Summer Highlights

One of the challenges I find with blogging these days is the "real-time-ness" of posts—chronicling notable and bloggable events on the same day. I'm constantly playing catch-up...or going completely M.I.A., as you can tell with my complete lack of posts for the month of July. Sigh.

But, moving along. I have been meaning to write about season's highlights. I'm a summer girl at heart. Summer is my favorite season, summer is when I feel the most nourished, summer is when I get an ample dose of Vitamin D, and summer is also when I can get dressed in five minutes flat (I'm a matchy-matchy kind of person so you can just imagine the agony of putting together layers in the winter time).

Without further ado, highlights from the last couple of weeks (which, in the blogging world, is eons!):

1) Summer Beauty
Well, it was still technically spring when I purchased these two lip treats from Sephora: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Pomegranate and YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color in Succulent Pomegranate. The former does say 'matte' but it goes on soft and creamy, leaving a rich hue on lips, while the latter is indeed a colored gel-balm that leaves a nice hint of sheer cherry. YSL's packaging is absolutely adorable and I certainly got it for prettiness.

A couple of weeks back, before it got really hot, I got a tube of Brazilian True Tan to kickstart my summer sun-kissed skin. I'd originally planned on purchasing something from St. Tropez, but, after reading the ingredients and giving it a whiff, I went for the former. Brazilian True Tan's formula is supposedly infused with AHA, so you don't have to exfoliate before applying. The color you get is very subtle, hence the claim "non-streak" on the packaging, because you can build on color, instead of slathering it on in one dark dollop. As with any self-tanner, you still have to watch it when it comes to elbows, ankles, and knees—wipe off any excess on these areas.

Okay, it's the weekend—I'm a beauty copywriter by day so writing about beauty on my day off feels like a bus driver's holiday—so I'm moving on to the next summer highlight...

2) Summer Solstice!

Next to Christmas, this is my favorite time of the year. It is the longest day where we get the most sunlight. Fortunately, my husband spotted the invite in the mail to sign up for the yearly Solstice In Times Square event. It was so surreal doing yoga right there, that I kept on peeking during Savasana to look at the buildings towering above me.

Bright and early!

I believe Vasisthasana (Side Plank) was the peak pose for that morning's session. That's me on the left, in the rainbow pink top. I'm quite proud of my Vasisthasana, simply because I could barely do one only a few years ago. Next stop: the full expression of the pose (yogi toe lock, leg extended at a 45-degree angle).

Fun and surreal doing yoga in Times Square!

3) Hova brought sexy back.

We got to see Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in concert at Yankee Stadium! :) The Legends of Summer tour paired the two music heavyweights, resulting in a concert experience to remember! Happy Summer days indeed.

Beyoncé @ Superbowl 2013

I don't think you're ready for this jelly… ;)

(What a surprise—Destiny's Child!)

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 24

Oops Post

I didn’t get to do my Day 20 post on this date. I got home from work and did about 40 minutes of yoga…and fell asleep! So I also didn’t get to do Nadi Shodhana. Oh well, another day, another night. ;)

I’d meant to post this song, “Cross The Line” by First State ft. Relyk. I heard it over the weekend at SoulCycle—the spinning session, a whole other post altogether!

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 20

Snap-happy!

I was testing out the Snap Widget plugin the other night and it generated a nice montage of my latest Instagram pics.

And below is the original screenshot (because the above thumbnails will change as I continue to upload photos onto the app):

Making Time

I want to...

read books
write books
bake
blog
write for magazines
learn the piano
play the guitar
keep house
kickbox
practice yoga

I get eight hours of sleep, eight hours for work...and eight hours to hopefully get to do all of the above, and then some.

I have a recipe in this book! And how I'd love to work on more of these…

(and blog more often!)

Sounds Klipsch

DAY 21

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Image courtesy of www.klipsch.com.

In my "Street Shopping" post, I'd mentioned spotting purple Justbeats Solo headphones—the Justin Bieber version of the ultra-popular Beats by Dr. Dre—in one of the stalls. I am not kidding when I say that no train ride is complete without seeing the ubiquitous "b" on someone's ear. (For the record, I have yet to find someone wearing the ube Biebers.)

Ube, Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh...

A while back, an uncle of mine said that to get good headphones, one must be prepared to spend. And, I somewhat agree with him. That said, I've had the same Sennheiser earpieces for quite some time now, two of them actually: one, in-ear buds purchased on a press trip in Amsterdam back 2006; and two, larger, DJ-type on-ear ones from 2009 that I left with Mom. Both are priced mid-range and offer great sound quality. The smaller ones, however, seem to be no longer in optimal condition, given that they're five years old. Again, you know how I feel about gadgets.

But ever since I tried on a demo unit of the super cute red Solo Beats a couple of weeks ago, I've been extra fascinated by the prospect of getting new headphones. Hence, I wouldn't say that coming out of Best Buy yesterday with new Klipsch Image ONE Stereo Headphones was exactly an impulse purchase. Up until the last minute at the registers, I turned around and returned them on the rack, only to head back to the store after a quick trip to Starbucks and finally getting them.

So, what made me decide to make the splurge and take the "audiophile" plunge? Apart from an imminent need (thanks, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry), I did spend almost an hour at the store comparing sound quality of several sample units, including one of the newer Bose on-ear models. The Klipsch ones didn't actually call out to me at first glance, but imagine my surprise when, upon testing them, they turned out to produce better-quality sound than the more popular Beats. (The Bose pair, by the way, was quite excellent—expectedly—but didn't look good on me. Yes, I'm part of the female shopping demographic.) Aesthetically though, Dr. Dre wins in that department. Bottomline is, before buying anything that clocks in at over a certain price range, make sure to be extra scrutinizing so you lessen your chances of buyer's remorse. Speaking of which, I need to finish an article on fashion finds that do exactly that—let you shop without feeling guilty. Signing off for now. Cue: Super Bass.

A song that makes a great headphone tester.

Ready for Friday

DAY 10

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Felt a little bit tired today, so ended up napping when I got home and just woke up. So, in lieu of a wordier post, here's something on my playlist this week, Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)." Love her sense of humor and of course, the 80s icons in the video: Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson, Kenny G. Even the the 90s' Hanson brothers are in it!

Have a great Friday, everyone! Until the next post (later today)!

College Musical

One of the most memorable movie soundtracks around.

While in the kitchen prepping ingredients for banana bread and chocolate chip squares, my Pandora Quickmix suddenly played the song, "Crash" by the Dave Matthew's Band. I stopped in my tracks and took a moment to listen to the song I hadn't heard in YEARS. I found it odd that the anthem of my late teens never found its way to my iTunes playlist. So, suffice it to say, I have been fixating on songs I used to listen to back in the day.

It also occurred to me, how, for a good decade—from the early nineties to the turn of the new millenium—I'd regularly played the guitar as a hobby. As a teen, one summer I taught myself to play, and that school year in high school, I chose guitar as a music elective. I didn't become quite the expert, but I learned the basics in a more academic setting. I played random classical pieces, and my teacher—a lanky, long-haired guitarist who probably had his own band and was working as a music instructor during the day—would sneak in some contemporary hits during practice sessions. Eventually, as college rolled around, I learned how to play songs by Dave Matthews, D'Sound, Everything But The Girl, and all of those artists who were popular back in the day. It felt like a lifetime ago, and I instantly started to wish I had a new guitar to completely reminisce, as well as relearn, the tunes of my yesteryears and actually pick up new pieces (Taylor Swift's "Love Story," perhaps?).

One particular song that got my heart thudding today was "We Meet Again" by Nancy Wilson, which was featured in the Jerry Maguire OST (sample the iTunes track here or on Amazon.com). Now, this one was incredibly memorable and special because at the time, my ex-boyfriend and I were just friends at the climbing gym we both frequented, and I tried to impress him by learning the complicated track, which required precise plucking of certain notes, versus collectively strumming chords. So what I did, since the College of Music was just across the street from MassComm, I approached a random musician and asked if he could translate the song into sheet music for me, into "tabs" as what they're commonly called. 

Looking back, I couldn't believe I did that(!)—both the fact that I commissioned a music student AND went through all that effort to get a boy's attention. How I wish I still knew who the guy was—he did an excellent job that within a week or so, I had pages of music to study. I probably told my ex the story when we did get together about a year after. He and I are actually still friends to this day (his wife did my beautiful invites and they both were guests at my wedding). I do have some thoughts on staying friends vs. not staying friends with people whom one dated and that would merit another post altogether. 

It's just amazing how my life changed throughout the years, and how the music I listened to changed with it in the process (now it's plenty of house, Chicane, Phoenix, Katy-Perry-pop), and, now that I'm married and living here in New York City, how I'm rediscovering good bits and pieces from my past and finding ways to incorporate them in my current life.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com.

Oui, Wee!

In America, the articles I've read so far have all referenced 2009 as the year Phoenix became 'famous' in this part of the world. Yet, the French band from Marseilles has been churning out tunes waay before that, as early as 2000. I picked up my first Phoenix album It's Never Been Like That in 2006, when the single, "Long Distance Call," started playing in a radio station I'd listened to in Manila. Prior to that, their song "Too Young" was part of the Lost In Translation movie soundtrack in 2004, although I wasn't familiar with the band at the time. I eventually did find out that vocalist Thomas Mars was the boyfriend of director Sofia Coppola, whose movie mentioned above I particularly enjoyed (enough to have purchased the OST).

2009 was when the band's latest cd, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, came out, which contained the now popular "1901" (featured in a Cadillac commercial), along with plenty of upbeat, happy songs that have been featured in a slew of movies and TV shows. That's when the bigger part of the U.S. started seriously noticing the French foursome. The Saturday Night Live and late-night talk show circuit guestings may have also helped.

What a great show!

The setlist, minus the awesome encore.

So, on October 20, my husband and I finally got to see them live at the Madison Square Garden! It was awesome! Plus, a SURPRISE performance by the electronic duo, DAFT PUNK! You can read about it here and here.

I want to be them next Halloween.

Images courtesy of http://pitchfork.com (album cover and Daft Punk) and http://www.brooklynvegan.com (concert and setlist).

Offshore

Listening to "Offshore" by Chicane—the really long ambient version—brings me back to those early days at Seventeen...like a delightful, wonderful, and soothing time capsule. I actually met Nick Bracegirdle (head of the group) and asked what he thought of the song. Here's what he said:

"You know that feeling when your vacation is about to end? That's how I felt when I wrote Offshore." And it's true: If you listen to the song, you get this beachy, melancholic feeling. It's truly amazing how music can translate emotions so eloquently and vividly.

	Chicane - Off Shore [Ambient Mix]
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

“Don't stop believing.”

DAY 7 of the Inspiration Series

With Journey lead singer, Arnel Pineda and drummer, Deen Castronovo, in the background.

My recent errand trip to New York was highlighted by two events:

1) The Journey performance outside the CBS studios and

2) A last-minute showing of “The September Issue,” starring Anna Wintour herself, Grace Coddington, and the rest of the American Vogue posse.

Both were unexpected and proved be pleasant, wonderful, and immensely entertaining. And for the former: inspiring.

I blogged earlier this year about lead singer Arnel Pineda's meteoric and fairy tale-like rise to fame, having been discovered by Journey founder and guitarist, Neal Schon, one late night on YouTube. The rest was awesome music history and in the past year and a half or so, Arnel has been touring the world with his favorite band. (Read my “Hiatus” post here.)

While Journey and Steve Perry songs like “Open Arms” and “Foolish Heart” never waned in terms of airplay in the Philippines (hop on any taxi or bus and you're likely to hear either one), in the U.S., the band has enjoyed a career renaissance of sorts when The Sopranos ended the series with that cliffhanger diner scene and played the band's 1981 hit, “Don't Stop Believin’”—a song that has also become a mainstay in the New York club and karaoke scene.

One of the things I love about NY is that you can turn around the corner and walk right into a movie set, or an outdoor concert, like this one.

It was so nice to watch Arnel and the band live and literally soak in (it was drizzling) the happy, energetic vibe. If there's one inspiration story to cap this series, it's Arnel's: He represents 40 years of hard work, faith, and persistence—from humble beginnings down to finding refuge and success in music. I especially loved the sincerity and sense of gratitude he exuded onstage. He just seemed so kind, lighthearted, and happy—qualities to strive for on a daily basis. It was truly a treat to be amidst the crowd on that rainy New York Friday.

So that wraps up my Inspiration Series. I do have some more inspiration-themed posts planned along the way. Meanwhile, here's the trailer of “The September Issue.” Enjoy!



(The September Issue photo courtesy of http://moviefuns.info.)

From my "Hiatus" post:

(7:18 will make you cry: "[My mother] taught me to fight the world
when it's just not too kind on you.")

The Inspiration Series

DAY 1 - "It smells like God."
DAY 2 - "You're a kind soul."
DAY 3 - "Just wait for it."
DAY 4 - "I have all I need."
DAY 5 - "Take the plunge."
DAY 6 - "Go in peace."
DAY 7 - "Don't stop believing."

"I have all I need."

DAY 4 of the Inspiration Series

"And if I need more, it'll come."

I just wrote that on my notebook and within minutes—or maybe seconds—the song, "All I Need" by Air (from the album, "Moon Safari: A Lunar Adventure") played randomly on iTunes. Doesn't that sound divine, literally? I know God listens and affirms with grace.

I had a full day with family today. I know for many of you reading this blog, it's not unusual to spend Sundays with loved ones, hearing mass, going out to lunch, shopping around town, enjoying a hearty dinner. But to me, this is something I treasure because I'd missed out on this for many years, having lived independently since my early teens and for most of my adult life.

I always joke with my mother that I've done this totally backwards. In the Philippines, most girls live with their parents until they're married. Some get their own apartments after graduation, but the former is the norm. I, on the other hand, am living with my mother for the first time since I was 13! It's as if I'm cashing in on those missed years. But Mom says it's not even an issue: I'm getting married, and I need to save up. And she loves having me around, taking advantage of her marvelous kitchen gadgets. So Thank you, mom.

Anyway, I dormed throughout high school and up to Freshman year college. By then my aunt and uncle said I should be spending college in a family environment (I was an only child at the time), so I lived with them, and my three cousins, for three years. We were quite close, to the point that my youngest cousin, who had been born the following year, thought I was her sister. Eventually, I moved out (and my cousin cried when she found out I was her cousin! Aww...)

Don't get me wrong, dear blog readers: To borrow Liv Tyler's words describing her childhood, "Mine was filled with love." There may have been times when my parents were absent, but everybody pitched in and provided me with a sense of family. Probably quite the non-traditional kind, but family nonetheless. My favorite aunt, Tita Joan, once said, "Family isn't just blood." And it's true.

As for those times my immediate family members were 'absent,' my dad, back then was new at his newspaper job and was busy toiling away at work to the point that he bunked with other reporters/editors in the office living quarters for many years. He didn't get paid much in the beginning, but he was able to send me to college and provide for me financially. Plus share helpful books (see my "Good Morning, America post from last year) and insights along the way.

My mother, on the other hand, was busy trying to get all of us a green card. These days she lives comfortably, but during her early years in the U.S., she took on several jobs to make ends meet. Eventually, after the strain of a five-year long distance relationship, she and my dad split. But I won't elaborate on that in this post (looong story).

Anyway, those three years I'd lived with relatives before moving out were quite critical in my growth as an adult human being:

I learned how to ride a bike at 16.

At 16, Tito Al hired an instructor to teach me how to ride a bike. This was in Baguio, (a northern city in the Philippines) during a family vacation, and they didn't come get me until I was balancing/wobbling on my own. Within weeks, we were rough-riding at the construction site of what is now The Fort. I am not kidding—we were biking around tractors, submerged in dirt, on unpaved/non-existent roads. By Christmas that year, Tito Al and Tita Joan gifted me with a bicycle—one that I took to school, to the climbing gym, around town.

At 17 and 18, I learned to eat Boursin and Havarti, enjoy chewy walnut bread from the Mandarin Hotel, eat chicken baked in paprika, know what a clean kitchen and living room should look like, source seat covers from obscure places, PAINT a gate (not kidding!), clean and oil a bicycle, do long and short runs, make (or destroy) carbonara, and so forth. The works.

By 19, I was on my own, again. But armed and ready to be independent. I didn't go wild, I'd been trained well. I felt like a responsible adult.

In retrospect, I see that no matter how life seemed lacking or incomplete at different points in time, I'd actually been given the building blocks needed for each step of the way and every accomplishment. Sometimes it's just easier to fixate on what's missing, and crave for certain things, but looking at the big picture, it's all in there.

Image courtesy of http://www.tunequest.org/ (album) and http://www.abikestore.com (bicycle).

The Inspiration Series

DAY 1 - "It smells like God."
DAY 2 - "You're a kind soul."
DAY 3 - "Just wait for it."
DAY 4 - "I have all I need."
DAY 5 - "Take the plunge."
DAY 6 - "Go in peace."
DAY 7 - "Don't stop believing."

Goodbye, Raoul

Raoul Eraña was one of the cutest, nicest, and most personable people at Summit Media. I say "cutest" because in an office filled with women's titles, the guys who came in were immediately noticed and scrutinized. And Raoul was definitely a keeper.

While we weren't particularly close, we'd exchanged warm hellos and casual conversations in the hallways and work stations. He was from marketing and the girls in editorial easily warmed up to him, thanks to his easygoing personality. He had a vast collection of Hed Kandi albums and at some point, I got a few tracks so some of my old iTunes songs are still labeled 'from Raoul.'

A few months ago, Raoul was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He underwent operations to remove it and ended up in a coma. One would look at his Facebook page and see so many friends urging him to "Wake up!" I cried the first time I saw those messages; they were both cheery and heartwarming. I was still hopeful and prayed for a miracle, God-willing.

But now he's gone. I can imagine how terrible the people in his life must feel. His girlfriend, his parents...he was an only child. I try to never question the will of God, even at times I don't understand it. And I still can't help but ask: Why does someone so young have to die? I only pray for the Lord to strengthen the people Raoul has left behind and to guide them each step of the way along their healing process.

Raoul, you will be missed. I know you'll have fun in heaven, enjoying your best music ever. (I bet it's truly heavenly, beautiful, and never-ending.)

A Better Coke

A former colleague shared this video over Plurk and my gosh—I remember this song, almost by heart! (And did you know Lilet relaunched her singing career a couple of years ago with the name Marielle?) Anyway, to refresh your memory, this was a popular Coca-Cola tv commercial in the 80's. I'd forgotten a Tagalog version also came out. I haven't seen this since I was a kid (second grade?) so I got goosebumps hearing it again.



Sing along if you like :)

I am the future of the world
I am the hope of my nation
I am tomorrow's people
I am the new inspiration

And we've got a song to sing to you
We've got a message to bring to you

Remember me
For you and for me
And tomorrow (tomorrow)
If we all can agree
There'll be sweet harmony
Tomorrow (tomorrow)

And we all will be there
Coca-Cola to share
Feeling so real and so true
(Feeling so real and so true)

Promise us tomorrow
And we'll build a better world for you
(Build a better world for you)

I LOVE this song! They don't make commercials like this anymore.

Mandy's back!

That's Mandy Moore on the cover of the July/August 2009 issue of Women's Health Magazine. She looks great, doesn't she? As it turns out, she has a new album called Amanda Leigh (her birth name) and surprise, surprise, she's now married to singer-songwriter Ryan Adams.

I met Mandy Moore a couple of years back and she was the sweetest thing. My fiancé has always had a crush on her, going as far as asking my then-editor to let him tag along during the interview. I am trying to unearth a photo which I thought was in my dormant Friendster account, but apparently, was in the Myspace account I'd deleted a long time ago.

Sorry if this blog post sounds anorexic yet again. I just spent the whole day doing my New York day job—that I get to do outside the city thank you very much—so I'm pretty spent. Plus, up until a minute ago, I had yet to figure out what to write about for Friday's beauty column. Good thing I got an email from the brand manager of Ralph Lauren/Polo and Diesel detailing upcoming men's fragrance launches. So, watch out, I'll be broadcasting the latest scent treats you can get for the hommes in your life!

Back to Mandy, yes she was sweet, charming, gracious, and gorgeous! It was the 'Mandy Machine' of agents, managers, and the like, that annoyed in general. That said, I only have pleasant things to say about the former teen pop star, and I wish her well in her career and marriage. And I'll be browsing iTunes for her new songs, simply because they reek 'indie' and I'm curious: Mandy holed up in a cabin to produce her latest album. This means, she was free to write and record with no big studio labels filtering and forcing mass-produced, monotonous beats on her. (I do like some manufactured pop, too, don't get me wrong.)

Anyway, Women's Health is an engaging read brimming with useful and entertaining articles. Although personally, I seem to enjoy reading Men's Health more, maybe because with the latter being a magazine made for men, I am not compelled to check the gutter for photo credits, or pay too much attention to styling, copy, etc.—an 'autopilot' function that lights up whenever I pick up any women's magazine.

Women's Health is currently being headed and edited (headited—a term I've coined) by Michele Promaulayko, Kate White's former second-in-command at Cosmo. I think anybody who has been second-in-command of anything makes a great head of something, as witnessed by my managing and associate editor friends who now helm their own titles.

New York, Baby

My friend Lille introduced me to Leona Naess's music a couple of years ago. Her songs are mainstays on my iTunes playlist: Sunny Sunday, I Tried To Rock You But You Only Roll, and of course—Charm Attack ("Oh with your gorgeous grin/ You have the world sucked in/ Believing in everything you saaaayy.../ Watch out, he'll charm you." That was probably my 2003 anthem!).

Earlier she shared a Blip.fm link to New York Baby that somehow got lost in my music library; it's the first time I've heard it again in years. Only now, its lyrics hit so close to home and it's painful to listen to:

Well the heat has fallen down
All across this desolate town
And the concrete jungle is dead
As I lie here in my bed
And I'll stand here till the fall
And ignore the summer's call

You know what they say

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

Well the city she throws and throws
While the restless collect sand through their toes
And you try to get from A to B
Spend your weekends by the sea
But I'm just waiting for you
Yeah, I'm just waiting for you

You know what they say

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

New York, baby
They all landing, by the sun
Step in oh God, everyone
All I'm trying is waiting for you
Yeah, I'm just waiting for you

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

New York, baby
New York, baby
New York, baby

I'm coming home, someday
I'm coming home, someday
I'm coming home

So THAT my friends, is why I'm still dragging my feet and buying time in a sunnier place away from the city.

To listen to the song, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo! Music. © EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC. © MESSY NAESS PUBLISHING. Lyrics provided by Gracenote)

Summer beats

What happened between Rihanna and Chris Brown is really none of my business. Although I may be a little intrigued by the recent scoop of the latter pleading 'not guilty' to charges of assaulting and threatening the former on the night of this year's Grammy's. I can imagine the drama, the ire of the women's movement, the Rihanna backlash (if she testifies and denies the allegations) and so forth.



But can I just say that, I really, really like Brown's song, "Forever?" Not only because of its chart-topping melody, but also because of the lovely New York summer memories it evokes: a last-minute road trip to Rockland wherein the song kept playing in the car and we couldn't figure out the title and lyrics ("Willow? Is he saying Willow?"), happy bonding times with friends (imagining anecdotes from the small town they grew up in), and that carefree feeling of all being well (because I was practically fired two weeks after that drive). By the time we'd reluctantly embraced the chill of autumn and braved the cold winter season, unforgettable lessons had been learned, and indelible memories, formed.

That said, I truly am curious about people's personal anthems. Other than "Forever," I have quite a few on my iTunes playlist (yes, Fade). But how about you guys? What makes you stand up and move to the beat? What makes you belt out tunes, from Sinatra to Britney (you know you love her)? As you can tell, I am eager to beef up my MP3 directory.

Recession Proof

Image courtesy of http://filipinolifeinpictures.wordpress.com

Despite the relatively “poor” conditions in the Philippines, I am still happy to be here even just for the time being.

I put the word poor in quotation marks because the term is debatable, and again, relative. It’s true, countrymen are struggling, if not more than ever. And when one takes photos or videos around town, it’s not 100 percent picturesque because of the gritty truth of people living in the slums, child beggars weaving through traffic, and so forth. But Manila at this time is uncannily refreshing and truly uplifting simply because life seems… normal, for lack of a better word.

The first thing I noticed (and enjoyed) was seeing the malls and coffeeshops (and yes, also Starbucks) brimming with people working with the Wi-fi connection on their zippy laptops; high-rise residential buildings with construction in full swing; and pricey hotel breakfast buffets filled up, lines long. I will go far as to say that Manila these days is more bustling than Las Vegas, compared to the last time I was there.

In the words of a friend, the Philippines doesn’t seem as hardly hit by the recession as its neighboring super-countries like Singapore or Japan, since it never really took off in terms of vast economic development. So the dip feels a bit slighter, and the people seem as jolly as ever.

The last couple of weeks leading to this vacation was a bit depressing: Who would’ve thought a country like the United States would face the day when big retail stores like CompUsa and Linens ‘n Things would experience an untimely demise? Even worse, driving through main thoroughfares, one is met with quaint stores closing at a mouth-clucking rate. Turning on the tv, one is greeted with that widget-like broadcast of the latest unemployment statistic, plus disturbing news on people who will now work for food. I just had to escape, hoping that the rays of the Third World sun, its glorious beaches, jolly fellowmen, and belly-busting cuisine will help me recharge for America once again.

On another note, I’ve always had a soft spot for people who peddled their wares on their bikes. I just find it so heartwarming how much honor and pride these grown men have, toiling the day away, making a living, peso by peso, piece by piece of whatever’s for sale. Yesterday, we bought a few pieces of sweet corn from a guy on a bicycle along Congressional Avenue. Each steaming-hot mais was Php 12—that’s one dollar for four pieces! I get misty-eyed realizing this, and thinking about how many of those he has to sell in one day, in order to make a decent living. I wondered, How many kids does he have? Are they in school? How does that huge basket of corn stay steaming hot throughout the day?

Cue: Jaiho!


Original version by A.R. Rahman


Version by the Pussycat Dolls

Hiatus

photo courtesy of http://bjanepr.wordpress.com
I'm 10,000 years behind this scoop as I'm sure by now everyone already knows about Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the iconic 80's rock band, Journey. His story is truly inspiring: having been orphaned at 13, living off of the streets collecting metal scraps, empty bottles, and old newspapers for eight pesos a day (that's roughly 20 cents), and later on finding local success as a cover band vocalist, then finally being discovered by Journey's founder and guitarist, Neal Schon. 25 years of hard work all in all. Watching clips of him and reading about the story makes me so proud to be Filipino. (And it's also a great reminder of how stupid it would be to give up my multimedia dreams here in the States so quickly.)

I guess it's fair to say at this point that I've had a tough 2008. Right now, I'm not in the jolliest of moods when it comes to determining what direction to steer my career next. New York City is an unbelievably challenging place, but it doesn't mean I'm giving up on it, nor will I discourage friends and former colleagues to give life in the Big Apple a shot. True, I've met people who look at you if you're Asian like you're there to do their laundry or are applying to be the nanny (yep, I've had my own Mrs. Van der Woodsen moments), but it doesn't mean that America is awful, despite the current state of its economy. Like I used to say back at the Tower, "There's lots to be happy about."

Somewhere between packing up my apartment and lugging boxes to the post office to prepare for this long (working) vacation, I turned a year older. After more box-stuffing and package-lugging, I decided to spend my birthday at Bergdorf's—and later on, ending up at Zara on Fifth Avenue. I guess in both hard and happy times, I'm all for high street. My conclusion about Bergdorf is that I love it from afar, especially as a literary reference, but in real life and inside, I'm not that fond of it. I did enjoy the fragrance section, which was like a trip back memory lane as each bottle represented certain times and people in my life. (A hard-to-find Lanvin cologne: of one of my closest female friends, the original Bulgari Omnia: of a dreadful man I dated, the Annick Goutal line: of that day back at Cosmo wherein we spent an afternoon sniffing all sorts of fragrances for the Beauty Awards...)

Fashion-career-wise, despite having lost the chance to shop beautiful Italian-made pieces at 30 percent off, I've emerged a new and improved copy editor: better at spotting extra spaces, determining the proper direction of single quotation marks and apostrophes, and knowing the difference between real ellipsis and three periods.

I know this is a cheesy thing to say, especially since a city like NYC strips you of off sentimentality as you're always busy chasing trains or convincing taxicabs to let you swipe your card, I like the message of "Don't Stop Believing." I'm officially hibernating for the next few months, but I know one day I'll wake up and be ready to take on new career challenges once again.

Happy 2009 everyone!

Sounds Good

In the middle of deadlines, I decided to tune in to RX 93.1 online, and get some good music from back home. I realized, Manila has become a melting pot of sorts when it comes to two major genres of music: House and Hip-hop. Okay, and a third: Pop.

During my Cosmo and Seventeen editor years, I got to meet the likes of Paul Van Dyk, Chicane/Nick Bracegirdle, Michelle Branch, and have witnessed countless gigs and amazing performances of both pop artists and under-the-radar but superbly talented musicians.

Going out in New York has proven to be a little bit frustrating, because clubs here seem to be encased in a music time capsule. (Seriously, "One More Time" is old!)

Meanwhile, I'm intently perusing a DJ career (okay, you can laugh now). I'm currently on the lookout for a serious curriculum so I can finally get to the turntables—as a professional. (Look out, Sam Ronson!)

Dreaming and DJ-ing aside, deadlines take centerstage for now.

Click here to start streaming.


A little bit of trivia...
In 2002, I trained briefly at NU107 to do the morning news, under the expertise of Joyce Titular a.k.a. J.D. and Zach Lucero (remember, Zach and Joey in the Morning? THAT Zach.)