La Vida Loca-vore

Whenever we pass by Brixton St., en route to a meeting at UNAHCO or Unilab, we'd often pass by this hole-in-the-wall looking restaurant in Pasig.

"Locavore." That's what the sign states - etched neatly on the cool gray concrete wall.

Apparently, it's a very popular choice among modern foodies. Judging from the reviews I've read - both on print and on-line - Locavore offers Filipino cuisine with a modern twist. Not exactly a new proposition, but people who've eaten there say that the way they've modernized and twisted local cuisine is phenomenal.

So, after passing by the restaurant for over a year, it was time to drop by and try it out.

Tuesday night isn't really the briskest for restaurants, but Locavore was full tonight. All the tables were filled with big groups, ranging from families, officemates, friends, and some rowdy, mildly entertaining and mildly irritating college kids. (Hello, table on my left!)

Initial reaction on the menu? Very interesting and quite novel. They had dishes like oyster sisig, kare-kare wings, tilapia in kwek-kwek batter, and pakbet ratatouille. I've been to quite a number of "Filipino Moderne" restaurants, but this is the first time I've encountered these dishes.

After poring through the choices a few times, we finally decided on a combination of old favorites and experimented on some new dishes.

For starters, the street food platter. You can't go wrong with that.

Our main course was the baby squid, pinakbet ratatouille and organic garlic brown rice. Visually, they might look simple but the interplay of flavors belie its seeming simplicity.

The baby squid was perfectly tender, and had a rich, garlic butter flavor. It had whole cloves of roasted garlic that gave added zing to the taste. The pinakbet had a creamy texture to it. When blended with the bagoong and the individual flavors of the veggies, it felt like a fiesta of flavors. And to temper all these strong flavors, the garlic brown rice did the trick.

Now, what's a meal without dessert? Enter the pandesal pudding.

It has salted egg and dulce de leche sauce. 'Nuff said.

Overall, Locavore lived up to the hype. The dishes were unique, the flavors were top notch, and it was worth the lengthy walk going there.

No wonder people are going Loca over it.

Silver belle

It might be because fast fashion is moving faster, but I've noticed how trends seem to resurge faster than usual these days.

For example, metallic moccasins were all the rage last year. It was a combination of the style of boy's loafers, plus feminine metallics like rose gold, pale gold and platinum. Forever 21 had a lot of styles, and Ate Bullet had a few in her shoe closet.

During my weekend run at SM, lo and behold, metallics are back!

This time, it's in the form of tasseled slip-on shoes. The pair is from the Parisian brand, and it was too shiny to ignore. (And buy.)

With a pair of shoes as fabulously blinding as this, the next step was to create an outfit around it. An outfit that would fit the character of the shoes - hip, cool, feminine but androgynous.

Which this nice pair of boyfriend jeans captures perfectly. It has the right wash, the right slouch, the right cuff, and the right attitude.

Since the pair of jeans and shoes already embody tomboy chic, the top should offer a counterpoint and be unabashedly feminine.

Just like this white, crocheted beauty!

It's both simple and complex - an irony that makes for good fashion.

Summed up, you have an outfit that is silver chic!

Ate Bullet will definitely rock this outfit.

#feelingblessed

That hashtag is almost like a running joke between Mark, Kris and myself.

Whenever we get together in the common room of IH2, we talk about how #feelingblessed is probably one of the most overused terms on social media. More often than not, it's accompanied by a brag (or humble brag,) to show off a new item, a recent trip, or some form of advancement in life.

Needless to say, we're not huge fans of the term.

Just like I'm not a huge fan of birthdays. People who know me the best (hello family, hello Mark) know that I don't like making a big deal about the day I was born. If it's at all possible, I prefer to spend my birthday incognito, and just come out when it's all over.

But today, I'll make an exception - for both the hashtag and the birthday.

Because today - my birthday - is really a day full of blessings for me.

Why? Mainly because today marks another year in my so-called life. That means there was another year to be thankful for, and another year to look forward to.

Surprisingly, at the strike of midnight of November 6, the greetings slowly trickled in. Eventually, it poured, almost flooding my phone and inbox with well wishes and heartfelt greetings. 

From family members both near and far. From former colleagues to former students. From advertising friends to friends from the academe. From long-lost friends to long-standing loves. They were all represented and all shared their good wishes.

In fact, I think I spent 1/3rd of my day answering all the greetings and good wishes. It's a tiring but very uplifting feeling.

Then, to cap off the day, my family came together for dinner. As usual, it was an evening of good food and even better company. And it was one of those moments where my heart was swelling with joy as the people I'm blessed with were around me. (I missed my parents, Biboy, Liz, Jul, Carl, Miguel, Kurt, Kai and Noah, though.)

To cap off a sweet night, an even sweeter treat from my brother-in-law, Raymond. He really has an awesome sense of humour!

With a birthday like this, I really can't help but feel honestly, undeniably, unbelievably blessed.

#feelingblessed

Lovely layers

As a kid, I was already enamored by layers.

Whether it was on a cake, a gulaman that Mom would make, or a toy, or a painting on the wall, I'd always gravitate toward things with well-defined layers.

So, while I was sitting on the beach in Cebu, this particular vista enamored me as well.

It's a simple layering of sand, sea and sky. But the way nature composed it that afternoon was just photo worthy.

Nature really is the best artist.

FMM: Pick-up lines

Whew! This was a short week! Despite that, each of the 3 days we spent at work were both busy and intense. The pace picked up starting Wednesday, and it felt like we came in for 5 days!

Which simply means that today's Friday Magic Madness song should be the opposite of hectic and busy. It should be relaxed, chill and feel good.

Enter Melba Moore, and her iconic song "Pick me up, I'll dance."



This 70s ditty reminds me so much of Mom and Ate Lissa. Why? Because it's a perfect song to dance the swing to. And I think I've seen them pick up their heels and dance when this was playing.

So, I'll pick up this song and dance! (Nope, I can't dance. So I'll just pick it up and bob my head like a doggy on a dashboard.)

Let's be Blunt

The November cover girl of InStyle magazine is always a person of interest.

Being my birth month, I always look forward to who will represent my month on the cover. And more often than not, their choice of celebrity resonates with me, one way or another.

They had Taylor Swift last November 2013 and 2014 - an awesome move since I'm a huge fan of Taylor. Then, in 2015, they had Drew Barrymore. Again, this is great because I've been watching her since she was a kid in E.T., and she grew up to be an admirable woman.

Now, it's 2016, and the cover girl is...

Emily Blunt!

Heck, I loved her as Emily Charlton in "Devil Wears Prada." She was adorable as Violet Barnes in "The Five-Year Engagement." And her turn as Freya in "Snow White and the Huntsman" was icy cold genius. I couldn't be happier to have her front the magazine this November.

Awesome job, InStyle!

Ken(zo) hardly wait

Captain's log. Stardate: November 2, 2016, 7:00pm.

The H&M x Kenzo launch is about 15 hours away.

And someone's already in line for it.

Yes, he's already in line and will wait outside, overnight, just to get a piece of the action.

Now that's what I call dedication. (Well, I'd call it crazy as well, but hey, I know where he's coming from.)

That's a whole lotta noodles!

Their noodles must be so long, it takes more Os to spell it!

Proofreader please!

Shaka it off!

Nope, it isn't about Taylor Swift. (Though still a huge fan.)

It's about this nice Hawaiian restaurant that we encountered near our hotel.

Shaka is apparently one of the newest and busiest hang-outs in the Cebu I.T. Park area, and for good reason.

It captures the laid-back vibe of Hawaii in the middle of the busy city. Stepping inside feels like transporting yourself to some breezy beach, cocktails in hand, and enjoying grilled food.

Best part is, you can actually do it instead of just feeling it.

I'm sure I'll be going to Shaka again the next time I go to Cebu.

Hanger on!

While at Ayala Center Cebu, I found this very interesting installation to promote H&M's sponsorship of The Voice Kids.

They had the same tie-up in Manila, but we never came up with something as cool as this.

It looks like there's truth to when people say that Cebuanos do things better than us Manilenos.

Turning a new leaf

While leafing through a magazine, a particular Dolce and Gabbana dress stood out from the page. It was such a stand-out that my next step was to check on-line to see if was available on their website. Or any website for that matter.

And it was!

It's this leaf print dress that's chic and tropical at the same time.

This is inspiring me to do something.

FMM: Perfection!

This song is a good way to describe this Friday. (A Friday Magic Madness song, at that.)



Sleeping in a bit. Sharing a nice breakfast together. How can that not be perfect?

More Fridays should be spent like this. And more songs should be done like this Miquel Brown classic.

The hills are alive...

...with the clucks of chicken!

This is where we had our shoot today, and it was hectares and hectares of land with thousands of chickens.

Just my cluck! Harhar.

Best laid flans

Tonight's dinner at Rose-Grace Restaurant in Laguna was uneventful. That was until the dessert menu arrived!

Look, they have Lechen Flan!

We were debating whether this was "lechon flan" or "lecheng flan." Harhar.

Proofreader please!

Hotdog-gone it!

When I saw this ginormous hotdog at Mini-Stop, I had to take a photo of it.

Aptly called "Purefoods Giant Hotdog," it was so unusually and abnormally huge that it was taking up a huge chunk of the food warmer space. Heck, it's so huge it deserves its own zipcode!

This will definitely satisfy some very, very, very hungry soul.

This made me Smile(ys)

The commercial we shot last June is finally on-air!



Not to sound biased or anything, but this is an awesome commercial! It's awesome because it shows how easy it is to bring a smile to people's faces. And making people smile is always an awesome thing to do.

Hope people will smile as much after seeing this commercial.

Sketchy stories: Watch me whip, watch me...

Sketching cakes is a source of joy. Much more so when the cake you sketch is for a milestone event of a sweet, little girl who's also a source of joy.

Belated Happy Birthday, Lei Lei!

Victorious Victoria

This.

Is.

Epic.

Target's next designer collaboration is going to thrill fashionistas all over the world!

It's Victoria Beckham!

Excuse me while I reel from the initial shock.

FMM: Pretty Kool

After that very busy and intense weekend at work, it's nice to just sit back and keep cool.

Better yet, keep Kool!



Kool and the Gang is always a good idea for Friday Magic Madness. Especially when you listen to one of their biggest singles ever!

I feel Kooler already.

Guard it with your life!

The official trailer of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is out!



Geek mode on!

Rather entertaining

A few weeks back, Mark and I had dinner with Fati in Glorietta 5. We ate at Gerry's since Mark was craving for Filipino food. This was the time he just got back from Japan.

While we were eating, they were playing these different music videos on screen. One that particularly caught my attention featured a young Japanese woman who was going around the city, haunted by a particular song and a group of dancing locals. It ended with her going loca in bed, then his "father" turned out to be someone else in disguise.

Weird, but interesting.

The problem was, I couldn't hear what the song was. After all, this was Gerry's. So, the crowd was noisy, plus there were around 6 TVs playing simultaneously. But since I found the music video rather entertaining, the images were left in my mind.

Because of that, the next few days after that night were spent trying to figure out what that video was. Enter all these on-line search tools like google and youtube to help me out.

I searched for things like "Japanese woman going crazy" or "Japanese people dancing by the beach." This went on for a few days until...



Jackpot! I found the song and the music video. It turned out to be a cover of "Rather be."

Hooray for google and youtube!

Separation anxiety

You'd think "separate" is an easy word to spell, right?

Right?

Apparently not.

"Seperate."

Seriously?

Gosh. All these errors flying around the place is giving me an anxiety attack.

Pointing (Fat) Fingers

Just when I thought the news about Whammo's' comeback was the biggest thing in snacks this year, I was wrong!

Look who's making another comeback!

Yes! Fat Fingers! The local attempt to ape Twinkies.

Just like Whammos, this was a favorite of mine in the 90s, and I was saddened when it disappeared from the shelves.

Now that it's back, you can just imagine how thrilled I am.

Time to point fingers again!

Golden boy!

It's the year of golds for the Morales family!

First, it was our parents' golden wedding anniversary last January.

And today, the family's first born - Kuya Marv - celebrated his golden year!

Of course, we had to celebrate this golden day. We missed some family members, though, like Biboy and family, plus Raymond and the kids.

Happy Birthday Kuya Marv! Here's to more golden blessings ahead!

Kenzo costly

Now, the anticipation really starts!

They've finally posted the full lookbook of the Kenzo x H&M collection, along with the prices. Off hand, it looks like a cross between the Alexander Wang and Balmain collaborations.

It's like Alexander Wang because it's very niche. The pieces are too loud and vibrant, and you really need to be a fan of Kenzo to love this cacophony of prints.

It's like Balmain because they're pricey! The most expensive piece in the collection is a $549 dress! That's more than P25,000 for an H&M dress!

And like Alexander Wang and Balmain, I also won't be getting anything from this collection. I miss the more inclusive collections of old - like Lanvin, Versace, Commes de Garcons and Marni.

That said, there were 2 interesting pieces from the collection that would be wearable for everyday. And at least they're not over $200.

Still, I won't be getting them.

FMM: Breaded

Majority of the past week was spent working on bread.

That's why it's just fitting that today's Friday Magic Madness song is from...



Bread!

And this isn't just any Bread song, it's their most popular from the 70s, and my favorite, too!

Now, on to more bread work!

Look at U(niqlo)

The first 2 collections of Lemaire for Uniqlo must've been so popular, they've decided to make it permanent.

Similar to how Jil Sander had her +J collection under the brand, Christophe Lemaire now helms the Uniqlo U brand.

My first encounter with this collaboration was during my last trip to Tokyo last September. They were already buzzing about it in the Ginza main store, and they had images of the pieces from the collection.

True to Lemaire's aesthetic, a lot of them were chunky knits, comfy pieces and basics with a twist. It's perfect for countries with sweater weather.

Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of weather here in Manila. But hey, that didn't stop Uniqlo from bringing it in.

Yup, the collection is here in Manila! They already have it in the Uniqlo Megamall store, and it's a pretty solid collection.

They have this nice duo tone knit dress that's very versatile. Plus a black, denim dress that has that Paris chic to it.

Let's see if it's eventually worth buying.

Copping out

Whoa! There are more movements in the fashion world than I imagined.

After reading about the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri from Valentino to Dior, it turns out that another design icon has left his iconic label.

Peter Copping, the personally-chosen-and-anointed successor to Oscar Dela Renta left the label last July. And like Alber Elbaz, there's no word where he's going.

I'm definitely going to miss the aesthetic and feminine wiles that he brought to the brand.

Did you say Denny's?

The moment I stepped into that first Denny's Diner in the U.S., it was a life-changing experience. Being a breakfast-lover, a place that served stacks and stacks of pancakes and french toast was nirvana.

Since then, Denny's is always a stop-over. Whether it's in the U.S., Guam or Japan, part of my travel agenda is to visit their store.

So, imagine my thrill when I read that they've opened Denny's here in Manila.

Yes, in Manila!

Gotta go and get my Denny's fix soon!

Take it to the Banks

When Elizabeth Banks came out as Effie Trinket in "Hunger Games," she was awesome! With her elaborate costumes and quirky acting, it was a performance that was iconic.

And just when you thought that was hard to top, here comes Elizabeth Banks as...

...wait for it...

Rita Repulsa!

Obviously, I'm still on a Power Rangers high. Sorry, the geek in me just can't be contained.

Now this I really, really have to see this film.

Ranger things

Admit it. You used to watch Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and pretend that you were one of the 5 chosen teens who had the power to morph into superheroes.

Heck, I know I did!

So, imagine how the inner ranger in me started geeking out upon seeing this.



It's Morphin time!

Reed my mind

 As I was about to go to school this morning, a surprise met me at the living room.

Mom is back from the U.S.! I didn't know she was arriving today, so it was a pleasant surprise to see her at home.

She was already unpacking, and she handed me over a a big bag from Kohl's. And that could only mean one thing.

The Reed Krakoff x Kohl's dresses have arrived!

Actually, I was really planning to buy these dresses when I was in the U.S. last July. Unfortunately, the Kohl's stores in Alpharetta were already closed. So it was a fail. But thanks to on-line shopping, Biboy and major markdowns, the 2 dresses I was eyeing are finally here in Manila!

First, this fern print paillette dress.

It has a nice shape because the base is made of neoprene. Then, the tiles add up to this graphic black and white fern print that makes it look earthy yet modern.

Second piece is this fit and flare scuba dress in Harbour White.

You can never go wrong with black and white. It's a classic!

It might have taken a while, but these Reed dresses are definitely worth the wait.

FMM: Quite contrary 2

After a long, busy, and accomplished week, you just want to sit back, relax, and listen to some low-key songs.

One artist from the 80s comes to mind. Mary MacGregor.

She has one of those voices that's so soothing, it transports you to a relaxed place everytime you listen to it.

Today, I'm going to relax to one of her most famous ditties: "Good Friend."



Thank God its Friday Magic Madness!

Bus to Busan

Lookie! The bus I rode this morning was showing "Train to Busan."

I've said this before, I'll say it again. This film is DA BOMB!

'Nuff said.

On the Rise

It's actually a funny thing. I get to watch more movies in flight than in movie houses.

Example, during the flight from MNL to ATL last July, I was able to watch the following films: Batman vs. Superman, Tangled, The Dressmaker and My Name is Doris. And that's just from one flight. There were 3 more that followed after.

This is the reason why a good entertainment system is one of my considerations when choosing an airline. After all, you'll be stuck in a plane for hours, so might as well use them productively.

During my last trip to Tokyo via PAL, they had an entertainment system called "My PAL." It's basically an iPad filled with music, movies and tv shows that you can watch at your own pace. Which was awesome!

It was during this flight that I caught this biblical epic film entitled "Risen." It was the story of a Roman soldier who was asked to investigate the disappearance of Christ from the tomb, and how this experience changed his faith.

It was a riveting film that kept me glued from start to finish! Now, it's a film that goes up there with my favorite Biblical films including "Jesus Christ Superstar," and "Jesus of Nazareth."

Game Chiuri

The fashion musical chairs keeps on playing.

Just as everyone was raving about the most recent collection for Valentino, one-half of the designing duo has left the design house to strike it out on her own.

Maria Grazia Chiuri, the co-designer of Valentino, is now with Dior!

I've seen her debut collection on-line, and she's brought to the house her elegance and sensitivity to the female form.

Can't wait to see more from her soon!

There's nothing to it... Rogue!

Just say the words "Star Wars" and I'm on board.

That's why I'll be totally on-board and rush off to the cinemas this December when they show "Rogue One: A Star Wars story." Especially now that the final trailer is up and running!



Star Wars geeks rejoice! (That includes me!)

G I'm gonna miss U

Here's one haunt in Tokyo that I never miss whenever my travels take me there.

It's the GU main store in Ginza!

No matter how long or short our Japan trip is, Mark and I make it a point to drop by the store and check out both the new arrivals and clearance items. (Actually, I'm usually the one checking out the stuff and Mark sits and patiently waits. Harhar.)

GU is a trove for updated basics and trendy pieces. The Ates love the GU pieces I bring home, and they usually wear it on repeat.

The thing with GU is that it doesn't seem to have a plan to expand as wide as its sister brand Uniqlo. Which is good because it still gives it an air of exclusivity - despite it being a super budget brand. So, whenever the itch for GU comes along, Tokyo is the only place to go.

Which is a motivator to go back to Tokyo soon.

Material world: So solihiya!

Growing up, we were always surrounded by solihiya furniture - whether it was our old house in Morato, the beach house in Bacacay, or the Regalado's ancestral home in Malinao. My recollection of the solihiya was how comfortable it was, but also how it would leave a weird pattern on my skin after sitting on it for an extended period of time.

There's something beautiful about the solihiya. The intricacy of the pattern, the masterful weaving, and the interplay of circles and geometric shapes - they all add up to a look that's simple, elegant and unmistakably Pinoy.

A few weeks ago, I saw this fabric that reminded me so much of the solihiya.

It has that same geometric orientation, coupled with some circles included in the pattern. It was such a beautiful fabric that I had to buy a few yards of it.

 

And it turned out to be a lucky purchase. According to the store owner, she only had 6 yards of that fabric and it was just a sample from the supplier. She's not even sure if this fabric will be carried here in Manila!

Just looking at the fabric, I think I know what this will turn out to be.