Four Grand people

Today is Grandparents' Day. It's the day when apos from all over the world celebrate and give thanks to their Lolos and Lolas for the love and guidance that they're given.

During this occasion, I remember my grandparents with both fondness and sadness. It's the day that I feel happy and blessed that I got to know both my paternal and maternal grandparents very well, but there's also a bit of loneliness in my heart because I felt they passed away too soon. I was 16 when Lola Dita and Lolo Iking joined Our creator. Lola Pining passed away when I was younger, and Lolo Doring passed away in the 90s.

Despite the fact that they've been gone for more than 20 years, I have such vivid memories of all 4 of my grandparents. The way they spoke, their type of humor, how they were like when they were happy, and how they were like as disciplinarians. I remember their big dreams and little quirks. But most of all, I remember the lessons they taught me. Those lessons that I carry with me as a young boy, all the way into my adulthood.

And in honor of Grandparents' Day, I salute the 4 people who made such an impact in my life.

LOLO IKING


I always tell people that my Grandfather was a great man. And Lolo Iking really was a great man. He was a Brigadier General who headed the Manila Police Department (then called Manila's Finest) with so much authority and integrity. Lolo Iking was an incorruptible public servant who served the people with so much passion. And he was a leader who commanded so much respect.



Among the people he trained was Mayor Alfredo Lim. I remember how Mayor Lim was almost in tears as he delivered his eulogy for Lolo Iking. He recalled that Lolo was a wonderful mentor and an even more wonderful friend, and how he was the ideal public servant. When Mayor Lim mentioned that, it simply reaffirmed something that I knew was true. Everyday, we saw how Lolo lived his live with integrity and humility.



Integrity and Humility. These are the 2 qualities of Lolo Iking that I greatly admire. He was an accomplished man. He was a man of influence and power. But he never let any of these get into his head. He lived his life shying away from the spotlight, and just working quietly behind the scenes. He never wanted attention, nor recognition. He just wanted to quietly influence and change the lives of people for the better. And that's what made him an effective leader, and grandfather. And for that, I'll always be one of Lolo's number 1 fans.

LOLA DITA

Lola Dita was a disciplinarian. I remember her as a Lola who put a premium on proper decorum. She would always remind us if we were out of line, and tell us if we were too noisy, or too rowdy. She would call our attention if we were disturbing the peace, or if we were becoming too gregarious for our own good. My fondest memories of her include our Sunday masses, and Lola would be in her full regalia (complete with lace veil.) When I'd become antsy and impatient, she'd look at me and say: "You should behave properly in Jesus' house."

Proper. That's Lola Dita. She was proper both in looks and in demeanor. She was born in that era when the women were glamorous, always put together, and - of course - always proper. Her hair would always be in a coif. She would always be impeccably dressed, right down to her shoes and accessories. She would move and talk like a well-bred lady. And she was the epitome of grace and class.

If I remember correctly, Lola Dita had 4 closets of clothes and 1 closet full of shoes. No wonder she was always dressed to the nines whenever she went out. And her attitude was always as beautiful as her clothes, and that's what I'll always remember about her, and one of the most important lessons she taught me. That one must always be proper, treat everyone equally, and always practice good etiquette and impeccable manners wherever and whenever.

Lolo Iking and Lola Dita were my paternal Grandparents, and we grew up with them by our side. That's why they made such an impact on us as we grew up and grew older.

My maternal Grandparents lived in the U.S. and in Bicol. We only got to see them during summer, and usually, just for a month at a time. But no matter how short the time was, or how infrequent they were, they also left an indelible mark in my mind, and carry with me the lessons they imparted.

LOLO DORING


When I was a young boy and I'd spend my summer in Malinao, Albay, one thing that struck me was that everyone treated Lolo Doring with such respect. He'd sit on a bench outside the ancestral home, and everyone who'd pass by would stop and greet Lolo. They would either shake his hand, do the "mano", or simply nod their head in respect. And at that point, I thought, "Lolo must be a very important man."

Indeed, Lolo Doring was a very, very important man. He was the mayor of Malinao for several terms. He was President Magsaysay's key person in Bicol. During the 2nd world war, the Japanese troops were about to massacre the entire population of a village in Albay, but Lolo Doring negotiated with them and everyone was spared. Such was his bravery and his power.

And while I remember Lolo Doring as the brave and powerful Grandfather of mine, what I remember most is his sense of humor. He was such a joker, and spent a lot of time poking fun at everyone, including us, his grandchildren. He would always have a big smile which lit up his face which had a lot of moles. He would gargle his water before drinking it, and he would ask us to imitate him. He had such an infectious laugh which captured his joy, brought about by a life well lived and time well spent. And if people find me smiling a lot and living my life in the happiest way, well, I think it's because Lolo Doring showed me the value of those characteristics.

LOLA PINING


She was a woman ahead of her time. During an era where politics was dominated by men, Lola Pining became Mayor of Malinao for several terms. Previous to that, she was also a multi-term Vice mayor to Lolo Doring. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why Malinao had a very family-oriented town. Their "parents" during the 60s to the 80s (the Mayor and Vice mayor) were a real-life couple.

Lola Pining was very sharp and very intelligent. I could sense this by the way she talked to us. She would never "baby talk" any of us, and she conversed with us as if we were all adults. She was very knowledgeable in many things. I was an inquisitive and precocious little boy, and Lola was able to answer all the questions that I'd throw on to her. Those answers had so much authority and sense that I remember that she was my inspiration whenever I joined debates in elementary and high school.

Another fond memory about Lola Pining is how she was a great story teller. She was my personal "Lola Basyang" and I'd listen so intently whenever she'd tell me stories about Malinao. Whether the stories were a bit creepy (like the headless priest who'd roam around town during Good Friday) or sentimental (she'd tell me about the history and memories of the church in front of our house), she would tell it in such an illustrative way that I felt like I was in that story. And I appreciate hearing and telling good stories because of her.

Four grandparents with four very different backgrounds and attitudes. Four important figures that I was fortunate enough to have spent time with and learn from. This Grandparents' Day, I remember, I salute and I thank Lolo Iking and Lola Dita, Lolo Doring and Lola Pining for being such wonderful Grandparents who taught me to become the best person I can be.

And I can pay tribute and give thanks to them by living life practicing the lessons they passed on to my parents and to me.

Taking (and making) the cake

If there's one thing I find myself doing a lot of lately, it's designing cakes. For the past few months, I've designed wedding cakes, birthday cakes, no-occasion cakes, so, just about any cake.

My latest design was for the wedding of Mona's sister, Lanny. Her wedding theme was "Filipiniana," and she was particularly taken by "Vigan," a previous design that Dexter's did. So, taking that as a jump off point and trying to incorporate elements of their wedding, I sketched and came up with this.



This 3-layer cake has a round-square-round orientation, and has a capiz lantern as an accent. Since their color motif was green, I made sure to add that element in the design. And keeping true to the spirit of the original "Vigan" cake, I included the burnay jars and the ubiquitous kalesa chair.

Today, Ate Bullet and Raymond finally finished the cake, and this is what made it to the reception.



Like everything that Dexter's does, this was a masterpiece in sugar. Each detail was handcrafted using gum paste and royal icing. The decorations were all hand painted. And this added character to each layer of the cake. From the topper which featured a kissing couple:



To the jars and tiles that filled the entire cake:



The capiz lantern added an elegant touch. And may I just say that it took me almost a week, scouring different markets from Quiapo to Arranque, just to find the perfect capiz lantern. That's the thing with me, whenever I visualize something, I have to look for the exact same thing that my mind visualized. And this lantern was it!



A closer look at the details. The amount of work that went into this is staggering!



After the wedding, Mona's Mom thanked me for the cake and commented on how nice it was. She asked me who designed it, and I said: "Ako po." But I was quick to add that it was my brother-in-law and sister who did most of the work since they were in charge of turning the design into the actual cake. And as we're taught in advertising, a concept is good, but the execution can make it great.

And they certainly did a great job executing my concept.

FMM: Soulful Friday

Call me an old soul, but I've always been partial to singers from the 60s and 70s. That's why when I was in high school, I'd listen to Dad's collection of old cassette tapes like Earth, Wind and Fire and The 5th Dimension. This was the time when all my classmates were listening to Duran Duran and Sheena Easton.

Among my favorite singers are soul singers who are African-American in heritage. The songs of people like Ella Fitzgerald and Barry White are beautiful because they tell the story with their voice as much as their lyrics.

Another favorite is Lou Rawls. Truth is, I first heard of him when I found out that he sang the theme song of the Garfield animated series. This was one of my favorite cartoon shows when I was in high school, and I'd watch it religiously. After being exposed to Lou's voice, I became curious about his other songs, and they turned out to be equally great.

His voice is so soulful, cool and smooth, much like dark chocolate ice cream. And it never grows old. Even if I've listened to him thousands of times, I never get tired of his voice.

And since it's Friday, I'm paying tribute to this singer with soul, and here he is singing my song du jour.

Magnificent

Being educated in a Franciscan school with a strong devotion to Mother Mary, we would always go all out in celebrating her Nativity. It would always start with a mass at Lourdes Church, then there would be a program right after. There were talks, song performances, and sometimes, even a short play about the life of Mary.

As early as our Freshman year, our Christian Living teacher - Ms. Dominguez - would talk about the important role of Mary in the Catholic faith, and how we can show our devotion to her. To her, every month was rosary month, and she taught us to ask for Mary's intercession for anything and everything. (Including our Algebra exams! And yes, I needed intercession for those!)

On September 8, they'd also bring out our school's image of Mother Mary and put it near the AV room door which was the center of the school. And we'd always be amazed because that image looked so much like a school mate of ours named Ruby Rose Brillo. She was known as Lourdes School's Mother Mary and she would always play that role during our Nativity plays.

And of course, I remember all the beautiful Marian songs that would be sung in school on September 8. The most common one being "Immaculate Mother." Hearing this song still brings back memories of the beautiful interiors of Lourdes Church in Retiro Street.



And of course, "Magnificat." The song and the message of the song captures the love, humility and devotion that Mother Mary had. Every time I hear this song, I remember all those teachings imparted to us - by our grandparents, parents to our teachers - of how magnificent Mother Mary really is.


(I wish I could find that upbeat version that we'd usually sing in school.)

Happy Birthday, Mother Mary!

Yes, yes, yogurt!

Long before the Red Mangoes and White Hats of this world, there was BTIC - or Better Than Ice Cream. This was the brand that introduced yogurt ice cream in Manila, and they came in long, long, LONG before the invasion of the soft serve yogurts.



Although I would go to BTIC every so often, it wasn't really a habit. It was something that I'd try once every 2 to 3 months. But thanks to a recent promo, I find myself at BTIC once or twice a week.



BTIC and Yo Swirls are on 50% off every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. That means, I can enjoy my favorite Berry Basket and Cherry Marble yogurt ice cream twice as much as I usually do.

So not only is the ice cream guilt free, so is the price. How can you not say "yes" to that.

The heart of the matter

During our dinner stop at Wendy's, we ran into Grace and Rick who were having a fast food dinner as well. When I asked Grace how come she wasn't able to join us last weekend, and why she looked thinner than usual, she told us that she'd been sick. And more than that, she had a scare that weekend.

For the first time, she passed out. And she can't remember how it happened. All she could recall was going back to her room after fixing an afternoon snack. Then suddenly, everything went black and she could only hear the faint voice of Rick in the darkness. But thankfully, after a few minutes, she regained consciousness and simply wondered what happened.

According to Tito Fidel, her dad who's a former doctor, it might have been a heart murmur that caused it. Her current physician seconded this observation.

Heart matters are scary. For everyone. And for me. Especially since Lolo Iking passed away due to two heart ailments: his physical heart weakness, and his broken heart from the death of Lola Dita. Some of us in the family have minor heart concerns like Floppy Mitral Valve, Premature Atrial Contraction and Arrhythmia. (The last one is what Grace's doctor suspects her of having.) So I think it's really important to pay heed to one's heart, especially when one starts to grow older. (As in our case. Yikes!)

I'm glad that Grace is well and good now. And I'm glad she's really taking time out to have her heart checked to see if anything is wrong. At this day and age, it's better to be safe than sorry.

And did I say that we were talking about these heart concerns while digging into biggie fries? Classic! Hahaha.

Fab four

The Karl Lagerfeld collection from Macy's has finally been launched, and I'm wondering whether it's getting the same kind of attention as Lanvin x H&M last year. Better yet, is it getting the same kind of attention as Karl Lagerfeld x H&M a few years back.

Admittedly, the selection isn't as awesome as that of Lanvin's. But that said, there were a four pieces that were really eye-catching. Aside from the nice design, what makes them different is that it really has Karl's fabulous signature.

The first one is this ponte shift dress which is retro and futuristic at the same time.


This dress has a faux croc vest over a black ponte shift dress. Croc skin is so in, especially now that we caught a ginormous crocodile on our shores.


Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel is all about tweed. So it's nice to see a modern, tweed dress in his collection. The cut is very unique, especially around the neck area. And the black rhinestone bands help it transition from day to night.


And the most fab among the four, this simple LBD with Karl Lagerfeld's signature high collar. I've read that you can remove the collar, too, so it becomes a basic black dress if need be.


Days like these, I wish we had Macy's in Manila.

Deja vu

Popped into Net-a-porter and looked at their new stuff on-line. Among the regular designers that I check out is Oscar Dela Renta. He's got such a strong point of view, and he doesn't try to be too trendy or avant garde. He makes clothes that are feminine, wearable and beautiful.

Looking at his S/S 2012 collection, this particular dress caught my eye.



The print and cut were very nice. The styling rocks, too. And I was asking myself why this looked so familiar.



Then I remembered the Miss Manors outfit.



Now that's what I call a chic deja vu.

Camera ready

From a shy, little baby who would cry each time you look at her, Audrey (aka Suri) is now turning out to be a little star!

Whenever Vince tells her that she'll take her photo, she immediately poses and gives the camera her sweetest smile.



After the photo has been taken, she'd immediately ask Vince: "Can I see?" And she'd smile in delight after seeing her photo.



Yup, she's definitely our little Suri.

This is how it usually starts...

Way back in college, up to my first job, I'd always stay up late on Thursdays. I'd wait until the clock strikes 12 midnight, and the canned DJ voice would announce: "It's Friday Magic Madness!"

Then, most often, they'd play this song first.



And that heralds the start of the coolest day of the week.

It's Friday Magic Madness!

The buzz about organic food

When we were in Bohol a few months ago, Mark and I tried out this restaurant that was highly recommended by Bhong. It was an organic restaurant called "The Buzz Cafe", and was located at the Island City Mall. It was a delectable experience, and good thing Mark was able to post the photos. (So I can swipe it from him. Thanks!)

It's called "The Buzz Cafe" because it's owned by the Bohol Bee Farm company. Naturally, honey was a key ingredient in all their products. And pretty much like Sonya's Garden, everything they serve is organic.

Their salad had a lot of colorful blooms, much like Sonya has rose petals on her salads. It was easy on the eyes, although we didn't attempt to eat it.



The lemon grass juice was uber duber refreshing. Good thing they don't serve it bottomless, otherwise I might've drank a pitcher. Or five.



The bread came with honey and pesto spreads. The pesto one was really good. The honey spread tasted like Star Margarine with sugar. (Which brings back memories of childhood.)



Our main courses. They're ok, but not that gastronomically spectacular. What I like about it is the brown rice. Very healthy, and filling.




And for dessert, we tried their ice cream. I had the Malunggay ice cream and he had the Ginger flavor. They were both very good, but the Ginger one is more unique.



Overall, I know why there's a lot of buzz regarding this cafe. It's healthy, organic food that tastes great. And it's always hard to come across this combination.

This should've come before "Valentine's Day."

Garry Marshall is at it again.

Another ensemble film featuring a stellar cast. And of course, Hector Elizondo is there.



Eventhough Julia Roberts isn't in it, I'm definitely watching this one, too.

Lanvin Rocks! (and Discos, too)

Only Lanvin and Alber Elbaz can mix high fashion with camp and make it look so stylish. Their latest commercial for the F/W 2011 collection is so deliciously funny, I can watch it over and over again.


(Gotta love the "Aldeguer Sisters action" in 0:11!)

Take note, kids. This is how a fashion commercial is done.

A vanguard indeed

It was great seeing Britney Spears receiving the 2011 Video Vanguard Award from MTV. As Lady Gaga (or his male alter ego) so rightly stated, she changed the face of pop music, and the pop world was never the same because of her.

Seeing her teary eyed just shows how overwhelmed she was with this recognition. And seeing that production number with all her iconic looks and songs got me a overwhelmed as well.



Britney is a vanguard indeed.

Anne believable

In class today, we talked about film critique, and the subject lead to my students talking about the film "One Day."

Most of the students watched it already and they weren't too happy about it. Mainly because they felt that Anne Hathaway was miscast as a brooding, British girl who was living an underprivileged life. They said that they can't see Anne as a struggling writer and Mexican restaurant waitress, living with a shabby comic wannabe, and sulking most of the time in the film.

For them, Anne Hathaway is a bubbly, positive girl who always walks on the sunny side of the street. In fact, she's like this in most of her movies, and in life. They mentioned her turn as host at the Oscar's this year, and she was bubbly throughout the proceedings. (Even if James Franco was not.)

I haven't seen the film, and I'm not keen on doing so. Thus, I'm not sure if my students' observations are accurate or not. I'm not sure if her portrayal of a dark-ish role is unbelievable.

As far as I know, Anne Hathaway will always be Princess Mia Thermopolis:




And Princess Ella of Frell:



Now, how can someone like that be believable as a brooder?

Hey, sister, go sister!

I can't remember if I was in grade school or high school when "Sister Act" was shown on the big screen. All I remember is that, after that film, I thought nuns were so cool, and that it would be great to see a choir like that here in Manila.

After almost 10 years of teaching in a Catholic school for girls, I still think nuns are cool. Unfortunately, though, we don't have a Motown-esque choir of nuns where I teach. Hey, you can't have it all, right?

One of my favorite scenes and songs from "Sister Act" was "Salve Regina." Because of this song, I bought the cassette tape (yes, a cassette tape) of the film's soundtrack, and I remember listening to it over and over and over and over again.

Nowadays, when I feel sentimental and want to listen to "Salve Regina" all over again, all I need to do is head over to youtube, and re-live that wonderful scene all over again.



More than a decade after, this scene and song from the sisters still gets me.

The face of relocation

It's quite common to read about the problems of illegal settlers and relocatees in the newspaper. Go through a daily or tabloid any given day, and it's likely you'll get to read about squatters in the Metro.

I'm quite familiar with the subject. When we were kids and still living in Morato, there was a squatter's area nearby. I was friends with some of the kids there, and sometimes, I'd hang out at their house to watch TV, or play "patintero" or "agawan base" in the street fronting their community.

Then one day, that area - the whole community - was gone. They dismantled everything to make way for a new building. And when I asked where my friends were, I was told that they were "relocated."

Since then, I've always wondered about "relocation." For me, it was just a word I read or a concept I hear about. That word or concept usually comes with problems, but to me, it was all vague.

Yesterday, "relocation" finally had a face.

I joined our Development Communication class and went to a relocation site in Calauan, Laguna. We were there to facilitate a round table discussion between the Local Government and the relocatees. We also had a briefing with the Don Bosco brothers and Franciscan sisters regarding their projects and missions for that community.

And some of the faces we saw weren't a happy ones.

It was a face that came to that community because of bright promises, but got there to a home that doesn't have any electricity. And 2 years after they moved into the relocation site, they still don't have power in their homes. Because of that, their children can't study at night. They can't keep fresh food in the house. And they're literally living in darkness.

They came to the community thirsting for a new life, but got there thirsting for something more. They didn't have running water. They still don't have running water after 2 years. Some of them just go to the nearby creek to take a bath and wash their clothes. They go to the stream to get water to drink.

Their promised land turned out to be an unfulfilled promise land. Hearing their stories one after the other echoed their anger and desperation, but surprisingly, there was also patience and hope.

And that's the other face that was refreshing to see in that community. The face of hope.

Despite the hand dealt to them, some of the residents there still smile and are thankful for what they have. And they try to make do and flourish with what is given to them. They're optimists with a "can do" attitude.

It helps to have people like Father Pat and Sister Rosario around in the community. They give them faith where they can anchor their hope. As one of the women there told us: "Basta may pag-asa at pananampalataya, wala kaming hindi kayang gawin."

I'm looking forward to the school's further interaction with this community. Personally, I look forward to helping them out in trying to market their small businesses - their shoe factory, their organic farm, and their cafe. When I was talking to them about branding their businesses and the potential that they have, I could see the genuine excitement on their faces.

And that's a face that I'd like to eventually see more of in that community.

Collared

They've finally uploaded the full Karl Lagerfeld collection for Macy's on-line, and it's quite an interesting collection.

Not every piece is covetable, unlike the Lanvin x H&M collection where each piece - be it blouse, skirt or dress - is a must have. For Lola Karl's collection, there were really nice pieces, while some others were just ok.

The two pieces that caught my eye had something in common. They were totally Karl Lagerfeld. And the reason? The starched white collar that is his trademark attire.


This dress looks like a tuxedo made feminine. The collar frames the face beautifully, and the color makes it very wearable.


This second one is a marriage of baby doll and Lagerfeld. It's mod and modern at the same time. I can see Twiggy or Mia Farrow wearing this, but at the same time, Zooey Deschanel and Ginnifer Goodwin can rock it as well. Which is a perfect demonstration of how timeless the dress is.

The entire collection launches this August. And I'm wondering if there'll be a mad dash for it just like Lanvin x H&M.

On change

After listening to Sophie Ellis Bextor's "Won't change you," I began thinking about change.

Our college yearbook was called "Transitions," and it was all about change. On the first page, we wrote: "Change can be scary. But not changing is worse."

The past few months have seen a number of changes in my life, both welcome, and otherwise. I've also noticed that things and people around me are changing as well. Some friends, like the HRH Princess Shash, decided to make major changes in her life, and we had a good talk about it. After all, we're in the same boat - more or less. And I'm excited for her as she makes her own transition. When I asked Shash if she's excited about the big change in her life, her reply was: "Super excited!" (Such a Shash response.)

Change has a way of making one feel excited. And apprehensive. And inadequate. And small. But the good thing is that these feelings can change as well. And when it changes, it usually changes for the better.

And the other thing I noticed about change is this: There are SO many songs about change!

Suddenly Sophie

Maybe it was because I saw her latest CD in HKG a few weeks back, but I suddenly missed Sophie Ellis Bextor.

She's not very popular here in Manila. In fact, there are very few people who know her. Well, it's the same case in HKG. But luckily, when I was still working there, I had 2 colleagues who were also into Sophie. There was Golf from Thailand, and Edie from the land down under.

Sophie has a very catchy sound and a distinct voice with a beautiful British accent. And her songs are so pop - complete with catchy melody, light hearted lyrics and a wonderful hook. Qualities that are best captured in one of my favorite Sophie songs, "I won't change you."



And I hope Sophie doesn't change, too.

Luxe be a lady

The past few seasons, I've noticed a return to modesty and luxury - qualities which were big in the 40s and 50s. Circle skirts, sweater tops, cardigans and jackets were carried by most designers, from Marc Jacobs to Oscar dela Renta.

As a result, even fast fashion brands waved the luxe banner and proudly incorporated this modesty in their collections. Everyone from Zara to H&M to Macy's to Saks Fifth Avenue had a touch of the trend on their shelves. And it was so infectious, it even reached our shores here in Manila.

On a routine visit to Makati last week, I found odds and ends from different shops, and came up with this:



It's a very "luxe lady" outfit which can easily be seen on a Mad Men episode, but still made relevant for today.



The tops were from Surplus Shop, which simply means they're dirt cheap. There's a black tank, and a beaded cardigan with a damask print. It's a modern take on the twin set, and it works.



The Zara sale yielded this belted, full skirt in gray flannel. And finally, Parisian - yes, SM's in house shoe brand - came out with this ballet flat with a tiny bow. Plus, it was made of cotton jersey, which makes it feel super soft. And as everyone knows, the price points at Parisian are very, uhm, democratic.



Ah yes, it's luxury for less. Much, much less.

Barry Nice

The 70s had such a distinct sound, and each of the big stars during that era had such a distinct voice. Carole King, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Tavares - the list goes on and on. It was so easy to distinguish one singer and sound from one another, unlike now. Everyone sounds the same.

And speaking of distinct voices from the 70s, one of my favorites was Barry White. He had such a cool voice and smooth sound. They must be thinking of him when they coined the term: "a voice as smooth as butter."



I can never get enough of this song.

Bacolod is So FAB!

A few weeks ago, Ate Bullet was telling me about this nice pair of Oxfords that she saw in So FAB! in Ali Mall. It was a nice, classic - and cheap - pair, but unfortunately, they didn't have it in her size. So, like the loyal foot soldier, I checked out their branches in Shangri-la and Makati to see whether they carried it.

Alas, they didn't.

Meanwhile, in Bacolod, I was roaming around SM Bacolod while Mark was off at the Port Office, when lo and behold, there was a So FAB! store, and they had this pair.



It's the black Oxfords that my sister wanted. What's nice about this is the mix of matte and patent synthetic leather. It adds dimension to the pair. The style is the classic, round toe Oxford that will look great with jeans or a dress.



To add femininity to the pair, the shoelace is actually made of satin ribbon. So it's an added oomph to the pair. Plus, there's an extra pair of leather laces for versatility.



It's a fab find in the most unlikely of places.

Back to Bacolod

It's been about a decade since I was last in Bacolod. And while we were traversing from the Silay Airport to Bacolod City, it was nice to see that the town is pretty much the same as I left it.

Robinson's Place was still there, looking spiffy sans renovations. There's L' Fisher Hotel where I used to stay. The provincial capitol looks as classic as ever.

But there were a lot of new things, too. And one of the new things that Mark and I tried out was food. Well, it wasn't really new for him because he's eaten in some of these places, but it was a first time for me.

First up, Manokan Country! This is where we had our first lunch in Bacolod.

They don't call it "Chicken Bacolod" for nothing. And if you want a plethora of Chicken options, this is the place to go. It's stall after stall after stall selling Chicken Inasal. It's a no-frills place where you wash your hands with a detergent bar. You don't use any utensils - just your hands. There's linoleum on your table and the chicken oil is in a plastic bottle. And all these add flavor to the crunchy and juicy Inasal being served.

Next up, Sweet Greens for dinner.

With "Greens" in the name, we thought it was a vegetarian restaurant. But it turned out to be a very homey place with home cooked meals served "turo-turo" style. May I just say that the Pancit Molo here was DA BOMB! The Bangus Tocino was equally yummy, and the atchara was divine.

Apres dinner, we went to this new and swanky dessert place called Calea. It was such a yummy experience - visually and gastronomically, that it deserves a separate post.

Food, glorious, food. It's a good reason to be back here.

Early bird

It's 3:30 am and I'm at the airport already.

I don't remember when I last took a flight this early.

*yawn*

You Glow Girl

When we were kids, my brothers and I would watch WWF a lot. And after we've had our fill of Hulk Hogan, Koko B-ware and Andre the Giant, we'd have a ridiculous distraction right after. It was also related to wrestling, but it was way, way, WAY crazier!

It was the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling!



With names like Matilda the Hun, Ninotchka, Americana, Mount Fiji, Ashley and Sally the farmer's daughter, you can be sure that the show is high in camp. And it definitely was.

I think I'm going to relive all the campy wrestling action through youtube.

More words of wisdom from Fr. Dave

After 3 weeks, I was able to catch Fr. Dave's mass again. He hasn't been attending his usual masses the past weeks, and I was ready not to see him today when I went to Edsa Shrine. But surprise, surprise, he was the officiating priest today.

And true to form, the had an inspired sermon. I like what he said in his homily today:

When you lose your money, you lose nothing.
When you lose your health, you lose something.
When you lose your character, you lose everything.

Well said, Fr. Dave.

White out

I've been watching the two "Snow White" reboots with much interest. Aside from the interesting twists in the story (Snow White and The Huntsman plots revenge), they also have top notch casts.

My personal favorite would be "Snow White and the Huntsman," primarily because of Julia Roberts. She's playing the Evil Queen, and I'm interested to know who she'll play a really evil character considering she's been a goody two shoes most of her life.

The actresses playing "Snow White" are interesting as well. In one version, it's Kristen Stewart. And in Julia Roberts' version, Snow White will be played by Lily Collins. And after seeing her production still, I think she'll nail this one.



Let's hope they come out with both versions here in Manila.

Meatloaf with cheese

There are two songs in the running as "longest song ever." They're by 2 very different artists, and 2 very different genres. But there's one thing that's common about them. Both songs are just overflowing with cheese.

These songs are Meatloaf's "I will do anything for love", and Celine Dion's "It's all coming back to me now." It's a Friday, so I decided to watch both videos again. And again. And again.

After digesting all that cheese, my verdict is that the longest (and cheesiest) song ever is from Meatloaf!



Well, Meatloaf does go better with cheese.

Res-shoe-rection

Thanks to Shirley's organizing abilities, I found my old Clarks shoes! I had 2 pairs when I was living back in HKG - a black and beige one. It got lost in the unpacking of boxes, but this weekend, the shoes were finally found.

I can't wait to resurrect and wear these comfy pairs again.

Feliz cumpleanos prima y primo

Every August 8, two of my cousins celebrate their birthday. There's Cristy in Barcelona, and Harold from Bicol.

Happy birthday, cousins!

In case you missed the concert...

They're showing the Aphrodite concert of Kylie in theaters. In 3D. In Hong Kong!



I hope they bring this to Manila as well.

Jets on a jet

I like the new Cathay Pacific planes because of their entertainment console which is AWESOME! They have an extensive music library which has a section devoted to 80s songs. And since it's a Friday, I naturally tuned it to it.

And because of that, I was treated to a Friday with The Jets!



Sorry, Aaron Carter, your version ain't no match for the original.

May I see part deux

Finally, after trawling cyberspace for a few weeks, they've finally come up with a photo of a piece from the Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's collection.



Looks very promising. Not because of the design, but because of the price point.

I can see the lines forming outside Macy's as early as now.

Limited exposure

My friends and I have observed that during the past few years, Kamiseta has been a bit "meh." It's either the clothes are too bland or they're too expensive. That said, we often just check it out during the sale season.

But there was one piece of clothing that went against that observation. It was a nice little number from Kamiseta's Limited line.



The Limited line has its own bag and logo. When you're in the store, it's easy to spot their designs because the hanger is wrapped in this thick, burlap like fabric with silver embroidery. And if you buy an item, (like I did), you get a special bag, and the inside part is wrapped in Japanese paper with a silver sticker.



And what's inside the bag? It's this chic and sassy little number.



The first thing that caught my eye was the fabric. It was a silk jersey confection with a jewel toned floral print. It pops out from afar, but it isn't too overwhelming when you look at it up close.



The neckline is asymmetrical and draped, and there's a black, ponte lace that goes around one of the straps.



And it runs all the way to the back, to reveal a sexy twist to the seemingly sweet front part of the dress.



The workmanship and fabric both say Limited, but the price is so cheap, you'd think it's mass produced. But the sales clerk said that it's not, and they only have 4 pieces in the store.

If Kamiseta does more clothes like this, my visits to them won't be limited anymore.