - I actually hate them. So I thought, maybe you'd like them. Do you?"

Overwhelmed by too much information, all I could say was:

"Sure..."

So I got more veggies than I bargained for last night. Aside from the ones that they ground and formed into the patty, I had four extra large slices of ripe, juicy tomatoes. It's not everyday that I have so much veggies in one meal. Then again, it's not everyday that some pretty, blonde and tomato-hating American stranger sitting beside me offers me her tomatoes.

Yup, that was a healthy - albeit surreal - dinner.

Home Sweets Home

Whenever I go back to Hong Kong from Manila, Ate Bullet always has boxes of cakes and pastries for me to bring back. Aside from making sure that I'm well-fed and my sweet tooth is well-indulged, another reason why she does it is to send a part of home with me back here.

Each time we open our fridge at home, or even at Ate Bullet's home, there's always a stash of Dexter's cakes and pastries. It can be pianono, spanish bread, cream puff, chocolate cupcakes or chocolate eclairs - but no matter what form the pastries come in, we can be sure that they're ever present in the fridge. Ate wants me to have that same feeling whenever I'm in Hong Kong. She wants me to open the fridge in my flat and see Dexter's cakes and pastries, that way, I'll also feel at home.

This time, Ate sent a box full of chocolate goodies - chocolate cake slices, chocolate cupcakes and chocolate brownies. I've had some for breakfast, and I brought a couple more at work for those mid-afternoon cravings. (Yup, those cravings arrived on time.) Of course, my colleagues wanted part of the action and one them begged me for a cupcake. He said: "Come on, Lester, it's just a cupcake! You can spare one for me, right?"

(I gave in and gave him one of my prized chocolate goodies. That's me... Mr. Nice Guy....)

Well, some people might see this as a simple cupcake. But for me, I see it as a piece of home.

Something old. Something new.

Weekend was spent finishing up errands that I should've done before I went on my Holy Week holiday. This includes paying my electric bill (which was 2 days overdue!), sending out checks, and looking for my sister-in-law's shirts.

A month back, I sent Biboy a gift for his birthday, and decided to send everyone a little something, too. The shirt I sent Liz apparently fit her so well, she asked if I could send her some more. (Some meaning around 6 or more pieces.) Since the stores have changed seasons and those shirts were part of the Fall/Winter collection, finding them turned out to be a bit of a challenge. But as Mark said, I like these types of "challenges." (read: shopping)

So while I was scouring different stores in search of them, I walked into this small hole-in-the-wall in Mongkok, and was pleasantly surprised by what I found. A thrift shop selling authentic vintage clothing.

According to the store sign, their shops specialized in vintage clothes from Japan. And judging by the racks that were there, the stuff they had were honest-to-goodness vintage clothes, and not new clothes trying to pass off as old ones. Poring through the racks felt like going through my Lola's closet - they were filled with funky, old clothes like this:



The best part is, the clothes are unbeliveably cheap! This one sold for around HK$30, which is cheaper than a meal at Triple O's! The money saved from buying something old immediately went to this new thing I also bought this weekend:



Yes, Arnie, I bought the Puma Roma Snakeskin sneakers. Not wanting a repeat of the Silver Chuck Taylor's episode, I immediately walked back to the store last Saturday and bought this wonderful pair of shoes. I wore them the entire day yesterday and I must say that they're uber, uber comfortable. If felt like I was wearing slippers!


These shoes are definitely made for traveling, and i'll probably be bringing this with me to my next travel destination.

Oh, I went back to the shop that sold the Black Patent Chuck Purcell's, and they're all sold out. The shoes I bought, as well as its white version, was wiped out. Nada. Nil. Zilch, Nein. Thank goodness I bought my pair before they all disappeared on me again.

Ah yes. The joys and perils of shopping in Hong Kong.

Next Target

Watch out Puma-Roma Snakeskin Sneakers... you're next.

On Target

It's amazing what you can find in Hong Kong. Especially when you're not looking for anything. While I was walking on my way back from lunch this afternoon, I stepped in one of those small clothing stalls and found a dress with an interesting shape and pattern. The silhouette looks like it came from the Summer 2007 collections, and the fabric was this easy-on-the-eye-plaid-like-pattern.

When I picked it up from the rack and examined it closely, the label was a bit of a surprise.


It was an Target dress by Isaac Mizrahi. Yes I know, it's Target so it's really nothing to do cartwheels over, but hey, it's Isaac Mizrahi, and he's a really good designer and this dress is a fitting addition to my sisters' closets. My guess is that this dress is part of the S/S 07 offering of Target, and it'll hit the stores sometime in July. But since it was made in Hong Kong, the locals are getting it earlier - and probably for just 10% of the retail price in the U.S.


Good thing I wandered into that shop this afternoon. At least I hit a bullseye!

Happy Javi Birthday

While the rest of Manila was celebrating Easter Sunday with Easter Egg hunts and big lunch buffets, we did something extra. We celebrated the 1st birthday of my nephew - Enrique Javier! It's amazing how it's been a year since he was born. The tiny baby who had to be incubated has grown up to be a big and happy baby. (Who has a thing for balloons.)

Yup, he's so big that he's almost half his Mom's size already. Like any Morales kid, our baby Javi is growing up to be a mini fashion plate. Here he is wearing his H&M shirt, Roca Wear jeans and belt, and his cute little Zara shoes.

As with any party, there was a lot of food. Javi wouldn't have grown that big if he didn't have this equally big appetite, so he spent most of the morning noshing on everything from spaghetti, chicken bits and fries. And despite that, he still had his eye keenly on a sundae!

Javi likes to bite on things as much as he likes to eat. For him, everything is worth taking a bite off. Whenever I carry him, he takes a bite off my shoulder or hands. As long as it doesn't move, he's likely to bite it.

See.

Aside from Javie, all the kids got into the eating action, too. As a testament to how Chickenjoy is probably THE most popular food for kids, I caught my nephews Miggy and Kurt in the midst of finishing up a leg.

Kids also love Jollibee as much as they like Chickenjoy - which is the reason why we decided to hold the party at Jollibee. Not surprisingly, the mascot was a huge hit with both the kids and the parents. He had so many antics - like doing a cartwheel. (Yes! Jollibee can do cartwheels despite his huge head and wings!) Then, while Bob was delivering his wishes for Javi, Jollibee was so touched, he cried!

Yes, he had bee tears running down his glossy cheeks.

Thankfully, his crying spell only lasted a few minutes, and then he was back to his usual happy self and gamely posing for photos with his countless fans. That included us, of course!

After the party, everyone was gushing about the celebration and how they all enjoyed themselves. The kids enjoyed all the games and the loot that they brought home. The parents enjoyed being part of the games and seeing their kids gamely playing with other kids who they've just met. And I enjoyed doing my designated job for that day - the other official photographer. (My brother-in-law pointed out how Spongebob Squarepants was looking at me in this photo.)

But photographers should have fun, too. So before we all called it a day, Miggy and I decided to pose for one last time, making fun of the easter eggs that we found that day.

The funny thing was that everyone was so happy and having so much fun, we didn't realize how time passed by. One of the managers called our attention because the next party was coming up soon and everyone from Javi's party was still there and didn't look like they were ready to leave. Well, our family have always been drawn to celebrations. So after they drove us out, we did the most logical thing to do.

We went home and continued the party there.

Now we are here in...

Xanadu brings back so many memories!

- Memory 1: We went to Unimart to shop, and since Biboy was in a school event before we left, we decided to leave him behind. Cut to Biboy arriving at home and finding out that we were all out - and this made him really disappointed and sad. After Lolo found out, he tried to make Biboy feel better by asking him to watch Xanadu at Delta theater. Lucky him!

- Memory 2: Shashie Friend, Xtine, Erwin and I would perform "Xanadu" in front of the Optima conference table. This was one of the songs we love to sing and dance to. The finale would usually have us in a line, then we'd extend our arms and do the "spirit fingers" thing while Shashie and Xtine would sing the last line that went: Xa-na-duuuu-huuuu-huuuuuu!

- Memory 3: Having the hugest crush on Olivia Newton-John! I'm not sure whether it started with Xanadu or with Grease, but I remember that my classmates and I thought that she was THE major babe! And after seeing this again after a while, I must say that Olivia Newton-John looks so gorgeous in this video. (I also must say that the guy looks SOOOOOO 80's. Wait a minute... this is the 80s.)

Ah yes... If there's one more place that I definitely like to come and visit every so often, it's Xanadu.

"An everlasting world, and you're here with me - eternally!"

Home for the Holy Week

Thanks to Mark, I'm now in Manila spending the Holy Week at home. He wrote in one of his letters that he hoped I'd spend time with my family in Manila this Holy Week since it's been 6 years since I last did. That reminded me that: "Hey, it's actually been 7 years since I was last home for the Holy Week."

While they weren't intentional, I realized that most of my overseas trips coincided with the Holy Week. Which led me to suddenly look back and remember where I was and what was I doing during those times. And a quick scan of my memory bank yielded these:

2000 - Spent Holy Week in Hong Kong because of a scheduling fiasco at work. Ended up watching movies at the hotel during the day and roaming around the shopping areas at night. (Hmmmm... sounds like what I do every weekend...)

2001 - Backpacking in Thailand. Got on buses and trains, going from one province to the next. I think I was somewhere in between Surat Thani and Hat Yai around Maundy Thursday.

2002 - Looking for a church in Paris. Yes, there were a lot of churches there, but most of them were turned into museums so they didn't have actual masses. But still we tried to find one. (We didn't.)

2003 - Tampico, Mexico. Spent it in a small beach town with amazing churches! It was a bit strange, but on Good Friday, they cover all the saints with black cloth, so all you see in the churches were figures cloaked in black. It was a bit eerie.

2004 - A cathedral in Salzburg, Austria. We heard Good Friday mass - which we didn't understand because it was in Latin. The highlight was hearing a choir of more than 50 people singing. Hearing their powerful voices amidst the excellent acoustics of the cathedral sent shivers down my spine.

2005 - Lazing around in Singapore. It was my first time to hang out at Jo's place, and I spent most of the holy week at her flat, in front of the telly, with a pint of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia and a loaf of Gardenia Fruit and Nut Loaf. Gosh! I miss that.

2006 - Back in Hong Kong. Since it was only a 4-day holiday and I wasn't able to get tickets early enough, I ended up spending Holy Week in my flat reading magazines and watching TV. I still remember distinctly that Mark and I were texting around that time, and he was telling me about their Easter vigil plans and he reminded me to hear mass. Then on Easter Sunday, he was telling me about his favorite part of the vigil - the part when they throw wood into the fire and it goes *poof*!

Now, i'm here at home! Just enjoyed a home cooked lunch courtesy of my sister. The peace and quiet that Manila has to offer during this time is simply splendid. No honking cars, no frenetic people running about... just peace and quiet.

This is the perfect Holy Week environment. Perfect for recollecting and putting the mind at ease. Because it reminds us how calm and peaceful the world can be. And this is possible because He made it possible. The lessons He taught and the sacrifices He made is what brought us here. And while going out of the country is nice, this is a much more excellent way to spend the Holy Week.

Thank goodness Mark reminded me.

Showing them who's Boss(ini)

After living here for almost 2 years, nothing surprises me in HK. But something left me in awe last night.

While passing through Mongkok on my way home, I saw this majorly surprising baby.


It's the new Bossini flagship store in HK. And it's HUGE! (Compared to Giordano's flagship store -- and they're supposed to be the market leader.) It suddenly popped up out of nowhere near Sau Yeung Choi street, and everyone who passed by was obviously in awe and had to stop to take a snapshot. (Me included!)

They have 4 floors - count 'em - 4 floors of merchandise. Aside from their usual Bossini men and women, they now have Bossini baby and Bossini home. And with so many lines, they do need as much retail space as they can. They also have a new logo and brand look. I read somewhere that they designed this new identity to step up to the growing competition arriving in HK. If the local competitors aren't numerous enough, they now have to contend with Zara and H&M. So this really is a step in the right fashion direction.


I must say, this photo is great. Not because of the shot of Bossini, but because of this person who suddenly decided to join in the frame. Oh well, they're notorious for wanting to get photographed. Harhar.

Now, there's another reason to frequent Mongkok. I'm sure Bossini has a lot more surprises under its well cut and sewn sleeve.

Dear Ate Arnie

*insert "Lovingly Yours" music here*

Dear Ate Arnie,

After hearing all the wonderful stories about your silver Chuck's and how it was making waves in New York, I became more determined to buy the pair. It's been more than a month since I SMS-ed you: "Silver Chuck Taylors. Should I?" and it turns out that you bought a pair ahead of me. Now I really have to have them.

So, after answering your comment, I proceeded to the shoe store in Granville where the shoes were a few days ago. When I got there, the shocking truth was revealed:

They were gone!

Yup, they're all out of silver Chuck's. No more. Gone. Out of stock. I even went as far as asking them to call their branches, but they didn't have the numbers. Bummer. Even though it was an exercise in futility, I still went around the shop and combed through the racks of multicoloured Chuck Taylors, hoping that my eyes were only playing tricks on me and that they were still there. But alas, they weren't.

Forlornly, I walked down Granville Road headed towards Tsim Sha Tsui East. My aimless wandering led me to this hole-in-the-wall store near the end of the road. If this were a Hollywood film, I'd probably find the pair of shoes I wanted there. Unfortunately, this is Hong Kong and not California, so Hollywood endings aren't expected all the time. But while MY pair of silver Chuck Taylors weren't there, something just as wonderful awaited.

These:


They're not easily recognizable in the photo, but they're Black Patent Jack Purcells.

Yes, they're BLACK PATENT JACK PURCELLS! How ultimately cool is that!!!

These are the shoes I wanted a couple of months ago, but were gone overnight. Now, they're back! Not wanting a repeat of the silver shoe episode, I quickly got my size and bought them. (Good decision because they apparently only have one pair per size.)

So it turns out that disappointment CAN turn into delight. While I wasn't able to get the shoes I soooo wanted to buy now, I found the one I soooooo wanted to buy before. Yup, now i'm the proud owner of Black Patent Jack Purcells.



At least now, we won't have to worry about running into each other while wearing the same shoes. Hahaha.

Regards,

Lester

P.S. Don't forget my pasalubong from the US. (A pair of silver Chuck Taylors, perhaps?) Hehehe.

Brazilian whacks and TST's Next Top Model

The Brazilian invasion continues. Back in Manila, they're practically in every commercial and fashion magazine. The past 6 months, I've worked with 4 of them, and they're fun to work with. Unlike some Filipino models, they have very easygoing attitiudes, are very professional, and they actually eat. A lot. Now, after conquering Manila, their next stop is Hong Kong.

As a favor to a friend, I spent the weekend with 4 of them. It was their first time here, and they needed a guide (or babysitter, as it sometimes feels). They're now joining the ranks of the growing Glamazonian population who roam the streets carrying their "books" in the hopes of landing a good ramp job or a print campaign. This bunch I accompanied were a talkative lot - and I've learned so much about them and their career in so little time.

Most of them go to Asia with nothing but a few hundred dollars and a dream. They come here with no contacts, no experience, no preparations - just a lot of guts, their towering heights and perfect faces. Upon hearing this, I told them that they're either very brave, or they're totally out-of-whack. But as Rosa explained, this is the only way they can escape their hard life in Brazil. Faces like theirs definitely don't belong in Supermercados Bahamas.

Plus, a lot of them are inspired by the many success stories they've heard about their fellowmen landing commercial gigs in Manila after being there for only 5 days. If it can happen to someone like Priscilla, why can't it happen to them. Yup, it's logical, but I think their means of accomplishing their goals is still a bit out-of-whack.

In return for my GPRS, styling, shopping and finding-a-cheap-place-to-eat services, they offered me...

(drum roll please)

Modelling tips.

I felt like I was trapped on an episode of America's Next Top Model and had 4 different coaches. Alonso pointed out that my posture can be improved and that I should walk with my shoulders back and head up. Most of this afternoon was spent with him slapping the back of my shoulders and telling me: "Come on, straighten up." Joao told me that my body was ideal for modelling and I shouldn't gain muscle or lose weight. My physique is apparently "easy to photograph." He also taught me how to stand up like there's always a camera in front of me.

Apart from the points for improvement, they pointed out a couple of "innate" qualities that I should pay attention to. First, they told me that I had a "walk." Whenever I walk down the street, it looks as if I'm following a beat - and this makes my stride constant and consistent - a plus if you want to do catwalk. (Truth is, I sometimes walk with a song in my head. Today, it was S Club 7's "Bring it all back to you." Harharhar.) Second, my eyes are supposedly distinct and easily connects to people and things. My instant guru's told me to be aware of that.

Tomorrow, they'll start pounding the pavements in search for the next lucrative deal. Our time together this afternoon made sure they've got everything they need: the right directions, a few added outfits, and loads of luck from me. Who knows, I just might see one of their faces in the next billboard for Lane Crawford, Joyce or Vivienne Tam.

And while i'm waiting for that to happen, I better get to work on my posture.

Revenge is shoe-weet!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

After last weekend's disappointing shoe hunt, I had a sweet taste of revenge last night. My colleagues and I planned a wild night of cuisine and commercialism, so in between dinner and drinks, we passed by H&M, and of course, our favorite shoe store. And it was a trip that yielded these!

A decent haul of 8 pairs of shoes for my two sisters. Whilst it's not Imeldiffic in scale, it also isn't as disappointing as going home with 2 pairs, or worse, none. I guess they stocked up really well this week, because we were spoilt for choice. While my other colleague snapped up around 10 pairs (and this is just for her own use), my 8 pairs (which are for my sisters so they count as good deeds. Harhar) consisted of the following.

Perfect Peep-toes.

Yup, every major magazine and brand has this type of shoe in their S/S 2007 collection, so might as well stock up on a couple. Most of it was in black patent (which is the easiest to dress up and dress down), and a beauty in caramel leather.

Funky flats. These babies are in patent faux croc and a black loafer-ish pair with velvet trim.

Bondage Beauty. The corset look might be out in clothes, but it'll always have a place in funky shoes.

Sassy Silver. There was an entire rack of shoes in silver -both matte and glossy- and it reminded me of Mark's tip. Found this matte silver shoe with perforated details, and it fits perfectly with Ate Lissa's current wardrobe.

I had the usual "big smile after shopping" look on my face as we exited the store. It was a very fruitful shopping session (i'll write about the jeans and more baby clothes later.) So after this successful act of revenge, my shoes and I decided to chill a bit.

After all, there was more to come.

The man behind the name

The first email I opened today was from a friend in Europe who sent me the meaning of my name. Apparently, he found a site that analyzes the meanings of names and typed mine in. (Thankfully, he remembered that my name is Edgard with a "d.") Now why he wanted to analyze my name... that's another question. Hahaha.

Surprisingly, the results of the test were accurate. It was able to pinpoint the fact that i'm drawn to teaching, and that I sell stuff for a living. Sometimes I'm amazed at how these tests come out results that are really in tune with my personality. Makes me think that my Mom might be in cahoots with these people.

Now this is an interesting way to start the day.

==================================================

You entered: Lester Edgard Regalado Morales
There are 27 letters in your name.
Those 27 letters total to 120
There are 11 vowels and 16 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:
Latin Male From the Legion's camp.
English Male Fortified place. Derived from the place name, Leicester
Famous Bearer: Canadian statesman Lester B. Pearson (1897-1972).

Your number is: 3

The characteristics of #3 are: Expression, verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living.

The expression or destiny for #3:
An Expression of 3 produces a quest for destiny with words along a variety of lines that may include writing, speaking, singing, acting or teaching; our entertainers, writers, litigators, teachers, salesmen, and composers. You also have the destiny to sell yourself or sell just about any product that comes along. You are imaginative in your presentation, and you may have creative talents in the arts, although these are more likely to be latent. You are an optimistic person that seems ever enthusiastic about life and living. You are friendly, loving and social, and people like you because you are charming and such a good conversationalist. Your ability to communicate may often inspire others. It is your role in life to inspire and motivate; to raise the spirits of those around you.

The negative side of number 3 Expression is superficiality. You may tend to scatter your forces and simply be too easygoing. It is advisable for the negative 3 to avoid dwelling on trivial matters, especially gossip.

Your Soul Urge number is: 5

A Soul Urge number of 5 means:
The 5 soul urge or motivation would like to follow a life of freedom, excitement, adventure and unexpected happening. The idea of travel and freedom to roam intrigues you. You are very much the adventurer at heart. Not particularly concerned about your future or about getting ahead, you can seem superficial and unmotivated.

In a positive sense, the energies of the number 5 make you very adaptable and versatile. You have a natural resourcefulness and enthusiasm that may mark you as a progressive with a good mind and active imagination. You seem to have a natural inclination to be a pace-setter. You are attracted to the unusual and the fast paced.

You may be overly restless and impatient at times. You may dislike the routine work that you are engaged in, and tend to jump from activity to activity, without ever finishing anything. You may have difficulty with responsibility.

Your Inner Dream number is: 7

An Inner Dream number of 7 means:
You dream of having the opportunity to read, study, and shut yourself off from worldly distractions. You can see yourself as a teacher, mystic, or ecclesiastic, spending your life in the pursuit of knowledge and learning.

Punch Drunk Love

True to their tag line, I'm lovin' McDonald's new drink offering here in HK.

It's called Sprite Pineapple Punch, and i've already had 2 big glasses of the drink this afternoon. The punch starts out with one part Sprite, then they add one part Pineapple juice, then a scoop of syrup. They mix it all together then they top it with a mound of crushed Pineapple.

There's so much of it that theyy even have a special straw created for the punch. The end is shaped like a teaspoon which lets me scoop out all the Pineapple bits that get left behind after some serious slurping. At the risk of sounding like a hack for the McDonald's company (which I wouldn't mind doing - as long as they pay me in Happy Meal toys. Hahaha) the Sprite Pineapple Punch is more than just a drink -- it's an experience!

Honestly, this is a heavenly tropical concoction that transports me to some sandy beach with blue waters in a tropical Island somewhere.

Ah yes, that's the magic of McDonald's. And Pineapples!

Hit me with Pat!

Heard this song playing from my colleagues office and suddenly remembered how much I loved, loved, LOVED listening to this song when I was a little boy. It was one of those songs that everybody knew how to sing and whenever an 80s band would do a cover of it, or whenever they'd show it at Video Hit Parade, practically everyone would stand up, clap and sing-along.

Just like what i'm doing right now...

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Pat Benatar

You're a real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
That's okay, let's see how you do it
Put up you dukes, let's get down to it

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

You come on with it, come on
You don't fight fair
That's okay, see if I care
Knock me down, it's all in vain
I get right back on my feet again

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

(solo)

You're a real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
Before I put another notch in my lipstick case
You better make sure you put me in my place

Hit me with your best shot
C'mon!
Hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away!

In between dreams and reality

I had a very peculiar sleeping pattern last night. It involved a dream and snapping back to reality.

What happened was I had this dream, then just as something pivotal was going to happen, I'd wake up.

Then when I fell back to sleep, the dream would continue and pick up where it left off. Then just as another pivotal thing was about to happen, I'd wake up again.

This happened about 4 times the entire night. Now the funny thing was, I can't even remember what the dream was about now. There were too many "commercial breaks" in the dream that it completely escaped me.

Sheesh. If it isn't enough that I spend my days doing commercials, now it's taking over my night life, too.