walk on

It's three a.m. and I have just finished redesigning my blog.

After getting peeled off my bed by my mom to help her with some computer work, my blog-addict juices fed into my bloodstream a potent drive to give my space a new look, much like what a strong brew of coffee does to an all-nighter. I'm sleepy; my eyes have gained yet another puff in the bag (send me an eye serum, quick!), but I'm happy. I am satisfied.

My new design (I know! The third in just over a month!) sports sleek lines, subdued colors, and a focal visual that carries the core of my adventures and aspirations. Leaving the past with a renewed spirit and trailblazing into the future with wide-eyed wonder.

Keep on walking with me.

mood spoiler, you fickle-minded turd

It's 15 minutes before 9, Monday, and I'm here at the office; when it should've been a holiday as declared a few days ago, but then changed at the nth time by the so-called president.

There goes my 12-noon wake-up time and my DVD marathon. Feh!

Just wanted to flush this out of my system so I could work today. I'm out.

tag you!

I've been tagged by master graphic designer, Noel.

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?
> Watching DVD, surfing the Net, and the thing we all (okay, most of us) do but hardly speak of. Har dee har har!

2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?
> A Friday night at the spa, luxuriating in the jacuzzi, getting a full-body aromatherapy massage, and sweating it out in the steam room or dry sauna.
> Weekend day-out with friends, watching a movie, dining out.

3. Tag five friends and ask them to post this on their blogs.
> You're next! Moja, Cams, Carl, Dean, and Bok.

and the journey begins

"With a little trip to the Embassy, this drizzly Friday morning marked the beginning of that life-long dive..."


One of the reasons I started blogging, "Braving the Beyond" then, was to chronicle this point in my life where "I am ready to make a high-dive and risk limbs and heart for a future that may either make or break me and mark milestones or mishaps."

With a little trip to the Embassy, this drizzly Friday morning marked the beginning of that life-long dive. Looking out the taxi window at the pouring rain, while stuck in the middle of Makati's maze, I began to ponder: could the rain be the tears of those I would leave behind (and of those who would never know what I am set to do) or could this be heaven pouring its grace, like what any well-wisher would do and say to one set on a voyage?

The Embassy was the same pleasantly packed (30 or so people) venue as it was when I visited it the first time last May for the application papers. Those four walls cradled all the dreams and hopes of those people there, me included. Some are in pursuit of a better career, a bout with the high seas (read: seamen), a furthering of one's travel exploits, or a reunification with friends and family (or soon-to-be-family, at that).

The entire submission process took me only close to an hour, a farcry from the horror stories I hear about submission in say, the US Embassy or in the China Embassy (like my bestfriend's experience a day before). Which leads me to wonder why so many people choose to fly to the (predictable) US of A, when there are lots of other places to go to and beat the odds. Say, Europe. That is one fabulous continent to explore and contend with. Anyway... The officer who processed my papers was kinda bitchy at first, but soon warmed up to me later in the process. It will take 6 to 8 months to process my application, and so after letting go of my 6,000-peso application fee, I only wait and wish for the best...

Packaged goods

After attending my boss' surprise birthday party at the Enterprise (at a work-hour, happily), I trooped to the Post Office in Manila to pick up a package from halfway-around-the-world. Thank you, love, for the spanking new wallet and Ms. Aguilera's CD. Dirrty! :)

YOU fill up my senses

Tonight, I close my eyes and think of the months gone by and moments shared with you.

With every breath, I remember your kisses.
With every whiff of air, I remember your scent.
With every sound, I remember your sweet whispers.
With every light, I remember your beauty.
With every movement, I remember your hand holding mine.
With every beating of my heart, I remember your love.

Happy 14th, my darling!

diet update and overflowing work-plate

Contained Cravings

Here's an update on my dieting efforts (After Six, after all, is an effort on my part, haha!):

Nights on After Six: Five

Weight lost: Hmmm... I didn't weigh myself at all on the get-go of this "project". I would only keep track of the developments with the thinning of my stomach.

Missed dinners: Night 1 - Adobong Pusit; Night 2 - Inihaw na Bangus; Night 3 - packed crew meal during the Citibank-Chopard Event at the NBC Tent; Night 4 - canapes and other pass-arounds during the Book Launch at Rustan's Makati; Night 5 - Hmmm, I wonder what's cooking tonight.

Slips and Sins - Haha! Okay, despite announcing to everyone at work that I haven't gone down the slope and eaten something after 6pm, I have, well sometimes. Night 1 - five Danish shortbread nuggets; Night 2 - a handful of Tostitos with salsa dip; Night 3 - clean slate; Night 4 - just ONE canape with feta cheese and cucumber; Night 5 - clean slate.

Full Plate of Work, Work, Work

After handling the publicity for the Citibank-Chopard event at the NBC Tent last week, there are more chunks of work to do spilling off my plate:

August 25 - At Home with Rustan's. A presentation to top-tier customers of the refurbished Home Floor at Rustan's Alabang. Alabang! Just the thought of it weakens my knees. Inviting press people to hike all the way to Alabang is next to impossible.

September 15 - Montblanc-European Chamber of Commerce Fashion Show. Just need to draft and dispatch a pre-event press release so Montblanc afficionados would troop to the ECCP Fashion Show to buy Montblanc writing instruments, leather goods and timepieces.

September 21 - Swarosvki Fine Jewelry and Home Decor Show. Help colleague Inigo drum up publicity for the launch and presentation of Swarovski's jewelry line for women and crystal decor for the home. Meet for the third time Swarovski Singapore's execs. Shout out to Mabel, Samantha, and Iris!

September 24 - Tiffany & Co.-Lulu Tan-Gan Fashion Show. Major publicity campaign for the collaboration between iconic Tiffany & Co. jewels and local label Lulu Tan-Gan, from press invitations, media coverage, press kits and gifts.

October 1 - Montblanc Ladies' Accessories Worldwide Launch. In sync with collection launches across the globe, the Philippine launch will happen in Ayala Musuem. In its diversification project, Montblanc launches a jewelry collection for women: rhodium-plated sterling silver pieces, from rings and earrings, to bracelets and necklaces. Major publicity campaign, again.

Heaven, help me!

crash and burn

After 6
see where the fish goes

Manila, 6:00 pm - In a recent turn of events, hot-stud-no-more Mark Carandang has come to acknowledge that his belly is bulging past the allowable limit and so has accepted a self-imposed experiment and challenge of dieting, for the first time ever. In a bid to lose 20-30 pounds in a timeframe of three months, Mark has decided to go for the least calorie-calculating and gram/percentage-punching dieting scheme he knows - the After Six Diet.

Yes, Manila. I will be on a diet starting today at 6:00 pm. No schemy last-minute munching. Just the regular eating hours and regular food intake: breakfast, lunch and (sometimes) afternoon snack. Why go for the After 6? First: It will not require me to buy a 700-1000-peso South Beach Diet packaged meal a day. Second: I am really such a sloth when I get home from work, so with low metabolism rate, this is the best option. I will try, to the best of my ability and the remaining strain of energy, to complement this diet with some calorie-burning exercises.

Crash and Burn. Wish me luck and a solid gut to fight the beckon (did you say bacon? ugh! gotta fight it!) of a tempting food, after six.

in transit

By the way, baptized my blog with a new title.

In Transit.

Works the same way as Braving the Beyond. But less serious sounding. Ride with me, baby!

bad, bad sandwich

Woke up today feeling bloated and heavy.

Must be the BK Chicken Sandwich I ate last night, while mind-bleeding over 79 stupid minutes of "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle". Bleh! Okay. I shouldn't have popped that DVD in in the first place nor have agonized watching until the end credits rolled. These two guys, one low-life investment banker (Harold) and the other a humping-smoking-bush-trimming carefree guy who's escaping med school (Kumar) decided one night to satiate their craving for a White Castle burger after seeing its TVC with that prurient-laden lady-voice-over. Ha! Silly. Nothing really, this movie. Just one of those movies you pop in when your mind goes blank and your mouth goes busy chomping on something.

So back to the Chicken Sandwich. Bad, bad sandwich! Not because of its taste (it never tasted this good before, mind you), but because of the calories it injected into my system. I vowed to start dieting 2 days ago, but to no avail apparently.

Got to have discipline control body beautiful. Ha!

kl snaps and trip-back

The four days we spent in Kuala Lumpur was like the haze that enveloped the city the first night we were there. The days went by fleetingly, but the memories continued to linger long after our plane has touched down Manila.

To recap, we took an AirAsia flight from Diosdado Macapagal Int'l Airport on that rainy August 6 afternoon. After braving the skies for three hours and being greeted by a burnt-smelling air and a thick haze, we found ourselves amidst the first-world charm and sophistication of Kuala Lumpur Int'l Airport. It's like stepping into a new territory that promises days of fun frolic in a foreign land. Walking past conveniently-cool travelators and the inviting architectural mammoth that is KLIA, we begin to realize how bleak and offending NAIA is, then hope that the opening of NAIA 3 arrives sooner than later. We Filipinos deserve an airport that has the same world-class panache as that of KLIA's or Hong Kong's or Changi's (Singapore).

After checking in three different hotels, all within easy access to Bukit Bintang or the main shopping artery, we took streetscape shots of downtown KL. Even though close to midnight, the streets are pulsating with so much city life - traffic whizzing by non-stop but with sensitivity and courtesy to pedestrians, street corners coming alive with hawkers of fake watches, belts, trinkets and other innovative creations (take for example this man who expertly turns wire into bikes, mermaids, baby grands, guitars, even the Petronas), and shops with neon signs all aglow due to the Mega Sale Carnival happening across Malaysia - much to our delight and itching excitement. My friends and I begin to wonder how come the Philippines doesn't ride on this bandwagon of crazy cross-country sale events, like the Great Singapore Sale or the Hong Kong Sale. To boost tourism, and thus the economy, an event like this could draw the elusive foreigners to our stores, and not just languid along our shores. For the Philippines is more than Boracay or Palawan (I am not contesting their tourism value). We are also a nation of shopaholics with shopping meccas that rival those in our neighboring countries.

The following day, with much clearer skies, my family and friends trooped to two of KL's landmarks: the Petronas Towers and KL Menara (Tower). Unfortunately, we missed the tickets given for free at the Petronas so we had to do with exterior shots with the famous towers in the background. Very much like this. The first time I was in KL, my heart stopped beating for a second when I first saw the Petronas from a distance. I was just in awe, more so when I was standing right under this remarkable human ingenuity. I was palpitating. The Petronas, alone, got me. Forget the shopping, the local cuisine, and the scent of foreign air, I would go back to KL in a heartbeat even if it were only for the Petronas. At the base of the Petronas stands one of KL's premier shopping centers: Suria KLCC, address of note to the world's leading fashion and jewelry brands. One of my favorite stores in Suria is ROOM, haven to funky home decor and accessories - from patterned rubber duckies to out-of-the-box clocks. It was a frenzy of shopping for items at marked-down prices. I got a pair of pants from Esprit and a swanky "European-chic" shirt from Topman. With floors and floors and thousands of meters of shopping space, one day is not enough to spend shopping in Suria KLCC.

Next in our itinerary was a visit to the KL Menara sitting atop a hill (Bukit Nanas). As one of the tallest free-standing towers in the world, KL Menara offers sweeping views of KL at 360-degrees. We got the chance to go up the viewing deck and enjoy the nighttime skyline of KL, with the glittering Petronas nonetheless. Featuring an audio tour and high-powered telescopes in each station, one gets to know and take a closer look at groundbreaking and famous landmarks and buildings of KL. We even got the chance to peek into the magnified globes perched atop each tower of the Petronas. Now where else can you get that? It is also remakable to know that KL is the only city in the world that nestles a rainforest within its city center. Another amazing tidbit in KL Menara is the multi-lingual staff. Don't be surprised when you'd get greeted with a "Mabuhay" or asked "Kamusta ka?" by a Malaysian. Last March, with some Norwegian friends, we were surprised when one staff greeted them with a "God morgen" and asked "Hvordan har du det?" This little yet sincere gesture reflects the warm hospitality the Malaysians have for their visitors - Asians and Caucasians alike.

The next day, while my family decided to stay in KL and shop more, Ish, Cres, Bel and I decided to go up Genting Highlands - like an Enchanted Kingdom, but in the heavens, literally. The bus-ride from KL was only 45 minutes. We took a 15-minute cable car ride that rivalled that of Singapore's going to Sentosa Island. The cable just went up and up and up, going up past several mountains until reaching the Highlands that is dotted with fantasy-themed hotels. Lobbies in these hotels were like enchanted gardens - with faux centuries-old trees sparkling with tiny lights, with Roman gods and goddesses in marble and on pillars, with larger-than-life butterflies and bugs in vivid colors. One of the hotels, First World, featured an indoor theme park that boasted of smaller scale Liberty and a large-scale Oscar (the gold statuette, yes), Venetian gondolas snaking around the area, Mardi Gras floats suspended on air, and other la la las of wonder, wonder land.

Back in KL, we did some more shopping sprees, had a good albeit expensive dinner in the good company of family and friends, and waited for the next daybreak for our flight back to Manila.

It was once said that he who travels alone, travels faster. I don't mind traveling at a slower pace - with my parents stopping at every Giordano or Esprit in sight, with having to wait for the rest of the pack to reassemble before proceeding to the next stop, with babies and young kids to take care of or strollers to be carried at stairways. For me, the most memorable travels are those shared with the best of friends and in the comfort and company of one's family.

braving KL

On Saturday, I will be braving the skies and fly to Kuala Lumpur for a four-day trip with family and friends, in time with the Malaysia Mega Carnival Sale (until 3.Sept)

I was in Malaysia last March for more than a week (5 days in Penang and 3 days in KL) and I loved the tranquil bliss found in the beaches of Batu Ferringhi and the vibrance and sophistication of the city. With my beloved-half and my newly-found friends, I discovered KL for the first time and was mesmerized by its bustling and colorful nightlife, the amalgamation of rich cultures and flavorful cuisines, and her plethora of shopping options. I found KL to be an expensive city, though. Well, blame it on their economy that's bullions and bullions richer than ours. Just the same, I am going back, in a heartbeat! KL has the infrastructure and landscaping sophistication of Singapore, and the reverberating shopping life of Hong Kong and Bangkok.

I hope that all will go well, and that my family and friends will find the same enchantment and enjoyment I found in KL. You see, I have found out that a heavy haze (brought by the inevitable dry-season forest fire in Sumatra and Malaysia) enveloped much of KL and peninsular Malaysia last August 2. Visibility at KLIA and roads was pegged at 1 kilometer. Now this is scary for air travellers. So I hope and pray to the heavens that the atmosphere in KL has cleared. This would also mean fantastic views of the Petronas and KL Tower glimmering in the KL skyline, and of fantastic views of the city from the viewing decks of these two remarkable structures. And oh, a clear fun day in the highlands of Genting! It will be my first time to go here and I've actually started dreaming of riding all the rollercoasters and other heart-stopping rides. I'm also looking forward to the 20-minute cable car ride to Genting Highlands.

Well, all my bags are packed and I am ready to go. More of KL when I get back. Wish us a safe and bon voyage!

photo credits: Lowyat.net

here they come the beautiful ones

Queer Eyed

When Kyan Douglas and Thom Filicia of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame stormed Manila one June weekend for book signings, an Ayala Museum-cocktails and a fashion show, I knew I just had to be right in the eye of the storm.

So I braved that one Saturday and traveled all the way to Alabang Town Center (remember, I live in Manila) for Thom's talk on interior designing and a latter book signing. With my officemate Tricia in tow, we were able to score reasonably-positioned seats in the atrium and enjoyed Thom's endearing sense of humor and appreciation for Filipino flair in designing. Come signing time, we were horrified that only those with yellow signing stubs (only 30, would you believe?!) will be given the chance to have their Queer Eye book signed. Ugh! No fat chance. His road manager and the Ayala people insisted that he could no longer accommodate the others in line (then what the hell was this beauty queen-turned actress-turned mother doing up there when she has no yellow stub ticket?!). Taking our chance just the same, we opened our books and gently shoved them in front of Thom, which he accommodatingly and happily signed on.

Soon after, Tricia and I rushed to Greenbelt 3 for Kyan's talk on grooming and his book signing. This time around, I was able to score two tickets - nos. 38 and 39 - for 40 available slots. Boy, we were on a high! Kyan was smashingly good looking and had all the girls (and gays, alike) swooning at no end. Kyan was the more serious of the two, nonetheless, he has charmed his way into the heart of his Filipino fans, especially this one time when he went down on his knees when asked by one girl from the audience "Will you marry me?", but retorted by standing up again and saying, "Honey, I'm sorry I'm gay, maybe if we're in another time period." Laughter all around. Charming, isn't he?

Two happy fans later, Tricia and I used our connections to get into the fashion show and maybe rub elbows with Thom and Kyan. With the director of the show putting us on his VIP list, we sashayed down to Ayala Museum at around 7pm and met the Fab Two for some photo op at the red carpet, enjoyed canapes and wine, and watched the fashion show presented by Store Specialist (sister-company of Rustan's).

The Fab Two sure have stirred a storm in their little fan circle here in Manila, but on a personal (and grander) scale, their whirlwind visit was one of the highlights in this colorful, colorful life.