One Top, Two ways: Vested interests

I'm going out on a limb here, but vests are one of the most underrated and underutilized items in fashion.

A vest - when properly used - can elevate an outfit. It's such a simple piece of clothing, but it has a transformative effect. Given the right cut, color and fabric, it can totally change the overall look and feel of an outfit.

Here's an example: A simple denim vest from Bench. It has jean-like details like rivets and metal buttons. The shape is loose and the length is longer than usual. On its own, it looks quite nondescript.

 

But if you add it on to other pieces, it takes on a totally different fashion form and feel. See how these two dresses from Zalora transform with the help of this vest.

Place it on top of a patterned maxi-dress, and it gives a very boho-chic vibe that's very California in it's look and feel.

Wear it on top of a swiss dot prairie dress, and you've got an ensemble that's very chic-Western. It's something that will look like something from Texas or Arizona.

And those are just 2 ways to style this denim vest. If you start wearing this with separates, then it takes on a different persona.

Interesting how one little piece of clothing can do all that.

Sweet 16

Sixteen summers ago, to be very specific, 16 summers to this day, our creative campaign for Colgate 360 Toothbrush made it to the cover of Campaign Brief Asia. It was the first time our work was featured in this Advertising industry "bible."

Now, after 16 years, I find myself back on that same publication. Albeit in the digital version.

It's now called "Campaign Asia," and they have a feature called "Creative Minds" where they pick the brains of creative practitioners around the region. Apparently, last week, I was that creative mind that they featured.

It feels like a full-circle moment, especially because the work that was featured 16 years ago was the same piece of work I talked about in this interview.

Sweet!

Managing the distance

Although we’re thousands of miles apart from Richard, we’re lucky because we still get to see him during our Management meetings. Via Zoom, of course.

We miss his physical presence during our meetings. We learn a l0t from his stories and we really get a lot of insights each time we meet. And that’s something more fun if we do it face-to-face. But we’re thankful that Zoom still allows us to connect.

Oh, the wonders of technology!

Spray it, don't say it!

These days, disinfectant sprays are a must in every household.

At home, you can find cans of Lysol, Homebright and Bench Alcogel disinfectant sprays all over. Because of that, I'm always on the look out for new scents, so as to avoid "Disinfectant Spray smell fatigue syndrome."

Recently, I discovered a two-fer! It's my go-to Bench Alcogel Disinfectant spray plus my favourite Bench Better Goods scent:

"Ring around a Rosey" is now available as a disinfectant!

Keeping the house clean is going to smell so good!

Pret-sells

Jack N' Jill Chocolate Pretzels was my ultimate fave and my go-to snack as a kid.

It had an iconic box with 2 kids dressed as American Indians, surrounded by chocolate pretzel sticks. As a kid, I'd imagine that it was me surrounded by all those yummy chocolate.

Whenever we'd go to Unimart, that's what I'd buy. Whenever I'd be given my allowance, that's what I'd buy. 

It's been a while since I've seen or bought these Chocolate Pretzels. Until today when I dropped by the supermarket and saw this:

The packaging has changed! (And I prefer the old one, actually.) But what matters most - what's inside - still tastes the same. It's the same crunchy, chocolate-y sticks that I've always known.

Thankfully, some good things never change!

Senior moment

After waiting patiently for weeks, today is the day!

Rebel Wilson's new Neflix film has finally dropped!

I've been excited to watch "Senior Year" since they showed the trailer. It has all the elements of a feel-good high school comedy. There are elements of 80s, 90s and 00s films, made contemporary due to the changes in technology and the way high school kids act nowadays.

Without spoiling the film, there's one part that made me smirk - the dance number which felt like an homage to "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion." And there's one part that put a big smile on my face. A cameo appearance from a rom-com legend!

Rebel Wilson was a hoot, of course. Watching her in this film made me forgive her for that major faux pas that was "Isn't it Romantic." Harhar!

This film will definitely be my go-to film from now on.

FMM: Summer Street

More and more, you can feel the hot weather whenever you go outside.

This only means one thing: Summer is upon us!

And this makes me want to bust out some summer tunes for Friday Magic Madness. Starting with this 1965 classic from Martha and the Vandellas:

The lyrics ring true to today:

"Summer's here and the time is right, for dancing in the street!"

Hello Summer!

Pusit good. Pusit real good!

No, this post isn't about Salt 'N Pepa's iconic song.

But admittedly, bopping to that song is one of my guilty pleasures.

What this post is about is my latest snack discovery from Oishi!

I'm a huge fan of "pusit" snacks. From Chivalry Pusit to the ones that you buy by the gram at Puregold Sta. Rosa. Even as a kid, we'd buy those little pusit on a toothpick at Aling Ensa & Aling Leony's store.

Those same feels are in every pack of O-Pusit. The moment it touches my lips, the sweet and spice taste of the squid bursts in my mouth. And when I bite into it, the crunch is just divine!

I'm Pusit-ively buying more of this snack!

How about Whos-its and Whats-its galore?

Further proof that you can find everything on Shopee.

Now I know where Ariel of The Little Mermaid shops.

Walk in Faith

A few times, I've written about fashion brands - both local and international - who inject a touch of faith and spirituality in their products.

This weekend, I found another one. 

Bought a few jelly slides for my Mom and Ate, and they came in plastic bags with an inspirational Bible quote on it.

I think that's a nice touch when brands try to keep and spread the faith in any way they can.

Make it count

Voting has always been a serious activity for me.

From the time I was legally allowed to vote, I immediately registered and participated in the democratic exercise. 

When I lived abroad, i’d file a leave and come home each time there would be an election. Whether national or local. That’s how important it was to me.

It’s an exercise I did today as we once again vote for our future leaders. 

Leaders who we believe in.

I’m glad and proud to have made my vote count.

The Force of the Family

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by strong women who head their families with both force and grace.

From my Mom, my 2 sisters, and my 2 sisters-in-law. From the earlier generations, my paternal and maternal grandmothers, plus my Lolo Iking's sister - Lola Talen. 

Then, there's the new generation of Moms - my 2 nieces-in-law, the Moms of my 3 adorable "apos."

To all of you, this padawan sends this greeting:

May the force continue to be with you today and beyond!

Do you see what Icee?

As a kid, Icee was one of my favourite frozen drinks.

I recall how there was an Icee stand in Greenhills, and it was beside a Slush Puppie stand. Yes, Slush Puppie was another fave. But more on this later.

Icee is still imprinted in my mind until now. From the red and blue cup, to the polar bear mascot, to the jingle (Everybody loves... slurp... Icee!) to the dual-cylinder machine that churned out those soft, frozen beverage that many of the kids my age loved. Cola and Cherry were 2 of my go-to flavours.

I think it was sometime in the late 80s or early 90s that Icee disappeared from the malls. And I've always wondered why. It's not due to a lack of demand because 7-11 still has the Frozen Slurpee. 

Just when I thought I'd never taste Icee again, look what I found at Landers:

Icee Cherry!

The moment I laid my eyes on this on the website, I had to add to cart and check out!

Icee what you did there!

FMM: Something to Crow about

The 90s was a great decade from female singer-songwriters.

It was the time where we had a lot of strong, female voices in music. It was the decade of Alanis Morisette, Aaliya, Sarah McLachlan, Melissa Etheridge, Brandy, among many others.

And one of my faves during that decade? Sheryl Crow!

During my first job at Adformatix, I spend a lot of nights working overtime on projects. And to keep the energy up during those long nights, we'd usually play Sheryl Crow on the cassette tape and CD player.

While she had so many great songs, her biggest hit is still my favourite. Up until now.

If you're a fan of hers, you know the song I'm talking about:

"All I wanna do" has a catchy beat, clever lyrics, and Sheryl's cool, bohemian voice. It's a combination that's really LSS worthy!

Now, all I wanna do is listen to this song over and over and over again.

Cool Cat part deux

While waiting for Mark, I spotted this extremely cute and cool sight:

It's a cool cat! Literally, a cat under a photo of cool shades.

The cat was so cute that I had to take a photo and send it to Mark. After all, we're both cat lovers, so, something this cool had to be shared.

The Force is Sneaking in

Once again, it's "May the 4th be with you" day!

That's why when Mark and I met up for lunch today, I brought him this:

An R2D2 sneaker from the World Balance x Star Wars collaboration!

Mark and I are both Star Wars fans. So I definitely don't need to force him to wear this.

P.S. I got the BB8 one for myself.

Donut Ignore

The first time I saw Randy's Donuts was during a trip to the US in the early 2000s. 

Back then, it was the heyday of Krispy Kreme that's why I ignored this donut brand. Apparently, it's an iconic brand in the US, and it's also as well-loved as Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme.

It's such an icon that it appeared in many, many films. But what I remember most is that scene from "2012" where the donut was in the midst of all the natural calamities. Now, that's hard to ignore.

Since then, I've always wanted to try Randy's Donuts. But they don't have an outlet in GA or FL, and I haven't been to CA in ages. So, until now, I haven't tried Randy's.

But it seems like it's all going to change! Randy's Donuts is opening in Manila, and their first store will be in BGC!

I can't ignore the fact that I'll finally be trying Randy's very soon!

Up your sleeve

The sleeve of a dress is often an underutilized place. Most of the times, dress designers and fast fashion brands don't use this part of the dress as a focal point.

That's why whenever I see a dress with a lot of details on the sleeve, I'm drawn to it. 

Just like the dress from Plains & Prints' 2022 Spring/Summer "Picturesque" collection.

This white, easy and breezy dress is called "India." No surprise because of the beautiful and ornate print that you find on its sleeve.

It's an elephant and some foliage that harks back to the country after the dress was named. It's a beautiful detail that really elevates this white dress into something that's ultra-fashinoable!

Plains & Prints really has a lot of fashionable tricks up its sleeve.

High five

Here's something that I haven't seen in a long, long, long, looooong, time.

It's a 5 cent coin!

Gosh, I didn't know they still produced these. But apparently, they're still in circulation.

So, in the words of Jack McFarland: "And now you know. Shooting star."

Teal, we meet again

This movie quote from "The Wedding Planner" is a favourite of both Mark and myself. So much so that we blurt it out randomly:

"Teal. The colour of gangrene."

Not to say I dislike the colour teal. In fact, since it was introduced to me as the official colour of Texas Chicken, I liked it already. 

And now, I've met a new "Teal."

This Dr. Teal Body Wash is a gift from Jing-Jing from Christmas. 

The packaging looks very organic, and the scents seem very soothing and body-friendly. It's my first time to encounter this brand, and I'm excited to actually try these.

Teal that day comes, I'll excitedly place these in my body wash stash in the bathroom.

FMM: Simon Says

Carly Simon is one of the most talented and creative singer/songwriters in my book.

She has that 1-2 punch of having that very beautiful and emotive voice, combined with mad songwriting skills. Her iconic hit "You're so Vain" is still one of my most favourite songs so far - both in terms of music and lyrics. It was just very picturesque and beautifully written, and I've featured that song in one of my FMMs before.

With a string of number 1 hits under her belt, and collaborations with some of the biggest names like James Taylor, it's a fact that when it comes to being a female singer/songwriter, she's unique and incomparable.

Which leads us to today's Friday Magic Madness song from 1977:

"Nobody does it better" from "The Spy Who Loved Me" is another one of her iconic hits. And while listening to it again and again, it's easy to see why.

Really, nobody does it better like Carly Simon.

Printed Matter: Fowl play

When I was loving in HKG, i’d pass by Kowloon Park almost on a daily basis.

One of the reasons why I enjoy passing by that area was the fact that they had a small aviary of sorts. The space held several members of the fowl family, particularly Pink Flamingos and Peacocks.

Those fowl friends suddenly came back to mind when I saw this print. 

They're 2 peacocks perched on a branch of beautiful flowers and greens. And this print is from the latest Spring/Summer collection of Plains & Prints. A print that’s on a comfy and fashionable t-shirt that I couldn’t resist buying.

Because the print is already ornate, I thought of pairing it with a plain, belted and wide-legged khaki trousers from Bench. The shape complements the shirt and gives the entire ensemble a very chic and carefree vibe.

Nothing and everything about this ensemble is fowl.

Something's Off

Off-White, that is.

When it comes to dressing up, I'm a very boring and plain person. My uniform consists of jeans and a t-shirt, unless there are meetings at work. During those days, I'll wear a long-sleeved shirt and tuck it in. This makes the pair of jeans look half-decent.

Because I'm practically living in t-shirts, I've got a lot of those in my closet. Mostly, they're plain coloured, very loose and boxy, and comfy to wear. 

Those qualities are the same reasons why I've gravitated towards Off-White brand t-shirts. They come in basic colours (black, white, beige), they're very loose and boxy, and they're also very comfy. Most of their tees have prints, though. But I don't mind because the prints aren't too distracting. In fact, they're a bit artsy, just like the Off-White x Kunsthal shirt that I have.

For those reasons, this Off is definitely On!

Walking the Dog

Nope, this post isn't about a yo-yo trick.

Admittedly, though, I knew how to do that yo-yo trick when I was in high school.

This post is about Kuro, my sister's dog.

Since he spends most of his time inside the house, I'd occasionally borrow him from Ate and take him out for a walk around our compound. This often happens in the evenings when the weather is cool and windy.

It's a great way for Kuro to walk around and stretch his legs. And for me to get some exercise.

Dog-gone it! This is a win-win situation!

Deka-dent

Wafer roll - check!

Peanut butter - check!

Two of my favourites in one product - double check!

Thank goodness I discovered this Deka Peanut Butter Wafer Bites at Super 50.

Better stock up on these. Stat!

LFLTAT: Foxy Browns

While I've written about my discovery of SheIn a few months ago, it occurred to me that I haven't written about my fashionable finds.

Considering that the brand is known for their very, very, very affordable clothes, coming out with a Look For Less Than A Thousand would be easy to do. Frankly, it is. Both for guys and girls.

So, let me start off with this very cool, very comfy and very "street" ensemble from one of my first SheIn purchases. It's a pair that has that foxy, hip hop feel to it.

It's an ensemble that uses brown as the base colour, and uses it in a very fashionably comfy way. The shirt is a coffee brown dolman sleeved shirt. The fabric is very soft cotton that skims the body, making it very breezy and flattering. The jeans are these loose khakis with a brown detail on the side which echoes the colour of the shirt.

Together, this ensemble was less than P700! Not bad for a fashionably foxy look.

Fitch (not-so) Perfect

I'm part of the generation who grew up with Abercrombie & Fitch. In fact, I've written about that brand several times on my blog.

A&F was the perfect store if you wanted that cool, preppy look.

Whenever we'd go to the U.S., we have to stop by an A&F store. Three things that I'd usually buy: Polo shirts, graphic tees and jeans. 

Their polo shirts were very comfortable, and the fabric felt very luxe. Their graphic tees were very smart and witty. Their jeans are top notch - from the denim, to the silhouette, to the little details. So, even if they were premium-priced, it was well worth it.

In the 2010s, they ventured into Asia. They had a store along Pedder Street in HKG, along Orchard Road in SG, and in Ginza in JPN. All their stores looked and felt the same: high ceiling, brown shutters, dark interiors, loud music, and the daunting A&F sales people who looked like they stepped out of the catalogue.

By the late 2010s, the brand lost its lustre, and following, in Asia. And apparently, this was also the case in the U.S. In my mind, I'd always ask "Why?" After all, it seemed like they had a great thing going.

Today, I found the answers. Thanks to this Netflix documentary entitled "White Hot."

So, the company that built its name by creating the perfect preppy uniform wasn't as perfect after all.

FMM: Shoop for the Soul

Back in the 90s, there was a cinema in SM North EDSA Annex that was specially created to show arthouse films. If memory serves me right, it was called "Director's Choice."

While their other 15 - yes, 15 - cinemas showed the usual popular films, this one showed lesser known foreign films that were usually hailed abroad. The films they showed usually had unconventional themes, award-winning actors, and narratives that were very un-Hollywood.

It was in that theatre that I saw "Scenes from a Mall" with Woody Allen and Bette Midler. True to Woody's aesthetic, this film was quirky and had a lot, A LOT, of dialogues. Something that Pinoy viewers weren't too hot about. Back then, at least.

Another film that I watched there was "Mermaids." This family comedy starring Cher, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci was also quite different in terms of theme, mainly because of the dysfunctional nature of their family. 

Because it featured 3 generations of great actresses, the film had a lot of soul. Each character was deep and damaged, which made the story more endearing and relatable.

Since Cher was in the film, there had to be music! And one of the songs in the film that became popular was the "Shoop Shoop Song." 

The carefree and 60s vibe of the song dovetailed beautifully with the actual film. And the music video captured the energy of the 3 actresses, and the joie-de-vivre of the characters. That made it wonderful to listen to, and even more wonderful to watch.

Re-watching this makes me want to watch "Mermaids" again. Off to Netflix and youtube to find it!

Peso Power

One of the perks of online supermarket shopping?

Random but fun promos! Like being able to buy items for P1! One peso!!!

I've written about this before, and I'll write about it again. That's because I got these yummy soup mixes for only P1 each!

Too bad I could only buy 1 of each.

But this is definitely the best way to spend P1!

Hey to Zed

On a recent run to The SM Store, there was this shelf in the Snack Exchange area that was filled with colourful packs of candies.

They caught my eye from afar because of the bright hues of the packs, and the even brighter contents peeking out of the transparent window.

After approaching the shelf, it turned out that these were sour, chewy candies under the brand "Zed."

Since this is a new brand for me, I ended up buying 2 of each kind. And boy, I'm glad that I did! These candies are awesome! The right combination of sweet and tart, and very pronounced fruity flavour! Especially this Fruit Salad variant.

Hey! This is going to be one of my new faves!

Peak Pet Peeve

I've said this before and I'll say it again, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people misspell "Sneak Peek" as "Sneak Peak."

You'd think people who are in advertising would know this by heart. 

Apparently not. Especially after seeing this on the official website of the Advertising Organization in the country.

Proofreader, please!

Super Shopping!

I've been reading about this new concept store from the Robinson's Group called Super 50. 

Last week, after our onsite office meeting, I quickly swung by to see what it's about. Boy, I was impressed! 

It's pretty much like Daiso Japan, but all the items in store are P50! 

In terms of selection, they have a wide range of items from food to home essentials to toys to electronics to other knick-knacks that you don't need but will eventually buy because of the price. I'm speaking from experience since that's what happened to me.

After my less than 15 minute walk around the store, I left with a big box of items! The best buys for me include the plates, saucers, bowls, dishwashing liquid and snacks!

It was a super experience that I'll probably do again soon.

Rise to the Happy Occasion

These words that are said during Easter Sunday are words that always brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

Alleluia! He is Risen!

Four words that are full of joy and hope. The same joy and hope that we feel on the day of Christ's resurrection.

Happy Easter!

Vigil Mass Memories

This is the 3rd time that i’m attending the Easter Vigil Mass online.

While the feeling is very different compared to attending Easter Vigil Masses face-to-face, there’s still a sense of community even I’m just behind the screen.

And as each of the 7 scripture readings are read, I can’t help but remember our Easter Vigil Masses with Mark at the Franciscan Chapel Center. An activity that’s well-documented and well-talked about on my blog.

One of the highlights of tonight’s Mass was the baptism of an adult. Again, the brings back memories of Japan where adults are baptized during the Vigil Mass. 

When Mark was still in Urasa, we even witnessed the baptism of a 90-year old woman! That was truly heartwarming to watch.

Hopefully, next year, Mark and I will get to relive our tradition and attend Mass in Roppongi again. The thought of the woman singing “Go down Moses” in her strong and well-rounded voice is enough to make us want to witness it again.

FMM: Love and Sacrifice

It's Good Friday once again.

We were taught the relevance of this day at a very early age. My grandparents were very religious, and they would explain to us kids the meaning of Good Friday. Whilst they forbade us from playing, laughing, swimming, running around - basically having fun, they told us that it's a small sacrifice considering the huge sacrifice that Jesus did for us.

Because we were taught early, it was something that I personally carried with me until my adulthood. That's why Holy Week is usually a time of reflection, and a time that we really thank the Lord for what he did for us. 

Sacrificing His life was the ultimate and most selfless act of love for humanity.

And that love inspired this Friday Magic Madness song on Good Friday. 

"I Love you, Lord," is a song that we'd sing a lot during our choir days - not just on Good Friday - but even on Sunday masses. It's a song that professes our love for the Lord, and thanking Him for everything he did. Something that we should take to heart, not just on Good Friday, but everyday.

Here's to a meaningful and Blessed Good Friday to everyone.

Maundy Kondo

Back in 2019, also in April, the Holy Week was upon us and the quiet time was spent fixing stuff in my room and doing a bit of Marie Kondo-ing.

Today, on Maundy Thursday, that same activity is back!

The afternoon was spent decluttering my room, including checking out my closet for jeans and trousers that haven't been used for quite some time. And to get more use and mileage for them, I've set them aside and we'll send them to our relatives in Bicol.

Here's this year's haul:

My process this year was to take similar jeans (wash, design, distress, etc.) and streamline to just 1 or 2 pairs of the same type.

Now, my jean closet is a bit less crowded, which is gratifying to look at.

Tomorrow, it's time to Marie Kondo my shirt closet.

Mamah Mia!

There are many iterations of the "Try videos." Although the "Try guys" series is probably the first one that I watched.

Recently, I've been binge-watching the "Mexican Moms Try..." series on the Mamah youtube channel. It's a series that has 2 to 3 Moms from Mexico trying everything. From Mexican classics like Pan Dulce and Aguas Frescas, to international snacks from all the different continents.

Including Asia. And the Philippines!

It's such a joy to watch this series. And the Moms are super nice! They remind me of our "Mexican Mamas" when we stayed in Mexico - including Nora, Betty, Rosie and Guada.

Watching this makes me want to go back to Mexico and meet Lucy and Xochitl in person! I'm sure I'd enjoy trying new food items with them.

P.S. Xochitl is on the money with the Shrimp Chips. That's my fave, too!

Marching on

The past few weeks, i’ve been looking for the April 2022 cover of InStyle. I’m interested to know who’ll be fronting their swan song issue.

Strangely though, I can’t.

The last cover that pops up online is the March 2022 issue. Grading it is the effervescent actress who’s fronted many an InStyle cover.

Kate Hudson

Makes me wonder if the March 2022 issue is the last one.

If it is, Kate is definitely an apt cover girl for effortless style.

For Your Information

Today is April 11. Or in numerical terms, 4/11.

And it's a date that has some relevance in American slang.

The numbers 411 mean "information." 

Example: "Hey, do you know the 411 on the upcoming sale on Target?"

In case this is the first time you're hearing about "411," that's the new piece of information today!

Make some noise

This was back in 2018.

Movie houses were showing this preview of a choir film entitled "Joyful Noise."

As a former choir boy, this film piqued my interest. Aside from the theme, it featured 3 of my favourite singer/actresses: Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah and Keke Palmer.

Strangely though, this film was never shown on the big screen. The reason behind that has always been a mystery, and I'm still looking for that film on Netflix or streaming services to this day.

Until I find the full film, let me just watch excerpts from the film, including this very heartfelt rendition of "Man in the Mirror." This was performed by Keke Palmer and the choir. And they did it beautifully!

As the character Randy just said: make some noise for this performance!

Life in Mono

Nope, this isn’t a post about the song by “Mono.”

But to make things clear, I like that song.

The “mono” on this post is about the innate chicness of monochrome outfits.

Observe:

This Khaki ensemble has a sense of utilitarian chic to it. Aside from the color, the cargo pants add to that vibe. The top is from Shopee while the pants are from Bench.

And for something more chic and Audrey Hepburn-esque, time to do a monochromatic outfit in black.

The top is the same design as the khaki one, and it's from the same shop on Shopee. For the pants, this one is from the Elizabeth & James x Kohl's collaboration. You can never go wrong with Mary Kate and Ashley!

Who would've thought that you can get so much fashion from just one colour.

  

FMM: Precious Moments

During the past 2 years, mainly because of the pandemic, one of the most relevant songs is the 1974 classic from Three Degrees. 

Everyone knows this song. Everyone has sung this song in a videoke joint. (Especially for people in our generation.)

The song? "When will I see you again."

This is a question that the SMC gang has been asking each other. And while we regularly see each other on Zoom, we've always wanted to see each other face-to-face. See each other's smiles. Hear each other's voices - not through the computer. Catch up, just like old times.

And tonight, it finally happened! 

It was a get together that we just talked about the night before. Then, it actually happened. Which is proof that "the best plan is no plan at all."

And like the song lyrics state, seeing JKLM (Jing, Kin, Lu-Ann & Maricar) is truly a precious moment.

Nice to see you all again!

We live for Olive (Garden)

One of our must-visit restaurants whenever we're in the US is finally opening its doors here!

Yes! Olive Garden is opening in Manila!

Before this, the closest place we'd get our Olive Garden fix was on Guam. So, having some place that doesn't require a plane ride is awesome.

After reading this article, I started daydreaming about their pasta dishes and their breadsticks.

Hurry and open soon, Olive Garden!

Meals with Mark: Yahoo Yabu!

One of our "regulars" that Mark and I have been talking about the past years is Yabu.

This is one of our go-to eating places, and it's one of our faves and fool-proof choices.

The last time we had Yabu was early 2020, and we've been longing to eat there again.

And yesterday, we did!

Yahoo for Yabu!

From Nakano to Ninongs

Back when Mark was still living in Tokyo, we’d often hang out with Kris.

Our hang outs would vary from the 4th floor common room at IH2 in Nakano, to the cafeteria in GRIPS, to random restaurants around Tokyo. Oftentimes, we’d exchange stories, insights, and plans, especially when they finish their PhD and go back to the Philippines.

When they all came back, we met up with Kris many times. That includes their wedding, friend’s weddings, holidays and a list of other occasions.

And last weekend, another occasion was added to that list.

Mark and I were asked by Kris to be ninongs to their first born - Baby Kai!

We’ve definitely come a long way from Nakano.

Printed Matter: Postcard Perfect

Because traveling is still limited these days, it's always nice to see different countries - even in prints.

Case in point, this nice postcard print of Bali in Indonesia.

What's even better is that this print is something that you can carry with you everyday. 

It's actually on a dress from the Summer 2022 collection of Plains & Prints entitled "Picturesque."

The print, the design, the fabric - everything about this dress is so perfect!

Which makes it an equally perfect choice for Ate. (That's why I bought it for her.)

Disco Queens

Awesome music knows no generation. That's a fact.

Here's even more proof to that.

Gloria Gaynor is a disco icon way back in the 70s. Heck, everyone danced to "I Will Survive" and "Never Can Say Goodbye."

Kylie Minogue is a disco icon from the late 80s until now. Heck, everyone danced to "I Should be so Lucky" and "Can't Get You Out of My Head."

And these 2 disco icons broke their generational barriers and dropped this collaboration.

Gosh! They both look and sound ageless. Which is what real music queens are like. Being a fan of both these artists, watching this song is 2 times the thrill!

Looks like there's going to be a new disco LSS in my mind starting today.

Two years in the making

Speaking of meetings that are more than 2 years in the making...

Our last face-to-face ManCom was early March 2020.

The last time we celebrated Richard's birthday face-to-face was even longer than that.

But yesterday, this finally happened!

Not only is the ManCom complete, we celebrated Richard's birthday to boot!

As expected, we had more than 3 hours of wonderful catching-up stories. And it was awesome to see everyone in one room again after so long.

Looking forward to more of these ManCom meetings soon!

FMM: Going Loco

I’ve said this before, i’ll say it again: “Sometimes, the best plan is to have no plan at all.”

The past 2 years, there were plans to personally meet-up with some of the Melrose folks, but while most of them have been able to see each other, I'd always be busy or absent. Thus, I haven't seen them since January 2020!

Today, while doing a quick mall run at SM Megamall to buy a gift for Baby Kai, lo and behold, Fiesta and LG were also there!

And because the 3 of us were there already, we naturally went to eat at the place we were talking about last week during Patis' birthday.

El Pollo Loco!

In honour of this fun and unexpected meeting at El Pollo Loco, today's Friday Magic Madness is a 1987 classic - and the first major international hit of Kylie Minogue:

Yes, let's do the Loco-motion since we're in El Pollo Loco!

Here's the the next - and planned - meet up.