When "yes" means "no"

It saddens me that people nowadays don't seem to understand the value of commitment.

When you say you'll do something, do it.

When you say you'll be somewhere, be there.

It's not just about what happened today. I am sick and tired of people not standing by their word. Sick of people not thinking things through before giving an answer. Sick of people who don't understand how their actions affect others.

Nakaka-walang gana.

I want to work for Oprah.

Daaaaym.

Seriously, this week totally blows.

I wanna go home.

The shots that didn't make it

I hardly post work-related stuff here, but I just wanted to give these photos some air time...

For Candy Magazine's June 2009 ish, I did their Candy Suite section which was about new ways of doing old things--displaying photos, fixing your bed, etc. This was the old way of fixing your desk...

Very utilitarian, with a desk caddy and a plain mug for pens

And this is the new way...

Oh-so-pretty!

Purty and functional! It's actually a lot like my work desk. I use a pretty jewelry box from Regalong Pambahay to hold all my little desk implements (stapler, staple wire, paper clips, and all that), and I have an inexpensive white vase from SM Homeworld, with two gigantor leaves. (I think it was our art director who once asked me, "Bakit meron kang gubat sa desk mo?") I also have a pretty neo-baroque-ish picture frame, also from Regalong Pambahay, which has been photo-less for months. My wall/magnet board is covered with black-and-white wrapping paper with a damask-like print. (People have asked me where I got it from. Answer: The Wrap Shop, one of my little pieces of heaven.) The first few weeks after I fixed my desk, I was just so in love with it. It made my workdays less dreary. Even now, after months and months, I still think it's lovely! Such a refreshing change from my old blah desk which irritated me so.

That brown mug in the "before" photo is actually still on my desk. I do want that little white urn from SM, but 1) I think there'll be a bit too much white on my desk (my Mac is white, too), and 2) the brown mug was a lovely gift from John Pettyjohn. Got it when we shot his store! People pay a bundle for his stuff, and I feel privileged to own a Pettyjohn anything, so I can't seem to replace it, even if it doesn't quite go with the rest of the look.

I just checked out the layout in the mag and was kinda sad that these photos didn't make it...I took other "befores" and "afters," and the page didn't have space for this set anymore, so the pics ended up on the cutting room floor. At the very least, I shall let 'em shine in cyberspace!

Photos by Patrick Martires; white vase, faux orchids, and white urn from SM Homeworld; jewelry box from Regalong Pambahay

Independence date

In large part due to The Big Day, H and I have had to put our travel plans on hold. Frustrated that I couldn't get out of the country, I told him one day that it would be nice if we would become travelers in our country.

Turista shot in front of the National Museum

I realized that there were so many places in my own country--in Manila alone--that I had never seen, so it was about time that I, we, got to know our own home. Plus, it would give us a different kind of date each time!

Our first date? The National Museum of the Philippines on Independence Day. (Papa G: "Wow! Nationalistic!") I first caught a glimpse of it when I read about a wedding reception held there. There was a picture of the museum with a red carpet over its grand steps, the bride walking up. Fabulous! And when I researched on it, I learned that there were two different museums in the complex: one for visual arts, and another detailing the history of the Filipino people.

After getting a little lost in Manila, we finally found the museum along P. Burgos Street. It was different from the wedding photo I saw--we went straight to the visual arts building so the pic must have depicted the other museum. It was a yellow building with pillars out front and a short flight of stairs; the driveway, which also served as the parking lot, was almost completely vacant.

The visual arts museum entrance free is P100; the Museum of the Filipino People entrance fee is P70. You could gain access to both for just P150. We didn't have much time so we decided to see the visual arts museum, then just wing it from there.

I realized that I had seen the Mona Lisa, many of Van Gogh's works (including my favorite, The Starry Night), and the Sistine Chapel, but I had never even thought to see Juan Luna's Spoliarium. (Yup, it's actually got an "i" before the "a"!) And it was indeed an awe-inspiring sight! Alas, we weren't allowed to take photos. But if you have the time, do head on over to the museum, even just to see this. It's a massive painting depicting slain Roman gladiators, and the whole thing covers an entire wall on the first floor.

It was cool going around this museum because it wasn't crowded at all. I actually thought we were the only ones there, our voices and footsteps the only ones echoing through the first-floor gallery. Upon reaching the second floor, we found a couple of families looking around. But these were nothing like the crowds at the Met, or the Louvre, or MoMa. It's the way I thought a museum should be--quiet!

In one wing, we got to see a big-ass skeleton of a sperm whale! We also viewed more works by the masters and national artists (whose names would not have been familiar had I not had a job that exposed me to art), and some modern things like H's favorite, Machines of God (it's sort of like a mannequin with wings and a Darth Vader head). I like realism more than abstract art, but H seems to favor the abstract. And art enthusiasts would probably shoot us if they heard how we interpreted the pieces! (Our comments not to be published here because they'll betray just how uncultured we are.) People fear what they do not understand, I suppose!

All in all, a very interesting date. I am no art expert, and there's so much I don't know and understand, but it was great having that experience with H. Never thought being at a museum could actually be that much fun.

National Museum of the Philippines, P. Burgos Street, Manila; tel. (632) 528-4912; open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:30 pm; nationalmuseum.gov.ph

What a beaut!

My favorite beauty ed (one of my favorite people in general!), Marie, has started a beauty blog. It's witty, entertaining, and highly informative! Read about getting "fully landscaped" by a "bulbolizer," the best sunblock out there, and her personal picks for when she goes climbing. Here.

Three, count 'em, three months to go!

May 2009 highlight reel

My oh my, five months have gone by. And merry May was pretty much a month of weddings…

Yogesh weds Surabhi. Ah yes, my “son” actually beat me to the altar (although I’m not sure that’s what it’s called in Hindu weddings). As with other Indian weddings, this one also had other events leading up to the actual wedding, including the Youngsters’ Party.

Me in an ultra-comfy jumpsuit. Yogs with his beautiful bride.

People showed up in their pajamas, in keeping with the theme. The event was held at Club Mwah where everyone--clad in jammies and negligees--witnessed an elaborate show, danced to some hiphop/house/Bollywood beats courtesy of a Singapore-based DJ, and partied with a funky jazz trio flown in from France (the cost of which could probably surpass what I’m spending for my entire wedding!). It was awesome hanging with the Bintan peeps again!

(Top) A member of the French trio; (above) with my BFF Mads, "our" sis Prits, and Tash.

The next night was the actual wedding. It seemed like they booked all the ballrooms to accommodate all the guests (800 to a thousand, by Yogi’s estimate)—there was even a “kids’ ballroom,” which, funnily enough, was much quieter than the big ballroom. The whole event was ostentatious and crazy chaotic and utterly sparkly—even my bejeweled dress seemed terribly under-ornamented, next to all the bling-y traditional Indian outfits. Mark my words: I shall wear a tummy-bearing Indian outfit when Mads gets hitched!

My dress by Mads. I was happy to wear a bindi again after so long!

Kaye’s shower. Jackie planned a bridal shower for her best friend Kaye a couple of weeks before the bride-to-be’s wedding. We divided into two teams for one of the games, the Project Runway challenge: We had to fashion a honeymoon outfit using just black and red crepe paper (and some tape and scissors)! Since everyone else was in comfy PJs (another pajama-themed party!), and I was the harlot wearing nothing but a tight tank and hot pants, I had to “model” our creation. I made a really cute, super short ruffle-y skirt, while my teammates took care of making the suspenders and hearts covering the, uh, chest area. We even had a little ruffled garter! Sorry, no pics. Haha.

I was up against Claud, who was wearing what looked like makeshift clamshells. We, of course, were talking trash the whole time. (And by “we,” I mean “I.” Hahaha.) Me to Claud: “Outfit daw na pang-honeymoon, hindi pang-perya!” Don’t get me wrong—I love love love Claud to bits! This was all in good fun!

And guess who won? Yay us!

Gino weds Kaye. “Kasal nanaman?” It’s the typical response when I have to beg off a game or a training session. I left a game day early to prep for the wedding, and since I didn’t have much time, my hair was left kind of unstyled and in all its natural (messy) glory. Oh well. Perhaps the gorgeous Richie Ortega dress kind of made up for it…

One of the rare times that I wasn't in a Madhuri Hemandas creation! With my barkada, minus the buntis who left early.

The couple’s first dance was really cute—starting with Panalangin and ending with a wonderfully cheesy choreographed version of Chris Brown’s Forever. Unfortunately, I didn’t even get a single photo with them in my cam.

House blessing. Well, the renovation’s finally done, and the studios are now for rent! Hope the parentals find some awesome tenants! Oh, if anyone's interested in renting a studio with easy access to the Cubao MRT and LRT stations, and a really wonderful landlord (aka, my mother) let me know! I could send you pics...of the studios, not of my mother. Hahaha.

What's wrong with being Paris?

Absolutely nothing, if he looks like that! This just might be enough to make me smack Bella on the head...



Jacob = hot! Hahaha.