This is the wafer

While we were in Bangkok a few weeks back, I had to do a 7-11 run to get water. While browsing the snack section, I chanced upon this vanilla wafer covered in chocolate. I bought two packs, and instantly got hooked.

Since the name was in Thai, finding it in the supermarket was a bit difficult. It wasn't at the Gourmet Markets in Emporium and Paragon. And since we were in a hurry on our last day, I failed to drop by 7-11 and grab a haul of these yummy wafers.

Thankfully, Mona went to Bangkok and got me some! Thanks Mona!



Yup, they're Jack and Jill, so they're from URC. Ergo, it's a Filipino product. Which, unfortunately, isn't available in the Philippines.

I've got to consume these things sparingly. They're so good, I've got to make them last.

Sensationalization of information

While having lunch with my co-professors, we were lamenting how media tends to blow up and sensationalize everything. They do it with so much fervor, that people actually end up believing them and start running around like Chicken Little crying "the sky is falling."

Case # 1:
Last Saturday, my students were telling me how Philvocs said that the Philippines was "hinog na hinog" for a big earthquake. The language was so graphic that I'm not surprised at how my students were worried about it.

Case # 2:
In a span of 1 hour, 4 people sent me the text about radiation hitting the Philippines and how we should all stay indoors and put betadine on our throats. I checked the veracity on-line and there was no such thing. Becky, Wowie and I found out that we did the same thing when we received those texts - we deleted them.

The situation in Japan is bad enough as it is. We don't need media sowing fear and panic in an already afraid and panicking world.

Days like these, I realize why I chose advertising over my original career path that was journalism.

Friends of long standing

Yesterday, we attended a party for one of Mom's long time friends.

Tita Mira was celebrating her 65th birthday, and her daughters - Anna, Sheila and Nelly - thought that a big event like this calls for a special celebration. So, they did the same thing we did for Dad last December, they threw a surprise birthday party.

The moment we shouted "surprise", Tita Mira had tears in her eyes. She was expecting a trip to Tagaytay, instead, she got a room full of her classmates and friends, all wishing her a happy birthday.


Hey, hey, the gangs all here! - Anna, Ate Lissa - rocking the horse print skirt that I searched for last December, Mom, Tita Mira, Sheila and Nelly.

We've known Tita Mira and the Aves family for more than 20 years already. We were neighbors in Scout Gandia, and our houses were just in front of each other. Since the ages of the Morales and Aves kids were quite close, we became instant friends. I still recall how we'd watch horror movies in their music room/den. The easter egg hunts we'd play in their garden. (I think this is where we got the "Hello, man, Hello" line.) And at night, we'd send messages via flashlights since our rooms were just across each other.

They eventually moved out, and a few decades after, we also left Morato. But despite the distance and the time, Mom and Tita Mira still kept in touch and kept the friendship that's about 3 decades long. The party marked another milestone in their already rich and colorful friendship. And I'm sure that there will be decades more of friendship ahead, for Mom and Tita Mira, as well as for us and for the Aves kids. Because despite the distance and years apart, true friendships last.

And that's no surprise.

Ann-dito

It's been a while since I've visited my usual shopping "haunts." This weekend, I decided to check it out, and my visit yielded this nice piece of work.


One of my trusted suppliers showed me this Ann Taylor shift dress with a bateau neckline and a watercolor print. So chic!


And, it's all intact, too. Label and all.


I proceeded to the Ann Taylor site to check out if this is the real deal, and indeed it was. The dress is called "Silk Silent Clusters" and is among their new arrivals.


This baby cost $158 on this website, but less than $20 at the haunt.



The joys of haunt-ing...

The Limited

Yesterday, they finally launched the new capsule collection for Plains and Prints. (Good thing I was able to attend the preview sale.) I swung by Shangri-la Plaza to see if there was a frenzy or a line for the clothes. Thankfully, there was none. (Lanvin x H&M this ain't.)

It looks like they're staying true to their press release that this will indeed be a limited collection. On my way home, I've checked the 2 Plains and Prints branches in Cubao. One branch only has around 20 pieces from the collection, while the other is still waiting if they can be "accommodated" in carrying these items. Joanne, the manager there, said that not all stores were "blessed" to carry it.

Limited edition, indeed.

Running is the new Zagu

Everywhere I turn, it looks like there's a running event happening.

Everyone's running for everything. For the trees. For the river. For dolphins. I even saw a R.A.T. race, which is Run Against Trafficking. Aside from the Hong Kong noodles and Scramble, it looks like this is this season's fad.

I wonder when will people start getting exhausted from this running fad.

Brownie points

My flight back from Bangkok a few weeks ago introduced me to Max's Cream Cheese brownies. (It was the dessert during the inflight meal.) And ever since then, I was hooked. Now I find myself craving for it every so often.

They didn't have it at the Glorietta 4 branch tonight. Good thing they had it at SM Makati. I really had a sudden craving for it tonight.

A class of its own

The grades have been submitted, so it's now official. My 4th year Advertising students are off to the real world!

(photo swiped from my student's facebook account.)

They're so ready to take it to the next level. And I'm sure they'll get there in no time.

Congratulations, 4MC Advertising. I'm extremely, unequivocally and superlatively proud of you.

Number cruncher

It's that time of the year again.

Our seniors are graduating in a few weeks, so we're all in a hurry to compute and submit their grades. And since I have 2 classes, that means 2 sets of computations. And since I'm not a Math genius like Mark, that's 2 times the headache. Harhar.

As we'd always say in college: "Kaya nga kami nag-Mass Comm, para walang Math..."

Bag of tricks

Here's something I've seen as early as December, but only able to photograph today.

It's a simple tarpaulin that announces the bazaar at Farmer's Plaza.


One of the shots is that of a bag. A seemingly regular, harmless bag.


But when you look at it closely...


SURPRISE!

The person who did this layout has a very nice sense of humor.

A lot like Lanvin

This weekend, there was a preview of the new capsule collection from Plains and Prints. Needless to say, I had to check it out. And when I did, it confirmed my initial observation that this collection was very much "inspired" by the Lanvin & H&M collaboration last September. Observe: A stash from the Lanvin x H&M collection last September. (Not mine, just from the net.) A stash from the Plains and Prints capsule collection. (My sister's stash.) Lanvin x H&M had free tote bags... So do they. Free hangers for every item bought... Free hanger with every item bought. (Too bad they couldn't give away garment bags, too.) But even if the peripherals brought about a feeling of deja vu, the capsule collection of Rajo Laurel is definitely fresh and unique. The fabrics felt so expensive, especially the washed silk that the dresses were made of. And some of the designs were very innovative. My favorites include the dress with the beaded shoulder detail, a jersey draped dress, and the top with a draped collar that could be worn in a multitude of ways. I must say, his 2nd collection for Plains and Prints was a notch or two higher than his first. And that's original.

Funny as Devlin!

We had a choice between "I am Number Four" and "Just Go With It," and we eventually just went with it. And I'm glad we did! This movie is just so funny! It was one of those laugh-a-minute-guffaw-guffaw flicks. All throughout the movie, the entire audience was just laughing their lungs out.

Jennifer Aniston is really made for movies like this.

Little Miss Awkward

This cycle of ANTM has all the usual suspects.

There's the resident bee-yotch - Alexandria.
There's the resident naive girl - Jacklyn.
There's the resident pretty girl - Ondrei.
And of course, there's the resident awkward girl - Sara.



Just like the other awkward girls before her: Lauren, Heather, Esther, Naduah - among others, I really like Sara. Her awkwardness is very endearing, and she's charming as she's awkward. And that's what will help her stand out in this derby.

An awkward girl has never won ANTM. Maybe this cycle is it.

Rug... rats!

Just as we expected, the rug was pulled under us.

Time to look for another rug then.

This Swan's for you

Just as everyone expected, Natalie Portman took home the Oscar for "Black Swan." She looks like she was in it to win it from the get-go. Imagine, a breakthrough performance + a baby bump. How can you lose with that combination? (Although part of me wanted to see an Annette Benning spoiler. I mean, she's been nominated 4 times and hasn't won yet.)

After watching Natalie's speech, it highlighted the fact that she was a gracious winner. It seems like she thanked everyone - as in, EVERYONE - in the production team. And she remembers everyone's - as in, EVERYONE'S - names.


(video from youtube)

Yup, she was indeed in it to win it.

Suddenly Summer

And March just came marching in.

Aside from the summer month's arrival, the summer season looks like it made an entrance, too. The afternoons are starting to become scorching hot - just like May and June last year.

Time to bring out those fans and extra shirts.

Same-same

Whenever someone asks me what Bangkok looks like, my reply would usually be: "It's just like Manila." When I was still living in HKG and someone would ask me what Manila looks like, my reply would be: "It's just like Bangkok."

It's probably because our infrastructure look the same, or the fact that Thais and Filipinos look very similar. It can be because of the usual chaos on the streets, or the throngs of people walking in the malls.

One unfortunate incident that highlights this similarity happened last Friday when Mark, Mau and I were trying to get a cab from Platinum Mall to MBK. Since it was already 4:30pm, the rush hour was starting. We got in line for a cab, but lo and behold, the cabs would ask people first where they were going. And if it was a bit far off, they'd flat out refuse. (Sounds familiar, eh?)

When we finally found a cab to take us to MBK, the driver tells us that he won't turn the meter on and he'll just charge us 80 baht (which is probably double of what we'll normally pay.) Because we were in a hurry, I just said yes and we went on our way.

On the road, the cab driver was complaining that if people were going to a far away place, he'd refuse because the traffic was bad. Again, it's something that cabbies here would do as well.



Yup, it's the same-same MO, just in a different country.

Rediscovering Bangkok

My trip to BKK wrapped up, and it was a great opportunity to rediscover the City of Smiles.

In the early 2000s, I'd be in BKK often. I found the place fascinating in terms of culture, cuisine and shopping, of course. It also helped a lot that my friend Louis was Vice-Consul to the country.

I remember enjoying the street food along Sukhumvit, the shopping at Pratunam and the endless malls, the energy of Khao San Road, and the beautiful Wats that pepper this huge city.

When I worked in HKG, my interest in BKK waned. After all, HKG and China had its huge share of culture, cuisine and shopping. Especially shopping. After trawling the stores in and around HKG, I found the shopping scene in BKK very lackluster. Thus, my trips to the country became few and far between.

But thanks to this trip, I've learned to appreciate the city all over again. While there are some new additions to the city, the old reliables are still there and haven't moved. (Unlike HKG.)

My usual haunts - The Emporium, MBK, Siam Discovery, Pratunam, even the notorious Lacoste store - are still there. And thanks to Mark and Mau, I was able to check out new restaurants and shopping spots. This includes that "patis-smelling Thai restaurant" (Mark's description) in Siam Discovery, the International Food Court in MBK, Platinum Mall, the IT City, among other things.

Thanks to this trip, I've rediscovered the things about BKK that endeared it to me when I first visited the place a decade-and-then-some back. And it looks like I'll be rediscovering more of it again soon.

These boots were made for buying...

Here's another reason why I like visiting BKK. A reason that isn't in MNL or HKG.



I remember how my Y&R colleagues and I went to Boot's a few years ago. We went ape and ended up going back to the hotel carrying 4 bags each of toiletries. Boot's has an awesome array of body lotions, body wash, body butter and other personal care items. Aside from carrying their house brand, they also have a lot of concessionaires like FCUK, Soap and Glory, among others.

Tonight, I dropped by the Boot's Store near Siam Discovery Center - the same Boot's my Y&R friends used to frequent. And it's still there! Plus, there's a Buy 1 Take 1 promo on their house brands.

It's a sign!

It'll take forever

I thought nothing would top the massive size of the Forever 21 store in Orchard Road. After all, it has 4 floors of merchandise.

But now, something has.



The Forever 21 store in Central World in Bangkok is ginormous! I almost got dizzy looking at it.

And for some strange reason, the brand is called "XXI" here in BKK. It must be some copyright thing.

Well, I guess I have to start going around now.