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!

Batanes: Untainted Treasure

I've always heard about the beauty of Batanes: how it looks like Scotland moors or New Zealand landscapes. But I've also heard of the horrors of travelling to this far north islands of the Philippines; how it's typhoon stricken, flights getting cancelled and as a result preparing to get stuck for a week when you do visit the place.

My friend Glynn invited me in November 2007 to go, I said yes on the condition that we go during Holy Week just to make sure that the trip doesn't conflict with any work schedule. We booked our flights and accommodations in December and went on March 19 -24, 2008 for five full enthralling days in Batanes.

This is what I discovered: Batanes is trully an untainted treasure of the Philippines.

1. Majestic landscapes and seascapes surround the islands of Batanes.

Waking up to such beautiful scenery reminds me how small I am compared to the big world that God has created. And that everything He has created is truly beautiful and good. I sometimes wondered how the Ivatans felt about seeing such wonders everyday. Has it become common fare to them like eating kamote or is it something they continue to thank for everyday? Ah, my question is answered in the way they've preserved their surroundings for as long as Magellan has landed on the Philippines in 1521. To this day, only Ivatans are allowed to own property on the islands. I've heard that outsiders have been wanting to purchase land but to no avail. Thanks too to Mother Nature's own care of the place that the awe-inspiring landscapes remain.

2. Ivatans have a refreshingly Preserved Way of Living

The somewhat isolation of the island has likewise become a blessing to the continuity of a simple lifestyle. Farming and fishing remain to be a way of life. Cogon planted as windbreakers to protect their crops from the sometimes harsh winds is a practice handed down thru centuries. Camote remains to be the staple food. Flying fish and dolphin fish are still part of their regular daily meal. Also, people generally walk to nearby towns. As Sr. Nenita and Sr. Mary Philippe (Dominican nuns we got to chat with at the Basco Church) pointed out to us, most Ivatans are fit. Ang matataba lang eh yung mga dayo. And this is attributed to their working on the farm or walking to places. Oh but don't be mistaken, they are not completely remiss of technology as they do have cable, internet and cell sites too.

3. Beautiful, Trusting People

One thing I noticed about the Ivatans is that they're physically beautiful people. But beyond that where in the Philippines can you find a shop that does not have a storekeeper at all? Only in Batanes! The Honesty Coffeeshop is pretty much like any small sari-sari store or eatery except that no one's there to tend to your purchases. Every product for sale is labeled with a price tag. You just take what you need, log it in the notebook and leave your payment. You may also get the change from the money that is laying on the counter with the log book. If you need extra change, you may go to the next door to ask for change but if no one answers, you are thanked for paying the extra amount and given wishes "may your tribe increase." Of course, you are likewise reminded, "honesty is the best policy" and that "God is the store's security guard."

4. Great Food

It was fish and kamote galore but we enjoyed every bite immensely. Fish lumpia is easily my favorite. And of course the ever elusive Coconut Crab or locally known as Tatus. Not yet endangered but the locals are controlling the consumption of these ultra yummy crabs. You definitely have to pre-order it. You are not assured that there will be crabs available since it will depend if they find those which are within the size limitations (at least one foot in length, if I remember right.

View some of the pics here.

If you want to plan a trip, here are a few details that might help:

Airfare

c/o Asian Spirit - P10-12k
http://www.asianspirit.com/
Flight sched: MWF
Manila to Basco - 5.30 - 6.45am
Basco to Manila - 7.15 to 8.30am

Accommodations

Batanes Resort - 0917 8833279 / 0920 849 2496
The room rates: Fan room - P550 (single), P672 (double), P764 (triple) Aircon room - P800 (single), P900 (double), P1000 (triple)
Ask for Itbayat (we stayed in this room) and Sabtang cottages because these have the best view of the place.

You can check out other resorts in this link.

Meals

Resort Breakfast - P100 (choice of daing, longganisa, arozcaldo, tocino)
Lunch/Dinner - P150-250 depending on what you order.

Suggest you advise the hotel in advance if you'll be eating coz it took them about one hour to prepare our food. Same thing with eating at other places to make sure your food is ready when you arrive.

Must try is the Coconut Crab (super yummy pero cholesterol all you can. P750/kilo. This is something you also order in advance since it may not be readily available. We had to order 2 days before. You see, they are controlling the supply and demand as it takes years to grow the crabs. They must meet a certain size before allowed to order for cooking.

Some Restaurants:
Shanedel's - 0920-4470737 - we got to eat crabs here, together with flying fish, fish lumpia, camote (for dessert). P340/head for a group of six
St. Dominic's canteen - in front of police station - cheap P60 for rice, adobo and soft drink
Casa Napoli (Abad Street) - 0920-2842019 - we wanted to try this place but it was closed during our holy week stay
Doque Grill Xaus (highway) - served the usual fare e.g. adobo, kaldereta etc so didn't try this place anymore but if you miss that kind of food, then maybe this is the place to go

Tours

Our contact was Gemma. She used to be the exclusive agent for Batanes resort. She's from Batanes but now based in Manila. Mobile: 0919-6051109, Landline: 799-2366, 427-0234. You can see the itinerary on her website.

Must see: South of Batan, Sabtang and Rolling Hills/Lighthouses/Windmills/Fundacion Abad