Bridesmaid Ka Lang

I remember this line from a famous Coca-Cola ad in the 90s.

I've been a bridesmaid so many times, pwede ako humabol kay Katherine Heigl sa 27 Dresses! Not really, but it sure felt just like that.

Somewhere between 2002 to 2008, girl friends of mine started getting married and quite of few of them got me as part of the entourage.  Unlike in the US where being a bridesmaid actually meant helping out the bride to be in the wedding preprations, here in the Philippines it's really mostly just about showing up for the gown fittings, the bridal shower and the actual wedding itself. 

On occasion, this may mean being part of the party who plans the bridal shower or paying for your own dress, which has become an "acceptable gift" to the bride. And yes, I've done both!

The project manager in me simply enjoys planning.  Writing this post just reminds me of the few bridal showers I've organized --- from a really small party of 5 to a couple wedding shower. 

And since I've accumulated so many dresses, I also try to make it a point to re-use them whenever I can (para sulit!)

Sharing with you some of my bridesmaid dresses:

Tey & Pat's Wedding September 30, 2004. 
I got to wear this again during a sales con where I played Kris Aquino
who loved wearing gowns in her shows before.

George & Vanessa's Wedding Dec 15, 2005.

Mehandro & Lorena's Wedding October 2006.  I was the Maid of Honor here.
I think wore this dress also to the Sales Con where I portrayed Kris Aquino. :D



Jay & Cheena's Wedding November 2006.



Jeffrey & Renely's Wedding.  March 2008.
I was a substitute bridesmaid for my sister.  It so happens this is the 2nd time
I became a substitute bridesmaid for a cousin.



Marc & Joelle's Wedding.  April, 28, 2008.
I've worn this dress twice to 2 other weddings and even lent it to
an officemate also for a wedding.



Albert & Eres's Wedding Dec 2008
I've worn this twice as well:  once for a wedding and another for a Filipinian theme event at our office.
Incidentally, beside me in green is the designer of this dress, HS batchmate, Joanne Duque (who also
made my dress for Marc & Joelle's wedding above.)

So how did I like being a bridesmaid several times?  I enjoyed dressing up, getting all made up and learning along the way the style I preferred.  But nothing compares to being the bride at the wedding!  Yep, my wedding is one of my happiest thoughts.

Isaw, Nail Polish and Teleseryes

It's been the longest time since I've had isaw.  Probably the last time was year or so ago.  I remember back in high school that almost every other corner had a barbeque stand and sold isaw.  These days it seems there aren't as many.  So it was about 2 Sundays ago when I was at my in-laws and my sister-in-law brought home isaw for everyone.  It was like the heavens opened up in aswer to my prayers!  Ok, I'm exaggerating, but I was just thinking of how much I missed isaw a few days before that so imagine how perfect the timing. :)

Yummy Isaw.  I think I ate at least a dozen sticks!

Now there's just something about freshly applied nail polish that just makes me smile.  I know I'm not alone with all the posts I've seen on facebook from friends about the new nail polish color they've tried. :)  I don't get to do it as regularly as most but whenever I do, ang saya lang talaga tingnan.
  

I usually prefer nude or light colors for nail polish. 
Mental note to choose something more adventurous next time.



Like most Filipino households, I grew up watching teleseryes.  I remember evenings spent watching Gulong ng Palad or Flor de Luna/Anna Liza.  However it was Encantadia which actually reignited my teleserye watching.  At first I thought it was a Lord of the Rings wannabe but I love how the production team evolved the story to make it their own and how they developed each of the sisters' character which allowed the actors that portrayed them to shine.  Ahhh I was so in love with that teleserye that I bought the complete DVD set! 

Promise, this teleserye is legendary!

My teleserye watching had been on and off since then but after giving birth, I started coming home earlier and been watching teleseryes again since then.  hahaha!  Currently, I've been watching Ina, Kapatid, Anak. 

The Investment Bag

A few years back, my sister gave me a book called, Spanx The One Hundred, a Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia of Project Runway (at least that's how I knew her).  My sister actually got it for herself and turned it over to me when she was done.  And for a non-fashion person like me, it was quite interesting.

This copy is actually a special edition that features only 25 of The One Hundred.

One of the things on Nina's list is the Investment Bag.   Ok, so I'm not exactly into the Investment Bag thing.  (Hey, no judgement on those who are into luxury bags.)

I guess it's more because I'm not a bag person.  I just use one bag until it's all worn out and then I buy the next bag.  However I must admit, it used to be that I won't spend for a bag if it costs more than P1,000.  So you'd see me in those cloth type bag types and even faux leather (gasp!).  I was also limited to the size that would just be enough to keep a small wallet and a mobile phone.  And it'd be black.

But following my office makeover, I've decided to get my own Investment Bag (and because I got it at 20% off).  No, it's still not one of those monogramed bags but to me it's already an investment!  It's from our very own homegrown local premium leather brand, Fino. 



Look Ma, it's not black and 10x bigger than a wristlet.


What I like about Fino?  It's got really good quality.  I've owned a Fino wallet and it's probably 10 years old and still using it.  Likewise, my sister left her Fino bag when she migrated in 2008 and the bag still looks great after soooo many years!  Also, it's not as expensive as them luxury brands.  And I don't think you'll find a fake Fino in Greenhills.  :P

For the curious, Nina Garcia mentions four bags that are worth your big bucks. If you want to know what they are and what she says about these bags, you'd have to buy the book (or I'll have to lend you my copy) lest I be charged for copyright infringement.

Fashion Begins at Forty

I'm not quite forty yet, at least not for about half a year more but that's not what this post is about.  It's about fashion or more precisely my lack of fashion. Ha!

For people who've known me longer than the past few months, you'd know I'm not really into fashion.  In high school, when I wasn't in school uniform, I would be content with oversized t-shirts (preferably black), jeans and creepers.  In college, I was still the t-shirt (not so oversized), jeans and sneakers type of person. 

When I started working and maybe til about late last year, my idea of work clothes would be a collared blouse and slacks.  Occasionally, I will be caught wearing a proper blazer.  Oh, I'd be wearing heels but would prefer flats.  It wasn't til about 5 months ago when I started "dressing up at work."  

URC Days, late 90s. Wearing jeans, shirt blouse and a borrowed oversized blazer.


So why the sudden change? Let's call it peer pressure.  (Kung kelan tumanda saka nagpa-peer pressure!)  Actually none of my colleagues were pressuring me.  But if your younger colleagues start looking better than you, baka mapagkamalan kang assistant nila!  Hindi happy thought yun.  Hahaha!

During a Singapore business trip in 2006.  Wearing long-sleeved shirt, slacks and slippers! 
(I can't remember if I just changed my footwear here coming from the session.  I hope so.)

My transformation started slowly and small.  I started my fashion change with shoes, that is, wearing heels.



I discovered 3 1/2" heel arch is still comfortable for me. Also, wedges and platform helps a lot! :D


Also, I started wearing blazers more often.  I found that wearing a jacket gave me a more formal office look even if I was actually just wearing a t-shirt underneath that jacket.

And lately, well, I've taken to wearing dresses!  I  actually have 3 dresses that I can wear to work in my closet!  ha!

First office dress I got at an export overrun store. Super sulit at P700! :D

It's still not a complete transformation.  Mostly I still wear my traditional collared blouse and slacks but this time I make sure I stop wearing them when they're all faded out.  :P

Happy Thoughts Preserved

In this age of digital cameras, we take hundreds and even thousands of pictures at every event or trip.  However, the irony is we hardly print pictures anymore.  So even if we have tons of photos in our hard drive, we hardly  get to see them after the first time we view them.  I still try to print out photos but when I got introduced to photobooks, it totally changed the way I looked at printing pictures.  It wasn't just about having a printed copy of photos I took, it became a way to tell a story through the photos.

To date, I've only done two photobooks. 

The first photobook I made was Miguel's baby book.  It contained milestones and relevant events from his conception (ultrasound photos included) until a little bit after his first birthday. 

The second photobook was about our family's US trip in 2008.  The pictures I printed got soaked during the flooding in our house caused by Ondoy so when good friend Kathleen gifted me with a voucher, I saw it as an opportunity to re-tell the adventures of that trip.

What I love about photobooks:

• book-quality binding (kaya nga photobook ang tawag eh! hehe)
• it allows you to be creative --- you can choose to do scrapbook style design, choose or create your own layouts, fonts etc.
• it's so easy to add captions, anecdotes or any trivia you might want to go with the photo
• it has an easy to use program:  there are available layouts to choose from and you just simply drag and drop your photos.
• they deliver ultrafast! (I get giddy excited everytime I got a notice of delivery.)

Is there a downside to photobooks?

Well, it can be quite pricey vs. regular photo printing but Photobook Philippines pretty much regularly have a discount coupon being sold at beeconomic or metrodeal so it somewhat evens out.

Also I noticed sometimes, pictures tend to have darker prints but I've kinda expected as there are times I'm too lazy to edit my photos.

The binding of my second photobook wasn't perfect but still good.

Just the same, I can't wait to do my next photobook.  I'm planning to make a Family Yearbook for 2012.

Anyway, sharing with you some of my favorite lay-outs below (I took pictures below using my mobile so don't mind the poor quality)  :-)

  

Photobook Philippines
http://www.photobookphilippines.com/

p.s.  I was not paid for this post.  I wish I was!  hehehe.

Clark Food Trip: March 14, 2009

(Note: I'm only posting this now coz I've been meaning to add pics but still haven't gotten around to it so here goes...)

My sister is in town from Seattle and having been away for over year, she definitely misses food in the Philippines.  She has a list of food/restaurants she wanted to try:  Behrouz, Pepper Steak, Lechon, Pancit Palabok etc.  There were also some food/restaurants I wanted her to try.

Food trip actually started in Makati.

Bacolod Chicken Inasal (http://bacolodchickeninasal.com/home.html)

This one is on my sister’s list.  Chicken is almost a staple to me.  If I can’t decide what to eat, Chicken is the default as it tastes consistent however way it’s cooked. Inasal however gives chicken lovers a different twist.  That’s why, Insasal to me is really comfort food more than anything.

After lunch at Inasal, we met up with Mike and Kathleen.  From Makati, we drove to Clark for our Food trip proper.

Aling Lucing’s Sisig

My sister's been asking me about the Aling Lucing along Pasong Tamo but sisig was best eaten just off the sizzling plate.  We didn't exactly know where the original outlet was located in Pamapanga but we were lucky to find a Food Court outlet in Robinson's San Fernando.  

The verdict:  only unique experience to me was the grilled taste of the meat.  Interesting but not all that.

Zapata’s Authentic Mexican Food (http://www.angeleseyes.com/zapatas/)

488 Don Jucio Avenue
Angeles City, Pampanga
2009 Philippines
Phone 63-45-892-0859

Since my recent trip to Seattle, I’ve been on the search for authentic Mexican Food in the Philippines.  Mexicali isn’t bad but it’s not authentic.  Tia Maria gives you the restaurant feel but I realized that it's really BAD Mexican food.  An office friend mentioned Zapata’s to me one time and I went to look for it on the net.  Reviews were wonderful.  And food pictures posted on blogs had an authentic look.  It looks like the way it’s served in the Mexican restaurants I've been to in the States! Hahaha.  Finally we were able to find the quaint little place along Friendship Road with no hitch. 

The verdict:  Authentic it is!  The pita was home made.  The enchilada, the burrito, chili con carne and beef fajitas we tried was muy delicioso! Best I’ve tasted in the PI.  The downsides:  sloooow service and the place reeks of smoke!  I guess there are no ordinances against smoking indoors in Angeles, Pamapanga.  However for authentic mexican food, it can be worth the lung cancer. :P

Frozen Yogurt

Coming from the Duty Free shops, we swung by the Frozen Yogurt en-route to C Italian Dining.  Only two flavors were available when vanilla and strawberry. 

The verdict:  It was frozen soft with just right tangy taste.  It was perfect to clean my palate and prepare my mouth for our next stop.

C Italian Dining (www.citaliandining.com)

Don Juico Avenue (Perimeter Road)
Brgy. Malabanas, Angeles City
+63 45 8924059
+63 45 8926993

I've been to C Italian once last Feb when Mike and I went on a day trip to Subic with Bob and Joy.  We really liked it but thought it expensive. 

The verdict:   C Italian brings a different Italian dining experience with the Panizza.  The ceremony that goes with rolling  alfalfa sprouts and arugula leaves into each strip of the rectangular shaped, very thin crusted panizza is quite memorable.  Each bite is certainly most enjoyable.  However need to make a mental note, the pasta's just ok.  Need to try something else in the menu. :-)

During this visit, we got to talk to Chef Chris Locher the owner of C Italian and were sad to hear that plans of a Manila branch might not happen. 

Anyhow this just means three additional excuses to swing by Clark aside from just the Duty Free shopping.

Pike Place Chowder (http://www.pikeplacechowder.com/)

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Other
Location:	1530 Post Alley, Seattle WA

I met up with my friend Manolet last January 4. He just moved to Bellevue, Washington last end November 2008 and has never been to downtown Seattle. So I decided to take him to the famous Pike Place Public Market as he's never been there. (Naks! Ako na tourist guide. hehe. It's only my 2nd time there. And my brother-in-law and sister actually dropped me off on their way to Costco. hehe.) We met where his bus tops at West Lake Center.

Anyway, walking 4 blocks in the cold winter, one starts thinking of hot soup to warm up. And when you're in bay area Seattle, the answer is simple Pike Place Chowder.

It's multi-awarded New England Clam Chowder made the place famous so of course I had to try it. Clam chowders I've tasted before tend to be watery and too fishy tasting and so I was not exactly a fan. But this was creamy and thick and yummy to perfection. The creamy soup covered the fishy taste of the clam but without losing it altogether. The 8oz cup size was actually quite filling. They have it available in other cups too and if you want it, it can also be served in a bread bowl. Manolet got the Scallop Seared Chowder instead.

Ordering at the counter, they have several chowders to choose from and if you can't decide, you can actually taste a spoonful to help you make your choice. Hmmm...maybe I'll try the other chowders next time I head out to Seattle.

Ivar's Salmon House (http://www.ivars.net)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Seafood
Location:	401 NE Northlake Way Seattle WA

Day before I went back to Manila, my brother-in-law's Uncle Ted and Auntie Elsa were so sweet and kind to take me to Ivar’s Salmon House for dinner. They had hoped to bring me there for Sunday Brunch Buffet but unfortunately time did not permit.
Ivar's Salmon House is wonderfully located at the shore of Lake Union where guests can arrive via car or boat! It also has a wonderful view of Seattle’s skyline and you can also enjoy watching boats cruising the lake when you sit outside near the shore (when not too cold) or even inside (where we sat) by the shore-side windows.
The website describes the restaurant interior as a "wood cedar replica of a Northwest Indian Longhouse." To those like me that don't know what this means, the interior consisted of Indian wood carving, art and drawings, historical pictures of Indian tribes people, and pretty much everything you need to know about Salmon. It even has real long canoe-like boats hanging from the ceiling. I wish I brought my camera to take pictures. It almost felt like a museum but just the same it had cozy, homey feeling to it.
I ordered the Banana Squash Soup and of course, salmon, in the form of Alder Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon (pancetta wrapped, served over spinach salad with mushrooms, onions and slivered tomatoes). The soup a bit spicy and gingery. It was good but it's not going to be my favorite. And though I've been eating salmon pretty much every other day since I got to Seattle -- from grilled salmon to sinigang salmon---I really enjoyed the salmon dish I got. I'm told by the waitress that the salmon was topped with bacon strips and spices, wrapped in paper before it was grilled to perfection. It gave a twist to the salmon without losing the creaminess of the fish. The spinach salad allowed me to refresh my tongue in between bites of the salmon. Yes it was good though a bit pricey - $28 for the salmon!
Anyway, 3 stars for the food + 1 star for the great location and interiors. I hope next time I can try the famous Sunday Brunch.

Tempero do Brasil (http://www.temperodobrasil.net/)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Restaurants
Cuisine:	Other
Location:	5628 University Way NE, Seattle WA

Part of what I enjoy about traveling is trying out new cuisines.
Tonight, I met up with my old college friend Le, who's based in Seattle. He and his partner Mike brought me to this authentic Basilian restaurant along University Way. They've been there about 4 times and love how authentic the food tastes.
It's a quaint little restaurant much like a small house converted into a restaurant. It's quite a small structure compared to the other small buildings in the vicinity so one can easily miss it when you're driving by. But just the same the space is adequate and cozy with nice dark wood chairs and tables that give the place an intimate feel. (Picture here is from their website and not sure if it's due to the winter that the front porch-like area is currently covered with temporary walls so as to keep the place free from draft.)
Anyway, Le and I shared an order of Moqueca de Camarao (prawns simmered in coconut milk, onions and tomatoes, palm oil) as well as the House Special (stew of 3 types of meats with black beans and some greens on the side). Both served with rice. The prawns were perfectly creamy to my taste and the stew had such tender meats and sausages that easily complemented the black beans. Really mouth watering. I didn't know which was the last taste I wanted to leave in my mouth! Really yummy!
Only reason I rated it 4 stars is that I have yet to try the other dishes. And well, it's a bit pricey with appetizers at around $6 and the main course at $19 but just the same, I wouldn't mind going back once in a while. :-)

Thanks again to Le for treating me to such a wonderful, memorable meal.

ARTAPRE1

I had this class in college called ARTAPRE1 or in lay, Art Appreciation.  Our teacher was old but I think he successfully opened our eyes at seeing art for what it is, what it could possibly be and even the aesthetic of some artforms like that of the Filipino jeepney.  I remember my favorite era being the Impressionism.  I loved the brush strokes and play of colors and Van Gogh easily captivated my eye.  How I wished to try painting back then.  Having artists for friends and my sister, a Fine Arts graduate,  I was exposed to different artists.  To me, art was simple.  As long as it was something I was willing to look at and not mind having it on my wall, it was good art.

Yesterday, my sister and brother-in-law brought me to SAM or the Seattle Art Museum.  I haven't been to a museum in quite a while and it was a nice way to spend a Friday afternoon.  SAM has an interesting collection:  a mix of modern, contemporary and historical art.

This visit to the museum gave me a new perspective of what I liked about art.

I still don't care to surmise about the "questions or emotions" artworks should evoke the viewer.  It still sounds like over-thinking the artwork to me as with the caption next to Edward Hopper's Automat painting which says:  What is she doing all alone in this Automat?  Is she waiting for someone?  Is it just a stopover as she's heading to her real destination?  Or Andy Warhol's Double Elvis which had dramatic thoughts on the silver and the fading and duality of Elvis. 

Today I realized, I like art mostly for its relevance to the times.

In the case of Hopper, he was a keen observant of the times, short of being a voyeur.  He even admitted to shamelessly watching and even staring at people in their unguarded moments. And from this he observed a changing times:  when women started joining the workforce and leaving the home.  It used to be that women won't be found eating alone outside of the home.  She would most likely be accompanied by her consort.  Hence the Automat really depicted the changing times which had opened a gateway to a lifestyle as  we know it today:  women independently going out into the world and enjoying it even when they're alone.

I also like pieces of art that told rich stories like the European chinoiserie tapestries that tells the story of a vogage of a Prince and the different magnificent encounters he had along the way.  I also like art that are part of history like the Egyptian pieces and the Italian Room.  And well, one always has an appreciation for art that imitates life as with the French sculptures.
I haven't been to a museum in quite a while.  It's really surprising how enriching the experience can be.

Burn After Reading

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

I have to qualify: the movie actually gets 3 stars, the extra star is for Brad Pitt!
THE MOVIE: Find out how the CIA pays for a desperate woman's cosmetic surgery. Gave me a few laughs. I like how the story slowly unfolded where seemingly unrelated events are woven into a single plot.
CAST: Superb casting but Brad Pitt remains to be my favorite. As Mike and I always say, Brad Pitt is such a great actor. He readily surrenders himself to the characters he plays allowing the audience to easily forget the actor and immerse themselves with the story and the characters on screen. (Can you tell I'm fan??? ha-ha)

Eraserheads Reunion Concert

A week has passed but my head is still a-buzz with the recent Eraserheads reunion concert. 
The news of an Eraserheads reunion hit like an undetected earthquake that rocked every Eheads fan's world.  There were a lot of questions (was it true? was Ely really going to do this? when and where is it going to happen? where and how do we get tickets?) BUT there was no question in the fans' minds; they were going to attend what would probably be the greatest reunion concert in the history of Philippine music.
By now most of you have read about the sturm und drung (to borrow Tim Gunns' words in Project Runway which means storm and stress in German)
surrounding this much anticipated event in the OPM scene.  If not you can head over to Philmusic.com for the gritty details.

4 days before THE DAY
Approximately 8,000-10,000 tickets were sold from Aug 27, 6pm until probably just a few minutes before the concert started at 8.15pm on Aug 30, 2008. There were only two ticket prices on sale: P1300 for Patron section and P800 for the General Admission.  There were also SVIP and VIP tickets which were probably available to family, friends, and celebrities, members of the press and whoever else that had a connection somewhere to the organizers or to the band.  I’m also told that VIP tickets were given to those who signed up at Red Nation website when it was still being “promoted” as a free concert by Philip Morris.  Since Mike and I weren’t remotely affiliated to anyone, I got our tickets at around 6.45pm as soon as the tickets were sold.  In fact our control number was 79 and 80. Talk about being excited.

The final venue was the Fort Open ground (just behind NBC tent and across Bonifacio High Street).  Attendance was probably close to 15,000 (or 20,000 according to the final promoter, Radiohead) including SVIP and VIP invites never mind if it was a standing only concert, no seats provided at all.

The Fort and The Crowd
Mike and I were at the Fort around 3.30pm.  I wanted to make sure we didn't have trouble with parking.  Even my lucky parking streak can be shaky in situations like this. And anyway, the concert was the only thing on our To Do list that day.  We had an early dinner and by 5.30pm, we headed to the concert venue. 
There was already a good crowd of people when we got there. One could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air.  The mood was very festive.  People came in prepared with their plastic mats, plastic bags or used carton boxes to sit on the open ground.  A few also brought along umbrellas or jackets in case it rained. Pretty much every other person had a camera on hand from simple point and shoots to DSLRs to document their attendance and what can be considered a historic event. As expected several booths were selling food and drinks and of course, Eraserheads CDs.
The Patron section was still a good 300 ft from the stage.  The field had a relatively flat terrain and even with the elevated stage, I knew I would hardly see anything from my low point of view.  I relied mainly on the large screens at the back of the stage, on the sides of the stage, behind the tech booth (which was situated right smack across the stage) and on the large screen near the back of the Patron section to get a view of what was happening on stage.  (Marcus Adoro posted a layout in his Markus Highway multiply site)

The Concert
At around 8.05pm the screens flashed a ten-minute countdown before the concert started.  And thousands of fans altogether screamed their excitement.  The crowd even counted down the last 10 seconds of every minute that turned and brought the time closer to seeing Eraserheads once again on stage.  10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1… The huge background screen flashed old band pictures.  It was almost pandemonium then there was an explosion of music and the band started playing the intro to “Alapaap” as the band rose from beneath the stage, revealing each of them in their usual spot when they used to perform together.  There were fireworks literally and figuratively.  And just about everyone shouted, screamed and sang along as a sea of cameras and hand held phones were recording every possible moment of it.

It was just surreal. Ely, in the middle front, was wearing aviator shades and white long sleeved shirt. Buddy was on the left side, in plain t-shirt and jacket looking like his usual old self albeit gaining a little weight.  Marcus was just as I remembered him but with longer hair. Raimund, on elevated stage behind, sported a wig when he came out but later revealed his Joker green hair. I looked at their faces on screen as they played their respective instruments and sang their old songs.  At first I thought I saw discomfort of playing together after all it’s been 6 years since they shared a stage.  But maybe it was just the anxiety of performing in front of thousands of fans they never knew they had.  Later on, each would break a smile here and there.  Raimund would throw drums sticks at the crowd.  Yeah, they were having fun. 

There were awkward pauses in between songs.  Nobody really cared. Ely was never the type to talk in between songs but a few times he shouted to the crowd "ang daming tao ah" or "ok pa kayo dyan?" It was humid and hot.  No one was comfortable.  Everyone was sweating. But then again, nobody minded at all.

I just wished that the director kept at least the top of the main screen on the band members. It was hard enough for people at the back to see anything that was going on on-stage. The director kept playing with the background.  Sure for effects.  But really the fans went there to see Eraserheads NOT clouds when they were playing Alapaap or pictures from UP as backdrop for Sembreak.  There were several times that the screens we relied on at the back were just blank.  Not sure if it was just a technical glitch but I think it was more of negligence from the tech booth.

Just the same, everyone was really high over hearing old favorites.  Ang saya ng concert.

Sigawan, talunan, kantahan.  Kahit ako na walang makita enjoy pa rin.  But then I noticed but didn’t think much of it at the time:  parang di ko mabasa mukha ni Ely nung kumakanta sya, saka parang yung pagkanta ni Ely kahit kita mo na tinotodo niya parang hindi nya maitodo.  There were times, instead of really singing some of the words he’d just say it in rhythm with the music.  Well Ely was known for changing his lyrics sometimes in the same way when he changed the intro to “Toyang” that night “They tried to tell us we’re too old… Too old to go bold.”  So maybe he was trying something new to his singing.

After what I later found out was the 15^th song, I saw Ely on the screen, squatting with his head down on his guitar. I thought maybe he was just tired or overwhelmed.  Then the lights closed.  The screen flashed a 20 minute countdown.  After a little over an hour of reminiscing with the band, it was time for an intermission.

The Missing Ending
More than 20 minutes had passed, the concert hasn’t resumed.  And then I heard Buddy’s voice.  He introduced himself and the rest of the band. I turned to the screen flashing their faces.  He then introduced Lally, Ely’s sister to make the announcement: They thanked everyone for being there but Ely was too sick to continue, he’s being rushed to the hospital.  They’re apologizing but they had to cut the concert short.  Francis Lumen, Radiohead and MTV PH main man, asked for a minute’s silent prayer for Ely.  After which the crowd was asked to peacefully leave the grounds.
Everyone was stunned. I guess everyone had mixed feelings about it.  That was it? Bitin. Hindi tapos yung concert. Was it true? But Ely seemed fine. We hoped he was fine.

But as selfish creatures, we all had one nagging thought in our minds:  Sana may reunion ulit.


Post script: 
I read on Phimusic.com that after the crowd dispersed, the rest of the Eraserheads found their way to Saguijo which was supposed to be the post concert party venue of sorts.  They didn’t go all at the same time.  But they ended up playing songs that was supposed to be played in the 2^nd set in the guise of celebrating with the knowledge that Ely was going to be fine.  Tingin ko nabitin lang sila tumugtog. 

By now we all know that Ely underwent another angioplasty procedure due to a blocked artery.  He’s been released from the hospital and is now awaiting full recovery.

Below are the songs from the first set
1. Alapaap
2. Ligaya
3. Sembreak
4. Hey Jay
5. Harana
6. Fruitcake
7. Toyang
8. Kama Supra
9. Kailan
10. Huwag Kang Matakot
11. Kaliwete
12. With A Smile
13. Shake Yer Head
14. Huwag Mo Nang Itanong
15. Lightyears

Pictures here c/o Francine and her friend. You can also check out pictures posted on Flickr.com

A Dirty Job, Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Literature & Fiction
Author:	Christopher Moore

First of all, let me say up front: I'm a sucker for twisted fiction stories. So when officemate, Kristen, told me about a humorous book called "Lamb, The Gospel according to Biff," I was intrigued.

I wanted to borrow "Lamb" as airport read during my recent trip but Kristen, who loved the author so much, wanted me to read "A Dirty Job" first as this was the Moore's usual style and he was afraid I wouldn't read the other books after reading "Lamb."

So I brought "A Dirty Job" and left "Lamb" at home thinking I might not be able to read it and I didn't want to be carrying it around during my 3-wk vacation. It was an easy read. You can say I enjoyed Moore enough that after I finished the book, I bought the two other books on the condition that it was on sale. :P

Generally I like the way Moore weaves the unreal into the modern day world as he does in "A Dirty Job" where normal guy Charlie Asher discovers his new role as sort of Death's little helper; "Bloodsucking Fiends" where Jody wakes up one day a vampire, her journey as she discovers her powers and falls in love with her minion, aspiring writer Tommy from Indiana; and "You Suck" a sequel to "Bloodsucking Fiends." (Good thing, I read Bloodsucking Fiends first too.) I found it clever how he infuses characters and sometimes events from these different books in the same way that Buffy made a cameo in Angel (the series spin-off from Buffy the vampire slayer) or how he turns some characters into regulars (as in the case of the Emperor and Inspector Rivera) while changing the character leads.

I like that Moore's writing is light and easy to read. His plots are sometimes predictable but somewhat intriguing and with enough twists to make one stick to the end and leave you wanting to pick up another of his stories. Most of all, I like how Moore also surprises you with quips that will make you laugh-out-loud.

Wicked

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Other

I only had a few days in the LA area so I was really glad to catch the staging of Wicked. I've heard raves about it so I knew it was going to be good.

Wicked is truly a clever piece of work.

The story mainly revolves around the Wicked Witch of the West. How she came to be. It answers the question: was she born wicked or was wickedness thrust upon her? The musical also tells us where the ruby slippers came from, how the Tin Man, Scarecrow and winged monkeys came to be, where did she get that black pointed hat and flying broom etc. Most of all, it is also a story of hope, friendship, love, discrimnation and how greed for power begets lies, oppression and fear. But don't get me wrong, Wicked is surprisingly funny and witty amidst serious themes.

The production was quite impressive. The lighting particularly set the tone and the mood of each scene. Smoke machines, remote controled props (like the wheelchair), harnesses and trap doors completed the magical effect of the show.

The strong vocals of the actors and intensity of their performances gave me goosebumps especially during "Something Bad", "Defying Gravity" and "No Good Deed." Not to mention, the catchy score, which makes this musical truly successful, leaves you humming to the inspiring music and lyrics as you exit the theater with a smile.

I was also glad to get autographs from the performers, Laura Woyasz who portrayed Glinda and D.J. Gregory who played Fiyero that matinee performance on Aug 3, 2008 at the Pantages Theater, Hollywood Blvd. Sayang I didn't have a camera, D.J. Gregory is quite a cutie. :P
Thanks to good friend Aby for reserving the tickets for me, Candy and Dennis. Much thanks to her also for gifting me with a copy of the original soundtrack.

DIY Coron

I must say the internet truly connects people! 

I actually found DIY Coron thru multiply site of Owen Ferrer, who's part of my network.  Owen posted a calendar trip to Coron and found that he was linked to my college friend, Myra who was going on the same trip prior to finally immigrating to Canada.
The idea behind DIY Coron is not really to Do It Yourself literally but actually to gather different group of friends who want to visit Coron, sharing boat rentals which makes the tour amazingly cheap between P1,800-P3,000 depending on the size of the group and your itinerary.  Yes, it allows you to choose your own itinerary.  And as it turns out, a fun way to meet people and activity partners. 


To use some of Glynn's words, this trip is really "back pack" style. On this kind of a travel, we had to be prepared to have just the basic essentials. None of the pampering, comforts and luxuries of other trips. With this, we carried your own bags, ate simple food (fish, fish, fish... well, there were crabs at one point and some chicken and pork too), slept in very basic accommodations (as in closed/open cottage or tent, swerte if you get to sleep on a bed or airbed).  Accommodations won't have an actual shower, but the trusty old tabo and balde. Also on our last day, nakiligo lang kami sa isang home-restaurant near the pier.

Our package cost us P2,900pesos (pocket money not included) while in Coron for 2 whole day activities:  Snorkeling (lusong coral garden, lusong wreck, siete picados), Swimming in lagoons and beaches(barracuda, kayangan, twin lagoon, cyc beach, banana island), Climb the stairs up to Mt. Tapyas and get a bird's view of Coron and its surrounding islands, visited Culion (where the leper colony used to be) and truly had an intimate, historic appreciation of the town and what it stands for, 1 night accommodation on Banana island (which was really raw and beautiful, think Boracay 20 years ago), and as metioned earlier boat rental, guide, meals, entrance fees, tricycle transfers.  Going to Coron, we took the Superferry (which is a separate blog altogether).

So, for a truly memorable weekend, lots of sun and sea, amazing sights, loads fun (travelmate Mario and "Inday" was just a riot) and adventure (from climbing the steep and potentially life threatening sharp limestone cliffs of Barracuda lake to snorkeling in not-so-choppy waters of Lusong wreck), and for a total of P6,000, I really wouldn't mind going back as there's still so much to discover in Coron.  In fact, some of our travel mates were already on their 2nd or 3rd trip to Coron this year alone!

For a more details and tips on the trip, do check out Glynn's blog.

New found friend, Wendell, took some great pics (yes, you'll catch me in some of them too): Coron Batch 9 Joiners, Barracuda and Kayangan Lakes, Island Hopping, Coron Town (Mt. Tapyas), Culion Town, Banana Island, Superferry Sunrise and Sunsets.

Superferry: Trip kita!

For the first time in my life, I took a ride on the Superferry.
Glynn and I, together with BNFF (batanes new found friends) Liela, August and Leah along with Wendell (whom Leila and August met during their Batad trip and Glynn knows thru our community --- hanep sa pagka-friendster ano?)decided to go on a budget trip to Coron, Palawan last June 7-8. And since it's a budget trip, that also meant taking the ferry instead of flying in. It also made sense:  we were to travel Friday afternoon and get to Coron by 5.30am Saturday which meant just going on a half day leave from work. Since June 9 was declared a holiday, we had time to rest as our departure from Coron was Sunday 10.45pm and we were in Manila by 1pm. Hence we booked our ferry tickets to Our Lady of Good Voyage (OLGV pic here taken by August) as soon as we decided to go on this adventure, after all the ferry ride was part of the entire experience. And quite an experience it was.

BOARDING

If you booked an e-ticket, you had to go to the Superferry Ticket Office ahead of your departure schedule to exchange this for a real ticket. For safety, we went there 2 hours ahead of our ETD. Pretty much like on a plane, your stuff had to go thru the x-ray machine. But it also had another step where you had to line up your bags and a k9 will smell thru your things as well. That was a first for me. No checking in of baggage here. But if you did have extra baggage than your hand carry, you go thru the baggage handling area where I think a porter will assist in bringing your stuff on board the ferry. But there really wasn't any luggage storage area as your stuff will be literally brought to you and these luggages, baggages or boxes will lie next to your bed.

Immediately after boarding, we saw a convenience store, hair salon (who knows you might need a haircut during the trip), and a prayer room. Quite fascinating already no?

THE TOURIST CLASS
We were only able to book Tourist Class (or blue section) for the Manila to Coron leg of our trip as cabins weren't available anymore. This meant double deck beds in an air-conditioned common area. The bed consisted of synthetic leather covered mattress and pillows. If you wanted bedsheets and blankets, you have to rent for P30 (I think). I brought 2 sarongs that served as my bedsheet and blanket for the night. Unfortunately, if you were a tall person, you may have difficulty as the beds had low headroom. The good thing about Tourist Class is that there were partitions on the beds which provided some semblance of privacy.

As I mentioned earlier, your stuff would lay next to your bunk, or on the floor if you had the upper bunk. It would be cautious for you to padlock your bags to ensure safety of your belongings.

It also meant common toilets which were relatively clean and had good running water. The toilet area also had a shower room in case you need a bath. I just thought the space was a bit too small and cramped to have a comfortable bath. It also risks getting your change of clothes wet in the shower.

Surprisingly or not, there was also common celfone charging area! How interesting the way we've developed such a celfone dependent culture that Superferry felt the need to provide its passengers with a charging area. I digress, but Glynn noted that the charging station was pretty much used 95% of the time with boys or men as majority users. Actually there was hardly any signal in the Tourist Class area so it makes one wonder what they used their phones for... maybe for games? Drafting messages to their txtmates? Taking pictures with their camphone? Who knows?

Our booking also came with dinner (menudo with rice was the ticket meal at the time). Food was your typical canteen meal in a typical canteen atmosphere. You had to line up (and it was quite a long line). We decided to try the restaurant aka Horizon Cafe for dinner as we didn't want to line up initially. It turned out that service took quite long for orders. Given the long waiting time, we were able to get our ticket meal from the canteen aka Island Fiesta faster. I guess the Cafe is not equipped to respond quickly for additional orders. Oh it would be wise to bring your own water or drinks as it tends to be expensive on the ferry. At least for the duration of the 12hr trip.

Curiously, the canteen area also had a videoke for entertainment among the other ammenities being offered by OLGV.

Downside to Tourist Class:  Be prepared to be awaken at 4am by busboys offering coffee, as in "kape kayo diyan?" Also, there are passengers who wake up that early and would start chatting without caring if they wake up other passengers in the process. Also, you will be bombarded with all the Superferry jingles ever made as this will be played over and over except for sleeping hours.

THE CABIN

On the way back to Manila, Glynn, Liela, August and I were able to reserve a cabin (picture here c/o August). Ah, what a world of difference a cabin makes. You have your own toilet and bath. There was also TV provided which played The Matrix Reloaded the next morning. It also played a video of the safety reminders for the trip. There was a cabinet provided to store your things. The bunk beds had extra curtains for more privacy. There's a small side table with chair as well. I wasn't sure why there was an electric fan as it was freezing cold. Not to mention, we had our OWN CHARGING AREA! Ayos ba?

A word of precaution too. Make sure to check that all four of you are booked in the same room. When we were getting our key to the cabin, to our horror, we found out that Glynn was assigned to another room! How can that be when we booked the rooms together? Anyway we had to talk to the guy assigned to our room and ask him if it was ok for him to exchange rooms with Glynn. He was kind enough to oblige to our request. With this we realized that booking a cabin, you had to be a group of 4. If not, the ferry will assign a 4th person to your room. This meant being in a closed room with a stranger. With this, I think taking the Tourist section would be the more palatable option.

Overall, it was quite an amusing ferry experience for me. I wouldn't mind going on another ride. Friends, balik tayo ng Coron!